Disclaimer: Vampire Knight belongs to Matsuri Hino.
Rating: M [16+ Only]
Warning: Contains yaoi, mild language, some violence and suggestive themes.
Before you read: Shizuka did not bite Zero when she attacked his family, therefore Zero is still human. Yuki and Kaname are not related whatsoever, and therefore Yuki is not a secret vampire.
Soft rays of early morning sunlight seeped through the classrooms and corridors of Cross Academy, illuminating the school grounds with a golden glow. The distant chime of bells reverberated throughout the area, signaling the start of a new day. Residents of the Sun Dormitory had already begun to make their way toward the main building in order to attend their first class. They were being led by the school's two guardians; the eccentric silver-haired hunter, Zero Kiryu and Yuki Cross, the beloved daughter of the Headmaster. Despite the earliness of the day, the students were already abuzz with last night's new rumors. Rumors that most certainly involved the academy's most eligible bachelor and resident pureblood, Kaname Kuran. Although the Day Class students were blissfully unaware of the existence of vampires and had absolutely no idea that their counterpart, the Night Class consisted entirely of these creatures; gossip of Kaname Kuran being a vampire ran amok amongst them. Much to Yuki's dismay and Zero's irritation, it was the chocolate haired pureblood himself that had started the rumors.
Exactly a month prior, the lilac eyed hunter had chanced upon the vampire lord in the woods around the main building during the time of the vampires' class hours. He and a female member of the Day Class were locked in a lover's embrace; his devilishly handsome face hidden, buried in the crook of the girl's long, slender neck. Shocked and infuriated, Zero had all but ripped the poor girl from Kaname's arms and aimed his Bloody Rose at the pureblood's forehead, threatening to shoot him between the eyes. If that bastard had bitten her…
"Is there a problem, Mr. Prefect?" Kaname had asked. "Surely, there have been no rules set against kissing the necks of my admirers." The tone of his voice dripped with both annoyance and amusement, but his face remained a mask of indifference.
"Am I to believe that your intentions had been nothing but innocent, Kuran?" Zero retorted in disgust, as he glared into orbs the color of carmine.
"But of course, Kiryu. Why would I expend so much time and energy into helping Chairman Cross establish this academy for the sake of human and vampire coexistence, just to throw it all away for one bite?" The pureblood had inquired the hunter.
The young guardian eyed him suspiciously before slowly lowering his silver gun. He turned to the trembling girl whose wrist he held in a death grip and carefully examined her neck for any possible bite marks. Upon closer inspection, Zero released her wrist and sighed in relief when he realized that the only thing that marred the girl's skin were a couple of hickeys.
"There's no need for you to fret over something so trivial, Kiryu," Kaname scoffed. "I'll be sure to erase her memories of this evening's events and have Seiren return her to her dorm room safely." The pureblood stepped forward, catching the young girl in his arms after rendering her unconscious with his powers.
"Don't ever let me catch you doing this again, vampire," Zero warned menacingly. "If I do, I will be the one to personally hand you your execution." He said nothing more to the pureblood before glancing back at the comatose girl and heading back to the main building.
The next morning, Mayune - the very same girl that Zero had found in Kaname Kuran's arms was seen in class, sporting a scarf around her neck. It was an unusual sight to behold considering the fact that they were in the middle of spring. As he approached her and her squealing cluster of friends, he overheard her claims of having been 'bitten' by a certain someone. Horrified, he pushed passed the crowd of giddy girls and yanked the scarf from her neck, only to see the two hickeys from last night.
"Hey! What was that, Zero?" Mayune cried, snatching her scarf back from the silver haired prefect. "Who said it was okay to grab at people's things without their permission?"
"Uh, right…sorry." Zero responded, stupidly. "What exactly do you remember about getting those hickeys?" He was eager to know just how much she could recall from the previous night's proceedings, in case he needed to do some damage control.
