So again, I was originally going to have a really long chapter, but it's been split in half, as the second part still needs some work.
And I know you're all probably getting sick of hearing this, but you have my deepest apologies for the long wait. These scenes have been running through my imagination for years, and when I finally got the chance to write them, they became ridiculously important to me. So thank you so much for your patience, your reviews and pm's.
But hey, the good news is that the next chapter is almost done! So you will be seeing an update from me within the next couple of weeks.
And before I forget, if you like this story, or just feel like reading a really great oneshot:
GO READ THE TWO MINUTE RULE, by WittlessFool!
It's an adorable and well-written short story based off of the little anecdote in chapter 2 of this one. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. It owns me.
Tell me everything.
Tall, looming over her in the dark, Kaname awaited her confession.
Feeling small and insignificant, Ruka found herself consumed with the inane idea that she could be swallowed by the mere passing of his shadow.
In an instant Kain had disappeared, but she could still feel the warmth of his embrace. His earthy scent still lingered in the air.
Now, alone and faced with Kaname's daunting presence, she wished she had gone with him.
"Kaname-sama..I.." Shakily, she pushed a wayward strand of hair away from her face, knowing she appeared every bit as disheveled as she felt. "This isn't what it looks like."
"Ah, such a cliché response." Kaname replied in a strangely melodious tone. "Do I seem the scorned lover in this act?"
"What? Of course not." Of all the...
"Has he been visiting you these past months?" His features were difficult to make out in the dim light, but his voice carried smoothly. "Perhaps when the rest of the house is asleep? Has he been sneaking in through the window of your room?"
Still off balance from the sharp turn of events, it took Ruka longer than it should have to realize Kaname was toying with her. He watched her gravely. His arms were folded as if to show disappointment, but the rich tone of his voice gave him away.
Ruka had seen him do this to others, to Aidou especially, but he'd never done it to her. With her, he'd always remained somber, treating her as though her presence disturbed him. In the past, Ruka had considered it as further evidence of his dislike of her. Now, under the scrutiny of his ominous gaze, she found it unsettling.
She managed a steady reply. "No, to all of it."
"No?" He sounded doubtful as he idly straightened the cuff of his sleeve. "Yet here I feel that I've interrupted an intimate moment between the two of you."
Feeling heat flush her cheeks, Ruka averted her eyes. "I was just...surprised to see him. That's all."
"Oh, is that all?" Lifting his head to watch her, he stepped into the light. A flicker revealed black eyes. There was no amusement there.
"Yes..." Her voice trailed off.
"Ruka," her name passed his lips like a term of endearment.
It was not comforting.
Taking another step closer, his voice lowered ominously. "It is not wise to hide things from me."
Grateful that she wouldn't have to lie when it came to this subject, Ruka found her voice. "He only said that he wanted me to go with him. He didn't say where."
"And did he tell you his purpose here?"
"No he didn't, and I didn't ask." She added stubbornly.
As if struck with a sudden headache, Kaname pressed two fingers against his temple. "Still, you wish to protect him after all he's put you through."
More than that. She would give her life for him.
"I'm being nothing but honest with you, Kaname-sama." she insisted. "Surely you can see that."
For a long moment, he remained silent. Afraid that she might lose her courage if she looked straight at him, Ruka stared at the buttons of his silk shirt. He was dressed down for the occasion, but then again, Kaname could attend a noble gathering in pajamas and slippers, and nobody would question him.
In the past few months, she should have become accustomed to being near him. But it had become more and more tense with each encounter. It wasn't that what happened had put distance between them. It was the fact that he'd become far too close.
"Just tell me one thing." His voice was so low that she wouldn't have heard it had he not been standing so near.
Surprised by the sudden seriousness of his tone, Ruka glanced up to find his face a mere inches from hers.
Sucking in a sharp breath, she opened her mouth to speak. "I don't..."
"Has he fed you?" He interrupted, leaning in to give her his ear as if waiting to hear a secret. Strands of dark glossy hair moved against his cheek with each of her short breaths. His eyes were looking at some point just behind her shoulder.
He was smelling her. Inspecting her, really. But why the intensity? He could have taken in her scent several feet away just as easily as he could this close. Was he surprised that she didn't smell like blood? Did it even matter?
Suddenly, she had the overwhelming urge to put both hands on his chest and shove him. It felt like insects were crawling over her skin. She imagined the vines of the floral carpet creeping up over her legs, binding her in place.
"No. We didn't...do that." Her voice came out strained.
Her answer didn't relax him. "How long has it been?"
"Since what?"
"Since you've fed."
She couldn't stop herself from taking a step back then, revealing just how much his question unsettled her. Her heart sank to her stomach, her throat clenching as she fought to control the quick onslaught of panic.
He couldn't ask her this. Not now. Not after she'd just seen Akatsuki. He couldn't possibly be that cruel.
Desperate, Ruka found herself blurting out, "Yuuki-sama has decided not to come tonight."
Suddenly, Kaname's expression transformed from one of idle amusement to something much darker.
Oh dear, she really needed to think things through before she opened her mouth.
"Very well." He straightened to his full height, his jaw hardening. "You may have it your way tonight."
Turning, he strolled ahead and spoke over his shoulder to give a command, "Accompany me."
Stunned, Ruka stared at his back for several seconds before remembering to fall into place behind him. His clothing had the faint scent of smoke, as if he had been standing near a fireplace. He'd been brooding again, most likely. Depressing thoughts crept his mind incessantly. She was sick of being inside his head.
But even as she followed him, Ruka couldn't help but wonder his purpose in asking:
How long has it been since you've fed?
