A/N: Well, I'm back! I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. Life, work, family, blah blah.
The Vampire Queen (TVQ) is a sequel to my story, The Vampire King (TVK). If you haven't read TVK yet, I highly recommend doing that prior to reading TVQ as it will be a direct sequel, picking up exactly where TVK ended. I also don't plan on doing recaps so some things may be confusing if you haven't read TVK.
I am rating this M/MA for violence, language and sexual themes.
Disclaimer: Vampire Knight is owned by Matsuri Hino.
With his love in his arms, Kaname walked back to the Moon Dormitory in silence, staying on alert in case anything came out to attack. The majority of the Level E's that had come with Rido were dead when they converged on him and Kaien. What little that was left could be handled by the nobles and the hunters, he was sure, but it was never a bad thing to be safe. All he wanted at that moment was to get Yuuki cleaned up so he could leave with her. To take her back to the Kuran mansion where she was born and let her have a happy life.
Her complexion was too pale for his liking. The only comfort he was able to take from the entire situation was that her heart was still beating and that she was a pureblood. She would survive to see another day. Unfortunately, the damage to his psyche was already done. As he carried her and examined everything around him, he was mentally flogging himself over and over again. Nothing he had done up until this point was good enough for her. There were too many times that danger was not only staring right at her but wrapping itself around her.
What good was he? Didn't he set out to protect her years ago? Didn't Haruka and Juri entrust their only living child to him for safekeeping? Not only was she faced with dangers repeatedly but she was no longer human. The light that shined from within her would forever be tainted and darkened with his sins. He'd consume every part of her until eventually, all that was left was a shriveled piece of a core. So many things were rushing through his head that he could hardly stand it. He was driving himself crazy.
There was no one around when he made it to the dorm. The sounds of a few cries and shots could be heard out in the distance, spaced out unevenly. It was clear that there weren't many left to be killed and it was just a matter of clean up. The more important thing now was putting out the fire he had inadvertently started before the entire area burned down. That would be left up to everyone else. He no longer cared about anything except for what was in his arms.
He kicked the doors open and walked up the stairs to his room, the room that he had been sharing with Yuuki recently. Memories of the nights they spent together flooded his mind. They hadn't been freely together that long but each memory was important to him. Each time she laughed or giggled, blushed, moaned, or snored, each one of her many facial expressions was burned into his memory. He cherished every single one of them.
The doors were already open to his bedroom and he closed them with his power after he walked through. With great care, he put Yuuki on the bed and lifted himself up, standing back to examine her as a whole. Her hair was a tangled mess, her shirt was drenched in sweat and blood and dirtied from being in the woods. The wound on her neck had stopped bleeding but the bite marks were still there, red and swollen. Two points that seemed to pulse in front of his eyes, forcing him to recognize what a failure he was. His heart and shoulders felt heavy as he forwent his proper posture and let himself slouch, the weight of his worries weighing him down.
Kaname contemplated everything that had happened and the reasons for them. Everything that he thought of kept coming back to him, as if he were the root cause of everything bad that had happened to Yuuki. Maybe if he weren't alive or part of her life she would be able to live peacefully without the fear of being attacked. Not many people were aware she was a vampire, let alone a pureblood. He could easily have their memories of her erased. Rido, the main threat to her, was gone; he had made sure of that. The proof of it was still evident; the blood and guts coated all over him had started to dry on his skin and clothes.
He lifted his hand up and stared at his palm covered in blood. His hand, that had taken so many lives, that could be forceful and cause pain and then turn around and delicately hold Yuuki's hand and bring her pleasure, made him ashamed. His hand started to tremble as he continued to stare at the lines running across his palm. Depression, unworthiness, self-hatred, disgust—it all started to consume him violently. He made a fist as his vision started to blur.
"I'm sorry, Yuuki..."
There was only one thing he could think of doing that would atone for his sins and make everything right by her.
Set on sacrificing himself to turn her back into a human, he sat on the bed next to her and lifted his soiled hand, placing it on her forehead. She was too naive to think she could cleanse him. A sad smile touched his lips as he thought of their time in the shower. At the time, he was sure that she could succeed in her plan to make him feel worthy of her. It was all too clear now that he wasn't. He would miss her, miss her terribly, but he was comforted by the fact that he'd be dead.
The dead couldn't feel anything.
Her face seemed relaxed as he stared at it, examining everything one last time, trying to ensure that the last thing he saw before he died was her. The lines of her eyebrows, her long lashes that just barely missed touching her lower lids, her cute nose and the lips that he so loved to kiss and taste. Even with her being such a mess, he couldn't help but find her absolutely gorgeous, inside and out.
