So, here I am! I am sorry about the delay; actually, I think I've updated every other Thursday/Friday, but I'm going to try and do them sooner for you. I just write a crap load per chapter and I don't want it to come out sucky. This chapter is a whopping 23 pages (they seem to get longer with each one)! Man. I hope you enjoy all of it, and there is a lot that happens, but for the best to force our guys together a little more.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the continual support. I seriously could not do this without you guys, and seeing the reviews really lets me know how much you support me and my story – so THANK YOU! I'm a little sick tonight (yuck), but I promise to have your replies out in the next couple of days. I love you all and will reply to each and every review this weekend – as soon as this sore throat goes away. For the ones that do not have an account, I've placed your responses below since I wouldn't be able to get them to you after I posted. :D
Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Same as the others. And any mistakes are clearly my own. I don't have a beta, so if you see one, I'm sorry. I try to catch them all, but I'm not perfect.
Chapter Three: Unhinged From the Center
"I don't have a good feeling about this, Kuran," said Zero, standing in line with Kaname as they waited to enter the club. The line was huge. Hundreds of teens, young adults, adults were staggered in a wobbly line around the side of the stone cave. Their outfits ranged from poppy teen star to gothic with a sprinkle of actual color. Zero felt extremely out of place, with his white button up shirt, black snug jacket and jeans. Kaname must have felt like a red blob against a white canvas with his black button-up shirt, khaki coat and black dress pants—rather suave compared to the glitter-laced, half-dressed teens surrounding them.
The line had moved a few feet forward before stopping again. Zero leaned back on the stone with his arms crossed and one leg firm against the rock for support.
"Something about a vampire making sure other vampires don't enter is strange. And this tattoo itches!" He pulled up his sleeve and scratched the symbol, which seemed to have melded into his pale wrist.
"I know," said Kaname. "The vampire is making sure that we don't ruin whatever it is going on that they're trying to hide. And that tattoo is a necessity to make us appear human. If they don't appreciate other vampires, how do you think they'd react to a hunter?" Kaname lifted a brow as if to openly invite an argument.
But there was no room for argument. Kaname was right.
"So, let's run over the plan once more," said Zero. He blew a breath up to his damp bangs. The humidity clung to his skin. The storm he had sensed when they first arrived waited on the cusp of the ocean, gathering strength before it hit the island. The warm, wet hair warned of its coming. The cloudless sky was painted a deep blue, stars lost in the haze of the approaching storm.
"Always this overly cautious?" said Kaname. "Or nervous?"
"Not nervous," Zero barked. "Just trying to make sure you don't run off and create your own plan, like you usually do, and leave me…unaware and unprepared."
Kaname rubbed a thumb over the bridge of his nose. The charm on his wrist throbbed. A headache had formed once the ink set in. He assumed it was his pure blood fighting the vampirism suppression. His aura took a lot of energy for him to hide alone, and the symbol was doing all the work for him this time. His body didn't like that.
"We will split up once inside. I'll observe the ones unwilling to participate and you take the ones openly inviting to the idea of vampires. They have to have a strategy. We just have to find what types they are picking up to turn—the lonely wanders or the keen participants," said Kaname, managing to keep his voice even despite the wave of pain that crashed into his skull.
"No alcohol, Kuran," Zero warned.
Kaname smiled the best he could through the pain. "Agreed."
The headache faded the closer they got to the entrance. Nearly thirty minutes later they were face-to-face with Myles, the bodyguard blocking the entrance. He was a thick, dark skinned man, towering the two in height. The white of his eyes glowed against the blacks in the center, moving up and down as he examined them. His teeth were just as white against his shady lips as he smiled and nodded, unlatching the red velvet rope and admitting the pair.
At least the charms worked. And both of them were even more thankful the further they descended down the stone steps. Loud, blaring music filled the torch-lit stairwell, vibrating off the stone as it wrapped around their bodies. The charm was supposed to suppress not only their aura but their vampire tendencies, which at the moment was great to have the noise filtered through the charm and muffled to near tolerable levels.
They reached the end and were immediately encompassed by bright blue and purple moving lights, which hung from large metal beams attached to the stone ceiling some sixty to seventy feet above them. The cave was a stone dome, filled with hundreds of people dancing to the music streaming from the speakers in the front, near a platform where a guy was suspended on a ledge with his headphones in one hand and the other near various DJ equipment. There wasn't even an inch between the bodies scattered across the stone floor.
Kaname tugged on Zero's shirt sleeve. He tilted his head to the left, to where a row of purple velvet upholstered booths and chairs were set up. There was a dim blue lit glass panel lining the wall behind the seats, white tables in the centers as people sat around with their drinks, gazing at others walking or dancing.
Zero knew he was going to them, to the group he was going to watch over. They were the observers, the ones unlikely to make the first move and the most likely to vanish without anyone knowing.
Zero nodded and pointed a finger to the right. There was a long fogged glass tabletop that stretched for ten or more feet, white bar stools stacked up in a straight line in front of it, though none of them were available. The blue light from the bar overhead lights cast a shimmering light down on the occupants near the bar, a soft blue glow washing over their pale skin.
That was where Zero was going, to the accepters. The ones that mingled and talked, not worrying whether or not the guy next to them was a predator, and also a likely candidate for a crazed pureblood to easily snatch.
Zero passed a small set of stairs on his way over. A thin, tall man guarded the front with his arms crossed. He followed his gaze up, to a room that hung overhead. Black, reverse glass sat ordinate on the edge of the suspended room. VIP room, he concluded, but his gut told him that getting in invite upstairs might not be a good thing, perhaps.
He wiggled his way past the crowd of warm bodies to the rim of the bar. The waiter was busy tending to other customers, which was fine by him. He turned around, back against the glass tabletop, and peered to where Kaname was. The pureblood sat alone on a purple bench, his legs crossed as he looked up and nodded to Zero. A small blond with pink streaks in her hair took the open space next to Kaname, closer than Zero would admit he liked. She was one of the poppy-star teens, bubbly on the outside as well as dimwitted on the inside. Wait, he was judging her. Why?
He clenched his teeth and let a noise similar to a growl escape. Kaname could be with whomever he wanted, right? He wasn't his keeper and he certainly didn't care, he told himself. But it got harder to convince himself when she scooted in closer, her slim fingers reaching out and tracing Kaname's leg. The pureblood smiled. Anger flared in him. He wanted to go squeeze in-between them, push her tiny body out of the way and prevent those little fingers from going near the pureblood.
