Unexpectedly Close To The Edge
Set 3 years after Vampire Knight Guilty, however, certain enemies aren't as dead as they were thought to be.
~{}~ signifies a change in time or perspective
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, these awesome characters do not belong to me in any way. They belong to Matsuri Hino. I just stole them and put them to use for my own sick mind ;)
Summary: Yuki's death brings the two former enemies Zero and Kaname closer than they ever expected to be. As the two of them - both broken in their own way - struggle to pick up a life again, will they cope by putting each other together again?
Rated M: mature emotions, rape, violence, M/M lemon (seriously, rated M for good reason!)
AN: Hi guys - once again, sorry for the long wait, but as usual, I try my best not disappoint in the writing I submit to all those of you who leave me these wonderful reviews - Thank you so much.
I will consecutively re-upload my first chapters, not changing the flow or the logic of the story, but (hopefully) improving grammar, spelling and a other smaller errors that have been pointed out to me in your reviews up until now.
Before I let you read the chapter, I would like to apologize to all those who love Takuma so much, they wish him no harm. I cannot promise not to harm him, nor will I promise to have him remain unscathed. However, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. And we all love to reward a hero, don't we? ;)
Now, without further ado - Hope you enjoy the chapter. ^^
Chapter 11: An Angry Desperation
Rido kicked at the helpless, naked figure viciously. His captive's head lolled and a rasped moan escaped his lips. Still, the green eyes refused to stay closed and looked back at him with undiminished spirit. Who would have thought the damn little blond BOY had it in him to be so stubborn. Then again, maybe Kaname's taste in mates wasn't truly as bad as he had originally thought. Even Yuki had turned out to be a lot more resilient than he had initially anticipated.
Yes, he mused, hers had been a spirit worth the Kuran name. What she had awoken in the Artemis was indescribable. Rido hadn't been certain until that day that the Artemis truly held the power ascribed to it. Only rumors and legends had given hints to its actual abilities. But that day it was her will power that brought out a bit of its strength - thereby disclosing its secret to the vampire world for any who knew what to look for.
Perhaps even Kaname hadn't known she could. Rido smirked at this. Her spirit had been a spitting image of her mother's. A pity it had been snuffed out. Truly a pity things had turned out like this... His mismatched eyes narrowed.
It was all Kaname's fault. She should have been his, not Kaname's. He would have known how to properly tame her. He would have made her his trophy, his queen for the world to see, so that everyone would bow to the two of them in reverence and fear. But Kaname had poisoned her mind like a disease, keeping her in his stifling protection like a demure little child. Like with many of his little pawns he had kept her disgustingly human and had entirely wasted her talents.
Silently, Rido cursed. He had been so close to reaching her. So close. But things had somehow gone wrong and now instead of being his, she was dead. Then again, the moment it became clear that she wouldn't ever be his, Rido had decided that it was better that way. If he couldn't have her, then no one else would. Still, the thought of having lost her and the all opportunities that belonged to that prize fueled his anger even more. He clenched a fist in slowly building rage.
Kaname. Would. Pay.
He dug his claws deeply into the noble's chest and slammed him against the concrete wall with terrible force. Bones cracked with a sickening crunch and Ichijo's grandson sank to the floor in a heap of pain and misery unable to stifle a groan.
With a raging coldness in his gaze, Rido regarded Kaname's mate. The naked noble lay still now, blood trickling from his wounds but with his green eyes full of life as he stared back at the pureblood - in pain, yes. But also in defiance. Had Kaname really been so weak at heart that he hadn't broken the noble yet?
Takuma Ichijo was known for his joyful spirit. Had Kaname wasted such a useful pawn just because he wanted to keep that?
That was so like him... Rido's lips spread into a mirthless grin as he spoke to the heap of pain on the concrete floor.
"Kaname was a fool not to break you. But don't worry..."
His voice turned to a terrifying whisper as he watched the green eyes widen with fear.
"He didn't. But I will."
~{}~
The two cousins, Akatsuki Kain and Hanabusa Aido sat together after a strenuous morning in the restaurant of Kaname's company. Hanabusa had been way to worked up about meeting Kaname to be able to get any sleep and was now rapidly approaching fatigue after being awake for 30 hours straight. Most likely Akatsuki had only laid off the jokes about him being so quiet because he was just as tired himself. Hanabusa had counted twenty-three yawns in fifteen minutes. But he couldn't rest while there was work to do. He didn't know about his cousin - but of course, now that Kaname-sama had appointed him a task, he would not rest until he had completed it. He would have gotten straight to work, if Kaname hadn't more or less explicitly sent them to the company's restaurant.
Now they were waiting for the food they had ordered, while Hanabusa's tired mind mulled over the pureblood's words from earlier.
He had handed the noble a small jewelery box. It was currently in his pocket, ten times its size and weighing three times its weight for all the nobles's curiosity.
"I would appreciate if you could fully analyze the content of this box. Any form of analysis you can think of. You will know what to do when you look inside. This matter is of great importance to me, Hanabusa Aido. Report to me alone on your findings."
To say he was dying to know what was inside the box was an understatement. It might as well be burning a hole straight through his pocket in this very instant - that's how bad his mind was fixed on it.
Of course, it wasn't the only thing that currently sparked his curiosity. Akatsuki's sudden promotion was surprising to say the least. Stealing a glance at the bored look on his cousin's face, Hanabusa wondered at how there was little to no reaction in him at his new job prospects.
Kaname had said Takuma would be gone for a while and Akutski was to replace him for the time. He had given no further information. Akatsuki seemed to be neither upset nor enthusiastic about this. He appeared to be entirely indifferent. That was a bit strange... Though hardly anyone seemed to realize it, Hanabusa Aido certainly had a vast amount of perceptiveness - if he chose to make use of it. But at the moment he couldn't read his cousin at all. It irked him for some reason. Was he simply that tired? Did it have something to do with Takuma? Aido still wanted to get his hands on that stupid blond noble. Preferably somewhere near the throat...
Speaking of Takuma... he just hadn't quite gotten it into his head, yet. Kaname and Takuma? Bond mates? Seriously...? The blond noble shook his head, confusing the waiter who was about to bring their food.
He nodded apologetically and inhaled deeply as his meal was placed in front of him. He realized only now how hungry the lack of sleep had made him as the delicious scent of original Japanese food reached his nose. Not that their vacation hotel hadn't cooked well. It had been just fine - exquisite even, when he had allowed himself a short break from worrying about the pureblood. But there was nothing like a good old Japanese style lunch. No place like home. Following his cousin's example, he dug in.
~{}~
Zero followed Seiren into Kuran Mansion and up the stairs to Kuran's rooms. He had never been to the pureblood's study before even though it was so close to his own rooms. He had never seen the necessity for it. Actually, he still didn't see the necessity for being here. But of course it wouldn't really do him any good not to show, since Kuran could just annoy the crap out of him until he did come. And he sure didn't want the pureblood coming for him in the semi-privacy of 'his room' if he could help it - the worst case scenario featuring the pureblood with Kaien Cross in tow.
Hell no...
So he resigned himself to following Seiren. At least she didn't feel the need to fill a perfectly brooding silence with annoying chat. Instead, she lead the way with inaudible steps to the pureblood's study. Kuran seemed to have noticed her presence because the door swung open before she even lifted a hand to knock.
"My wonderful son..." Kaien Cross squealed and raced toward the hunter as the door opened. With practised precision, the hunter evaded his guardian's advances and sidestepped him, sending the doting man into an uncontrolled tumble across the pureblood's lavish floor and into the hallway.
"I am not your son, Cross." he said simply with a slight scowl. Really, did this man know no self-respect?
