Phew, this is another long one. I couldn't figure out where to end it, so I am sorry about the length. :( I think I've tweaked this chapter enough that it is ready. A lot is revealed, yet a lot is opened and unanswered. I truly hope everyone is still with me. I know I have a tendency to drag out things, but I don't want to rush anything.
I hope you guys aren't too entirely mad that I haven't responded to everyone. I'm terribly busy, and it is lucky that I even have time to write. I make sure to at least work on the chapter for you guys, so you don't have to wait like two months for me to update. I am so insanely thankful for everyone. Truly.
I'm dead tired, and again, please don't be too angry if there are errors here or there. I really need to edit these chapters when it's daylight outside.
Disclaimer: Same as the other chapters. Don't own. Wish I did.
Side note: In the earlier manga (online, at least), the Association President is a woman, but in the anime the President is a man… I went with man…
Chapter Six: Looming Finality
"It is a brave act of valor to condemn death, but where life is more terrible than death it is then the truest valor to dare to live." –Thomas Browne
Death.
The word had seemed like a blissful escape from the pain he endured years ago from his parents' death. Now… it was a terrifying weight that crushed his lungs.
"Kiryu Zero, after cataloguing the crimes against you, namely: treason as a hunter, becoming betrothed to a vampire, therefore giving away your humanity to fully embrace their way of living and turning against your hunter heritage, I am left with no other option. You can appeal your case to me personally this Thursday, but until that time, my word is final."
Zero stood in front of the Association President, watching in morbid fascination as the glossy feminine lips delivered his fate. It was like every sound it in the room had stopped, save the airy voice of the President.
The white marble captured the orange lamp-glow across the polished floor. His hair dangled in front of his vision as he locked eyes with the President, who sat perched high in the center of a mahogany table that had the words "For Humanity We Fight" carved into the front. It was like a courtroom, and he felt eerily aware of the power the President had over his life at the moment, as he waited for the final words to come. Words he would have felt relieved to hear years before, but strangely now they made his throat arid as he struggled to breathe.
He didn't want to hear what he knew was coming. He couldn't openly admit it, but he felt Kaname held a lot of weight in his choice to want to live.
"Kiryu Zero, you are sentenced to death. You have until the end of the week to say your goodbyes and sort out your personal affairs before fulfilling your sentence this coming Sunday." The President's high tenor seemed to echo off the marble walls.
All the sounds came crashing back. His ears felt the pressure with a deafening pop as the words sank in. His legs wobbled as if felt gravity had been shut off briefly.
Death… A cold chill crept up his arms.
He couldn't bring any words forward. He turned over his shoulder and glanced at Yagari, who—for the first time in Zero's life—carried a saddened expression that pulled his lips into a frown. His master's presence normally cleared his senses. Not this time. He smiled softly at his master, deeply touched that his teacher cared, before hardening his shoulders and facing the President once more.
He had to face what he rightfully deserved as a hunter. He had set the standards with Kaname, made it clear where his bloodline lay. If this were his fate, then he would accept it. Because he was a hunter more than anything.
Then why did each breath seem so hard?
"I have nothing to say, honestly." He held a biting edge to his tone, letting the President know that he wasn't exactly agreeing with the sentence given, but he would accept it as a hunter—not a vampire. He couldn't disagree with the President, not in front of the other hunters', and despite everything—the 'crime' was evident in the gold band he still wore around his ring finger.
"Then you agree with the ruling today, Kiryu?"
He licked his dry lips and nodded. "Yes," he whispered the lie as he narrowed his eyes at the leader.
He stiffened when something loud crashed into the wooden benches behind him. His eyes widened. His master was standing, a look of fury etched on his face.
"This is bullshit," he yelled. "There is no law for marrying a vampire!"
Out of all the years he had known his teacher, not once did he raise his voice and yell like that, or did he cause a commotion. Yagari was the collected one that never spoke out of line, always bluntly gave advice—whether or not it was wanted—and never let his emotions show. He felt his lips pull up into a heartfelt smile. It was rather soothing knowing his master cared for him so much, despite everything he had done to shame his hunter lineage.
"Yagari," the President warned. "I suggest you keep in mind that I allowed you to be here because I know how close you are to the boy. Speak out of line again and I'll have you escorted from headquarters."
His master crossed his arms and his nostrils flared as he slammed his foot into the bench. Another loud crack from the kick bounced off the white marble.
"Don't bother," Yagari huffed in anger. "I'll show myself out."
Zero watched the large wooden doors shut, and as he turned to face the President, he caught the sight of someone he hadn't noticed before. Tucked in the corner, his face hidden beneath a beige scarf was the unmistakable mop of golden strands belonging to his adopted father, Cross. Zero inwardly chuckled and shook his head. He tried to grin at his caretaker, but his attention was pulled back to the front of the room as the President clicked his long fingernails against the mahogany table.
"Now, we must conclude the manner of exactly how your death with be carried out," he said, one hand still drumming against the wood as the other cradled his head. Loose hair that wasn't pulled up into his bun fell over his shoulders and fanned out across the table.
Zero steadied his gaze. "Can't I choose how I die?"
