Tears of Blood by Rondomness
Chapter 10's title is taken from the lyrics of Fever Ray's The Wolf – part of Red Riding Hood's soundtrack. It is completely unrelated to the plot though, at least at this point.
I don't know if it's possible to have more than one keeper, so it's an AU setting for this story, until the opposite is proved 8D
Warnings: Blood-drinking, rape, abuse
Chapter 10: The Poison is Blood
There was a certain special aura about the hunters' headquarters. They were a surprisingly large organization, having many more members than the authorities and even the vampires would ever expect. Their job of hunting and exterminating vampires who had fallen to dangerous levels or who simply couldn't control themselves could be considered a decent job, perhaps even a bit honorable in some people's minds, mostly in the hunters' own, but also by humans and even some vampires.
In these days, many vampires had the mindset that ex-humans were pitiful beings and that they could be kept alive as long as someone took care of them. Level E's were to be exterminated at the first chance since they were beings incapable of controlling their urges and they were a constant danger to humans. It was even some sort of generosity, an act that had to be done to safe human lives and to free the pitiful vampires of their heavy and uncontrollable desires.
However, even at this point, many vampires, especially the older generation, still looked at ex-humans as if they were nothing but filth on the surface of the earth. Some even meant it was fine to take advantage of them, use them until they grew mad and then just dispose of them.
The Hunter Association's goal was to make sure that Level E's didn't roam freely and that possible troublemakers got informed of the laws. It was a job they had obtained thousands of years ago and still maintained through their blood. It was something they were proud of. In the common tongue it was not a sin to kill a vampire and because they all had grown up to that ideology, none of them questioned it as the truth.
However, in recent years, most hunters had been kind of unhappy about the new, close connection that still was growing between the Hunter Association's leaders and the Vampire Council's. It was a conflict between the ones in power and the sheer number of protests. And it was a conflict not likely to resolve anytime soon. The conflict had caused a rift to form between the hunters, with the Hunter President's closest on one side, and, basically, all the others on the other side.
And that rift was clearly sensed in the Hunter Association's Head Quarters.
Zero had been there many times before, to receive more difficult missions, to meet with Yagari, to escort difficult vampires and, when he was very small, just because he and Ichiru needed to see the place together with their parents. But this time, there was a very distinctive sense atmosphere.
"Oh, I see you, most conveniently, bear a tattoo now, Kiryuu. You know, it is so irritating to wear the cuffs," an elder guy remarked with a gruff grin when Zero stepped inside the building, ignoring his presence completely. He hated to always receive such comments. It just reminded him further about not fitting in with them. Being both one of theirs and then the directly opposite.
However, at least that guy bothered talking to him. The others' cruel, condensing gazes on him were much worse. They were all just staring at him from their corners, staring at his tattoo. The damned tattoo, marking him as a tamed vampire. It was rather disdainful when they looked at it like that. As if he belonged to them.
Yagari laid a supportive hand on his shoulder, partly comforting Zero, partly giving a silent warning to the others. The boy's master had insisted on following. Well, Cross had too, but he had to accept that he was left behind anyway, despite his almost ultimatum.
It wasn't like Zero himself felt much like visiting. The note had sounded rather ominous, but one thing was certain. He had to do it anyway. Zero had seen what happened to hunters who didn't, hunters that society then believed to have disappeared or perhaps even gone on a rampage. Such hunters were exterminated with the same professional elegance and emotionlessness as the Level E's, no matter if they had gone on a rampage or not.
The young hunter stoically continued through the main hall without trying to make contact with anybody to further embarrass himself. When he reached the end of the hall, normal procedure for the hunters was to show legitimation of some sort to get them access to the President, and Zero showed the letter to the doorman.
After scanning it shortly with his eyes, the man, middle-aged with short golden hair and a scar across the face, looked up at Zero with a half amazed and half mocking grin, which made the younger hunter want to smack him for staring at him in that way. However, it would certainly not be taken well if a possible danger inside the Head Quarter itself started assaulting the guards and Zero kept both his fist and his tongue.