"You still don't call me daddy." Kaien sniffed picking himself up off the floor with drama.
"You don't say..." Zero growled folding his arms in front of his chest. He was perfectly aware of the fact that there was an obvious scowl on his face now, but he really didn't feel like dealing with Cross. He had taken about five steps into the room and was already thoroughly annoyed with the former chairman. Not to mention the reason he was here in the first place.
"And you never call..." Kaien pouted as he cleaned his glasses.
Zero snorted under his breath.
Kuran cleared his throat.
"As... uhum, endearing as this reunion appears to be..." at this Zero managed to scowl even fiercer than before.
"... we have important matters to discuss and not much time to do so." the pureblood looked from one hunter to the other, seemingly unfazed to find neither of them in a good mood, albeit for different reasons.
Kaien pushed his glasses into position and brushed himself off.
"No need to be so formal, Kaname," he chided. "I always have a spare moment for my wonderful son..." As to be expected, he launched a second attempt to hug his adoptive son. And - as was equally to be expected - failed.
Five minutes... Zero growled internally. I see the man for five minutes and already I can barely keep from strangling him...
"Please, have a seat." the pureblood invited, ignoring the scenes between the guardian and his adoptive son. Sitting down behind his large desk, he gazed intently at the former chairman ignoring how Zero stared daggers at the far wall.
Kaien adjusted his glasses yet again and then sat down. Kuran's gaze flicked toward Zero, but the hunter refused his offer to sit with a shrug and a snort. So Kuran seemed to decide not to press any further.
"You have informed me of possible difficulties, Cross. Please, elaborate." the pureblood invited.
Kaien nodded.
"There is... political dissent both within the Hunter's Association and the Vampire Council of Elders on the smaller matters connected to the Peace Treaty. Negotiations about laws of possesion and heritage between hunters and vampires are... difficult." Cross began. Zero wondered what the hell he was doing here when this was clearly nothing but the usual politics.
"How does this concern Kiryu and me?" the pureblood asked.
Kaien smiled.
"I need all three of our signatures on the forms for Zero's heritage."
~{}~
Hanabusa stretched and fought a few spots dancing in front of his eyes. He had been staring at computer screens, through microscope lenses and back at more screens for hours on end. Pouring himself a glass of water and dropping a blood tablet into it, he swirled the glass with an easy swing of his hand. With a grimace, he watched the red streaks slowly merge with the clear liquid, turning it a dissatisfyingly watery crimson. He took a large gulp, shuddered at the taste and continued staring at the plotting curves on his screen with a slightly vacant gaze.
A printer jumped to life, startling the noble and he almost dropped the glass. But he quickly regained his composure. Finally, the results he had been waiting for. Quickly, he resumed his work. Kaname-sama had sent him on this errand and he would not fail his pureblood. Though he was extremely tired now he would never admit it. He had poured over the strange pieces of jewelry for hours now, running any analysis he could think of. He wasn't sure what it was that Kaname-sama was looking for, so he took detailed notes on all of his findings. Well almost all of them.
Immediately after parting with his cousin when they had finished their lunch, he had rushed off to the lower levels of the building where the laboratories were. In a hurry, he had locked himself into his cluttered study and opened the box. Puzzled, he had sat there for a second - dumbfounded after revealing its content. Of course he recognized immediately what was inside. But why Yuki-sama's jewelery?
A strange moment came over him as he remembered her wearing the beautiful earrings one evening to a festive reception. It came back to him as though it had happened yesterday - a simple black evening dress, her hair put up elegantly, a gentle smile on her lips and those soft dark brown eyes - how could they not love her?
Hanabusa bit his lip and scowled. In the beginning he hadn't wanted to admit it, but after three years, he had really come to like her. She had been so un-princess-like and so uneducated in the ways of being a pureblood that he had found it very difficult to show her the same respect he showed Kaname-sama at first. But she had had a certain inborn grace to her that made up for that many times. And she had always been so kind and joyful...
On a certain level, they had been close. One drop of blood - no more. While she had been human, he had tasted one drop of her blood. When she became a pureblood, he had felt it. And ever since then he knew her mood better than any other except Kaname himself.
She had been the opposite to Kaname in many ways. Where he was unapproachable and silent, she had been out-going and companionable. He had found himself coming to her rather than to Kaname when he needed to speak with the pureblood. She didn't fix him with the same stern gaze that Kaname-sama always gave him. When he had looked into her eyes he had always felt like he saw a glimpse of what Kaname could have been if he hadn't had to bear the burdens he now shouldered. Even when tired, Yuki-sama had always listened and smiled. And unlike with any other pureblood woman, Hanabusa had always been sure that it was a real smile.
A tear slid down his face for her. If he was honest with himself then he had to admit he had felt her die. Deep inside his heart he had known this before the pureblood had confirmed it. That was why he had been so worried for Kaname-sama. He didn't know how he was supposed to feel about the pureblood's lack of emotion upon imparting that information. No emotion from him, no emotion from Akatsuki - had everybody gone cold-blooded now? Was he the only one who felt anything...?
Perhaps they were just being professional - something he hadn't ever been good at.
Dammit. He bit his lip. He couldn't afford being this sentimental when Kaname-sama needed his assistance.
He tried to concentrate. Ok, so why Yuki-sama's earrings? Was there something wrong with them? Hanabusa was far from stupid. He realized instantly how truly important this had to be to Kaname-sama and he felt honored that the pureblood trusted him that much. But how to go about so odd a puzzle?
Hesitantly, he had touched the earrings to take them out of the box. It shocked him to find that when he did, he was gripped by a terrifying need for blood. At first it was only the need for blood. But then... then there was also something else. Something that made him blush fiercely.
He had taken detailed notes on his findings. All of his findings except this one. The womanizer was way beyond feeling ashamed for his desires and the countless girls he had dated. But touching the jewelery made him long for someone different. Never in a million years would Hanabusa Aido so much as whisper what he felt. Unless perhaps if Kaname-sama pressed him hard enough to answer.
He stared at the print-out and his brow furrowed. He had analyzed the physical components of Yuki-sama's earrings. The metals it consisted of where nothing out of the ordinary, well... for pureblood jewelery, that is.
All metal components were highly refined, the finest that could be found, not to mention beautifully crafted. But they were just that - metal. A few protective spells were wrought into them, but nothing out of the ordinary. By now, Hanabusa was familiar with all the varying spells that were bound to be worked into such a piece of art.
He took pride in his knowledge. As a hobby, he had spent years studying the intricate charms that could be bound to objects of any kind. He had specialized on pureblood artifacts. Every pureblood left their personal mark on what they charmed - not that Hanabusa had been able to undo many of their spells, but he had a talent for understanding them. To him they were insight into the caster and after years of perfecting his abilities he was truly honored at being allowed to inspect Kaname-sama's work more closely.
He recognized the pureblood's unique power all over the jewelry. There was a complex lattice of protection over it that was beautifully composed to someone who had seen many other kinds of protection. And the most facinating thing about it was the fact that it wasn't even an object-based charm at all. It was a spell intended for Yuki-sama herself and only became visible because it extended to her jewelery as well.
It was truly beautiful work because not one aspect of his spells invoked pain. They weren't meant to hurt attackers, but their entire force solely went into a shield to protect her. There was no hint of harm anywhere in them, yet they were the most powerful set of charms that Hanabusa had ever seen.
