AN: Well this story is just moving right along. I'm pleased with the progress so far? What about you all? Now, in terms of timeline, because I know it can get kind of confusing, I'm taking parts of the anime and manga from here on out and kind of molding them together, although overall this story follows the plot of the manga.
Once again thanks to lilcutieprincess for the review! Please leave your comments everyone, feedback makes a happy writer.
Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot. For all darkness in the world stems from darkness in the heart. And it is there that we must do our work.
Marianne Williamson
With a gasp that sounded more like a smothered scream, Elaine jerked into a sitting position, body quivering and a chilled sweat on her skin. Breath leaving her in sharp little pants, the Druid looked down at her shaking hands before cradling her head in them. The nightmare, familiar and yet so novel, hovered over her. The scent of blood still lingered in her nose and emotion choked her.
A mumbled groan to her side reminded her that she was not alone. Rubbing a hand down the length of his face, Yagari struggled to pull himself up and glanced at the distraught woman beside him. "Same one?"
Elaine nodded silently; face still buried in her hands. Her shoulders quaked as she vainly attempted to stifle the dry sobs that wracked her. With a heavy sigh, the hunter wrapped an arm around the Druid and pulled her snugly into his side. Restraint crumbling, Elaine buried her face into his chest and wept.
Yagari kept one arm around her and used the other to leave long, soothing strokes up and down her spine. The hunter stared into the dark room, single eye adjusting quickly. He was swiftly becoming used to this routine. For the first two weeks since they began sharing a bed, Elaine's nightmares had not made an appearance. However, the start of the third week marked the first incident where the Druid had abruptly woken up, screaming, and objects levitating and flying through the room as her emotions gripped her. At first the hunter had been thoroughly disturbed; he had never seen Elaine react so sensitively and fiercely, even when her personal physical safety was threatened. Horrified, once the magic had drained from the air the Druid had sprinted into the bathroom and locked the door, utterly refusing to leave it.
The hunter eventually persuaded her otherwise – "If you don't let me in over the next three seconds I'm kicking this damn door in!" – and was able to receive an explanation once the Druid had calmed herself. The woman suffered from chronic and frequent nightmares, typically centering on her deceased uncle and the manner of his death. Yagari supposed that was reasonable, having seen the experience through her telepathic abilities he had to admit the event had been brutal.
That first time, when they had crawled back into bed, Elaine had stared at him in open wonder.
"What?" He had grumbled, uncomfortable with such intense scrutiny.
She had swallowed audibly and her face had flushed. "I-I've never told anyone about this before. You're not freaked out?"
He had deadpanned. "Sweetheart, I hunt vampires for a living."
That had earned him a breathy laugh and a dimpled smile, something which he was still secretly, egotistically proud of. The incident of her nightmares was almost daily, and their potency never decreased. The hunter was beginning to comprehend exactly why the Druid constantly had a drink in her hand.
Presently, Elaine hiccupped but was reluctant to leave the cradle of the hunter's hold. A voice in the back of her mind warned her that she was becoming too vulnerable, too dependent; on a man she had no claim to. "Sorry,"
"Not your fault," He grumbled, yawning. "They're getting worse," Yagari observed bluntly.
"That business I was telling you about," Elaine grudgingly pulled away, wiping at her wet eyes and cheeks with the sleeve of her night shirt. "I have to go back to the cottage Emrys and I previously lived. I haven't been there since…" Her voice trailed off weakly, throat constricting.
Yagari stared at her for a long moment, not bothering to check the overwhelming swell of worry in his chest. "Do you want me to go with you?"
Elaine smiled at the offer, cheeks dimpling. "This is something I must face myself."
That didn't stop him from texting her every hour once she left later in the morning. Elaine smiled each time her phone vibrated in her pocket, knowing that such insistence should irritate her but she couldn't quite bring herself to feel that way. Especially when she unlocked her Iphone to see such messages as 'i made two day class students who hadnt left cry' and 'Cross bought me an apron that matches his im burning it.'
Despite the house not being used for years the grounds were well kept and Elaine sat for several minutes in the car after she had turned it off just staring. The vines had covered even more of it, a few flowers peeking out colorfully against the green. Elaine finally gathered the strength to stand. Her chest felt tight and a cold sweat had broken out along her hairline. Staring up at the building, her heart was beating so it threatened to leap out of her chest. The quick, shimmering explosion of magic at her back momentarily distracted her. Looking over her shoulder, she glimpsed a familiar black, red eyed shaggy hound staring at her from underneath the shade of the forest near the cottage.
