Ren-sama's Notes:
I feel very inspired with your wonderful reviews! I especially thank those readers who review on every chapter. You know who you are! Thank you very much! (*bows deeply*) ˆoˆ
Now for the next chapter… Enjoy!
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Chapter 11
"Welcome to the Moon Dorm, Prefects." Both Yuuki and Zero turned their heads when they heard the voice, though the hunter already registered the presence even before the figure's arrival. Aido bowed in a prince-like manner and welcomed them with that smug smile of his.
"That smile will be wiped out once the inspection starts." Yuuki whispered to Zero and the hunter saw the blonde's eyebrow twitched. Of course, even a mere whisper could be heard by a vampire, especially in a very quiet place like the Moon Dorm.
There was no other figure in sight but Zero knew they were almost surrounded. He didn't let his anxiousness go noticeable. It seemed Aido noticed though. "Don't worry, Kiryuu. Everyone received a debriefing last night. No one will even dare show hostility to the two of you. Kaname-sama made sure of that." The blonde's voice was so quiet that not even Yuuki who was beside them heard. But Zero, having both hunter and vampire senses, heard it just clearly. He nodded in silence and Aido seemed satisfied enough.
"Anyway, I'll be your tour guide right now while Kaname-sama is busy. He'll be here later." Aido said in his usual voice.
Zero observed Aido's actions towards Yuuki, and he could see that the blonde was not showing any respect or anything close to that. It seemed the fact that they were siblings was hidden by Kaname…
"Oy, Cross! Are you listening to me?" Aido stomped loudly on the tiled floor. "I said I will be the tour guide. Why the hell are you walking ahead of me!?"
Yuuki flicked her hair and smiled sweetly as she turned around. "Because you're slow, Aido-senpai."
"What?" Aido walked right beside the girl, towering over her. And thus, the endless bickering that wouldn't end until Kaname arrives started. Zero, for the first time in his life, wished that he'd hurry up so Aido and Yuuki's mouths would stop.
The blonde showed them to different parts of the dorm, which was basically like the Sun Dorm's structure, except for the thicker walls, grander atmosphere, and larger structure and area. Of course, that was because there was at least twice the number of Night Class students staying in the Moon Dorm than the number of students staying in the Sun Dorm.
Kaname arrived several minutes after the so-called tour. Zero was already in the huge dining hall together with Aido and the other vampires, and he was very ill-at-ease, what with all the bloodlust that he could feel in the air. There were many long tables in the dining hall and all of them were filled with Night Class students, among whom were still stretching and yawning because the inspection was in the middle of the night for them. But the sight and scent of a delicious and thick hunter blood was enough to wake everyone up.
Zero was just so glad that he was sitting in the table together with the other nobles who had more control and reserve. By now, these nobles were already familiar with his scent that their eyes weren't glowing crimsons at the sight of him anymore. But the other vampires with lesser nobility in them still couldn't help but feel intense urge to sink their fangs in a beautiful hunter neck and drink delicious hunter blood. Yuuki was eating quietly while Zero was merely poking his food, not in any way interested in eating happily and ignorantly while he was being perceived as one of the foods on the table. And besides, the two of them had just eaten in the Sun Dorm before they went to the place so he was unsure how Yuuki could eat so much while his stomach still felt heavy with the earlier meal.
"Didn't anyone teach you that poking your food is a bad manner?" A voice spoke from the doorway and all of them immediately stood up from their seats and bowed down to their waist in greeting, except Zero and Yuuki of course who stayed in their seats. Yuuki smiled sweetly at her older brother while Zero merely glared for being scolded by a vampire about manners.
Kaname looked at the last two people in amusement and he gave his kind smile to his younger sister before he smiled smugly at the hunter, whose glare darkened even more.
"Shall we all eat before the inspection?" Kaname asked as he sat at the head of the long table. Everyone nodded, including Yuuki this time, except Zero. The hunter somehow felt that the meal was like the last supper for everyone, grand and elite before the execution of the inspection.
The other nobles and vampires glared at Zero for being rude to their leader while Takuma, Kain, and Aido, who were more used to the attitude that the hunter displayed not just to Kaname but to almost everyone, merely shrugged. One would think that Aido should've been the first to react badly at the prefect's rudeness and offensive attitude but they were surprised to see no reaction whatsoever. The blonde only looked hungry for food and also looked sleepy enough to yawn in front of their Leader.