Power started to vibrate around him as he began the incantation to forfeit his life to turn her into a human. Pressure built up within him as the levels of his power increased. A line of blood started to creep out of one nostril as he felt a tightening sensation in his chest, coiling around his heart. In response, his heart started to beat quickly as adrenaline pumped through his veins. The muscles in his body began to tighten. His other nostril started to bleed as well as the pressure further heightened, the sides of his vision darkening. The power within him was literally pushing at his insides, trying to shove everything inside out.
Yuuki's eyes fluttered open and immediately fell onto him. He flinched in surprise and faltered, causing him to stop the spell. His vision cleared as the boiling in his blood settled. Worry filled her expression as she stared at him, weakly lifting her hand to cup his cheek. Her thumb brushed under his nose and wiped some of the blood away.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Her quiet voice was laced with fear as she started to struggle to sit up to examine him properly. The loss of blood she had suffered was too great and she did not have enough time to replenish it all. It caused her body to be weak, not allowing her full control like she wanted. "You're bleeding, are you okay?"
His vision began to blur again as he stared at her. After everything she had learned within the past few days and after everything she'd been through, the first thing she asked about when she woke up was how he was doing. What a stubborn girl, he thought. She was too pure for him. Her heart was too big. The love he felt for her was too great.
"I..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say as he stared at her. The pressure in his chest tightened again, but this time it wasn't because of the incantation. This was strictly because of how he felt for her.
"K-Kaname? W-why are you crying?"
She lifted her other hand to his face and wiped the single tear that rolled down his cheek. He could feel her anxiety and worry rising. It only made his chest tighten and swell further. The knowledge of her feelings for him was so evident, so clear.
He couldn't sacrifice himself. Not yet anyway. He didn't even think everything through. She would be beyond frightened and confused if she woke up in a strange place covered in blood. The selfishness he had become accustomed to since he had decided to take Yuuki as his own came back tenfold as the urge to live suddenly consumed him. The urge to be able to see her and protect her. He was a fool. How could he do that if he were dead?
"I'm okay, Yuuki," he whispered with a sad smile. He took her hands in his and put them in his lap, running the back of his thumbs over her knuckles. "I should be asking you that. Are you okay?" She nodded, tears brimming her eyes. "You don't have to worry so much, it's okay."
"I was s-so scared, Kaname. I thought I would never get to see you again. And then I wake up and see you in pain and bleeding. I don't know what's going on anymore. I can't lose you." Her voice broke.
The tears started to fall as her nose turned red and she began to sniffle. Her chest constricted as she tried to fight back the urge to cry, leaving her breath shuddering. He leaned down and picked her up, hugging her in the process and wrapping his arms around her as he placed her on his lap like a child. He moved her hair aside and out of her face, petting the length of it and her back in a comforting manner.
"I'm right here, Yuuki. I'm not going anywhere." He felt like a monster for making her feel this way when he should have been making her feel comforted and protected. The first thing he could do for her was help her regain her stamina.
"You need to drink." Nudging her head closer to his neck, he tilted his head to the side to expose more of his skin to her. She shook her head and hugged him tighter. "No? What do you mean no?"
"You're hurt, Kaname. I can't drink from you now. It's okay, I'll be alright by myself in a little while."
Disappointment welcomed him. He loved the idea that he was a part of her, that he could provide her with strength and the sustenance to live. He also loved the feeling of her fangs piercing his flesh, the way she licked the spot beforehand and how her mouth sucked on him gently. Despite everything, he felt his inner demon stir and found himself getting aroused by the idea. He cleared his throat quickly and looked away from her.
"Yuuki, drink."
"But—"
"Now," he commanded.
She nodded and sighed, feeling defeated yet pleased at the same time. It was true that she wanted to bite him, wanted to taste his rich and addictive blood and wanted to feel it coat her tongue and throat. She turned on his lap and straddled him, pulling the collar of his long, black coat aside to find a clean spot. She rubbed the tip of her nose along his neck before using her cheek to caress him. Her fingers ran through his hair and held the back of his head as her other hand gripped his shoulder. Her tongue darted out and licked the length of exposed skin before finding a desirable spot and sinking her fangs in.
The instant his blood entered her mouth and coated her tongue, she closed her eyes and clenched all the muscles in her body in pleasure. A small moan escaped her lips against him as she drank from him. Power rushed through her veins and she could feel her strength slowly returning to her. The holes in her own neck closed completely, leaving only the faintest pink traces of the Rido's bite.
