Gyaaa, it took me almost a week to update. I'm sorry! This chapter made me feel like ramming my head into a wall. It's also very long, which I'm not sure is a good thing.
Also, I know I missed replying to some reviews and I just wanted to say thank you! I'll try to be better about replying next time. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or any of it's characters.
The highway seemed to extend endlessly as Kain steered the sedan through a mountainous terrain of winding curves and steep cliffs. If he hadn't been a vampire, he probably would have appreciated the way the sun reflected off the bright red and orange leaves of fall trees. Instead, it only made the journey more strenuous and he had to squint his eyes behind shades of dark sunglasses.
With only a slight feeling of envy, Kain glanced over at Ruka, who had curled up in the passenger's seat and eventually fallen asleep. He had pulled down the visor in front of her to shield her face from the sun, but the bright rays of light still reflected on the long tresses of her hair, making it glint with colors of copper and bronze.
Before falling asleep, she had taken off her shoes and tucked her feat up beside her with her navy blue skirt coming just to her knees. Kain gripped the steering wheel, as his mind taunted him with visions of his fingers running along the milky white skin of her calves. It took every effort to focus on the road rather than gaze over at her like a besotted fool.
Watching her sleep had always been his guilty indulgence. It seemed to be the only time she was truly at peace, no longer holding the weight of the world on her shoulders. And now, with her hair down and her feet bare, she looked so young and free, like an innocent girl without a care in the world.
She had hardly even spoken a word since they left, just a curt "no thank you" when he had asked if she wanted to stop for anything. During the first several hours, her entire body had been uncomfortably tense. She had sat pressed up against the passenger door, as if she couldn't put enough distance between them. Maybe if she had at least vented her anger at him, this would have been easier.
Kain tried not to let his mind wander. A besotted fool was exactly what he was, an idiot in love with a girl who would never return his feelings. He had known she would hate him for this. That had practically been his goal, to play the part and prevent her from getting hurt by Kaname's cold-hearted decision. Mentally, he had tried to prepare himself, so why did it still have to hurt so much?
Tiredly, Kain lifted a hand off the wheel to rub his bloodshot eyes. He was pushing forty-eight hours with no sleep and fatigue had begun to wear on his senses. The only thing keeping him moving was a nagging sense that they were in danger. Even though they had moved quickly, he didn't like the fact that they were now exposed.
The faster they made it to their destination the better, but unfortunately, they needed to make a stop. If it had just been because of his exhaustion Kain would have pushed through, but the gas needle was falling to empty and a cup of coffee wouldn't hurt anything either.
They were in the middle of nowhere, and even though they came upon an exit surprisingly quickly, the gas station was a good ten miles off the main road. It was the tiniest station that he'd ever seen, one pump and a small building the size of a shack. The place was deserted, surrounded by nothing but uncivilized wilderness. Even though Kain took some small comfort in the fact that there wouldn't be people around to spot them, he still wanted to get in and get out quickly.
Gravel crunched under the wheels of the sedan, as he pulled in and slowed to a stop, but even as he cut the engine, Ruka stayed in a peaceful slumber. If she was even half as exhausted as he was, she probably could have slept for the rest of the drive, but they had been driving for almost five hours and this would be the last time she would get the chance to be outside for what could be a very long time.
Deciding that it would be best to just wake her up, Kain got out of the car and walked around to open her door. He bent down intending to give her shoulder a gentle shake, but as he closed that short distance between them, his hand seemed to have a mind of it's own. Instead, he found his fingers brushing the smooth skin of her cheek, as he moved chestnut strands of hair aside from her face.
"Ruka," He spoke her name softly. "We've stopped for a bit. Do you want to wake up?"
"Hmmm?" She sleepily sighed, turning slightly so her cheek pressed into his palm.
He should have moved, said something to wake her up or at least let her know it was him, but instead he just held his breath as she slowly reached up a hand to thread her fingers through his. As if in a dream, she turned her head slightly to nuzzle the palm of his hand. Such an innocent touch, yet the sweet gesture caused his heart to double in speed. Rather than pulling away like he should have, he relished in the feel of her warm breath on his skin as delicate tresses of hair tangled in his fingers.
