Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Sorry for the late post, life has been throwing me curve balls that I can't seem to swing out of the park lately, but I'm fine, betrayal may know my name but love makes me stronger and thankfully I've got that all around me.
I do wish to add that I had to change the name of Zero and Kaname's daughter from Zahara to Zakuro because of an "issue" I don't want to get into since it makes me mad just thinking about it. So at some point I will go back and fix the previous chapters and apply this new change in names. Other than that everything is pretty much the same.
So please enjoy this post today and the many more that will soon come now that I'm back in the groove of things.
-Dia
Chapter 21: The New Night Class
Kaname glanced at his watch before looking back out the window. They were less than an hour away from the academy and for some unexplained reason Kaname was nervous, more so then he's ever been in a long time.
"Onii-sama, is everything all right?" Yuki asked her beloved brother who's fingers kept tapping endlessly against the armrest between them.
Kaname glanced to his side where Yuki sat in her new white uniform with a pale pink colored butterfly mask covering her face. Unlike his sister and Ruka who sat with her gold lace mask across from them on the opposite seat while Kain drove them in the front of the car, didn't bother to glance at his mask still in its case on his lap. Kaname didn't want to wear his prematurely, especially not when his mind was preoccupied.
"Just a bit tired is all." Kaname answered smiling down at Yuki.
"Are you worried about encountering the children…?" Yuki began. "Or is it someone else you're thinking about?"
Kaname knew exactly whom Yuki was referring to, but he knew and she knew that neither was going to mention the hunter's name. And Kaname would be lying if he said that the hunter was the furthest thing from his mind.
"What makes you think such a thing Yuki?"
Yuki shrugged her shoulders. "Well lately you've been dazed, like your mind has been elsewhere."
"My thoughts are perfectly in order, so there is nothing you should be concerned about."
"Why do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Treating me like a child! As if I'm too young to understand." Yuki focused her eyes on Kaname. "Hasn't me choosing to follow you a year ago proven my loyalty and love for you?"
"I never forced you to come with me."
"I did it because I love you!"
"Enough to leave your son?"
Never in all her life had Yuki ever been the object of Kaname's vicious tongue. She had always thought that she was the sole person who would never have to be spoken to in such a way like that, but it would seem that she was not an exception.
Narrowing her eyes, Yuki spoke once more. "I could say the same to you."
"My actions back then were perfectly justifiable."
"How were you walking away from them considered justifiable?"
"Because I had no hand in consummating those kids."
"The you right now may have not, but your future self sure enough did." Yuki retorted scornfully. "And the fact that they're still here after a whole year means that it will still happen."
Kaname fell silent then, he had no words to refute that fact with, which left him completely speechless.
Yuki soften her gaze and sighed deeply. "I've always known, you know."
Kaname titled his head to the side but said nothing.
"I've known even before my memories as a vampire awakened that you've never loved me the same way I love you."
Kaname opened his mouth but closed it when he realized that there was nothing he could say that would convince Yuki or himself of that. It pained him to see Yuki hurt but Kaname knew he couldn't continue living in a lie and felt honesty was truly the best way.
"I'm sorry Yuki." Kaname apologized.
"That's alright. You may no longer be my fiancé anymore, but you'll always be my family."
Kaname smiled then before enveloping Yuki into a big hug and rested his cheek against her head. Yuki remained silent, her eyes watching Ruka who sat across from them quietly listening to music through her earphones, which she had put on when the conversation became too personal for her to listen to.
Yuki was heart broken, but refused to cry over it. Not now when she was surrounded inside a closed space with others around her. She was sad, no doubt, but not so much for herself but for Kaname. Yuki had always known from the start where Kaname's heart belonged, even now that Kaname has yet to realize.
Whenever Yuki thought back to the times she lived as a human, she would always recall moments after moments of times where Kaname had approached her during class change over knowing fully well that Zero would soon aid her the moment Kaname came too close. The look that flashed over her brother's face each moment he looked at Zero was never hatred but a hidden longing she was sure Kaname never realized was there.
Yuki knew it would be a while before he realized, she just hoped that when he finally did, that it wouldn't be too late.
-0-
The pain this time around wasn't intense, but the hunter still couldn't prevent his subconscious from blacking out from the pain for a second time. It was an hour later when Zero woke up still laying on top the metal table, except this time he was dressed in a thin silk slip.
