Another chapter! Here's a good one.

By the way, Rappenzell is a fictional village. Got it from the real Swiss town, Appenzell in Northeast Switzerland. Wasn't much creative with the name, was I? Haha!

ENJOY!

Chapter 14: Memories and Consequence

"Yikes, creepy creepy," Eden said as she scanned the fleeting view of the meadows through the carriage window. "Dreary houses, empty mills, murky swamps, and no soul in sight. Yes, mum, you really did bring me to the right place."

"This town used to be so charming and festive before, but now…" Iselda spoke before she quickly retained her words. "Those things have become a simple memory."

"So what let loose the banshee then?" Eden turned to face her carriage companions.

"A fire," Caleb responded from the other side, his eyes never leaving the outside scenery that passed slowly by; pure and richly green meadows cool in the evening sun and small cottages darkened by shadow. "A fire sprung out here few years ago, and it somehow spread throughout the village. People became frightened…some of them left while others moved towards the outer parts. And yet, hardly anyone comes here now." He sighed. "Perhaps some tourists now and then, but very few, and only for an hourly visit. Nothing more."

"What caused the fire?"

Iselda exchanged glances with Caleb before she slightly shook her head as a warning. Caleb understood.

"Something happened here awhile ago," he continued. "Something that I can't even remember if I tried."

Eden made an exasperated face before leaning forward in thought. "I know I've been asking about this place for years, but if it's just the cause of some fire I'm supposed to be worried about, why all the secrets?"

"There are no secrets, Eden," Iselda said as she cradled Roza on her lap. "We just want you to explore for yourself."

The carriage ride to the village of Rappenzell was an hour's worth from the town of Zurich, a slow course down the narrow stone road that crossed the river towards the towering mountains of the Alps. The sun had already begun to set, casting a dull shadow over the hills that cascading into the village. Few lights illuminated the cottage windows as they passed, and although it was not a proper time to venture through the empty open space, the village still portrayed a sense of peace and tranquility. Someone who never wished to see or be seen by the outside world surely considered it the perfect place to live.

Yet as the vehicles crept deeper into the village, a sense of dread and anxiety swept through the atmosphere. It was not just Eden who felt an odd spasm take form in a peculiar shiver, but even the vampires, who occupied the second carriage, knew that they were getting closer.

Iselda had told them before they left, a sincere confession in the form of an apology. She had apologized for their slow progress. For all the troubles that they had faced to keep their secret concealed. It had been weeks since the vampires arrived from Japan. Weeks since Eden had still been Eden, and the vampires were beginning to see their world, and perhaps understand it in a new light. The social ball had proved enough evidence. But time was now rotting away. They had to do what they came for. They had to retell the past forgotten, and likewise, hope that Almira McDellan still remembered the past she left behind. A venture into her old home was probably the best option. Maybe Eden would remember the things that happened, the tragedy that struck, and her headlong escape to the vampire society a continent away.

Aido, for once, felt eager to see it for himself. If not her home then definitely her, and those calm cerulean pearls that once bore him a look of sadness; of pity; of motherly affection. Yet, in the back of his mind, he knew the danger that could possibly unfold in the process. The nightmare, still nagging his deepest concern, was the only true tangible thing that connected him to Eden. She knew something was stirring inside of her skin. She knew she was becoming severely pale and helplessly weak. And yet, she did nothing. She spoke nothing of what was to come, and if she knew or not, it made no difference. Eden wielded a courageous soul.

And that soul was going to die.

He looked at his other companions. Yuki sat quietly as ever next to Kaname while Zero created his own personal space away from all three of them. Two purebloods and a hunter. What was stirring in their minds at this very moment? Did they know the risk that they were taking? Was it worth coming all the way to Switzerland for this?

And Kaname Kuran, his only idol, what was going through his mind? If Almira had been all along the sole reason for him coming here, then why were they invited? What was the point of sending five tickets when Caleb could have only sent one? If he had done that, if Kaname Kuran had been the only visitor, he would have been saved from this torment. Saved from ever seeing Eden McDellan or the world from which she came. She would have never taken his heart, and he in return, would never have been helpless to protect her.