However, there was more. And this puzzled the noble greatly. It took a good eye to see beyond their protection. But what he saw was... strange. It was widely known that between vampire mates, gifts of blood were nothing out of the ordinary. Hanabusa was sure that he would recognize the scent of Kaname-sama's blood instantly, though this well protected it would be faint to the point of non-existent. He had to give the pureblood that much - with Yuki-sama, he had been most discreet about sharing blood. He had never really caught even a whiff. But of course, there had been moments when Kaname-sama's precious pure blood had been spilled. Hanabusa could recall that scent without difficulty. He would have recognized it anywhere now. Still, he was sure there was none of Kaname-sama's blood wrought into the gems. And that puzzled him.
The gems were definitely blood gems.
But if it wasn't Kaname-sama's, who's blood was it then?
The answer popped into his head immediately but he brushed it off. That was entirely impossible.
~{}~
Heritage? Zero raised an eyebrow but didn't look at his guardian. So Kaien spoke to Kuran as if Zero wasn't really there.
"According to human law, Zero has reached adulthood with the age of 18. However, inheritance is not legally sound until the age of 21. Though he is a hunter and therefore falls under human jurisdiction, he is a vampire as well which complicates things a bit. Until now, I have been his guardian managing the paperwork of that heritage - since the treaty between hunters and vampires does not encompass these formalities, I must go by both hunter and vampire laws to..."
Zero interrupted him.
"Save yourself the trouble. I don't want it." He turned to leave the room. He was done here.
Kaien's arm shot out, his hand catching Zero's wrist. All of a sudden Kaien Cross was not the humiliatingly extravagant mother hen of a guardian anymore, but a serious senior hunter. His tell-tale hunter aura that he usually kept suppressed reached out now and tingled in Zero's senses with a familiar buzz. The change was instant and showed immediate effect. This version of Kaien Cross weilded authority and deserved respect. Zero could feel that. Especially Zero who respected skill and honor over anything else. He stopped but didn't turn.
"Zero..." The former chairman spoke in a serious tone. "This is your parent's house we're talking about, their entire fortune and the lineage of hunters connected to their name..."
"You can't run from your past, Kiryu." Kuran added, not being helpful in the slightest.
Zero snorted. For someone who had given away Yuki's weapon because of the memories it held that was almost too hypocritical to bear. But Zero didn't bother with a retort. He couldn't deal with this now, he couldn't even bring himself to accept that he still was a Kiryu. He didn't deserve that name anymore, he didn't deserve his parent's heritage. They had been honerable hunters who had died fighting. But what was he? A monster, an abomination. A failure. He had failed to protect them. He had failed them. And worse than that, he had failed Ichiru. Sometimes the hunters were right. Cruel, but right. He wasn't worth the name he had. His parents deserved a better son.
He squared his shoulders about to walk out again when Kaien spoke.
"If I don't sign over the heritage to you, Zero then the members of the Hio Clan have a claim on it."
Zero froze.
Kaien's voice became a quiet whisper. "She claimed you as her property. A pureblood's bite is a legally binding contract for vampires. You are her property. Everything you own is hers. After her death, everything she owned transfered to the heirs of the Hio Clan. Even if you do not claim it, they have the right to claim it under your name. I am your guardian and I have powerful allies. No one has ever contested me on your behalf. But when you reach adulthood, there is nothing more that I can do. Legally, by Vampire Law, you are property of the Hio Clan, Zero."
The former hunter let the words sink in as Zero remained rooted to the spot.
A pureblood's bite is a legally binding contact...
A pureblood's bite is a legally binding...
"... circumstances of her death are what gives me legal ground to let you revoke it..." Kaien continued but Zero wasn't really paying attention.
... pureblood's bite is a legally binding contract...
Zero barely contained a snort of bitterness. So now, even legally, he belonged to Kuran. This was probably the most gentle way he could have learned that bit of information. And it was all his own damn fault for not killing the bastard. Of course, Kaien couldn't know. Whatever he did, it would still belong to Kuran. Everything he owned and all his parents had worked so hard for. It would all belong to a pureblood vampire.
Zero closed his eyes wishing things to be different.
But of course, the world never turned the way he'd like it to.
"... so that you can revoke it and claim your heritage as a hunter." Kaien explained. Then, as Zero didn't answer, he added: "There are ways to undo that contract, Zero. You don't have to belong to them. It cannot be your wish to pass your family inheritance to the family of your parent's murderer."
With difficulty, Zero tried to listen to the rest of what his guardian had to say. Not that it really mattered much. But the man had obviously gone to great lengths to protect him, so he supposed he could at least show some respect and pretend to listen.
"There will be a new treaty by the end of next month. And I will clarify these legal matters in your favor. But for now I had hoped you would claim what is yours. Reasserting what you have already claimed will be much easier than having to prove your interest first. You're a Kiryu, Zero. It is yours. It should be yours. What you do with your heritage afterwards is your choice. But I would like you to think about it very carefully, before you decide anything rash. There were many things in your parent's possession that are intertwined with the Kiryu family name. Do not give it up so easily."
Zero turned and faced the chairman who smiled at him encouragingly.
"Why do you need his signature?" he nodded toward the pureblood.
Kaien scratched his nose und shifted uncomfortably.
Zero narrowed his eyes. Kaien's gaze met his with an apologetic expression.
"Zero, a vampire doesn't go to an administrative office like humans do. The Vampire Council of Elders decides to grant legal authority to certain vampires that are then entrusted with these kinds of administrative dealings. Instead of going to an administrative office, a vampire reports to their pureblood or noble superior. Only they have the legal authority to handle these things. Usually, it is also in their hands to chose to ask for a tribute as compensation for handling the affairs of their subordinates. Kaname here has been my legal supporter within the vampire society for years. I judged his involvement to be in your best interest, Zero. I doubt any other pureblood will make this as easy on you."
Kuran nodded in approval to the former chairman's words, but Zero felt like destroying something very large. With difficulty, he reigned himself in, hoping that Kuran hadn't noticed. He didn't want the pureblood to know how he loathed being in debt to a vampire. Even if it was Kuran.
Why had he just thought that?
Why should Kuran be any different from other purebloods?
"... Zero...?" Kaien asked.
Zero shrugged, feigning indifference. Then, with difficulty, he forced out in a dead voice.
"Where do I sign?"
~{}~
Hanabusa kicked back his chair and gulped down another glass of chalky crimson tablet water. It tasted no better than the last three had, but it kept him functional, sort of like a mixture of coffee and vitamin pills. Then again, he had tweaked his pills a bit to have that effect. Akatsuki had argued he'd rather eat a decent meal, but Hanabusa was able to work for hours on end when supplied with a full box of his pills. Theoretically, taken at regular intervals every two and a half hours, they should be able to provide him with enough energy to work for 78 hours straight without a drop in his concentration. But then there was that issue of needing sleep. And currently his sleep deprivation was taking its toll. It didn't look like the next tablet water would help him anymore...
He yawned extravagantly between piles of printed data that were strewn around him and the modern analytical equipment barely visible underneath heaps of old spell books. Rubbing his forehead, he left his blond hair in even more of a mess than it already had been. At least he had gotten a few answers. He just hadn't believed them. Four hours later though, he still kept coming to the same conclusions. It made no sense to him whatsoever and he wished he'd payed more attention to what was going on around him during his time at Cross Academy, but it couldn't be helped now.
Frustrated, he went over his notes again. His findings showed three things. Underneath Kaname-sama's protective charm layer, there was powerful vampire magic sealing something strange inside the blood gem. And it was not Kaname-sama's. Though that was a bit disconcerting, Hanabusa had found out more after he had inspected that magic thoroughly. Following two hours of painstakingly researching that charm, he had circumvented it to reveal the rest of the gem's secrets. Multiple analysis had shown that it was composed of vampire dust and vampire blood. Nothing unusual there.