"How do you feel?"
Zero glanced in the direction where he heard the voice and standing in his new white uniform was Aidou (minus the mask). The silver haired vampire reached his shaky hand out for the blonde to grab, which Aidou did so without hesitation.
As soon as the blonde's hand was in his, Zero pulled with all his might until he had Aidou laying on his back on the table with Zero towering over him. Zero gently ran the tips of his fingers against the blonde's lips then slowly down till the base of his neck.
Aidou watched in silence as Zero unbuttoned the first three buttons on his uniform, exposing his bare neck to the other who eyed it with red glowing eyes.
Zero sank his fangs deep within Aidou's neck and swallowed mouthful after mouthful of blood down his throat with a needy passion that was stronger than ever before, and when he finally released Aidou's neck, he moved a little until his fangs hovered over a vein on Aidou's upper shoulder.
Aidou closed his eyes and waited for the bite he knew would come, but when it didn't he opened them and once again saw the beautiful violet orbs he grew to love.
"Why aren't you stopping me?" Zero asked. He could feel his hunger for the other's blood rise again but he held it back as best he could.
A few long strains of silver hair slipped down from Zero's shoulder, the ends tickling Aidou's cheek before he moved them behind Zero's ear.
Zero was smaller as a women, may be three inches shorter than Aidou now, yet the hunter's curves made up for that. He was a wine glass figure of perfection with long silver hair that reached down his back. A clear complexion with soft olive skin tone; he had a small chest but wide curvy hips. Altogether Zero was a beautiful work of art, be it as a man or as a woman.
Aidou shrugged his shoulders at the question asked of him. He didn't know the answer to that other than the fact that he just wanted to. Aidou felt he could offer anything up if Zero ever asked anything of him without question; it was the price he felt he had to pay for falling so madly in love.
Zero sighed deeply. "Stop me…please…"
Aidou shook his head, which only made Zero madder as he narrowed his eyes.
"God Damnit Hanabusa!" Zero hollered. "Stop me before I drink you dry!"
Aidou reached up with his hands and cupped Zero's cheeks. "I'm perfectly okay with you taking every last drop from me since dying by your hands would be a blessing I would welcome with open arms."
Zero remained silent for a few moments before leaning down and resting his head on the crook of Aidou's neck.
"You idiot…" Zero whispered. "I would never do such a thing to you."
Aidou chuckled and wrapped his arms around Zero's thin body. The two remained like that for several minutes until there was a knock on the door that soon opened to reveal Isaya dressed elegantly in a black suite, no mask on as he planned to wear that later.
"Excuse the intrusion…" Isaya began. "But I must steal Zero away and ready him for tonight's party that will begin in an hour."
Zero unraveled himself from Aidou's arms and nodded his head toward Isaya before looking back over to Aidou who had stood to a sitting position on the table, buttoning up his shirt.
"I guess this is goodbye for now?" Zero said with a small smile on his face.
"At least until the party. Yet once the masks are on, everyone will be a stranger."
"You wouldn't be."
"How would you know?"
Zero once more leaned over until his face was mere inches away from Aidou's shoulder and inhaled deeply the flowery scent that uniquely was associated to Aidou and Aidou alone before pulling away.
"Because no matter how far you are away from me or how crowded a room may be, I will always find you."
Aidou leaned over and kissed Zero straight on the lips. Words alone couldn't express how deeply Zero's words affected him and just knew kissing him was thanks enough for every happy moment Zero filled his life with.
Zero pulled away first because he knew Isaya was waiting. Sliding off the table, Zero put on the slippers that were on the floor and walked toward the door Isaya was waiting for him at. With one last glance at Aidou, Zero disappeared up the stairs to get ready for an important event that could end up being a good thing or the greatest mistake in Zero's life.
-0-
Zakuro patted down her red colored floral dress before glancing up toward her two brothers dressed equally in formal wear. Kano was decked out in a deep purple dress with black shoes while Kazuki was dressed in a dark grey suite with the same deep color purple vest and tie that matched his brother's dress.
The three purebloods sat in a lounge area deep inside the moon dorms waiting for the arrival of Zero and Isaya. All three could hear the festivities going on outside as more and more vampires arrived at the party held at the moon dorms. Tonight was the twins thirteenth birthday, an important day for male pureblood vampires as it is a year that signifies their maturity as purebloods. They would soon seek a familiar that will forever be linked to them as their powers as purebloods grow in strength.