In the middle of the lunch, a beautiful maiden in the Night Class uniform appeared just behind Kaname and bowed down to her knees. "Kaname-sama."
Kaname immediately stopped eating and looked over his shoulder. "Eat with us, Seiren." He offered, though everyone knew it was not a request. The girl nodded and took a seat far from her master, which was an act of humility.
Zero did not mind her anymore. She seemed the kind of vampire whose only point in existence was to serve her master. She didn't even take a glance in his direction and he was glad that he could not feel any bloodlust in her. It seemed she had more control than the others… And she seemed more like a ninja than a vampire, what with all the behavior she exerted.
"Kiryuu."
No. What he was thinking about right now though shouldn't be something as trivial as a ninja-vampire but the letter that was sent earlier and the fact that his master and his friend would visit him tomorrow. The end of the day was nearing and he still had no plan about it whatsoever… He knew it might be a good idea to know from them what's happening in the headquarters. But he knew that even before he could ask them, a bullet would already be sent in his direction without any explanation. It was depressing to think about… And yet he knew he had to. If he didn't, then not only he but everyone, Cross and the others, would be subjected to punishment. After all, the purpose of the Association in sending him was to try to dig some dirt on Kaname and Cross's motives and actions… so they could do something about the connection of those two.
"Kiryuu."
The Association wanted to destroy both Kaname and Cross. At least that's how it looked to him now. He sighed inwardly. If he was still human, he would never doubt the Association like this. He wouldn't even question the presence of another hunter in the area without his knowledge and he wouldn't be suspicious of anyone with hunter presence in them. Heck, he wouldn't even be sitting in the same table as the vampires, eating while discussing the weather and such mundane things. He really had changed…
"Kiryuu, I didn't know you can sleep with your eyes open." Kaname voiced in amusement when the hunter continued to stay in his own world, musing about the end of it. Zero blinked and found the other noble trying to hide their grin. He immediately knew that Kaname said something totally annoying, even though he hadn't heard it. He gave the pureblood a death glare which Kaname only accepted with more amusement.
"Zero-kun, are you alright?" Yuuki asked in concern. She's the only one oblivious enough to not notice the vacant expression he wore throughout the entire meal.
"Yes." He answered quietly.
"Maybe he has a stomachache from overeating?" Kain asked his lover and Ruka sniggered behind her hand.
"No, no! He's experiencing the major shock of his life from too much vampire presence!" Takuma chirped happily, obviously ignoring the glare that was sent in his direction by the hunter.
Zero scowled when they continued to muse loudly about assumptions on his actions. And before he could think twice about it, he already blurted out what he was really thinking. "Just so you know, I'm not the only one who should be wary of tomorrow's event." And he made an exit before anyone could say anything.
The nobles had been told that two hunters would visit the school tomorrow to see how Zero had been fairing. Now they knew what had been bothering the hunter all this time. It seemed it was not the vampires' presence that he was wary of now. It was the hunters'.
"How ironic." Aido voiced quietly to himself, though everyone who heard him actually agreed.
After that lunch was the bloody inspection that took almost the whole afternoon and early evening. Some vampires were even more of a rule-breaker than the students in the Sun Dorm and it was they all could do to carry all the confiscated items. Of course, some vampires, like Aido, even cried over the loss of their belongings. Zero actually chuckled at the blonde's childish acts.
The hunter found out that aside from few illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages, some porn DVDs and magazines, and some stolen pictures of their Dorm Head and other nobles, the vampires had no other things to hide, at least nothing that he could see. What amused Zero was the fact that even Kaname's room/office was totally ransacked by Yuuki and he saw some magazines about the latest fashion, books about chess and martial arts, some books about business, and other stuff. The pureblood had a neat room, though his books were all over the place.
"Kaname-senpai, you should try to stack your books in order sometimes." Yuuki observed. "They're all over the place." Kaname merely chuckled at her as she continued to inspect even the tiniest details.
Of course, not even the so-called powerful pureblood was without any vices and Yuuki immediately confiscated some obviously expensive wines and other alcoholic products and some not-so-decent books about mating and worldly pleasures. All the while, Yuuki kept on scolding her older brother about proper etiquette and Zero couldn't help but chuckle a little. Serves the smug pureblood right.
He looked outside the glass window and saw, to his amazement, that the spot where he usually hid and slept could be seen from where he stood. Did Kaname sometimes see him sleeping there? Well, it's not as if there was anything amusing about seeing a hunter sleep, except when one had an ulterior motive.