The President lifted a perfectly sculpted brow, intrigued. "Fair, yes."
The common way was decapitation, as it was quick and painless—so they said. He didn't want to go out that way. He knew it wouldn't matter after he died, but he didn't particularly like the idea that he'd be without a head.
"A bullet," he whispered, finding it harder than he thought to speak the last few words, "through my heart. My gun, Bloody Rose."
The President nodded in approval. "Done, as a last request to you, Kiryu. Do not forget that we will meet this Thursday, my office, to discuss the probability of appealing your sentence."
And with those words, the President rose and straightened his Kimono-like attire before exiting through a door behind the front table.
Two guards came from either side of Zero. One gripped his arm while the other unlocked the anti-vampire cuffs around his wrists. The metal clanked against the marble as they fell from his hands.
The guards escorted him to the front, one on each arm. A familiar voice halted the guards in their steps.
"I'll take him home," said Cross, but he wasn't asking the guards, he was telling them. "He lives with me."
The men let go of their hold around his arms and disappeared behind the large double doors. He was left standing in front of his adopted father. He hated to see the older man's worn expression, his eyes so forlorn as he looked at him.
"Zero," he whispered. His soft words reverberated throughout the large room.
"I know," Zero said. He didn't need Cross to say anything more. The 'I'm so sorry' was felt in his guardian's gaze. "So am I."
How did it all come to this? It was like a whirlwind of rapid actions that lead him to the Association after boarding off the plane. An hour or more ago he was hand in hand with Kaname in front of the school, nearly complacent with exploring the idea of discussing what was to come of their marriage, and now…
Now he faced death.
An hour prior to the trial…
Kaname inhaled a large breath of Japan's winter air. The plane ride had been long, but he spent most of it sleeping. He felt good to stretch out his legs, even in the frigid weather. The nearly twenty-four-hour flight meant it was nighttime in Japan, and the calling moon awakened his inner vampire and shook off any lingering sleep. He pointed a finger to his baggage. The driver of their limo raced forward and loaded the bags into the back of the vehicle. He flicked his gaze to his left, to where Zero stood against one of the concrete columns outside the airport.
The hunter hadn't said a word since they parted from the plane. His silence was troublesome.
He started to approach Zero when flashes of bright light snapped off from beside him.
Click, click, click went the sounds of camera shutters closing.
"There they are!" a woman screamed. And then another, "So the rumors are true!" Then finally, "Kuran-sama, please tell us about your recent marriage!"
He noticed the panic in Zero's expression. He whirled around and was greeted by more blasts of white light as the photographers shot snaps without warning. There was a herd of vampires on the outer edge of his limo, standing far enough away to take a decent picture but smart enough to keep their distance from the pureblood.
Zero was at his side, and he felt the hunter's warm breath flutter next to his ear. "What are they?"
"Newspapers, tabloids," he answered, just as quietly. "Vampire paparazzi, Zero. Get in the car."
There were hundreds of flashes and clicks as they both entered the limo. The driver needed no instructions to drive, and quickly started putting the airport in the distance.
"Vampire paparazzi?" Zero's tone was filled with anger. "Tabloids?"
He lifted a brow to the hunter. "What? Vampires are a society, just like humans. We have our own news just the same, and with it… tabloids and rumors. There are a lot of vampires with high-ranking positions across the world, and to keep vampires current, we have our own news circulation. It is strictly secretive, mind you, sold only in stores that cater to our kind or cities where vampires reside. There are magazine stands in Tokyo even that are run by vampires, and the papers are sold to other vampires only. Of course, though, the papers are not displayed publicly."
"My face is going to end up on some trashy newspaper?" Zero seethed.
"Yes." He was blunt, because, well, it was the truth. "I'm a pureblood, one of great power amongst our kind, Zero. My marriage to a hunter, an ex-human, has probably topped the gossip charts over the past day or two."
Zero exhaled an irritated sigh. "Just great, Kaname."
He placed a comforting hand on the hunter's thigh. "Do not mind them. They are part of carrying a title like mine. They used to be more of a bother when I was out more frequently, but the sanctuary of the school shields us from them. We do not have to worry about them crossing over the school's gate. They are forbidden to enter, due to Cross's ownership, a hunter, and not a vampire."
Zero snorted. "That's comforting."
"We already were aware that somehow the word had slipped out in Japan, so I am not surprised it went beyond the school's walls. In fact, I am rather confident that it started outside of the academy in the first place."
Zero threw him a puzzled look. "How can you be so sure?"
"My suspicions, when Yagari visited and when I received the numerous voicemails from the night class, was that word leaked out elsewhere. They were all genuinely shocked in the voicemails I received, and Yagari's trip seemed too calculated." He pursed his lips. "If I had to guess, then I am assuming our conversation with the vampires at the restaurant in Mexico wasn't kept confidential."
"You mean Tyler and Sophia? The ones that gave us the tattoos?"
He thought back to the boy, Tyler. He had power in the council in America. No doubt, when he had learned of Kaname's power in Japan, did he let word slip that he had met him, and also probably included the word 'husband' in association with their encounter. The council was beneath the one in Japan, so they most likely passed on the knowledge to the Vampire Council in Japan about the marriage—thus exposing both him and Zero to an onslaught of drama and rumors.
