DISCLAIMER: VK belongs to Mistress Matsuo Hino.

Missing

It had been days since anyone at Cross Academy had seen or heard from Zero. The Headmaster was considerably worried and Yuuki was almost in a panicked state.

Kaname sat at his desk writing a letter to an unknown recipient when Yuuki burst into his room. He raised his eyes, not startled in the least, and stood gracefully. "What's the matter Yuuki-chan?" He strode to her, encircling her small frame in his arms.

"It's Zero," she said between sobs. "He hasn't returned yet. What if he's dead Kaname?" She raised her eyes to his.

"He's not dead," he said, rubbing her hair soothingly. "He's strong Yuuki-chan. He can take care of himself." His voice came out soft, comforting. Why did Zero insist on throwing such a tantrum? Now, Yuuki was upset.

"Kaname-kun. You will find him won't you?" Her gaze stayed upon him, unwavering and filled with hope. "You can do anything."

He drew her closer as he gazed within the depths of her incredible eyes. Yuuki's unfailing faith in him both warmed his heart and frightened him. What would ever happen if somehow he failed to live up to her expectations? He smiled gently down at her. "I will see what I can do. Is Yuuki-chan happy now?"

She smiled up at him, as if simply by his agreement, Zero had already been found. "Yes." Her smiled widened and her cheeks tinted red when he leaned closer. "Kaname-kun." She whispered before he captured her lips with his.


Aidou strode into his and Kain's room quietly and made his way to his nightstand. He took a glimpse over his shoulder and pressed a button on it. Once a week he came to his room while everyone was away to look at it, the one thing that reminded him of what he could never possess. The upper side of the nightstand opened, revealing a hidden drawer. He looked within it and his jaw dropped.

It was gone. His ice blue eyes widened considerably. Did someone find it? No, the hiding place was too good. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. No, he remembered putting it back in the drawer, which meant he didn't misplace it. A tremor ran through him. Had Kaname-sama found it? "Ohnonono." He mumbled to himself.

For some odd reason he felt an overwhelming need to find it, not to keep it from Kaname-sama, but because he wanted it back in his possession. He swept his eyes over the room. Well, it's got to be here somewhere. I've got to find it before anyone else.

Akatsuki Kain opened the door to he and his cousin's room and his brow knitted. The room was a mess, clothes were everywhere, each and every drawer of their dressers were either pulled open or lay upside down on the floor, and the sheets were just about ripped apart. In the middle of it all was a very nervous Aidou. "Looking for something Aidou?"

Aidou smiled nervously. "Um…no, why would you say that?" He stood, still raking the room with his eyes.

Kain raised an eyebrow. "The room is a mess. Kaname-sama will not be happy if he sees how you keep house." He folded his arms, still puzzled at his kin's agitated disposition. He'd seen Aidou nervous before but never as jittery as at present. "Is something wrong?"

Aidou barely acknowledged his cousin's words. "I-no. No."

"I'm not cleaning this mess up." He stated.

"Yeah--okay." He turned and waved him away, returning to his task.

"Okaaaay." He cast another glance at his cousin and closed their door, just in case Kaname-sama passed by.


Somewhere up North:

Strong gusts of wintry wind blustered throughout the mountain range and pass the bare snow covered branches of the trees, chilling any soul out walking to the bone. Zero exited the bar, the cold stabbing into him mercilessly, and popped the collar of his heavy trench coat. He stepped off the porch of the bar and began walking away from the village, leaving behind the mirth and merrymaking.

His hardy boots crunched through the thick snow with each step he took. The whistling wind whipped tears from his eyes and ate at his bare hands, but still he continued his trek upwards. He was going as far up as possible so he could die in peace at the rooftop of the world, where the tranquility was all-consuming. The further he ascended, the louder the wind howled, but on he trekked, seeking the serenity that lay at the top.

Faint sounds reached his keen ears. What are those sounds? They sounded like---His eyes widened and he turned aside, just in time to avoid a kunai. He dodged two more that were hurled at him effortlessly. Who the hell was attacking him? He hadn't pissed anybody off lately. He drew Bloody Rose and picked off the five of the six kunai that hurtled towards him, knocking them off their trajectory. The sixth of the small daggers dug into his leg, sending sharp pain knifing through him. He looked down at it and yanked it out, barely uttering a yelp. It would heal soon.

Dozens of arrows flew in an arch straight towards him. He flashed and reappeared further up the path. He set his teeth in mock aggravation. Here he was trying to kill himself and someone was trying to do it for him. He would die at no one's hands but his own. "I don't know who the hell you are, but if you want to fight me, fight me face-to-face not like cowards!" He yelled into the wind. Quiet ensued, even the wind died down, as if it were also holding its breath. He waited patiently for his enemy to show, gun pointed straight ahead. Then he realized something. The wound in his leg was still bleeding.

