The immortal beauty
The girl stood next to her brother. The deep purple silk showed off her body perfectly. But of course it would, it was specifically made for that purpose. Her normally straight hair was in doll like ringlets, held back with some diamond hair pins. Her brother of course looked as immaculate as she. His spotless black suit matched his silky black hair. It contrasted starkly to his blood red eyes. He had picked out a silk purple shirt to match his younger sister's dress.
His hand rested lightly around her waist as she clasped her hands in-front of her. They had the perfect fake smiles on their beautiful faces. But her heart had felt oddly heavy now the engagement had been made public.
Nathanial and Meredith's parents had planned this party. Neither was delighted about the situation. Nathanial and Meredith were both Purebloods, and they had no siblings other than each other. They had no other choice but to get married.
No matter how much they both detested the idea.
This was their fate. A tradition for all Purebloods. You married your sibling, and then your children married another. Meredith wanted to grimace in disgust. She thought the whole system was messed up.
Meredith had hated the thought of marrying her brother, seeing as they didn`t get along well to start with. Well that was an understatement. They hated each other with a bitter passion. They couldn't even remember what caused this hatred between them. But for as long as they could remember they had always hated each other. But then when she found out she had to have her brother's children…
That drew the line.
Many people congratulated them that night. The 'happy' couple accepted them with warm but fake smiles. Of course they could pull off the perfect smiles to convince the idiots at this party. After all, no one here as showing their true feelings. The people congratulating them were just patiently waiting for their chance to exploit the young couple. And said couple knew exactly what to look for.
The whole world seemed to quiet when Meredith spotted the brunette approaching them. It felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart when her ex-lover came up to them.
Kaname Kuran.
The only person she could truly love.
They had been together for years. Secretly of course. Meredith had been engaged by then, not officially but engaged all the same. It was when Nathanial had found them together one night outside when he finally realised they were more than just friends.
As far as he was concerned if he couldn`t have his own sister Kaname shouldn`t either.
Meredith swallowed the lump that was growing in her throat as he came to congratulate them. The grip around her waist tightened painfully but it was a numb pain compared to the shooting pain in her heart.
Kaname took Meredith's hand and gently kissed it the back of it. His lips lingered slightly longer than what would seem appropriate. Nathanial clearly noticed as he tensed even further at the loving eyes the older Pureblood showed for his sister.
"Congratulations, I wish you many happy years."
Meredith's heart broke in two. She would only be a distant memory to him now. She bit her lower lip as she watched him walk away again, going to talk to whomever he had been talking to previously.
The party came to an end thankfully and Meredith managed to slip away from Nathanial long enough to get away and outside. She knew it wouldn`t be long before he came after her, so she cherished this freedom greatly.
Running her fingers through her long black hair she sat on a marble bench near the pond. Her fondest childhood memories had all been here. It had always been so warm and colourful. Everything was cheerful, happy… loving.
Now it was black and cold, causing her to shiver gently.
Suddenly someone grabbed her wrist.
"What are you doing out here?" Nathanial hissed viciously, looking around him to see if his sister was waiting for him to return.
"I can`t stand parties. You of all people should know that." She said distantly, refusing to let her ruby eyes leave the shallow ripples in the pond. She let him drag her back into their home and into their room that their parents insisted they now shared as they were officially engaged.
"You really push your luck you know. You can`t keep acting like a child anymore Meredith." Nathanial said tensely. Meredith simply crossed her arms and glared.
"Who do you think you are telling me what I can and can`t do?"
Nathanial couldn`t take it. He had put up with her attitude for years.
The slap rang around the room as Meredith lay on the floor her hand on her cheek. Shock rippled through her body. Nathanial hadn't just… he had slapped her. Meredith was too shocked to acknowledge the initial sting of the slap.
"I am going to be your husband. You will obey me whether you like it or not."
Tears brimmed in her eyes as she shook her head at him.
She stood up and rushed out of the room.
"The wedding`s off!" She screamed as she continued walking away, not caring how many of the guest staying within their walls she would wake in the process.
Kaname was in the room nearby. He had heard everything, as most of the other guest who had the privilege of being so close to the Purebloods. Kaname had felt a stab in his heart. Only Meredith took over his every thought, took control of his whole being. Her pain was his pain. Her misery was his misery. He couldn't stand to see her be mistreated by her brother this way. She should be loved and adored by him, not slapped for speaking her mind. He stepped out of his room and saw the end of Meredith's long draping dark purple silk dress disappear down the darkened hallway.
Meredith went straight to her parents. There was no way she would put up with Nathanial another minute.
She knocked on their door loudly and didn`t wait for a reply. She barged in, taking her parents by surprise. "I refuse to marry Nathanial. The wedding is off." Meredith said venomously.
"Why are you cancelling? Myself and your mother are siblings and we couldn`t be happier." Her father exclaimed in complete disbelief. His daughter couldn't possibly be serious about cancelling. It was just a little stress getting to her head-
"Well you don`t smack your sister do you?" Meredith spat, pointing to the darkening bruise on her cheek.
