Chapter 4: Good Things Comes To Those Who Wait.
Summary: Written in reference with Sagakure's Cradle of Blood fanfic. At the moment, it's focusing on the plot development of the auction in Market Square from the previous chapter. Basically, Zero is contemplating between purchasing Kaname from the auction for two weeks or not.
A/N: Yes, people... I'm well and alive. It's been ages since I have updated any of my fiction. It's great to read some of the refreshing comments on FFN and keeps me motivated. I wrote this as soon as I finished my finals. Thanks for all the lovely reviews.
Warning: Non-con, abuse.
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The two security guards led Ichiou into the building and shut the door behind him. He knew that he should not be there while the auction was occurring, but who gave a damn? The elderly hunter practically owned the place. Besides lending his precious slave to the House, Ichiou had already forked out a large sum of his fortune to fund the seedy establishment. If it weren't for his generosity, they would have closed up shop a long time ago, given the accumulation of debts and the poor reception. It was thanks to his "philanthropic" contribution that the brothel was able to operate up to this point at all. As its benefactor, Ichiou had a number of privileges that he could claim from the shop owner, and beingfirst in line to hand pick his choice was one of them.
The place was packed with handlers who were busy preparing "merchandise" for the night's auction. Each of the slaves had been given a dose of anti-vampire drugs as an extra precaution before they were queued up for inspection. Any disfigurements and anomalies sported were "re-corrected" with the necessary procedures. Like cattle in a slaugtherhouse, the slaves were graded before being sorted into their respective cells. The tortured screams fell on deaf ears because Ichiou had ceased to care about his kin ever since he changed his identity after undergoing a forbidden spell. He was no longer a blood thirsty vampire that feasts on human blood but a noble class hunter working at the top of the hierarchy in the Hunters' Association.
Ichiou walked further down in search of his prized item. He found Kaname, drugged and locked up in a rather spacious cell at the end of the hallway. His hands and feet were tied together with hunter-charmed shackles. A code was imprinted on his left calf, hidden underneath the black thong he was wearing.
"Hello, Kaname. You look so good today," Ichiou said, licking his lips dry as he waited for one of the prison guards to unlock the cell.
The sexual innuendo in ex-vampire's tone made Kaname's skin crawl.
What is Ichiou doing here?
Still weak from a heavy dose of the anti-vampire drug, Kaname tried to overcome his semi-conscious state. He squinted his eyes and blinked a few times to get rid of multiple distorted images of Ichiou. Suppressing the urge to throw up caused by his throbbing head, he tried to focus on the immediate danger in front of him. The pureblood's hands balled into tight fists, clamping his fingernails down into his palm to keep himself aware. He recited a self-assuring mantra in his head, hoping that the man would not do him any harm, as slim as his chances were.
Before he knew it, Ichiou was inside his cell with him.
Alone.
Kaname jerked his face away when Ichiou traced his fingers along his jaw line. Ichiou took it as an act of defiance and backhanded the slave immediately. The heavy slap burned the pureblood's cheek but didn't leave a mark.
"Have you forgotten the rules I've taught you, Kaname? Never act unless you are ordered to," spat Ichiou, backhanding his slave again. He grabbed a fistful of hair and jerked it down, forcing the brunette's eyes to meet his. The ex-vampire cocked his head to the side and lowered his head to lick a trickle of blood at the side of Kaname's bruised mouth. Ichiou shuddered when he tasted the coppery substance under his tongue, savoring Kaname's pure blood.
Oh, how he missed drinking blood!
Ichiou continued to explore his slave's gorgeous body, arousing disturbing feelings upon the exhausted pureblood. His clammy fingers played along the contours of his torso, making sure not to miss his nipples hidden underneath the leather. Kaname suppressed a whimper when the green-eyed hunter squeezed them into hardened nubs and lavished them with his tongue. His lower region was not spared either – Ichiou's free hand groped him from behind. Unable to do anything except bear it, Kaname gritted his teeth and cursed silently, enduring the despicable ministrations. Humiliation scorched his soul as Ichiou's conditioning kicked in and his body showed signs of betraying him. "This is who you really are, Kaname…A slutty whore who can't resist his master's touch…"
By the time Ichiou was done pleasuring Kaname, the pureblood's self hatred had multiplied tenfold. Nevertheless, there was still a spark of fury was burning inside of Kaname, clearly reflected in his hazel eyes. He defied Ichiou many times that it had become instinctual for the pureblood to fight his most hated adversary right to the very end. The man had robbed him of his family and threw the whole vampire race to the gallows. What's more, Kaname was powerless to bring Ichiou to justice. The sly vampire's escape plan had been flawlessly executed – with the abuse of ancient magic, he kept his vampiric power suppressed and now reigned supreme as one of the Hunters' Association executives.