Zero's eyes widened. Get a grip, Kiryu. He knew he didn't hate Kaname like he had previously thought, but getting jealous over a little schoolgirl fawning herself all over Kaname wasn't a reason to get upset. But he didn't like, like him. He scoffed and turned around. Of course not.
The bartender was there, smiling brightly, flashing a set of perfect pearl whites. His brown bangs curled just above his green eyes.
"What ya havin'?" He strained his voice over the music.
"Uh…" Zero paused. "Water."
The bartender turned his face up, confused, but didn't argue and slid a glass of ice water toward Zero.
"Strange hair color," the bartender said. "How'd you get it that silver?"
Zero took a sip of his water. "I don't see how it concerns you."
The bartender took a step back and put up his hands in defense. "No harm, sorry. Just curious. Have a good night, buddy."
God, this was a horrible night so far. Why did the crazy pureblood they were hunting pick up people from here? Why not a spa or something more relaxing and less loud?
He flicked his vision back to Kaname. The girl was now really close to the pureblood, her hands no longer tracing his leg but rather resting firmly on his knee. Kaname glanced over, a dark hint of satisfaction in his eyes. This time the growl that escaped rumbled his chest. With a huff, he rolled up his shirtsleeves and jacket and unbuttoned the first three buttons to his shirt. He was supposed to be the one that mingled, right? Leaning up against the bar without talking to anyone didn't do his part of the evening any justice.
He tilted his head and smirked back at Kaname. He pushed off the bar and emerged himself in the crowd in the center. He wormed his way through the bodies, hot skin brushing against his. The blue and purple lights flickered over their skins, their glitter-brushed flesh sparkling against the moving lights. Their hot breaths coated him as their bodies rocked, moved, pumped to the music.
Zero's shirt was yanked to the right. He was spun around and was greeted by pink lips hovering inches in front of his. The girl's breasts were pressed taught to his chest as she slid her body around his leg. Her black hair sparkled under a ray of purple light that flashed by, her smile widening as she rolled her hips over his, urging Zero to come and play with her. He glanced over to where Kaname was but couldn't see the pureblood through the crowd, but he grinned anyway and moved to meet her slow rhythm.
It was hot, bodies pressed close to his left and right. Her hand ran down his leg, moving up to run her thin fingers up his shirt buttons. The music vibrated against the stone floor and up his skin. They moved quicker, the crowd cheering as the song changed to something with more bass. Her fingers were in his hair as her hips dipped up and down to the rhythm of the song. She brushed her cheek against his. He felt the grainy glitter transfer to his face as she passed over.
She moved in closer, her lips dangling his front of his. Her breath beat against his face, the air electric as it ran down his skin. He was loosing himself in the energy.
A cold spark against his wrist jolted him back into awareness. He blinked and then she was gone, the crowd fading as he was thrown against a wall in the back of the club, his vision darkening as the shadow of the cave engulfed him. The lights from the ceiling didn't reach the edge of this obscurity, and when he looked up he locked eyes with a set of narrow burgundy ones. Kaname.
The darkness in Kaname's eyes twisted his stomach. The pureblood pushed back harder, nearly knocking the wind from him. Then he let go and his fingers were on the bridge of his nose, like earlier.
"Focus on the mission, Kiryu," he said, his voice laced with a cold undertone.
"I thought I was focusing on the mission, Kuran," he spit back with just as much venom.
"You call letting that thing ride you up and down focus?"
Zero glared. "Oh, and I suppose that's better than letting a thing run their hands all over them, too?" He held just as much sarcasm as anger.
Kaname moved his fingers to his hair, running them through his tresses as he let out an aggravated breath. "At least she was properly clothed."
"You're impossible, Kuran. One minute you hate me, then tell me you can't, now you're acting like a jealous boyfriend." Zero threw his hands up in the air as he turned to walk away.
The wall came crashing back and Zero let out a pained groan. Kaname's forearm was pressed into his chest, careful not to let their skin touch. He was inches in front of Zero, his nostrils flared and his eyes burned in fury. Zero was taken aback. He knew Kaname lost his control. He has seen it personally before, but this was different. There was a tiny glimpse of hurt laced within his features, and that hit him hard at the core. His chest fluttered against the heavy forearm pressed against him.
There was something inside of Kaname's gaze that hurt him just as much. It made Zero want to stop it, soothe away whatever caused him to be in pain. And then he realized with a sharp start that he was empathizing with the pureblood, and a deep cold fear coursed through him when he made the connection. He was feeling Kaname's hurt through his eyes, an unknown tightness that made him feel…guilty.
"Kuran, listen," he whispered, hoping by leveling with Kaname the pureblood would let him go. "I think we both are a bit strung out from this mission. Let's just finish it and leave, alright?"
Kaname's eyes softened and he released Zero. He took a few steps back and nodded. "You're right. We should stay focused. Arguing doesn't help the matter at hand."
Zero agreed. He knew that he would stay far away from the dance floor this time. He could mingle other ways, back at the bar. He stepped out of the shadows and back into the blue lit ambience. He had momentarily forgotten they were in the club when he was tucked in the back with Kaname. The sound was muffled in the corner, not as loud as it was now.
"Zero," Kaname said, using his first name for the second time that evening.
Zero looked over his shoulder.
"You're right." Kaname's mouth lifted into a baleful smile. "What if I was jealous?"
Zero stiffened as the pureblood turned and left. What was the pureblood insinuating? He was jealous? That wasn't good. Kaname couldn't do things like that—say that he was jealous, kiss him, tease him, all of it! It only confused him, and at the same time satisfied the thing inside of him. The pressure in his heart pounded against his chest, and the harder it pumped…the harder it was to silence it. The thing was strong, and he feared, stronger than he might be.
Zero found his cup of water in the same spot he had left it, atop a purple napkin on the fogged-glass countertop. He flicked his vision back to where Kaname was. The pureblood was sitting along again, sipping on what appeared to be a soda. Another girl came and sat down next to him—this one with brown hair and purple streaks. She wasn't as bold as the last one, but Kaname smiled politely and responded to whatever she was saying.
Zero felt a pang of rage rip through his heart. He scrutinized every minor movement the girl made, even when she merely pushed her hair back with her fingers. If she was anything like the last one and made so much as a move toward Kaname—. Oh, shit, he thought. The hurt, the anger, the tightness in his chest as she moved closer… Don't tell me I'm jealous, too? He argued, denied with as much power he could will his mind to believe that the notion he was jealous over that girl was insane. But the thing inside of him squirmed around his heart, clenching it, slithering around it as it taunted him with words he was too scared to admit: You know you're jealous.
