Author Notes: I`m sorry that it took me so long to update this story. My only excuse is that the weather was wonderful during the last few weeks and I couldn`t bring myself to sit inside and write, while the sun was shining.^^"
Thank you for all your lovely and kind reviews. It always makes me happy when you write me that you enjoy reading what I wrote and I hope that you will like this chapter, too.
Appreciation: Big thanks to YenGirl. She reminded me that I still had to get this chapter ready and if it wasn`t for her reminders, that chapter probably still wouldn`t be ready.^^ And also a big huge to YenGirl for beta-reading this chapter and improving it significantly.=)
Start with hurdles
The scenery flashed by. Trees, flowers, houses, people... it was impossible to tell the differences anymore. Everything was a blur of colors as the limousine traversed the vacant road.
During daytime, there would be traffic jams and police controls, but there was almost no traffic in the late evening hours.
Kaname gazed out of the window.
The sun was setting. It was ironic that the sky would turn as crimson as blood, before the darkness settled over the country and vampires went hunting. Yes, as ironic as the fact that humans were drawn to the vampires by their natural beauty, so that the prey came to the predator.
The young pureblood shook his head. He shouldn't dwell on such thoughts right now, not when there were other better things to do. His dark eyes wandered through the darkened interior of the limousine, until they fell on the sleeping form across from him.
Yuki!
A smile lit up Kaname's face. His little sister had only managed to stay awake for half an hour during their journey, before her eyes closed.
A low chuckled escaped Kaname. Yuki might be a vampire now, but she still behaved like a human. Not only did she fall asleep in the late evening hours rather than the early morning ones, she was also still able to fall asleep wherever she was.
Other vampires would call such behavior stupid since it left her open for attacks, but Kaname was quite certain that Yuki could defend herself. He had only been worried during the ten years she lived as a human. Back then, he feared that her blind confidence would do her more harm than good and that someone would hurt her.
That was until that fateful day when he almost lost control and would have bitten her if Ruka hadn't held him back. That was the day Kaname realized that he was the true danger for Yuki. No one else.
Sighing, his dark eyes fell again on the sleeping beauty.
When Yuki shifted in her sleep, the coat, with which Kaname had covered her, slid down and revealed a white and tempting neck.
Kaname gulped. They didn't have much time during the last week to share blood... and they still had about an hour ahead of them until they would reach their final destination.
Kaname's hand was already hovering over Yuki's shoulder. He was about to wake her up, kiss her and... when a little sigh escaped the parted lips of the sleeping princess.
Kaname drew his hand back. It was trembling. His now crimson orbs were fixated on Yuki who lay as beautiful as an angel... his angel... his beautiful fallen angel... He, Kaname Kuran, was the one who had ripped out her white wings and smeared them with blood.
Still, Yuki forgave him and came to live with him, but...
Did she really want to?
Kaname closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Yuki had told him that she loved him and he believed her, but sometimes he wondered if she was with him now because she hadn't known where else to go at that time... and because she felt it was her responsibility.
Did that mean that he had no right to claim her as his?
Kaname took a shaking breath. He shouldn't be thinking like this, not when there was a very promising weekend ahead of him and Yuki. He wouldn't have... if it wasn't for that phone call.
That damned phone call that was putting him so on edge now.
OOO
It was a beautiful night. The full moon bathed the landscape in its silvery light and there weren't any clouds to obscure its glow. It was perfect.
Kaname smiled slightly when he leaned back in his chair. His paperwork was forgotten for the moment as he enjoyed the view out of the window of his office. He only hoped that it would be like this the whole upcoming weekend, so that his surprise for Yuki would be perfect.
The young pureblood chuckled. His little sister had tried the whole week to find out what the surprise he had planned for her was... without success.
Oh, but Yuki would find out soon and Kaname was sure that she would like it. He had also told Seiren that he didn't want to be bothered that weekend, so that the two days would only belong to Yuki and him.
The ringing of his mobile phone startled Kaname and he glared at the innocent looking thing.
His phone would remain at home as well, he decided before answering the call.
"Kuran!"
Everyone else would have been scared shitless by the dangerous undertone in his voice, but the caller only laughed.
"Am I supposed to believe that you haven't looked at your display and seen my number, or that you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore?"
"Zero!"
Kaname shook his head in disbelief. He could count the times Zero had called him on the fingers of one hand... and every time it had been an emergency. Oh please, let nothing serious have happened!