"Well…I was out in the woods trying to look for a book I must have dropped on my way out of the main building…" she explained, biting her lower lip. Zero could easily tell that she was lying. The only reason she'd be out in the woods in the dead of night would be to capture pictures of the Night Cass through the classroom windows. "I was walking around when I caught sight of Kaname. So I took the chance of a lifetime and went ahead to talk to him!" The girl continued enthusiastically while her friends screamed in excitement. "Then after a while, he started kissing my neck!" By now, the girls' screams were near deafening. Zero had to shout over them to make himself heard.
"Okay and then what happened?" He asked impatiently. He was afraid of what she might reveal about what had occurred between him and the pureblood.
"After that, he sent me back to my dorm saying it was dangerous for me to be out so late. He was even kind enough to send another one of his classmates to escort me to the Sun Dorms." The girl was effectively swooning over what had happened to her.
"Is that all?" Zero questioned as he released the breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Yeah, that's all. Why? Were you hoping for more details, Zero?" Mayune teased.
"No thanks. Just get to class, you're gonna be late," the male prefect commanded as he turned on his heel. "Oh, and by the way, I'm giving you detention after school today for violating curfew." Zero smirked when the girl started whining about her punishment, throwing curses at him as he walked away. Why didn't that bastard erase her mind completely like he said he would? He thought heatedly. He reminded himself to pay a certain pureblood a visit after classes ended.
Zero had not been able to meet with the dark haired vampire lord that day. Instead, he hunted him down the next night after the despicable creature had given another Day Class girl a pair of hickeys to brag about that morning.
"What the hell are you doing, Kuran?" The silverette fumed. "Why didn't you erase that girl's mind completely? And I thought I told you that if I caught you giving hickeys again, I'd personally oversee your end!"
The click of the prefect's gun failed to faze the pureblood at all. Instead he answered him complacently, "What do you mean, Kiryu? I did erase the girl's mind as promised. I merely did not specify how much of her memories to obliterate. I removed enough to keep our secret safe." The vampire leader's features then twisted into a dark smile. "As for your little threat, you simply stated that if you ever caught me in the act again, you'd end my life." The elder boy paused for a moment in order to let his words sink into the hunter. "But you didn't catch me last time, did you?"
Damn that pureblood and his word play!
After that disastrous meeting with the pureblood a month ago, Zero vowed to scour the school grounds every night, hoping to catch the vampire red-handed. However, the month had passed without success and every day since then, a new girl would come to class the next morning, showing off her 'love bites' from Kaname. It was how the rumors began circulating around the Day Class that Kaname Kuran was a so called 'vampire' and how he came to be known as the academy's playboy. The Night Class dared not to question their leader's intentions and for some reason the Chairman didn't even bother to give much thought to it. He simply told the male guardian to ignore the whole situation all together as no one had ever returned injured. Yuki joined the other Day Class girls as they squealed in enthusiasm, contemplating on who would be lucky enough to rendezvous with Kaname next. It seemed that the pureblood would leave his mark on the first girl he would find that night. As a result, the number of Day Class girls breaking curfew increased every day and Yuki was no help at all. They weren't even threatened by the prospect of getting detention anymore if it meant getting a chance to be with Kaname. This enraged the silverette to no end. Why is he doing this? He was positive that the vampire was doing it just to piss him off.
But tonight was going to be different. Tonight he was going to stand in the shadows by the exit of the main building and follow the pureblood out into the woods in silent anticipation. Zero will finally be able to fulfill the threat he had given him; a reason to put a bullet through the vampire's head.
At class changeover that day, Zero made sure the Bloody Rose was fully loaded with anti-vampire bullets. When the Night Class appeared through the gates, the hunter locked eyes with deep burgundy depths. They bore into him intently, challenging him. His own amethyst orbs flashed in warning. "Watch your back, Kuran," he said ominously. Kaname could do nothing but smirk in understanding as he led his subjects toward their destination.
