Disclaimer- I don't own Vampire Knight
Chapter 4
Welcome Home
"And I need just a little more silence, and I need just a little more time"
Not once did Kana let her eyes meet those of the suspiciously curious vampires that stood along the walkway leading into the Moon Dormitory. Instead they stayed focused in front of her, though she would occasionally glance at Kaname and smile softly, demurely. The closeness of his body was unnerving, she couldn't clearly focus on anything other than him and the hand he had laid over hers.
Everything felt so perfect, so right as she walked beside him into the grand structure that made up the living place of Cross Academy's Night Class. Not a thing seemed out of place, like it was meant to be. Anticipation began to make her body tingle and her arm tighten around Kaname's as they took to the stairs. They were more isolated now, alone, as the rest of the vampires aside from Riku and Sora hung back on the lower level of the dorms.
The room she was lead to was large and open. Two windows in the back were open, letting in the cool evening air as the heavy damask curtains fluttered in the breeze. A red velvet covered chaise sat in the center of the room. A decorative wooden coffee table stood before it, papers scattered haphazardly over its polished surface. There was a hall to the right that led to a closed door and what Kana assumed was a private bedroom.
Kaname extended an arm to allow Kana to step in to the room, he followed behind her and with a glance back at Sora and Riku began to close the door. Sora placed a hand on Riku's shoulder when his younger twin scowled and was about to step forward. He shook his head at Riku's glare and allowed the door to click shut, leaving them in the hall alone with Takuma who was beaming at them.
"Would you like me to show you to your room," Takuma offered.
"Riku, you should go with him, I'll wait wait for Lady Kana," Sora replied kindly, offering up a small smile for the blond.
"I don't want to," Riku grumbled sourly.
"We'll need to know where we're going-"
"Then you go, Sora," Riku interrupted, stubbornly leaning into the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.
Sora sighed and rubbed at his temple. "Riku, don't be difficult, please. Just go with the man and come back."
Grunting, Riku pushed away from the wall. "Fine, but you had better not let anything happen to her."
"Of course not," sighed Sora, his blue eyes watching as Takuma led Riku down the hall.
Kana walked around the room slowly letting her eyes take in the details of everything. It was simple. Elegant, but simple. A small satisfied smirk pulled at the corners of her lips as she swayed towards one of the open windows. She could feel Kaname's gaze on her, feel his eyes drinking in the curves of her body as she moved and appreciating everything they saw. Turning to face him, she leaned against the window frame and smiled coyly at the handsome vampire that hadn't moved too far from the doors.
"It's been a long time, Kaname, yet you don't seem particularly pleased to see me. Have you not missed me?" She inquired, tilting her head and allowing her long hair to cascade over her shoulder while she stared expectantly at the crimson eyed man.
"Of course I've missed you," Kaname answered while walking toward her. When he reached her, one of his hands combed itself through her hair while the other caressed her cheek.
Taking a breath, Kana let her eyes flutter close and lifted a hand to press Kaname's hand against her cheek and to keep him from pulling away. "What happened to you, Kaname? You seem so different from how I remember you. You seem so very sad," she opened her eyes and stepped into his arms. Her hands gently laid themselves on his face, her fingers ghosting over the flawless skin. Her lips brushed over his briefly, experimentally. "What is it that has made you look so lost, Kaname?"
"I wouldn't say I'm lost. Lonely, perhaps, but not lost," Kaname offered up a slight smile while he ran his fingers through Kana's thick, wavy hair.
"I'm sorry you've been lonely, Kaname, but I won't be leaving you alone again. You will never be lonely so long as I am here." Lifting herself on to her tiptoes, Kana gently kissed the corner of his mouth. Relishing the feel of the smooth skin beneath her lips, she trailed kisses down his jaw to his neck, smiling when he tensed and tightened his hold on her in response to the lustful gesture.
"We have a lot to talk about, Kana. The world you remember is not the same one we're in now. A lot has changed in your absence." Attempting to distance himself from Kana, Kaname tried to step back, but Kana went with him, unwilling to release her hold on him.
"We can talk later," Kana stated in a husky whisper while her fingers began to unbutton his shirt and her lips continued to kiss the curve of his neck.
"Kana," Kaname breathed, his eyes closing as he took a shuddering breath when her teeth lightly brushed over a sensitive spot on his neck.