Determining the source of that vampire dust was near to impossible - chemically. Furthermore, there were more spells around it than Hanabusa could hope to understand in just a few hours. But the blood was very familiar.
The scent was unmistakable and therefore the answer was clear. There was only one person's blood in the blood gems. And it wasn't Kaname-sama's.
It was Zero Kiryu's blood.
Frowning, Hanabusa leaned back and tried to recall what he knew of the hunter. He was a despicable Level D that had surely fallen to Level E by now. For years, none of the nobles had even known that Kiryu was a vampire. When they found out, they had all questioned how Kaname-sama could let him live. Not only was his attitude indescribably unbearable, but he was a threat. He was bound to fall. It would have been merciful to kill him right away.
Especially after it became clear that Yuki Cross was not human but a hidden pureblood vampire, none of the others had been able to comprehend why Kaname-sama had chosen to let a falling Level D of all people guard someone so infinitely precious.
The noble scowled. Kiryu's blood and vampire dust...
Why would those two things be in Yuki-sama's earrings?
It made no sense to him. But then again, he was a noble. He knew very little of what really went on. Especially where purebloods were involved. Many things that Kaname-sama did were way out of his realm of understanding. Perhaps he wasn't meant to understand it. Perhaps his findings were enough to tell the pureblood what he wished to learn. Perhaps he could finally get a bit of sleep then.
It hadn't been so clever to not sleep at all on their plane. Stupid Takuma. If it weren't for him...
He stopped himself. Well... if it weren't for him, Kaname-sama would probably no longer be alive. A disturbing thought. Perhaps he shouldn't be so harsh on the other noble. If Kaname-sama had been in danger, he would have done anything to help. But he couldn't imagine what might have happened... What Takuma could have done. And how...?
He knew it wasn't his business. But...
He shook his head firmly. None. Of his. Business.
He would be professional for a change. He would take the information he had gathered and report to Kaname-sama and be a help instead of a nuisance.
Couldn't he just... ask Takuma how it had happened...? Just a hinted question maybe...?
~{}~
"There."
Kaien laid down his pen and pointed to the blank spaces that required signatures from Kuran and Zero. Kuran had taken no more than five seconds to read the entire paperwork. Show-off...
Glowering, the young hunter tried to ignore how the pen in Kuran's hand managed to fluently produce flawless calligraphy of his cherished pureblood name. Seriously? How could that be anyone's handwriting...? So, in his ever rebellious attitude, he graced the forms with a barely legible scrawl of his own name.
"I'll leave these with you, Kaname." Kaien said, pointing to a set of papers. "One copy goes to Zero..." he handed Zero another set of papers "...and one to me. I think that was all then." he concluded, stuffing his papers into a large bag.
"Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me, Kaien Cross?" Kuran asked.
The former chairman declined with thanks and jumped up, a theatrical expression on his face. Zero rolled his eyes. Here we go again...
"Oh, how time flies by... I must leave you now, my wonderful children." the former hunter chanted in a melodramatic voice.
"Though I am sure you will miss me deeply in your hearts, duty calls - and even a caring father must face the challenges of..."
Punch.
Zero fist connected unceremoniously with his face in the middle of his sentence.
"Why can't you be normal?" he growled in annoyance.
"How can..." - sniff - "... caring for your beloved..." - sniff - "... children not be..." - sniff - "... normal?" he wailed in an offended tone.
Zero folded his arms at his chest and scowled while Kuran wordlessly helped his guardian up and led him to the door of his study. His hand had just touched the handle when he spoke again.
"Cross...?" Zero said in a serious voice.
The former chairman turned. There was that stupid spark of knowledge in the senior hunter's eyes as Zero looked at him. Yeah, of course... For all his humiliating father act, Kaien Cross was still a highly intelligent man with great insight into his adoptive son. Of course he knew what Zero felt. Of course he knew what he was going to say. Neither was Zero ignorant enough not to know this. Their eyes met briefly and there was a nanosecond of understanding. Then Zero stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking away again.
"Thank you." he growled, barely audible. It didn't matter, Cross had heard him. His stupid face had lit up like a damn Christmas tree in the darkness of winter, not that Zero hadn't known it would, but he knew he owed the man. For caring. For raising him. For looking away when he fucked up and reaching a hand when he was a trouble... Yeah, he owed the man, because he was the best damn adoptive father he could have ever wished for. Not that he'd ever say that out loud to the former hunter's already overly inflated ego...
Cross was about to inhale for a reply when luckily, Kuran was polite enough to sense the mood and shoved him out of the door before he could go on a 'my-wonderful-son'-tirade.
~{}~
Senri Shiki tossed in the bed of his hotel. He knew he was prone to jetlag, but this was ridiculous. He was expected to show up for his job in four hours and look like the stunning model everyone took him for. But really, he didn't feel an ounce like it right now. He missed Takuma. Though he wouldn't really show much of anything on his face, he really, really missed him. They had gone without contact for three weeks and it was totally killing him that his boyfriend, yes, his boyfriend - not some other random person - hadn't as much as welcomed him back or even called. Well, of course, it did suck that he was already in another hotel room on his way to some other place again...
After arriving on the airport in the morning he had been on his way home when the call came. How his manager knew he and Rima were back, he had no idea. So he had started repacking immediately and then checked into this hotel with Rima. All he wanted to do now was sleep. But he couldn't. According to his body, sleep would be due in five hours - right in the middle of his photo-shoot. He sighed. Frustrated, he gave up on sleeping and went in search for some pockey when there was a knock at his door.
He sensed it was Rima. Not the person he wanted to be on the other side of the door, but acceptable company, he supposed. She was sort of like a sister - for someone he spent so much time with, she was surprisingly pleasant company. He didn't usually take to other people's presence. Well, all except Takuma and Rima, of course. He opened the door.
"I can't sleep." she said.
"Me neither." he grumbled.
She evaded his eyes. "Would you mind if I came in?"
"No."
Senri indicated her to sit and served a cup with water for her tablets. Then he sat down next to her and smiled. She smiled back. Senri was glad for the distraction. It quenched the feeling of loneliness he had right now - not that she could replace Takuma, but her company was pleasant. Usually, he disliked having people around. For years, he had been shunned for how his mother behaved. She may have been famous and beautiful - but then her husband, her fame and the depression had turned her into something even Senri could only describe as pathetic. Still, the constant rumors and whisperings of everyone around him were disgusting and hurtful. They knew nothing about her - how dare they?
He had learned early on as a child that other people's company meant nothing but trouble. So he avoided that. It was a miracle he had managed to adjust to a regular school life at Cross Academy at all. If he hadn't been Kaname's cousin, he would never have bothered. It wasn't like he didn't know how to behave when people were around, but he was more of a quiet type anyway. Rima knew this. She didn't ask inappropriate things. She didn't whisper about him behind his back like so many others. But that didn't mean that everything was fine between them.
Senri was too observant for his own good. Not once had she said a word about it, not once had she looked at him the wrong way. But he knew. Just because she was here now, he knew. She wasn't just here because she couldn't sleep. He forced the thoughts away.
"My manager will kill me for the tan I got last week." he said in a light tone.
Rima smiled.
"And for the dark circles under both our eyes..."
There was a small pause. Senri could have filled it, could have come up with something evasive to say, but it would only delay the inevitable. She was here to say something. She was here to tell him that she cared too much - too much to be just friends. Senri knew what that meant. Once the words were out, their friendship would be changed forever. They both knew he couldn't return her feelings. But he would feel guilty for something that wasn't his fault and she would wish she had never confessed.