But when her soft lips began to trail to the vein in his wrist, he instantly realized that this dream of hers did not have innocent intentions.
Reluctantly, he pulled his hand out from under hers. If this had been any other time or place, he would have easily indulged her subconscious urges. Unfortunately, he couldn't let her do that here and rather than allowing himself to touch her again, he simply moved the visor, letting the sun's rays fall on her face.
Ruka stirred, then grumpily rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"
"Half past noon. I just stopped for gas."
She sat up, taking a minute to comprehend her surroundings, then glanced up at him with glazed eyes only half-way open.
"I thought you might want to get out of the car for a bit." He explained, removing his sunglasses and setting them over her eyes. "Sorry for waking you up like that."
The sunglasses were too big for her, barely resting on the tip of her nose, but she didn't say anything as she reached up to adjust them, pulling her hair out of the way. To stop himself from staring down at her, Kain busied himself with the gas pump, but as he removed the cap and placed in the nozzle, he watched her out of the corner of his eye.
Ruka got out of the car, running her hands over her sleeveless white blouse in a feeble attempt to flatten the wrinkles. Then she shivered and rubbed her bare arms.
"It gets cold up here in the mountains." Kain told her. "I'm sure Hanabusa packed you something warmer if you want me to open the trunk."
"No thank you. I'll just go inside for a minute." She dismissed the offer as she shut the passenger door and turned away.
Kain watched her as she went into the small building, wondering if she would ever say more than a few words to him at a time. He would have offered the leather jacket he'd left in the car, but she wouldn't have accepted it. Sometimes he got away with doing little things like that for her, but only if he remained silent. She was loyal but independent, not wanting to take anything she viewed as charity.
Kain let out a tired sigh as the tank finished filling, wanting nothing more than to get to this place and go to sleep. When they got there, she would have plenty of time to get over her anger. Despite the way Ruka always put up a hard front, he knew that deep down she was too forgiving to hold a grudge for long. It was a consoling thought, and he let it relax him as he replaced the nozzle and went in to pay.
A bell on the door jingled as he went inside. The space was cramped and dark, with the only light coming in from a dusty front window. He passed a small shelf of candy bars and junk food, moving towards where Ruka was standing in front of the counter. She had some fashion magazine in her hands and was talking to the cashier.
"Oh wow, I can't believe this!" The boy was saying, "You're a...I mean, I'm sorry, it's just that I hardly ever see other vampires 'round these parts."
Kain stilled, isolating each scent in the air. Sure enough this pimply faced kid was a vampire. Judging from his quite human appearance he was obviously not very high ranking, but still, what were the odds?
"Gosh, are you a noble?" He continued excitedly. "You must be. You sure are the prettiest vampire I've ever seen."
Kain inwardly grimaced, waiting for Ruka to tell the poor kid off.
Instead, he was shocked when she just smiled and said, "Thank you. How much do I owe you?"
Under a mop of greasy brown hair, the teenager blushed from ear to ear, obviously completely taken by her gorgeous smile. "Oh, I can't charge you for that. So, what brings you to the area? Are you going to be staying nearby? We should hang out some time."
Okay, so normally this didn't bother him. Kain was used to seeing human males and vampires alike fall all over themselves in the hopes of getting her to notice them. Sometimes he'd even teased her about it, telling her she should go out with them while knowing that she never would. But hell, he hadn't seen her give a genuine smile in weeks, and now she gave it to this pathetic excuse for a vampire. Maybe it was stupid, but it kind of pissed him off.
The kid's eyes widened as Kain stepped up behind her and looked the scrawny vampire up and down from his tattered jeans to his black Nine Inch Nails t-shirt.
Like a self-appointed bodyguard, Kain folded his arms and glared at him. "We're just passing through."
"Oh, of course you are." he laughed nervously, "I didn't mean anything by it, sir. It's just that it's lonely out here being the only vampire and all. So, uh can I get you anything else? Free of charge for you two of course."
"That's very kind of you." Ruka said to him sweetly, "Is there a restroom I could use?"
"Yeah, you have to go in from outside. It's just out the back door and around the corner. If you wait a few minutes, I could go clean it for you."
Kain brought is palm to his face. After they left, the kid would probably worship the ground she had walked on. Heck, he was surprised the idiot hadn't offered to mop the path from here to the bathroom.
