Chapter 10: Sara's Ace Card
"Have fun you two." Sara said in a sweetly mocking way as she pulled on the rope that held the curtains apart. Zero stood quietly as the curtains closed, giving his master some privacy as she talked with Kaname Kuran.
Zero rubbed the left side of his neck. He didn't know why but every time his mind thought of the said pureblood his neck would tingle. His body for some unknown reason seemed drawn to Kuran as if an invisible string was connecting the two together, even now Zero still found himself attached to him. Just standing here Zero could hear the thumping of Kuran's heart, the steady beats of his pulse, feel his aura surround him, he could smell his scent but most of all the smell of his blood as it flowed through his veins.
"Someone must be deep in thought. Anything in particular you are thinking about?"
Zero turned his head to see Sara smiling up at him. Zero didn't want to answer that to the likes of her, so instead he directed the conversation in a different path.
"Shall we?" Zero said extending out his hand toward Sara who accepted it with that same smile on her face.
Ignoring it, Zero guided her toward the dance floor where a soft melodic music was playing. Not many people were dancing so when Zero and Sara finally reached the dance floor all eyes were turned to them. Zero could feel the eyes of countless nobles stare at him. Some with distaste and others with awe, which was mostly due to his unearthly beauty he possessed. But the more people began to look, the more Zero felt uncomfortable. Zero silently wished that Shizuka hadn't taken off his mask earlier because he surely didn't want to have the attention of everyone here as he danced the waltz with Sara.
"You know she did it on purpose." Sara whispered as Zero twirled her around once before bringing her body close to his.
"You mean with taking off my mask?"
Sara nodded and followed Zero's lead as he began to move to the soft playing of the music.
"She wanted the attention sent to you as she took care of business with Kaname-sama. She couldn't risk having important information being heard from an ease dropping lower class."
"Figures she would have done that."
"Seems you don't know her as well as you thought you did." Sara smiled again as she moved closer to Zero's body. "Tell me Zero-kun, why do you serve her when all she does is use you?"
Zero inched back a little in order to put some distance between him and Sara. She already was right in his safe zone, so the least thing he wanted now was to have her body rubbing awkwardly against his own.
"The answer to that is because she is my Master; she was the one who turned me."
"Okay, then let me put it this way…if I was to tell you that Shizuka wasn't your Master then what will you do then? Will you still serve under her?"
"If that was the case then I wouldn't hesitate to kill her, but of course that is just a question that most likely has no truth behind it."
"Whether you believe me or not is up to you, but by the doubtful look you're giving me. I believe you don't."
"Why should I believe in a vampire? You creatures are known for your skill in deceiving those under you."
"Well you are right about that, but then you are one of use too, Zero-kun."
"Yea, but I was forced into becoming your kind."
"If you despise being one of us then end it. I am sure Shizuka had given you that decision before."
An old memory from when he was fourteen made its way through Zero's thoughts.
Zero leaned his back against the cold wall of his cell. His shoulders were hunched as his right hand gripped tightly at his chest. His breathing was becoming hoarse as the intense pain grew more painful. Across from him, on the other side of the metal bars that trapped Zero in his prison, stood Shizuka watching with an expressionless face as the boy before her suffered.
"It hurts doesn't it, Zero? The pain you're going through, the agony your mind is having, the transformation your body has began to do? This is all just the beginning, Zero. It will only get more and more worse the harder you try to fight it. That is why I am offering you my blood, to save you from the end."Shizuka extended out her hand. "So take it and serve me well my pet."
"I-I whether d-die than drink your blood."
"I see, then here…" Shizuka said throwing a katana at Zero. "If you can't bare it any longer then end your life. End the pain you are going through for good. I am not stopping you, but giving you a choice. Pick up the katana and end your life or accept my blood and serve me for eternity. This is your choice Zero, so make a decision."
Zero looked from the katana to Shizuka then back again to the katana, a decision forming inside his head. Crawling on his hands and knees Zero reached for the katana with his shaking hands. Zero stood up, the tip of the katana facing Shizuka.
"I don't remember giving you a third option of killing me, Zero…but, since I'm in a good mood, I'll humor you and allow you to take an attempt to act on what your mind is telling you. But remember Zero without the other choices I am giving you, you wouldn't even make a day out of this cage. Because as soon as word goes out that there is a level E on the loose, the vampire hunters wouldn't hesitate to find and kill you."
Zero's hands were shaking as he held the katana in his hands. His mind going through the options that was presented to him. Yes, he wanted to end it. End the pain but he didn't want to die, he wasn't the suicidal boy he once was…he was given a second chance at life and even though it wasn't the best life, it was still something. Something he wanted to cherish always. So with his decision made he dropped the katana and walked slowly toward Shizuka, dropping to his knees in front of her, tears falling down his lilac color eyes.
"Please…I-I want to live."
Shizuka grinned. "And you will my dear little pet, Zero."