"Please don't take her away from me…"

That night had been a dreadful one. Kaname Kuran, his powerful lord, had dared to beg. And he remembered the exact words that were spoken. He had confessed, and yet it was not enough.

"What about Yuki Kuran?" Aido had said. "You two were in hiding all these years, insisting to start anew. And you always showed so much affection -"

"I love her. I love Yuki," Kaname spoke softly in the dark. "But Almira is special to me too…" he bore into at his aghast face. "It is a complicated feeling, Aido. Someone like you will never understand the pains of an eternal beast."

"But Yuki…what will you do to her when she knows?" Aido continued. "You will break her heart…you will break your sister to pieces!"

"I...know. It is a risk that I have to take, no matter how much I hate myself for it. That guilt will be the death of me someday, but I am thankful for one thing…" Kaname closed his eyes. "Her heart would not be completely broken. There is still part of her that begs for Zero Kiryu. He will provide her the comfort that I cannot. I don't approve of it, but even I don't approve of my own actions." He cracked a smile. "Funny…you, Aido, have showered me with respect for all these years, and yet you see me now…a filthy man like any other. A liar. A deceiver. A cruel being that have walked this earth for so many centuries."

"No…" Aido mumbled back. "Y-you are not like that."

Kaname shook his head calmly at his denial. "Naive as ever, Aido, but I thank you…" he continued. "You will sincerely come to hate me, as I am sure everyone close to me will, but I must ask you to keep away from her. If anything, I don't want her to get hurt from your hands, or the other way around."

"Other way…around?" Aido looked into his eyes.

"There are deep secrets within her mind that you cannot access…that even I, unless I try, cannot penetrate." Kaname said. "I don't want you to intervene any longer. For your own safety…please don't stop me."

Aido had never seen him so committed in his life, and yet pursue it so desperately. Why was he willing to give up everything that he had for a girl he only knew for a few weeks? They were breaking the rules, so many forbidden doors on both sides, and even now, he still could not see past Kaname's convoluted mind; his deepest fears, concerns, and immortal secrets that told more than just his parents' death so many years ago.

"I understand your troubles, Aido, believe me, I know how much you have come to love her," Kaname spoke once again more softly. "But I must tell you something to justify my cause. Something that I have not shared with anyone throughout my whole existence. Not with a vampire. Not with a human. Not even with Yuki."

Aido looked into his face once again; the perfect features that had no limits to his potency. Aido had always been the lower half, the teased one, the punished one, the vampire who was not granted enough respect from his peers. And yet, here he was, alone with his lord, ready to hear the truth. It was the type of respect he craved for in all entirety-to keep his secret for himself, and only himself, for the rest of his life.

"Aido…" Kaname continued. "I have been having dreams. Recollections of an age long before the history of our race. I cannot explain it more, because I myself do not understand it. But I know this much…" he breathed a long sigh that faded instantly with the hollow silence. "There are memories that I have forgotten…memories that have died with the beginning of my immortality. It is important that I awaken Almira because…she may be the one to uncover this past that I have lost."

His words had stirred a shocking reaction, and from then on, Aido had tried to obey his every command. At the ball, he refused to converse with her, right before she admitted that their short relationship could never prolong. Even that same night, when they had shared a room together, the conversation had remained short. Aido was back to his dejecting mood again; the same way he was when they first met. Eden, however, tried not to mind. She knew he had a reason to be upset, and she left him alone. And so he remained alone, having nothing more with which to interfere until the time came for them to return to Japan. And he welcomed that thought above all others.

"Ah, how nice to see you again!"

The carriage door suddenly opened to reveal the cheerful face of Takuma Ichijo. Aido could only make a sour face at the ironic interlude, hardly noticing that they had already reached their destination.

"Hope you didn't have any trouble coming here," Ichijo continued as he let them file out onto the uneven pavement. "It's been wonderful spending time with Richard McDellan in town. So many things to see, places to go. And oh, I got these too," he pulled out four manga volumes from his satchel. "Can you believe it? I found a Japanese bookstore there and they had these! The only four copies of MeruPuri that were sold out in Japan!"