What? The kunai had not pierced his artery, and anyway if it had, he would have healed already. So why in the frigging hell was he still bleeding like nobody's business? What the fu---? He raised his eyes when he heard the sound of feet moving through the snow. His eyes widened. He had not even smelled them coming. Shit. Who were these guys?

The three men stopped a few yards away. Each of them were dressed all in black from head to toe with only their eyes and hair uncovered. Each looked identical to the next in appearance and each were substantially armed. Neither of the three of them spoke, they just stared at him with abysmal eyes.

Zero kept his hand on the trigger. "Who the hell are you?" He snarled demandingly, ignoring the burning in his leg.

Their eyes narrowed. "We are They," the trio answered in unison. "And you Kiryuu Zero are to be executed."

"Like hell I am." He pulled the trigger. Pow! Bloody Rose replied, sending a bullet straight towards the one on the left. The bullet would have went straight through his heart had he not dodged it. He fired five more shots, but each were dodged with little effort. Shit. These guys smelled human, but they didn't move like them. He flipped out of the way, avoiding the downward slash of one of their swords, and holstered his gun. Now, both his hands were free to do the damage he needed. He bared his fangs menacingly and leapt at them.


Elsewhere:

The massive heavily furred wolf-dog whined softly, warning its master.

The cloaked figure straightened, holding an armful of firewood in her arms. "What is it Ryo?"

The wolf barked and then growled threateningly, as if trying to tell her about the fight ensuing upon the mountain top.

She tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes, listening. At first, she heard nothing but the howling wind. Then she heard it, struggling, the sound of blades cutting the air. Battle. She dropped the armful of logs and bolted towards the battle, leaving the dog to guard her cottage.


Blood sprayed forth and stained the snow as the tip of One's sword cut a swath in Zero's side. He stumbled back to gather his senses. Shit. Another wound. He could only bleed so much before he fell dead. The wound in his leg was already affecting him. He was weaker, his vision was hazing over, and his leg was barely usable. No, he was not going to die. Not here, not like this. He wanted to die in peace, upon the serene mountain top, not slaughtered like an animal. He hugged his side protectively with an arm, warm blood trickling over his forearm.

Pants escaped him. Something was wrong. No way in heck two minor wounds should weaken him like this, not with his power, but, yet, his strength waned. It couldn't be the altitude that made his head swim, or the injuries he'd sustained that made his vision haze. His lungs felt constricted, like there was not enough oxygen to fill them, his body ached, and his mouth felt like cotton.

They laughed. "What is the matter Kiryuu? Don't feel so good?" One spoke, giving another sadistic chuckle.

"You're looking quite pale. You should feed more." Two stated, chuckling evilly.

He felt as weak as a kitten. There was nothing left in him, not even enough to bare his fangs. Panic took hold. What was wrong with him? God what was wrong? Why couldn't he move? Why couldn't he barely breathe? He heard laughter, but could no longer see them because of the dots dancing in front his eyes. This was it, this was how he was going to die, butchered like a common beast.

"I think we should decapitate him." Three suggested, eager to spill blood.

The other two nodded in agreement.

"May I do the honors?"

They nodded again, eyes gleaming malevolently.

He drew his sword and took one step towards his prey but stopped when a blue cloak appeared in front of them, blurring their vision.

The cloak fluttered as if own its own accord and then disappeared taking Zero along with it.

Their eyes narrowed into mere slits. Someone had stolen their prey and that someone would pay with their life.


The blue cloaked figure appeared in the small bedroom of her cottage arduously carrying an unconscious Zero. Shit, what the hell had she just done? She dragged him to the metal framed bed beneath the window and hefted him onto the mattress.

He moaned in his sleep when his body made contact with the mattress.

She took off her cloak, revealing raven hair and a beautiful face, and hanged it up on the coat rack. She disregarded the blood that stained her dress and went to work on the young man laying in her bed, bleeding horribly. Without a single ounce of hesitation she stripped him down until he wore nothing but his underwear.

The wooden floors of her house thumped as she ran across them to the storage room. Quickly she scooped up an armful of the tools she would need: gauzes, stitches, herbs to stop the bleeding and help clean his wound, a needle and syringe, and lastly, a small knitting hook. She walked, arms filled into the bedroom where her patient lay, panting and pouring with sweat, blood seeping from his wounds unremittingly. "My goodness."

She poured the clear herbal formula into the syringe, spouted a little of it from the end, and straddled him, uncaring of the crimson liquid hemorrhaging from his side. A sigh escaped her and she drove the long needle into his stomach.

His eyes flew open for a split second, but then lidded once more.