He hated himself for feeling like this. He slammed his fist against the front of the bar.
"Hey, calm down there, dude."
Zero recognized that voice from earlier. The bartender. He perched himself on one of the vacant barstools and slid his drink to him. He smiled apologetically, but not entirely sincerely, to the bartender. His green eyes shimmered against the blue bar lights as he leaned in closer to Zero.
"Not diggin' the whole vampire scene?" he asked.
Zero shook his head. "No, that's not it. I'm all into vampires." He swallowed forcefully. It was so hard to compel the words from his mouth. For the mission, he thought.
"Really? You looked like a non-believer to me," the guy said.
"Oh, yeah," Zero responded. "I said that they were cool, not that I believed in them. Vampires for real? Just myth; though, it would be awesome if they were." He was so glad no one he knew was around to hear him say those things.
"I think they're real. Aren't you one?" The bartender flashed another bright smile, oblivious to how Zero's eyes widened. "Tonight, I mean. Everyone comes in here pretending to be a bloodsucker for the evening." He pointed to the chairs in the back where Kaname was sitting. "Didn't you notice the ones in the back that suck on each others necks half the night?"
Zero nearly whipped around to make sure that little girl wasn't sucking on Kaname's neck right now. But he stopped himself. He was still trying to argue with his mind that he was not jealous. He sucked in a large gulp of pride and stayed straight. He was stronger than whatever it was that needed to make sure Kaname wasn't having his neck violated by a stupid girl.
The bartender picked up Zero's glass. "Refill? The ice is all melted."
"Sure," he said. Zero spotted the black-glassed room from the corner of his vision. "What's up there?" he asked.
"Oh," the bartender said as he set down Zero's glass. "That's where the owner watches things from his box. He has his own little parties up there. Nice guy, handsome, but a total vampire to the extreme. That's why he started this joint."
Zero pulled his brows together in concern. He had a gut feeling that the owner was directly involved in the E's, but if that were true, then why hadn't he felt any tingle that the vampire was near? His hunter senses were on the fritz if the guy was a vampire. The tattoo on his arm itched for the billionth time that evening, and he realized with a cold fear that the tattoo not only hid his vampire nature but his hunter nature. It didn't just mask his aura; it masked all of the perks (and not so nice perks) with being a vampire and a hunter: The loudness being toned down to a bearable level; not being able to sense Kaname on the dance floor—everything was muted while the ink was set into his skin.
Not good. He was blind in a place full of humans and possible vampires, and he wouldn't be able to sense it until it was too late.
He had to let Kaname know, if the pureblood hadn't already figured it out already.
He downed the rest of his water and slammed the glass back onto the table. The bartender leaned in again, his face so close to Zero's.
"Wanna meet the boss?" His expression turned dark.
Zero swayed as he grabbed his head. He pulled his eyes together as the bartender's body split into three blurred images. He blinked rapidly to remove the fog from his vision. He gripped the edge of the countertop as another wave of dizziness crashed into him. His feet felt like they were dangling in the air as he struggled to find the floor.
He wobbled and caught his body with the bar. Everything was spinning. The lights were like beacons of smeared colors as they passed overhead. His body felt so damn heavy.
He blinked again but it only got worse. Sounds were gargled, until he heard the soft voice of the bartender next to his ear.
"You don't look so good, dude. I'm gonna take you to see the boss. He'll let you lie down upstairs until you sober up."
Strong arms curled underneath his armpit and around his back. He knew he was moving, but he couldn't control his tongue let alone his feet. His throat felt dry and all of the words he wanted to say were stuck.
Sober up? The words came back to him. He wasn't drunk. He had water. Fear curled around his stomach, a deep coldness that seeped into his lungs. The water was drugged. And he was helpless as the club blurred around him in a spin of flashy colors.
He landed on something soft and he forced his eyes to stay opened. The room was dimly lit. In his swirled vision caught what looked to be purple LCD lights lining the rim of the ceiling. The walls were a dark red, and the couch he was on was black, from what he could tell. Everything danced in circles.
"He's definitely good, Ramon. I'll take it from here," an unfamiliar voice said, which Zero assumed could only be the owner. He must be in the VIP part now, the black-glassed room he was so curious about earlier.
There was dip in the cushion and Zero knew the owner was close. Cold fingers moved his bangs from his eyes, but he didn't do any good to put his vision back in focus. Zero tried to roll over. He had to warn Kaname.
"What's your name?" the man asked.
Through blurred vision, Zero thought the man had extremely yellow hair; thick, perhaps pulled back and two beaming blue dots in the center of his face. The faint hum of power rolled over his sluggish body, and he knew without a doubt that even under the symbol's control the man was a pureblood. The tattoo must be fading, Trevor had said it only lasted a couple of hours, a few at the most, but it wasn't vanishing fast enough. The aura from the pureblood was so weak compared to what he knew it should feel like. And if he was having this much trouble this close to the vampire, then he knew Kaname didn't feel anything. He was screwed.
"Vampire," Zero slurred.
The man chuckled. "Your name is Vampire? Rather unusual name, but I guess not around here, right? Everyone down there wants to be one of us—well, one of what I am and you are soon to become. I choose the prettiest. I have an issue with vanity, you could say. You're quite…unique, unlike anything I've seen in such a long time, and that is a really long time as you can imagine. "
No, he couldn't imagine and didn't want to. And listening to the muffled voice go on about how beautiful he was, was rather sickening and made his skin crawl. Zero's head fell back against the edge of the couch. And to add to it, the guy was going to attempt to turn him? He'd be surprised that, that was impossible to redo again, but the idea of the unknown pureblood's fangs digging into his skin was enough to drive a spike of fear into his heart.
He licked his dry lips.
The cushion moved again, this time the fabric from the pureblood's deep blue jacket brushed against his fingers. Zero, with as much effort as he could will his sluggish body to do, turned his head toward the pureblood, trying to clear his vision so he could get at least a small glimpse of the peach blur hovering over him.
"Do you want to become like me? Do you want to let go of all of that anger you have, that I watched you display toward my bartender, and be free?" The man ran his fingers down Zero's cheek. "Your hair is quite exotic."
