Chapter 8: Protector

by lightpathetic

"NO! I WAS just explaining! There has been a mistake. Zero Kiriyuu is not to be killed."

"You knew about this?" Zero asked still wondering if anything about this situation was real. Perhaps there was a television crew hiding behind the dump heap.

"Not now, Zero. I want you to leave. I will take care of this."

Zero actually had to quell the urge to take his eyes of the mysterious cloaked figure and stare incredulously at the pregnant woman in sensible shoes standing behind him. Eventually he muttered sarcastically,

"Alright. I think we can agree that neither of us is leaving…"

They both stopped bickering as the one they knew only as "Sorceress Mineko" pulled her hands out of her cloak, quite ignoring the couple's whispered conversation. She was too professional to be distracted by pleas and bargaining. It always happened. It was par for the course. She only noted that she would have to charge a bit more for the job considering there was a pure-blood there as well. She couldn't be allowed to live as a witness. And they were quite hard to kill. It would push her to the limit of her skill. Mineko nearly licked her lips in anticipation. There weren't many opportunities like this anymore. She wondered absently as she took the cloaking powder from her pouch, what her abilities were…

WHHOOOOSSHHH!!!

Sara saw what the assassin was doing and quickly darted to the right pulling Zero with her. She dropped him almost as soon as she picked him up, her hands burning from the contact.

"What the hell do you have on you?"

"Just don't touch me. That was just cloaking powder. She could be anywh-- Look out!"

Zero spun around and raise his hand chanting quickly forcing the volley of darts away and reversing their trajectory. They landed harmlessly into a nearby wall, but then exploded, demolishing it. Sara screamed, whilst Zero looked around for the next threat.

"She was aiming for you. I guess she wants to neutralize you quickly."

"What?"

"She wants to kill you."

Sara sat open mouthed for a mere second just before her rage kicked in. Kill her! It was one thing to threaten an ex-human. But her!?! Sara got to her feet, brushing the dust from her clothes.

"I have had enough of this."

"Sara! Stay close to me."

"I am not going anywhere."

Suddenly, the buildings around them erupted into flames. Zero fell over as the heat rolled over him, hoping to limit his exposure to the searing blast. He grunted as the heat almost began to cook his back and sides. He looked up, concerned as to what Kaname's nutty spouse was doing, only to see her standing there, looking around as if she was looking over a garden she had planted herself. He saw pride. Geez, Sara did this?

"I'm sure that took some fight out of her."

"Sara…"

"Oh Zero. Why are you on the ground? Is it too hot for you?"

Zero didn't answer. He could tell she was enjoying his discomfort. Zero struggled to sit up, squinting to try to peer into the inferno to see if anything moved. He couldn't imagine anything surviving that… blitz, but his training demanded he make sure. He stood, still shielding his eyes and moved to stand near Sara, who still looked very smug at his discomfiture. Zero had been wrong to assume that she was just a female. He swallowed his chagrin and spoke.

"Do you see anything?"

"No. But…"

"What?" Zero prompted as Sara trailed off uncertainly.

"I don't smell anything either. If she was burning, there would be an unholy stink."

Zero felt it again. The weird sensation of being watched. Just as Sara swung to her left and looked over Zero's head.

"Is that more cloaking powder?"

"Oh crap! Run!"

Zero pushed Sara away and sprinted in her general direction as she disappeared. The mist was gaining quickly, carried as it was on the wind. If he was correct, breathing it, even in small doses would be lethal. He wasn't prepared for such a fight. He had left such rare antidotes at home, thinking this would be a routine capture. This "sorceress" was extremely good.

"Sara! Sara! Don't breathe the gas! Run upwind! Sara!"

Nothing. Zero ran upwind himself, covering his mouth and nose. Thankfully the fire was dying down quickly after the initial intense burst. He ran toward the street hoping that Sara would have the same idea. He knew she must have heard him. If her hearing was anything like Kaname's, she would have heard him shouting like that from a hundred miles away. But there was no sign of her.

"Sara!"