Smiling weakly at the hellhound and her familiar, Elaine beckoned. "It has been a long time, Cain." The hellhound trotted forward obediently, snuffling her hand. "I'm sorry I haven't summoned you in so long, I've been around hunters lately and I know how you hate them." The hellhound had been her familiar ever since the night her uncle was murdered, but she rarely kept it by her side unlike some of the other Old Ones.
Keys dangling in her hand, Elaine inhaled deeply before unlocking the door and stepping inside. To her memory, nothing had changed. Various paintings of the countryside lined the walls, mason jars of concoctions sat perfectly labeled in the kitchen cupboard and the entire place smelled strongly of incense and herbs.
She absolutely refused to go down into the basement.
That night, Elaine unpacked her one suitcase. As the moon slowly cut its pathway through the sky, nearing midnight, she changed into the simple black layered skirt dress her mother had bought for Elaine's first Ritual. Clipping the metal, knotted belt snugly around her waist, the Druid laced up the soft, knee high leather boots and pulled her cloak about herself to keep off the chill. The Merlinus brooch of the Celtic, intertwined red dragon held the cloak closed at her shoulder.
Emotion choked her as she left the cottage and picked her way through the woods. This place had held wonder and enchantment for her younger years and every happy memory had been tainted by her Uncle's blood. Soon…
Finally the Nemeton loomed overhead, its long reaching branches drooping low like a weeping willow to lightly trace over the damp ground. The roots were still gnarled and the small hollow under its base was pitch black. Cain stood faithfully at her side, silent. In a moment of unguarded nostalgia, the Druid reached out her hand, the sensation of the rough bark under her fingertips unburying memories of more innocent times.
It was not long until Elaine sensed his presence.
Like a predator he suddenly detached from the darkness, blending into the stealthy cover of night that seemed to bend its will to his kind. His black coat brushed gently across the grass as he moved, pale skin muted by the cloud cover. Only his eyes, so very red, glowed out of the tree line. Cain growled, hackles rising. Elaine reached out to soothingly stroke the hellhound's head, fingers tangling in the shaggy black coat.
"That is quite the ensemble, sensei." Kaname Kuran's tone was soft as he smoothly stepped into the grove.
Tilting her head, Elaine inclined it toward him, hood slipping forward to obscure her expression. "Tonight we speak not as teacher and student, but as Druid and Ancestor."
If her words startled him, Kaname did not let it show. He kept his arms nonthreatening at his side, fingers loose and de-clawed. Now, in this sacred ground, his potent aura was even more noticeable. It baffled Elaine that she had not realized this sooner.
"I believe this would be the time and place for such." He responded, voice cool. "I hope you understand what a risk I took accepting you into Cross Academy, fully aware of your capability to discover such a thing about me."
"That is not my secret to tell," Elaine retorted quietly. "Perhaps I above all understand your predicament. However that does not mean I am not curious. As a courtesy from one progenitor to another I would like some of my questions answered."
"That would compromise many of my plans, Druid."
Frowning, Elaine had to keep the frustration from her voice. "At least alleviate my concerns, Vampire."
Kaname paused for a moment, dark eyes searching the form in front him. Elaine's face was hidden by shadows, the moonlight showing only her mouth and a sliver of a round cheek. One red eye and a white one stared back at him, her body rod straight as the aged Nemeton stood behind her like a stalwart talisman. He confessed a slight envy of the Druids, such a sense of community among them that trespassed time.
While he had no intention of bearing all his thoughts to her, the Pureblood felt that it could do no harm to reveal some of them. Indeed he could use this to plan's advantage if he so chose. The unexpected actions of his pieces never ceased to surprise him, particularly those of the mortals. Humans, what puzzles they were.
"I apologize if I have worried you, which was not my intention."
It seemed to him that her eyes roved over his face as if it could pierce through any armor. After a long moment she began airing the worries that begun to stack between them like a wall.
"You killed Shizuka Hio did you not?"
"Yes," Kaname knew that Elaine would never betray this information to another. It served her no purpose and he was well aware about her opinion of the deceased Pureblood Princess.
"What fate does that leave for Zero?" Elaine responded with an edge in her tone. Kaname could not help but be slightly amused at the protective streak that ran through her.