Her mother's eyes widened in horror as she hurried to her daughter's side, gently stroking her cheek. "Nathanial did this to you? My poor little angle!" She whispered.
Her father sighed. "Maybe we should postpone it." He said softly.
Meredith snarled darkly.
"I want it cancelled! I will not marry him! I will not!" She screamed, her voice building to hysteria. He sighed again. "Alright Meredith the wedding is off." Her father said quietly.
She nodded. "Thank you." She said plainly controlling her raging emotions with ease as she curtsied and walked back to her own room that she had as a child.
She walked out onto the balcony, letting the light breeze ease her growing pain.
Suddenly she was spun around violently to meet the furious fire coloured eyes of her brother. "We will go through with this wedding. I will not let you cancel. You are mine and mine only. Kaname does not love you, so why do you keep doing things to jeopardise what we have?" He yelled, gripping her shoulders roughly and pressing her harder against the marble balcony.
"I don`t care for you! Kaname is the only one I will ever care for!" She screamed.
It looked as if Nathanial was about to hit her once more, but he controlled himself slightly. He just gripped her shoulders even tighter than before, where she could feel her fragile skin bruising under his touch.
"Well that`s too bad, you`ll never be in his arms again. Only in mine."
He licked the side of her neck, finding her soft spot before plunging his fangs deep into her throat. She wanted to scream, wanted to fight, but shock had paralyzed her body.
He took enough blood to make her as lightheaded as possible, without her actually passing out. When he pulled away, she collapsed involuntarily against his chest. "See, I told you, you would only be in my arms." He whispered into her ear softly. "You`re despicable." She hissed.
He lifted her and placed her on the bed.
"Why can`t you just leave me alone?" She asked softly, her ruby eyes boring into his.
He smirked.
"You`re the only thing I want. I need you now and forever."
"Really? It didn`t seem that way when you screwed all those other whores." She spat. He glared at her and this time his anger did get the better of him as he back-handed her. "You're one to talk."
"Excuse me? I would never stoop as low as you! I`ve only done anything like that with one person!" She said venomously.
If looks could kill, Meredith would have died in an instance.
He grabbed her wrists roughly and pinned them above her head.
"How dare you give up your innocence to him!" He spat.
"I love him!" She screamed.
He smirked. "We`ll see how you feel about that after tonight."
She stared at him in horror.
He pressed his lips roughly to hers, forcing his tongue inside. She struggled underneath him but her strength was nothing compared to his.
He started kissing along her neck.
"Please Nathanial don't!" She begged, tears forming in her eyes. She felt him smirk against her neck.
"I love it when you beg."
"You`re sick!"
"Maybe."
In one swift tug he ripped her dress into pieces. She let out a short scream.
"NO!" She sobbed, squirming beneath him.
Nathanial looked at her seeing the small tears running down her cheeks. He gently wiped them away but Meredith still flinched, not wanting to have his fingers touch her in any way what so ever.
"Maybe that`s enough for tonight." He smirked, slowly running his hands down her silk like skin as he slowly slid off her.
Once the door shut softly, she jumped up, grabbing her black silk dressing gown. Tears continued running down her bruised cheek.
She looked in her full length mirror.
She wasn`t the same Meredith anymore.
There were large bruises around her wrists and on her cheek. Her neck was savagely bitten and blood was still dripping down it.
As she slipped off the dressing gown she saw the bruising extended down her body. The small of her back, her legs, her arms…
She frowned, slipping the dressing gown back on again.
How had everything, everything, turned out like this within such a short time? When did Kaname stop loving her? When did Nathanial become so obsessed with her? When did he become so violent? When did she become so weak and timid?
These questions were ones that could never be answered.
Another tear slid down her cheek. Meredith had been lost forever. The kind and caring Meredith, the one who was too passive for her own good. Meredith walked onto the balcony and leaned on the marble banister, looking out on the massive grounds of her parent's estate.
A new Meredith had come, one who didn`t take anything from anyone.
Sighing, she looked out over her gardens, memories of her childhood filled her mind. It made more tears run down her cheeks.
Unable to take the pain she walked back into her room, slammed shut the door and went into her bathroom, taking an extremely long shower.
Kaname had listened to everything once more. It wasn`t as if they were being quiet. It broke his heart hearing Meredith so distressed. Why did everyone insist on being so cruel to the girl? She had been the kindest of Purebloods anyone had seen in a long time, yet that seemed to make her more of a victim than before.
The next morning an eerie silence ran through the house.
Meredith had disappeared.
Nathanial was furious and blaming Kaname even though he had as little of an idea of her whereabouts as Nathanial had. Their parents were in turmoil.
Their precious daughter was gone. But gone where? And with whom?
She would never be capable of running away on her own. She was far too timid to even think about running away on her own, let alone actuallyrunning away.
Nathanial had blamed Kaname without a second thought. Kaname took all the verbal abuse the slightly younger Pureblood threw at him with a patient smile. Nathanial did not intimidate him in any way as the younger thought it would.