And she wondered if anything would have changed if she had answered him.
It's been four days since I last drank your blood.
Kaname.
"It's late. He isn't coming. He knows." The young man dressed as a servant gripped the serving tray so hard the crystal glasses wobbled. He was as white as a ghost and smelled of sweat.
Kain sighed, he'd been under the impression they'd gotten only the best for this job. "He's coming." He spoke under his breath as he took one of the offered refreshments. "The trap has been laid out and he'll fall for it."
The human nodded shakily, not appearing reassured in the slightest.
In a sarcastic tone, Kain added. "Please tell me you're not the one serving him."
"No, that's Jenks."
Thank God, or whoever, for small favors.
"I was told to let you know they're ready for you." The boy added in a whisper that any vampire that was listening in could have heard. Even in a ballroom this large.
Kain knew that everything had to go perfectly, but hell, a part of him just wanted to get this over with.
Eying the glass of liqueur in his hand, Kain asked. "This drinkable?"
"Yes."
Downing the contents, Kain placed his empty glass back on the tray. "Try not to get eaten." He mumbled, before turning to leave the "servant" to his own devices. He'd bet his last dollar that the kid would be somebody's dinner before the end of the night.
Ah well, all's fair in love and war, or so they said.
Which made him think about Ruka. Upstairs.
With Kaname...
Cutting a line through the dance floor, he sidestepped gentlemens' feet as swishing skirts brushed his ankles. The sour scent of alcohol came from their breaths, the air littered with sweet perfumes and the distant odor of blood.
All of his careful calculations had gone down the drain the second he'd gone up to see her. It had been much too soon. Even at the time, he'd known he should have waited. There had been no valid reason for it. It hadn't been part of the plan.
But his eyes had been starving to see her in person. He'd been shaking with the need to feel her silky hair thread through his fingers. He'd needed to see that she was alright, to know that she hadn't broken under Kaname's harsh rule.
And she hadn't even looked at him. As if he was the one who had betrayed them, as if it had been his decision for her to throw herself at the pureblood like a love-ridden fool.
Yes, this was guerrilla warfare. Kain wanted to see Kaname suffer. If he could, he would fucking kill him.
Once he made it away from the bulk of the crowd, Kain managed to stick to the shadows - a difficult task at his height. From the corner of the room he scanned the sea of nobles.
Lord Aidou was holding up his end of the deal. The aristocrat was conversing with one of the heads of the Touya family. They were undoubtedly droning on about business investments which simply boiled down to schemes to make more money. Being that his uncle was normally sturdy and sober, Kain doubted that anyone noticed the way Lord Aidou's fist was strangling the stem of his glass.
Escaping from the scene, Kain slipped through the hidden door unnoticed. Sure, he had been one of the main topics of gossip that evening, but nobles were quick to outcast those that didn't keep up appearances in social circles. Luckily, his lowered status had made it much easier to maneuver tonight. And of course, the fact that Lord Aidou had told everyone that Kain had been spending these past months as an honored guest of the Aidou family, immediately absolved him of any possible sin.
Down the maze of darkened hallways, he found the room that was awaiting his arrival. They'd managed to take out half of the guards, picking them off one by one. Which meant the bulky guard in front of this door was one of their own.
So far it had gone smoothly, but Seiren was going to be a problem. One that Kain sincerely hoped wouldn't require drastic measures. Even so, hoping that she would be among the vampires Kaname sent after Yuuki would have been an oversight.
"How'd it go?" Kain asked as he approached the "guard."
"Came straight here just like you said he would. Almost exactly to the minute." He sounded impressed. "How did you know?"
With a faint smirk on his lips, Kain said "He can be a loose cannon, but in some things he's completely predictable."
The guard shrugged, "Well, we had no problems. They're getting it cleaned up now."
Hoping that "getting it cleaned up" didn't imply scrubbing blood off the floor, Kain headed inside.
He'd always found it odd that there were guest rooms on the main floor, but Aidou certainly had no problem finding a use for them.
This time, it was one of the richer family's daughters. Her diamond necklace hung limply to the side, her dark hair tangled over her face. There were three people working the room - rearranging the sofa and picking up clothes that were haphazardly strewn about the floor. The two serving carts were going to be used to move the happy couple upstairs.
"They didn't even see us coming." The woman who was extracting a dart from Aidou's neck informed him. She was the leader of this team.
Glancing at his cousin, Kain couldn't help but let out a small smile. Even with lipstick on his collar and half of his shirt buttons undone, Aidou still managed to look like an innocent as he lay passed out on the sofa.
"Lucky for you, he was distracted." Kain pointed out.
"I still don't see why we don't just set them up here." She argued. "Two lovebirds sprawled in a side room... Nobody would suspect a thing."
"Yes, but we all know that at some point tonight, things are going to get ugly." Kain said, hiding his concern. He sincerely hoped that the body count would remain at zero. "Two hours from now, who knows what this place is going to look like."
"But this place is huge. There are thousands of rooms just like this one"
"Better to be safe than sorry." When she still looked doubtful, Kain pointed to his cousin's sleeping form. "That one is the Aidou heir. We lose him and you guys get nothing."
It appeared to be all the motivation they needed, because the woman immediately began barking orders to her men. "One of you help me lift this one up. Lets get this done quickly before any of the leeches come snooping around." Wincing, she gave Kain an apologetic glance. "No offense."
"None taken." He'd become accustomed to their slander of his race over the past months. It was just the hunters' way of dealing with their natural fear of vampires.
Seeing that things were going smoothly, Kain turned to leave them to their work.
But the door opened before he could reach it. Another hunter stumbled in, stinking of blood and fear. The guard was trying to rush him inside so he could shut the door, but the sweating human fell to his knees.