"Do not concern yourself; I have no intention of letting Zero Kiriyu go mad." That was the only explanation he was prepared to offer her and that seemed to placate her. Elaine seemed to trust him implicitly, have faith in him. She was an ambiguity coated in a crispy layer of peculiarities, their natures demanded they distrust one another but the Druid seemed to take him on his merits.
Pushing her hood back from her head, much of the tension had drained from her body. Kaname realized that his battle with the Druid was over; giving him more relief than he thought he would feel. The Pureblood would have hated to lose the Druid as an ally. If only his other obstacles were as easy to overcome…
"I am content then. However…" She trailed off, biting her lip.
Kaname inclined his head, urging her to continue.
"Don't test those who love you*, Kaname."
She could not tell from his expression if her statement had any effect, he merely just stared at her in his calm and collected way that made you wonder if there was anything you could possibly to do get through that thick shield. Imperceptibly allowing herself to sigh, Elaine picked her way across the grove to walk past the vampire and back into the woods. The Druid heard the gentle sound of Cain growling in the back of his throat as they passed the vampire.
"Merlinus,"
As the darkness of the trees covered her Elaine turned to look back silently at the vampire.
"How did you know?" What I really was?
Smiling sadly Elaine turned and pulled her hood up to cover her bright hair. "It was your eyes, they always give your soul away Kaname. Yours are ancient and full of sorrow."
Deciding she couldn't bear to stay in the cottage of her youth another moment Elaine packed her bags and booked the earliest flight back to Japan.
"Do you know how early it is?" Yagari's sleep heavy voice greeted her on the other line.
"Yes," Cradling her cell phone between her ear and shoulder Elaine carefully maneuvered her car through the city streets.
"Everything alright?" Despite his attempt to sound unaffected she could practically feel him tense up.
"I'm fine but in two hours I'll be on the next flight back. Can you pick me up at the airport?"
"You're Goddamn lucky I'm not on assignment right now, master. Just send me the details." He paused. "Did something happen?"
Elaine couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Kaname in front of the Nemeton. While her suspicions of his true origins were confirmed, she was still anxious to know the exact circumstances of such a resurrection. Whatever Kaname's intentions were, the Druid felt deep in her bones that in the near future something would befall Cross Academy that centered on the unaware Yuki Cross.
"I'm not sure," She answered honestly.
When she landed the first thing the hunter did was shove a large cup of coffee into her hand. "They only had cinnamon schnapps so don't complain."
Complaining was the farthest thing on her mind, oddly enough the gesture was disarmingly endearing. Curling her fingers in the lapels of his coat she leaned up to press a kiss to his mouth. "You softie."
"Tch, it's just to make sure you're not grouchy for the drive back." He murmured against her lips, one hand gripping her hip tightly before taking a step back.
Whether Yagari was as caught off guard by the strength of the companionship as Elaine was he never spoke a word of it. The Druid for her part was immensely puzzled by the strange relationship. She hated hunters, ever since the Association President butchered her Uncle, and their naturally suspicious natures viewed any creature with supernatural power as an inherent enemy, magic users included.
And yet here the current top hunter and Druid had been sleeping together for weeks.
Circumstances were strange factors. Elaine could not deny that their respective charges played a significant role in their relationship. Many nights after classes the two would sit in the teachers' lounge gossiping about their students. (Yagari was personally frustrated at the melodrama of what they referred to as 'the ARK' debacle, or the unrequited feelings of Akatsuki to Ruka, who in return pined for Kaname's affections while Elaine was waiting for Shiki and Rima to just take the plunge and officially date) Or perhaps both found in one another someone who understood being bound by a code that was archaic at best and immoral at worst.
Whatever the reason, neither could deny that they were in some sort of relationship. While Elaine jokingly referred to the hunter as her boyfriend in private, both were much too hard to label themselves or each other as such. It had never crossed Elaine's mind to have other lovers, and she never asked Yagari if he did or if he felt the same. In the Druid's mind they were both adults and were entitled to find comfort in whatever way and with whomever they could.
"I have to go to the Hunter's Association later." Yagari said without preamble once they were about a half an hour away from the Academy.
"Oh?" Elaine had finished her coffee a while ago and was feeling quite languid as the sun warmed her face through the window. Jet lag was finally catching up with her, limbs feeling like heavy leaden weights.
"Zero put it into that Cross girl's head that maybe the records will hold some clue to her erased memories."
"Hm," The motion of the car was slowly putting her to sleep.