They would try to recapture what they had right now, in this moment, when the words hadn't yet been spoken and their friendship was still just that - friendship. But once she decided to speak, everything would crumble. Still, Senri chose not to lighten the mood or postpone her words. It wasn't his choice to make, but hers. And how could he wish her to remain silent, when she felt such an urgent necessity to spill her confession?
So he opened a package of pockey and offered her the choice in silence.
Rima accepted and nibbled on the chocolate.
"Listen, Senri..." she began. "I... I am sorry for being so distant lately... I... I wish I could... I wanted to tell you..."
A quiet knock interrupted her. She bit her lip.
Senri sighed - he didn't know if it was relief or annoyance. Well, it couldn't be helped then. He smiled apologetically and got up to answer the door. A hotel maid stood there, bowed and handed him a letter.
"Shiki-san, this letter was delivered to us for you. I apologize... there is no sender on the envelope..."
Senri accepted the letter and thanked her.
No sender? He frowned. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he opened it and read.
Dear Senri,
sorry I haven't called. I wish I had had the time, but unfortunately, when you get this, I will already be on business for Kaname and unable to reach you otherwise. I was sent to do some work at the Council of Elders and will be piled in with meetings but I have important news to tell you. If you can find the time, please meet me there and we can talk.
Love, Taku
"Who is it from?" Rima inquired.
"Takuma." Senri answered furrowing his brow. "What did you want to say?" he asked her, knowing she wouldn't finish.
"It's n...n nothing. It can wait." she smiled faintly. "I'll go and get ready for work now."
"Ok." Senri answered with a non-chalence he wasn't feeling.
Life was just way too complicated for his liking.
~{}~
"Do you like it?" Kaname asked. It was an elegant way to mask his surprise. It had taken almost twenty minutes to see the former chairman to the door. He always had much more to say than he let on. Kaname had expected the hunter to make a beeline for it the second they were out the study door. He was quite a bit puzzled at finding the hunter still in his study after he returned.
Zero didn't answer. He had his back turned to him, seemingly staring at an object in the pureblood's glass cabinet. Of course they both knew that he wasn't really looking at it, but uncharacteristically at a loss to begin a conversation any different, Kaname clarified, pointing to the object of choice.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Still, Zero didn't turn or answer. But his gaze humored Kaname's verbal evasion and lingered on the stone. The oval shape had a size that fit into the palm of a hand comfortably. Its color appeared to be black, but from its insides it seemed to radiate colors. Wisps of dark greens and blues seemed to swirl beneath the surface, licking across the dark insides like hungry flames. Kaname himself had spent many moments contemplating the mesmerizing object, but he hadn't ever touched it.
"It's a teleportation stone. A rare gift that belonged to my mother. My father gave it to her." he said.
Kaname noted the slight surprise in the hunter's posture. It was barely noticeable - but it was there nonetheless. Most likely, the hunter was a bit surprised at him sharing such information. Had they not decided to forcefully shut each other out of each other's minds, Zero would already know this and much more about him and the Kuran family. As it was, Kaname was standing here next to him, wondering what the hunter wanted - like he was some random stranger.
"A teleportation stone?" the hunter finally decided to grace him with a reply. "As in make a wish and it takes you where you want to go?"
"Sort of." Kaname smiled. It was a simple way to grasp it, but quite accurate even so.
"I heard about Ichijo. So use it to teleport yourself to him so you can get him out of there – wherever he is." Zero shrugged his shoulders.
Kaname quirked a smile at the idea. The use of such an artifact was perilous. Only in great need would anyone dare to make use of it - perhaps to prevent a war, to save thousands from death... This too, would be known instantly to the hunter, if they were mentally linked. Kaname sighed. So Seiren had told him of Takuma. It was probably not a good idea, but he had authorized it and it couldn't be helped now.
"Perhaps it could." he answered, still talking about the teleportation stone.
Zeri turned, raising an eyebrow, "Perhaps?"
Kaname tried to ignore how those lilac eyes made him shiver, he did his best to conceal how his heart fluttered at being directly addressed by his mate. It was all just their bond - it had no meaning, he told himself. Still, he was dismayed to find that with each passing day, with every passing minute, he was drawn closer and closer to the hunter, while Zero seemed to create an even greater distance, maintaining impersonality in their interaction that would one day drive Kaname to desperation. It was an artificial need but he was beginning to doubt that its hold would ever loosen. He didn't want to think about the outcome.
The pureblood forced his gaze from the hunter's eyes and returned to staring at the stone. He smiled sadly. "Once you touch it, it takes you to wherever your heart wishes to be most. Much as I regret to say it, but I doubt it would lead me to Takuma."
The unspoken question hung between them, but Zero didn't ask it. A rare moment in which Kaname was glad for their distance. He would not have wanted to answer it. He wouldn't even know now what to answer anymore.
Where would it lead him?
If he touched the stone, would his heart wish to carry him back in time? Back to when she was still alive? Or would it chose to remain here, right where he was beside the unapproachable hunter?
But in the depth of his mind there was another answer to his question. Did he truly wish to be with Yuki? With the knowledge that she didn't love him, but Zero? No... his heart would not wish to be with her if it made her unhappy... nor with the hunter who refused him so bluntly. His heart would wish to stop hurting, would wish to take the easy way out. His mind would never allow such folly - but if it was only a choice of heart...
Had there not been happiness for him very long ago? In a time where he ruled and there were none to contest his reign? But the stone only had the power to move him in space - and not in time. Since there was nothing here for him in this time, would he fall into nothingness?
A perilous gift indeed, he mused, for a pureblood who didn't know his heart anymore, whose mind had become estranged to his heart out of necessity...
"What's the tribute, Kuran?" the hunter interupted his musings with a serious tone.
The pureblood turned his head to face the hunter raising an eyebrow. Tribute? The silver-haired hunter fixed him with an intense gaze. Once again, the pureblood cursed Zero's excellent abilities at hiding his emotions and thoughts from his mate. He judged the look in the lilac eyes to be angry, perhaps a bit hurt. But with a Kiryu you couldn't really be sure.
The hunter scowled, his eyes hardening.
"You know what I mean, Kuran. The tribute I owe you for the paperwork." he clarified.
Kaname shook his head.
"I was under the impression that that went as a good-will favor to your guardian Kaien Cross. There is no tribute, Kiryu. You owe me nothing."
Kaname couldn't quite understand why Zero's scowl deepened at this.
"Because it belongs to you anyway, is that it?" Zero's quiet voice had a bitter edge now.
"What do you mean?" he asked. But this seemed to upset the hunter even more.
"Stop playing with me." he growled.
"Then tell me what you're talking about." Kaname was weary of these verbal games with the hunter. The ever-present mixture of the hunter's anger, his accusing hatred toward the pureblood - simply because he was what he was - and his refusal to acknowledge what he, too had created between them. Kaname was tired of all of it. But he held his tongue and forced himself to remain impassive and polite.
"A pureblood's bite is a legally binding contract." he growled. "That's what I'm talking about, Kuran."
Kaname had difficulty following his words. They had deep meaning, Zero was somehow hurt or angry. But before Kaname could figure out why the hunter would be so upset, he continued in a louder voice. "So, do I belong to you now? Am I your property? Is everything I own your property now?"
The last words rang loudly in Kaname's ears. Understanding dawned on the pureblood.
"No." he said firmly.
"I have not publicly claimed you. Nor have I marked you. Neither as my mate nor as my servant. Only in that case would a pureblood's bite be acknowledged as a legally binding contract. Legally, it is as Cross has put it. You are property of the Hio Clan. Though now they have to go through me to legally get to you."
The hunter looked at him in suspicious disbelief.