"Are you really going to deny me, Kaname? I'm your wife and it's been thousands of years since we last saw each other. You're not the only one who has been lonely." Her hands slipped beneath the fabric of Kaname's shirt, her nails skimming over the toned flesh and pushing the fabric slowly up and off of his shoulders.
He shuddered when she pushed his shirt from his shoulders and let her hands slide down his arms so that it could fall to the floor. He had forgotten just how persuasive Kana could be, how she always managed to get her way. Not to mention it had been so long since he had felt her touch, heard her heart beat and smelled the delicate scent that drifted from her pale skin that he was quick to lose himself in the memories of times long past. Memories of them and their life together.
Sighing, Kaname took Kana's hands in his and stepped back. "We need to talk, Kana."
Her eyes narrowed slightly and she pulled her hands from his grasp to cross them over her chest. Never before had Kaname denied her anything, not that she could remember at least and she was quick to become angry and form conclusions of her own about why. "Who is it," she asked bitterly. "Who has taken you from me?"
"Kana-"
"Answer me," she demanded. The atmosphere around her began to change as she lost focus on everything except for her anger.
A chill wind blew through the open window, tossing the curtains into the air and making her hair dance around her small body. Her eyes flashed dangerously and in the hall Riku and Sora exchanged uneasy glances. The air grew dense with her unforgiving anger as she stared at Kaname, waiting for an answer to her question.
Kaname sighed and shut his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and bent down to pick up his fallen shirt. Shrugging the shirt back on, he turned away from Kana and took a seat on the chaise looking rather tired and worn.
"That girl," Kana mused darkly, her musical voice lilting in thought. "The daughter of the odd Headmaster... It's her, isn't it?"
Silence answered her inquiry and Kana figured she had her answer. The atmosphere shifted again, the chill in the air grew and frost began to creep up on her surroundings. "A little human girl, Kaname? You are a pureblood and you belong to me or have you forgotten that in all these long years?"
"I haven't forgotten," he answered quietly, his voice distant. "I thought you were dead, Kana. You disappeared completely from my senses and for so long... I searched for you, but could never find you... When I lost hope and grew tired of living I decided to sleep. I would have been content to never have been woken, but things didn't work out that way. I was forcefully woken from my grave by a relative of Kuran who sacrificed the life of a newborn pureblood to wake me. He hoped to be able to control me, but my blood lust was too much and his strength was nothing compared to mine. In the end, however, I had no choice but to revert myself back into a child or I would have gone mad from the blood lust."
"None of this explains why it is that you're so taken with that little girl, Kaname. It explains a lot of other things, but at the moment those things don't concern me. What concerns me is that I am your wife and you are my husband. You and I are promised to one another."
"I'm aware of that, Kana," Kaname replied, a sharp note of coldness in his tone. "I already said I hadn't forgotten. However, things are not what they used to be."
A dark brow rose, but the skeptical and bitter look in her eyes didn't fade. "If you haven't forgotten, Kaname, then why should it matter that things are different now? You thought me dead? You of all people should have been able to at least vaguely sense my presence no matter what. There's no way-"
"You were hiding your presence from the world, Kana. Even I couldn't sense you," Kaname cut in, sighing and closing his eyes.
Her hands clenched over her arms, confusion creeping into her mind. It appeared to be the only emotion that remained a constant companion to her, her other emotions were too quick fluctuate and change. "And why would I do that, Kaname?" She asked blandly, wondering if he would provide her answers that would fill the gaps in her memories.
"You had your reasons," he murmured softly.
She frowned, he sounded so sad and lost as he stared at the coffee table in front of him in a way that reminded her of how she would stare into the shadows and think of the past. Taking a hesitant step forward, Kana shook off her anger and made her way to the chaise to sit beside Kaname. Angling her body toward him, she reached a hand forward to brush some of his hair from his face and search his eyes for some hint to the sadness that clouded them.
"What happened, Kaname?" She asked in a quiet whisper. Resting her palms on his cheeks, she made him meet her eyes before lightly kissing his forehead and resting her own against his. "What happened to us? Why was I so far from your side and why do you not look at me the way you used to? It's like I'm a reminder of something you'd rather forget now."
Letting out a soft sigh, Kaname laid a hand on Kana's pale cheek and let his thumb glide over the smooth skin. After a moment of silence, he gently placed his lips against her forehead before pulling away from her and standing up.