"You must be the luckiest man in the world," Zero grumbled as he walked away towards the other carriage.

"What? You mean to say you've been shopping around all this time instead of learning about the Bastets?" Aido said with a frown.

"Well…not entirely…" Ichijo hid his embarrassed face behind the books. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"Where are we?" Yuki said as she saw three little cottages in front of her, the soft glow of candlelight outlining each window.

"Oh! I've heard of these," Eden said as she joined in Yuki's curiosity. "Three conjoined cottages that act like getaway cabins for tourists who want to experience the village life."

"She's right. Rappenzell is famous for its petite little dwellings, especially for those who want to have a few days stay near the mountains." Richard smiled with glee. "Of course, we don't plan to stay here overnight, but it's inhabitable for the time being, in case you don't feel like looking around ."

"How much is there to look around exactly?" Eden yawned as she rubbed her baggy eyes. "Doesn't seem like an excited place to explore."

"Oh?" Richard raised a curious brow. "You know, it could be haunted."

"Haunted?" she shot an excited glance at the dark stretches towards the hills. "As in, ghost haunted, or eh, abonimable snow man haunted?"

Caleb blew an irritated sigh. "Why are we talking about freakin' snow men? They're not even in the alp-"

"Come now, Eddy, dear, you said yourself that you were curious about this village. So here we are!" Richard said as he pinched her sloppy cheek. "Besides, the mountain air will do wonders for your health."

"There's more to expect of this place than one thinks, " Iselda spoke. "There are not enough visitors who travel in the dark, but for us, there is an exception. First, I will check us all in, split ourselves into three cabins, and be on our way."

A small pudgy man soon came out from one of the quarters to greet them. The inside of all three cabins were the same, comfortable and fit for any commoner. They were split by the walls, but connected by two doors and a small covered pathway in between. It did not make much sense to come here when they were merely sightseeing, but something about it made Eden gaze around quizzically. And soon enough, she turned to the owner with a question.

"Excuse me, sir, who built this place?"

"Who built this?" The man rubbed his head in thought. "No one has asked me that before...eh, I'm new here, you see, just started to keep watch over this settlement after the last one."

"Oh...then nevermind."

"But wait, actually I believe eh, it was quite many years ago, twenty maybe, one of the residents here had the thought of making this triplet of cabins. Quite a unique architecture."

"Who..." Iselda added curiously. "Who was that person?"

"Eh, like I said, I only know a small bit. It was all before the fire; didn't ruin these cabins though. But the man, it was rumored, was found dead right here in-" His expression suddenly widened in regret. "I-I mean no! No! Forget what I said, it is just a rumor, really. This place is not haunted, perfectly safe. I swear, everyone loves it here, I-"

"Thank you, we perfectly believe you." Richard stopped him with a smile. The vampires, however, exchanged small glances. Clearly there were more to be considered than the supposed fire alone. With one look around, they walked outside where the full moon descended enough light for some parts of the small town to be seen.

"I put Roza to sleep. She will be alright by herself in the cabin. As for the owner, he has agreed to leave for the night." Iselda continued. "As of now, I will grant you all the freedom to go your separate ways as long as you stay within boundaries. Rest, explore, search its mysteries, anything. But for now, I want Eden and Lord Kaname to come with me."

"Mysteries...it feels strange." Eden rubbed the sides of her arms.

"Are you alright?" Iselda quickly touched her shoulder, expecting the worst. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, there is..." And she suddenly reverted to her usual loud gestures. "I think by the looks of that owner gent, he was definitely lying, which means the man who built the cabins did die in there, which means this place is bloody haunted!"

"What?" Her mother responded in confusion.

"Yes! You know what this means, right? Freakin' ghosts are what we're lookin' for, hehe." Eden rubbed her hands together menacingly. "There is something rotten in the state of Denmark, and oh boy, is this witty kitty ready to tackle. Now let's go!"

"Oh, that girl." Iselda sighed as Caleb and Richard burst into a fit of giggles.