"A monster.." The shaking hunter whispered, staring off at nothing. His face was white with shock as he pressed a hand over a bleeding wound on his side. Blood soaked the front of his shirt, oozing to the floor by his knee.
Immediately kneeling to grab the human by the shoulders, Kain ordered. "Tell me what happened. How many did we lose." Goddammit, this wasn't supposed to happen.
Eyes rolling to the back of his head, the hunter continued to mumble meaninglessly, and Kain just barely managed to catch a few words before he found himself holding up nothing more than a limp body.
Something about white hair and monster.
Seiren.
He hadn't meant for it to go like this, but he had the sinking feeling that this was going to get very ugly, very fast.
It wasn't until they reached the double doors of the foyer that Ruka understood what Kaname had meant by asking her to accompany him.
But she still hoped she was wrong. "Shall I await you in the meeting hall?" She asked.
Stopping, Kaname turned to look down at her. "In light of recent events, I feel it prudent that you remain at my side." He said, easily matching her formal tone. "For safety reasons, of course."
Before she could come up with a way to respectfully disagree, someone called out from behind them.
"Kaname-sama!" The vampire moved quickly, coming from out of nowhere to kneel at his feet. "There is an urgent matter of which I must speak with you."
Out of breath, her hair mussed and her clothing ripped in several places, Seiren looked as if she had just returned from a vicious fight. Ruka stared in horror at the blood dripping from her hands.
None of it was Seiren's. In fact, it smelled like it came from a human...
"Rise." Kaname commanded, his voice carrying with authority. "Speak freely."
Standing, Seiren gave a worried look in Ruka's direction, as if she thought it unwise to reveal anything in her presence. Nevertheless, she obeyed her leader.
"We have been infiltrated by hunters." she stated. "While scanning the perimeters one of their teams attempted to take me out. I was able to eliminate most of them but I was outnumbered and one was able to escape." She paused to catch her breath, but her voice remained stone cold. "As many of our forces have been dispatched..." another glance at Ruka, "...elsewhere. There is reason to suspect that both the grounds and interior have been compromised."
Kaname grew quiet, eerily so. Gazing at some point in the distance, his brows drew together as if in concentration. With a patience that was at odds with the urgency of the situation, Seiren calmly awaited his response.
Realizing that Kaname was using his pureblood abilities to look in on some far off place, Ruka wondered if Seiren also knew of his powers. Or perhaps the quiet bodyguard was simply accustomed to their pureblood's odd behavior.
But none of that mattered. Akatsuki's presence tonight and this incident was no coincidence. It couldn't be.
Ruka felt as if she was being sucked in by a black hole. Oh god, if Akatsuki was the one behind this, Kaname would kill him. Of that there was no doubt in her mind. She couldn't stay here. She needed to find him. Suddenly, nothing else mattered.
Her mind racing, her heart hammering in fear, Ruka felt the compelling urge to flee. Unconscious of her own movement, she took a step backwards.
Like a hawk, Seiren's sharp silver eyes snapped to hers. They seemed to say, Take one more step and it will be your last.
Without changing the direction of his gaze Kaname reached one hand behind him, circling icy fingers around her wrist. Ruka felt a chill go through her bones. She fought back a helpless cry as sheer panic overcame her.
"You will keep this situation monitored." He calmly addressed Seiren, "Do not kill. Do not attack unless they attack first or threaten the safety of our guests. You are free to subdue and restrain those that you can, but do not draw attention to your actions. Keep this quiet."
Eyes widening, Seiren took a step towards Kaname. "Sir, I believe the best course of action would be to move you to another location. We can secure your safety and then retrieve the princess."
With a wave of his hand, Kaname dismissed the idea. "Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary." He said, then tugged at Ruka's arm until she was forced to take a step closer. "I have all the protection I need."
Unable to hold it in, Ruka heard herself gasp, but Seiren ignored the sound. "And what shall we do about Kain-san?"
His eyes going black, Kaname's voice lowered, "It appears that my former advisor is attempting to dig his own grave."
"You mustn't hurt him!" Ruka couldn't stop herself from crying out, even while knowing it was hopeless. "I know how it seems, but he can't be the one behind this. He simply wouldn't!"
Seiren glared at her. "They used an entrance that only your closest followers would know about, Kaname-sama."
Trapped between a lethal assassin and the most powerful pureblood known to existence, Ruka found herself a captive. She didn't consider herself a weakling but even in her current state of panic, she wasn't delusional. Either one of them alone could easily overpower her. She couldn't flee, and fighting would get her nowhere.
Refusing to move, Ruka felt herself falling to her knees, her voice coming out strong as determination fueled her to the core. "I will not become an accomplice to his death." She declared. "You can either spare his life or slay me here and now. I'll not follow you one step further, Kaname!"
In a flash, Seiren was standing over her, and Ruka felt the cold harsh steel of a dagger against her throat. A well-trained assassin, Seiren held herself still. "She has betrayed you! If it is your wish, I will make it happen, Kaname-sama."
They said that right before your death, your life flashed before your eyes, but all Ruka could think was, Akatsuki, please survive this night. Please stay alive.
"Enough!" Kaname bellowed in a voice that seemed to move the very walls. It was as if he had radiated an electric current, and Ruka instinctively closed her eyes against an invisible force that shoved its way through her system.
Instantly, the dagger was gone from her neck, and Ruka opened her eyes to find Seiren staggering back from the force of some unseen blow.
Looking up at Kaname, Ruka found him unlike anything she had ever seen before. His eyes were red, blazing brightly as if lit with fire. The air around him became a dark cloud, his skin a white but translucent glow.