Her hands fell into her lap and Kana stared blankly down at them, confused and hurt by the distance that Kaname seemed intent to keep between them. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind while the man she loved so much walked towards the open window behind the chaise. A sensation of betrayal that made her heart ache painfully. The thin fingers of her hands clenched in her lap and she squeezed her eyes shut. Shadowy figures and ghostly shapes danced across her closed eyelids and she gasped, her eyes opening wide as she jolted when the scent of blood invaded her nostrils and she felt something wet and sticky splash across her face and exposed skin.
"Kana?"
Crimson eyes blinking rapidly, Kana examined her hands and let her fingers slide over one of her cheeks. She was checking to see if the sticky wetness she had felt splatter over her was actually real, but she could find nothing. Not even a drop of water marring any part of her skin.
"Kana?"
Jolting, she looked up to meet Kaname's eyes. He was leaning over the chaise and was studying her intently with concern and uncertainty.
"What," she asked blankly, breathlessly while barely managing to keep the tremor out of her voice.
Stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers, Kaname said, "Maybe you should rest for the day. Your trip must have been exhausting. We can talk later, after you've rested"
"I'm fine," she snapped in reply, jerking her face away from Kaname's touch and giving him a cold look.
When Kaname sighed dejectedly and stepped away from the chaise, Kana realized how harshly she had replied and reached out for his hand before he could get far.
"You should get some rest, Kana. We'll talk later."
Tightening her grip on his hand, she lowered her head and let her hair curtain around her. "I don't want to talk later, I don't want to go and rest. I want to be here, with you. I've missed you very much, Kaname. Please don't send me away."
There were a few moments of silence during which Kana thought she would receive no reply, but just as she was about to release Kaname's hand and stand from the chaise, a tender hand tilted her chin upwards. Her heart flip flopped in her chest when she met Kaname's deep, dark eyes and saw the longing look in them. Her breathing hitched in her throat and everything around the two of them disappeared.
"I'm not sending you away, Kana, but it's obvious you haven't fully awoken. You need your rest, you shouldn't push yourself too hard until you've regained all of your former strength." His hand released her chin and stepped back.
Kana's heart twisted painfully in her chest. Her memories may have been hazy and uncertain, but this was not how she remembered things being between herself and Kaname. He had never denied her anything, had always loved and had always wanted her by his side. He had never once, that she could think of, distanced himself so greatly from her. It hurt her, but at the same time it made a small spark of burning anger appear in the back of her mind. It was a feeling she tried hard to ignore as she slowly stood from the chaise and turned her back on Kaname.
"I expect an explanation, Kaname. Not only about that little girl, but about why you called for me when you so obviously don't want me here," said Kana, her voice quiet, but strong and somewhat defiant and bitter.
She was answered by silence and with a small shake of her head, she approached the door, biting back the sting of tears that threatened to fill her eyes at the treatment she had received. When she opened the door, she smiled wanly at Sora and Riku who waited just outside the room for her.
Sora returned her smile with an encouragingly bright one while Riku suspiciously glanced behind her, a light scowl on his face.
"Why don't you show the lady to her room, Riku," Sora requested, his eyes floating behind her to stare at the pureblood that remained in the room, staring out an open window.
"And what are you going to be doing," Riku asked sharply.
Glancing at his twin, he smiled. "I wanted to speak with Kaname-sama, is that a problem?"
Riku growled quietly, but shook his head. "No. Do what ever you want. This way, Kana."
Kana let Riku put a hand on her lower back and guide her down the hall.
Once the two had walked a few yards, Sora stepped up to the door and with a light knock despite the fact it was open, waited for Kaname to address him. The pureblood didn't look at him, but his voice carried clearly.
"Shut the doors," he stated evenly.
Nodding, Sora entered the room and closed the doors behind him. He remained standing a few feet in front of the doors, his eyes closely watching the pureblood lord that had brought them all to the Academy.
"Judging by your brother's obvious dislike of me and this place am I right in assuming that the both of you are fully aware of who Kana is?" Kaname asked.
"You are."
"And am I also right in assuming you both are aware of the connection between her and I and how it came to be broken?"
"You are, though to be perfectly honest, we didn't hear it from her. We had only heard the stories and rumors, but when she gifted us with her blood we did catch glimpses of her past," Sora answered. "We could also feel the hurt and betrayal she felt, not that it was hidden from us ever. It was clear in her eyes, her aura and her smile." His blue eyes continued to study Kaname, he had never met the pureblood, he had only heard of him and given how much he really knew about the man and his past he wasn't sure what to make of him.