Yuki stood silently next to her brother, trying her best to not laugh at Eden's usual humor. It was hard to resist, especially since the young werecat knew very well how to break the solemn ice. But there were far difficult things that swarmed her head ever since they left the house, and only now could she speak to the man before her while the chance was still there.

"Onii-sama," Yuki whispered quietly while tugging on his sleeve.

"Yes, Yuki?"

"I…" she stopped to close her eyes. "I have made up my mind. I am still not angry at you. At least...not completely."

Kaname smiled as he leaned his lips against her forehead. "You are a strong girl…even when your heart does not say the same thing."

"I want you to be happy. I can feel your sadness…right here," she placed her hand on his heart. "Something is aching to be freed, and it hurts. I know it does. So I won't stop you."

He looked into her eyes. The innocent soul that had once promised to cherish him for eternity. To never leave his side. "You will always…be my little girl."

Yuki smiled as her eyes moistened once again. She always found herself to be such a spoiled child, but only then did she see the childishness in Kaname's eyes. Even he made mistakes and hurt himself to keep someone else happy. Kaname, although as her perfect other, had still much to learn. But who else but one's own kin could love and understand such a being? Yuki felt pleased that she realized this side of him, because it brought her more closer to the man that was out of her reach. If not affectionately, then definitely emotionally. She wanted to be there for him at all cost. As a sister. As family.

"And you…will always be my onii-sama."

With that, she left his side to go join Zero Kiryu. It was not a good-bye for forever; it was not a sign of her permanent detachment from his eternal chains. But for tonight, she had his permission. She had Kaname's consent to be with her old friend.

"What is it?" Zero asked moodily as she approached him.

"What do you mean 'what is it'?" Yuki placed her hands against her hips. "You heard what Iselda-sama said. You and I are going on a little patrolling."

"So is that what's all the secrets and frenzy about, eh?" Eden said as she made her way down the stone path. "A dead man, and a fire that probably killed some humans and turned them into ghosts? Are we here to play Ghostbusters or something?"

"Stop it with the jokes, Eden. That is not what we're here for." Iselda said as she guided her daughter to her intended destination. "There is... something here that I want to show you."

Eden shifted her gaze from the wooden residences to Kaname Kuran walking quietly behind them. The splattered hues of black and orange cast shadows across his face from the horizon, and yet, his glowing eyes stood prominent in the darkness.

"I can do that too, see," Eden grinned as she forced her pupils to change to a glaring golden color. Kaname returned her smile with his own. "Say, why didn't the others come with us?"

"Does it bother you if I come alone?" he asked.

"Not at all, but it occurred to me since Yuki is always with you, and then there is Master Aido, and Master Zero, and Master-"

"They decided to see some other sites, Eden," Iselda interrupted. "But the one I am taking us now will, I think, benefit both of you."

"And it doesn't have anything to do with ghosts?"

"Probably something...better."

Eden nodded as she traced her steps against the uneven pavement, her small feet tapping against each protruding stone. It felt so familiar. So much, that if she had not felt so weak, she would have broken into a run. A nostalgic haze of a run that she could not pinpoint.

"Caleb laughed at my jokes," she spoke softly. "I saw him. It's been the first…after quite some time now."

Iselda placed her hand gently on her daughter's, clinging to her fingers as tightly as she could before she faded away.

"That is because he loves you. He always did and always will."

"I know…" Eden continued. "That I always knew."

They stopped at a fork in the road and took the path that crossed a wooden bridge over a shallow stream. The houses on the other side seemed a bit bigger and more condensed than the ones on the outer side of town. It was fairly obvious that these were close to the supposed fire that had erupted few years prior; the molted sides and ashen features gave way to the slight burning scent that only they could detect.

Suddenly, Eden found her knees go numb, and she fell to the ground with a loud thump.

"Eden, baby, what's wrong?" Iselda came to her side and saw her clutch her chest. There were no jokes. She knew they were close. In fact, a further look towards the end of the bridge gave way to the badly damaged house near the stream. A two-story flat, with traces of overgrown weeds around the sides. The roof and two back walls were completely missing, and few wooden slabs protruded from the high edges.