"I'm so nervous." Kano uttered nervously, his feet swinging back and forth at the edge of his seat.
"It's going be perfectly fine." Zakuro reasoned as she played idly with the ends of her silver hair that was curled into thick spiral curls down her shoulder and back.
"That's easy for you to say since you never are scared of anything." Kazuki uttered with a scowl.
Zakuro narrowed her garnet colored eyes at her brother Kazuki. "What makes you think I'm not scared?"
"Because you never show it."
"Just because I never show it doesn't mean I'm not." Zakuro huffed. "I know that what we must do is necessary but it still is scary that if we're successful that means our very existence could be at risk."
"But it still has to be done." Kano added then went silent.
The three stayed silent and after a while like that with no one saying anything, Zero and Isaya appeared at the doorway of the lounge.
Zero was wearing a long off the shoulder lavender evening dress with his long silver hair tied in a bun with strains of curls falling down onto his shoulders. His make up was done lightly as to not be overbearing to the silver lace mask across Zero's face.
"Wow mama you look beautiful." Kano complimented after receiving a gentle hug from Zero as he entered the room.
"Thanks sweetheart." Zero answered. "You guys look great too."
The little ones all bowed in appreciation.
Zero smiled before he walked over to the closet to his left. Zero pulled out two perfectly wrapped presents and handed them over to the twins.
"I know that the thirteenth birthday is a very important time for pureblood boy's because it marks the maturity of your race. But did you know that it is also a very important day for young hunter children too?"
The twins shook their heads because honestly they didn't know.
"Why is it important?"
"Why don't you open it up and find out." Zero said smiling. "Happy birthday."
The twins looked excitedly at the presents before tearing at the wrappings to reveal medium sized wooden boxes that the twins opened to find their own individual hunter weapons.
Inside Kazuki's wooden box was a small black rod that when activated turns into a curve bladed naginata. Along the metal rod was a vine-like design that was expertly crafted on the metal. Kano's box had a set of twenty-four kunai knives and a tanto sheath in its cover. The cover too had a vine-like design that sprouted into a single red rose near the point of the cover. The twins closed their boxes and ran into Zero's open arms with tears in their eyes, happy beyond belief with the gift they've gotten.
Zero held them close and whispered for their ears to hear. "Its important because you are given a hunter weapon that will protect you. So keep them close to you at all times."
The twins nodded before pulling away.
Zero straightened himself up and looked at all three of his kids. "Do you remember how to conceal your aura's?"
Three little ones nodded.
"Good…" Zero started just as he glanced at the time on the clock hanging on the wall across from him. "Because its time we showed our presence to the vampire world. But that does not mean I want them knowing your purebloods to the Kuran family, because who knows how they would react to such news. The plan is that only I will be revealed as a pureblood and as Isaya's niece. You guys will be presented after that as Cross's new outreach program students who inspire to enter the night class when you're old enough to. As it will be a well cause to promote equality to the younger generation of vampires."
The kids didn't need to be told twice as they placed their masks on and followed together with Zero as a masked Isaya led them to the door toward the back of the moon dorms where the new night class awaited.
Hitoshi stood on the back porch of the moon dorm facing the crowd all focused on his attention. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the grand reopening of the new night class here at Cross Academy. Your attendance here shows important progress in our quest for equality amongst the human and vampire race. And I feel that such a thing will soon come to pass if we continue to work harmoniously together. As the new night class president I have invited important figures to this gathering who share my hopes for a better future and here they are…"
Isaya and Zero entered onto the porch in time with Hitoshi's reveal of them. Every vampire in attendance fell silent when they gazed upon the two vampires who just appeared. Zero especially could feel the gazes land on him as each and everyone looked at Isaya first then stopping at him and continued to stare.
However, Zero paid no mind to such a thing as he scanned amongst the crowd for the one person he was hoping to see again. Yet before Zero could find the blonde noble he was hoping for, the next words that came from Hitoshi's mouth sent a shock wave that will change the outcome to things that may come to pass to an undesirable degree.
"Allow me to introduce Zana, the niece of Isaya Shoutou…my birth father."
TBC…