"Phew." She injected the formula directly into him, withdrawing the needle when the syringe was empty, and used a hand each to apply pressure to both wounds until the medicine took affect. So, while she waited she looked him over. He was no more than her age, maybe a year younger, really cute, leanly muscled. But what she couldn't understand was this weird feeling she felt, like an energy surrounding him.

The absence of the warmth of his blood oozing under her palm alerted her to the medicine's effectiveness. She smiled and withdrew her hands. Ignoring her present curiosity, she began to clean his wounds, tenderly cleaning away the caked over blood while making sure to be especially careful around the swelling. Once she cleared away the caked blood she could see the wound properly. Her heart sank to her toes. Black speckles no bigger than grains of salt lined the inner walls of the opening. Blackshade poisoning. "Bastards."

Why in the hell would They use Blackshade poisoning against a teenager? Her eyes widened. Unless…he's a vampire. But he was so young, why were they after him? She lifted his hand and turned his palm over, searching for the "deathline". A single black strip stretched down his middle finger. A sigh of relief escaped her. There was still time, but if that line reached his wrist, vampire or not, he would die in agony.

She knew the best bet was to clean out the wounds so the rest would not have the opportunity to take root. So, she cleaned his wounds swiftly and then stitched them up masterfully. She sped into her rustic themed kitchen, rummaged around under the cabinet until she found a pot, and filled it with water from the faucet, steadily cursing her luck. Why did she always get stuck with the abnormal patients? The heat on the stove's eye flared up when she turned the knob. She placed the pot over the flame and began pouring ingredients in it, red clover, Indian sage, and so on, for the antidote.

An impatient bark outside her door caught her attention.

"Oh shoot." She ran to the door and opened it, letting in her massive wolf-dog, Ryo.

Ryo shook, dispensing the snowflakes from his thick fur, and trotted into the sitting room to lay in front of the hearth where the fire roared powerfully.

"Sorry."

While his tea boiled, she decided to avail herself to examining his personal belongings. She found Bloody Rose laying innocently concealed within his coat pocket. Her golden eyes narrowed. What a peculiar gun. Cool metal kissed her fingers as she ran them over its length. It was a hunter's gun, because no other guns were crafted so carefully. No doubt silver bullets lay within its chamber, ready to fatally wound any vampire at the pull of a trigger. She lay it on the bed next to her and sank to the floorboards, picking up his torn pants. She retrieved his identification card from his back pocket and, after feelings of intrusiveness passed, decided to read it. The first two words at the top stopped her eyes cold. KIRYUU, ZERO.

"Oh my god." She had the property of Kaname Kuran in her house, lying in her bed, dying from poisoning. What should she do? She knew Zero was an ex-hunter, so no way he would be in the mountains in search of a Level E. Maybe he'd run away. But why? Then she nodded. Kaname was a pureblood and Zero was a Level D, the lowest on the food chain. Although, Kaname was not as heartless and cruel as most of his kind, he was a vampire nonetheless and Zero was bonded to him by blood. She didn't want to displease Kaname-sama. A heavy sigh fled her mouth. "Fuck me."


Twenty minutes later she stood over Zero's trembling form. "Okay here we go." She looked back at her dog. "Stay."

The beast gazed at her and then lay on its belly obediently.

She squeezed his nose shut and covered his mouth, cutting both his passages of breathing.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then his eyes snapped open. He struggled against her feebly, stopping only when she let go, allowing him to gasp greedily for precious air. He fell back onto the comfortable mattress and regarded her through groggy eyes. "Wh-who are you?"

"Oh good you're awake." She picked up the teacup and shoved it at him. "Drink this."

"Why?" He asked distrustfully, still wondering if the croaking sound was his voice.

She picked up his hand and turned it over so he could see the "deathline", which had progressed to his palm. "Because if you don't this line will reach your wrist and you will die an agonizing death."

He clamped his mouth shut. No way he was trusting the girl that just tried to suffocate him. And he wanted to die anyway right?

"Drink it." She commanded.

He glared at her scathingly, setting his jaw resolutely.

She grasped his nose again, cutting off his oxygen. The desired result was produced when his mouth flew open reflexively. She poured the chilled tea into his mouth and wrenched his head back before he could spit it out.

He clawed at her hands, creating superficial wounds, the smell of blood exciting him. Was there some sinister force bent on seeing him tortured before he could die in peace? His body acted accordingly and he swallowed the vile liquid. Disgusted anger filled him. How had he been overpowered so easily? And by a girl no less.

"Good boy." She patted his head.

An inhuman growl rumbled from his lungs. "Your dog is sitting on the floor." He managed to croak out before his eyes began to droop; his body tired from the ordeal.