"My heart…suddenly stopped," Eden took in long fast-paced breaths.

"Oh no," Iselda looked at Kaname who tried to help her stand. "Lord Kaname…"

"We don't have to…not tonight," Kaname cradled her soothingly. "She is burning up."

"No, wait," Eden pushed him gently off as she supported herself once again on her feet. Her eyes observed the forsaken house, the same one that had once belonged to Almira McDellan.

"So this...is where the fire started," Eden said as she walked towards the front door that hung loosely from the hinges. Her hands trailed the front texture of wood and brass before she slowly let herself inside.

"Oh, do be careful," Iselda moved forward, but Kaname stopped her with a hand.

"She is better off going alone," he whispered. "She needs some time to herself."

Iselda looked into his stern face and thought about that morning. She had promised herself to talk to Kaname Kuran; a pureblood to another. After so many weeks of denial-of possible hatred-this was the only moment she had to discuss some concerns. Whatever she could not get out of Caleb, she had to from him. There was no other time but now.

"What do you plan to do, Kaname Kuran," she spoke slowly in the dark, "after Almira is awakened?"

Kaname said nothing. He knew this was coming, and she was not going to stop there.

"Are you going to take her away? Take her back to your land?" she spoke again. "You know all this time, we have broken rules to deceive our family. We deceived even your companions, telling them that Almira would find a peaceful home in our abode. But it was not true, it was never true…it was for you that we have come here today. Only for you." Her voice slightly quivered. "My daughter will perish for you. My family will perish for you. And Yuki, your Yuki…she will take in this matter with grief."

Kaname frowned at her latter remark. It was not the time to be hearing such things.

"I have only done as much as I can because of Caleb; because he is my nephew and I respect his wishes. I know what my family has done, and I agreed to his will because of my sister. But we also made an agreement," she continued. "He only wanted to invite you, I suspect that you already know that. But I was the one who persuaded him to send four more invitations. It only seemed fair, for your worthwhile or downfall, that you do not keep your plan a secret from your peers. They will one day know, and you will be the one to tell them."

The small creaks of loose wood echoed in the darkness as Eden made her way up the steps. Outside, Kaname stood frozen to his spot, unmoving and emotionless.

"Tell me, Lord Kaname, what will the vampires think when their ruler brings a foreign being into their world? A female werecat?" Iselda continued to become louder. "What will they say, knowing that you have betrayed them-betrayed your own race? And you…what will you do then…if and when this results into a war between our kinds? And everything only because of one simple little girl?"

Kaname felt his veins pulsate under his skin. No one had ever dared to ask so many questions at once that he himself could not answer.

"If that were to happen," Kaname found his voice suddenly emerge from his lips. "I will be the one to end it. With my death if necessary."

Iselda flashed a look of disbelief at him before she turned to walk back the way they came. It wasn't long before Kaname heard her break off into a run, and her growing sobs faded slowly into the distance.

"I don't understand what you're trying to do," Zero said as Yuki pulled him down the gravel path amidst the mills and the surrounding cottages.

"I'm taking you somewhere, obviously. I think it will be a nice escape. Come on," she led him to a solar dome that supported itself on the bank of a small pond. A little garden fresh with newborn flowers surrounded the screen as they went inside.

"I still don't understand what you're trying to do," Zero grumbled as he felt nauseated at the warm congested space.

"Don't be silly. I saw this on the carriage ride here. Now let's see," Yuki inspected the small buds before coming across a fully bloomed red rose. She plucked it out and walked back towards Zero.

"Didn't I tell you not to touch me, vampire?" he hissed as she placed her palm on the left side of his chest.

"I dragged you all the way here, Zero, so what difference does this make? Now…" Yuki took out a pin from her bag and fastened the rose on his shirt near the collar. "You remember when we had that social ball back in the academy? That night when we were supposed to patrol and I wore that dress to the party?"

"So? What does this have to do anything with it?"

"Everything," Yuki smiled as she looked into his silver orbs. "I placed my rose on your chest, and tidied up your uniform. And you…you remember what you asked me?"