Yagari seemed to hesitate. "If you want to come-"
"No," The word was bitten out, Elaine's chest tightening and her breath coming slightly harder at the very thought of it.
"You're going to have to face this one day." Yagari replied shortly.
The Druid turned her head to stare at the hunter, whose gaze was kept resolutely on the road. "The only time I will willingly enter that place is to kill her. Unfortunately today cannot be that day."
The rest of the drive was done in tense silence. Between her recent trip back to the cottage and this conversation Elaine was feeling withdrawn and pensive. Yagari, between Elaine's conversations with him and his own observations, was preoccupied with his suspicions of just how corrupt the leaders of the Hunters Association and the organization's conduct had become. It also wasn't difficult to figure out that Zero was somehow a part of their plans and he worried. His student was stubborn and hotheaded and Yagari was grimly aware of how easy it would be for them to manipulate the boy. He had wanted Elaine to go with the group, use her power to read people in a way that he could not. Not that he was surprised at her adamant refusal, but he had hoped.
After parking the car the hunter helped Elaine carry her bags to her apartment and turned to leave. He was scheduled to meet Zero and the others soon to go to the Association. Holstering his gun across his back he reached for the door but froze when Elaine's hand gripped the back of his coat. Looking over his shoulder he met her gaze which was full of concern.
"Be careful," She warned seriously.
"Is that premonition talking?"
She shook her head.
"Then don't worry."
Elaine couldn't not worry! Not after seeing her Uncle's body torn apart and left bleeding out like a piece of trash, and certainly not when knowing they were walking into the den of the monster that used Emrys and tossed him aside.
"You're an ass." She retorted weakly.
Ruffling her hair with one hand Yagari placed a fresh cigarette between his lips. "Get some sleep, you look like hell."
Frowning, Elaine pushed his hand away and headed for her bedroom. "The door will be unlocked!" She called from the other room; he could hear her kicking off her shoes.
Smirking, the hunter shut the door behind him and headed to meet Cross. Well at least he had something to look forward to.
When Zero and Yuki came to Elaine's apartment a day later the woman in question and Yagari were sleeping. Yagari had gotten an earful from Cross about just what had happened in the Association archives in regards to his daughter and had asked Elaine about the type of sorcery involved in such a thing.
"It's not a particularly difficult charm to put in place, but a little complex to execute." She'd hummed from the bathroom doorway, toothbrush waving around as she spoke. "Any common user could do it. Sorry, that doesn't really narrow it down does it?"
Not that Yagari would have done much with the information but he figured he'd ask. Besides he was much more interested in the way her tank top rose up while she was talking to reveal a sliver of skin. Between the traveling, jet lag and sex the two were pretty physically exhausted. Neither had any plans or orders for the next day, and with classes still on hold for break, had decided to just be lazy.
The Guardians on the other hand had different ideas. While Yuki had felt much better after unburdening herself to Zero and having a good cry, her building anxiety over her inability to remember anything was mounting. Her hallucinations were also scaring her because they were increasing in frequency and detail. The ex-human on his part felt guilty about the whole experience, since visiting the Association had been his idea in the first place. That just resulted in terrifying Yuki even more and making her feel worse. After she had cried all night the Kiriyu was grasping at straws to try and make the situation better or at least alleviate her fears.
"Why don't we ask Hex?" He'd suggested during breakfast. "She's psychic, maybe she can do something."
The brunette girl agreed to the plan and the two set off to the Night Class Teacher Residence building around noon. After knocking on her door a few times and receiving no answer, Yuki frowned. "I guess she's not here…"
"She is," Zero retorted, reaching out to turn the door knob. He ignored Yuki's sputtering protests as the unlocked door swung silently inward. "Master Yagari told me he had to pick her up at the airport yesterday."
The two stepped inside. Yuki couldn't help but cast a curious sweep of the place. While Miss Elaine had been kind, if not good meaning, to her Yuki was unable to completely shake the awe she felt for the older woman. She was someone that Headmaster Cross held absolute trust and affection in. Kaname had also informed the teenager during the vampire soiree she had accidently attended that Miss Elaine was a very powerful Druid, an Old One, the magus equivalent to a Pureblood vampire in the magi world. The Kuran himself seemed to respect the Druid and spoke well of her, his positive character reference making the doctor and Druid a godlike figure in the girl's eyes.