"Yes, and I'm assuming that word turned into news on the magazine stands, which turned into the Hunter Association reading and investigating, which ultimately lead to our predicament currently," he said.
"I've never even heard of your vampire news circulation, how would another hunter just stumble across it?" asked Zero, rather tense.
"You're sheltered, remember? Cross's gates protect you, and to be honest, if you don't know it is there, then how would you know to pick it up?" he countered.
Zero's face tightened in surprise, like it read 'Oh, I see."
"Bigger problems aren't what the papers say, Zero," he reminded. "Remember your meeting with the Association is later on tonight."
His hand was still on the hunter's thigh and he squeezed it reassuringly. He knew he couldn't accompany Zero the Association, but he hoped in the next few free hours with the hunter, he could devise a plan that would prevent the meeting from ever happening. He had several phone calls and favors to call in when he got back to the school. He remained true to his promise: He would not let the Association take away Zero. Not now.
The lights from the passing streetlamps passed over Zero from the tinted window; it was like a flicker of black and orange as the shadows and lamplight fought. He inched closer to the hunter.
He leaned in to the side of Zero's face. "Look at me, Zero." He cupped the hunter's cold cheek in his palm. "I won't let them take you away."
He couldn't resist the pull that their nearness caused, like a magnet he was drawn to Zero. He softly brushed his lips against the hunter's open mouth. "I'll fight to protect you."
Zero's breath was hoarse. "And if you can't?"
Then I'll perish with you… "I won't let it happen."
He noticed that Zero had stopped fighting the Union, and when they were close the hunter seemed to yearn for their touches as much as he did. His heart was so alive when he was near Zero. It beat a hundred times faster than normal, and his blood coursed with a type of electricity that drenched his skin in a delicious heat.
Their lips were so close that the warmth of their breaths was felt. He brushed the side of Zero's shirt collar to the side, running his hands along the soft skin. The area were the E had clawed him was healed, but there was still a hot touch where the wound was.
"You look hungry, Zero," he whispered.
He undid the first three buttons to his dress shirt and pulled it open. He craned his neck for the hunter to see, urging him to come and taste. The pinks lips he had just kissed were on his neck quickly, an open mouth over the curve of his shoulder as the hunter prepared to bite. The wet tongue that lapped at his sensitive skin was too tempting, but he clawed at the leather seat and he tried to keep his urges under control. The sting of Zero's fangs wasn't unpleasant, but rather sent a shock of pleasure rolling down his stomach.
The hunter drank large draughts of blood. His own blood sang in delight as it drifted from his body and to Zero's. He found himself pushing up against the hunger, arching his back and running his thin fingers through the silky silver tresses that tickled his face. Warm liquid oozed over his collarbone and the fangs he had hoped would stay embedded forever pulled free.
He watched in silence at Zero's eyes narrowed and he wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "That's enough," the hunter whispered.
"Is it?" He was playful with his words as he coiled his fingers in the front of Zero's shirt and brought the hunter to his chest. "What if I'm not done?"
His brows furrowed when Zero shoved at him and pulled away. "I said that was enough."
Immediately, the hunter turned away, his eyes locked on the black window. He watched the pale reflection in the tinted glass. A mix of pain and sorrow filled Zero's expression.
"You used to like the taste of my blood," he spit out before he could stop himself. He hadn't meant to come across so harsh, but normally vampires begged to get just a sliver of his blood, and here he was freely offering to Zero, an ex-human, and he scoffed at him and pulled away.
He continued to watch the hunter's reflection.
"And who said I didn't?" Zero snapped back. "What if that is exactly the problem? When did I become so comfortable…with that?" Zero's eyes closed as he exhaled slowly. "How can I defend myself as a hunter at the Association when—when I'm nothing but a vampire anymore?"
He turned and locked eyes with Kaname. "When did I lose myself?"
He was stunned momentarily. He didn't have to question things like that. He was born a vampire. What would it be like if he was suddenly ripped from his life and turned into a human? How would he cope with losing what made him Kaname? He had always admired Zero's strength for fighting off the bloodlust for years. All he had to do was snap his fingers and a willing neck was offered in front of him.
Zero turned back to the window. He watched his reflection just as Kaname did from behind. "I'm always so angry, and I used to think it was all because of her, Shizuka." He lifted a finger and traced side of his reflection, circling his lips on the window where his fangs showed behind his open mouth. "But perhaps I really hate myself more, because doing that… tastes good. I'm disgusting."
"You're not," he countered, his voice low. He scooted up until his chest was against Zero's back, and then he reached around and lightly ran his fingers over the hunter's neck. He ignored the feelings it caused as his stomach clenched with need, and instead maneuvered around until his mouth hovered right between the curve of Zero's shoulder and his jaw. "Do you see me now? I can bite you at any moment, and yet you stay there? Is that because you're a vampire and I'm a pureblood, so it's my right?"
"No," Zero answered.
"And would you let me sink my fangs into your neck right now, if say, I were another pureblood? Would you enjoy it?"
