Ren-sama's Note:

Sorry for the late update, guys! I've been really busy with work these last few weeks so I wasn't able to do anything except eat and sleep at home. Anyway, this is the next chapter! ˆoˆ

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Chapter 13

Yuzuru first knew Zero when the boy was eight. It was a moonless night when his master and also teacher Yagari came back home from a hunt and brought him home. The boy looked like he was on the verge of dying then, bloodied and pale, frightened and shocked, and at the same time, unresponsive. The brunette was jealous of the silent silver-haired boy at first, not because the boy received much more of Yagari's attention than him – though that was a large factor too – but because the boy, without even a proper training had never been beaten by him. Not even once. And it greatly frustrated him that someone like that, someone who was a year younger than him, someone without any proper hunter training, someone who looked so fragile – like he would break if anyone touched him – was able to beat him in every single match.

It was three months after Yagari brought the kid home that Zero first started to talk. And Yuzuru still didn't like him. That was also the time when Yagari would make them spar, not for training but only for fun. The brunette never knew what happened to Zero before he was transferred to Yagari's care, but he was sure that it's none of his business. And he never asked Yagari or Zero about it, and they never talked about it either. He only learned what happened when some hunters talked about it secretly in one of their missions – though not in details since no one knew much about the whole incident anyway. That was also the time when he realized that Zero's memories were locked up for some reason.

But it seemed his own emotions betrayed him by feeling actually not only glad, but delighted and relieved, when Zero started being a little bit more talkative – in a way that he was today – and also smiled a bit more. He was glad that his little brother, for that's what he decided Zero was whether he liked it or not, gradually felt that he really was part of their big hunter family. He trained together with Zero for years, lived in the same roof for years, and worked as a hunter together for years.

It's been ten years since then. And now, he could see Zero's back as the younger hunter walked in front of him. It was saddening, and at the same time nostalgic, that Zero was no longer that child some years ago who refused to even go outside the house. That one who refused to talk or even smile. Yuzuru couldn't even hold his younger brother's hand when Zero was scared anymore – because Zero, in all those years, had learned to hide his fears just to hide his weaknesses. For a hunter, it was necessary to hide their fears lest they wanted the vampires to exploit it. And Zero would surely punch him now if he asked if the teen wanted to go to the bathroom together with him.

And now… he felt that Zero was walking on his own, alone and sad, in a place where not even he as an older brother was permitted into…

He was brought out of his musing, again, when he heard Zero's loud sigh. "Yuzuru, I mean it. Don't burn holes on my back." Zero voiced before he turned his head over his shoulder. "If you want to say something, you can say it. I won't punch you or anything… probably."

Yuzuru chuckled at that. "Sorry, just reminiscing." His younger brother arched an eyebrow at that and he chuckled even more. "I can still remember when you used to wet the bed, Zero." And the silver-haired hunter scowled.

"I never wetted the bed." He voiced before he shook his head and started walking again. "Don't think of depressing things while you're here, Yuzuru. Even I can feel that you're disturbed about something." Zero stopped again, though he didn't turn around. "If you're bothered about me being a vampire, or about me being one of them, or about me being close to them, or about me drinking blood, or about me wetting my bed when I was young, though that never happened as long as I can remember, or about me–"

"Why are all of your assumptions about you?" Yuzuru arched his eyebrows this time, though the corners of his lips were twitching from stifling a grin. "It can be about Cross, you know. Or about those bloodsu–, I mean vampires, or about master, or about me." He gave an apologetic look at Zero, who didn't see it, when he mentioned the almost swearword they preferred to call the vampires. He knew that even if Zero was never bothered by it, it still meant that he called Zero as that. Because Zero was one of them now… whether they all liked it or not… whether they all accepted it or not.

"The mere fact that you're boring holes into my back is enough proof for me." Zero shrugged his shoulders, before he looked over his shoulder again and smirked. Yuzuru laughed at that before he jogged beside Zero and patted the silver-haired hunter's head. The younger hunter's smirk immediately vanished just as quickly as it showed. "What was that for?"

"Nothing." The brunette grinned, proud of the fact that he made Zero pissed again, before he walked ahead of them. Zero followed and walked side by side with him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Kaname-sama." Seiren appeared in the blink of an eye in front of Kaname just as the pureblood glanced over his shoulder, already aware of his servant's arrival even before the female showed up.

"Are you finished with the investigation?" Kaname asked as he put the papers he was holding on the desk and sat on the chair in his office. The moon hung in the night sky and illuminated the whole room, passing through the glass window. It was almost dawn judging from the fact that there were streaks of orange in the clouds here and there. Class had just finished but Kaname's day still wasn't over. He still needed to do a lot of things, a lot of paperwork to be exact.

"My apologies, Kaname-sama." Seiren immediately knelt in one knee and bowed deeply, expressing her request for forgiveness through her actions as well. "It seems someone really erased all data concerning Zero Kiryuu's family background as well as his own. Aside from the fact that there was a tragedy that happened to his whole family ten years ago, leaving him as the sole survivor, there isn't any more data about him or the other Kiryuu members, except that they were a hunter family. It's as if his life started only after the tragedy. That's the only data available to us – his life from age eight to age eighteen."