"How can you keep smiling?" He remembered, but he tried hard not to say it out loud.

"Well that's because I want you to smile too." she read the question in his mind before he could brush it off. "So please, can you smile just for one night? Ever since we came here, you have been the way I saw you before. Arrogant and stubborn…it's the only thing that didn't change about you. But I want you to change…if not forever then now. So please? Just once when there is no one here to push you around or make you angry?"

"How would you know what makes me angry?" he pushed her hand away and turned to leave.

"Zero Kiryu, I mean it!" she appeared in front of the exit in a flash, blocking his path with her arms. "You have every right to loathe me and my kind, but you have no right to forget that I was once your friend! And I still am!"

Zero did not speak, so she continued. "Please…don't push me away. Not here. Not when your duty as a hunter and mine as a pureblood princess means nothing in this foreign land. We are away from our world. Away from everything that can't...let us be. So why do you keep pretending?" she looked at him. "Why do you pretend to want to kill me when you don't plan to do so here?"

The vampire hunter quickly swung his hand out of his pocket and straightened it towards her. In one end, his fingers were shaped into a gun-like posture, as if he held the Bloody Rose in his hands. But his finger never pressed the invisible trigger, because she had dared to threaten him, and he in turn, wanted to see the extent of her fury.

"You'll just continue to be in my way then?" he growled while still pointing his fingers at her.

"If you continue to act like that, then yes," Yuki answered boldly.

"Fine, then I guess I have to teach you a lesson." And he stepped forward, using his outstretched hand to grab Yuki by the head and bring her lips to his. Again, the sweet scent of her skin clouded every inch of his mind, just as it had done the day when he kissed her for the first time. The day when she had left him for good.

Yuki slowly leaned against his chest as he let him take over. She was used to Kaname's kisses by now, even when he made her blush occasionally. But this seemed different. A warm and inviting kiss. A type of affection wielding many long years of longing, regret, and grief stirred into one.

It was the only night they had for themselves. The only night when they were nothing but two lost children amidst each other's company. The world was cruel to them, and this was their only safe haven.

Iselda rushed through grass and dirt as the nightly wind whizzed past her face, shortening her breath with each pace. The sun had completely vacated the sky, and the distant moon stood murky behind few dazing clouds. There was no one there to stop her; she was running alone in the darkness, hearing her breath in the chilling silence. If she were a human, there would have been a good reason for her to be terribly frightened in such an open space. But her fears crept from a different source. And with her eyes blurry against sickening tears, she failed to see a presence come between her path, and before she knew it, she fell on his feet, letting her sobs take over in full force.

"I'm awful. I am so awful…" She wept as gentle hands encircled her shoulders to help her to her feet. "Richard, I am sorry, I should not have-"

"Richard is not here right now," the voice of Ichijo Takuma trailed through her ears. "I think he is with Caleb somewhere else but I must ask you…what happened?"

"Oh, it's you, Master Ichijo." she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "No, it's just something that has been troubling me. Too much to explain right now," She tried to keep herself poised, even when she knew she did the wrong thing of running away from her daughter. Even when she feared that Eden would not be her daughter anymore.

"Where is Kaname?"

"He...is with Eden. I took her to the house that once belonged to...to her." Iselda covered her face. "I sincerely apologize, I shouldn't make myself look so helpless."

"No, it's perfectly alright. Come inside," and he led her towards one of the cottages that they had reserved. Iselda was surprised to find that she had ended up right in front of the cabins, but after going inside, she was even more surprised to find Roza sitting on one of the beds, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw her mother enter through the front door.

"Richard was supposed to put her to sleep, but she woke up immediately when I walked in by mistake." He chuckled as Roza waved her small arms towards him.

"Oh…my baby," Iselda rushed forward to pick her younger daughter in her arms. If there was any cure to her grief, it was to have her child tucked safely within her protection. How wonderful it felt to know that she still had her little Roza. How wonderful to know that someone, even if it was a stranger, could actually supply her with the happiness that she longed for after weeks of inner torment. She could be nothing more than be grateful to him. Grateful to Ichijo Takuma.