Within a few hours, the male prefect had situated himself upon a tree branch overlooking the large glass windows of the pureblood's classroom. The hunter stood casually, arms crossed over his chest and leaning against the tree in the shadows. He watched as his target departed from the classroom, prompting him to shift towards the academy building's exit. Kaname Kuran swiftly made his way out into the forest after emerging from the double doors. Withdrawing the Bloody Rose from its holster, Zero pursued him in haste, moving stealthily among the trees. He cursed under his breath when he took note of the absence of moonlight. It was the night of a new moon and therefore, his all too human eyes would have to strain to see through the darkness. The only illumination he received came from the numerous stars that scattered the expanse of the navy blue sky. Luckily, he was able to follow close behind until the pureblood had stopped at a clearing near a lake. The gentle rippling of water can be heard while a cool breeze blew through the trees, causing its cherry blossoms to rain down onto the earth. Each individual petal twisting and dancing in midair until it came to rest on the soil below. Some landed on the surface of the lake, moving elegantly along the water's current. It reminded Zero painfully of the night his entire family was murdered in cold blood. The silhouette of an alluring young woman came to mind, tall and ethereal. Cherry blossoms had been falling then, too… Zero pushed the memories of that night back into the recesses of his mind and focused his attention on his target. Both vampire and hunter stood motionless and silent.
"Has it ever occurred to you that I might not even take a victim tonight, knowing how closely you've been watching me this entire time?" The vampire lord inquired, breaking the silence as he turned to face the direction in which he sensed the hunter's presence. Unlike the prefect, Kaname had the ability to see clearly through the inky blackness. It was a gift that most vampires often took for granted.
Zero stiffened upon hearing the pureblood's smooth velvety voice amid the silence. How naïve had he been, thinking that he could avoid being detected by such a high ranking vampire? With a huff, he let himself descend from the tree branch he had been perching on and landed gracefully on the hard ground. "Well if that's the case, maybe I should just stick around you for the rest of the night," he answered the carmine eyed vampire. Yes, even through the dimness, Zero can see the eerie glow of the pureblood's irises.
"That is…an interesting proposal, Zero," Kaname stated as he took a step toward the hunter, vanishing into the darkness.
Zero felt his heart skip a beat when he suddenly lost sight of his nemesis. He didn't have time to ponder Kaname's use of his given name. He managed to disengage the safety device of Bloody Rose before he was slammed against a tree by a powerful force. The harsh impact made his head reel for a moment before he was able to reopen his eyes. They were met with lustrous red orbs. Kaname's face was inches away from Zero's. His long slender fingers were intertwined in silky silver locks. Like spun moonlight, the pureblood mused. His left hand was pressed against the hunter's chest, anchoring the younger boy in his place. Zero glared in fury, raising his right hand containing his gun and shoving its muzzle under the vampire's chin. The movement only served to aggravate his situation when Kaname decided to release his hold on the prefect's chest and seized the gun from Zero's grip; snapping its chain and sending it flying out of sight. Damn him! The silverette thought in anguish. He had no way of defending himself now.
The pureblood took a moment to examine the already healing burn on his hand before turning his attention back to the hunter. He tugged on the silver strands in order to force the younger boy to look up at him. To Kaname's pleasure, it had also served to expose the pearly white skin of his neck. Slowly, he bent down to plant soft kisses along the hunter's jaw and down his neck until he reached its base. Once there, he began to suck gently on the sensitive skin.
Zero was stunned, frozen in place. "Wha…what are you-?" He managed to choke out. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his legs suddenly felt weak. The sweet sensation of Kaname's moist, tender lips on his skin sent shivers all the way down his spine. The kisses alone had already made his mind haze over in dizziness. Oh, hell no! He's not seriously trying to give me a hickey is he? As his anger began its escalation once more, Zero gathered the will to shove the bloodsucker away from his neck. But before he could make a mad dash for his lost gun, his wrist was caught in an iron grip. Powerful arms wrapped themselves around him from behind and pillowy soft lips found their way back to the base of his neck. The hunter continued to struggle but to no avail. "Kuran, what is wrong with you? Let go of me now!" Zero scolded. A cold hand was placed over his mouth and nose, stifling any further complaints from the silverette.