She didn't reply, but began picking up his blood soaked clothing. "Watch him." She spoke to Ryo before she exited the room.

Ryo jumped to all four feet with ears erect waiting for a reason to attack the man in the bed.

Zero bared his fangs at the wolf-dog and stared into its red eyes. What he saw surprised him: the absence of fear. The animal did not fear him, did not see him as a threat, a snack should he see fit. He smiled slightly. His limbs began to burn white-hot as if someone had pitched him into a furnace, and his stomach turned. He sat up and the entire room lurched, forcing him to return to his former state. He lay there for a few more moments, actually enjoying the quiet, the peace. Vomit rose into his throat, but he swallowed, nauseating himself even worse. His stomach roiled a warning. He turned to his side, ignoring the pain, and vomited onto the floor.

He stopped and gave one sigh before it all began again. The muscles in his neck constricted and he heaved out his stomach's contents. When he finished, he turned over on his back and fell into rest, exhausted.

She strode into the room with mop in hand. Her eyes fell upon the pool of black syrupy liquid next to the bed. A relieved smile danced across her strawberry lips. He would live after all. She cleaned up the mess and walked to his side of the bed. Gently, she erased the dried dark stream from his chin and pulled the bedcovers over him, thankful that his wounds had not reopened. She cut the light off. "Come on Ryo."

The dog followed behind its human obediently, pressing its large muzzle into her hand as request for attention.


Aidou sat in the middle of his bed, legs folded, a contemplative expression on his face. Still he had not discovered the culprit that had take it and it was driving him mad. Secretly, he hoped the perpetrator was a human so he could rip them limb from limb. He raised his eyes when the ornate door opened. "Hello Kain."

"Aidou." He threw a red box onto the bed. "Open it." His ginger eyes scrutinized his cousin, ready to gage his reaction.

"You got me a gift, Kain?" Okay, this was strange. He undid the wrapping and gaped at the revealed object, music box with a porcelain ballerina doll in the fouette position mounted on its top. He resisted the urge to glide a hand over the intricate designs of the music box and the red tutu the doll wore. "So you took it."

Kain shrugged his larger shoulders. "I found it and decided it needed polishing."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, struggling to keep aggravation from strangling his voice.

He shrugged again. "I didn't think you'd care so much."

"I don't." Gently he sat it in his palm.

Kain merely sat on the canopy bed and crossed his legs. "Are you sure it's not important to you?"

"Yes." He avoided his cousin's penetrating gaze while also abstaining from winding the box.

"Then why would you hide it?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but could find no suitable lie that would suffice in duping his cousin. "Kain." He said softly.

"What is it? Who gave it to you?"

Aidou's eyes inevitably fell upon it. Memories flooded his mind. Memories of his First, of the night that Kaname took something from him. A night he regretted, because of his foolishness. That night, he realized that he and Kaname were truly friends, because he protected him. "No one." Just the thought of his First fired pleasure throughout his body, filling him with vampiric urges. He growled softly.

Kain closed the gap between them and exposed his throat to his shorter cousin. He understood what Aidou wanted, what he needed. "Aidou."

Aidou smelled the cradle of Kain's neck then traveled upward to the preferred spot. Tenderly he licked the soft, vulnerable flesh exposed to him and sank his fangs into the skin, sending beads of blood forth. He drank slowly, a hand on his the curve of his cousin's shoulder.

Kain put an arm around the smaller vampire's shoulders, enjoying the pleasure as well. Moments ticked by before Aidou finally let go, panting softly. "Feel better?"

He wiped the blood away, uttering no reply.

He leaned close again until his mouth touched his cousin's ear. "If you want to keep secrets from me, fine. We are only cousins after all not mates. But, be careful about keeping them from Kaname-sama. It could prove to undo you."

Aidou nodded understandingly. "I know, but let me have this for now."

Kain nodded and stood. "It's almost time for school Aidou."

"I know."

"Don't be too long, I don't think your fans would be able to bear it."

He smiled. "I'll be along."

Kain shrugged on his uniform jacket, picked up his textbooks and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Aidou looked out of the bay windows until he saw his classmates file out of the dormitory, the crowd of adoring teenage girls waiting to catch glimpses of them. He waited until they were all well within the gauntlet before he sat down on the bed, settling into his pillows and gathering his knees to his chest. He winded the switch until it stopped and then let it play. The porcelain ballerina twirled smoothly atop the golden ornate top of the music box as the cheerful melody lilted from it, bringing back memories days long passed.


Yay! My second chapter. I hope you all liked the first chapter and will like this one as well. R&R please. Xiexie. Oh and about the contaminated blood. I figure it's just like when we eat bad food we get food poisoning, so I figure why not apply the same principle to the vampires.

Love ya!