I'M ALIVE!
And I am SO sorry for having taken SO LONG in updating this story! A lot of things happened (and are still happening) and they took most of my time ;_; So sorry! I'm slowly coming back form the dead now, though! I've got the next chapter almost done too, and I will do my best to upload it really soon!
Thanks for being so patient with me, guys ._. ! I really appreciate it 33
Hope you enjoy this chapter and that it's not too confusing akjbfds
Chapter Eight
Fear.
Kaname Kuran was constantly afraid. Always haunted by memories so far away in the past, so mixed with guilt and blood. Now and then he would dream of that past. Deep red eyes staring into his soul, a face so linked with a sense of security slowly morphing into a beast. Sharp teeth slowly approaching and then closing around his throat, followed by the horrible feeling of life slowly leaving the body.
A vampire scared of its own nature? A pureblood scared of other vampires? Was it possible? Maybe. Kaname would never really know, because these fears were not his. That was what made it worse.
He had made a mistake, a horrible crime and this was his curse. His punishment.
"Kaname?"
His head was throbbing and his eyes felt awfully heavy. Lights danced under his lids as he tried to open his eyes. What…?
"Kaname?"
The pureblood reached with his arm, trying to find the source of the voice. He recognized the voice as his mother's, yet the sight that met him when he finally opened his eyes didn't match the voice calling to him.
"Are you okay?" Zero asked, flinching a bit when his voice seemed to show more concern than he was comfortable with. He was holding Kaname's right arm while Juri held his other arm, both keeping him from completely falling to the ground.
Kaname quickly recovered the strength in his feet and stoop up, slowly drawing his arms back from the two vampires.
"I'm alright," he finally said, clearing his throat while quickly scanning their surroundings for any prying vampire. He couldn't afford any sign of weakness in a public place like this.
"What the hell was that?" Zero asked, cutting the pureblood's thoughts.
Juri gave the young hunter a quick glance before turning back to her son. "Kaname, are you okay? You…fainted."
Kaname glanced at Kaien, who was watching him with knowing eyes from behind his mother. The older hunter nodded and Kaname sighed.
Zero didn't miss the exchange, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What?"
The exchange didn't miss Juri, either. "What's happening? Tell me!" Juri demanded, looking from her son to her friend. "Kaname, are you alright?"
"Do you want me to handle it?" Kaien asked, still looking at Kaname. The pureblood looked at Juri with pained eyes and shook his head. "I'll do it myself."
Kaien nodded and walked over to Zero, taking him by the shoulder and pulling him away from the pureblood pair.
"Hey, what's happening?" Zero asked, pulling away from his adopted father once they were a good distance from the vampires.
Kaien grabbed the young ex-human by the arms and looked at him with a serious face. "Zero, I need you to tell me something."
Zero glared, clearly annoyed at having to go through all this suspense. "What is it?"
"Has your view on vampires changed since you started spending time with Kaname?"
Zero frowned. "No."
"Be honest!" Kaien demanded. "Please, Zero."
Zero glanced back at Kaname who was now inside the car with his mother. He couldn't see his face, but he could feel fear and sorrow coming from the vehicle. Emotions he was too familiar with. He wondered what was happening that made Kaname act like this and Kaien ask him this question. Was something about to happen?
"Why are you asking me this?"
"Answer me." Kaien simply said.
Zero stared back at the older hunter. He could feel his fingers digging into his arms as he waited for his answer. Of course his view on vampires had changed. He would have already shot Kaname between the eyes if he still thought like he did a few months back. But he didn't know just how much. He didn't know what he thought of vampires now, especially not after watching Kaname Kuran faint in front of him with a look of fear and surprise in his face that had made him look so…human.
"Somewhat." Zero finally answered. "I think I'm able to make a few exceptions to my opinion towards the race."
Kaien showed him a small proud smile. "Zero, I'm sure Kaname will want to talk to you after this. I want you to try and not judge him so fast, alright? I want you to remember how you think of vampires right now and try to keep it this way."
Zero was about to speak when a loud noise came from behind them. Both hunters quickly turned to the car and saw as Juri got out of the car with Kaname following behind. Zero quickly noticed the smell of blood in the air and two punctures quickly healing on Kaname's wrist. Both vampires looked sad and guilty.
"I don't understand any of this," Zero whispered, doing his best to not concentrate on the sweet smell that surrounded the pureblood.
Kaien just patted Zero on the shoulder before going back to Juri's side.