"What does she remember?" Kaname inquired.
Sighing, Sora shook his head and frowned slightly. "Honestly, I don't know. There are definite gaps in her memories as I'm sure you've noticed, but where those gaps are I couldn't tell you. The most notable missing memories seem to concern you and your... Falling out."
Running a hand through his hair, Kaname removed his gaze from the forest outside of his window and made his way tot the chaise. Collapsing onto it, he covered his eyes with his arm and let out a worn sigh. "Her mood swings, have they been frequent?"
"She was fairly stable before the appearance of your two messengers. Since then she has grown rather unstable. Her mood swings are unpredictable, but she's not caused any harm. Yet, at least. You appear to be the main cause for the instability, you're the only thing that has caused her moods to swing violently. Her emotions and feelings towards you are conflicting, but she doesn't know or understand why. It hurts her, she loves you very much, but at the same time that love had started turning into hate not long before she took this long sleep. It was part of the reason why she decided to sleep I think, she didn't want to hate, but she couldn't help it. And who could blame her," Sora said, he knew he had probably overstepped his bounds, but he didn't entirely care. The pureblood needed to hear the truth, he needed to know something of the suffering he had caused Kana.
He knew he was likely well aware of the pain he had caused her, after all there were plenty of stories concerning how Kaname had tried to right his wrong in the vampire stories. Whether any of them were true or not was unknown to him. He and Riku weren't even alive at that point and Kana had been hiding from the world so thoroughly that she didn't follow the events that took place in it. She had wanted nothing to do with them, she had only wanted to be alone and at peace.
When Kaname only returned his comments with silence, Sora continued to speak. This time it was his curious that prompted him. "Why did you request for her to come here? You don't seem to be all that happy to have her here. You would think that the fact your beloved wife and sister is alive would be reason enough to be happy, but you don't look happy at all. You look like you've eaten something rotten. Not to mention the look on lady Kana's face when she left, I haven't seen her that visibly upset and saddened in sometime. You must be very strong man to be able to stand seeing her like that."
"You know well enough why I wanted her here," Kaname responded, a sharp edge in his voice to inform Sora he was indeed overstepping his bounds and should be more careful from then on. "It's not safe anywhere else."
"For you or for her," Sora asked quizzically, flashing an innocent smile at Kaname when the man glanced at him with narrowed eyes. "Forgive me, I forgot my place."
"Things have changed, Kana will need to understand that and come to terms with everything that is no longer how she remembers it. If she plans on continuing to live in this world then she'll have no choice. I know Ichijo informed you and you brother about some of the changes, I would appreciate it if you explained them to Kana as well. She is expected to act as a student here for the time being and she needs to be made aware of the rules of this current society."
Knowing when to keep his mouth shut, Sora merely nodded and bowed slightly. "I understand, please excuse me."
Leaving the room, Sora made his way down the long hall and towards Kana's room. It was down the same hall as Kaname's, at the end, and the only other occupied room on this side of the building. When he opened the door to the outer room a small chuckle escaped his lips. The interior of this room was a bit different than in Kaname's room. It was still simple, but the colors were darker and the décor was more to Kana's taste.
The walls were painted a neutral beige. There was a gilded mirror curtained by gauzy red lace hanging on the wall opposite the door, between two windows. The curtains over the windows were a thick dark red, gold and black damask that would undoubtedly keep the sun's rays from probing into the room. Golden sconces hung on the walls and a matching chandelier hung from the center of the room casting a pale glow through out the room.
The lights were no doubt electric and the lamps themselves were attached to a dimmer so that the brightness could be adjusted to better accommodate Kana's taste in the pale lighting she was used to from candles. There was no shortage of candles in the room, different intricate holders were placed throughout the room and attached to the walls, black candles had been input in them.
Beneath the chandelier was a dark wooden table, two deep red armchairs and a chaise trimmed in gold and upholstered with crushed red velvet. A small round table sat beside the chaise, a set of crystal goblets and a jug of water sat a top it. A black case with a red rose sat with the items.
Ignoring the rest of the décor which consisted of a desk in the left corner and a few dark bookcases that were filled with books and pieces of art or candles as well as a few scattered pictures on the walls, Sora walked through the hall on his right. The same golden sconce lit the way through the hall and barely illuminated the door at the end of it.