"No."
"Then why let me do it?" He came down and placed a light kiss to the pink skin.
He watched Zero lick his lips as he clearly battled with the truth. He whispered the words so softly that Kaname nearly didn't hear them, "Because it's you."
And with that, he drove his fangs through the first layer of skin in Zero's neck. His fangs popped through the flesh and a rush of blood filled his mouth. He looked up as he fed from the hunter, watching Zero's expression change in the window. Zero's eyes were closed; a light pink painted his cheeks, and his mouth was parted slightly. He wasn't hungry, but the hunter's blood awoke a thirst unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. He didn't want to take too much from Zero, though, seeing as the hunter just drank from him. A moot point to take back what he just willingly gave.
He withdrew his fangs and licked the two bloody holes until they closed.
"It's not because you're a vampire that you ache for my blood, Zero," he whispered. "It's as you stated, and the feelings are reciprocated."
Zero fixed his shirt, rubbing a nervous hand over the area he had just bitten. "And that is even more terrifying," the hunter said quietly.
"Perhaps," he agreed. "If we let fear consume us. I'm unclear of how to proceed, but I do know that things have changed. And I'm not entirely sure I'm willing to… un-change them."
Zero placed his palm against the limo window, directly over his reflection. "I'm not sure of anything anymore, Kaname."
The limo jerked as it came to a stop. He saw the school's gates beyond Zero's image in the window. But what made him pause were the two men standing in front of the rod fence with poses that stated they were there on business. His eyes flicked to Zero, and he knew the business they had was not with him, but with the person his gaze was so intently fixed on.
The driver opened the door for them. The two men took a few steps forward.
"Kiryu Zero," one man said. His thick body was tight as he kept his arms clamped around his chest. His shaved head and scarred cheek showed he was a veteran hunter, not a rookie. "We're here by order of the Association to bring you into headquarters."
Zero shook his head and exhaled in annoyance. "No trust I see."
"Your trial is set to start thirty minutes. It is the President's direct orders that we escort you." The smaller of the two men, the one with short black curls bouncing atop his head, moved forward with a pair of metal handcuffs. He made note that they were anti-vampire cuffs, as well.
"Am I under arrest?" Zero asked, obviously trying to keep the disdain for his fellow hunters' at bay, but he could tell anger was boiling beneath the hunter's annoyed expression.
"Yes," the thicker man said. "Please come with us, Kiryu-san."
The curly haired hunter moved behind Zero and snapped the cuffs around his wrists.
Kaname's lips drew up in fury as he took a warning step forward, but he stopped when Zero turned to him with a stern expression and shook his head.
"No," he said to him. "Remember, it's better this way."
"Besides," the smaller hunter chimed in, "your jurisdiction holds no power over hunters, vampire."
"I would be more than obliged to show you what my jurisdic—" He was cut off mid-sentence.
"No," Zero reiterated through clenched teeth. "I'll be back shortly. Just go inside."
He didn't even say goodbye and left with the two hunters', who loaded him into a black car that waited at the end of the iron gates.
Without looking back, he turned and entered the school grounds. He was furious. His power couldn't protect Zero once the hunter was inside the Association. And he was helpless to stop them from taking him. He felt like his promise had been shattered into a million pieces, each shard slicing agony inside his chest. It was a waiting game now, and he hoped that whatever Zero said was enough to brig him back safely.
I'll be back shortly… He recalled Zero's words, and somehow felt like they were a complete lie.
Kaname paused as the Moon Dorm doors creaked wide open. The foyer was empty, save for one person sitting on the couch in the center of the entrance: Takuma.
"I was awaiting your return, Kaname," he said. He stood and bowed politely. "I knew your flight had landed and wanted to be here when you got back."
"Supposing I'd give answers," he asked, mildly irritated.
"In case you needed help," Takuma corrected with a smile. "I am your friend after all."
And Takuma did just that. He lifted his luggage and brought it up to his room. The rest of the Night Class would be in classes at this hour, and for that he was grateful. He slipped off his jacket and put it on the back of his study chair before taking residence in the seat. He propped his elbow on his work desk and rested his head on his hand.
"I've had a long flight. Do not let anyone enter my room," he said. Then added, "Unless..." It would have to be said sooner or later. "Unless Kiryu shows up."
Takuma lifted a knowing brow and smiled. "Of course, Kaname." He sat on the edge of the desk, peering down at the pureblood with a coy grin. "The articles they've written about you two are… interesting."
He sighed. "They were at the airport when we arrived." He picked up a fallen chess piece, his other hand still supporting his head, and twirled it in his fingers. "My return wasn't as quiet as I had hoped."
"Word has gotten as far as Tokyo." Takuma slipped around the table and opened the first drawer to the desk. He pulled out a stack of magazines and set them on the desk, spreading them out like a deck of cards. "Tokyo Blood has the funniest article about a secret wedding in Japan, and your trip to Mexico was a honeymoon." He poked his finger to the picture of on the cover. "How they got this picture is beyond me."