Kaname wrapped his arms around her and held her gently as she drank, letting her have as much as she needed and wanted. Regardless of how much he was trying not to be, he felt the tightening in his pants as his desire heightened. He cursed his traitorous body for not listening to him. Trying to ignore it, he instead decided to focus on ways to keep her safe. Even though Rido was gone that didn't mean that other threats wouldn't pop up in the future, especially with the extremely long life they had ahead of them.
When Yuuki was done drinking, she removed her fangs from his neck and licked the length of it, cleaning up any blood that may have slipped out. She watched as the two puncture marks healed instantly and closed, leaving no trace of the act behind. It saddened her and she sighed, preferring her mark on him to stay visible forever.
She sighed heavily as the rush of power she felt suddenly left her, draining her of any of the remaining energy she had left. Her eyes started to flutter as she leaned her head forward, letting it rest on Kaname's shoulder. With failing effort, she tried to remain awake, but with every inhale and exhale, she felt the drowsiness become greater until it finally overtook her.
Kaname felt her entire body slouch and relax as her breathing slowed. As a natural response to a newly awakened vampire who has sustained damage or shock to the body, her body would shut down temporarily to rest and recover, preserving all the strength and energy within to heal any injuries or recuperate. He carefully leaned her back until she rested on the bed before he got up and went into the attached bathroom.
He knew he was a mess, but seeing his reflection in the mirror still surprised him. He looked every bit like a demon, with his dark hair and crimson eyes, covered in blood. As he stared at himself, he started the process of undressing, slowly taking off his long black coat first and letting it drop to the ground. His shirt was a little more difficult as he had to peel it off of himself, the drying blood causing it to cling to his chest. Everything else seemed to come off easily enough.
After leaning into the shower and turning the water on, he adjusted it properly to his desired temperature before he went in. The water splashed over him as he quickly scrubbed his chest and face before washing the rest of himself. When all the blood and bits of guts were gone and the water ran without a tinge of pink, he washed himself a second time.
His thoughts went toward the next course of action: leaving the Academy. With a frown, he pondered how she would react to them leaving. Would she be comfortable with leaving Zero and the Chairman behind? Her friends and school life? Did he even deserve to ask her of such things? If he were honest with himself, he didn't mind separating her from Zero. The thought of the hunter drinking from him in the cell crossed his mind and he felt disgusted again. If only Yuuki knew the things he did for her. He lowered his head as he sighed. Maybe it was better that she didn't know all the things he'd done.
Once he was finished washing, he got out and wrapped a towel around his waist. He grabbed a few things from the shelf and sat them on the ground by the tub before going back into the bedroom. He stood by the bed and looked at Yuuki's sleeping form, water dripping from his hair and the tip of his nose onto the sheets. The drops of water remained as little domes for only a fraction of a second before they were absorbed into the silk. With great care, he picked Yuuki up and cradled her against his chest.
She didn't stir from the movements. When they were in the bathroom, he sat in the tub and leaned her body against his. The fabric of her shirt was stuck to her chest from the blood and sweat drying. His hands slipped under her shirt and he felt the soft skin of her stomach as he lifted her shirt up and pulled it over her head. He listened to the sound of it being peeled away from her flesh.
Her arms moved limply from his actions and her head dropped forward, her chin almost touching her chest and her long, chestnut hair creating a curtain. He threw her shirt on the floor somewhere as he moved her head and hair back to examine the bloodied print on her chest that the fabric of her shirt made from being stuck to her. He undid the clasp of her bra next and slid it down her shoulders, throwing it off somewhere as well.
He watched as her nipples hardened under his stare, goosebumps breaking out over her flesh. He audibly swallowed before he lifted his eyes to look at her face to make sure she was still unconscious. It was a... difficult situation to be in. There she was, half naked in his presence and he wasn't able to do anything about it. It was the highest form of torture and he was just thankful that he kept the towel around his waist.
After removing her socks and shoes, his hands went to the front of her pants and paused. It wasn't like he was trying to take advantage of her, but there was no way he was going to let anyone else wash her body and take care of her this way. With a few calming breaths and a couple of curses at his body for responding to her when they were in such an unpleasant situation, he removed the rest of her clothing in a quick motion.
Kaname grabbed the bowl he had set aside and filled it with clean water as he repeatedly rinsed the blood from her skin. His hand stilled a moment when he realized he would be touching every part of her naked body while she wasn't aware of it. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea, but then again he wasn't entirely uncomfortable either. Again, he figured there wasn't much that could be done about it before he continued with the process of cleaning her body and washing her hair.
Once he was done, he wrapped her in a towel and switched out the one around his hips with a dry one. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. He entered the walk-in closet and dressed himself in a pair of briefs, black slacks, and a black button-up shirt. Before picking clothes that looked comfortable for Yuuki, he sat on a small bench to calm his nerves.