Being near him made it difficult to breath, and each time she tried to take air into her lungs, she only drew in a thick mist. She found herself unable to move, yet barely able to keep herself from cowering in fear.
Seiren had not been so lucky. Visibly shaking, silver eyes the size of saucers, she stared up at Kaname as if she was seeing the grim reaper. "K-Kaname-sama," she stammered, "I only wanted to..."
"You will do as I have asked and nothing more." His voice was a whisper, but Ruka felt it as if it was reverberating off the insides of her skull.
Somewhere off in the distance, a part of her knew that this was what purebloods were truly capable of. This was that formidable power that kept all other vampires bowing at their feet.
They could control any lesser vampire, become the master of their minds. With a mere thought, Kaname would be capable of turning them all into nothing more than drooling slaves. It was the sole power he had sworn to never use against them.
Yet here she was, unable to even lift a finger. She tried to move her head, to take a breath, but she no longer had even that much control.
At some point, her mind must have acknowledged that the order was meant for Seiren. Because as the white haired vampire walked away, mechanically doing his bidding, the building pressure inside her head began to ease. She closed her eyes then opened them again, relief washing over her at being able to control even that small movement.
But she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't scared out of her mind.
Kaname was quiet for a long time. Like a statue, he stood, his eyes closed, his cheeks pale, his expression a mask. The smoke screen around him began to dissipate.
Ruka was unable to take her eyes off of him. His skin was gradually returning to normal, the glow fading along with the strange dark aura that had surrounded him. When he opened his eyes, she startled, but they were back to their normal dark color. Even the familiar sadness had returned.
Feeling a chill run through her arm, Ruka noticed that he still had his hand wrapped around her wrist. He had been holding it the entire time.
"It appears that even Seiren has a rebellious streak." Now relaxed, he spoke as if they were having an idle conversation. "I admit, I was not prepared for it."
Speechless, Ruka could only stare at him. She no longer knew what to think of his actions.
"But it appears that you are much stronger than she." He tilted his head to the side as if viewing her from a new angle. "How interesting..."
How could he act like this after what had just occurred? If she didn't know better, she would think that the pureblood she had been following her entire life was actually insane.
They needed to address the matter at hand, but to her horror, Ruka found herself unable to speak. She had maintained control over her thoughts, but her body was another matter.
"Walk with me, and I will consider your plea for his life." He said, giving her hand a slight tug to lift her to her feet.
Her knees felt week, and Ruka was certain her legs were shaking underneath her gown, but as if in a trance she found herself able to put one foot in front of the other. His long fingers slid from her wrist, wrapping around her hand in the way a gentlemen would lead a lady.
The large double doors seemed to magically open on their own, and as they stepped onto the grand stairway, they were bathed in the golden light of the ballroom. From here the crowded nobles below were a collage iridescent colors and glittering jewels. A few noticed their arrival and turned to stare.
The announcer at the top of the staircase saw them enter and puffed out his chest, "Entering the hall: First of the Kuran line, the pureblood Kaname," he called out and the room silenced, all heads turning to face them. "At his side stands Ruka S-..." he stuttered to a stop, then looked at her in a panic, at a loss for what to say.
"Of the Kuran faction." Kaname supplied.
"Thank you, sir." The announcer whispered, then cleared his throat before shouting, "At his side stands Ruka of the Kuran faction!"
There were several gasps and Ruka was sure that if she had been standing amongst them, she would have seen their mouths gaping open.
God, how had she ended up in this position? Walking in with Kaname like this - the things it would imply! He couldn't have possibly wanted this, even if it was only a means to use her as some sort of shield.
As they took their first few steps down the staircase, Kaname spoke in a voice that was for her ears alone. "The relationships among purebloods are often beyond a noble's understanding."
Ruka found herself lifting her skirt in one hand the way she had been trained to since childhood, taking one step at a time, matching his pace.
All the while, Kaname continued speaking. "Our lives last an eternity. Yours are but the blink of an eye." He gave a bow of his head to one of the head noble families, his voice low and secretive. "In the endless sea of time, our parents become allies. Aunts and uncles become enemies. Siblings are often lovers."
Like a puppet, Ruka felt herself going through the motions of formality. She kept her chin raised. Her posture aligned itself in a perfect perpendicular angle to the floor. She imagined herself pacing in ladylike steps across her mother's sitting room, listening to the tap of a ruler, books balanced on top of her head.
"And so, those that we allow to be close, become a dear family." Kaname scanned the crowds as he spoke to her. "Seiren is my stern yet over-protective mother. Aidou is the grandchild I have shamelessly spoiled."
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Kaname stepped ahead of her, then turned to give her a graceful bow. Ruka felt her head lower meekly, her knees bending in a deep curtsy. As she rose, he said. "Kain is the brother that has betrayed me."
Again, he offered his hand and as the guests watched and scrutinized her every movement, Ruka was forced to take it.
"But you are different." He went on, his voice was an odd lilting melody, both warm and disturbing. "You are my creation, my precious daughter."
Now that they were only a few feet away from the crowd, Ruka noticed that none of the other nobles were looking at him. Although his voice carried smoothly, somehow he was speaking so only she could hear him.
Frightened, wanting nothing more than to turn and run, Ruka felt her feet move underneath her, taking the last few steps to the main floor. A servant kneeled before them, offering a tray upon which sat two crystal glasses - one was for Kaname, the other had been originally intended for the pureblood princess.
As was customary, they would drink before the noble vultures would descend upon them. But this time, there was no pureblood princess to admire and adorn with compliments. In fact, this entire evening had become an alternate reality, and Ruka couldn't even guess at how the nobles would react to her stepping in to take Yuuki's place.