"I'm really sorry, it has been such a long day," Iselda yawned as she lied down in bed with Roza next to her. "I hope you don't mind if I shut my eyes for sometime."

"Of course not, this is your place after all." Ichijo smiled as he turned to leave. Yet almost instantly, he stopped at the door. "Although…I could stay to provide you company…if that's what you-"

He turned to see Iselda already fast asleep, her breathing as gentle and pretty as the ripples on her scattered hair. Roza, on the other hand, was wide awake, bearing her cerulean eyes into his with a toothy grin.

Ichijo sighed as he went back towards the edge of the bed. "I suppose this once…" he tickled her below the chin. "…Aido won't mind that I leave him on his own for the night."

The creaking of loose wood against hollow air became louder as Eden ventured on the second landing, her eyes never leaving a single detail from the ceiling to the floor. She was immersed in a trance, unable to speak; unable to call for her mother or anyone else. There was so much that brought back cold memories. And yet, it felt so foreign and unidentifiable, as if sooner or later, the house would engulf her whole.

She slipped through a broken door at the end of the hall, and walked into a bedroom. There were few traces of torn wallpaper, and some tattered sheets on the bed frame. Everything else was gone, removed possibly after the fire. Eden tiptoed towards the bed and wondered why it had not been taken away like the rest of the items. But then her eyes automatically moved to the bottom, and she saw that the bed frame was nailed to the floor.

"Was this your room?"

Kaname came in through the door behind her, his feet moving ever so smoothly across the wooden floor without a single squeak. Eden did not move, but picked up the bed sheet and inhaled its familiar scent.

"Yes it was," the clear and fluid voice of Almira McDellan escaped through Eden's lips. "This whole house was ours. My mother, Catherine, and my father, Adam, all lived here with me."

She fidgeted with the cloth in thought. "This bed…I remember whenever I would lose control of my body…to that monster…my father would chain me to this bed. He held down the entire cot to the floor, until I returned back to normal. That was my life then, painful yet necessary. I sometimes wonder why he just didn't kill me when he could."

Kaname moved around the perimeter, glancing at Almira to see how much she changed. The only distinctions were her eyes, her sad eyes bearing a hollow shade of cerulean. But she still looked weak and jaded. And if he was not mistaken, a look of dread and discomfort clouded her complexion.

"And this house, they came and set it on fire," Kaname stated without questioning. "They burned it down to look for you. But you escaped, before your mother-"

"She sacrificed her life for me," Almira continued. "I do not know what happened afterwards. I simply remember…running for my life. The fire somehow escalated to the other houses, and the humans who resided there fled as well. Water was just not enough to destroy such powerful magic," she closed her eyes. "What they did was wrong, in the presence of all those people. But somehow I was thankful, because they lost me amidst the chaos. I made it to the city safely, but they eventually caught up." She fell to the floor and buried her face in the sheets. "I never felt so frightened in my life. I was so scared…scared to see the faces of the monsters that tried to pursue me."

Kaname approached her immediately and placed her head gently on his chest. The scent of fresh alpine and lavender filled his nose, and he buried his face into her hair. He had waited for this moment for so long. Years after ridding the corrupted vampire council, destroying Rido Kuran, and living in hiding under a moldy deserted house, he was here where he wanted to be; to have his little kitty-cat close to him. Never leaving his side. Was this bliss worth every pain of his past? So many centuries, no, millenniums of existing as a vampire, as the ancestor to all his kind, had dissolved his ability to live. He was so alone. And then came Yuki, his shining light. She was more than he could ask for, but there was still a hindrance. She still loved another, and that seeped into his hollow heart and scraped away each layer one by one.

But not tonight. Tonight he felt his whole burden diminish into thin air. The ability to feel human, to be a mortal, was returned back to him. And even now, he still could not understand this girl. This plain little werecat who somehow struck him deeper than his heart. Oddly enough, it was her pain that made him feel content with his. To share something that he could feel and understand, it soothed his stoic demeanor.