Kaname breathed deeply. Even up until now, he still couldn't gather much information about Zero. And he was damn sure of one thing. Somebody was interfering with his investigation. Whether it was a 'he,' 'she,' or 'they,' he didn't know. But he knew that this entity might also be the one responsible for what happened two weeks ago. Or were the tragedy ten years ago and that night two weeks ago related? He furrowed his eyebrow trying to think of the possibilities that the two incidents were related, and he couldn't find any. It might be because they weren't… or because the enemy was way smarter than even Kaname himself.

"Kaname-sama?" Seiren asked, still kneeling. "Should I continue the investigation?"

Kaname closed his eyes for a moment before he opened them again, looking at Seiren with sharp almost glowing crimson eyes. He was angry, though not at Seiren but at the invisible enemy they were currently dealing with right now. He knew that she knew that. And even if he was angry at her for the lack of information, it's not as if he could really blame her for it. "Continue the investigation, Seiren. Make it as subtle and stealth as possible. I don't want anyone interfering with me. I want to know everything."

"Of course, Kaname-sama." She answered before she vanished into thin air. She wasn't the type that needed to be commanded before moving. She knew when she was dismissed even if her master hadn't said anything yet – and Kaname surely didn't need to.

The pureblood closed his eyes again when he felt that Seiren's presence was already far away even though it was merely seconds after she disappeared in front of him. She was the fastest among the noble vampires in his circle and also the most stealth in her movements. Even when she was around, no one could usually realize that. It's as if her presence was almost invisible to anyone but him – but of course that was because he was a pureblood. Not to mention that he was used to her silent, almost air-like, swift presence.

He thought about the investigation again. He knew that he could just ask Cross if he wanted to know anything about Zero's past. Though Cross wouldn't probably tell him… And he was not desperate enough to ask the one person who told him to only investigate the incident two weeks ago. The Chairman never told him to dig further back into the teen's background. But his curiosity won over his reasoning…

A knock on the door made him pause before he opened his eyes again. "Come in, Takuma."

The blonde peered inside the room first before he let himself in. He smiled at his friend as he seated himself in one of the couches in the spacious room. "It seems another hunter will be transferring into our school."

"It seems so." Kaname answered back, though not really that much bothered by it. He knew that Zero wouldn't do anything to any of them unless provoked when totally pissed, and the brunette hunter surely wasn't idiotic enough to think that he would be able to walk out of the vicinity alive if ever he tried to hurt any vampire in Kaname's circle. And besides, the pureblood was sure that the members of his circle, especially the nobles, were capable of protecting themselves against one hunter… though he wasn't so sure what would happen if there were two of them.

They all knew that both Zero and that Yuzuru guy weren't ordinary hunters. They were members of the Association's Elite Force, which comprised only of a handful of talented and skilled hunters who were at least ten years ahead of their time. They weren't just so-so, not to mention that their mental will was a lot stronger than any other hunter. Take Zero for example.

It made Kaname proud, for some reason he didn't know of, that Zero wasn't just your typical hunter in the woods waiting for a weak prey. He was one of the Elites, one of those who really pursue a prey even to the ends of the world just to finish their assigned mission. And just from the mental will that Zero had shown to them these past two weeks, the guy was totally in another league. Any other hunter would have succumbed to the fact that they were now part of the group that they once hunted and killed without mercy. Anybody else would have killed themselves not only from shame and depression, but also from fear of other hunters and vampires, and fear of what they would soon become.

And if that Yuzuru guy was Zero's ally, then Kaname didn't have to worry about the hunter's safety anymore – not that he was actually worried of course. Though it would be a problem for both him and Zero if the brunette hunter was always around… especially during the time when Zero had to drink blood. But aside from that, he knew that he should just let them be. It's not as if they could do anything all on their own anyway. And if the appearance of that hunter was enough to make Zero realize that he's one of the vampires now, that he's different from his allies now, then it's all for the better.

"For some reason, you actually look happy, Kaname." Takuma pointed out, slightly arching an eyebrow at the fact that Kaname was almost smiling to himself.

Kaname didn't bother answering or correcting the assumption, much to the blonde's amusement, and asked an observation of his own. "You came here not only because of those things, right?"

Takuma sighed at his friend's sharpness before his face turned totally serious, if not a little frightened and bothered. Kaname furrowed his eyebrows and the blonde had no choice but to tell their leader now, before everything was too late. Takuma decided to tell him something similar to the end of the world. And by the time he was finished, Kaname's smile earlier, or even the ghost of it, couldn't be found anymore. His eyes were glowing crimson in silent fury and his aura was so dark Takuma couldn't help but excuse himself lest he wanted to be killed by his friend's aura alone – and quite literally at that.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Get away from them, they're the sons of that man!" The women at the party immediately stepped a little backward, obviously trying to subtly go away from the two of them. He heard them whisper about him, his younger twin brother, and their father. Mostly bad things too, though he couldn't understand most of what they were saying.

