Author's Note: Well, it's note what was promised, but those plot bunnies are just so annoying... Please don't hate me xD I wrote this little scene as an AU version of Blackened Wing's fic Blood Moon, chapter 17 (I think. At any rate, it's called "No Longer Myself"). If you haven't read her works, I highly recommend you do so. So many thanks to her for letting me play in her intricate universe and kudos for inspiring me enough to get me to write something decent after a year and a half. I might eventually expand this into a full story, but for now it's a oneshot (because writing Kaname is so darn hard :( )

Disclaimers: Any recognizable characters belong to Masturi Hino, not me. The italics in the beginning come directly from Blood Moon and belong to Blackened Wing.

Warnings: Character death and Evil!Kaname

The sudden swell of alarmed, angry vampire vibes filling the room throbbed in Zero's senses, making his head pound in time with his heart. Nothing screamed danger to a hunter like stirred up vampires, and everyone in the library was now very stirred up.

Zero let his fall take him down and rolled back to his feet like a cat. He felt more than saw several someones coming at him, and he snapped his gun up reflexively to protect himself. It was probably his only chance of survival at this point, but he had a critical half moment of pause that was unforgivable for a hunter. This was why hunters and vampires should not mingle, why it was deadly to consider them as real living beings, why it was unforgivable to do what Zero only realized now he had done. He'd let the enemy become people with faces and lives. People he knew and... didn't actually want to possibly kill.

The moment cost him. Kaname stepped back, his face expressionless, one hand twitching as though it would like to press the bleeding wound in his side but being denied by the pureblood's prideful need not to show weakness.

But Zero honed his mind in on the vampires poised to attack, trying desperately to hold back the tears that threatened to cloud his vision, tears of betrayal. Damnit, why did it hurt so much? He should've seen this coming, should've expected the lies. Kuran didn't need him alive. Games, that's all he ever cared about. His stupid games. What kind of a bastard thought of great fun as healing and breaking and healing and breaking again an already fragile heart? A vampire, Zero answered the thought bitterly.

Aido was the first to attack, hand elongated into claws, reaching for Zero's heart. But though Zero had predicted this, his hesitation cost him and as he twisted out of the way, he brought his gun up and shot more on instinct than sight, rewarded by a snarl of pain as Aido stepped back, a hand automatically reaching to his shoulder to assess the damage.

Even as he managed to clear Aido's claws, Ruka came at him and he shot again, ducking her blow even as unnatural winds threw him back. He twisted to keep his footing, but a fist aimed at his hand effectively tore the Bloody Rose from his grip and broke a few bones in the process. Kain stepped forward, gun in hand, and two vampires took a place to either side, twisting his arms behind him in iron grips that his failing strength could not resist. A hand tangled itself in his hair, wrenching his head back painfully, forcing his gaze to meet the eyes of one Kaname Kuran.

Said eyes were carefully devoid of emotion, and that complete lack of anything infuriated Zero more than anything else he could have seen there. He wished the vampires would shoot him already, if only to cease the ache in his burning heart. The ultimate irony, to be shot by his own gun, and Zero might've appreciated that had the situation been less dire. Knowing now that there was no escape for, almost thankful for the oncoming death, though the means were far from that which he had envisioned what seemed like lifetimes ago, Zero stopped struggling.

Takuma stepped forward, eyes red and fangs bared, looking more like a vampire than Zero ever remembered seeing. Kain held the Bloody Rose cocked and ready, aimed unwaveringly at Zero's head, but Takuma lowered it with a lazy flick, speaking in a drawl as his predatory instincts took over the initial urge to protect Kaname.

"I think we should be a bit more traditional, don't you agree?" he asked, a cruel smile playing on his lips. His hand altered to the dangerous sword of reformed bone and flesh.

As he felt Takuma's hand tighten around his heart, his final thoughts painted red and poisoned with sheer agony, Zero met Kaname's eyes, still burning with defiance. He gave no more indication that his heart was torn out than as if he had been pricked by a needle, and then he knew no more, his body collapsing without support and turning to dust even as it fell.