Knocking first, Sora turned the cool golden knob and pushed the heavy door open. The bedroom was dimly lit by the flickering light of black candles that sat in decorative holders on the walls. The lights themselves had been left off and Sora knew it would likely take time for Kana to adjust to the harsh, artificial light they emitted.
His eyes adjusted to the darkness easily and he could see Riku and Kana sitting together on the large four poster bed. Riku was sitting upright while Kana laid curled beside him, her head on his leg.
"Is everything alright, my lady," Sora asked, stepping towards the bed and sitting down by her feet to admire her.
Her crimson eyes looked up to meet his and she smiled when Riku soothingly stroked her hair. "Of course. I'm just tired, Sora. Nothing to worry about."
"Would you like us to leave you alone so you can rest?" Sora inquired. Personally, he wasn't sure it was a good idea to leave her, she seemed too withdrawn and not like herself. He was afraid her mood was about to change and not for the better. He could feel the cold tickle of anger and hate on his neck and was unsure how to approach her without setting her off. If that was going to even be possible at this point.
"No," she sighed tiredly, sitting up and sliding towards the edge of the bed. Gracefully setting her bare feet on the plush carpeting, she stood and glided towards a door that led to what appeared to be a large closet. An old fashioned vanity sat between the door to the closet and another that led to a private bathroom, its surface was neatly covered in a wide array of make ups, perfumes, brushes and other bottles Kana wasn't sure of.
In the closet, she let her eyes roam the darkness for her belongings. She had been allowed to do some shopping while in the city the day before and had gotten quite the wardrobe. It hardly filled the large closet, but she at least had clothing that wouldn't make her stand out too much to the humans. She didn't like half of it, but she figured she would have to get used to it if she were to live amongst humans.
Untying the dress from behind her neck, she let it slide to the floor and stepped out of it, not caring that she was completely nude and still in full view of Sora and Riku. She could feel their eyes on her for a moment before they both looked away respectfully even though it was hardly the first time they had seen her uncovered body. Reaching for a crimson and black night gown, she slipped it over her head and let the soft satin cascade over her skin. The gown didn't even brush against her knees, it fell several inches above them. Her lean, pale legs were exposed as were her arms and much of her back. Not that she minded in the least as she turned and left the closet, the fabric clinging to her body as she walked.
"Aren't those clothes uncomfortable, Sora," Kana asked, sitting down on the bed and leaning unabashedly against Riku who had removed his shoes, jacket and had unbuttoned his green shirt to reveal the white undershirt he wore beneath it.
"Not really. They're not as bad as some of the fashions we've had to wear in the past."
"Tights were the worst," Riku commented, causing Kana, who had slept through this period apparently, to raise an eyebrow. "Don't ask," Riku told her, making a face at some distant memory while Sora chuckled.
"Right," Kana replied. "How was you talk with Kaname," Kana inquired, her eyes meeting Sora's while she adjusted her position against Riku. Her arm rested on his leg and her palm held her head up while she sat in a way that reminded Sora of paintings of Cleopatra of Egypt he had once seen.
"Well, he wants to be sure you are well informed about the rules of the Academy as well as those concerning our race. There have been a lot of changes in the past several hundred years and he just wants you to be aware of them," Sora answered.
"Is that so," she mused softly, her free hand reaching up to snake behind Riku's neck.
Her head rested against his chest and her neck was exposed to him. Tugging his hair free of the tie that held it, she let her fingers comb through it and didn't say anything when he dipped his head towards her neck. His lips met her flesh carefully, barely touching the skin as he kissed it and let out a breath that splashed over her skin before his lips hungrily began to move over her flesh again.
"And why should I care what he wants," Kana murmured, a soft moan slipping from her lips when Riku began to trail kisses down her arm and to her wrist, which happened to be a sensitive spot for her and most vampires. "He is not the same Kaname I remember. He's forgotten who he is and who he belongs to, regardless of what he says, he doesn't want me here. I can't say I care too much for some reason."
Pushing herself up, she turned to Riku and captured his lips with her own. He responded eagerly, his hands tightly grasping onto her back before gliding down to her leg where his fingers played with the hem of her night dress for a moment before slipping beneath it. His hand made its way up her leg and over her side, causing her to gasp and tilt her head back with a shudder of appreciation.
"He cares for you, Kana," Sora said, watching her tantalizing movements while trying to ignore the overwhelming desire to take her into his own arms.