"Oh you don't have to do that." Ruka said as she headed out the back door. "I'll just be a minute."
As Kain stepped up to the counter and insisted on paying, he heard crunching gravel as another car pulled into the station. The dark Crown Victoria parked on the other side of the gas pump and two men got out. They looked like FBI agents, both tall and wearing black trench coats. The wind blew, causing one of their jackets to blow at the sides revealing a holstered silver pistol.
Kain froze. That was no ordinary weapon. Even through the dirty glass window, his enhanced vision picked up the markings on the side of the handle. After having the bloody rose pointed at his face a few times too many, there was no way he could mistake it.
Shit, How had they followed him? If there would have been time he would have cursed his own weakness. Trying to stay awake and staring at Ruka had become a dangerous combination, and now they would be forced to either fight or run.
He didn't even bother to say anything to the cashier as he instantly moved out the back door. Ruka was about to walk around the building, but he caught her just in time, grabbing her around the waste and covering her mouth with his hand. He didn't give her time to react, as he turned her so her back was to the wall with him standing in front of her.
At first she looked at him angrily but then he mouthed two words to her.
Vampire Hunters.
As the knowledge sunk in, her eyes widened in fear. She was smart, unlike other reckless vampires who did not truly realize the threat that vampire hunters presented. They were deadly assassins who trained for a lifetime to live up to their name. If a vampire were to underestimate them, it would be his last mistake.
Kain's mind raced as he quickly assessed the situation. There were two of them. One would go inside while the other walked around back in an effort to corner them. If they ran now, they wouldn't make it. Vampires were fast, but not faster than bullets. Better to remain silent and wait for an opportunity. If necessary, he could distract them while Ruka made a break for it.
He held his breath and listened to the sound of gravel shuffling under their feet as they approached the station. It was easy to judge their distance and the jingle of the gas station door sounded far too soon.
"Why are you here?" Came the sound of the kid's voice. "I'm not letting scum like you in this store!"
Damn, he should have told the kid not to do anything stupid.
There was a pause. "Is this one on the list?" One of the men said.
"No, but it seems like he's harboring fugitives." The other responded.
"Fugitives? I don't know what you're talking about! Don't you dare come a step closer!" The kid's voice started to shake with fright. "I swear, I'll take you on!"
Kain kept his hand over Ruka's mouth and closed his eyes, as he waited for the inevitable. His ears picked up the rustling sounds of a struggle proceeded by the metal click of a gun's safety.
"I didn't do anything wrong! Why are you..."
Ruka jerked in his arms, as the deafening gunshot rang out, echoing off of the surrounding mountains and leaving only a eery silence.
Almost instinctively, Kain cleared his mind. There was no time to dwell on the fact that the world was now less one vampire and he needed to come up with a plan. To kill two vampire hunters would be to sign his own death warrant, but these two weren't going to bother with an investigation. Sacrificing himself so Ruka could get away could be an option, but if he died here, she would never make it to the hideout and they would inevitably find her again. There were so few options.
An idea occurred to him, and if they hadn't been hiding silently, Kain could have laughed at himself for not thinking of it earlier. They were at a location that was practically drenched in a wonderfully flammable substance. The hunter association obviously wasn't as informed as he'd thought, because these two had just waltzed into his very own little minefield.
His blood rushed with heated adrenaline as he couldn't help but feel a thrill at finally being able to unleash his suppressed pyromania. He'd been itching to blow something up since Ruka had left with Aidou that night. Sure it might kill these vampire hunters, but he was betting they'd run as soon as they saw the flames. The only other downfall was he'd have to get Ruka out of here instantly and wouldn't get to enjoy the satisfaction of watching the place light up.
He moved before the two hunters could split up and make their move, ducking around the corner to open his hand and set off a trail of flames aimed directly at Kaname's sedan. The wall of fire shot across the lot, surrounding the car in bright orange flames as a thick smoke raised several feet into the air. The flames spread like a deadly virus, crawling along invisible paths of scattered gasoline and oil.
It was tempting to stay and enjoy the show, but even though he was immune, it didn't mean Ruka could survive it. He turned to find her already backing away from the fire, as if waiting for some signal to flee.