Pulling her closer, Kaname spoke confidentially, "A daughter is the sparkle of her father's eye. He wants to be her sole provider. He wants to be the one to solve all of her problems, to take away her fears." There was a brief flash in his eyes. "And he despises those who attempt to steal her heart. There are good men in the world, but none are good enough for her."
Knowing she was supposed to take a glass, Ruka tried to move her hand but Kaname's grip tightened.
Reaching across them, he lifted his own glass, then held it between them. "If you didn't matter to me..." He paused to give the glass in his hand a meaningful glance. "If I was truly heartless, I would give this to you."
In a daze, Ruka's eyes fell to the red liquid. To her, it signified an ominous turn of events, a warning.
"It is intended for me, you must realize." As if completely unaware of the turmoil she was experiencing, Kaname swirled the contents of his glass and sighed. "If I forced you to drink it, then it would surely kill you."
Confused, unsure if she was still herself or if Kaname had been the one controlling all of her movements up until now, Ruka tried speaking.
But her lips wouldn't move.
"This would all end. My enemies would fall back, and I would stand the victor. It would be too easy..." Then he leaned in to whisper. "He's watching, you know. He knows this to be true."
He paused, and Ruka's heart began to pound. Again she tried to speak, tried to scream, but all that came out was a wheeze. Feeling like she was slowly suffocating, Ruka looked up to find Kaname watching her with a fierce concentration, as if it was taking everything in him to bind her to his will.
"But alas, I have made a horrible father." He continued, as if he hadn't just threatened her life. "I have hurt you in a most grave manner. I cast you away, used your strength to lure my enemies."
Someone was shouting behind her, but their words were muffled as if they were coming from miles away. She wanted to turn her head, to see what was happening around her, but she found herself captured by Kaname's haunting gaze.
With his face a mere inch away from hers, he said, "So, although you don't owe me any favors, I want you to deliver a message."
His expression changed into one of determination and his hand moved to grab her wrist in a vice-like grip. With a yank, he forced her closer, until their hands were pressed between them. To the crowd, it would have seemed like a lover's embrace.
But the crowd couldn't see the darkness of his eyes, the forceful way he was squeezing her wrist. And because he was using the powerful abilities that only a pureblood could possess, they couldn't hear when he spoke to her harshly.
"Tell him that had it not been for you, this night would have ended differently. He may have outsmarted me this night, but if I had desired it, I would have had his head." He stopped suddenly, his eyes closing as if in defeat. "Tell him I did this for you."
And with those final words, he straightened, bringing the glass to his lips. Throwing his head back, he drank deeply, consuming the entire contents, one gulp at a time.
When the glass was empty, his fingers grew limp. His eyelids lowered, and her wrist was released from his grasp. The glass slipped from his hand, shattering in an array of sparkling crystals on the marble floor.
Instantly snapping out of her hypnosis, Ruka felt like she'd just been slapped. In a rush, her head cleared, and a chill spiked through her. It was as if she had been surrounded by a bubble, and when Kaname let go of her, it popped. Suddenly, she could hear everything around her, and the music and murmuring of the crowd blasted in her ears.
Kaname staggered backwards, his head slightly swaying to the side, then collapsed to the floor.
All chaos broke loose.
Nobles rushed them in a stampede. There was a flash of silver as the servant who had brought the glasses pulled a gun out from under the tray. A woman screamed.
Ruka heard shots go off, saw red out of the corner of her eye, but was unable to see anything else before she was hit by what felt like a brick wall.
It all seemed to happen at the same time. With dizzying speed, she was lifted off the floor. Something black was forced over her head, arms as hard as steel wrapped around her.
She heard someone yelling above the crowd. "Where's the Souen girl? Don't let her escape! She must be questioned. She must be..."
A shot rang out and the voice was cut off, overwhelmed by the roar of the crowd.
As if a thousand needles laced with adrenaline pierced her skin, Ruka panicked. Using every ounce of strength she possessed, she struggled against whoever was holding her. She needed to get away! Oh god, they were going to kill her!
Kicking her legs, she elbowed her captor in the chest as hard as she could, hearing him grunt in pain. His arms loosened for a second, and she tried to use the opportunity to get away, but whoever was holding her was much too strong.
"Stop. It's me." He whispered, his voice strained. "Damn it, I didn't know you could hit so hard. I think you might have broken a rib."
In shock, Ruka went still in his arms, then heard herself let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh. If she hadn't been in such a panic she would have recognized his scent earlier. Now, she turned her face into his chest, gripped his shirt as tightly as she could, and breathed in his wonderful aroma.
"Oh Akatsuki," She whispered his name in searing relief. "You're alive. Thank God."
Although she still couldn't see him, she felt him pull her closer. It was then she realized that the black cloth covering her face was actually his jacket. They were moving quickly, the sounds of the crowded ballroom growing farther and farther in the distance.
From under Kain's jacket, she couldn't see where they were going, but the lighting changed slightly. Eventually she heard a door open and shut.
He gently set her on her feet, lifting his jacked to rest it on her shoulders.
Ruka had hoped to be able to see him, but the room they were in was pitch black. Disoriented, she found herself asking, "Did I really crack one of your ribs?"
"It's already healing." He said as if it was nothing, turning to bolt the door shut behind them.
Noticing that she had lost one of her shoes in the chaos of their escape, Ruka bent down to remove the remaining stiletto as she took in her surroundings. She quickly realized she was in a part of the mansion that she had never seen before. It was a long hallway that seemed to to lead to nothing but more darkness. The ceiling was low. The walls were solid cement. The floor was cold against her bare feet.
