Bodies…and death…fires in the lands…ashes and discomposure, the lava of the volcano parted the land in two…so much fire that the grounds of the earth could not hold. Earthquakes shook even the last rocks pushing them to the absolute void. There was no safe passage left…only the deadly cliffs that burned and the endless gorges with the oceans of hot fire, wild it leaped from the guts of the earth.
They could only scream, they could only die, the one after the other, humans whose fate was to face the death of their beloved as the bodies melted in the heat, struggled with fire, left their last breath next to each other. Mostly children and youngers as the elders had abandoned the fight for life far before. Humans that faced the death of the ones they cherished just to be the next ones to follow. Despair in the lands, in the hearts...in the eyes.
Next morning, only dessert…an ancient dessert, uninhabited from any sign of life.
Amelia woke up in pure sweat. 4.00 am. Again. She woke up with his name in her lips. It was tangled just like herself. "Why?" Her anxious, melancholic self delved more and more into the loneliness.
She did not try to find him another time after she had left his apartment, but he neither showed up to hers.
She tossed to the other side. Her thought was to him several days now, even though she had no idea why. She liked him and that she could not deny, but she had not the courage to face him again. Who was she after all to care that much about such a man? Or why such a man would care for her insignificant existence on earth. Strange…
Zero left his motorcycle far away. In the desert the abandoned factory remained like a ghost of another era. Nothing could suggest that this place once was full of human workers that earned their living by taking care the productions of medicines. One of which was and the latest cure for vampirism.
It was days now though that the opponent's forces had left it deserted after draining all of its resources, taking equipment and copying its technology.
With caution he proceeded to the storage rooms, they were empty. No more meds anywhere. The windows after the attack were broken, he watched his step, a nasty cut could attract all of these dogs around here. His investigation at the ex-factory that had been the main production vehicle for the anti-immortality medicine, turned fruitless. Another one that they had destroyed. Three factories the one after the other had met the same fate.
He was ready to step out when a man laughed behind his back. He half-turned around, his torso still pointing to the exit. Black blouse, trousers, and still he was a human. Another one, working now for them.
"Oh there is nothing left here, but if you are looking for them…"
He stopped.
"Yes?", he phrased without even looking at him.
"Perhaps, I could tell you where they are if you gave me a taste of your blood".
Zero blinked his eyes in pure disgust. Such low pathetic creature…
His hand grabbed the small blade at his belt and with a sharp move he cut his wrist. The man awaited until a satisfactory red little pool gathered at the ground. Just as Zero finished bending his wound with his scarf, the man started laughing.
"You fool.."
Five to six vampires, jumped on him immobilizing him to the ground. He had to confess that it did not take them long to appear and yet he could manage it. He owned that to his father's legacy and to his mother's genes. The little blade turned into a javelin and with that he managed to push them all away. As he twisted his torso in all directions, the vampires fell down the one after the other turning to dust. The sharp pointed edge of the weapons stopped at the man's throat.
The man panicked losing all of his laughter. Zero had a prisoner. And he had better to start talking.
"Kaname…"
"Hi Amelia…"
Their eyes met and she shyly smiled.
However the sudden visit, she was happy to see him standing at her door, the attack did not seem to have left any bruises on him, even though he did seem a bit 'different'. Perhaps it was the deep wined color of his eyes or his air that made him a bit different than usual?
"Come in…"
He got into the little apartment with slow moves, he should be careful in all ways.
"I am sorry for the other day…I was rude", he phrased.
"Oh, its okay, since you are here, it's okay", she spoke too openly and too caring and he just felt responsible.
"I am afraid that my presence here may cause you nothing more than unnecessary trouble", he said as he sat at one of the chairs that accompanied a small round table.
"Oh no", she exclaimed while sitting next to him. "Why do you say that?"
He vaguely smiled.
"It's only truth".
"No, don't feel that way, here I shall make some tea", she suggested while walking to the kitchen.
"I won't sit long…"
"Tell me your news", she yelled back at him from the kitchen.
"Nothing special, but I think that I found you a better job".
The water spilled on Amelia's hands. So he cared. He cared for her.
"You did?", she jumped from the kitchen next to him.
"Yes, at the university they are asking for a librarian assistant. They shall review your c.v."
"C.V? Oh, yes, I should prepare something like that".
"Okay, then take your time and perhaps I shall drop tomorrow morning to pick it up", he suggested.
"Okay but wont you stay for tea?"
He didn't. He thought that some peace, a break after all these expected him at his old apartment but…
"Hi…you should not leave the windows open because apart from your cat, you may have and other visitors", Astris said majestically dropping herself in one of the leather sofas.
Of course she was joking cause after the attack there were no windows.
Kaname closed the door and moved inside removing his coat.
"You are following me?"
"Me and another two purebloods, but it's not like you do not know".
He almost acted like she had not spoken at all, taking out his coat in a slow, steady rhythm and placing it at one of the sofas. Despite that, she did not seem discouraged .
"So, what happened here? Erebus found your spot?"