"Run!" He ordered.
It was apparently all she needed to hear, because she instantly turned and took off for the trees, with him right at her heels. To humans, they would have looked like two ghostly wisps, streaking through the air as they ran through the underbrush.
Kain was amazed that he actually had to push himself to keep up with her. Maybe he was faster, but Ruka was definitely more agile. Her small feet barely made a sound as she swiftly weaved through the tall trees, lightly skipping over dead branches. Meanwhile, he felt like an overgrown bulldozer as he barely managed to avoid tree trunks and mauled down shrubs with his shoulders.
At the sound of the distant explosion, she instantly went from a full out run to a dead stop as if she had hit an invisible wall. Kain had to dig in his heals and grab a nearby tree trunk to stop himself from running her over.
They were both out of breath, and he took the time to turn and look behind them. The explosion had sounded from a distance and it was too far away to be seen from here. Even if they had been closer, the thick foliage would have prevented a clear view.
Kain glanced down at Ruka, who was staring in the same direction. Her normally elegantly styled hair was windblown and tangled, and her cheeks were red from exertion. After what had just happened it was sick that his first urge was to grab her around the waste and kiss her and his mind immediately crafted an image of her flushed face and tangled hair on a pillow underneath him.
Before he could indulge his thoughts in that twisted fantasy, he turned away from her and started walking away. It was now more important than ever that he get her underground and he wasn't about to let not having a car stop him.
Ruka's feet were moving underneath her but her mind was a sluggish mess, as if it didn't want to acknowledge what had just happened. Bizarrely, her thoughts lingered on little inconsequential things: the chill in the breeze, a scuff on her blue leather shoe, the crunch of dead leaves under her footsteps. Kain didn't say anything, he just started walking as she followed him like an empty shadow.
Sometime while running she had lost Kain's sunglasses, but the tall trees provided a shield from the sun's painful rays. She stopped herself from apologizing for losing them, not wanting to sound as senseless and disoriented as she felt.
An indeterminable amount of time passed before her mind helplessly replayed the past events like a CD skipping to the same place over and over again. God, that poor boy. He was so young. Just an innocent teenager working as a cashier. He hadn't committed a single crime, but the hunters had shot him without hesitation, like he was some kind of rabid dog. If Kain hadn't caused such an effective distraction she was convinced that she would have been next.
But if she hadn't been forced to leave by Kain's stupid plan, this would have never happened. Kaname's mansion was infinitely safer. Now she was exposed, and it was more obvious than ever that the Vampire Hunter Association only wanted her cold lifeless body.
As the danger of her situation began to sink in, fear suffocated her with an invisible vice-like grip. She rubbed away the dampness of a cold sweat off her forehead. They had traveled too far to turn back at this point. It was probably better to simply go with him to whatever safe place he had found. Unfortunately, they were stuck in the middle of nowhere with no form of transportation.
"What are we going to do?" she thought aloud.
Even though she had barely whispered, Kain still heard her. "We're going to hike there."
That got her attention. "Hike? Are we that close?"
Kain kept walking as he spoke over his shoulder. "It's about forty miles from here."
"Forty miles! You think we can walk that far through this?"
"Any reason we couldn't?"
Ruka stopped as she thought it over. She supposed there was no reason they couldn't do it. It's not like they were human, but still, she had never really tested her endurance. Plus, it wasn't like they had a sidewalk. They were in the mountain's for heaven's sake!
"Isn't there a faster way?" She asked, her voice betraying her fear. "They're probably looking for us."
After walking several feet ahead of her, Kain stopped and turned around. "We can move faster, and I'm betting they don't know which direction we're heading."
Ruka climbed over a rock and jogged over dead leaves to catch up to him. "Do you have a map?"
"No."
"Well then how do you know the way?"
"I memorized it."
"You memorized it?" Ruka couldn't help but be a little impressed. "I didn't realize you had such a good memory."
"Only when it's something important." He said matter-of-factly.
"If my safety was so important to you, then you would have let me stay with Kaname." She voiced her opinion. "It would have been much safer there."
Silence was her only response and Kain just kept walking as she trailed behind him. He was probably too proud to admit he had made a mistake.