He eyed the cover. The picture was of the two in Mexico. They were leaning in toward one another outside the hotel. It was from New Year's Eve, before they had wed. He narrowed his eyes at the magazine. There was something about how calculated everything was: the pictures, the marriage, Marco's death, now Zero's arrest. Something was going on, but it was too vague for him to create a clear image of exactly what.
"The Night Times has pictures of you appearing to be… under the influence." Takuma picked up another magazine and placed it over the first. "I didn't think human alcohol affected purebloods?"
He let the chess piece fall from his fingers and traced the rim of the magazine. "It doesn't, so I thought."
"Then how?"
He picked up the magazines and threw them all in the waste bin next to the desk. He looked up at Takuma, his face drawn in complete seriousness, trying to hide the concern that lay beneath. "I do not know."
But he would find out. He hadn't told Zero about any of it because he wasn't certain yet. It all seemed too… calculated. Somehow they both were the center of something much larger than their marriage. Someone wanted them to wed, or to become close if not married. And he had to figure out who and why.
"This isn't wise, Kaname." Takuma chewed on the bottom of his lips, as if he were hesitant to speak his next words. "Your marriage to Kiryu, I believe you should end it."
"And do you say this to me now because you're loyal beneath me here and he is an ex-human?" he questioned.
"Because I'm your friend, and I care."
He spun the ring around his finger, staring at the gold band. "It's something that might be beyond my control this time."
"Do you love him?" Takuma deadpanned.
His head snapped up, his eyes wide. He averted his gaze to the window, looking beyond the dark trees and to the front gate, to the place Zero had been standing just fifteen minutes ago.
He kept his eyes on the empty grounds. "I do not know."
There was a small hand on his shoulder. "But you also know at least enough not to say no to the question, Kaname."
Takuma was right. There was Kaname, the pureblood prince that argued in his mind that he would never love Zero, but then there was a warm part of himself that flurried around his heart that contradicted his vampire self. He was lost. It was a feeling he had never felt with anyone—even Yuuki. He loved her, deeply, but these sensations in his chest made his love for her like a stone to a boulder. And she was the stone.
A soft tap to his bedroom door jerked him from his thoughts. He waved a hand at Takuma to answer for him.
A small girl, the housekeeper, came in with a silver tray. She placed it on the desk and poured him a glass of water from a ceramic pitcher. She popped in two blood tablets and then set the drink in front of him. He dismissed her with a wave and then took a sip of the fake blood.
"Takuma, leave me for a moment so I can regroup after my long flight."
"Of course, Kaname." His friend smiled once more before turning and shutting the bedroom door quietly.
He ran his hands through his hair, eyeing the clock perched on the wall to his left. Zero had been gone for nearly forty-five minutes. He picked up a pen and started to loose himself in the mounds of papers stacked on his desk.
Fifteen minutes passed and he was staring at the same piece of parchment. The pen clicked on and off beneath his fingers as he pushed the top down and then up. The distraction wasn't working. His thoughts were so consumed with Zero that the words on the paper looked like black blobs instead of anything legible.
His luggage still sat next to the door and he found himself drawn to the idea of unpacking instead. He started to unzip the first suitcase when the manila envelope the front desk attendant had given him fell out. He picked it up, sliding his finger beneath the metal prongs, forcing it open. A thin plastic case fell from the folder.
The compact disc felt light in his grip, but the words scrawled across the front in a thick black sharpie were heavy in his mind: To Kuran, I might not live to give this to you. So it is insurance.
There was no name, just the note. He moved to the cherry wood armoire near his study desk and pushed open the small cabinet doors. After he turned on the TV and placed the DVD in the player, he sat back on in his chair.
He immediately recognized the voices on the video. It looked like the person who shot the DVD was hidden where no one could see them clearly, like they were standing behind a column next to the couple they were taping. It was New Year's Eve, outside the hotel at the bar near the ocean. There were hundreds of others in the background of the video, but the blurry night video was focused only on two people sitting at the bar.
"Kuran." Zero's voice slurred. "No more drinks."
"One more, Kiryu. It's a festive night. Celebrate success." His own voice played back on the video, sounding like himself and not intoxicated in the least. "Celebrate us not killing one another."
The men around them shouted to three in Spanish and the pair threw back their shot glasses. Zero hissed and made a sour face. Kaname looked normal, the alcohol not affecting him at all.
Then the others around them vanished as quickly as they were in the video frame. The pair was alone and the person shooting the video zoomed in on Zero. The hunter's face was wet with perspiration, his cheeks flushed, and his button-up shirt hung open to catch the nighttime ocean breeze along his chest.
The hunter's glossy eyes locked onto him. "How come you aren't drunk?"
He smiled endearingly at Zero's naivety. "Purebloods can't get drunk by human alcohol. Our blood is highly regenerative and eliminates even the smallest intrusions like alcohol."
Zero chuckled. "Lucky. I wish I was highly regener—regen'i'tive." The drinks the hunter had been tossing back were obviously affecting his speech. Then Zero nearly toppled off the stool. And apparently his motor functions.
"Another round, Senors?" A waiter came into the shot.
"One more, yes. What did you call it? Fire Water? That one," he instructed.