"Zero, are you okay? Has something happened?"
There was nothing but silence for a long moment. Then...
"Look, Kaname, I... just wanted to know if you have planned something for this coming Saturday evening."
Kaname heard Zero taking a deep breath. He could imagine how his lover would be gripping his phone harder in his hand. "A colleague of mine gave me two vouchers for a play in the theater and I thought... that you - we- might enjoy it."
Kaname had to close his eyes in order to force back the tears that threatened to spill over. Tears of joy and happiness, because Zero had finally taken the initiative and wanted to spend more time with him. But they were tears of sorrow, since Kaname would have to reject the offer.
"Zero, you can't imagine how much I would love to go out with you, but I..."
"You have a business meeting," Zero finished Kaname's sentence for him.
"No."
The word was out before Kaname could think twice.
"What are you going to do then?"
"I..." Kaname hesitated and cursed himself for his thoughtlessness. It would certainly pain Zero more to know that Kaname was away with Yuki than if he really had a business meeting. "I will be away."
There was another round of silence. The seconds ticked by.
"Zero? Are you still on the phone?"
There was no answer. Kaname was starting to think that Zero would hang up at any moment from now on when he heard the hunter's voice again.
"You will be with Yuki."
It wasn't a question, but a statement. Kaname hated the pained undertone in Zero's voice.
"Yes," he got out past a suddenly very tight throat.
"Of course," Zero murmured. He sighed, the sound hopeless and resigned.
Kaname felt a cold shudder going down his spine. His mind was already trying to come up with an answer that would take away Zero's hurt, but the hunter was faster.
"Look, I understand that you want to spend some time with her, since," Zero paused and Kaname could easily imagine how the young hunter must be closing his eyes and taking deep breathes to get himself back under control, "Yuki and you are officially together while I... Well, what am I to you?"
Kaname flinched. There wasn't only resignation in that voice now, but also anger. Zero hadn't talked to him like this since the time Kaname had awakened Yuki. It had been a dark time back then. Kaname didn't want to think about it... and he also didn't want to go back to the way things had been then.
"Zero, I..."
"Why do you think that you have the right to call Yuki yours?"
"Zero, what are you talking about?"
The young hunter laughed. A cold laugh that sent another shiver down Kaname's spine.
"Do you think that she would have chosen you if you weren't her brother? Don't you think it possible that Yuki might have chosen me, if she had had the chance to do so?"
Kaname blinked, confused, but Zero was still speaking.
"Don't you think that she only pitied you and didn't want to leave you alone?"
Kaname gulped. Blood was running down his wrist where his fingernails had dug into his skin in order to stop him from screaming out loud in pain.
It hurt. Zero's words burned like acid in an open wound, because those were Kaname's exact thoughts whenever he wondered why Yuki had stayed with him in the first place.
"But, Zero, I... I have chosen you, too."
The young hunter only laughed bitterly.
"Of course and that's why you're taking her out on a trip."
A third silence stretched out between them.
Kaname's hand trembled. He would have hit the red button to end the call when Zero's voice sounded again.
"I'm sorry." Zero sighed. "Look, I'm tired and I... haven't slept well for the last few nights... I didn't mean to say all those things to you. I... well, just call me when you have time and... enjoy your time with Yuki. See you, Kaname!"
"Zero!"
The only answer Kaname got was the beeping sound, telling him that Zero had hung up.
OOO
A quiet knock disturbed Kaname's thoughts and brought him back to the present. One look and he knew they had arrived at their destination.
"Yuki." The gentle voice of her brother woke Yuki up. Yawning, she opened her eyes and smiled brightly at Kaname. She felt much better after her little nap and was now ready for everything her wonderful brother had planned for her.
Kaname took his coat back before giving his patiently waiting chauffeur a nod to open the car door. The sight that awaited them was breathtaking. A little gasp escaped past Yuki's lips, when she stepped down from the car. This was just...
"Oops!"
Instinctively, Yuki reached out for Kaname when she stumbled on the curb and found herself embracing her brother a moment later. She should start watching her feet and not looking around like a fool. After all, no one would take a pureblood princess seriously when she couldn't even walk a few meters without stumbling over her own feet.
Hot breath tickled Yuki's ear. Wonderful, now Kaname was laughing at her!
"Ah, Yuki, I'm glad that you enjoy being close to me that much, but really... in front of the main entrance of a hotel?"
