The gunshot echoed through the forest, only to be masked by a wave of fresh thunder. A pawn chess piece rolled between pale fingers, while a lone figure watched the storm grow increasingly more deadly. Those lone ruby eyes watched the lightening slowly snap at the treetops to fuel their own fire…
The dark brown hair soon dampened from the rain, plastering onto his pale skin. The rain poured from the heavens like it had for hours, if not all day… On this day, the rain always fell. Even during the drought they had last year, the skies still managed to squeeze off a day of rain… as if God himself was sorrowed by what had happened on this day.
"…Kaname-sama, please. Come inside and dry off," the soft voice said, and the pureblood already knew that it belonged to Takuma. The vampire approached him slowly, careful not to disturb his leader's thoughts, but Kaname could feel his unease…
He approached his leader carefully before sliding a thick crimson and black robe over his shoulders. The silk graced his wet body as it slipped onto him in an effort to protect him from the cold and the rain, but it did nothing to protect the equally dreary thoughts from entering his head.
Kaname's eyes slowly closed as he listened to the roaring thunder. It echoed through the grove of trees to break the silence that had swarmed over their once peaceful home. Too much had happened today…
Yuuki… was dead, even if it was justly deserved.
Zero… was injured, and on the brink of death with every movement of his heart.
And Kaname's plan was on the brink of breaking apart…
That scent that had clotted his bed had not just been Zero's. It was a darker scent, one cloaked with death. It made his blood boil under the skin just by breathing it in, yet he couldn't place the name on the old and faded scent.
There was something… very wrong here. And Kaname couldn't tell just what it was. He remained in his silence for a few moments longer before his pale lips began to move. "…Zero's life has been filled with hardships that would devastate and destroy an average man in a heartbeat, yet he has come through relatively intact."
The blond vampire slowly walked in front of Kaname, and he could feel the emerald eyes fixed on him, consumed with worry for his friend. Yet he remained silent as he listened to his words… The ancient vampire felt the rain starting to soak the silk robe, its warmth and comfort being claimed by the blackened skies.
It was the same blackness that took over Zero's heart all of those years ago, and still had not chipped away. Even his thirst for revenge on the purebloods, including himself and Yuuki, did nothing to pry off the blackness even when his goal had been met.
"…Lord Kaname?"
The thoughts fleeted away from him as the ruby eyes flashed open. The pureblood looked up at his second in command, observing the deep cut that still remained in his cheek from Zero's vines, before he turned back to the open doors of the Moon dormitory.
"…Takuma, please tend to your wound. That venom may only make things worse if you allow it to get infected," Kaname spoke softly to his friend as his feet touched the long steps up to the dorms. Takuma hesitated for only a moment before rushing past Kaname to keep the doors open for their pureblood leader.
"Yes, Lord Kaname…" he murmured in his soft voice, dipping his head in respect. The others were already tending to their wounds when they gathered back into the common rooms as he could see them through the opened door. They exchanged bandages and water as they desperately tried to clean out the venom that was thick in their wounds…
This could have all been avoided if they only listened to him. Kaname watched the vampires work before he walked through the doorway, feeling very little relief as he got himself out of the rain. The vampires all looked towards him, and each of them seemed to be anxious to what their leader would have to say…
His rub eyes scanned his followers, one by one, and watched the eyes look back at him. They would obey him no matter what… But now he would put their loyalty to the test. "…I forbid each and every one of you to harm Zero in any way. If I hear of any attack of this magnitude again, I will not hesitate to give out punishment."
An uneasy silence met his strong words, but one by one, the vampires gave a soft nod and returned to their work. He knew that this agreement will not last forever… It would be one of his followers that would anger the hunter into fighting just for the chance to kill him and 'avenge' Yuuki. But for now… Zero would be safe.
But as his ruby eyes looked back through the open doorway, just as the door began to close, he searched for that black silhouette. But it was already gone… One thought lingered in his head, one that made his heart fall through his chest.
'…It has only begun for Zero.'