"Apart from trying to kill me your father seems to like me so much that he even gifted you to my pleasure...should I say more for his good intentions?"
Meanwhile, Astris found amusement in scanning the room and looking at some photos from Kaname's human years.
"A here you are skiing, I never tried all these humans delights..ah about my father, he has style, you can not deny that…well you did look appetizing like a human, now you turned into a heavy lunch. M…you should fix the windows, people will wonder how you can survive here without dying from pneumonia…..humans are so curious and peculiar, some feed tuna their cat, pure kitty, instead of raw salmon, do they realize that they are animals, right? The cats, I mean..aouts".
She protested as Kaname's hands took his pictures and placed them to the side, removing them from her hands in a rather rude and sudden way.
She turned serious lifting herself from the couch, comedy time was over. Fine, she could live with that.
"I only came here to inform you that the direction that you are looking at…has nothing to offer you…a little entertainment perhaps but nothing more, don't waste your time."
"Go back", he laconically said.
"Oh, yes the chandeliers are going to miss me, tell me what are you trying to do here? You know the matter concerns me as well, she is not a person that could afford to be hurt in any way. I would appreciate it if you did not get her hopes high, especially since there is no reason about it".
"Remain where I placed you…I will not change my decisions. "
"Not, if your decisions are diverting you and us from the real trouble".
Really, how he tolerated her constantly demanding and persistent nature? Perhaps, because he excused her youth and her good intentions, still she was becoming quite of a hindrance.
"Astris, it's time to go back…"
She shook her head negatively. "Tell me why…", she insisted.
"I shall tell you when I know, for now you are irritating me, and I am surprised how well you kept hiding these traits with Erebus."
"That's so unfair…", she protested.
How? No, she did not want to tell him how, neither wanted to explain to him the inner despair and the emotions of injustice that had accompanied her last years.
The nights, the times…the cries…the ones that came from the people she loved but she had to stay tall, for them…she really could not explain how it felt to be torn in two, love and despair turning to hate, misery to indifference, wishing to the stars that the life of her own father could end, wishing she could do it. Still sustaining anything so that she could give courage to the ones that needed her. Even him.
Sensing now that something deeper, something heavier tortured her he softened his tone.
"I know that you keep an eye on me because I am the only shield you have. Its okay for I consider it to be a good sign."
She inhaled deeply, yes, she was afraid, she had made a huge amount of effort to get here, to save the nobles, to hide her own self.
After all, it was not in the nature of purebloods to trust so easily one another, despite the fact that this pureblood across the room was different from anyone that she had met in her short life. Yet, that was what he was, a pureblood.
One wrong step and they could all go to hell…
All these thoughts run through her little head as Kaname managed to settle somewhere comfortable at the couch.
"Go back…", he reminded her.
"Allow me to sleep here at least, I am tired and…"
And she did not know when to quit…Kaname also did not know what to do with her. Her sorrow and worry were written all over her face.
"So be it…but only for tonight".
And that was for tonight.
She did not have the time to open her eyes, or even to fully wake up her consciousness as Kaname threw her into the realm of space and she found herself, abruptly transferred to the forest across the Kuran Mansion.
She dashed to the entrance and the vampires that accompanied Erebus bowed to her hurrying figure. She managed to get in, in time.
Erebus twisted his head at the direction of his daughter.
"Father", she bowed herself now resuming the old pureblood ways.
Erebus took a look around at the empty salon.
"Where are they? His friends, where do you hide them and why?"
Astris swallowed her tongue but only for a second.
"After what you did to them it's only natural to hide, they are afraid", she stated.
Erebus slapped her hard enough to remind her who she was, while the chandeliers of the chateau, flickered once and twice, at the pureblood's anger.
"After WHAT I DID? After what I DID to traitors of vampires? Who is the "traitor" here?"
She had lost her breath to the sharp pain. At the same time the men that were searching the house returned back to Erebus.
"Nothing my lord, the house is empty.."
"I see…"
Erebus dragged Astris from the arm close to his blood colored eyes. His tone was low, yet menacing and the grab at her arm forceful enough to make her scared.
"Do you remember what you ought to do with him?"
She shook her head affirmatively.
"I do not see results Astris…perhaps you should care more about our lineage than his friends…your blood should bind him to you. That's all I ask from you from now. And another little thing…tonight, you shall honor the alliance and you shall take your position as my successor. Tell him that he has to prove his intentions. Humans shall wait for him to change them. He better appear… if he wants this alliance to last and his friends to keep breathing" and with these last words Erebus released the bruised Astris.
He distanced himself from her but his majestic figure became hesitant as he approached the door. As he had seen a mistake, a great mistake in all of these.
"My Astris, I am sorry…I just love you so much, but you know this already, it's my deepest fears that dragged me to extremes, you are mine, do not forget this".
She didn't, she never did…in her nightmares, and in her days, and in her nights.
"We are off", Erebus said without turning around.