If Yuki was honest when she thought of magic and psychics she imagined crystal balls and black cats, but Elaine's apartment was completely normal seeming. There did seem to be an overabundance of candles and empty alcohol bottles, but she couldn't see a sacrificial altar anywhere like in the scary movies some of the other students liked to watch.
"Miss Elaine?" Yuki called. The rooms were dark and quiet except for a table lamp that had been left on in the sitting room to their left. "Huh," The girl commented to her companion and pointed to a half full ashtray on a coffee table. "I didn't know Miss Elaine smoked."
"She doesn't-" Zero abruptly choked, cutting himself off and looking horrified. Yuki looked back, worried at the flush suddenly warming Zero's cheeks.
"Are you alright? Zero?" Yuki reached out to feel the boy's forehead. He didn't feel warm; she didn't think vampires could get sick!
Grabbing her hand, the boy's eyes widened at the sound of a door opening. "We have to go-"
"Zero! What-"
"Well looks like the cat's out of this bag." Elaine spoke from the doorway to her bedroom, one hand scratching at her head. Her ash blond hair was mussed and she was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a tank top, the hem riding up to reveal a triskelion tattooed in white ink on the Druid's right hip.
"What the hell does that even mean?" Yagari grumbled, moving to stand behind her and running a hand over his one good eye. He was shirtless and wearing only a loose pair of sweatpants.
Yuki felt herself blush all the way from her scalp down to her toes. Not only had she caught two of her teachers in a relative state of undress but she'd also trampled into Miss Elaine's privacy. It was obvious from the grogginess in both the adults' voices that they had been asleep and Yuki's sensitive sense of prosperity was mortified.
And that wasn't even the worst of it!
Yuki had not thought until this moment that there was anything more serious between Mr. Yagari and Miss Elaine than a mild acquaintanceship due to their mutual relationship with the Headmaster. The two both taught courses for the Night Class but from what Yuki understood came from wildly different worlds. From the things Zero used to say when Miss Elaine first came to Cross Academy, hunters and people who used magic didn't normally like one another. Yuki had lived a relatively sheltered life, she hadn't even had a boyfriend yet, so the concepts of attraction, seduction and sex were very abstract for her. She still had storybook ideals of love, something that could not be applied to the two hardened veterans currently looking at the two Guardians in sleepy annoyance.
Zero, on the other hand, could only look on like he'd witnessed a car crash and the carnage was too great for him to break his gaze. There was not many times where the ex-human was caught so completely off guard that all of his reactions shut down. The only woman he'd ever seen his master involved with in any way was his fiancé, and that particular memory was something he personally didn't like to dwell on… But it was hard now to make the comparison with someone like Elaine Hex standing next to him. Their school nurse had been delicately beautiful and kind. Not that Elaine was ugly or mean… but perhaps attractive and compassionate in a different way. In any case his master's fiancé had been the complete opposite of Elaine in every sense.
He was also having a difficult time processing how two individuals as wildly different as the Hunter and the Druid had even gotten here! Zero knew that there was less animosity between them, and you could even call them friends, but he hadn't thought there had been any real attraction there. His master was the top vampire hunter on active duty and Elaine, he had realized after a few incidents, was perhaps the most powerful magus in the world. Much like Yuki's thoughts, Zero's logical reasoning told him that these two people should despise the very existence of the other. And yet his master was grumbling about sleep while scooping coffee grinds into Elaine's outdated coffee pot in Elaine's kitchen half-naked. The similarities between the adults' opposites-attract situation and his own made him inwardly squirm.
Oh Gods, it was like walking in on his parents.
"W-We're so s-sorry Miss Elaine! Mr. Yagari!" If Yuki bowed any lower Elaine was certain the girl would curl up into a pretzel. Zero was staring at them slack jawed and wide eyed.
"It's fine," She yawned into her hand. "Since we're up and you're both here let's talk where there's coffee."
Elaine rummaged through the fridge for some half-and half while Yagari was leaning against the counter, scrubbing a hand roughly down his face and looking moderately annoyed. It wasn't that the two necessarily wanted to keep their relationship secret; it was just that they weren't the types to advertise it. In addition both realized that the nature of their duties made it quite easy for others to exploit their partners. At the moment the only person who had any inclination of their relationship was Kaien Cross, to their knowledge. Kaname Kuran was possibly silently congratulating himself on his astuteness.