Kaname watched as Yuuki continued to search his bedroom for anything suspicious while he sat at the couch in his office and watched her from the door connecting the bedroom to the office. His gaze was caught by Zero who moved from the bookshelves to the window and observed the scenery from there. He would've said something, like not helping Yuuki in the inspection, but he was once again not able to say anything.
He watched as Zero's gaze traveled from the ground below towards the forest beyond the walls of Moon Dorm. His expression was calm, devoid of his usual scowl, and Kaname could do nothing but stare. The hunter was indeed very beautiful… Not to mention that his blood, even now, excited the pureblood beyond words. He was glad that no one disobeyed his strict order last night even though he felt extreme bloodlust in the dining hall earlier.
Zero's fringe swayed slightly when the hunter leaned forward. His slim but long pale fingers leaned on the glass as he continued to gaze at the outside scenery. Kaname was having the unexplainable urge to wrap his own fingers around those slim ones. Was he losing it because of the intoxicating scent that continued to play with his senses even now?
"Nii-sama, you're drooling." A whisper just beside his ear brought the pureblood out of his musings and he looked over his shoulder in shock. No one was able to sneak up on him without his notice. Was he so absorbed in staring at the hunter that he failed to recognize an approaching presence behind him? Yuuki's eyes were wide with childish excitement and teasing. "Are you that surprised that I managed to sneak up on you?"
Kaname sighed inwardly before he smiled. "Not really."
"It's because you're too absorbed in other things that you failed to notice me just now." Yuuki smirked playfully, which only made her older brother chuckle.
Zero looked at them and saw that Yuuki hadn't confiscated anything more. He returned his gaze on the forest just as he heaved a soft sigh. It seemed there wasn't anything worth reporting in the inspection just now. And it took them so many hours just to be done with it. Kaname's room was the last to be inspected and now that it was almost finished, he could already do what he wanted.
"I'll head to the Sun Dorm first." Zero voiced before he walked towards the door.
"W-Wait, I'll go now too!" Yuuki hurriedly said before she kissed her nii-sama goodbye on the cheek and followed Zero outside the room.
Kaname watched with mild interest as the bond between Yuuki and Zero was slowly getting stronger. Though he knew that Zero didn't look like he held some romantic feelings for Yuuki, at least not yet, he still couldn't help but feel slight annoyance at the thought. He's possessive of his younger sister. But he knew that he was slowly being possessive of Zero now too, though in a very different manner.
He sighed as he inhaled the scent that still lingered in the air. Pure, intoxicating hunter blood…
How he wanted to have a taste of it…
He licked his lips as he closed his eyes. He needed to calm himself now. He didn't know if it was even possible, but he thought and felt that the scent of Zero's blood was somehow getting sweeter and more addicting to vampire senses. Was it possible that the hunter's blood was somehow becoming more and more of a delicious intoxicant?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Zero lay on his back in his bed as he mused about the would-be events tomorrow. Yagari and Yuzuru were supposed to go and check on him. Not to mention that there was someone spying on his every action… Not to mention (again) that the Association was having doubts about his loyalty… Not to mention (yet again) that he could feel himself getting closer and closer to the vampire world in a way too different manner than a hunter's…
How he wished that tomorrow would never come…
And as his eyes closed and he drifted into a sleep filled with agonizing nightmares, he knew for sure that his dream this time was a lot different than those other times he dreamed of it.
His younger self stood there in the middle of the room, frozen in his spot and blood trickling down his forehead from some wound he didn't remember having. His little hands were filled with blood and he knew that he was almost soaking in them. Everything was filled with so much blood… so much red… so much death in the air…
Aside from that, everything was on fire.
The whole room burned brightly, or darkly, because it seemed the fire had turned into black and all little Zero could do was cover his mouth with his bloodied hand to prevent himself from inhaling too much smoke. His every sense was filled with the sound of crackling and burning, his nostrils flared at the scent of the blood in his hands. It's not his blood… And he cried tears which were almost crimson in color while he licked the thick liquid off of his fingers.