The other hunter seemed not to notice Zero's silent irritation and simply waved them on, opening the door behind himself and gesturing for Zero to enter. But he blocked for Yagari even after receiving a deathly glare. "Sorry, but it's only the kid who's received an invitation," he said, clearly excusing himself as Yagari was a fairly well-known hunter and most other hunters felt best with being friendly towards him.
Zero could see Yagari open his mouth to shout and quickly slid into the conversation. "I can go myself. It's okay," he said, gesturing for his master to wait outside. Yagari didn't seem pleased, but never the less withdrew. Zero didn't feel comfortable either without Yagari around, but he hadn't in the first place and if he didn't want to get into trouble, it was better that he played along.
Inside the President's quarters, there was a heavy aromatic scent, kind of like a teahouse and it overpowered all other impressions. Zero could clearly feel the effects. It was not as nice and relaxing as it appeared. It had a higher meaning to it. The aromatic scent was caused by some kind of hunter drugs which worked much like aromatic scents. It was burned off in small candleholders and looked exactly as nice and innocent as if it was normal lotus incense.
However, to vampires it was a bit too relaxing. It was actually dizzying. And even though Zero wasn't on a very high level, was tamed and actually also a hunter, he could clearly feel how confused and tired he became, which said something about how it must feel for a pureblood or noble.
Zero continued with higher speed than before, trying to put as much distance between the dizzying scents and himself. It was a bit unnerving that he was the only person, human, hunter or vampire, in the hall but he nevertheless continued through, and finally reached another hunter in the other end.
As most other hunter, he didn't say a word confronted with such a strange creature as a half hunter, half vampire and simply let him into the President's office. The Hunter President was a middle-aged woman, having been president for at least forty years. Which was strange, considering she looked like someone who might be forty or just a little older and she certainly hadn't changed appearance in Zero's lifetime.
"Kiryuu Zero. Come closer."
Kaname felt stupid and blue-eyed for doing what he was currently doing, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't, no matter how hard he tried, do as Ichiou wished when he knew what would eventually follow. That was why he currently sat, pressed up against the headboard of the bed, keeping Ichiou on an arm's length of his body.
Asato couldn't quite place what it was that made him more and more eager and aroused each time. Perhaps it was the fact that whenever Kaname drew in yet another shaking breath, his ribs stood out of his chest, revealing a slow starvation that it didn't even seem like Kaname had picked up on yet. Or perhaps it was the way Kaname always fought him, tried to repeal the noble and be strong, only to break and be abused afterwards each and every time.
Kaname's long bangs threw a strong shadow over his face which was turned to the bed sheets to not look his tormentor directly in the face, but his other senses were on high alert with every single one of Ichiou's movements. "Lay down." Ichiou's voice cut through the air like a knives blade, all the muscles in Kaname's body tensing, but he refused to answer or move from his position, curled up and with defenses high.
"Kaname, you know that that kind of behavior doesn't get you anywhere," Ichiou commented with a dry smile. "Lay down." Kaname's body stiffened further, his eyes darting back and forth under his bangs. He knew… knew Ichiou was right that it didn't get him anywhere, but he would feel like he was whoring himself if he gave in and did it freely, even under threat of being beaten.
"Last chance. Do as I say," Ichiou said, this time with a faint, hidden irritation at Kaname's stubbornness. Usually, he sounded like that not because he didn't enjoy how defiant Kaname was being, but because he barely could detain himself any longer and simply hadn't time for having to sit through the pureblood's almost unbreakable spirit.
Kaname remained still and silent, but his guardian had seen the small tremble which unchecked ran through his slender frame. The pureblood could hear him making a small grunt of satisfaction and he inwardly cursed himself for showing that he was actually literally trembling with fear.
In every other aspect, the noble was an ordinary middle-aged man, perhaps a vampire, but ordinary anyway. But his face showed great strength and power, he was a man used to getting everything he wanted. And right now, he wanted Kaname.
Ichiou took a strong hold of him and threw the pureblood backwards, off the bed and down on the floor beside it. A second later, the hands reached Kaname again and swung him from side to side to make him completely disorientated and unable to reach anything he could hold on to. Then the other hand pulled back and started hitting him until blood streamed out from his nose and mouth.