"I did it to protect you, Kiryu." Kaname started. And then, realizing that the hunter would never believe him, he added the selfishness to his reason that would gain Zero's acceptance. "To protect us both. That is why I didn't mark you. When I bite you, my sole purpose is to feed."
Damn, why couldn't he keep the regret from his voice right there? But if the hunter noticed, he gave no sign. So Kaname continued.
"The public believes that Takuma is my mate. They think I marked him, Kiryu."
The hunter looked away disgusted.
"I know this is difficult for you to understand, Kiryu. But he agreed to it."
"So that's how this works? Seiren told me he has been abducted. Was that part of the plan, Kuran? Was it?"
Kaname didn't answer.
"You know what?" the hunter continued in a whisper. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I don't care." But his voice clearly betrayed that he felt the extreme opposite.
Zero started to leave, but Kaname couldn't remain silent this time.
"Would you rather be in his stead, Kiryu?" the pureblood asked quietly.
The hunter snorted mirthlessly.
"Are you getting him out?" he countered.
It was a strange moment. A moment of choice. Kaname wasn't sure he even made a conscious decision to be honest, but then his lips just moved and his vocal chords produced the sound and the words fell out of his mouth.
"I can't." to his own utter astonishment there was regret in his voice again. How was it possible that he didn't know what he was saying, that the words he spoke circumvented his control and just spilled the truth when it was not at all what he had intended to say? How much control could the bond have over him?
"What do you mean, you can't?" Zero asked in an annoyed tone, almost as though he really didn't care - but the pureblood wasn't fooled.
Kaname couldn't believe he was having this conversation with the hunter. For days he didn't care about their bond or about the fact that Takuma was posing for him. Now - all of a sudden - he cared about Takuma?! Why now of all times? And with what justification? He had no right to question the pureblood now of all times. He had no right to come up now and condemn him. But... perhaps Kaname was missing the point entirely. Perhaps Zero didn't really care for Takuma... maybe he just felt the need to spite the pureblood...
Of course. That had to be it.
It made him angry that it was so obvious and he hadn't wanted to see that. Kaname didn't have to appease his righteousness, he didn't even have to care if it mattered to the hunter what the hell he did. But perhaps he should be honest with the hunter and just tell him what was going on. He should. If their minds were connected, he'd know already. Perhaps he should explain the entirely cruel and cold reality to him then? He closed his eyes.
Just a part of it then...
"I can't because it will kill both of us if I do, Kiryu."
Then after a pause Kaname continued.
"Rido is alive."
There. He'd said it.
"And you decided to tell me this now because...?" Zero's voice still held a bored tone.
Wait a minute... Zero knew?
"You're not surprised." Kaname said slightly taken aback.
"No." Zero answered monosyllabically. "I was there, remember? You made me your weapon. It was your idea."
"Yes, I remember." Kaname said, trying desperately to keep the regret from his voice this time. Like the hunter would even believe him if he showed it.
"Give your weapon some credit. I'm not that stupid." Zero said, leaving the pureblood to guess at how he knew. Kaname's mind worked feverishly, though he showed none of it.
"You felt him through the Bloody Rose." Kaname stated when he came up with an explanation.
"Yes. There were still traces left of him when the dust glittered on the ground..." Zero said with slightly vacant tone of voice.
"You never told me..." Kaname said quietly.
"She left. With you. It didn't matter anymore." the hunter answered dismissively.
"But now it does." the pureblood said with an edge to his voice.
~{}~
"Does it?" Zero asked bitterly. Does it matter if we fight?
And just like that they had come to the core of their relationship. This was the heart of their differences, wasn't it. He could see it clearly in Kuran's eyes. There was an eerie determination in his gaze that had nothing to with pureblood posture or pride. There was a dangerous edge there in that garnet glare that betrayed just how important this issue was to him.
How much would they fight? How much would he fight?
Perhaps Zero should have remained silent, kept it to himself that he had already known. But he was uncharacteristically impulsive right now, almost like he had reverted back to who he had been four years ago. Really, he should just shut the hell up and leave. He had stayed only because he wanted to hear a truth that Kuran wasn't going to acknowledge. That Zero was his fucking little pawn again. He decided it was best to go now, best to turn his back on this conversation before he said something really stupid. There was no way they would see eye-to-eye on this one, there was no point in discussing it, there was no reason to waste time and energy on this... But he had only taken one step toward the door, when he heard Kuran speak again.
"Do you enjoy this, Kiryu?" the pureblood asked very quietly. Zero's hunter senses went mad with alarm. 'Warning' was painted in a screaming red across that soft question. But Zero ignored it. He wanted to take another step, but found that his foot hadn't moved. Was this Kuran making him stay?
"Do you enjoy the power you have over me through this bond?" the pureblood's voice had become even quieter. But Zero could hear the words very clearly, almost too clearly for the distance between them. It was like the words were whispered directly into his ear, causing both his hunter senses and vampire instincts to go haywire. He clenched his teeth against it. Was it Kuran? Was it the bond? Whatever it was, it was messing with him and he hated it. He loathed this feeling, this sensation of not being able to control his own body.
Power over Kuran? Him? Ridiculous! If he had any power to speak of, he'd be the hell out of here and a million miles away, surrounded by Level E's with a gun in his hand and something to do. But he said nothing. It probably made no difference if he said anything or not, Kuran was aggravated anyway - whether he answered with the truth, lied or remained silent. So Zero just looked at the pureblood - facing him with a bland look. The same he had trained with Yagari for years.
Kuran's voice became a whisper inside his skull.
"Does it satisfy you to know that I might need your help and you are free to grant it or not?"
Zero refused to react. With a stubborn detachment, he watched the fury spread on Kuran's face. The inevitable followed swiftly.
Kuran slammed him into the wall with brutal force, pinning him painfully. Both his physical and mental voice exploded inside the hunter's ear.
"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TOLD ME IT WAS TOO EASY TO JUST GIVE UP! YOU WERE THE ONE TO TELL ME THAT WE CAN'T JUST KILL OURSELVES BECAUSE WE HURT! THOSE WERE YOUR WORDS! YOUR WORDS, HUNTER! Now where is your will to fight, Kiryu?"
"You can't make me fight for you, Kuran." Zero answered calmly. It wasn't like the words hadn't shook him. It wasn't like Kuran's anger didn't resonate inside his own chest. It wasn't like those words didn't tear out his heart and pierced straight through everything about his life that he believed to be in vain. But he would not give in. He wouldn't let Kuran believe that he could induce his will to fight. He wouldn't let the pureblood get to him with the words he himself had spoken. He wanted to hear the pureblood finally give up the farce. Though his head hurt and his body was bruised, Zero still gave Kuran the same empty stare. The pureblood would not make him fight.
A dangerous spark lit up in Kuran's garnet eyes.
"Oh I can... Zero... I can." He whispered lethally.
"I can make you do whatever I want. I can break your mind and truly make you a puppet to my will and there is no one who will stop me. No one, do you hear me?" Kuran's voice almost became a snarl as he continued.
"I can control your mind and force you to do my bidding until there is nothing left of your will to oppose mine. And then you will fight for me... hunter. You will crawl at my feet and beg to be allowed to fight for me."
And there you were the one telling me you had nothing to gain in breaking my mind. About time you showed that true face of yours.
Zero should have been feeling the need to attack him, throw a punch at him, be furious - anything. But all he managed was a mirthless chuckle as a strange calm came over him. He had known from the beginning that this was all a lie. They weren't equal. Kuran would never be equal to anyone. He was a pureblood of the Kuran family. He wasn't even equal to other purebloods... He was fucking Kaname Kuran, the prince of their entire lot of liars and he could do whatever the hell he pleased.