"Even if you memorized the map, I don't see how you could find your way through this mess." Focusing on how they would get there, helped her steer her thoughts away from how close she had just been to losing her life.
"I was planning to take you there and then go dispose of the car. So I would have been walking there anyways." He explained, over his shoulder.
"How were you planning to dispose of the car?"
"Pretty much the same way I just did."
"So what is this place we're going to?" She asked to the back of his head.
"An underground shelter."
Ruka rolled her eyes. "Well obviously, but how did you find it?"
"I didn't. Somebody told me about it."
Ruka glared at the back of his maroon shirt. His constantly calm demeanor could be so frustrating at times. It's not like she was asking him personal questions.
"Don't you think I have a right to know about this place you intend to hide me in for who knows how long?"
He didn't turn around but she heard him sigh. At least he wasn't a complete robot and could show some form of reaction. "You'll have plenty of time to learn about it once we get there."
Ruka gave up. Trying to get information out of him was like trying to interrogate a rock. Even as a child, he'd been stubborn. Aidou had always been unsuccessful at taunting him into doing anything. Kain wouldn't interfere in Aidou's mischief, but he wouldn't participate either. It was one of the qualities Ruka had always secretly admired. Unfortunately, now it meant she wouldn't be getting any answers.
Hours passed and Ruka was surprised to find out that hiking through mountain's wasn't as difficult for her as she had originally thought. When they came to a twenty-foot drop, she weightlessly landed on her feet and when they reached a steep slope, she could practically skip over it. After awhile she even suggested they move faster, wanting to get as far away as possible from the scene of that young vampire's cold-blooded murder. Kain simply said that it was better to keep a steady pace since they would be traveling such a long distance.
Ruka couldn't argue with his logic. What did she know about hiking through mountains? Nothing, that's what. Most of her life had been spent holed up inside, being fed by a silver spoon. It made her feel childish and spoiled, but when it came to traveling miles through the wilderness, she was certainly no expert.
The air was chilly, but the aerobic activity kept her heart pumping as her skin became numb to the cold. Not only that, but some of the scenery took her breath away, enabling her to distract herself from the odd notion that she was being watched or possibly hunted down. Crispy leaves gave up their last hold on life and fell to the ground at their feet while stark rays of light peaked through the towering trees. As the sun set, the sky lit up with a stern pink hue, and occasionally they would pass an area where the trees were sparse enough that she could stare at it as if the sky might descend on them, trapping them out in the wilderness like small prey.
It wasn't until much later that her adrenaline abandoned her for an ominous fatigue. She should have been relieved that she had been wearing flats instead of heels that day, but her shoes still weren't made for hiking. Even the smallest pebble or twig pushed at the thin leather and eventually the soles of her feet became sore. But she remained silent, unwilling to reveal even the slightest weakness. For some reason that she didn't particularly want to analyze, it became increasingly important for her to show Kain that she wasn't some weak damsel in distress.
As darkness sank in around them, it felt like her vampire eyes could finally open. Every minute detail became clear: the lines going through bark in the trees, the small grains of gravel passing under her feet. Red leaves became a vividly dark color of blood and protruding leafless branches formed into the shape of skeletal fingers.
"We should rest for a bit." Kain said as they came to a small clearing.
By this point, Ruka's feet were sore, but she didn't want to stop. The only thing that had kept her going was the idea that soon she could feel safe and hidden. "There's no need. I can keep going."
Kain looked down at her with soft brown eyes, absent of even a slight trace of anxiety. "I know you can, but I could use a break."
Now that he was facing her, she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and pale complexion. "How long as it been since you've slept?" She asked, feeling incredibly self centered for not noticing his fatigue earlier.
He sat down on the ground and leaned back against a tree, resting his elbows on his knees. "Since the other night."
There was no need to specify which night he was talking about, and she tried to hide a shudder that was brought on by the mere thought of it. Wondering if his confidence was all just an act she gazed at his closed eyes as his features relaxed. "Do you think they'll send helicopters or something to look for us?"
"They would have done that already if they had the resources. Now that it's dark it will be much harder to find us." He dismissed her worries without even a trace of concern.