Zero reached over and stroked Kaname's hair. "It's very shiny at night. Are all purebloods so perfect?"
He laughed. "We're far from perfect. Perhaps on the outside, yes, but definitely not the inside. You're very 'hands on' when you're under the influence. A compliment from you, and I'm a pureblood? Maybe another one isn't a good idea."
Zero's eyes nearly crossed at the center as he tried to focus them. "You already ordered."
Then the camera swiftly moved from them and to the waiter behind the bar. The cameraman zoomed in on the drinks the waiter was pouring. Then the man pulled a small vile from his pocket and sprinkled a bright purple power into one of the drinks. The liquid glowed for a mere second before becoming crystal clear once more.
The camera followed the waiter back to the bar, to where he and Zero sat. He lifted the small shot glass, clicked the cup with Zero's and then drank the liquid.
He watched in horror. He knew what the powder was that the waiter put in his drink. Imperium—a hunter based powder used to subdue higher-class vampires. Human based drugs didn't affect pureblood minds, but ones with a spell upon them, a hunter spell, would definitely cause him to appear drunk and disoriented. They had been set up. Someone had drugged him on purpose, knew they were going to be there that night, and they had fallen right into the trap. The question was who.
His focus shifted back to the video when he heard Zero start to speak.
"You know, Kuran, I shouldn't be here with you." He tried to get up off the stool but nearly fell. Kaname reached forward and coiled his arms around the hunter's back.
"You can't even stand, Kiryu. Sit," he commanded, and Zero obeyed. At least a drunk Zero was an obedient one. He put his fingers to his nose, squinting his eyes. "That drink is starting to make my head feel a little fuzzy. Maybe we should leave. Perhaps the drinks here do affect me."
"I wanted you to kill me," Zero blurted out. "When I was younger. I thought maybe I'd piss you off enough someday and you'd finally put an end to me."
He was shocked, and the video captured his gaping mouth and wide eyes perfectly. "What?"
"You heard me, vampire. I have nothing but Yuuki to live for anyway."
As the camera zoomed in, he could see his eyes starting to water from the foreign substance coursing through his body—the drug he had been given starting to take control over his body.
He picked up his glass and drank the remanding ice water from the cup. His throat felt dry all of a sudden. He blinked several times.
"You're stupid, Kiryu. Dying by my hands wouldn't solve anything. It'd only make things worse. Yuuki would never forgive me."
A new voice entered the video. A man with a thick Spanish accent stumbled into the view. He had thin black hair and black eyes. "Hola, amigos! Happy New Year's!"
Kaname recognized instantly as the vampire Marco, the one who would marry them by the end of the night.
The next ten minutes was filled with introductions and small talk and more drinks, then as the camera panned out, he could see the affect the hunter drug had on him. His own speech was slurred and he could barely sit upright on the barstool. A huge crowd had come onto the screen, shouting words and clanging their beer bottles and glasses together. He had lost count at how many times the waiter had appeared with rounds of alcohol. And by the time they had stopped coming the damage had already been done. He and Zero were not mentally stable to make sound choices, which was probably what put them in their current predicament.
Marco put a firm hand on Kaname's shoulder. "To the happy couple! They are to be wed tonight. The first of the year!"
Kaname shrugged. "Happy couple?" His eyes weren't focused.
"Yes, mi amigo. You're with him, right?" There was an unnatural twinkle in Marco's eyes. The hint of deception flashed forward.
Zero swayed. "We are? I don't remember that."
Kaname grabbed his head and giggled. He giggled! "I remember, yes. I'm on a trip with Kiryu. I am with him."
The crowd wailed and hit their glassed together again. The camera lens was full of so many people; he could barely see Zero and him in the center.
"To my house, amigos. I will wed these two lovebirds in a ceremony fit for a prince. A bond in marriage unlike any other that it will be nearly impossible to break," Marco cheered.
"Kiss, kiss, kiss!" the crowd screamed.
All awkwardness had slipped away from the drug in his system. Zero's intoxicated state made him susceptible to persuasion, not to mention his own drug-fogged mind. His fingers were in Zero's hair, pulling the silver locks toward him as he captured the hunter in a sloppy kiss. He grinned into the kiss, nearly tumbling over the stool as he hooked his hand around Zero's shirt and drew the hunter closer.
This was where the small spark of feelings must have awakened. The kiss they shared was the perfect catalyst in opening their incoherent mindsto the possibility that they were indeed a couple and had feelings for one another, and that allowed the Union to complete. The powerful influence of the drug combined with the kiss, sealed their fates and caused them both to say 'yes' at the ceremony. He was certain that neither of them probably knew what really was happening. The camera zoomed in, and all he could see was an image of Zero and him, kissing hungrily as they steadied themselves on one another.
Marco had planted the seed of belief into both of their minds that night. He knew they were not lucid, and he used that to manipulate them both. Marco was part of the plan the entire time.
He had told Zero he convinced Marco to marry them, because in his mind that was how he viewed it. The blurred images carried a face, and that face was Marco's. He thought he had used his pureblood powers to sway the elder vampire to marry them that night. How completely wrong he was.