"I can feel Kaname-sama's presence outside," Aidou said with a resigned smile. "He knows I'm here with you, I bet he's just waiting for me to go out so he can snap my neck."
"I'll protect you," Yuuki promised, giving the noble a warm smile that made his heart melt.
"You're so cute," Aidou grinned. "And I really mean it this time."
Yuuki felt her cheeks warm up. "Stop saying that."
Aidou chuckled. "You know, whatever happens from now on, I want you to know I will always be there for you, Yuuki-chan." Yuuki blushed as she felt her hand getting wrapped in Aidou's. "Things will get complicated for you and Kaname-sama as soon as he tells you the truth of your past. And that is why he has been avoiding it., but I won't let him keep hiding this from you. Not anymore."
Yuuki felt a warm feeling inside her chest. She was still very confused over this side of Aidou, but so far, she liked it.
"I'll protect you from Kaname-senpai," Yuuki promised again. "I won't let him hurt you or say mean things to you. You're just helping me out, and I appreciate it. Thank you."
Aidou smiled and brought her hand to his lips, placing a small kiss on the delicate hand. Yuuki blushed again.
Zero watched as Kaien drove away with Juri back to the Kuran manor. He turned to Kaname. The pureblood was sitting on the car's seat, staring at his hands with a defeated look on his face. The hunter sighed and went to sit next to him, closing the door to give him some privacy. He didn't say anything and just patted the vampire on the shoulder like Kaien had done with him.
The pureblood looked at him and, to his surprise, the hunter gave him a small smile. Kaname groaned and buried his face in his hands.
Zero drew his hand back. "What is it?"
"You're going to hate me so much," Kaname moaned. He didn't know why it was a problem; he hadn't had any problem with Zero hating him before. But now it kinda hurt.
"I already hate you," Zero smirked, placing his hand back on Kaname's shoulder. Kaname chuckled and rested his chin on his hands, looking up at the hunter once more.
"Gee, thanks"
Zero smiled and rested back on the seat, keeping his hand in contact with the pureblood. They both remained in comfortable silence for a long while until Yuuki finally made her reappearance.
Zero quickly made his way towards the door but Kaname stopped him by grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back.
"What is it?" Zero tried pulling away but Kaname held his arm firmly. The pureblood looked at him with a strange expression that made Zero's insides churn. "What?"
"Can I call you Zero?"
Zero stared at the pureblood like he had grown two heads. "What?"
"Can I call you by your name?" Kaname calmly asked again. "You can call me Kaname if you want."
"Wha-" Zero didn't know what was happening. Had he missed something? "Don't you think this is not a good moment for that?"
"Can I?" Kaname insisted.
"Um," Zero shrugged uncertainly, not quite sure yet what was happening. "I guess, yeah, whatever. But-"
Kaname smiled. "Thanks."
Zero stared at him for a moment, trying his best not to notice how his cheeks had raised their temperature. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Kaname replied, smile still in place.
"Zero! Kaname-senpai!"
Zero jumped, startled, and turned to the window. He quickly rolled down the window and stared into Yuuki's pouting face looking back at him.
"I told you to go home, didn't you get my text?" Yuuki said, watching both men inside the car.
"No, we didn't." Zero lied. "Who was it then?"
Yuuki bit her lip and the hunter didn't miss her whole face getting warmer. She hesitated to answer, obviously preoccupied of what the pureblood would say about it. Her eyes shifted between Zero and Kaname a couple of times before getting enough courage to speak again.
"First I want you both to promise me you will leave him alone, alright?"
Zero frowned. To his surprise, he heard Kaname give a small chuckle. The hunter turned to the pureblood and raised his eyebrows at his calm, smiling expression.
"It's Aidou-senpai," Yuuki blurted out, her cheeks warming up even more.
Both vampires glanced at each other briefly before feigning surprise.
"It's just him so you can be sure he won't hurt me," Yuuki quickly added, her eyes never leaving Kaname's face. Which was a good thing, Zero thought. He was a much better actor than him.
Zero turned back to Yuuki and scoffed. "He's hurt you before. He bit you."
Yuuki glared at the hunter and quickly turned back to Kaname. "That was long ago. He's learned to be better. That's what the school is for, after all, isn't it?"
Zero sighed and felt the older vampire shift in his seat. The pureblood was looking at Yuuki with concern and…sadness?
Zero shrank into his seat as he felt both Kaname and Yuuki staring at each other, a silent conversation in their eyes. He could feel their emotions, especially Kaname's, dancing all around him. There was sadness, definitely. Uncertainty. Doubt. Fear.