Zero's heart stopped when the fingers trailed down, past his neck and to his partially opened dress shirt. The pureblood unclasped another set of two buttons, enough loose fabric to pull over Zero's shoulder on the right. His collar dug into the left side of his neck as it was stretched tightly. The man lifted his weightless body as he pulled his black jacket off his arms, to his elbows, and then laid him back against the sofa. He was helpless as the pureblood did whatever he wanted to him, and that scared the shit out of him.
Rough, callous lips scrapped his skin as the pureblood now stood leaning over his body, one hand curled in his hair as he pulled his head to the side with a sharp tug. Move arms, Zero yelled inside. Do something! But he couldn't. He couldn't even speak let alone twitch a finger. He was powerless as this man violated his neck with his lips.
The man was going to try and 'turn' him without his permission. He knew with a gut-retching sickness that he had done this to all of his victims. Drugged them, turned them, and then threw them out to let them ravage the town. He just hoped that Kaname's eager jealous eyes noticed he wasn't at the bar anymore, but after he had yelled at him, told him to keep cool, he doubted it.
He wanted to laugh on the inside. Leave it to him to find the crazy guy, and without so much as a lick of hunter or vampire abilities.
Something warm was smeared across his lips, a scent that drifted into his nose that was unmistakable—blood.
"You'll crave for nothing but this," the owner said.
Zero cringed. The bite would come, he was sure of it. The charm on his wrist throbbed as it coursed through his body to do what it was intended to do, suppress the rising hunger and red eyes aching to break free. Zero knew that the effectiveness of the charm worked well, and the vampires who used it in the States were probably thrilled by the discovery. Zero wasn't. The blood seeped past his parched lips and danced over his tongue. It tasted so incredibly delicious, yet his teeth remained flat, his eyes fogged from the drug and not bloodlust—he was like a human. And for the first time ever, being this weak, susceptible, made him wish the vampire inside would react to something. Anything.
But Zero knew his fangs wouldn't come, not with the symbol inked on the inside of his wrist. He was perfectly disguised as a human.
"This may hurt, but it is only a temporary pain. I promise. I'll grant you a freedom that you've never experienced before." The cold breath against his neck as the man spoke chilled his skin and quiver in disgust.
Then without warning, two sharp pricks ignited a fire on his neck. The heat licked his skin in agony as the pureblood drove his teeth in further. Zero tried to arch off the couch, but his body was frozen as the pureblood started to drain him. He managed to hiss, a large gasp escaping his lips as the fangs were embedded in as far as they could go.
The fingers in his hair tightened, jerking his head further to the side as the pureblood drank large gulps of his blood. He felt the drug slither through his veins and into the mouth eagerly gorging on his blood. The veil of incoherency was lifting, and he could only assume that whatever he had been drugged with must not affect purebloods. But as soon as the drug was dissipating from within, another form of dizziness awoke—blood loss.
A warm, wet trail slid over his collarbone and down his skin. The pureblood was being greedy, and he knew it was his blood dripping down his chest.
He could move his fingers, and he lifted his hands to push the man off of him, finding his limbs too week, and his fingers weakly curled around the fabric of the jacket with no force behind them. How pathetic. He knew the man wouldn't kill him, since he planned to make a vampire out of Zero, but he was terrified and so desperate to push the body off of him, more fearful of where he would be taken after the 'change.'
"Get off," he whispered, trying to sound as demanding as possible, which turned out to sound more pitiable than commanding.
He thought of Kaname. And the thing inside of him that yearned for Kaname slowly shrank away the further he faded, but he clung to it, keeping the pureblood's image in his mind as his vision blurred once more. He thought bitterly at the irony. He fought so hard with the thing inside of him, to try and silence it, and yet, now that it was drifting away, he tried to hang onto it, fearing it wouldn't come back. But it was so slippery and he was too weak. Everything was like a fog as a sleepy haze washed over him. He couldn't help his eyes from closing. He was so tired.
"So, how long have you been a vampire?" the brown-haired girl asked as she inched closer to Kaname. The purple tips of her tresses were mildly distracting, but not as much as the vibrant pink that painted the previous girl's hair.
"Since birth," he admitted. He did find it rather exhilarating not having to hold back who he was. No one here would believe his words as truth, all telling a similar tale, though his was true. He pulled his lips into a playful smile. "And you?"
Her blue eyes lit up, her pink-glossed mouth hanging open as she tapped a thin finger to his chin. "Let's see… I was turned two years ago. I still find it hard to drink blood, you know? Have tried blood play?"
Kaname's face fell. Blood play? That was a term he was unfamiliar with. Did they actually play with blood, or was there something else he was missing in what she said?
Apparently his expression was obvious to his confusion, and she nudged him with her elbow. "You know, actually trying to drink blood and stuff during role play?"
"Oh," he whispered. Allowing him to drink blood openly from willing girls sounded tempting, but the pacifism between their races was more important. He shook his head. "No. I live off of a substitute. It helps with the cravings, but it is rather bitter." His convictions sounded nothing like well rehearsed words to her.
"Really?" She drew out the word. "Got any on you?"
How far was she going to take this? Kaname was starting to get aggravated and annoyed by her presence now. The fun little game was over for him. Humans could be rather irritating when they pretended to be a vampire, all the questions and suggestions. It started off with the first girl, who openly tried to tell him how to be a better vampire. The first one grated on his nerves, and now this one practically sliced right through them. His patience was gone, and she needed to be as well.
"I'm serious. Got it on you?" she pressed. She pouted, which only made her look more annoying underneath the blue light.
"No," he said. "I was merely joking. There are no such things as vampires, so this is merely for show." Though he was rather tempted to take her out back and show her they were real, and she the sole reason he would be pushed over the edge to indulge in blood just this once. No one would know. She was the isolated, lonely girl that came here without her friends to try and 'fit' in. She had made a fatal move, though, and her biggest mistake was pushing her body next to his and grilling him with her high, pitched voice over and over again.
"Please? I know you're lying. What kind of stuff is it? Ecstasy? Something new?"
She thought it was a drug? Silly girl. He turned to her with a polite smile, reaching into his pocket and removing a tiny silver tin. He flipped it over in his palm, letting her blue eyes fall on the shiny object. She was like a kid attracted to bright colors, though, her colors were far more deadly than a plastic baby toy—it was him, and she was leaning in closer, her thin fingers curling around the metal box. He could smell her. A faint aroma of coffee mixed with something stronger, sweet, like vanilla.
She popped a white tablet into her hand.