He continued to sob as he felt more and more of his blood oozed down from his forehead. He didn't know how much time had passed until he felt the fire died down. And at that moment, he could only think of one thing. All of them were dead…
At that thought, the fire in the room immediately burned alive again, as if responding to his inner turmoil. Zero cried his eyes out as the fire engulfed him, not that blackish color this time but a bluish one. The impact of an explosion caused by the fire made the little boy stumble to the ground on his stomach. And as he tried to clear his eyes from the sting of blood and tears, he saw his brother, his younger beloved twin, standing by the hallway with eyes empty of emotions and warmth. His only brother whom he loved and cherished so dearly… But the thing that made him scream until his throat was dry wasn't the fact that Ichiru's cold eyes were burning with deep hatred, but that his brother, together with everything else, was burning.
And Zero woke up with a start.
His forehead trickled with cold sweat as he heaved a pant. He knew it wasn't a simple dream. Was it part of his lost memories? It was too strange though, not to mention too vivid. He was about to sit in his bed when he noticed something strange. His bedroom was glowing.
What the?
He looked around for the source of light. He knew he turned off every light when he slept. Or rather, he didn't turn it on when he came to his room last night. He was too preoccupied with his thoughts about Yagari and the Association to even think of something else. It was still pre-dawn so it's still rather dark outside, making it impossible for the light to come from the window. And besides, his curtains were drawn.
He sat up straight when the smell of burning cloth assaulted his senses and he saw, to his deep shock, that the doormat at the foot of his bed was burning, and rather brightly at that. He stared, dumfounded, at the red-orange fire that lazily ate his mat before he was snapped out of it. "Shit!" He immediately bolted out of bed and ran to the bathroom adjoining his room. He grabbed a dipper filled with water before he went back to his bedroom and poured everything down on the mat rather hastily.
The contact of fire to water made a hissing sound and the fire slowly died. But Zero continued to stare at it as if it would be on fire again. What the hell just happened?
He knew it was close to impossible for the mat at the foot of his bed to just burn like that on its own. Something, or someone, must have done it. He narrowed his eyes and tried to feel if there was a presence of someone else in his room without him knowing. The thought of the hunter who could hide his presence immediately came to the silver-haired hunter's mind, and it somehow unnerved him that he couldn't feel any presence in the room other than his. He crouched down and looked at the remains of the mat that Chairman Cross had so adamantly put in his room.
From the looks of it, the mat just started to burn several minutes before he woke up. Though he knew his question should be not 'when' but… 'how'?
He sighed as he felt the drowsiness that threatened to overwhelm him again. He looked at the alarm clock on his nightstand and saw that his assumption about the time was indeed true. It was just past 4 in the morning.
He walked towards his bed and lay back down on it again. The earlier incident was strange no matter how he tried to picture it in his mind. If someone was a perpetrator in that mat-burning-incident, then surely Zero had at least woken up even in the slightest of movement? Well, there's no use in thinking about it now that his mind was trying to just shut down on him. He heaved one last deep sigh before he drifted into sleep again, dreamless this time.
When he woke up next, the light from the outside was already threatening to enter from the slits of his curtains and Zero couldn't help but groan in discomfort just at the sight of it. He squinted his eyes as he tried to recall why he was still so sleepy, but then he remembered having that strange dream and that burning mat. He sighed as he willed himself to sleep again. He knew that if he just closed his eyes, he would succumb to his drowsiness again.
What he wasn't expecting was the hurried knocks on his door before a loud voice from the outside rang in the room. "Zero-kun! Are you awake?" It's the Chairman.
"Ungh…" He answered sleepily before sighing and drifting into sleep again.
"Zero-kun!?" The Chairman's voice, the teen's sleepy mind noted absentmindedly, was somehow filled with a slight panic. "Zero-kun, it's time for lunch. We have to prepare for Yagari and Takano-kun's arrival too! They called earlier and told me they will arrive an hour from now."
And with that, every ounce of sleep left the hunter's mind as he bolted out of bed and went straight to the door. He opened it up and saw the morning smile of the Chairman, no, it's already lunchtime. However, the worry and apprehension on the young hunter's face almost wiped every ounce of that smile.
Cross pouted before he pinched Zero's cheek, much to the younger male's surprise and embarrassment. "Don't go making that face just after seeing me!"
The teen sighed as he willed himself to calm down a little, though it was proving to be quite a difficult task at the moment. "Chairman, do you plan to let them see me like this?" He asked straightforwardly, and hoped against all odds that Cross would shake his head.
Cross's answer, however, had him thinking for a while. "Do you want them to?" Zero closed his eyes as he wore a pained expression on his face. "I can hide you from them and not let them see you. I might also have to use some force since Yagari is a very stubborn person. But will you like that?"