The camera panned away from the scene, a blur of images scattered across the TV before coming into focus on a man. He was dark skinned and breathing heavily in front of the camera lens. His voice shook as he spoke directly to the camera.
"Kuran, I took this video as leverage. The man at the bar is my partner. Something big is going on but I don't know what it is. I was given orders to come here and plant this drug in your drink and ensure both you and Kiryu weren't under your own influence so Marco could come in and do his part. Marco was paid off, too."
The man's eyes looked terrified as he continued. "I don't know what the major plan is, but I knew Kiryu's family so this is personal for me. I don't want anything to happen to their son, and I have a feeling that whatever is going down isn't good. It makes no sense to make sure you two end up together, but that is the plan." He licked his lips. "They didn't tell me much, but what I do know is that the they want you with Kiryu. Bad. The mission, the nobles dying – it was all a setup. The E's were created by a pureblood, yes, but the nobles that died here and brought you with Kiryu weren't part of that pureblood's blood trail. It was all done to make sure you got on a plane with Kiryu."
The man looked over his shoulder, as if he sensed something was coming. "If you're watching this video, then I was right and I'm dead because of this. Something has to be big enough to kill me, and I don't even really know anything except what I'm telling you. I'm going to give this video to a friend, and if I die, she will leave it at the front desk for you. I'm so sorry that we started this, and I am not sure what exactly it is, but I want you to watch out for Kiryu. He doesn't remember me. He was only three when I met him last, but I was a dear friend of his father's. Watch out."
Then the video went black.
The man was a hunter. The Association had set up their marriage, even paying off one of the few vampires that could wed them in the Union. He hadn't noticed his hands were shaking until he reached up to grab the glass of blood water. He was furious. The window behind him splintered as his dark aura snapped from inside him.
For once, Kaname found he was the pawn in someone else's plan. And that pissed him off. Royally.
Current time…
Zero stepped out of the car with Cross. They both were silent the entire ride back to the academy. He looked over to the Moon Dorm and saw the yellow-lit windows that told him Kaname was probably awake. He let out a long sigh and raked a hand through his hair.
His adopted father broke the silence. "It's snowing, Zero. I'll go in and make you a cup of cocoa."
He nodded yes but didn't follow. He started to walk toward the fountain. His feet felt heavy as he made his way across campus.
The normally soothing sound of the water cascading down the stone was absent, the fountain frozen over by winter. He didn't bother to zip up his jacket as he sat on the edge of the stone. He felt entranced by the puff of white breath that escaped his cold lips.
In five days he would dead. In five days all that he knew or cared about would cease to exist. It was like he had just discovered he had cancer with no cure, except his way out would be a bullet from Bloody Rose.
He snapped his head to the left. The sound of someone approaching captured his attention. Emerging from the darkness of the wooded forest was the one person he didn't want to see—Yuuki. She rubbed her arm nervously as she took small steps forward.
He couldn't pull his eyes from her. "Yuuki," he whispered.
She didn't say anything as she came and sat next to him on the fountain. She had her winter coat zipped passed her neck, the white fuzzy collar cupping her jaw. The moonlight was like a spotlight over her small frame, capturing her lips in a blue-pink that made her look angelic. She turned and forced a smile. Then she punched him in the arm. Hard.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"You didn't even come say hello when you got back. And not to mention that I could have used your help tonight. You were here and didn't even offer. Always a slacker, Zero," she said, trying to keep a scolding tone, but something else shook behind her voice—a small quake of sadness.
"I wasn't even here."
She rubbed her arm again. "Oh." Her voice turned quiet. "Zero…" She licked her lips. "I… uh… I need to know if what Aidou-senpai said was true. He said… well… that you and Kaname-sama…" She stopped.
He couldn't bear to look at her anymore. The tears that threatened to fall from her eyes were enough to drive a stake of guilt through his heart.
"It's true. I don't know how it happened. I don't know what—." He was loosing his thoughts. "I'm not sure how to go…" He let out a frustrated growl. "I don't know what to do and I never mean to hurt you. Of all people, Yuuki, I never wanted to hurt you."
He kept his gaze on the ground but could hear her soft sniffles.
"I know, Zero," she said. Her voice was soothing. "I know that you and Kaname-sama would never want to hurt me, and that you both care for me. It's hard for me, but I love you both so much—so I'm trying to be happy that no matter what I'll always have you both in my life."
He was growing angry. "You can hit me or scream. It's okay, and I deserve it. I'm horrible, Yuuki." He felt his own tears build around his eyes, but fought to keep them from falling. He always hurt her so much. He hated himself for it.
A blinding pain shot down his arm. He whipped his head around and was greeted with Yuuki's scowling face and balled up fists.
"There," she said. "I've hit you. Do you feel better now?"
He sat there for a moment in shock before he uttered, "No."
She smiled, a sweet caring smile. "You don't have to explain anything to me, Zero. I know that life is unpredictable and it doesn't always work out like we want."
He raised a playful brow. "Were you always eighty when I left?"
She punched his arm again. "I'm being serious, stupid! I'm trying to cope with this my way, and my way is trying to think how I would feel if I were you."