She snorted in disdain and untangled herself from Riku to turn towards Sora. Riku's arms wrapped around her middle and she allowed it without complaint while his mouth once again found her neck.
"If that's so it's only out of obligation now. It's clear his feelings for me aren't the same as they once were."
"The same can be said of your feelings for him," Sora replied, his eyes flickering to Riku.
"If you have something to say, Sora, then say it," Kana demanded.
Riku pulled away from Kana, but kept his arms firmly around her waist while he rested his chin on Kana's shoulder and eyed his brother darkly.
"You said yourself that he had forgotten who he was and who he belonged to, but he's not the only one, is he, lady Kana?"
Kana hissed through clenched teeth and narrowed her eyes. "I don't remember you voicing such opinions in the past, Sora, perhaps you'd like to explain what's made you so concerned now?"
"You belong to Kaname, my lady, you are not free to do as you please," Sora said, his eyes not wavering from hers. "You love him, don't you, lady Kana? He's your precious, beloved brother and he's found you after so many long years. It must be a shock for the both of you. To find each other again after so long." He watched Kana's eyes and say her falter, the chill that had crept into the room began to disperse and the darkness that had been clinging to her began to lighten.
Her head slowly dropping into her chest, she let her hair slither over her shoulders and obscure her face from view. "I'm sorry, Riku, Sora. I'm not feeling very well."
Riku caught her before she could collapse and tumble from the bed, sending a heated glare at Sora, he waited while his brother pulled back the sheets so he could place Kana on them.
"Get some rest, my lady," Sora whispered. "Riku."
Twitching, Riku followed Sora into the sitting room. "Explain yourself," he hissed once they were out of the room.
"I already told you she didn't belong to us, you knew that, but you still-"
"She doesn't belong to anyone, Sora! You know as well as I do that when she regains her memories, all of them, that she won't want anything to do with him. She hates him."
"She loves him," Sora countered. "And she has no choice," he sighed resignedly. "They're married, Riku, they belong to one another and given their positions that isn't likely to change. They're two of the most respected and feared purebloods in the world."
"You're forgetting something important, brother," Riku growled.
"And what's that?"
"No one but the three of us are even aware of who he really is! They all believe him to be the son of Haruka and Juri Kuran. Not the original king of our race, but an ancestor of his. No one is even aware of the connection between Kana and Kaname."
"That may be true, but that doesn't change the fact that he is who he is. Even if we are the only ones to know it. He is her brother and he is her husband, Kaname won't ignore those facts. He may not broadcast them to the entire world, but he won't ignore them."
Riku shook his head. "Maybe so, brother, but why call her here then?"
"You should know the answer to that, Riku," Sora answered. "Who is a bigger threat to him, then her."
It wasn't a question, but a statement and Riku scowled. "He doesn't want her to turn against him."
Sora nodded. "He didn't know the state of her mind, but he couldn't risk letting her fall into the hands of the Council. They would have used her to get to him."
"And you think he won't use her?"
"I don't know what Kaname plans, but he won't let any harm come to lady Kana. Even if she does regain her memories sooner rather than later, he will still protect her. Things may have changed for the two of them, but he won't abandon her," Sora explained certainly.
"There's more that you're not telling me," Kana said blandly.
She was leaning into a cushioned chair across from the desk Kaname sat behind. Sora was by the door, keeping his distance from Kana who hadn't entirely forgotten his words from the night before and was still rather upset with him. Riku on the other hand, stood to Kana's right and hadn't moved an inch nor did he intend to.
In the past hour she had been informed of the current state of things in the present time. Of the Council and their members, their exploits and their way of reigning over the vampire race. Of Juri and Haruka Kuran who had raised him as if he were their own son despite the fact that he wasn't and their son had been murdered to awaken him from his tomb. She was even told about the current Vampire Hunter society and how Zero Kiryu, the prefect she had met the day before, was the last remaining member of a once well-known family. The headmaster's identity as a Hunter didn't surprise her, she could sense that he wasn't like other humans, nor was he by any means normal.
Now as she sat across from Kaname, she felt a burning rage in the pit of her stomach. The Council had taken great liberties in ruling over the vampire world. They were rather openly against a peaceful coexistence with humans and had a habit of destroying anyone who stood in their way. They also had no qualms about ordering around the remaining purebloods, nor did they treat the few remaining purebloods with respect. Instead they were treated like caged animals that would one day make a good meal.
"Is there," Kaname replied to Kana's statement.