First, he had to endure having to bathe her and then he would have to endure drying her off. It wasn't like sex was the only thing he thought of, and it wasn't like he was a young teen who had just hit puberty, but they were still fairly new into their relationship. In his defense, he couldn't help himself when it came to her. He loved everything about her.
When he thought he calmed himself enough, he emerged from the closet with his shirt still undone and his feet bare.
Kaname knelt in front of Yuuki and removed the towel, drying her off as best as possible. He managed to get her undergarments on before he threw her in a cream, lightweight dress that reached right above her knees. Once he smoothed out all the wrinkles and kinks in the dress and made sure it lay flat, he placed her hands over her stomach. He reached for her hairbrush and undid all the tangles in her long, dark hair. He loved her regardless of how she looked, but he admitted to himself that he much preferred her beautiful hair long.
An internal struggle started to begin within himself once again. On one hand, he wanted to continue to love her and take part in receiving her love. He wanted to live the rest of their days as a happily married couple and he wanted to have children with her. On the other hand, he felt like he needed to return to keeping her at arm's length and watching her from a distance. All his thoughts were trying to make him revert back to his original position of a shadowed protector.
Isn't that what he had decided in the first place? If he wasn't going to sacrifice himself to turn her human, then the next best thing was to protect her without being involved with her. That would create fewer opportunities for outsiders to harm her. If they didn't know of their relationship, then they couldn't use her against him and she wouldn't be in constant danger. It's not like he wanted to disengage himself from her, but he didn't see any other choice.
When she woke up and discovered that he wasn't the same Kaname she knew him as over the past week, how was he supposed to explain his actions and thought process for her to understand? He didn't even understand them well enough himself. In her eyes, he'd be nothing but a cold bastard who used her.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in, Seiren." His most trusted confidant entered the room and bowed her head to him. "What is it?"
"I'm here to report that the attack has been mostly stopped. There is still some fighting that is being taken care of. There were a few who have surrendered and have been taken to the cell underground for the time being."
"Very well. Were there any causalities on our side?"
"Other than the humans Rido killed, no. The nobles are mostly only tired and injured, but not anything they cannot heal from."
"Good. Fatigue and minor injuries are to be expected. They've been fighting for hours." Kaname moved away from Yuuki and stood in front of Seiren. "Yuuki and I will be leaving in the morning for the Kuran mansion." I hope, he mentally added. "Please relay the message to the other vampires here that they are free to go back home. This Academy is no longer going to be offering a Night class. The students are dismissed from their obligations."
"As you wish."
"I'm giving you the choice to come with us. If you choose to join us in our travels then I will be grateful and thankful; however, if you choose to go your own way, then know that I won't hold it against you. I'll thank you for all your service. Just remember that whatever you choose, I will always respect you."
Seiren knelt down on one knee and placed her fist on her chest, bowing her head. "My family has served the Kuran household for generations. I will not be the one to break our traditions. It is an honor to serve you and your family."
Kaname stared at the top of Seiren's head and watched as the moonlight from the large windows created shadows against her silver, slightly violet hair. The fact that she agreed to stay with him and Yuuki made him happier than she probably knew. In a world where vampires and humans alike would either turn their backs on him or use him, she was the only one that stayed true to her devotion to him and never questioned his reasoning, mostly because she always understood. She was the only one he could truly trust and he had no qualms about telling her any of his plans.
"You've been my unofficial bodyguard for some time now. It's just a matter of announcing it, but I think you deserve to have the official title. I will announce it to the Council once we have settled into the Kuran mansion."
Seiren looked up quickly, for once feeling an emotion and letting it display on her features. The look of surprise and pride mingled together before it quickly disappeared.
"Thank you, Kaname."
"It'll bring further honor to your family as well, as I'm sure they'll be happy to know that one of their line has been made an official guard. It's been a long time since one was appointed the title, hasn't it?"
"Yes."
Kaname nodded, not really worrying about the issue any longer. He had more important things to worry about. Like the woman he would destroy the world for sleeping peacefully not ten feet away from him.
"Seiren."
"Yes?"
"It's going to be a long night and an even longer journey ahead of us. If you need it, get some rest. If not, then please stand guard and make sure that no one comes in or goes out of this room. That includes Yuuki. She's in a vampire slumber right now, but in case she wakes up, I want you to use your power to put her back to sleep. She lost too much blood to Rido, and who knows what else he did to her while he was drinking from her. She needs to rest to regain her strength. Do you understand?"
"Consider it done."
"And another thing, Seiren. Once we are at the Kuran mansion, I want you to gather intel again. There was a trend I noticed when going through paperwork when we were searching Rido's whereabouts. Something doesn't add up and I want you to look into it."