He ran his hand over her cheek. "That's your problem, Yuuki. You always try and feel what others do and never remember your own feelings."
Her head bowed with a blush. "Then can I tell you what I want now?" She ran her finger across the top of his wedding band, and then pulled away like the ring had burned her.
She stood up and walked to the center of the courtyard. He followed. The snow had started to pick up heavily and large flurries were caught in her hair and on her blue coat. She looked so small beneath him, so frail.
"I want…" She paused. "I want… a kiss. I'll know how you feel if you kiss me, and then I can truly be okay."
He didn't have to ask. He understood that she wanted to see if he felt he same way for her that he did for Kaname now.
He leaned down, cupping for face with his palm and brushing his thumb next to her lips. She closed her eyes in preparation. He pressed his lips against hers. They were warm, sweet, and carried the taste of mint on them. He parted her lips like had did with Kaname, slowly moving his mouth over hers. He desperately wanted to feel the spark he felt with Kaname, so he knew that it was the Union making him feel the way he did and not his soul. But as he drew her bottom lip into his mouth, there was nothing. It was chaste, sweet, but there was nothing in his heart that jumped the way it did with Kaname. Her small body felt good pressed against his, but not right. And with dreadful realization, he had his answer.
He didn't feel for her like he did for Kaname.
He pulled away, his eyes anywhere but on her. Her thin fingers ghosted over his face.
"It's okay, Zero. Really. I know that I can't be what he is to you," she whispered.
He turned to her. Tears streaked down her face, a pale crystal shine beneath the moonlight. It crushed him to see her cry—to know that he caused it.
"I'm—." He choked on his words.
"I know."
"—sorry," he finished.
A pair of footsteps clicked against the stone path. They both looked up to see Kaname standing there, his lips pulled into a frown as he stared at them.
Yuuki turned and ran to the pureblood. "Kaname-sama! Congratulations," she said with a sniffle. "I'm happy for you two. Really."
"Yuuki," he whispered. He pulled her into his chest like he had hundreds of times before, placing his hand on top of her head. She nuzzled into Kaname's jacket.
"I have to go now," she said. "Unlike you, I have school in the morning."
Kaname grabbed onto her arm. "Wait, Yuuki."
She smiled, and he could tell it was somewhat forced. She shook off his hold and bowed. "Forgive me, Kaname-sama, but I need to leave."
Kaname petted her hair. "No apologies needed, Yuuki. But you can't avoid me forever."
She smiled again, but this time there was sincerity behind it. "I know." And then she pulled her hood up over her head and disappeared.
Kaname walked until he was in front of Zero. The snow that had collected on his lashes blurred his vision as he looked up at the pureblood.
"She truly is a remarkable person," said Kaname.
"Yeah, she is," he agreed.
"And so are you, Zero," the pureblood added.
His heart thudded quickly in his chest as they stared at one another. He wanted to tell Kaname about the Association, tell the pureblood to leave him alone—he was dead now and would only cause more pain, but his words seemed stuck in his throat. The spark that was silent when he was with Yuuki shot through his stomach as Kaname kissed the side of his mouth.
"How was your trial?" asked Kaname.
He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. His pulse was a deafening thump in his ears. He swallowed hard. "They decided to let me go," he lied. "I told them what we had said, that I'd divorce you because it was an accident."
Kaname smiled, and there was something beneath his smile that he couldn't quite place. "That's a relief."
"Yeah, I guess." His voice shook, but he had hoped the pureblood thought it was because of the cold air and not the fear that coursed through him.
"Zero, do you have feelings for me?"
His eyes opened to their fullest. "Excuse me?"
"When I do things like this." He wrapped an arm around his back and pulled him to his chest. The warmth from Kaname's body was comforting. "Or this."
He moved in and covered his lips in a soft kiss. The snow collected around their faces and melted under the heat of their mouths. It lasted for merely a few seconds, but that brief moment was enough to steal his breath and make his heart pound swiftly.
"What do you feel?" Kaname asked again.
"I feel—." He stopped to take in a shuddering breath. "I don't know what it is, okay? I just feel—something, alright!"
"Do you feel me inside you, from the Union? Can you deny we connect on a level deeper than you've ever felt?"
"No," he admitted. "Shut up already, alright. You've made your point."
The smile was back on Kaname's face—the unreadable smile that held a bitter edge to it. "Good, Zero. It's the same for me, too. I can feel you just the same."
He pulled him harder to his chest, leaning in so he was next to the hunter's ear and whispered warningly:
"So don't lie to me."
Oh, man. Zero now has a death sentence over his head, the Association is up to something and Kaname knows, and the hunters and Marco were behind the Union from the start – but why? At least you should all feel comforted (for those that are still with me) that this isn't ending in the next chapter or two—ha!
It was funny, because the end scene with Yuuki was inspired by the manga—the kiss between Zero and Yuuki, but then the first part of the chapter in the limo with Kaname (where Zero asks if he'd lost himself) was something I wrote last week—then I read the new chapter and that scene… Man, I totally channeled my inner Zero vibe there. Ha! Kidding, of course.
Until next time, my friends! *Poke* The review button is below. No obligations, though, just happy you stopped by and read!