"Where is this exactly?" She asked, trying to draw a map of the main floor of the mansion in her mind. They couldn't have gone far, and it hadn't felt like he'd gone up or down any stairways.
"We have to keep moving." He replied curtly, not answering her question.
Taking her hand, he lead her down the hallway at a brisk pace. She had to jog a few steps here and there to keep up with him, holding her skirt in one hand to keep herself from tripping. It was eerily quiet, with only the sound of their heavy breathing and footsteps echoing in the dark.
It didn't really surprise her to learn that the mansion had secret passageways. She'd always suspected that there was one that lead to the basement as a means for Yuuki to escape in an emergency. The fact that Kain knew about this place shouldn't have surprised her either. But for some reason, it made her feel uncomfortable. It was yet another secret. Something to add to the list of things she didn't know about him.
But her own secrets were now so much worse...
Ruka's heart sank. Once he found out where her sustenance for the past few months had come from, she would lose him again.
But there was no use thinking about this now. They needed to get out of here first.
Kain stopped before they reached the end and traced his hand against the cement. In disbelief, Ruka watched as he expertly found a hidden latch in what looked like a flat wall. He stood still for a second, listening. Nervous that they might still be discovered, Ruka held her breath.
When it became apparent that all was quiet, he pushed the hidden door open, allowing orange light to crack through. Kain went inside without hesitation. Ruka peered in after him.
She sucked in a breath when she saw that it was Kaname's office. Earlier that night, she had been in this exact room. The list of noble family names was still lying on the desk. Had it really only been a few hours ago that she had been sitting here, dreading another dull evening?
Stepping inside, Ruka turned to see that the hidden doorway was attached to the book case. How disappointingly unoriginal.
When she heard a rustling sound, she turned to see Kain with his hand in the fireplace, rummaging through ash and burning wood. The flames were dying, and although Kain was immune to it, he'd rolled his sleeves up so they wouldn't catch fire.
Maybe she was in shock. Maybe the relief from seeing him alive simply overshadowed everything else that had happened that night. Because now that there was enough light to see him, Ruka couldn't help but admire his form.
Like the other nobles that evening, he was dressed in a suit, minus the jacket of course. His white shirt pulled across his broad shoulders. As usual, his hair was a little unkempt, falling slightly over his forehead. She'd always liked when he rolled up his sleeves just so. It seemed to accentuate the sinewy muscles of his forearms.
He must have found whatever it was he was looking for, because something clicked under her feet. Still on edge, Ruka let out a squeak, jumping away from the sound as if it would bite her.
Kain's head shot up, and his face transformed into a gentle smile when he noticed that she'd only been startled. That lopsided grin was enough to make her heart skip, and when he straightened to stroll towards her, Ruka found herself unable to take her eyes off of him.
Placing his hands on her hips, he pulled her towards him, "A few steps this way." He said, his breath brushing over her ear. When she did as he asked, a small panel on the wooden floor popped open.
Bending down, Kain pulled a box out of the hidden compartment. He set it on the desk, then sat in Kaname's chair and opened one of the bottom drawers
Ruka stared at the box. It was made of steel, and was about the size of a briefcase. It was apparently locked, the latch at the front contained a hole for a small key. With an expression that revealed nothing of his thoughts, Kain retrieved the key from the bottom drawer then slid it into the lock.
Curiosity got the better of her, and Ruka peered over his shoulder as he opened the container. Inside, there were various papers, but she was only able to catch brief glimpses of their contents as Kain shuffled through them. Some seemed to be diagrams, others contained long lines of numbers in what looked like mathematical equations. There were old black and white photographs of buildings and people she vaguely recognized as members of the council.
"You may want to avert your eyes." Kain said, as he continued flipping through the images, searching for something.
But it was too late. Gasping, Ruka covered her mouth as the images became more gruesome. Suddenly, there were photos of body parts, people with their limbs contorted into odd shapes. One photo showed a woman lying on a table with needles protruding from her arms; her mouth was wide open in a silent scream, her eyes missing.
Ruka averted her eyes.
Apparently finding whatever it was he was looking for, Kain took several pages, then snapped the box closed. Straightening, he folded the papers, slid them into his back pocket, then quickly returned the box to it's original location, stepping on the floor panel until it sealed shut.
Just then, Ruka heard the sound of running footsteps approaching from the hallway outside. They both froze, staring at the door. Closer and closer, the pounding steps grew louder, but the beating of her heart seemed to roar louder still.
Oh god, what would they do if someone found them? If they were seen together like this, snooping around Kaname's office no less, their guilt would be decided. Then it wouldn't simply be her head on the guillotine, Kain would be marked as well.
But as the footsteps ran outside, they passed the closed door to Kaname's office, and again grew softer as they headed in another direction.
Relieved that they wouldn't be exposed right then and there, but still tense from the close encounter, Ruka found herself pressing her single shoe against her chest, squeezing the stiletto heal until her knuckles turned white.
Moving to stand next to her, Kain was a strong yet comforting presence. He placed a hand at her lower back, leading her back to the hidden doorway. "Don't worry." He whispered calmly, and she could feel the warmth of his hand through the thin layer of her silk gown. "I'll keep you safe."
Trying to take comfort in his words, Ruka forced herself to proceed ahead of him and stepped quietly back into the darkened passage. What Kain didn't seem to understand though, was that she was far more worried about his safety than her own.
The stark hallway was far longer than she expected, and although they were moving quickly, it felt as though it took hours to reach the end. All the while she silently prayed. Please don't let anyone see him. I don't care what happens to me. Just keep Akatsuki safe.