Zero crumpled to the ground gulping in the air. He had been holding his breath a bit, he realized, unconsciously as he ran, so now he was winded. His lungs were burning from the combination of oxygen starvation and the heated air he had just experienced. Or so he hoped. He didn't think he had breathed in the mist. Zero coughed as his tender membranes coped with his heavy breathing. He lay on his side listlessly wondering why his strength was not what is should be. Then he noticed it. The spray of blood on the grass near his head.

"That was a valiant effort, Kiriyuu. It has been a while since I actually had any real competition."

Zero rolled to face the direction the voice was coming from, reaching for the gun in the hip holster. The voice laughed at his effort.

"Don't waste your strength. Those bullets won't work on me. I am human. A hunter like you. Or maybe not exactly like you."

Zero whirled around again. It seemed to be everywhere at once. The voice. He blinked as his eyes clouded. Dammit. Dammit!

"Looks like you had a bit of the Sceleron Mist. It only takes a little you know. I was very happy that you were described to me as an ex-human. So much science and magic has been devoted to exterminating vampires. But then you know this. I am sure I got two birds with that. Your girlfriend is still in there. She has to be long dead."

Zero tried to look around him but his head was so heavy. So was the gun. It fell from his fingers as if it suddenly weighed a tonne. The next thing he was aware of was someone standing on his chest.

"You…"

"Don't worry. I only came over for a trophy. I don't need to dirty my hands on you. You will be as good as dead in an hour. Right now you won't be able to even move your head. Soon you won't be able to speak."

"Why…?"

"Someone purchased your death, Kiriyuu. And paid through the nose. I am not cheap."

Zero's eyes closed as he realized… Sara. She was this unhappy about him? But what was all of this about? Did she have a change of heart? Zero opened his eyes again, despair transparent to all who looked into them. He didn't want it to end like this. Kaname. Please be alright…

What? Suddenly a blur appeared from nowhere and knocked the sorceress off of him. Zero turned to his left to see as the dark object landed with its prize in its mouth. Then holding the head of the limp body that was once Sorceress Mineko, it sank its fangs into the neck ripping the head from the body. Zero lost consciousness.

"ZERO! ZERO! Wake up!"

Zero didn't want to wake up. He was so sleepy and the bed was so comfortable. He wished that frantic voice would shut up. He moaned and tried to roll over away from the noise. But he couldn't move. His arms were so heavy. Was he tied down?

"Zero!" SMACK!!!

"UUHHH…" What the hell?!

Zero opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a car in the reclined seat. There was someone driving…

"Finally! Didn't she say you could die in an hour? Do you know what this 'Sceleron Mist' stuff is?"

"Y… Yes. Need antidote. How… long?"

"About ten minutes. I am trying to get you to a hospital…"

"No! Need…"

"What do you want me to do? I figure you are closer to human than vampire and I don't know anyone here in South Korea. And if I call Kaname…"

"Call K…"

"Zero. Please. I can't let him know about this. Please. Just tell me if you can cure this thing. Aren't you a hunter too? I am begging you. If Kaname finds out… Please I will do anything. I told you this was a mistake. I didn't mean for this to happen. I…"

Zero looked over at Sara. His eyes were so blurry. He blinked and tried to focus. He needed to summon his strength. He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them turning a little in his seat. He had to get her to listen or he would die. He looked over at Sara and saw…

"Oh! Y… You're…"

"Naked. You have never seen a naked woman before?"

"But. Why?"

"My clothes burned in the fire. I had to hide in the flames to escape the Mist. Then while she thought I was dead and was preoccupied with you I pounced."

"…Bait?"

"Yeah. It was a good strategy. I am very proud of myself. But my clothes were incinerated."

"…You…" Zero realized that dark figure that gutted that girl. Was Sara…

"What?"

"Noth…" Zero looked away. He had almost forgotten… What they were like…

"Zero! Please can you help? Do you know what to do? Do we have to call him?"

Zero came back from his brief sojourn with his demons and realized the import of what Sara was saying.

"You did this? You… tried to kill me?"

"No! Well… it was a mistake. I had no idea it was still being done. I was angry. Kaname had just done something horrible. Please Zero. Please. We are finally so happy. You owe me this Zero. You both made me crazy… Ahh!"