Kaname fought, tried to get up, but Ichiou didn't let him and forced his head downwards to the ground. The noble held him still while he hit the boy until blood poured out of his mouth. Kaname would have screamed if he could. Ichiou's knee pressed hard against his stomach, and even as he twisted and tried to get up, eventually he slackened and waited for the noble to finish.
When the tight grip Ichiou had around him finally slackened, Kaname fell down over the bed at the first chance and coughing let the last blood drip out of his mouth. It stained the sheets a dark, crimson color as it soaked through the fabric. A massive headache threatened to overtake him the second his mind regained consciousness enough for him to notice it was there.
However when that happened, the fear completely overshadowed the hurt and when he felt Ichiou nearing him from behind, the hurt pureblood spun around and hastily backed into the corner of the room. He pressed himself into the wall and quickly shook his head between ragged breaths.
"Go away. Stay away from me," Kaname begged as he slid even longer into the corner of the room, desperately trying to protect himself. His hands knotted into fists as Ichiou walked over to him in slow motion, dragging out the buildup as he watched Kaname's eyes automatically scanning the room for an easy exit.
The pureblood's breathing raced along with his heartbeat and he could easily feel the pressure of blood rushing through his veins. When the rugged countenance came closer, it twisted into a ruthless smirk, cold, dusty and dreary. He gripped Kaname's hair, once flawless, but now slightly soaked through with blood and other filth.
The old noble threw Kaname's head in direction of the bed, the rest of him having to follow as to not rip out a huge piece of hair. His face contorted slightly in pain at the same time as a low hiss escaped his lips. Ichiou ignored Kaname's half-hearted attempts at backing off and getting loose, threw him on the bed and laid over him. They were still fully clothed, both of them, and the noble simply ripped open Kaname's shirt to reveal his pale neck.
The pureblood growled deep down in his throat in defiance based on instinct as Ichiou's fangs punctured the soft skin and started drinking in long, needy draughts. He broke contact swiftly, straightened up and gripped the hair once again, forcing Kaname to straighten up as well. The noble's hands turned into wicked talons as he stripped the pureblood of his shirt, ripping it into pieces, but not releasing the grip he had on the brown locks, pulling his hand further back so Kaname's head followed.
The pureblood was now half leaning down over Ichiou in order to not snap his neck and his body was bending like a bow, the neck invitingly pulsing to each beat of his rapid heart. The angle was hurtful to him and he breathed through clenched teeth, making a small, muffled sound of pain when Ichiou's fangs once again found his throat.
Kaname twisted a little in Ichiou's grasp, but else remained still as he at this point had accepted that his efforts wouldn't get him anywhere. Ichiou took from him until he was satisfied, or at least, until he couldn't contain himself any longer, and pushed Kaname all the way down on the bed using the grip on his hair.
The pureblood's trousers were roughly dealt with, as well as his underwear, while Kaname tried to get up. However, that just made Ichiou press his head down with more force and that meant that the pureblood's head got completely pressed into the sheets, making it difficult for him to breathe. His hands fumbled their way over the sheets, desperate to find something to hold onto.
The pureblood finally succeeded in getting his head off the sheets, at least enough to make it possible for him to breathe almost normally. "You have no right to do this to me, Ichiou," Kaname desperately shout when the elder vampire forced his thighs apart. The pureblood clearly felt the other's lust and arousal as a tangible energy explosion behind him. "I have every right in the world. I own you, remember?" Ichiou mocked as he pinned the struggling boy, cutting off all of his attempts at getting away. He ripped his own pants open and pulled them slightly down.
"You have no right to own me," Kaname said, twisting desperately as if he had not yet abandoned the idea of defiance. It didn't help him much, he had lost too much blood and Ichiou's arms were hard as steel. "I have. You begged me to take you."
"I… said you could have me instead of the boy," Kaname reformulated it to spare himself the humiliation of having begged Ichiou for anything. A luck that his head turned away from the noble's at this point, because Kaname's eyes showed true fear and his face was pale.