Zero almost smiled as he stared into the dark eyes that kept changing their hue, teetering on the border to crimson. His senses screamed at him, but he did nothing as he watched the dark red overwhelm the brown irises. So what now? A vampire's eyes turned crimson for three reasons: bloodlust, anger and sexual desire.
Do you get off on that kind of stuff, pureblood?
The hunter kept his voice calm and detached as he spoke. "Until you break me, I don't have to fight for you, Kuran. Neither do I need to fight against you. What you don't get is that I'm not like you. I'm not a monster that gets off on forcing their will on others. This bond was an accident. I paid my debt, that's all. You were supposed to kill me when you drank my blood. But you didn't. Why? Did you need another slave, Kuran? Did you..."
But the pureblood didn't let the hunter finish. In a flash, he threw the hunter through the room, and appeared at his destination before him just to slam his fist into his face before he landed.
~{}~
Kaname was furious. All the pent up energy he had, the frustration about the hunter's silence in their bond, his audacity and righteousness about Takuma's abduction - the rational part of himself was horrified at how his control slipped. He knew this was wrong. Every punch he dealt the hunter hurt his own body as well. No matter how wrong the hunter was to judge him, he had gone too far. He knew it, but his anger was vastly out of control.
The hunter was on the floor, not even bothering to put up a fight.
Kaname snatched the him up by his hair and slammed him into the nearby wall – pressing his body against him and pinning him there. It was the wrong thing to do - the wrong way to go about this... Still, Kaname couldn't stop himself.
"I gave you all the freedom that was possible under these circumstances and this is what I get in return?" he growled at the hunter.
But Zero only snorted faintly.
"Look at me."
Kaname pulled up his face by his hair. But the lilac eyes were dead. It was an empty gaze that didn't answer his anger, that didn't answer the pain he inflicted, that didn't answer him. Zero's eyes didn't answer anyone who was unworthy. The pureblood vampire battled himself, staring into that emptiness. No hatred, no anger, no care... no life. He swallowed hard. No one had ever managed to defy him quite like Zero. He would always elude him somehow. This hunter would truly never be his to claim.
Whatever he could force out of him, or move his body to do would not be Zero Kiryu. Even were his mind and body under Kaname's control, all that was Zero would be gone. And if he didn't control him, Zero would continue to defy him.
Kaname wanted to scream at him, yell into his face.
Stop resisting me, stop refusing me.
But he realized that it would be entirely useless. This hunter would manage to spite him with his last breath just by refusing to breathe. He was utterly untameable. And Kaname was utterly stupid for believing anything else.
The pureblood let him go. Kaname felt the soft silver hair brush through his fingers as Zero slouched against the bookshelves. A pang of guilt flashed through him as he realized this was his mate. He had attacked his own mate... The pureblood could only stare at him. Damn this hunter for having such an amount of control over him and not even caring to use it. At least then this would be a fair duel - a pawn for a pawn. Zero could be worthy opponent. But even that held no meaning for him. The hunter controlled so much of him and it made no difference to him whatsoever...
"You really hate me, don't you." He whispered, slightly horrified that he cared so much if it was true. He felt cold suddenly and retreated to his desk, leaning heavily against it for support.
"Are you done now?" the hunter asked numbly.
Kaname shook his head. Not in answer to Zero's question, but to his reaction. "I guess then an apology makes no difference to you." Another long silence stretched out between them.
Slowly, the hunter moved. Kaname watched as he collected his limbs and pulled himself up. His own hands gripped the edge of his desk tightly to keep himself from saying anything or doing anything else he would regret later on. Zero didn't even look at him.
"Good night, Kuran." The hunter turned away to leave the room.
"But I am sorry." Kaname said. Zero stopped, but he didn't look at the pureblood. "I was angry. But I had no right to hurt you..." he trailed off, leaving the whispered words between them.
"I understand." Zero said quietly. Then he left.
Kaname just stared after him. It was all he could do.
~{}~
Takuma's mouth felt parched as he tried to swallow. That was the first thing he noticed. Then he noticed the pain. His hands were bound behind his back painfully tight and his legs were tied as well as he knelt there on a hard, unyielding floor. He tried to swallow again, fighting his surging panic. Bruised parts of his body ached everywhere. He was entirely naked and in total darkness and he was still wearing the collar. Its hunter metal grated on his senses, its pain was like an electric current cutting and sawing painfully at his facial nervous system. He felt the blood pound in the artery of his throat with every beat of his nervously pounding heart, inducing a very unpleasant headache. It impaired his concentration greatly and it didn't help his condition at all that the hunter metal dulled his sensory perception as well - all except for the pain of course.
To be quite frank - he was scared to death. The encroaching darkness around him could have held an army of enemies all out to kill him and he wouldn't have noticed a thing. But even if he could, there was no way he would be able to do anything against them. Moving was almost impossible - not to mention even more painful. He was freezing so bad he could hardly feel his feet or hands anymore. In other words: he was totally and utterly helpless. And that was damn scary. He bit his lip to refrain from screaming and concentrated on breathing - inhale, count to four; exhale, count to four; inhale, count to four; exhale, count to four...
Through the pain and the slowly receding panic, the noble tried to focus. Think, he told himself. Use your head.
Inhale, count to four.
He had been at the Vampire Council, he remembered.
Exhale...
After he had spoken with Kaname mentally he had been sent to wait in smaller meeting room.
Inhale... So far so good. The wine - of course. He had been drugged.
Exhale.
Damn the pain.
Cursing was a good thing, he reminded himself.
Takuma knew his attempt at being stubborn might be futile, but he wasn't ready to give up.
So the wine had been drugged... he wasn't too good with different kinds of poison, he had no idea what he had been given.
Well, and next thing he knew, he had woken up in this room.
He had found himself face to face with the same vampire the Council had been plotting against, the same one that Kaname was supposed to take down for the Council... the same one whose location they were supposed to know and provide information about to Kaname.
Rido Kuran.
The same vampire believed dead three and a half years ago. Takuma wasn't an idiot. This was a trap. And he was the bait.
The question was just... whose bait. - Did the Council know? Was this their plan? Or was this Rido's game?
Most likely he wouldn't learn any details. He debated with himself about whether to tell the pureblood or not, but it had been his order to do so. With doubt in his heart, he informed Kaname about his captivity.
~{}~
Rido smirked. The best thing about bond mates was that – not only did they share pain – they shared pleasure as well. What a perfect opportunity... his smirk widened. It would be very difficult for Kaname indeed to rescue little blondie if his mind was blinded by intense pleasure – much more so than if he were in terrible pain. Luckily, Rido knew well how to induce a very effective combination of both. He fingered the small metal device in his hand and entered the dark room.
Contrary to the incapacitated noble, the pureblood had no difficulty seeing in the dark. And he liked what he was currently seeing. The terrified noble was trembling against his constraints. Really, Rido chided himself - with Ojima he hadn't exactly treated himself to an esthetically pleasing past time amusement - now this one was much more to his liking. Asato's grandson was certainly adequately handsome. He was also young and nearly innocent. And the best part about him - he was Kaname's and still needed to be broken.
The pureblood inhaled deeply. The noble reeked of fear. Rido loved the scent.
With slow and menacing steps he approached the noble from behind. Then, without warning, he yanked his head backwards harshly.
"Now listen here, Blondie… I know you're thirsty, so let's give that dry throat some liquid to swallow, shall we?" Rido laughed a dark laugh, his voice pleasantly echoing along the walls. He walked around the kneeling figure and let the noble hear the unmistakable sound of an opening zipper right next to his ear. Without giving him much time to think, he shoved himself into the noble's mouth.