"Shhh…you don't want anyone to hear you, do you?" Kaname purred, momentarily pausing his ministrations to answer the teenage hunter. "What will happen if they decide to investigate the area upon hearing your distress? Besides, you were the first to rendezvous with me tonight. And therefore, you will be the one whom I will claim."
Zero's lilac eyes widened in embarrassment. He grabbed at the arm that was holding his mouth captive and was compromising his breathing. This son of a bitch is trying to suffocate me! The prefect thought frantically as he tried to pry the unmovable arm away from his face. Kaname paid no heed to the struggling hunter while he proceeded to leave marks on his neck. Eventually, the boy's movement had slowly ceased and his body began to slump. The pureblood removed his hand from Zero's nose and mouth when he realized he had almost asphyxiated the poor boy. The hunter then inhaled much needed air in gulps, desperately trying to get oxygen into his lungs.
While the silverette continued to catch his breath, Kaname surveyed his handiwork. Three hickeys now graced the neck of the hunter. Their redness contrasted well with the paleness of his smooth skin. The vampire lord smirked in approval, but somehow he still felt unsatisfied. Moving his lips to ghost seductively over his jugular vein, he whispered something that made Zero's blood run cold.
"Believe it or not, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of tasting a hunter's blood before."
"Don't…you…dare," Zero warned in between breaths, attempting to sound intimidating. He knew too well what a bite from a pureblood would entail and he wasn't about to give the vampire that chance. He would protect his hunter heritage to the death. With newfound strength, he began to fight against Kaname once more. He scratched at the purebloods arms and made an effort to land a punch on his face.
Relax. The soothing word came to him as a whisper from within his own mind. He then felt his entire body slack in Kaname's arms. Did he just tell himself to relax? No, he couldn't have. He wouldn't. He was too desperate to get away. And then it dawned on him. It was the damn bloodsucker's doing! He willed himself to move, but his limp body made no response. It was as if his body was not his own. Zero started to panic.
Kaname lowered the both of them down onto the ground. He sat on one leg as he supported Zero's upper body with his other leg, slightly elevated off the floor. He gazed at beautiful half-lidded amethyst orbs. He knew that if the hunter was not currently under his spell, those eyes would be glaring at him right now. He raised his head to look up at the moonless, yet star studded night sky. Ah, but the glistening of those stars paled in comparison to Zero's silvery-lilac depths.
"Did you know Zero, that a new moon symbolizes new beginnings?" The pureblood asked the question without expecting an answer. "It is seen as a reawakening." Kaname let his gaze drop back to the hunter, the deep burgundy irises transforming into a brilliant crimson. "Would you like to reawaken into my world?" And with that, the pureblood tore open the hunter's school uniform, ripping the buttons off in the process and exposing Zero's bare chest. Kaname ran the tips of his fingers over the built abs and well-toned chest. Using his opposite hand, he laced his fingers into the silvery strands and pulled back for better access to the young man's neck.
"Why-?" Zero managed to ask as the vampire lord began to kiss his neck once more. This couldn't be happening. He was on the threshold of becoming something he abhorred and he could do nothing about it! He regretted having followed the pureblood out here. He desperately wished to be in his bed, having another one of his nightmares. Please, just let this be a nightmare… Zero could feel hot tears spring from his eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.
"Why?" Kaname repeated, while his fangs began to extend from his gums. "Simply because…I desire you."
Zero's heart wrenched in pain as something sharp grazed his sensitive skin. The last thing he felt before plunging into the black abyss was the pressure of two fangs sinking into his neck.
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With Love,
Requies Aeterna