But Kaname was worried. Where was Meredith?
Years passed. A decade passed painfully slowly.
Kaname watched his younger sister patrolling outside. She glanced up at him secretly and blushed, hurrying away when she realised his eyes had been watching her.
Kaname thought of Meredith. How could Nathanial ever treat his younger sister and fiancée in such a way? Kaname could never imagine doing such a thing to Yuki. It would destroy him.
Nathanial was nothing like him though, Kaname realised quickly. Yes, they were both extremely cruel, but in much different ways.
Meredith had not been heard from in a decade. Kaname had carefully watched over records of killings, looking for a number of new vampires being created in one area. That would mean there was a Pureblood feeding somewhere and not having the heart to finish them off. Or being malicious enough to leave them suffer as a deranged level-E vampire.
He had found nothing.
Meredith had disappeared.
Many rumoured she had simply died. She might have just been killed by a hunter who mistook her for someone else. Or she may have been killed by someone who had been looking to kill her.
Kaname could barely listen to the talk that sometimes wandered around the room if there was a supposed sighting of the legendary black haired Pureblood. Meredith would not have died a simple death.
It would have not been like her.
She was still Nathanial's sister. If she had died, she would have brought as many people as possible down with her. Meredith may have been a kinder Pureblood than most, but she was still a Pureblood regardless. It was in her nature to be cold-hearted.
Kaname soon began losing hope of her finding his lover. She was everything he ever wanted. Yes, he was meant to marry Yuki, but she was perfectly happy with the Vampire Hunter who was ever so keen on protecting her.
Kaname did not like the idea of his sister being with a Vampire Hunter who could drop to a level-E at any moment, yet Yuki was happy. Her happiness meant a great deal to him.
But what about his own happiness?
He didn't think he could ever feel the same happiness as he did when Meredith had been in her arms. It had felt so right, nothing could ever change the love they felt for each other.
Even in her death he would continue to cherish her, continue to love her, and only ever have eyes for her. She was the only person who had seen past his dark past, the sins he committed to keep people safe, everything.
She had loved him for who he was.
She had been too good to be true. Much too good. And all good things must come to an end. That is the bitter reality.
But why did it have to be Meredith? She had done nothing to warrant such a harsh life as she had. She certainly did not deserve to have that creature as a brother and fiancée. She deserved so much better.
But she would never have better, not now.
Rumours spread about Nathanial next. He had been tracking down his sister over the past decade, bent on getting revenge on her for leaving him so suddenly.
Even now, whilst he was already married to another Pureblood, he did not care for her as she cared for him.
He continued to track for his true fiancée, regardless of whether she was dead or not.
People claimed he had finally gone insane. The despair of losing his sister at such a sudden degree had finally pushed him over the edge into insanity. Even though he knew she was dead, he continued to search for her.
His wife could do nothing to stop him.
Kaname admired a small part of Nathanial. He was still searching for the girl, when Kaname had long since given up hope on ever seeing her again. He had given up on ever touching that fair white skin, stroking that ink black hair or staring lovingly into those ruby coloured eyes.
Meredith had left and died of her own accord. Everyone knew this.
But somewhere deep down in both Kaname and Nathanial, they both knew she still had to be out there somewhere. She just had to be.
Another year passed.
Nathanial was found dead.
His wife had seen it coming. She was a smart woman. She knew he was planning on getting killed one way or another. He had chosen – like Meredith would have done – to drag as many people as he possibly could with him.
It had been a bloody massacre.
Nathanial had bitten as many people as he could lay his hands on. It had gone well into the hundreds. Innocent men, women and children had been caught up in his murderous scheme.
It didn't take long for the Vampire Hunters to step in.
They had a lot of work to do that night. Find the deranged Pureblood wanting to die, and kill all the other people involved that were going insane from the maddening scent of blood that all but drowned them.
That had been the end of Nathanial.
In a way, it made Kaname feel there may have been a chance that Meredith was still alive. Surely, she would have pulled of some stunt like this too. Dying at the hands of a Hunter was much easier than trying to commit suicide. Besides, Meredith had finally freed herself, she wouldn't have wanted to die.
Kaname sighed a little to himself. Perhaps she was alive. But finding her, that was a hopeless and lost cause.
The teacher cleared his throat. He was highly intimidated by the vampires. Especially the one that seemed to ooze power from every pore in his body, gazing out the window in deep thought.
As if teaching – or attempting to teach - vampires weren't hard enough.
"Class," The teacher caught everyone's attention. "I would like to introduce you to a new student."
No one seemed particularly interested until the student walked into the room.
The girl wasn't very tall, but the Night Class uniform seemed to suit her better than anyone else in the room. Her long black strands failed to cover her gleaming ruby orbs as she looked up at the rest of the class, more specifically the other Pureblood in the room.
"Hello everyone, I'm Meredith."
Kaname's shattered and broken heart filled with hope once more.