Hunger.
No. That wasn't them. That was him.
Zero bit his lip as he caught himself staring at Kaname's neck. The soft smell of blood from earlier was faint now, but Zero could still feel it. He could still smell it, as if it had been impregnated into his mind. Kaname's blood.
He risked a quick glance at his wrist. Healed. Of course. Skin as smooth as if it had never been touched. His fingers ached to touch that skin. To slide his hands up the pureblood's arm and into his dark hair. To run his tongue across his soft neck and…
"Zero!"
Kaname could feel the hunter's bloodlust washing over him. He didn't need to look at the young vampire to know his eyes were red. They had been since he had stepped out of his mother's car, but the impressive control of the hunter had calmed them down a bit. But control could only go so far. He had been impressed that Zero could maintain such calm when they were both alone in the car, his scent overpowering their surroundings.
Yuuki noticed too. Her eyes had slid from the pureblood to her friend's in a second. She had quickly opened the door to the car and grabbed Zero by the arm, calling his name.
"Yuuki, stay away!" Kaname grabbed the hunter by both arms, holding him in place. "Seiren, take her home!"
Two strong, but careful, arms appeared around Yuuki, pulling her away from the car.
"No! I can help! Let me help him!"
"Take her home and…" Kaname groaned in frustration, still holding Zero, who was trying his best to regain control over his instincts. "Take her to Aidou, tell him to keep an eye on her and take her home. Then hurry back and drive us away. Zero needs to get away from here."
He hated having someone else taking care of her, but Yuuki's devotion to Zero could lead her to give away her blood again. Kaname knew Zero's hunger had been getting out of control recently. Every day a step nearer to his fall. His concern over Yuuki had been able to keep his instincts buried deep down inside of him, his will to control himself stronger than ever. But now he was very near his limit. Letting him take from Yuuki again could turn dangerous. Very dangerous. And he knew how that felt like. He needed to have Yuuki away.
"Zero, listen to me," Kaname turned to the struggling vampire when Seiren had rushed away, taking Yuuki with her. He held Zero by the arms. "You need blood, Zero, or you will turn…savage."
Zero raised his gaze to him, his eyes bright red and his expression completely twisted in rage and want. The creature snarled at the pureblood and Kaname gasped as he felt Zero's fingers digging into his arms..
"I need you to control your thirst, Zero, just a little more."
The car suddenly started moving. Seiren back at the wheel, silent as ever.
"Take us somewhere safe," Kaname ordered, not letting his hold off Zero.
Blood.
He needed blood.
His throat burned.
No. Stop.
I can smell it.
Zero groaned. No. This was not him. He could control himself. He could.
His surroundings slowly turned a little less blurry. He could feel two arms around him, holding him in place. His own hands were holding the arms. Holding them too hard. His fingers clawing at them. Kaname's face was near him. He was worried. Funny that.
Zero tried to breathe. Not a good idea, considering the pureblood's arms were bleeding. Not much. His injuries healed fast. So fast. But the blood remained. It stained the vampire's clothes.
I can smell it.
It was overwhelming. The pain in his throat intensified and his vision blurred again. He needed this.
I want it.
He didn't know what was happening around him. All he could see was the blood. All he could smell was the blood. All he wanted was the blood.
I want it all.
Suddenly the arms held him tighter. He could feel the blood nearer. He could listen to a heart. It was beating fast. Too fast.
He felt himself lift off the floor. The arms were still around him. He could feel wind around him. Was he running?
Zero tried opening his eyes, but all he could see was a big blur.
Kaname, where are you?
He could smell him. He was here. He was holding him. He was so close to him.
I want it. I want it all.
He couldn't take it anymore. It was so tempting. It was so close. What was the point in resisting? He had all he wanted right here. He could have it whenever he wanted it. There was no threat around him. There was no one but him and the delicious scent. It was all his.
Mine.
With a snarl, he grabbed the warmth that held him, and, with a leap, he took hold of his prey.
Mine.
"Zero…"
He pinned the pureblood to the floor. The floor was soft. Dirt?
He couldn't see his surroundings. All he could see was the beautiful creature under him and the blood that ran in his veins. And it was all his.
All mine.
An eager tongue ran over soft skin.
All mine.
All mine!
Zero could taste it already.
All mine! All mine!
He was so hungry.
I want it. I want everything. All mine.
His fangs grazed the soft, hot skin.
Yes.
The vampire took his prey at last.
Everything.