Ruka rubbed the goosebumps on her bare arms as she sat down on a flat boulder. Since night had fallen, the temperature had dropped drastically. She now wished more than ever that she had taken out something warmer to wear from the trunk, like Kain had suggested. Enviously, she watched his chest rise and fall evenly as he relaxed into a partial slumber, completely unaffected by the icy temperatures.
Still feeling distraught, Ruka bit her lip. "I can't believe they just shot that boy like that. He didn't even do anything."
His eyes opened as he seemed to take in her anxious expression. "Try not to think about it. There was nothing we could have done for him."
"I don't know how you can be so level-headed." She said as she tucked her hair behind her ears with clumsy trembling fingers.
Now that they were stopped, the exercise was no longer distracting her. Fear seemed to mix potently with the chilly night air, and she pulled her legs to her chest as she tried to cover them with the flimsy cloth of her short skirt.
"Come here." He patted the ground in front of him.
She shook her head and hugged her knees tightly, not wanting to let herself accept his invitation.
"You're freezing." He stated. "Don't even try to pretend that you're not."
"I'm perfectly fine." She insisted, turning her head away and ignoring the fact that she was doing exactly as he'd told her not to.
"I guess I'll have to give you my shirt for the time being."
Her ears picked up a rustling of cloth and her head swung around to find him unfastening the first few buttons of his shirt.
"What are you doing?" She choked.
"Giving you my shirt." He replied as if it was a completely natural thing to do. "I can't just sit here while you freeze to death."
"Akatsuki, stop that!" She had already spent most of the day trying not to stare shamelessly at his broad shoulders and narrow hips. If he took his shirt off she would probably embarrass herself again and ogle him like one of the academy fangirls.
"You really give me no choice." He was saying as he reached the third button. "Those same caveman instincts that tell me to protect you also say I have to keep you warm."
She glared at him as he threw her words from the previous night back at her. "Fine, I'm coming! You don't have to be so ridiculous."
He leaned back with a look of satisfied triumph as she walked over and stiffly sat down on the spot he had indicated. Feeling incredibly uneasy, her spine remained rigidly straight, and she startled as she felt strong hands wrap around her bare shoulders.
"Relax," He said softly. "I'm not going to try anything."
His gentle command only made her tension increase as he slowly pulled her towards him until her back reached the warmth of his chest. In a desperate attempt to maintain some semblance of sanity, her eyes analyzed each crevice in the ground at her feet. Focusing on anything other than the way his perfectly proportioned body was practically surrounding hers took all of her concentration.
His elbows moved back to his knees and her eyes traced a neatly carved vein extend over his bicep and along his forearm only to level into a thin blue line at the white underside of his wrist. She tortured herself as she listened to his heart, swearing that she could actually hear the rush of blood through that vein. Her throat went dry even as her mouth watered.
As if reading her mind, he pulled his arm back and ran his fingers through her hair, from her scalp to the tangled ends. "I'm thirsty too." He said gruffly. "We don't have much farther to go. If you can wait there should be tablets there."
Embarrassed that he had caught her watching his arm like it was her next meal, Ruka quickly looked back to the ground, grateful that he at least couldn't see her blushing cheeks.
Several seconds passed in uncomfortable silence, as his inner heat seemed to radiate off of his body. It seeped into her exhausted muscles that had become sore from so much shivering. He was so much larger than her and with his legs on her sides he was like a warm blanket. She suppressed her thirst as much as she could and eventually found herself leaning into him, with her head resting on his shoulder even as her body thrilled at being so close to him.
"You're noble ability is quite useful isn't it?" She heard herself saying.
"Hmmm"
It was barely a response, but it caused a slight vibration from his chest as his breath brushed her hair. As an entirely different kind of heat pooled in her lower stomach, she found herself babbling in an attempt to create a distraction from their intimate position.
"I'm starting to think we nobles are far too pampered." She said pointlessly.
"What makes you say that?"
Ruka shrugged. "Well if you would have told me before that I could hike forty miles through mountains, I wouldn't have believed you. But it actually hasn't been that difficult. We haven't had anything to eat or drink and I'm not even phased by it. I bet I could make it another three days without food if I had to."
He chuckled, a low musical sound that made her heart skip a beat. "Are you going to test that theory?"