"I've been thinking about it for a while now…" Zero mumbled, eyes still closed. "Will it be worse for you if they found out I've become a vampire in your territory?"
Cross smiled as he patted the younger male's head. "You don't need to worry about me, Zero-kun. I can protect myself… probably." He chuckled before he continued. "What I am worried about is you. I don't want you to get hurt… both physically and emotionally."
"Chairman…" Zero knew that more than physically, he would be hurt emotionally. He was still afraid of seeing them now that he's become like this. So afraid, in fact, that he wanted to go and hide in the middle of the lake just so they wouldn't see him or even feel his presence. But he knew that if he did that, and so selfishly, not only would his master and Yuzuru think that something was off. They might even suspect that Cross and/or Kaname had done something to him.
He needed them to know what really happened… But how..? They were hunters, and one loyal to the Association at that. Would they believe him..? Or would they think that he now changed sides and was together with the vampires..?
"Zero-kun?" Cross called when he noticed that the younger male had gone quiet for a long while now. "Do you want to meet them? To at least tell them your situation?"
Zero's uncertain eyes opened, looked at brown orbs for reassurance which was almost immediately given, before he nodded. "Will they believe me if I tell them what happened?"
Cross furrowed his eyebrows before he smiled unsurely. "Well, knowing Yagari… I'm sure he'll blame everything on Kuran-kun and the others." He sighed as he patted Zero's head. "Don't worry. I'll be there to tell them everything together with you. Though I still doubt they will take the news quite calmly… If they started attacking, don't hesitate to run!" He tried to make the last statement as a joke, and it would've been a bad one, but it nevertheless made the silver-haired teen smile a little. "And run as fast as you can while I hold them off, okay?"
"Thank you, Chairman…" He sighed as he prepared himself, mentally and emotionally, and maybe, just as the Chairman said, physically too. If they knew of his situation, would they report it to the Association? Would he be relieved from his mission..? No, would he be relieved from being a hunter?
"We should eat lunch now! We mustn't let a cute girl like Yuuki-chan wait for us!" Cross chirped just as he led Zero towards the door and closed it behind them.
Now that Zero remembered it, today was supposed to be Tuesday. He's supposed to be in class. "I forgot I have class." He mumbled.
Cross chuckled. "Yeah, I was reluctant to wake you up in case you were tired from the inspection yesterday. Yuuki-chan went to class this morning but she went back here to eat lunch."
When they descended the stairs, Zero immediately smelled the mouth-watering scent of delicious foods. And he just realized how hungry he was.
The meal went by without much silence now. Yuuki was used to talking with her mouth full even in front of Zero and Cross was just as enthusiastic a talker as his adoptive daughter was. The two really made the perfect combination as father and daughter. Zero, as usual, ate his meal quietly, though talking once in a while to make some comments here and there.
"Zero-kun, you didn't go to school earlier!" The girl pouted as she looked at Zero, waiting for his explanation.
"I overslept." He answered before shrugging, as if skipping class was not that big of a deal for him.
"Zero-kun, you should make yourself a model student!" Cross huffed indignantly in his childish manners once again, making the young hunter sigh. And it was just earlier when Cross told him that he didn't wake Zero up on purpose… Really, how many personalities were inside Cross anyway?
After that, Cross insisted that Yuuki go back to school lest she wanted to be late. And no matter how much effort the girl gave to make Zero come to school together with her, it had been all in futility. Cross just then proved how much more stubborn Zero was than Yuuki could ever be.
"So you chose to stay here and meet them head-on." Cross said with an uncertain smile. The two remained in the dining table while drinking the tea that the Chairman prepared just after Yuuki left for school. "Are you prepared, Zero-kun?"
Zero nodded, though he voiced, "I can never be prepared no matter how much time is given to me. I can just accept whatever wrath they wish to give me after seeing my state." He looked at his pathetic expression on the surface of his tea and he couldn't help but sigh. Was he really this cowardly?
"I won't let them hurt you, Zero-kun. I will do my best to protect you, and not even Yagari will be able to lay a hand on you." Cross said, and even if the younger male wasn't looking at him, the teen knew that the older hunter was wearing a serious expression. It warmed Zero up inside. How he wished he wasn't on a mission that could destroy Cross's smile… and also his life…
"Thank you, Chairman." Zero smiled a little, though somewhat strained. And then he remembered something. "By the way, do you have fire alarm here?"