"You know what to do."
~{}~
Though he obviously did his best to swallow obediently, Rido wasn't much impressed with his new acquisition. He would have to seriously work on him.
"Is that what Kaname keeps you for?" Rido sneered. "He has no standard, does he… But I'll teach you what you need to learn so that you can satisfy, my little bitch." He slapped Takuma hard. The blond noble moaned in pain.
A pleasant sound. Much better. Oh yes, he would make sure the noble improved on his qualities. Not that he'd let Kaname get the chance to enjoy any of them...
He caught the noble by his hair and gave him a calculating look.
"But since you at least managed to swallow it all, I have a gift for you…" the pureblood chuckled coldly. With more force than necessary, Rido knocked him backwards so he lay sprawled on his back. The noble gasped loudly as his bare spine collided with the cold concrete floor.
A beautiful sound... Rido smiled a cruel smile as he watched the bound noble scramble on the floor. As the smell of salt and fear tinted the air, Rido relished it. He was going to thoroughly enjoy this... But timing was crucial to his plans. He fingered the object in his hands, waiting for the perfect moment. The noble had just finished struggling on the floor and had finally managed to roll up his legs into a protective fetal position. He lay still, tears streaming down his face.
It was what the pureblood had been waiting for. With a swift motion, Rido shoved the icy metal object deep into the noble's exposed rear. The noble howled in agony. But before Rido could let the music of his newfound plaything get to him, he hurriedly left the room. With an ominous sound, the door clanged shut.
In a room adjacent to his captive's, Rido switched on the monitor and dropped into a large plush chair. Smirking he followed each of the vampire's movements that were broadcasted in black and white on the screen in front of him. With delight, he watched every tremble and listened to every stifled moan and sniffle. But after a while, the noble stopped all movement.
Rido frowned. He decided to make things more interesting. Pulling out a small remote control he pressed the button with the number one on it and watched the still figure on the monitor with amusement.
He chuckled when he saw the noble twitch.
Fifteen minutes later, the noble was moaning and writhing on the floor.
~{}~
Hanabusa bowed to the maid that opened the door.
"I have information for Kaname-sama. He asked me to come to him when I knew more..."
"Of course, Aido-san. Please come inside. I will inform him."
The noble waited in the entrance hall. But suddenly, he could feel the pureblood's aura become very angry. Hanabusa knew that sensation very well. As a reflex, his mind went through all the things he could have possible done wrong to make the pureblood angry, but he came up with nothing. Then there was a sudden crash and a terribly familiar scent hit him.
Blood.
And not just anyone's blood...
It was Kiryu's blood. Then silence.
The noble became curious. Kiryu was alive? He was here? Why?
He started up the flight of stairs when sure enough, none other than Zero Kiryu, walked towards him, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
The noble felt the sharp stab of thirst twist inside his chest. He had been analyzing this particular blood too much today, he had touched the stone too often for his sanity... but when the hunter looked up and their eyes met, the noble shuddered involuntarily and froze where he stood. They were so different than he remembered. It was no more than a fraction of a second - but he was sure the look of those eyes would haunt him forever.
He had known that face to show nothing but hostility. At Cross Academy he had wished nothing more than to kill him for his disobedience toward Kaname-sama. He remained rooted to the spot as the hunter passed him. Everything about the silver-haired ex-human was different than how he remembered him as a teenager.
He was tall, broad-shouldered and strong, his hunter aura was nothing short of menacing and the scent of his blood was almost as tantalizing to the tired and thirsty noble as the pure blood of Kaname-sama himself. So much was different about him and yet, there was no mistaking him.
It was Zero Kiryu. The Level D that had been so close to falling. The ever angry and defiant hunter. Yes, it was the same person - but that look in his eyes...
Vacant... No hatred, no anger... nothing but deep sadness. It was just a fraction of a second before he had hid it away behind an impassive mask of calm. But Hanabusa had seen it. And for some reason he felt... sympathy?
He shook his head. Sympathy for Kiryu? What was wrong with him?!
"He will see you now."
The maid's voice startled him so badly that he almost fell down the stairs.
Dammit Aido, he growled to himself, get a grip. You're here on an errand for Kaname-sama. No being a nuisance. Professional, remember?
He scrambled up, inhaled deeply and entered the pureblood's study.
~{}~
Kaname stared at the ceiling of his study as he lay on his sofa in the dark. He should probably go to bed, it was close to dawn, but his body didn't react to his mind's suggestion. All he manged was to lay a hand over his tired eyes. The pureblood regretted what had happened. Of course the hunter would get under his skin. It was probably his most brilliant talent. Still, he shouldn't have gotten angry so easily. No matter the reason. He was a pureblood - he couldn't afford to be so emotional. He sighed quietly. The ache in his chest told him that the hunter had left Kuran Mansion after their fight.
Briefly, he wondered what the hunter would do. Would he go to his apartment?
Kaname shook away those thoughts. His mind was supposed to be working on the puzzle pieces Aido had given him. He should be going over everything he knew about Yuki's earrings and what the possible connections to the noble's findings were. But he couldn't.
It seemed like their fight had completely drained him of motivation. His eyes and heart burned with thirst. He would call it nothing else. It wasn't longing. The clenching in his chest was thirst. The crimson burning in his eyes was thirst. He refused to acknowledge it as anything else. It was the lingering scent of the hunter's blood in his study that made him thirsty. Nothing. Else.
He would accept no other explanation.
He forced himself to get up. With a slight tremor in his fingers he poured himself a cup of water. Then he dropped three tablets into it. After thoughtfully swirling the cup he took a large sip. It tasted awful.
His gaze wandered across his dark room. He needed no light, he could see perfectly in the darkness. He was a pureblood vampire. There was no living creature that was closer to being a part of the darkness than himself. But it didn't comfort him.
The papers on his desk reminded him of nothing but hours of wringing pointless concessions from the Council. The books on his shelves were nothing but the reminder of his indulgence in solitude and the fireplace was nothing but a decorative feature that gave him no warmth. It had been cold and unused for years now.
He needed no comfort, he thought angrily. A crack went through the glass in his hand but he managed to reign in his powers so it didn't shatter.
Once again he found his gaze drawn to the mesmerizing teleportation stone and it was only due to Kaname's enhanced sight that he saw it at all. It didn't glow, instead it seemed to swallow the darkness in the same writhing and licking pattern that it showed earlier in the light. He snorted softly to himself. The stone had no answers for him, only questions. Questions he didn't want to face.
He turned to the window. Letting his gaze sweep the silent gardens below his study he became distracted by the reflection of his own eyes. The pair of glowing crimson irises reminded him of nothing that he felt. In vain, he tried to force the offensive color to recede, but to no avail. He took another sip from his tablet water, cutting himself on the raw edge of his cracked glass, but he hardly noticed. The faint reflection of his face showed a pale and tired version of himself with blood trickling down his chin from his lip. But the crimson eyes still stared at him. With haste, Kaname finished his blood tablet water, downing it with a grace that its taste certainly didn't deserve. But it didn't satisfy the coldness in his chest.
He closed his eyes.
It was just the bond.
The glass fell to the floor, breaking into a thousand pieces stained with his blood. He found himself standing at the window wishing he could see the hunter return.
He couldn't suppress the shaking of his hand as the fingers touched the cool glass. He felt weak and powerless as he rested his forehead against the window pane.
It was just the bond.
It meant nothing.
It was just the bond.
But his voice betrayed the longing of his heart in the oppressive silence of his study.
"I need you, Zero." He whispered into the dark.