No one would ever see her again, and he'd make sure that she was disposed of. He could convince her to go through the front with him, to the back where it was empty, push her up against the wall and…
He blinked hard, shaking his head slightly. What was he thinking? He couldn't kill her. He followed rules, set an example, and he wouldn't let one over-hyper girl shatter everything he had built his principles on. But there was something terribly wrong inside of him.
The raw dryness in his throat disagreed, urged him to lean in and press his fangs against the blue veins pumping beneath her skin.
He snatched the tin back from the girl and popped two tablets into his glass of water. He didn't even wait for them to fully dissolve before he drank it in one gulp. He knew bloodlust raged through him, but why? He had more control over it than anyone.
He glanced over to where Zero was. The hunter sipped on his water as the bartender leaned in, whispering words Kaname couldn't hear. Something about the way the bartender flashed off a dazzling smile enraged him. The guy looked like he was trying to lure Zero in with a smile like that. The man was awfully close to Zero, as well. He watched as the bartender laughed, his posture screaming his flirtatious intentions.
Kiryu looked tense, his shoulders stiff as the man said something to him. Was he openly telling Zero he wanted him? His face clearly said enough, and that didn't sit well with him. He narrowed his eyes, his hunger burning for a new throat—a creamy, tanned jugular inches away from Zero. He could captivate the man with his smile, seeing as he apparently swung for guys, and with all the charm he could muster, he would lead him to the two double doors that were for employees only, push him against the freezer he knew was there, dig his teeth into his skin as his hot blood flowed into his mouth. And he wouldn't stop. He would make sure he took everything from him and left him as nothing but a hollow, human shell.
How tempting. The delicious taste of jealously coursed through him, masking any guilt he felt about killing the man.
Oh, he knew he was jealous, just as he knew he wasn't strong enough to hate Zero. His efforts, no matter how strong, dissipated as soon as Zero made it clear he couldn't be controlled. And Kaname knew that, had always know that. But he also realized that the harder he tried to hate Zero, the faster he accepted it was impossible. The soft drumming of his heart as he held the hunter close, and the sweet scent of Zero encompassing him, causing his chest to tighten—all of it was due to the Union. His soul argued that he was the one, his soul mate, forever bound by matrimony. He was aware of what was happening on the inside, but he doubted Zero did. They had both turned Fate's wheels the moment they said 'I do' that night.
Could he even try and stop Fate's wheels from turning anymore? The marriage was a catalyst that exposed deep underlying feelings for each other. They both had to have had a sliver of some sentiment or the marriage wouldn't have completed. Now fully awakened, did they let it consume them or fight?
Kaname knew that someone he wanted to fight with was the unkempt haired bartender. Those green eyes that sparkled with infatuation as he leaned in closer to Zero made Kaname scream on the inside. He rarely lost his control, but he was tempted to rush over there and steal Zero away, like he had done on the dance floor previously. But he resisted. He was stronger than the jealousy, yet there was another hunger lurking inside the ached to be free, and he wasn't so sure he could prevail.
The bartender's blood would be thick, sweet, with an under lace of alcohol, the remedy to still the storm writhing in his sore throat.
The ink on his wrist pulsed at his thoughts. Another headache bloomed. He noticed that the black tattoo had faded slightly. The bloodlust inside of him was out of control, and he realized in horror that the tattoo was the culprit. It had started outside of the club, and then continued to worsen. His body was fighting the invasion. He knew that Trevor's campaign probably hadn't tested the affects of the symbol on purebloods, and he knew his powerful blood was angry with the intruder, trying to silence it and was lashing out to reverse the tattoo. It took so much from him to battle the symbol that his body craved the one source that could revive him back to some state of normalcy—blood. That explained the rise in his inner demon, shouting at him to just take the girl beside him, or the bartender flirting with Zero.
He also knew his insides were off kilter, scrambled by the tattoo's suppression signal. With dread, he realized that if there were another pureblood in the club, he wouldn't be able to sense them, or Zero. They were both helpless to the effects of the tattoo.
He looked up to see Zero stumble off the barstool. His anger flared again when the bartender rushed to the hunter's aide. He stood up quickly, ready to dash over and push the man away. It unnerved him to witness Zero sway like he was drunk. If the hunter so much as touched an ounce of alcohol, he would personally see to it that he was reprimanded. He was serious when he warned Zero that he would not compromise the mission. And he knew more than the politics of the mission that he would be more enraged that Zero had made himself so vulnerable…weak, easier to snatch up.
The girl to his left stole his gaze, her sick sounds as her body was hunched over the purple coach, her mouth open as she dry heaved. Kaname made a disgusted noise when he caught a glimpse of a half drunk glass of red water. The idiot actually drank the blood tablet. Her human body was trying to purge the substance.
"Idiot," he hissed as he kneeled down in front of her. "How much did you drink?"
Her eyes were drenched in tears, her lips trembling as hard as her body. This would be the part of the game where he forced her gaze to him, placed a hand on her shoulder and make her forget that she had just ingested nearly a glass full of fake blood. The last thing he needed was her running off and telling her friends about the tablet, though, he was certain she wouldn't believe it to be a real vampire pill but rather a cruel joke the 'fake' vampire Kaname played on her. It was still information he couldn't warrant her leaving with. But he couldn't, not as long as he still wore the symbol on his wrist.
Just perfect. He was a pureblood with 'normal' vampire limits, those of a D, perhaps.
Her tear-laced cheeks shook as she gagged. "I'm not sure," she whispered. "Is it poisonous?"
He nearly laughed. Stupid girl. "No, it isn't harmful. You should probably go to the bathroom and rid yourself of it, though. And next time, listen," he warned.
He snapped his fingers at another girl, who was watching the scene unfold with a look of uncertainty. "You," he commanded. "Help her to the restroom, please? She seems to have consumed more alcohol than she perceived she could handle."
He lifted the sick girl's head up, and her eyes widened when she locked eyes with him. She was terrified of him.
"You will not utter a word of this. You were merely drunk," he whispered.
She nodded her head, fast, her gaze still stricken with terror. "Y-y-your…eyes. You're really a v-va-vampire," she stuttered.
As her words set in, he could feel the heat around his irises. The rim of his eyes must be a bright red, a side effect of the bloodlust, but also a sign that the symbol was weakening and his vampire nature was returning. Not fully back, as he didn't feel his fangs, but partially, which was better than nothing.
He kept a veil of hair around his face as the second girl bent down take her away. He was happy she was gone.