Cross tilted his head to the side before he blinked. "Uh… yes, I think. But that only works for huge fires." He fidgeted before he chuckled. "You see, sometimes I tend to make the stove or the pans burn and it's not nice if the alarm almost always rings, right?" Zero couldn't help but roll his eyes, a first. "Why did you ask?"
"Nothing..." The teen answered. Cross looked at him meaningfully before the older man accepted the answer.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kaname was sitting in his chair while doing some paperwork for the Council, though his mind was wandering in some far-off places. Even though it was mid-noon, it was almost like a midnight to him and it was harder to concentrate on boring subjects like the Council.
Cross had asked him to investigate what really happened that night when Zero was turned to a vampire. And even with the intelligence and Seiren by the pureblood's side, information was still scarce. He could hardly see anything wrong in the movements of the Council that night, not to mention that Shizuka Hiou's escape from the custody wasn't reported at all.
Everything was too quiet… just too quiet that it was even more suspicious…
Even on the hunter's side, there wasn't much movement that night, except Zero's departure. Although, Kaname couldn't really get much information on their part simply because of the main fact that he wasn't part of the Hunter's Association and there were information that could only be attained by a hunter. Zero said that a hunter was partly responsible for what happened… Not to mention the suspicious activities of the Level Es in the area. It had never happened before, at least starting from the time when the pureblood started making the whole town and also school under his protection.
Right now, because his whole attention was on Zero, he even went to the trouble of asking Seiren to investigate the teen's past, not that it was hard to obtain for someone like him.
The whole Kiryuu family died one night ten years ago because of fire, and only their eldest of the two sons, Zero, managed to escape the tragedy. He was immediately taken care of by his master Toga Yagari and became a full-fledged hunter at the young age of thirteen. But that's all there was to it. It's as if all information concerning Zero was erased or hidden by someone. And Kaname was just the type to dig more, even if it turned out to be his grave, just to satisfy his curiosity.
He wanted to know more about Zero…
He wanted to know what happened during that night ten years ago. What caused the fire that killed Zero's family? Was it accident? Or was it caused by someone? Was it a vampire's fault? Or was it some hunters? Or just some random human? What caused him to survive, and alone at that? What happened to him before and after? The pureblood knew that Zero was taken by Yagari. But why? Wasn't Cross enough? He couldn't, nor would he try to, understand how the Hunter's Association worked.
Kaname already knew what Cross's role in Zero's life was. But he still couldn't imagine the young hunter living his life without any memory of what happened to him. The brunette could only imagine now how Cross felt every time Zero would look at him without any recognition on his face. It seemed, according to Cross in one of their more personal conversations, that Zero could only remember bits and pieces of his childhood. Much like how Yuuki was right now…
Of course, the pureblood wanted to know what happened that night two weeks ago too. Why were there Level Es in that area in the first place? Who was that hunter who shot Zero? Why was Shizuka there and how she ended up there of all places? Why was the time of Zero's arrival different from the time Cross was informed of? Somehow, he doubted everything was mere coincidence.
He wanted to know how Zero reacted to both incidents – that one ten years ago and the one two weeks ago. Did he cry? Did he scream in fright and anguish? Did someone help him cope and lend him their shoulder? Or did he just fight everything all on his own?
He sighed as he closed his eyes for a while, momentarily forgetting about the existence of the paperwork in front of him. Zero's face, presence, and scent were all he could think of right now. He leaned his head on the headrest of his chair and let his mind wander all it wanted, since it's not allowing him to concentrate anyway. And what do you know? All it wanted was to wander all the way to the Sun Dorm, to at least try to know what the hunter was doing right now. That thought alone made him reeled up for more questions.
He wanted to know what the hunter usually thought about while having that scowl on his face. What he usually did on his free time and what he liked doing except maybe hunting vampires. What he thought of about the school, Kaname, Yuuki, Cross, Aido, and the others. He wanted to know why Zero liked milk and how it became his favorite. What other dishes or desserts Zero liked or what he usually ate aside from that pill and Kaname's blood.
He wanted to know who Zero's friends were and how close they were. Or how much Zero let others see his smile and his other expressions.