"Well, no, but I bet I could do it." She mused.
His fingers continued to thread through her hair. "Make sure you let me know if you decide to try."
"Why? So you can revive me if I collapse?"
"No, so I can handcuff you to a chair and force feed you."
Ruka couldn't help but laugh at the image that put in her mind, until it occurred to her that he could actually do something like that. The way he had practically kidnapped her from her own home was proof enough. When it came to saving her neck, he was relentless, even if he did have stupid ideas of ways to protect her.
"Akatsuki." She spoke his name seriously.
"Hmmm?"
Ruka fidgeted with the grass underneath her knees. "I..about the other night..well, I just wanted to say thank you for showing up and taking me home."
His hand stilled in her hair. "Ruka, you don't have to thank me for that."
"Yes I do." She insisted as she silently wished he would go back to caressing her hair. "I don't know what made you decide to find me, but I'm really glad that you did."
She felt him tense as his hands moved to grip her upper arms, almost to the point of bruising her but not quite. So strong was his hold that she had to strain her neck to turn enough to see his face. He was frowning and his chocolate eyes were dark with worry.
"Ruka, did he..." He stopped and swallowed. "How far did he get?"
In an effort to displace herself she turned back around, absentmindedly noticing how dark his fingers looked, pressed into the pale skin of her arm. "I...stopped him before he could do what he wanted to."
She had expected the knowledge to release his tension, and maybe it did a little bit, but he wrapped his arms around her stomach, pulling her into a close embrace as he bent his head over her shoulder. "I wish I would have been there earlier. I would have enjoyed ripping him to pieces."
The self-blame was evident in his posture and a strange inclination to console him came over her. "Oh, Akatsuki, how could you have known what was going to happen?" She asked him rhetorically. "You can't be everywhere at once. It's amazing enough that you showed up when you did."
"I worried when you disappeared for so long." His warm breath brushed her shoulder as his hands rubbed over the goosebumps on her arms, warming her blood to the point that she felt like she could melt into him. "Why did you leave? It's so unlike you to do something like that."
It was difficult to think with his slightly rough hands brushing over her skin, but words flowed out of her like water. Akatsuki had always been so easy to talk to. With him she could talk about things that she couldn't even bring up with other people. It was part of the reason they had become such good friends, she could tell him her feelings, and he could patiently listen without ever judging her.
"I don't know, I just wanted to get away from my parents I guess." Ruka confessed. "I wish I could be everything they want me to be, but I always seem to mess up somehow." When he didn't respond right away she found herself revealing her thoughts. "It felt so good to let myself be free even if it was just for one night. Now, looking back on it, I know I was being incredibly stupid. Rath than feeling sorry for myself I should just try to be better for them."
"No, you weren't being stupid." He told her. "You're perfect just the way you are Ruka, don't let your parents convince you otherwise."
He sounded so confident that he was speaking an absolute truth and she turned to look at him with her shoulder against chest. Air filled her lungs in a rush as she took in his caring expression and she almost shuddered from the pleasurable sensation of his hand slowly caressed her spine only to stop with his palm pressed on the center of her back. His heavy-lidded gaze wandered away from her eyes to rest on her slightly parted lips.
She held her breath. Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to? In a manner beyond her control, her mind fantasized about what it would feel like to have those sensuously curved lips pressed against hers. The mere thought almost caused her to moan with a yearning beyond her control. If he wanted to, she wouldn't stop him. Rather, she would kiss him back without a second thought.
As if snapping out of a trance, he turned his head and almost forcefully took her by the shoulders again to push her away and stand up. "We should keep moving." His voice was oddly hoarse as he offered a hand.
Awkwardly, she took his hand and let him lift her to her feet. Then he turned and she followed him as they continued their journey in uncomfortable silence. She couldn't help but think that his actions were strange. After seeing his mind while drinking his blood, it was obvious that he wanted her. She hadn't tried to stop him, so why didn't he following through?
His strange behavior gave her something to distract herself with as she unabashedly watched his lithe movements, realizing that he was unaware that she was drinking him in with her eyes and lusting with a thirst that had nothing to do with blood.
Ugh, I wash my hands of this chapter! So sorry it sucks, but feel free to review. I graciously accept criticism as well as praise.