"I have my reasons, Sara-sama." Zero said as he dipped Sara backwards, a smile appearing on his face. Sara smiled back when she realized that there was a dangerous intention behind that smile Zero was giving. Suddenly Zero felt dizzy, his mind becoming fuzzy as an all known feeling started to take control of his body and mind.
"Zero-kun, I want to make you an offer. An offer I am sure you will like immensely."
Zero's smile grew wider, his lilac colored eyes darkening. Zero pulled Sara closer to him. His moral conscience fading to the back of his mind as he brought his face closer to Sara's neck, taking a deep breath and inhaling all of her scent into his nose before breathing it out through his mouth. His hot breath on her exposed neck made Sara shudder involuntarily but what made her knees buckle was when Zero ran his tongue from the base of her neck to the lining of her left jaw. Sara gasped when she felt Zero's fangs graze her neck gently enough to make sure not to draw any blood.
"Z-Zero-kun." Sara stuttered.
A dark snicker came from Zero's mouth causing the hairs on Sara's neck to stand on end and her vampire senses becoming alert. Telling her that she was in the presence of someone dangerous. All this meaning that the Zero she was talking to only seconds earlier was no longer with her, but that something darker had seemed to take over and this was that dark being in front of her now.
"What offer can you possibly give me, which will change how the way things are now?" Came the icy question from the level E that had fully taken over Zero's mind.
"I don't remember asking you to make your presence known, Mr. Zero imposter."
Another dark snicker came from the level E. "Well it seems our dear Zero, is stuck on memory lane at the moment. So I thought why not take this chance to talk with such a beautiful lady such as you."
"For an E you are quite the gentlemen." Sara complimented.
"Stop Ms. Sara-sama, you make me blush." The level E teased. "So what is this offer you were planning on giving to my dear host?"
"Forgive me, but this is an offer that can only be given to Zero-kun alone."
"But Ms. Sara-sama, me and Zero are one in the same. We are practically inseparable like brothers almost."
"That's very nice to hear, but my offer will only be said once I have Zero in front of me."
"You are very mean Ms. Sara-sama and to think I made your heart beat wildly when I teased your neck."
Sara came to a halt making Zero stop along with her. Her eyes darkened as they looked at Zero who was only finding her attitude amusing to see. "Listen here you monster, I can easily kill you with a snap to my fingers. But if I do that my special playing card which is at such an easy reach for me will be gone and that is something that I can't lose at this moment. So don't get carried away."
The level E grinned. "An angry pureblood is quite an appealing sight, but I understand. I will hold my tongue for now, but don't expect that my host will do so, so easily. For once he gains his sea legs again; nothing will stop him from walking across a rocky boat with ease."
"You have confidence in your host's abilities."
"Because I know something you three purebloods who want to use him like a play thing before disposing him, fail to notice or even understand and that is his will. His willpower will grow, his determination will thicken and his heart will harden. So you three can play with him as you will surely do, you can fuck with his mind and break his body, you can erase his most precious of memories but you bastards will never break his willpower. I guarantee you that and that is what will be all of your down falls."
Before Sara could come out with a witty response to that, the atmosphere turned sour causing a lot of stares to turn and look toward the V.I.P section Sara and Zero had left Kaname and Shizuka to talk amongst themselves.
"Seems as though my Master is highly upset."
"I wonder what Kaname-sama did?"
The level E looked at Sara and gave a bitter laugh. "Don't you mean what Shizuka had done to upset Kaname-san?"
Sara allowed a small smile to appear.
"So, you know your true Master, don't you?"
Zero answered her question with a shrug before walking swiftly toward the private section where his Masters awaited. As he entered the area he spotted Kaname before Shizuka, ready to strike her on the face and as much as he had wanted to see his host's tormentor get what she deserved. Part of him, the part that had followed Shizuka to her manor when he was six, the part of him that flushes when she touches him, the part of him that enjoys feasting on her blood and the part that made him unbearably protective of her didn't allow it. He couldn't stand to see another put their hands on her when it should be he himself who will cause the unearthly pain to come across her face, because Shizuka Hiou was his prey and his alone.
Using the power he dreaded the most, Zero called upon the vines from within and directed them to restrain the man who tried to hurt his Master and when the vines were able to successfully do their job, he spoke. His voice dark and menacing.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you?"
Kaname turned to face him. His face first shown to be full of shock, but that soon changed as the shock on Kaname's face disappeared and a smirk appeared on his face.
'Yes, my dear creator. Smirk to me all you like, because soon you and my master won't have much to smirk about later.' The level E thought with a grin.
TBC…
Next chapter will be the conclusion of the vampire ball then after that will be the start of Zero attending Cross academy and where the story will begin to pick itself up and the action/drama begins. I will also start working on lengthen the number of pages for each new chapter because I really want to finish this quickly so that I can post the sequel to this soon.
Review and comments are much welcomed. Please and thank you.
~DIA~