Finally, just when she thought her knees might buckle underneath her, they reached the end of the tunnel.
Unlike the hidden door leading to Kaname's office, the exit was already slightly opened. Ruka could see the crack in the opening, could hear the soft breeze. The light peeking through was soft and white like the moon.
Bracing his foot against the side wall, Kain used his weight shove against one side of the cracked opening. And as she heard a scraping sound, Ruka realized that it was actually a very large bolder. Amazingly, using the strength of what would normally take a hundred men, Kain was able to push it all on his own.
When he'd slid it far enough, he took her hand again, helping her through. Outside, the wind was blowing, the sky clear. They were in a clearing surrounded by tall lurking trees and the black car was reflecting the light of the moon.
But her feeling of relief had come too soon, because as soon as Kain stepped around the hood of the car, a white haired figure dropped in front of him.
Seiren landed on her feet as if she were as light as a feather, and something silver flashed in her hand. Ready to attack anyone who dared threaten his life, Ruka took a step towards them.
"Tell your dog to stay." Seiren sneered as she pressed her dagger into Kain's neck, drawing a sliver of blood.
Utterly still, Kain's voice remained calm, "Get in the car, Ruka." He said slowly, never taking his eyes off of the white haired assassin. "There are directions in the glove compartment. I'll catch up with you shortly."
Like hell. What did he think, she was just going to leave him here? Taking a step towards them, Ruka prepared herself to attack.
"Move another inch and I will not hesitate to slit his throat!" Seiren shouted, her eyes turning deep red.
Wide eyed, Ruka looked from him to Seiren, shifting slightly as gravel scraped her bare feet. Dear lord, she'd seen how fast Seiren could move. There was no way she would be able to get to them in time. And while Kain was most likely the stronger of the two, she doubted he would be quick enough to escape before Seiren could make her move.
But even as Ruka was cycling through her options, it occurred to her that something was off.
Why hadn't Seiren simply killed him when she had the chance? Her power was unquestionable. She was stealthy and agile. She was an expert at getting in and out before anyone could even notice her presence.
And while her eyes were red, indicating that she was in either bloodlust or rage, it was actually more of a dull color, like rust. In fact, now that Ruka was assessing her more closely, Seiren didn't appear to be showing any emotion at all. It would have been considered normal behavior for her, except for the fact that her eyes were vacant, her pupils missing entirely.
"Seiren." Ruka drew out her name slowly, not wanting to startle their attacker as an idea occurred to her. "What was it that Kaname ordered you to do?"
Her brows drawing together as if in intense confusion, Seiren's grip on her knife faltered, and she pulled back slightly from Kain's throat. Slowly, her features relaxed until she appeared to be in some kind of trance.
"Do not kill." Her voice was a drone. "Do not attack unless they attack first. Protect the safety of the guests. Restrain, but do not draw attention. Follow these orders and do nothing else."
It was eery, the way she spoke. It was as if she were a robot, her voice a computerized recording, and although Seiren normally lacked emotion, it was not at all similar to her normal tone of voice. Slightly dismayed, Ruka realized that Seiren had spoken Kaname's orders almost verbatim, as if they were a mantra that had been repeating over and over again in her head since the moment Kaname had uttered the words.
Was this the true extent of the power of purebloods? What if Kaname had died that night? ...which seemed very likely. Would Seiren continue to follow his last order for the rest of her life?
Dear god, she had been in that room when Kaname had used this technique. How was it that Seiren had become nothing more than a robot, while Ruka remained unaffected?
His brown eyes wide with a look that seemed akin to fascination, Kain watched as Seiren backed away from him. She lowered her arm and held the dagger passively at her side. With a vacant expression, she became a statue - not moving, not speaking.
After several moments passed with nothing else happening, Kain whispered, "I can't believe he did this."
"It was one of the most frightening things I've ever experienced." Ruka told him, unable to take her eyes off of Seiren. Even though the stoic bodyguard had tried to kill her, and even though Ruka had been ready to tear her apart for threatening Kain's life, it was somehow saddening to see the once formidable vampire reduced to this.
"Jesus." At Kain's whispered curse, Ruka looked up to find him watching her, worry etched in the lines of his face.
It occurred to Ruka that the reason she had been able to withstand Kaname's mind control might have very well had something to do with the fact that he had been the one feeding her these past months. The blood of a pureblood vampire certainly must have held power that no normal noble would possess.
In shame, she turned her head away from Kain's caring brown eyes. She didn't deserve his look of concern.
And as he opened the passenger door, waited for her to get in, then jogged around to the driver's side, Ruka felt like her heart was slowly being ripped into shreds. She wondered if Kaname had known that one day, Akatsuki would return to her. Had giving her blood been an attempt to get back at the follower who had betrayed him? Had Kaname intended to drive a wedge between them?
She thought back to that first night - the first time Kaname had broken his skin, allowing his blood to flow freely into her mouth.
It had begun during those dark days after the meeting with the hunters, when she had finally come to the realization that Akatsuki had no intention of returning. She'd remained locked in her room for weeks, the days growing long, the nights growing longer.
Looking back on it now, Ruka acknowledged that allowing her thirst to progress had been the catalyst that caused a slow decline to tumble to rock bottom. She didn't know how long she went without blood. But it must have gone on much longer than the time she'd spent hiding from Akatsuki at their secluded hideout. Because this time, it had been exponentially worse.
Beginning with tremors and ending in hallucinations, it had spread from a dull ache in her chest to wracking pains throughout her body. Like a deadly disease, the symptoms had worsened with each passing hour.