"What's wrong, Kaname? Why don't you cry out for your prince in shiny armor? What is his name again? Kiryuu Zero, wasn't it?" Ichiou mocked, pinning the pureblood to the bed, holding his bruised wrists. Kaname got absolutely enraged, squirming wildly and desperately trying to push the noble off. "Don't you dare touch him. I swear, Ichiou, I will kill you if you ever as much as thinks of hurting him."
"Ohh well, then I guess you have to kill me, Kaname, since I have thought of that multiple times. That is, of course, if you're able to kill me." Ichiou knew, just as well as Kaname, that the pureblood was far too drained and restrained to do anything against the brutal violation, much less actually hurt Ichiou. "And it will be a reality if you're not relaxing now," he hissed and gathered Kaname's wrists in one hand over the pureblood's head, leaving his other hand free for other purposes.
The tears of humiliation was rolling down Kaname's face now, the pureblood being as powerless to stop it from happening as he would have been if he'd tried to stop the sun from shining. Not again, not again, not again, his mind begged but it was too late. Dreaded words spilled from his lips unattended, but mattered nothing.
"Stop! Don't do it! Stop! Stop!"
Beaten, drained and raped, Kaname was left on the bed after Ichiou was done using him. He had to crawl to the bathroom and throw up afterwards.
"My condolences concerned your previous tamer, it was most unfortunate. But… I, and especially Cross, should have known better of course. To let a small, human girl be the keeper of you, an almost level E. Am I not right?" A cold shiver ran down Zero's back both at the mention of Yuki, but also at the sound of the President's hard, condensing voice, calling him almost mad, and he kept his tongue.
Apparently, the president didn't notice, or else she didn't care with the lack of response. "So, I have been wondering who to give authority. It can't be Cross or Yagari, you realize, as I'm not entirely sure they would stop you, even if it was necessary. I had originally chosen Jinmu, but he's an old friend of Yagari's so…" she continued without paying attention to Zero's firm silence.
It was not entirely inappropriate for her to talk about it that way. To grant another person authority to tame was like giving someone authority over your body, at least at some points. It made the other person able to rob you of your ability to move for quite some time.
To rob another living being of such control was perhaps one of the most offensive and vicious things you could do to another, no matter how good and peaceful the intentions was. Therefore, it was natural with good considerations about the person in charge.
But the last thing about not picking friends of friends either seemed to have a more political purpose. It appeared to be more strategically logical than good for Zero, who still refused to speak out loud, waiting for the president to get to the point and reveal who would be his tamer then.
"So… I figured a mix would be better. I'll give you to Yagari, but as I know of the relation between you two, I'll have a backup plan in case you get difficult and Yagari is unable to stop you. I'll bind you to a childhood friend of yours too. Does the name Takamiya Kaito say you anything?" she asked half rhetorically, concealing her rosy lips behind her Chinese fan.
Zero nodded silently. Yes, Kaito was a hunter, a little older than Zero, who'd trained alongside him and Ichiru for a short period while his own master recovered from a severe injury. Afterwards, he'd returned and Zero hadn't exactly been sad that the other boy weren't going to train with them any longer. He was irritating, cold-hearted, dominating and actually dared bully Ichiru, which was more than Zero could take.
It wouldn't be very pleasant to be bound to him, but Zero figured it was just a backup plan, so he didn't have to stick around all the time. Besides, he really had no choice, not being a part of the decision.
"Kaname. Kaname. Kaname," Takuma repeated, knocking heavily at the door to the pureblood's rooms. Strange that he didn't answer, but perhaps he was taking a bath for once. Takuma let himself in, looking for his friend although he was nowhere in the bedroom. He had to be in the bathroom then, Takuma knocking and calling but still, there was no response. Finding out that it wasn't locked, Takuma entered.
Inside, Kaname lay on the floor, eyes closed. He wasn't moving.
"Kaname," Takuma whispered miserably, lifting his head off the cold floor. "What happened?" he asked when it seemed like the pureblood was awake. Kaname's lips formed the word Takuma, but he couldn't say a thing. His throat and mouth felt like sandpaper and Takuma noticed the dark bruise beginning to form under the skin on his left cheek with ease.