After the company of the vampire leader disappeared, she in a rush jumped to the library case, releasing the old volume from its place, the stairs to the basement twirled and she ran to her friends.
The old night class was okay. Hidden between the thick walls of the hidden passage, the nobles went on with their research despite Erebus sudden attack on their basis.
" No need for worries", Aido said as Astris asked them if they were okay.
"He is close, we won't be able to cover ourselves any longer, it's only a matter of time", Astris worried.
Ruka approached touching the pureblood girl.
"We wont stand back as cowards, if he is to find out let it be, we are ready".
Astris looked at their face, their full of certainty eyes told her that they would not stop fighting.
She was skeptical though..
"What is it?" , Takuma suggested.
"He wants us to change humans tonight", she said. Her eyes looked upon Aido for a result, a promise, a hope.
"It still needs plenty of time for the cure to start reacting to all these chemicals…No.."
Great news she had tonight as the alliance was ready to crush, and with that all of her hopes.
She loved to have him around and now even his hurrying visit to get the CV brought her pure joy. She stood at the door handing him that piece of paper.
"But Kaname…", she said as he made a turn to leave after thanking her for being so precise.
He stood…
"I should really thank you, won't you come for dinner?", she asked. "Tonight?", he suggested.
"Tonight", Amelia's heart flew to the ceiling. Tonight, she should turn beautiful, just for him.
Astris of course had her own disagreements about "tonight".
"I got a slap from Erebus and you are still hopelessly fooling around", she complained the moment she landed at Kaname's apartment.
"Ah, that's how he keeps you in line...", he said, disregarding the hint about Erebu's visit..
"Is that all you have to say?", she threw a fist.
"What else?"
"Erebus invited us to the next gathering. He wants you to change humans as a token of respect for the alliance".
"Changing humans was not part of any alliance…."
Obviously he was irritated. Yes, he was, Kaname Kuran felt provoked in the core of his existence after Erebu's demand; for reasons of revenge, no other.
"But are you coming?", Astris asked, realizing that Kaname could indeed be quite abrupt despite the stoic style that surrounded him.
" I am going to have dinner…and stop bossing me around, I am tired of your style."
"Dinner? So you persist at that foolish plan? Placing us at risk for a foolish game is not your style, hopefully, so what are you doing? Let me ask again."
"I have already given you an answer…"
Now she was mad, honestly mad with his ways.
"It's okay, I shall accompany you Astris, you can set your mind in ease…now return…"
Astris did go back to the mansion but her feelings were strange…
One part of her was content that even the slight possibility of him touching and transforming a human, turned up his inner flame, they needed that flame to serve their war far more than an indifferent politeness.
But clearly she could now see the difficulties that she would face in preserving her leadership role once Kaname's steam resurfaced.
She also needed control, but had she just sensed that he would not let her have it?
"Oh Aido…come in…", sitting now at her boudoir Astris prepared her hair for the evening. Aido approached and could see her smiling to him through the mirror.
"Yes?", she asked as she turned to face him.
" I was wondering about Kaname…"
"Ah that's why you are here…", she smiled.
He almost blushed…
"I have no idea…", she said in a slow tone that made Aido's eyes to widen more.
No, that was not what he had expected to hear.
"You have no idea if he will come back? Why he returned back there?"
"For now…he is flirting".
Aido had a huge questionnaire at his bright blue eyes now.
"Kaname-sama? Never…he is not that type".
Astris lifted her eyebrows. He was not back there, she was.
"But wait…who does he flirt with?"
"It does not matter…".
"If it does not matter then this is not Kaname…"
"Oh come on Aido, he is not this and is not that… great grace you all have given him".
"He must have a reason"
"A reason that he does not know…that's what he told me. I do hope that he presents himself at the gathering and won't make things worst for all of us".
"Is she human?"
"What?"
"The girl".
"Yes.."
Aido delved into thoughts…thoughts of the past…
"The last time that Kaname flirted a human girl…"
"Yes?", she could see his hesitation.
"He wanted to protect her, he liked her", that was the only that he could say without sounding too melodramatic.
"He liked her?"
"It proved to be his pureblood sister…now you understand right?"
She was astonished.
Could it really be that honest? Could she really be a genuine interest, perhaps a scope that he had found in order to fight again?
And why that thought brought her now a melancholic tone?
He seemed depressed and she only thought that it had to be due the fact that he should recover from the loss, then suddenly an idea stroke her…whose loss? Could he really mean all of these?
"You are…disappointed?", Aido looked at her worried expression.
"No, no, it's just I can not believe that his intentions about her are real."
"Kaname is real…"
Aido left Astris quite troubled. While she thought that all of these had been a performance, she now had second thoughts. Could her pureblood instincts and pure logic be so mistaken? She almost bite her hairbrush with her fangs.
"Aouts", the little irritation forced her to focus more on the present, abandoning the wanderings of her mind.
"Am I caring too much?", she wondered. But then her mind gave her a solid explanation…after all she should care, and had every right to care. And with that final thought, she lifted from the stool and approached the door. The pureblood was ready.