He needed to tell Zero about the tattoo's limitations. They weren't equipped to be here, and he needed to grab the hunter and go. They'd find another way in tomorrow, when both of them were at full capacity. His powers as a pureblood were seriously compromised right now, and it was a handicap he couldn't have when facing another pureblood.
Panic seized his heart. Zero was gone, the barstool empty and the bartender no longer occupying the bar. Then his fear turned into a jealous rage. What if Zero had run off with the guy? The bartender clearly had shown in interest in the hunter. No, Kaname concluded. Zero would never let someone get in the way of the mission, and he was pretty sure that the kiss they shared was Zero's first with the same sex.
He concentrated, coaxing his vampire hearing to try and pull in any sounds that might tell him where Zero was. It was blank. The noises didn't amplify like they normally would have, and he knew that, that was one ability still under the symbols power.
There was a staircase to his right, and as he turned to ask the man guarding it, the bartender came down the stairwell with a skip. As soon as the man sauntered back to the bar, Kaname grabbed a fistful of his shirt and shoved him into the alcove where the bathrooms where.
"Where is he?" he yelled. He pushed his forearm underneath the bartender's chin. One push and he could snap his neck. He may not have his pureblood abilities, but he was still stronger than a human.
The man gasped, noticing the red eyes bearing down on him. "You're one of us?"
Or the guy was a vampire and it might take more than one push. Kaname really hated not being able to sense other vampires right now.
Kaname grit his teeth. "I asked you a simple question. Now answer."
The guy shook his messy brown hair. "No."
"I don't think you understand." Kaname pulled his lips into a firm, thin line. He shoved his arm harder into the man's throat. The bartender choked as his breath was taken from him. "I want to know where he is. Now, or you'll be a pile of dust in this corner."
The fear in the bartender's eyes informed Kaname that the guy just realized Kaname wasn't a lower level vampire. The tattoo may have masked his pureblood aura, but the terror he could bring out with his words hinted that he was a vampire to fear, one with authority.
Kaname loosened his hold.
The bartender sucked in a large mouthful of air. "What are you? I can't sense you at all."
Kaname was near his limit, seconds away from snapping the guy's neck. "Where?"
His green eyes moved to the side of the bathroom bay. "He's upstairs with the owner. The owner is a pureblood." The guy shook his head. "You're probably too late already."
Kaname narrowed his eyes and growled. "Too late for what?"
"Your friend is probably a vampire by now. He—he turns them up there. I bring them up there for him once he chooses who he wants, and…and he bites them here, turns them, and then takes them home to let the change set in." The man flinched as Kaname's aura was slowly returning, a dark force wrapping around him like a cold shadow. "I'm sorry. He's probably already done it. I…I didn't know he belonged to another pureblood."
The bartender's words shocked him back into focus. He recognized he was a pureblood. Kaname threw the guy against the adjacent wall, not blinking when his head cracked against the stone.
He peered down at the tattoo. It was nearly gone, nothing but a faded gray swirl. He was becoming whole again.
Kaname didn't spare the bartender another glance and turned to leave. He stood in front of the man blocking the staircase—the frail body obstructing his way to Zero. He could feel his power coming back, the rage feeding his pureblood energy.
He reached out to throw the unimportant guard to the side, but froze when a scent wrapped around his nose, his body chilling as fear curled around him. His powers were returning, and with it, the unmistakable ability to smell blood. And the blood he sensed was undeniably Zero's.
His body stiffened as anger consumed him. He felt his power unleashed, a crackle beneath is skin, in his blood, as fury washed over him.
The black glass above him splintered under his angry pressure. The cracks stretched out, racing across the window until the weight crushed it completely. The glass shattered into tiny shards as they glittered down to the floor. The crowd started to bellow in fright, scurrying bodies running past him, as he stood unmoving, his gaze now set on the suspended room.
He jumped to the ledge, just in time to see the owner draw his teeth from Zero, the hunter falling onto the cushion.
The hate that coursed through him could be felt in his growing aura.
He snarled when the pureblood took a step back and used his blue jacket to wipe Zero's blood from his lips. He wanted so badly to look at Zero, to make sure he was okay, but his eyes were trained on the pureblood in front of him. He was going to make sure he paid for what he did to Zero. He felt a little more relaxed when he heard Zero breathing.
Kaname took two slow steps forward, the fallen glass crunching beneath his shoes.
"Was the boy yours?" the blond pureblood asked, a hint of sarcasm laced in his words and an expression that mocked, like he was saying "Oops" with his eyes.
Kaname took another step forward.
"I am truly sorry, but I think you're too late, my friend. I've already tasted him, and what remarkably curious blood. Delicious." He chuckled, urging Kaname to come closer.
Kaname remained silent.
"I suppose after I've disposed of and devoured your pure blood, I could always make an exception with him and keep him as a personal favorite, as a last request for you. My egotism loves someone just as captivating as I am, and your boy is quite the charm."
Kaname sensed no hesitation in his words. The pureblood intended to do everything he said, and if he was openly stating he would consume his blood, then he crossed the line most purebloods treaded carefully on—he was offering his life if he didn't succeed, and it was an offer Kaname intended to grant. Purebloods desired the blood of their own, but if they failed, it was death, and one that was easily overlooked at by the council: A self-defense plea for the higher vampires.
"I will not let you touch him again," Kaname hissed, but was careful to keep his tone even so he didn't show a weakness in the other vampire's eyes.
The blond scoffed. "I'll do what I please with him. He was mine first."
Kaname twisted his lips into a dark smile. "That's where you're wrong, my friend." He used the same greeting the pureblood had used with him minutes ago. "He belongs to me, and you've just forfeited your life by not only threatening me, but also touching my spouse."
Kaname lifted his left hand, letting the ring gleam beneath the dim light. The blond pureblood took a faltering step back. His eyes moving to Zero's limp arm dangling from the couch, widening as they locked on a matching band on the boy's ring finger.
If he was afraid, the blond hid it well. He turned and smiled, nodding to the news in respect. "My apologies. I didn't know he was marked, but that still doesn't persuade my desire to consume you, an unknown pureblood waltzing in on my territory and scaring away my customers; though, to put you at ease, I shall take great care of your mate after I've killed you."
Kaname raked a hand through his hair and sighed. He peered between his fingers. "You can't kill me." It was meant as a threat, not a statement.
The blond pureblood moved, his body a flicker of colors before reappearing behind Kaname. Kaname knew he was far stronger than the man, but he was slightly worried that his abilities were still not whole. He ducked before the blow to his back came, his own form disappearing with inhuman speed. The blond reappeared and grabbed his arm, swirling Kaname until he threw him down into the floor of broken glass.