"Yes, regarding the little human girl you're so enamored with," Kana continued pointedly.
"I already told you who she was. I mentioned that Haruka and Juri Kuran had a daughter, didn't I?"
Kana gasped quietly, her eyes widening for a brief moment. He had mentioned that there had been a baby girl gifted to the Kuran's, but he hadn't mentioned who or where they were. Now she knew who and where, but not why she was a human girl. An apparently clueless, annoying human girl that longed for something that didn't belong to her.
"I see," Kana mused. "Why is she posing as a human?"
"Haruka and Juri wished for her to live a normal life. Something they hadn't been able to give her since they had hidden her existence from the world, but that helped them to decide what to do when they were attacked by Rido and the Council's minions. Juri sacrificed her life to give Yuuki as normal and peaceful a life as she could get."
"What does that make her to you exactly?"
"She doesn't remember anything before she became a human, but she would remember me as her brother," Kaname answered.
"Right," Kana drawled darkly. "Anything else?"
"She isn't aware of it, but it was Haruka and Juri's wish that I protect her. Forever. I'm her fiance."
Hissing, Kana stood from her seat. The air grew oppressively thick and made it difficult for either Sora or Riku to breath properly and the amount of pure anger radiating from Kana made it hard to stand. The window behind Kaname shattered, sparkling shards of glass rained over the carpet and flew through room. The papers strewn over the desk scattered about the room, the glasses on the desk that had held reddish colored blood substitute exploded and loosed their contents all over the desk top.
In a flash, Kaname was out of his seat and not even a second later the entire back of it was ripped apart by unseen hands. He flew towards Kana, his hands reaching for her arms to push her back into the chair she had been sitting in. There was a gust of a window and though Kaname had pinned Kana into the chair, both Sora and Riku stood on either side of him hands raised and nails elongated into sharp talons. Not to mention that Kana had produced a small, silver, bejeweled dagger from seemingly nowhere and had the sharp tip pressing harshly into his neck.
A small speck of red dripped from beneath the blade and rolled down Kaname's neck. Kana gave an arrogantly bitter smile when he released her to stand up straight and gather the blood onto his finger to see for himself that she had cut him. Once his eyes were done examining the smear of crimson on them, he met Kana's eyes once again.
"And you say I've changed."
The arrogance on her face disappeared and she blinked, her lips parting slightly to allow a small gasp of surprise to leak from them. Glancing at the dagger in her hand and the smear of crimson on Kaname's neck, she shook her head and tried to speak, but couldn't find any words.
Her fingers released their hold on the dagger and it clattered to the floor by Sora's feet. She stared at it blankly and vaguely wondered why she had lost control over her emotions. She recalled the entire conversation, but she couldn't quite understand why she was so bitter and angry or if she even was for that matter.
There were a lot of reasons why Kaname would have agreed to the marriage with another woman. The largest being that he had thought her to be dead. He also had mentioned that he felt he owed the two people who had raised him a great deal. They had unselfishly accepted with open arms even though he was not the son that they had cherished. She could understand all of this, she could understand that since he was raised as their son that it was likely he would be engaged to their daughter if they ever had one. It was all easy enough to understand.
What she couldn't understand was why she, someone who was not known for being violent at all, had snapped the way she had. It was as if her vision had blacked out, replaced only by a desire to do harm to Kaname.
"Would the two of you excuse us please," Kaname requested, glancing from Riku to Sora.
The two men exchanged glances, but they knew better than to argue with a pureblood. With a curt nod from Sora, the two retreated from the room to stand guard just outside of it.
"Kana, look at me," Kaname coaxed, putting his hand beneath her chin to tilt her face up to his. "Kana." She blinked at him, but didn't say anything so he continued. "No one could ever replace you. I wasn't looking for a replacement. I was only trying to repay the debt I owed, she is important to me, I won't lie, but-"
Kana shook her head and closed her eyes. "It's alright, Kaname. I understand the reasons. If you'll excuse me, I'm not feeling well." She tried to stand up, but her knees gave out and Kaname had to catch her and lift her into his arms so she wouldn't collapse onto the floor that was littered with sparkling shards of glass.
The lavender eyes of Zero Kiryu watched with intent suspicion while Kana walked with Kaname, her two nearly identical lackeys following behind them. He was leaning into the hallway wall, his arms folded over his chest and his ever present scowl on his face. When the group of vampires neared him, he snorted and shoved himself away from the wall. Casting a cold glance at Kana, whose tired, bloodshot eyes met his before he abruptly broke eye contact, he waited for them all to pass him and then followed stiffly along behind them.