Yuki stood in the corner near the archway that led out of the kitchen and into the living room, staring at the tops of her shoes as if they held the secrets of the universe. Her face was still so beet red Elaine was honestly surprised a blood vessel hadn't burst yet. Zero was still staring listlessly, mouth open and eyes bulging.
"I think we broke Kiriyu." Elaine commented wryly as the coffee pot beeped.
Yagari, quick as lightning, grabbed a head of lettuce near his hip and tossed it at his apprentice's head. Zero was jerked back to awareness after the vegetable smacked him in the forehead but he recovered quickly enough to catch the leafy green before it bounced to the floor.
"You two want any?"
Yuki shook her head furiously, so horribly embarrassed it was hard to breathe. Zero didn't say anything, struggling to regain some composure but a definite tinge of pink still stained his cheeks as he looked anywhere but them. Elaine found their flamboyant discomfort amusing and couldn't stop a gruff smile from tugging at her lips.
"Oh go put a shirt on before these two literally die of embarrassment." Nudging Yagari away from the counter Elaine reached up to pull some mugs down. Grunting, the hunter did as he was told and returned with a long undershirt covering him before a cup of coffee was thrust out at him.
"Hope you don't mind but I only have cinnamon schnapps." Yuki and Zero were both aware that the conspiratorial grin Elaine had on her face was something that only Yagari would understand. Zero almost ripped his own hair out at the smirk on his master's face as he took a sip of his hot drink. The ex-human would be totally fine with the floor opening and swallowing him up at this moment.
"Now," Elaine turned to the two teens, mug in hand. "What can we do for the Cross Guardians this afternoon?"
Zero mumbled something.
"Speak up, moron!" Yagari lightly smacked the back of his apprentice's head as he went to grab an apple from a bowl on the island counter.
"Yuki needs help with her past." The silver haired boy knew his friend was still too embarrassed to try and speak and he wanted to move this entire clusterfuck along as quickly as possible.
Elaine nodded, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Yes I heard about what happened at the Association archives. Unfortunately, as I told Yagari, that is a fairly common charm among magi and not too useful in narrowing down your information."
"That's not what I came to ask you about!" Yuki finally worked up enough nerve to talk through her mortification and look the woman in the eye, but it had caused her voice to come out louder than she intended. Flushing again, Yuki took comfort in the small encouraging grin on Elaine's face and elaborated in a softer voice. "I was, ah, hoping Miss Elaine that with your abilities…."
Realization dawned on the doctor's face. "Are you sure you want me prodding around your brain, Yuki? It is neither as simple nor comfortable as the movies make it look."
While that statement frightened her Yuki knew she needed to be brave, she had to know! "I don't care! I'm so tired of not knowing my past! It's like a piece of me is missing and I can't move on until I know!" What she couldn't say was what she was sure Zero had already guessed. She couldn't go forward until she knew just what role Kaname had to play in her missing memories.
Elaine searched Yuki's face, swirling the contents of her mug pensively. Underneath that flushed skin was a girl who was truly frightened and lost, unable to comprehend a part of her life. Her heart tugged painfully in her chest on Yuki's behalf, keenly aware of the subtext of her conversation with Kaname only a few days before. Everything he did, all of his plans, was somehow centered on this girl. The Druid was apprehensive of exactly what she would find delving into this girl's psyche. However her empathy won out, she could not stand by and watch this child in pain.
"I need time to prepare." Elaine finally said after a long moment. "Come back this evening, let's say 8 o'clock."
Before Yuki could start a diatribe of her thanks Zero nodded and grabbed the girl's wrist. Dragging her out the door he called over his shoulder "We'll be here" and then slammed the door firmly behind him. Quiet resettled itself inside the apartment, the two occupants sipping musingly at their drinks.
"You want me to stick around for this?" Yagari asked into his cup.
"Your services will probably be needed." Elaine admitted. The backlash from using power on her was difficult enough; on others it was even worse. She'd also rather do this ritual before the Night Class returned for various reasons. "Kaname won't be happy with me."
Snorting, Yagari walked past her and back toward the bedroom. "Who cares? He might not believe this, but he isn't a god." From the room he called. "I'm going back to sleep. You coming?"
Following him, Elaine leaned in the doorway and took a long drink. "No, I need to get ready for this." Grinning as he practically fell into the bed she flicked off the light. "You just stay there and keep it warm for me, babe."
The only response she received was a grunt.
Annotations
"Don't test those who love you": Song reference. Mumford & Sons' "Sister"