Yuki looked up to see Kaname grinning down at her.
"We'll have enough time for such passionate embraces once we are in our rooms."
Blushing, Yuki took a step back. Her gaze fell on the awesome view again.
Japanese cherry trees in full bloom bordered the avenue that led to the entrance of the hotel on both sides. A faint breeze went through them, making the blossoms dance in the air, until they reached the ground and formed a rosy carpet.
"Is that...?"
Kaname shook his head.
"No, that's not the surprise, at least not all of it. You'll have to wait a little longer for the real surprise."
Pouting, but not in the mood to argue with her brother, Yuki followed Kaname to the main entrance. She was still overwhelmed by the spectacular view.
OOO
The hotel room was obviously made for a king. There was a thick red carpet on the floor, black leather couches and the bed...
Yuki gulped. Why, the bed was huge!
Five persons would be able to sleep there, without having to fear that they would accidentally touch each other. Two persons would be lost in that bed, except if they...
"Do you already have some ideas on how we could do to make use of the bed?"
Yuki squealed in surprise when Kaname's arms went around her middle and she found herself pressed against his warm body. It was really frustrating that he could still sneak up on her unawares, yet notice when she tried to do the same to him.
"You'll have to wait a little longer to find out," Yuki repeated Kaname's earlier words with a grin.
Chuckling, the lips of the young pureblood prince ghosted over her neck.
"Are you sure?" A tongue darted out to lick at the delicious, pale skin.
A slight moan escaped Yuki. Without thinking twice, she leaned her head back to give her brother better access.
It felt so good!
Kaname's hot breath against her skin, his warm tongue, the fangs that teased her, ready to pierce her skin at any second.
Yuki shuddered, closed her eyes and... froze.
No! How could she do this?
Gasping, she broke free of Kaname's embrace and put some distance between them. What kind of a person was she that she could...?
"Yuki? Are you all right?"
Spinning around, Yuki's brown eyes met Kaname's.
If his voice sounded insecure, the look in his eyes was even worse.
"Did I do something...?"
"No," Yuki interrupted him. She took a deep breath to get herself back under control again.
"No, you didn't do anything wrong."
Kaname nodded, but it was obvious to Yuki that he didn't believe her. He was probably blaming himself again for something that was entirely her fault.
Yuki cursed silently. Wasn't it only a few days ago that she had sworn not to hurt her brother again? What was she doing now?
Pushing all other thoughts away, she stepped closer to Kaname and stroked his cheek with the palm of her hand.
"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression," Yuki smiled gently while trying to come up with a good explanation for her behavior, "but we have a reservation in about half an hour if I'm not mistaken. We would certainly miss it if we indulged in those kind of activities now."
Then she let her smile widen. "Besides, I still want to know what is the surprise you have for me!"
Yuki was relieved to see that she had said the right thing since the hurt vanished from Kaname's eyes and a relieved smile took its place.
"Of course, Yuki, you're right."
Kaname took her hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of it.
"I'm glad that at least one of us is able to focus on the important things."
Yuki forced herself to laugh and then turned to the bathroom before she lost control over her emotions.
"I'll just take a quick shower... and since I don't know what you've planned, it's probably best if you decide on the clothes I'm going to wear tonight."
"As you wish, Yuki."
The young pureblood princess saw the smiling face of her brother just before she closed the door of the bathroom.
OOO
The bathroom was enormous, but Yuki only spared the interior a brief glance. She didn't feel like appreciating the white, big bathtub or the large mirror on the opposite wall. She was only focused on taking off her clothes as fast as she could and going inside the shower enclosure.
Warm water started pouring down on her, washing away the salty tears that ran down her cheeks.
How could she?
She knew that Kaname loved her... that she held his heart in her hands and what did she?
Oh nothing, just cheating on her gentle brother by meeting with Zero and drinking the young hunter's blood. Creating a blood bond, to be exact.
Yuki laughed bitterly as she went through the motions of shampooing her hair and showering. It was only ten minutes later that she was able to turn off the water and leave the shower. She dried herself and wrapped the towel around her before approaching the vanity.
Two reproachful big, brown eyes staring back at her from the mirror. Yuki swore that she would do everything in her power to make it up to Kaname. After all, she loved him and she was damned if she was going to ruin this special weekend he had planned for them both.
Nodding determinedly to herself, Yuki dried her hair and left the bathroom, directing a brilliant smile at her waiting brother.
May the night begin!