Much to his severe annoyance, Zero kept finding that his eyes were attracted to the dark haired woman that walked beside Kaname. There was an air about her that made it hard not to stare. He was loathe to admit it, but she was exceptionally beautiful. Not that the fact was odd, she was a pureblood vampire and all of the vampire race was known for their good looks. It was more than her looks that kept his eyes continuously finding their way to her petite form, but he couldn't understand why.
He wanted to believe it was because he hated her, that she was just like the rest of the blood thirsty leeches the Headmaster had allowed into the school, but for some reason he didn't quite believe that. She didn't feel anything like the other vampires that attended the Academy. Her aura and the feeling that she gave off wasn't even similar to Kaname's or any other pureblood vampire he had met. It was strangely different.
What made it so different was hard to pinpoint, but it was that odd sensation that made his eyes seek her out no matter how hard he tried to completely ignore her existence. Once the group reached the door to the Headmaster's office, they entered one by one with Zero being the last since he was having a glaring contest with Riku who had noticed that Zero couldn't keep his eyes off of Kana.
Keeping to the back of the room, Zero leaned into the wall by the door so that he could have a full view of everything going on in the rather cramped office. Not only did he not want to be too close to the monsters that took a human form, he wanted to be able to draw his gun from its holster and shoot them if he needed too. He hoped that one of them would give him a reason too, he'd been in a foul mood the entire weekend. There were now three more leeches for him to keep in line and one of them was a pureblood. He hated all vampires, but purebloods he abhorred the most. They were the most vile and devious monsters of all in his opinion. There wasn't an innocent or caring bone in their bodies as far as he was concerned.
His thoughts drifted as his lavender eyes once again found their way to Kana. She was seated in a chair a few feet in front of him, her dark, wavy hair was pulled into partial bun and what was left out hung over her right shoulder. She was wearing a low cut, black blouse with a red corset that gave way to a long red skirt. Her neck was exposed and his eyes found the spot where her pulse lightly reverberated beneath her pale skin.
Gritting his teeth together, Zero tore his eyes from Kana's neck and glared hatefully at the floor. He was beginning to grow thirsty and not for water, but blood. Her blood. His hands fisted at his sides and when he looked up again, his eyes met Kana's as she glanced curiously over her shoulder having felt his eyes on her. Her tired eyes peered at him as innocently as an angel's, making Zero sneer at the contradiction. A monster with the smile of an angel.
She smiled almost sadly at him and then returned her attention to the conversation going on around her. A conversation she wasn't really listening to anyway. Instead, she thought over the incredible strength that Zero must have had in order to abstain from drinking blood when he clearly desired it. She also knew that it must have been growing closer to the time where it wouldn't matter whether he wanted to drink or not. His body was no longer human and needed the nourishment of fresh blood or he would go insane with the blood lust that would overwhelm him if he denied his body what it needed.
The thought of him letting himself fall into madness just to be killed by the Hunters Association, an association his family had belonged to, made her feel badly for him. His death would be pointless, not that death always served a point, but to die simply because he didn't want to live the life of a vampire and drink blood? It was unfair. He hadn't asked for what Fate had so cruelly given him, it had been forced upon him.
Had been in her power to right the wrong that had been done to him, she would have, but she couldn't. She wasn't the one to have changed his life. All she could do was watch and let whatever happened, happen.
An odd thought struck her then and she tilted her head, allowing the skin on her neck to tighten and the throb of her pulse to stand out even more. Her fingers ran over the pulsing vein and she heard Zero fidget behind her.
'Then again,' she thought to herself. 'I could always give him what he wants.'
"Lady Kana?"
Kana looked at the bespectacled Headmaster Cross and once he was certain he had her attention, he finished his thought in a gush of excitement.
"Welcome to your new home!"
~A/N~
Super special thank yous to... GaarasMyBoyzz, Pri-Chan 1410, XxXLIFEafterDEATHXxX, Kuro Neko to Kuro Bara, Krystalpup, Princesa de la Luna, lightrina, eevet, Midnight Wolf-94, AliceMariaSwan, and lovelyanimeangel... for reviewing last chapter! You all get cookies!
Please review again everyone! Please, please! Oh and there's a silly poll on my profile if you're bored. ;)