Zero had reached out and grabbed her thigh. He didn't have time for recriminations. He thought about the ingredients to the antidote. They were all readily available anywhere. Plus Sara seemed contrite. He hated the thought of things falling apart again. The last thing he wanted was to see Kaname hurt. Maybe this silly girl deserved another chance.

"Need clothes. Then ingre…dients. Listen… carefully."

KANAME returned home to the curious sight of his wife entertaining a most unexpected guest, their laughter having drawn him to the reception room.

"Zero! What… What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

Kaname walked over to where Zero sat in an overstuffed chair holding a glass of what looked to be chocolate. Kaname hesitated, unsure of how familiar he wanted to be with Zero, considering his wife was sitting right there. He dropped the hand that would have touched his hair. Instead he smiled at him.

"Zero. Are you drunk?"

"L…ike a f…fish. S… Sara called me just after I… got home and asked me to try out this chocolate drink she had brewed. T… Try it Kaname. It has c… cinnamon and rosemary. It is weird but kicky."

"No thanks. You said Sara called you?"

"Yes darling. I still remembered his number and I needed a second opinion. You'd said I should try to be nice to him." Sara pouted in annoyance at the doubt in Kaname's voice. Zero nearly choked in his glass. She was really getting into this. "Oh dear. Your little pet can't handle his chocolate. I'll take him home…"

"No. I'll do it."

"Kaname. Now I am trying to be nice. This was a lovely evening. Zero and I were getting to know each other. Don't spoil it with your suspicion. Besides you must be tired. Zero told me you worked hard today."

"She p…pried it out… of me."

"So go have a shower. I will be back to get dinner. Besides I want to see the house."

Kaname looked from one to the other, totally confused, totally suspicious. This was a sight he never thought he would see in a million years. He wasn't sure he liked it. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but something about Zero wasn't right. His eyes narrowed and he bent over to touch him. Zero giggled and slapped him.

"Woah! You looked… farther away…."

"Sara what did you put in there?"

"Sorry Kaname. I swear he'll be fine. Come on Zero." Sara stood and hoisted the ex-human in her arms as if he was a new born. Zero nearly passed out at the sight of this girl carrying him, although it had happened quite a lot in Korea. "You get your shower," Sara said marching quickly to the door, "I swear I won't even taste him. See you!"

"I'm… going to sleep. Don't… bother… to ring, Mother. Ha! I… called him "Mother". He… won't like tha..."

The door closed on Zero's last words, uttered as his rested again Sara's shoulder. Kaname stood and stared at the door for a long time. Besides battling severe jealousy he had a bad feeling about it. Zero looked pale. And his heart rate was up. It could be the chocolate. It could be… Kaname forced himself to turn and walk towards his room. He would call Zero later to be sure.

"DO YOU think he suspects?"

"He is suspicious. B…But he doesn't suspect… anything. He'll be fine. Just don't… overdo it."

Sara walked into the bedroom and placed Zero on the bed. It felt like she had been doing that forever. First the car, and then the hotel. Now here. She hadn't carried Zero into their house in case the servants saw them. Zero had made it though. Barely. He was still very weak.

"Are you sure you will be okay?"

"Yes I just… need… to… sleep. See… if you can keep… Kaname away."

"Okay. I know what to do. It was a good plan. It explained your grogginess and the scent of cinnamon and rosemary on you. I can't believe he actually believed I would cook anything…"

"Part of… the new you… I guess."

"Thank you Zero. I won't forget this. You really are extraordinarily kind. I don't know what to say…"

"Just… don't try… to… kill me anymore."

"Yes." Sara rose to go. She had to get back. This plan also explained Sara scent in Zero's house. They had come there earlier to get more of the antidote that Zero had already prepared. Just to be sure. After all Sara had to mix the stuff in Korea and she could hardly be described as experienced with these things. But it did the trick until they returned. Now Zero was almost certainly recovering. He closed his eyes and relaxed into a slumber almost as soon as she had stood. Sara looked on him. So vulnerable. So fragile. She wanted…

"Dammit Sara. Your maternal instincts are in overdrive. Go home! Now!"

Sara turned and walked towards the door, leaving the snoring ex-human in her wake.

to be continued

lightpathetic wrote this but these are not my characters. I am grateful to "Vampire Knight."