The shards sliced through his skin. Drops of blood dripped down his fingers tips as he stood.
"Mhmm…" the blond said. His nose lifted as he sniffed the air. "You smell good."
Kaname set his jaw as he glared. He needed to end this before the police arrived. He picked up a sliver of glass and ran the edge down the inside of his wrist, directly over the tattoo. The vampire at the restaurant said that the lines had to remain connected. Kaname wasn't sure if it would work, but he had to try. He was from one of the strongest lineages, and this pureblood wasn't. He had to win. He wouldn't let the man leave, and especially with Zero in his arms.
He felt the demon within whoosh through his veins as the gash separated the inked circle, happy to be released from its prison. Kaname grinned at the shaken look on the other pureblood's face when the full effect of his aura was unleashed. The blond knew Kaname was stronger.
In a flash of quick movements, Kaname twisted the blond around, pressed his back to the wall and rammed his nails through his back. The gargled gasp from the blond excited Kaname. He knew victory was his. Kaname yanked the pureblood's head to the side, like he envisioned he must have done with Zero, and drove his fangs into his neck.
He drank huge, fast draughts. He drained the pureblood and let go, happy to see his lifeless body fall onto the carpet of glass. The blond faded into a gray wash that consumed his peach skin, and then cracked until his body burst into specs of dust.
Kaname stepped over the vacant set of clothes and to Zero's side. He brushed the hunter's hair from his eyes, frowning when Zero didn't respond to the touch. He kneeled down and lifted Zero into his arms. When the hunter's head lolled to the side, it revealed a set of deep puncture wounds at the base of his neck. The anger inside Kaname roared once more, but he quickly quieted it, knowing getting Zero out of here was more important. The hunter would need blood, an action that had caused so much fear in Kaname before, but now…he wasn't so sure.
He flitted through the back entrance of the room, to a staircase that went up to a door that led outside. Once outside, the pair was buried in a shower of hard rain. The storm had finally seized the island. Thunder rolled through the sky as lightening struck the blue sky with a thick bolt. He disappeared through a wall of trees and back into the jungle. The flashing blue lights behind him announced the arrival of the local police. He took off into a fast sprint, deep into the dark woods.
After running for nearly twenty minutes, he found a small wooden shack perched up on a mound of dirt between two thick palms. He kicked open the door, turning away from the cloud of dust that shot forth from the friction.
There was nothing in the shed except for a stack of old plywood beams in the corner and a dirty green blanket laid out on the dusty floor. There was a small window on the right, but the canopy of trees allowed very little moonlight to cover the forest. The rain plunked against the top of the shed, little drops breaking free and dripping onto the floorboards.
Kaname gently placed Zero on the blanket. He lifted Zero up as he removed his wet jacket and hung it on loose piece of plywood that stood erect, then he did the same with his own coat.
Kaname kneeled in front of Zero, hesitant to inch any closer. He knew what would come of this, and the prospect still terrified him. He watched the water drip down the side of the hunter's face into a small puddle next to his head. Giving in, letting the Union take over, would ultimately seal their fate. He knew without a doubt that his feelings had been there, a quiet murmur beating silently within, but once they joined as one, the silence was broken and his feelings were amplified into a loud pulse drumming through his heart. He knew it on the boat, when he saw Kiryu's smile, how genuine his expression was when he let the animal pounce on him. It was a side he had ached to see back home. He never hated him, but now, with the marriage, he wondered if his dislike for Zero this whole time was due to the fact that deep down he cared about him, pushing the hunter away as to not get any closer and compromise his status. He would have kept his hatred a perfect mask to ensure that neither of them ended up at this stage, but it seemed fate had a funny way of awakening underlining feelings, forcing them to blossom into something nearly tangible.
He wondered if Kiryu had suspected that the Union brought out feelings that already existed? It was impossible to marry under the Union if there was complete distaste for one another. But they had, which meant that they had to have some sentiment toward each other.
There would be no stopping fate if he proceeded. Giving Zero his blood would open a floodgate of hidden feelings, passing them straight into Zero to see. But that was what it came down to. Did he give in and let the Union prosper, or back away and let Kiryu slowly heal himself? It would take days for the hunter to regenerate to full power again, his body needing to remake the blood cells he lost. And the idea of leaving him so helpless caused a deep hurt to wash over him.
There would be consequences, he knew. The Council back home would be in an uproar once they found out. And they would.
But he also knew that his soul yearned for nothing more than to blend with Zero, to be completely one. The feelings they felt from the kiss, as they reached out to each other on a spiritual level, from within, and touched was the most surreal sensation he had ever felt. It was warm, like a soothing calm sliding over his body and letting him now that no matter what, as long as he had Zero's soul, everything would be okay.
As he stared at the hunter's still form, his soft expression as he slept, he decided. Having claimed Zero's soul, and Zero his, was the only thing that mattered.
Kaname unbuttoned his dress shirt, ignoring the cold wetness of the fabric as it clung to his skin. He took in a deep breath to steady himself. He was unsure of what would happen exactly, but he had a fair idea, because it was what he knew he wanted deep down.
He crawled atop Zero, placing his hands on either side of the hunter's head. With timid fingers, he lifted Zero's wrist to his mouth. The tattoo was still there, faded, but there. He dragged the skin across the tip of his fang, slicing a clean line where the symbol was connected, breaking the seal. It had worked on him, so he knew it would bring Zero back to his normal state. He fought so hard from driving his fangs fully in once he tasted Zero's blood, but he needed to stay focused for him.
Drops from his wet hair slid down thick strands and landed on Zero's forehead in a soft rhythm. The hunter's brows creased and his eyes slowly cracked opened.
"Kuran?" he whispered.
Kaname hummed a yes, never breaking his firm gaze on Zero.
"What happened?" Zero groaned, his eyes tightening in pain. "Shit, I think the bastard bit me…"
"You didn't fall this time." Kaname grinned, his tone light-hearted.
"Mhmm…finally," Zero mumbled. Kaname could tell by his sleepy gaze that he wasn't fully aware yet.
"Zero, listen," he voice turned serious. "I need your full cooperation with what I'm about to do."
The gravity in Kaname's words jolted him into further awareness. He choked back a cry when he moved his arm, a sharp pain riding up his from his wrist.
"I had to release the charm," said Kaname, giving that as the only explanation for the agony that flashed across Zero's face.