Kaname wanted to know how Zero fought against Level Es then and how he tried to fight them now. How his muscles moved underneath his clothing and how he looked when he's ready to kill. How the hunter reacted to certain things and how his face looked like when he's embarrassed, or flustered, or happy, or in love. How he looked like when he's smiling or laughing. How he looked like when he's high in pleasure, or when the brunette's fangs were deep inside him… How his blood tasted… especially when high in pleasure. How much he would writhe in so much pleasure once Kaname was drinking from him. How his moans and screams sounded like. How his lips, his neck, his throat, his skin, his whole body tasted. How–
Kaname growled under his breathe at the way his mind was going out of control the moment he let it rule. He opened his eyes, glowing crimson with bloodlust, and stared at the ceiling above him, though not really seeing it. He licked his lips absentmindedly, savoring the taste of what his mind could only try to imagine. How had he let himself become so obsessed with the hunter?
And not only that, it seemed he did not only desire Zero's blood now… but his body as well. How his mind and body crave to have at least a taste of both.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The train stopped at the train station and every attention was caught by two passengers who walked out of it, one a good-looking young man with light brunette hair and sharp emerald eyes while the other an older man with strong built and physical features. Both his hair and eye had a dark shade in them. One of his eyes had a bandage and, judging by the way his expression twitched every now and then, the wound was pretty recent. They looked too out of place what with all the black trench coats and heavy-looking clothing underneath even though it was the middle of the day. The sun was a prickling ball of fire and heat as it burned brightly up in the sky too.
Their coats swished as they walked in a very cat-like manner – swift, precise, graceful, and quiet. On their backs, underneath the trench coats, were the guns that they usually used to hunt vampires. Each of them had two guns and a silver knife tucked in their belt, though no one would even be able to realize that fact because the trench coat was so damn thick no one knew where it ended and where the body started.
"Tch. The air here smells horrible." The older male sniffed with a scrunched up nose. Since he was almost on the same league as the legendary hunter Kaien Cross, his senses were particularly more sensitive than most hunters. The younger male beside him only chuckled at the obviously foul comment. "I wonder how that brat's doing now."
"So… uh, how do we get there again, master?" The two continued to walk aimlessly until they were at the outskirt of the city, facing the woods beyond. His quite cheerful expression was slowly turning into a scowl. "Don't tell me we're going to walk five kilometers…"
"Shut up, Yuzuru." The older male said as he lit up a cigarette. He exhaled out some smoke from his mouth before he answered. "I told Cross to meet us half way. He'll be here any minute now."
And just as he finished saying the words, a pink car was on its way to the two males' location, which is the waiting shed where a certain silver-haired hunter also stopped by in order to wait for the rain to turn into drizzle just two weeks ago. The two males looked at the bright pink car with sour faces just as they wished it wasn't the car that was supposed to take them to Cross Academy. And it seemed some gods or goddess decided to play with them today as the car slowly halted in front of them just as its tinted glasses rolled down, revealing a grinning male with light brunette hair and eyes.
"It's been a while since we last saw each other, Yagari!" Cross beamed brightly at his friend just as Yagari scrunched up his nose again. The man in the car turned his attention to the younger male and beamed again. "And you must be Takano-kun. Nice to meet you, I'm Kaien Cross, the Chairman of Cross Academy." Yuzuru bowed in politeness before he smiled as well.
"Nice to meet you too, Cross-san." He said, stifling his laugh at the sour face of his master.
"You smell like them now, Cross." Yagari scowled before he shook his head. "Anyway, I believe this isn't the place for that." He took the handle of the door to the passenger's seat, the one just beside the driver's seat, and opened it. "Let's get going."
"As impatient as usual I see." Cross observed with a smile. "It seems you haven't changed at all." He added the last statement when both Yagari and Yuzuru had already seated themselves comfortably in the car. The youngest male was in the backseat, looking at the two males in front of him with amusement.
"And you haven't changed at all." Yagari lit another cigarette, having just finished his other one earlier. "You still associate yourself with those bloodsucking monsters." Cross's grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened and the movement didn't escape both Yuzuru and Yagari's eyes, though no one commented about it.
"So, how's Zero?" Yuzuru asked in an attempt to lighten the suddenly heavy atmosphere in the car. "I hope he's not being his usual aloof and hostile self." He chuckled at his own comment. Both Cross and Yagari knew what he was trying to do. Yagari merely grunted in return while Cross was the one who answered with a beam.
"I can't say he's not being aloof and hostile." He chuckled too. "But he's made some friends in school too. Some of them are even females."
Yuzuru's eyes totally widened before he broke out a laugh. "Zero? Are you sure it's the same Zero that I know, Cross-san?" He asked with a teary-eyed expression.