Takuma felt disgusted and horrified by the sight of Kaname like this. His beautiful hair disheveled and caked, his strong neck made into a bloody mess, bruises beginning to form on his body and his eyes empty, except for the burning need to feed. And knowing who was responsible for this mess. Tears rolled unchecked down his cheeks as he quickly picked up a cloth in a cupboard and wet it, beginning to clean some of the worst places.
Kaname's face got covered in a faint, pink blush when he realized that he was naked and that he probably had been found in such a horrible state. He tried to get his abused arms to work, to push himself up from his position on the floor, but it seemed like his arms were filled with sand, making them impossibly heavy and unmovable.
When Takuma realized that Kaname was actually trying to get up, while mumbling incoherently about his personal rights, he regretted that he hadn't been more considered about Kaname's feelings, but he didn't regret coming in. If he hadn't, Kaname would have had to suffer through such injury all on his own. Now, Takuma could give him some blood to make him heal faster, and be there to comfort him.
Slowly, the noble guided Kaname down on the floor again and continued washing the worst wounds, apologizing silently. Kaname, realizing he would just look even weaker if he tried to get up again, had to accept his current position and stay on the floor. Blood was still spilling out from various deeper wounds and countless scratches all over his body, and it was quite frankly making him dizzy and light-headed.
After a few minutes, Takuma gave up on cleaning Kaname's wounds, realizing that his ministrations did nothing but causing the pureblood extra discomfort. Without saying a word, Takuma helped the pureblood stand although he swayed dangerously and guided him back to the bed. There was only one thing the noble could think of. One thing he could do to help Kaname.
"Here, take as much as you'd like," Takuma said in whispery voice, pulling down his collar to reveal his pale neck invitingly. Kaname, being too starved of blood to be able to hold much back, but not having dared taking from Ichiou, or even asking for tablets, didn't think twice. The older noble wouldn't have given him tablets anyway.
The blood was sweet, so incredibly, sinfully sweet, as it poured into Kaname's mouth and down his throat. For a moment, he was completely consumed as he felt it satisfying that burning desire and thirst drop by drop. Then, the door smacked open.
Ichiou's eyes took in the scene of his ward, still naked, holding his grandson close with inhuman fingers and Takuma's pale face as he rested against the headboard. The blood dripping down Kaname's chin, when the pureblood turned to look at him with big, frightened eyes.
Kaname's mouth instantly left Takuma's neck, even though his body told him it needed much more than what it temporarily had gained. The younger Ichijo, having been momentarily lost in the feeling of Kaname's fangs in his throat, jumped ever so slightly when he realized why the pureblood had stopped. Then, his body shifted into being in front of Kaname, protecting him.
Ichiou's first suspicion, that Kaname had lost it and, mad with bloodlust, had attacked Takuma, was now dismissed. Instead, he went straight to the bed, took a strong grip on his grandson's arm and threw him in direction of the door without a word. His hand pulled back to deliver a crushing blow to the pureblood in front of him, but Takuma's frightened voice stopped him. "No, don't do it. It wasn't his fault. Why do you do things like that to him?"
"Leave," Ichiou simply said, his voice like a deathly serpent's hiss as it sounded. Takuma, overwhelmed and frightened backed out slowly, hyperventilating, before turning around in a rush and running to his own room, his neck still bleeding a little.
Kaname had remained right where he was, curled up on the bed in front of the noble. Now, he received a sharp blow to the jaw as punishment and he rubbed it to take the worst sting away. Until he realized that Ichiou left the room instead of following up on the success. He didn't understand that, it was different from usual, and Kaname instantly got worried, standing up and running to the door. Reaching it the second it was shot tightly behind the noble and he heard the key turn in the door.
Kaname's hands scrambled to the doorknob, fighting to open it, but it would not budge. He heard Ichiou walk away and he knew what it meant. The pureblood's knees went weak underneath him and he slumped to the floor in front of the door, collapsing.
He banged his head against the wood and cried silently.