Akatsuki had once accused her of attempting to starve herself, but that had been a different time, when the thought of committing suicide had seemed abhorrent and foolish.
But during those stark weeks of grief at Kaname's mansion, she had almost succeeded in doing exactly that. She was pathetic - a weak and spoiled girl who used her own heartbreak as an excuse to make those around her fraught with worry. Now, Ruka felt an incredible sense of guilt for what she had put her childhood friend through.
Aidou had been the first to offer, and oh how she now wished she had taken him up on it. He had spent weeks trying to cheer her up, but convincing her mother to visit must have been his last card, because after that he gave up on trying to console her and had settled for simply trying to keep her alive.
Offering blood from his wrist, from a glass, and even a willing human donor, Aidou's attempts to make her drink had bordered on desperation. After this had gone on for several days, she vaguely remembered him pacing the floor of her room, "I swear to god, when I find Akatsuki, I'll beat the living shit out of him, drag him back here and feed him to you." He'd muttered in anger as Ruka lay unmoving on the bed.
Ruka hadn't said anything in response. By that point, she had begun drifting in and out of consciousness, her body gaunt and too weak to move.
Later on that night, Yuuki had been in her room. Ruka hadn't opened her eyes, but she remembered the sweet scent of the pureblood princess floating under her nose.
"Can't you use your pureblood abilities to make her do whatever you want?" She remembered hearing Aidou's voice again. "Just make her swallow."
"But I've never done anything like that before." Yuuki's voice was strained with concern. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."
"Well just try it. Please Yuuki-sama."
It had been silent for several seconds, and although her memory was fuzzy, Ruka thought that there might have been small and gentle hands pressing against her cheeks.
"It doesn't seem to be working. I'm so sorry."
"Where's Kaname then? Do we even know when he's coming back? God, she looks horrible. Will she even make it until he returns?"
After that, the voices faded away as Ruka's mind fell back into that bleak emptiness. Numbness to her surroundings had been her sole comfort and she'd actually relished in those moments when she'd felt near the end. The pain in her chest would stop and she would imagine her body floating away. The night she'd nearly been raped, the drugs had offered that same temptation, only this time she embraced it. She was letting her mind deteriorate into nothing, letting her body dissipate as if it was nothing but smoke.
But some indeterminable amount of time later, her static dream had turned into her darkest nightmare.
It was as if her soul had left her body and entered someone else's, like a strange vision, only it was far too vivid. She was looking at scenes around her from various times. In one, she was walking the streets of a city she'd never scene before. There were people around her sick and dying, moaning with a deadly illness as their bodies deteriorated. In another, she was among a crowd watching an execution. A woman in a tattered dress was dragged and tied, then lit on fire, her screams reaching a deafening pitch as her skin melted. Later, she found herself in the middle of a battlefield. Swords clashed and axes swung. Blood splattered as a full grown man lay on the ground, grasping at a stump where his leg had once been, crying for his mother.
The visions became more and more horrifying until finally Ruka shot awake. Her eyes snapped open, only to find that a wrist was pressed against her mouth. She was gripping a pale forearm, her fangs were buried deeply into the skin. Blood more potent than anything she had ever tasted was pouring down her throat.
Revolted by what she found herself doing, Ruka tried to pull back, only to feel a hand grip her hair tight enough to pull against her scalp as she was forcefully pressed against the bleeding wrist.
"You will drink until I order you to stop." Kaname's voice sounded in her ear, soft yet menacing. "See others who have struggled desperately to keep their lives, and reconsider what you have been doing to yourself. This is your punishment."
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Ruka sobbed against his wrist as she continued to swallow. The visions of death went on relentlessly, each one more horrible than the one before. As his blood continued to poor down her throat, her body grew stronger even as she thought her mind might break.
She thought it would never end, but he eventually let her stop.
Releasing the grip he had on her hair, he spoke in an oddly gentle tone, "That is enough."
Though she was no longer swallowing, Ruka felt the raw power continue to course through her veins. Whether it be from fear of what he had shown her or the waves of adrenaline that came from taking in so much, her hands began to shake.
Appearing indifferent to the fact that he had just turned the most intimate vampire act into the worst nightmare she had ever experienced, Kaname straightened his sleeve. "You will not starve yourself again." He said. "Since you are unable to decide for yourself when your body needs blood, then I will decide for you."
Defeated, Ruka could only stare off into nothing. The full weight of his "punishment" only just beginning to sink in.
"You will drink from me whenever I deem it necessary. You will not protest. You will not argue. In this, you will be obedient." When she tried to look away, he took her chin in a firm grip, forcing her to face him. "Is that understood?"
Repulsed by the very idea of it, Ruka heard herself answering him even as she felt her stomach churn. "Yes, Kaname-sama."
It had felt like the beginning of the end.
Now, she gazed at Akatsuki's face as he steered the sedan. Moonlight crept in through the window, outlining his profile. The masculine strength he carried with an easy stride, his woodsy scent, his red hair that had felt so soft the one night she'd been able to bury her hands in it - she wanted it all.
It seemed like he'd been gone from her life for centuries. She'd despaired in the thought that she would never see him again.
But now he was sitting next to her, close enough to touch, and she felt like bursting into tears.
Heavy stuff. I know.
And as long as I'm on the soap box I might as well say, I've always thought that reading is all about trust. You take a risk when you read a book, novel, story or whatever. You let the author take you for a ride, begin getting emotionally involved, and pray that the author doesn't cut you to pieces.
Anyways, my point is to let you know how much I appreciate all of you who are reading. Feel free to tell me what you love, what you hate, or just whatever you're feeling.
And this author is going to desperately try to earn your trust.