Cross suddenly looked proud, and Yagari already knew it was once again about his adopted ex-vampire daughter or something. "Yuuki-chan is a very nice girl! And not even Zero's heart can stay cold towards her!" Yuzuru grinned at that. "And there's also Kaori-chan, Motoko-chan, and Rika-chan."
"Why do I feel like he's suddenly become a womanizer?" Yagari muttered under his breathe before his eyes darted towards the Chairman. "Your influence, huh…"
"You're rude! Zero-kun isn't a womanizer! And I'm not a womanizer either!" Cross pouted childishly and Yuzuru laughed again.
"I see you're calling him that now, huh." Yagari pointed out and Cross smiled before he nodded.
"By the way, what happened to your eye?" Cross asked without looking at him.
"Just some accident while I'm on a mission." Yagari answered with a shrug.
"It isn't like you to be wounded while on a mission." The Chairman pointed out.
"It's because he's too distracted during our mission last week." Yuzuru smiled. "Zero said he would call the moment he got to that school but he never did even after a week. Master was so distracted that a Level E managed to sneak up on him and scratch his right eye. And thus, after another week, we decided to just visit him." Both Yuzuru and Cross chuckled at that, much to Yagari's annoyance.
They turned around a corner and were finally in the town proper again. The two visiting hunters turned their attention on the crowd outside the street and pondered how these people could go about living in idleness when there was a horde of vampires in the school nearby. They saw the children playing and running with one another while grown-ups were sometimes scurrying for work or other important things. The street was too busy with all the shops and business going on. It was lively and warm in an overall view, unlike what they first assumed what with the place being the den of a pureblood and some noble vampires.
They reached the outskirt of the town and entered a long road filled with forested areas on both sides, though the trees were a lot thinner than the forested area that separated the town from the city earlier. Not far from them were two huge gates, bearing the symbol of Cross Academy – a full-bloom rose from the bird's eye view.
"So this is the school where Zero is studying now, huh…" Yuzuru mumbled to himself as he watched the huge doors opened on their own, letting the car in.
Cross sighed as he saw how Yagari and Yuzuru suddenly tensed at the atmosphere filled with vampires. He knew it wouldn't be easy for the two to act a little civil towards Kaname and the others, even just for formality. And now he knew he needed some reassurances before he let them inside the Sun Dorm to see Zero.
He stopped the car and the two were about to get out when he voiced his thoughts. "I believe you two should give me your weapons first." He said with a smile as he held out his hands. Both knew that even though he was smiling, he was actually quite serious. "I don't want my students fearing the presence of people having weaponries inside the school."
"You mean you're afraid that we'd go and kill every last one of your vampire students." Yagari answered sharply, though he didn't intend it. When Cross remained serious, however, he could only sigh as he handed in his guns. He took out the knife but he didn't give it to the Chairman. "I can at least keep my knife, right?"
Cross sighed as he nodded before he looked at Yuzuru who started taking out his weapons as well. "Thank you for your cooperation." He smiled in a strained manner before he let the two hunters out of the car.
"If I knew weapons aren't allowed here, then I shouldn't have wasted all those agonizing times just to hide it from the inspections in the train station. I should've just left it at home and brought my knife alone." Yuzuru breathed, feeling like his insides were about to come out from too much alert signal from vampires. "Ahh… I can't believe Zero is able to last here for two weeks now without anyone dying. I now wonder if he's even able to sleep soundly at night. Poor Zero…"
Cross also went out of the car and looked at them with a serious face. "Don't go attacking anyone without provocation, Yagari, Takano-kun. And I mean anyone. If you don't do that, I'll make sure to drive you two out of this–"
"Right, right. So where's the kid?" Yagari cut him off before the Chairman could begin his annoying lecture again. Cross had already lectured them about that on the phone when the raven told the brunette that he would be visiting.
Cross sighed before he answered in a voice so strange Yagari immediately knew there was something wrong. "He's inside the dorm." Yuzuru also stiffened a little when he felt that there's a vampire presence inside that dorm.
"Is he okay?" He asked, eyeing the Chairman suspiciously. If he learned that something bad happened to Zero, he definitely wouldn't stop until he had his revenge.
"Let's go inside." Cross voiced as he guided the two hunters inside the Sun Dorm.
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.tbc.
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Ren-sama's Note:
Another chapter finished! Haha! I know many of you might not be a fan of Yuuki (I'm not too) so I'm trying my best to make her less annoying in this fict without becoming too OOC. I hope it's working.
Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me your comments! ˆoˆ