Despite the scarring punishments Ichiou had inflicted on his slave, the pureblood remained as defiant – a fact that puzzled the ex-vampire. Not that he has any problem with that, of course. It thrilled Ichiou greatly to know that Kaname continued to resist him – it meant that he could extract pleasure from each "teaching" session he had with the pureblood, making his victory complete the day when Kaname was truly broken.
"Stop fighting it, my slave. You are coming back with me tonight, by all means. I will make sure of it," assured the elder vampire. He whisked away with an evil crackle, sending shivers down Kaname's spine and crushing the brunette's heart. Kaname knew that his fate was sealed. Unless a miracle occurred, the pureblood would have to relive the nightmares that he had undergone during his early captivity in Ichiou's basement.
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"300 gold pieces, sold! What a splendid bid!"
Why hasn't Kaname come out yet? Did I come too late?
Zero's heart was thumping erratically. He took a quick scan at the itinerary in his hand, looking for any signs of the queue.
No luck.
There was no description whatsoever of the "merchandise" offered written on the piece of yellow paper he was holding. Only the names of brothels that took part in the auction were listed; completely unhelpful. Zero crushed the paper in frustration and threw it away.
Calm down, Zero. You only missed the beginning of the auction. Like the man said, they're going to bring out the best ones at the end. There's no way that you could have missed Kaname.
Clinging onto his withering hope, the silver-haired hunter forced himself to wait. His amethyst eyes never left center stage, keeping track of the numbers of merchandise that came and went, hoping that somehow he could find out when Kaname will be showcased on stage.
One by one, slaves were auctioned off. Zero shifted from one foot to other and back again as he looked the second hand of his wristwatch, fighting to remain his composure. The whole process seemed so awfully slow. The turmoil he felt made him question himself. How on earth did a slave – a vampire – have such a huge impact upon the hunter? After all, they are born enemies, weren't they?
Zero admitted that he was confused when he first encountered Kaname at the house. But after countless visits, the silver haired hunter had managed to sort out his feelings towards the beleaguered vampire. Despite the society's teachings, Zero saw Kaname as nothing more than an abused soul who deserved to live. The last few times, spending late nights with the vampire made him look through the other's eyes, clearing all doubts that filled his head. Kaname, like the rest of his kin, was not a mindless monster driven by purest instincts, but a living, breathing creature with emotions. Vampires, Zero knew, feel shame, pain, and fear, just as humans do. Had the hatred of vampires dwelled so deeply within humans that it blinded them from the truth?
"And now, we have the returning hot item of the year. Here it is, 091256!"
The loud applause shook Zero off his musings. A handler led a brunette haired vampire onto the stage. The hunter recognized those sad, beautiful eyes immediately. It was the person for whom he'd been waiting. As he moved towards the center of the stage, Zero could see Kaname's face more clearly. The leather suit fit his body perfectly, outlining the curves and contours of his androgynous figure. A silver collar with a gold tag was fastened around his neck, baring his code number. The handler who led him on stage gestured at Kaname to heel, clipping the leash he was holding to a link embedded in the wooden flooring.
"091256 will start bidding from fifteen million gold pieces. Exquisite merchandise with a fine price. Anyone care to bid? "
The excitement in the crowd died down. There were a silent pause followed by unsatisfied grunts and comments.
Zero's heart stopped beating.
He hadn't been expecting such a high price, though he knew Kaname was worth it. He could deal with a million gold pieces at most. Not even a lifetime of work and overtime could cover fifteen million gold pieces.
"Fifteen million gold pieces for a slave?"
"What an outrageous price!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, please calm down. This merchandise is privately owned property on loan for two weeks. It is clearly a reasonable price to pay for a pureblood vampire. Plus, the owner added a guarantee for a full refund if he does not meet your expectations. "
The explanation given by the auctioneer managed to quell the crowd for a while, but it wasn't persuasive enough for them to continue bidding.