Zero's breathing evened out once more. He looked up at Kaname with curious eyes. And Kaname gave his reply with moving his neck closer to Zero's mouth. Either Zero didn't realize or he didn't question, but he seemed oblivious to Kaname's naked chest hovering him, his stare only on the smooth expanse of exposed skin inches from his mouth. There was a deep hunger inside of him, clawing to break loose and devour the skin hanging above him. His vampire nature was back with a full blow at his hunger. He pain was nothing compared to the raw fire that scrapped the back of his throat, and the heat could only be doused with the sweet elixir dangling in front of him.
"You need my blood," whispered Kaname.
"I know," Zero acknowledged with a faint sigh. "There is something inside of me. And I can't fight it…"
Kaname looked down at Zero in concern. Something inside of him? His soul, Kaname realized. Zero was still unaware of what was moving within him, the source driving his actions toward Kaname. Kaname also knew that the dazed look in Zero's eyes were an indication he probably didn't have full control over his words, blurting out things he would regret. Once his blood filled him, coherency would dawn once more. Kaname knew Zero was confused. Being so submissive wasn't usually the hunter's normal characteristic, but he, like Kaname, couldn't deny the energy curling around their hearts the closer they got.
Zero reached up and pulled at the sides of Kaname's open shirt, dragging the pureblood down to him. He was so hungry. He didn't know how much blood the pureblood had taken, but he felt so empty besides the urgent need to feed. He licked a warm trail down Kaname's neck, stopping at the curve of his jaw. He felt the charm's power release as his eyes glassed over in bloodlust. A faint hum beneath his lips indicated that Kaname's pulse was beating against his dry lips. He parted his mouth over his neck.
Zero's vampire hearing returned, and the shed was filled with the soft tapping of rain and their hot breaths so close together.
He sank his sharp canines through the velvet skin, shuttering as Kaname's blood slid over his tongue. Despite the hotness of the blood, it was a soothing rinse over the fiery hunger inside. He curled his fingers in Kaname's shirt and tugged him forward. He felt the pureblood's warm skin press against his soaked shirt, the heat from his body seeping through the cold fabric. Searing warmth embraced his chest. Soft hands were in his hair, separating his drenched strands. The thing inside of him erupted into a blinding spark of warmth that spread through him.
Zero drove his fangs in deeper. Kaname panted, feeling the Union opening up within himself. Zero's teeth embedded in his skin was pure ecstasy. Inside of him, his soul stretched out; exposed to the one person it belonged to and yearned to feel. It was a warm glow that rushed through his chest, directly from his heart as it beat faster. The lips beneath him moved in such fervor it nearly drove him to reciprocate the action, but instead he set his shaking arms partially down as he leaned in with his elbows.
Zero's tongue reached out and tasted Kaname's skin as he withdrew his teeth. The closeness between them was intense. He felt a strange tightness around his body, a hot ache he wanted to sate, and Kaname was seemingly the only one able to douse the inferno burning in his chest—the thing inside of him whispered the truth. He swallowed deeply when Kaname lifted himself up and stared down at him. His wet brown hair dangled in front of eyes that were filled with so much care. The window in front of them shed a beacon of pale moonlight over Kaname. The dust that swirled around the room looked mystical as it danced in front of Kaname's burgundy gaze.
The thing inside of him ripped free, coursing wildly as his heart pumped with every silent second that passed.
The brown hair moved, a veil framing his face as it descended. Zero was openly ready, though a bit unsure, he was at the mercy of the thing that had reawakened in him, and he was too weak to fight it. Kaname leaned in, and with one fluid motion, pressed his lips against Zero's, moving over the skin softly as he parted the hunter's mouth. Zero didn't resist. He tilted his head as he moved to match Kaname's rhythm. The passion between them exploded as his heart was engulfed in a powerful heat. He wanted so much more. He pushed back against Kaname and lifted his head up as he kissed back in desire. He was propped up on his elbows as he drew Kaname's bottom lip into his mouth.
Kaname buried his fingers in Zero's hair and pulled the hunter closer. The way Zero's mouth opened willingly, his tongue sliding into his mouth, forcing them to pick up the pace, made Kaname tremble.
They broke the kiss with a harsh pant. Zero's face felt fevered it was so hot.
Zero wiped his hand across his mouth. "We shouldn't do this." There was no conviction in his tone.
Kaname leaned in once more. His breath pounded against Zero's face. "I know, Kiryu. More than anything, I know."
He placed a gentle kiss to the side of Zero's mouth. "I know," he repeated, his voice barely a whisper, as he brushed his lips over Zero's, and the hunter made no move to stop him.
"But I also know I can't stop it," he whispered. He opened his mouth against Zero, deepening the kiss. He pulled back to add in a hushed tone, "And neither can you."
Kaname's breath ghosted over Zero lips and the hunter trembled.
"More than anything…I know," he repeated Kaname's words, his voice shaky and hushed.
Kaname forced Zero down. His wet hair dripped with rainwater as he bent forward. He locked eyes with Zero's, both gazes filled with desire and understanding. He tangled his fingers in Zero's silver tresses.
He breathed the words, "So do I…" before covering Zero's mouth with his own, knowing that this kiss wouldn't be enough to satisfy them.
I'm guessing you can see where the next chapter might head. :D I am hoping I don't seem like I am rushing things. I figured that because the chapters are so insanely long each time that I might be able to get away with it because so much has really happened since the start. I don't know. I felt it was the right thing to do right here, since they can't seem to fight the power over them.
Replies for those without an account (which, I put your other ones in the last chapters, but apparently the website didn't want them there and cut them out. Sorry):
dragon_: Zero is so much fun! I completely agree, though, I love Kaname, too. I think they are so different, yet are so compatible. At least, my dirty mind thinks so. :D I am so glad that you liked it, and thanks for the review!
Benny-sama: Oh, I do know that feeling! I got that way when I saw your review. Thanks! I am so happy to hear from you, and I am glad that you're continuing to enjoy the story. Makes me smile and be all squee like. *Squee* Thank you!
kanze4ever!: Thank you! And, yes, you're right. The villain did take a liking to Zero – as you probably just read. :D The plot was cool, but more of a catalyst to force them together. Now that he is dead, there is other drama to think about – people overseas finding out, perhaps… Good times are ahead. Thank you so much for the review!
Clear: It's okay, and I am glad that you signed in just to tell me. I feel special! Thank you! And I hope you didn't get in any trouble.