Yet almost instantly, Almira pushed gently out of his grip, and tilted his face to meet hers. That same look of discomfort, her burrow creased into a slight frown, shadowed her countenance. Something was wrong.

"Master Kaname, you should not be here." She stated firmly as if her words held no consequence. "You should have never come to this place."

Kaname continued to stare at her, as if she did not speak a single word. As if she only wanted to say how happy she was to see him.

"You do not understand…I…" she took a deep breath before continuing. "I have made a mistake. I made the gravest mistake of ever asking you to see me in my next life. In this life. I was terribly wrong to make you come here." She waited for him to speak, but his words were entirely lost. There was no change in his expression, but his insides churned to a horrific twist of dread.

"Please Kaname," she pulled back further. "I cannot let you pursue me any longer. It has become too dangerous and it will continue to be so. There are lives at stake, from both our sides. Please, just please return to the world from which you came." She got up to leave, but just as quickly, Kaname grabbed her by the wrist. By no means was he going to listen. Or let go.

"Don't…" he warned her through his teeth. "Don't leave."

"No…but you should," Almira broke from his grasp and ran downstairs, letting the unstable wooden strips echo under her feet. The front door was there where she had seen it years ago, and she landed on the cold reaped soil outside, breathing in the soothing night air for the first time. The taste of freedom felt wonderful, but she knew it was not for her to have. She had to get away, but even before she moved a step further, Kaname's arms suddenly encircled her feeble form, trapping her into his circle.

"Master Kaname, please, listen to me," Almira shut her eyes, missing the touch she knew too well. "I can't stay alive in this body. She...she, Eden can...I don't have much time to explain."

"Explain what?"

"That if I am here, talking to you like this, Eden will die!"

Kaname did not respond.

"Please...let me go."

"Then you lied to me..." He responded. It pained him to think she could do such a thing, but her words had pierced the only hope he ever had. He was hurting her physically, just as how he hurt Yuki to approve of his affections, to force her to love him.

"I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't know...I didn't know this was going to happen."

"I came all this way to see you. I won't leave while you still exist."

"You have to, Kaname, you must! Please!" Almira quickly turned to face him, her eyes wielding a look of determination that bore into Kaname's crimson orbs. Suddenly, she looked powerful; authoritative; as if she had to, at all cost and with all her power, make him understand the very meaning of her words.

"Do not you see, Kaname? Have you not seen all this time?" Almira emphasized each word carefully, her fingers clutching his shirt, and her face so close to his that he could feel her cool breath strike his lips.

"I have been protecting this innocent soul for two and a half years, nurturing her and giving her the strength to be who she is! Her presence has kept her family happy, she is their only solace against the pressures of the royal house! And I…I am the sole reason why this family is breaking apart! They are all upset, because of me!" she took a deep breath before speaking her last words. Her final ultimatum.

"I-if I continue to exist…if I continue to control her body like this, Eden will be no more. She is...too much of a precious life to be lost. And I thought...I thought after being here, after observing her, you would understand that."

Kaname did not want to speak the truth, but her words brought a sense of rationality. It made him realize that he was the one being immoral and unrealistic, even if he knew he could not stop there.

"I want to know what happened. I need to know...what happened here."

"What?" She gazed at him and felt his curious eyes search her own.

"I want to know why...why you showed your face to me at the ball. And why you are showing your face to me now. There is something more, isn't there?"

Almira warmed her hand against her chest and closed her eyes. Time was running short. "If I tell you...if I show you, do you promise to leave my country? And...and forget that I was ever here?"

The words pinched at his skin, but he could only lie without hesitance.

"Then let us go back to the cottages. It started...it started there. And I..." Her words faded instantly as she felt herself go limp against his body. Kaname caught here before she hit the ground, and by the looks of her face lost in slumber, he knew she had let her soul flutter back to its inner domain.

Nevertheless, he caught her request just in time. And with little effort, he picked her frail body up in his arms. There was nothing else that stirred the night, and Kaname Kuran blended into the silence once again with ease.

Oh blundering ending to a chapter! But don't lose hope, Kaname! Anyway, leave comments/criticisms!