"Of course. What are you doubting?"
"Rido's power. It's not to say he didn't have any. I'm questioning his ability to actually gain so much in such a little amount of time. I think there is an outside factor contributing to his rise. Perhaps a benefactor."
"I'll look into it and report back to you."
Kaname buttoned his shirt up and put his shoes on before grabbing a clean jacket and exiting the room. His next stop was to meet with the Chairman to tell him of his plans to leave with Yuuki. It's not like he needed or wanted permission to take Yuuki away. On the contrary, he wanted to make sure that Zero wasn't involved in Yuuki's decision at all.
"This is absurd!"
Little murmurs of agreement sounded off from the others.
"I have to agree with him. We can't just let him run around as he is, causing all sorts of chaos within the vampire community!"
"He needs to be put on a leash!" another yelled in anger.
There was a loud slam as one of the men hit the large, oval table they were sitting at. "One way or another, he must be dealt with!"
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the man who spoke. The men hesitantly looked at each other before one of them finally found the courage to ask.
"What are you suggesting?"
"I think you know what I'm suggesting," the man replied. His face was shrouded in darkness, the minimal lighting in the room casting shadows on everyone. When no one responded, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers together and placing his index fingers on his upper lip. The oil lamp on the table flicked from the movement and illuminated half his face. His blonde hair seemed white.
"Y-You can't possibly mean—" another spoke up.
"That's exactly what I mean," he interrupted. "I'm saying that he should be taken care of in a... more permanent way."
"This is outrageous!" another shouted. "Ichijo, you know it's a grave sin to take the life of a pureblood! It breaks all the rules and goes against everything our society stands for!"
"What other way is there?" Asato Ichijo retorted. "We've all agreed that Kaname Kuran is running rampant. We've already received reports from our moles in the Hunter Association that he's killed two purebloods himself. You all know what that means, don't you?"
There were a few murmurs as people shuffled in their chairs.
"Two purebloods?" one of the men asked. "There should have only been one—Rido Kuran."
"Kaname Kuran did indeed kill his uncle, Rido," Asato started, eying the other members of the Council around the table. He, as the head of the Council, had summoned an emergency, impromptu meeting. All formalities were set aside for the night as they met in an underground meeting room in his mansion, away from the main Council building. They had opted for privacy and secrecy, to ensure that no outsider could overhear their conversation. "But he also killed another pureblood. Shizuka Hio."
Some of the men gasped as others whispered her name and title.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Asato placed his hands flat on the table. "We all know that taking the life of a pureblood is the highest crime there is. Need I remind you all though that Kaname Kuran has already done that? Twice? He should be punished equally to that of a non-pureblood."
"But... the fight between purebloods has always been around. Who are we to challenge them? Who are we to take the life of one?"
"We are the Council. It is our responsibility as members of the Council to hold up the laws and rules of vampire society. It is our responsibility to ensure that the purebloods do not exceed their right of power. We have to ensure that another Great War does not come to pass. We can only do that if we apply the same rules and punishments to all vampires—purebloods, nobles, lower levels, and Level E's."
"Gentleman," an amiable female voice spoke up. The men sitting around the glossy table turned to look at the one who spoke. Her wavy, blonde hair seemed to encompass both the shadows and the light in the room. "If I may speak freely for a moment?"
"Go ahead, Shirabuki," Ichijo granted.
Sara Shirabuki smiled and nodded her head to Asato. "Thank you, Ichijo." She turned to the rest of the men. "I believe Ichijo has a very good point. As a fellow pureblood, I'm appalled by Kaname Kuran's actions and feel that he does need to be punished.
"The hierarchy of vampires won't be affected by his death. Like Ichijo said, it is the Council's responsibility to keep the vampires in line. Keep in mind that he gains more power with each life he takes, so it is imperative that we stop him now before he becomes too powerful for any of us to handle. What would we do if we had another Mad King to cause another Great War?"
Murmurs broke out again.
"And don't worry, gentlemen," Sara continued. "You will have my full support, power, and backing." She and Asato smiled cruelly at each other. The rest of the Councilmen, not noticing their little act, began to speak amongst themselves.
A/N: Just like in TVK, I do plan on doing a bonus chapter whenever I get around to finishing TVQ. So, like last time, if you have any requests for little short stories of whatever, let me know in a review or in a PM.
Also! I will always respond to everyone who gives a review (well, if you're a guest then I can't send you a PM, sorry... just know that I wub you long time and appreciate it anyway) to give my thanks.
Any criticism, positive or negative, is welcome.
Thank you for reading.