"If there is no one interested in bidding, we shall withdraw the item."
Kaname's eyes were downcast, and he shrugged his weakened shoulders. Ichiou was right. He'd been a sitting duck from the very start. That bastard must be hidden somewhere in the crowd now, feasting upon his demise. How dare he dream of escaping his fate? His stubbornness against accepting the bitterness of reality had cost him more despair and hopelessness. With his price that high, there was no way anyone could afford him, even if that person was the richest man in town. Who would spend half of his fortune, if not all, to buy a slave just to satisfy his own pleasure?
On the other side, Zero clenched his fists tight and gritted his teeth. Kaname's miserable look pierced through his heart like a thousand knives. He cursed his uselessness under his breath.
Damn! Why must everything be so hard for him? All he ever wanted was to give Kaname a taste of freedom, even it was only for two weeks.To show him a world without hatred and suffering outside the hellhole to which he was condemned. Was it that grave a sin to offer temporary salvation to a vampire?
Seconds passed while the conflict raged inside him.
You gave him your word, remember? You promised him that you'd protect him no matter what.
Are you crazy, hunter? It's 15 million gold pieces! Where the hell are you going to get that amount of money? You think money grows on trees?
Think about how much pain you will spare Kaname if you buy him.
What about Yagari-sensei? He will be furious!
It's now or never, Zero. DO IT!
The tears in Kaname's eyes were the straw that broke the camel's back. As he was turning away to leave the stage, Zero raised his hand and shouted.
"Wait, sir! I'll take the slave for 15 million gold pieces."
The crowd turned silent again. All eyes fell upon the silver hunter, including Kaname's. Zero didn't miss the look of gratitude in the vampire's gaze.
"I'll take him for 15 million pieces," Zero repeated as he went up the stage's steps.
"Oh… well, congratulations, sir!"
The crowd applauded when the auctioneer shook the hunter's hand.
He led Zero to the edge of the stage and whispered, "Now, if you could follow me to make your purchase, sir."
The silver haired man took one last look at Kaname before he was escorted to another booth by the announcer.
Don't worry, Kaname. I have you. You're safe…
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"So, you want a loan for 15 million gold? Well, we could help you with that, but by the look of your financial records, you aren't eligible for the loan."
"What if I get myself a few overtime jobs? Would that be sufficient? " Zero asked. His furrowed eyebrows formed noticeable creases on his forehead.
Why are they being so troublesome? Screw these bloodthirsty money lenders and their policies…
"Sorry, man. The collateral that you're offering is too risky. I suggest you refute your winning and we will return your deposit."
"Are you sure there's no other way?" he asked, a little desperate, "I'm really, really interested in purchasing that merchandise."
"Look, kid. It's impossible. Even if I make an exception for you, the rules say you have to pay 60% as a down payment to get the item," the man said bluntly, irritated by Zero's pestering.
"If that's the case, I…"
"Give him what he wants. I'll pay for it."
He recognized the person immediately from his thick accent, but Zero was still dumbfounded when he saw a large suitcase slammed on the desk. Helooked up and saw a man standing beside him. He had been next to Zero when he came into the auction a few hours ago.
"May I know who you are, kind sir?" asked the skinny man with a sheepish smile. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree when he opened the gold-filled suitcase.
"An acquaintance. Now, can you give me the necessary documents? I'm running out of time. And my wife's waiting for me, if you know what I mean…" he said with a chuckle.
"Yes, sir… Of course."
The only thing Zero could catch at a glance from the man's writing was his name.
Noboru Ryota.
Why did that name ring a bell?
"Here you go kid. Go claim the prize at the booth over there. See ya…"
"Erm.. Wait, sir! How can I repay you? Can give me your bank account number so I can deposit the money once I get home."
"Don't worry about it. Consider this a gift from me to the Kiryuu family. I owe them big time."
The next thing Zero knew, the auburn haired man disappeared into the crowd.
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To be continued.
A/N: Finally, an update after eons of hiatus. Now that I'm finally done with my degree, I can focus on updating my fanfics again. *throws confetti*
Please review and comment! Thanks a lot!