"Nii-san, what do they mean by 'traitor'?" He heard Ichiru say beside him, but he could only shake his head in answer. Not even he knew what that meant. He knew that the word was bad enough that it was making other people walk away from them, no matter how subtle it was.

He took his younger brother's little hand with his own and glared at every last one of those hunter children and grown-ups in the party who were gossiping as if they were the best race there was on earth.

"Zero, don't do that. It's rude." Zero looked up, his huge amethyst eyes swimming with unshed tears as he looked at sharp amethyst eyes that beheld warmth and understanding.

"Oto-san… they're talking about us again…" Ichiru said as he too looked up at his father.

"Oto-san… why are we… 'traitors'?" Zero asked as their father hugged them both before carrying them with both his arms.

Shiro looked at the people around them and everyone immediately cowered in deep fear, an attribute that Zero liked about his father – but only if it wasn't directed at him when he did something wrong. Everyone immediately stopped whispering and merely looked away. No one outside their family was able to take his father's gaze head-on yet, not without them trembling in their position or stuttering in their words. Only Kaien, his mother, Ichiru, and him, were able to take it.

"Oto-san, you're amazing as always." Zero said as he hugged his father. Ichiru had fallen asleep on the man's other side, nuzzling on his neck and snoring quietly due to exhaustion. Shiro merely closed his eyes and smiled proudly at Zero's comment before he took his sons away from the people, away from the party, away from something that would definitely hurt them. The man kissed his two son's forehead as they walked into the darkness.

Zero startled awake. He opened his eyes just as his breath hitched. The dream was so vivid it almost felt real. And yet, he never remembered anything about it in his memories…

He sighed, wiping the cold sweat on his forehead with the back of his right palm, before he sat in his bed. He looked at the window and saw that it was already dawn. He cupped his face with his left palm, thinking about the dream again. There were many questions swimming in his head right now, disturbing him to no end. He didn't know if it was right for him to know those things again, or if the seal on him was weakening. Was that dream just now also part of his lost memories..? Why was his memories sealed in the first place? And who did it?

He originally thought that the only memory of him that was sealed was his memory of that night, the night when he was sure he did something bad. That night when his parents and younger brother died because of him… And if that's really the case, then why was he dreaming of something that happened before the tragedy? And it was even something that he couldn't remember? Not to mention that Cross seemed to be part of his lost memories too… Shiro was the name of his father… but he didn't know anything about the fact that they were called 'traitors' by the Hunter Society…

Why was everyone wary of them? Why did they fear his father? Not that Shiro wasn't scary when he was angry, but still… Why did they cower in fear in front of a 'traitor,' or so they said? And yet, and yet, he knew that they weren't in that party just because they wanted to… If they were invited in the first place, then why were they ostracized..?

"Damn…" Zero voiced as he clutched his head with his two hands and closed his eyes. "Why is my life so complicated..?" Not to mention that it was nearing its end too…

He opened his eyes in frustration and directly saw the frame in front of him, hanging on the wall just beside the door to the bathroom. He wasn't really seeing it but his eyes were focused on it, frustration on everything, fear, and anguish were burning in his glowing crimson orbs. And his eyes widened, crimson turning back to shocked and frozen amethyst orbs, when the frame suddenly fell from its designated place, engulfed in a huge flame. And this time, the fire alarm did go off.

Everyone woke up to the sound of the fire alarm and immediately went into a frenzied panic, running outside their rooms and outside the building too. Yuuki and Motoko helped everyone evacuate while Cross, Yagari, and Yuzuru looked inside the dorm for the source of the fire.

"Zero!" Yuzuru blurted out as they ascended the stairs. "I didn't see him in the crowd earlier!" They all looked at one another and, without a second thought, immediately ran towards the young hunter's room. They kicked the door and barged inside without bothering to knock. It was an emergency after all.

Zero looked at them with wide eyes, hair disheveled as if the hunter had just woken up, breath hitching as if he was startled by their arrival, and covered with cold sweat. Both Cross and Yagari furrowed their eyebrows at the scene, before their orbs widened when they saw the burning wall. The fire was already too large to be controlled. In that split second, the three hunters were inside the bathroom even though its entrance was already filled with fire. There were lots of water in the bathtub and they didn't waste their time. They all tried to put out the fire immediately.

"Oy, kid, you help too!" Yagari shouted over the open tap, voice booming and authoritative. It made the young hunter wake up from his shocked state and bolt out of bed. He ran inside the bathroom too, but stopped when he saw how crowded they were inside the small room. Instead, he and Cross took a pail and dipper and used it to pour the water on the fire. After several minutes of trying to put the fire out, fortunately with success, the four hunters sat on the floor of the room, totally exhausted and drained from the earlier panic and activity.

"…What happened?" Yuzuru asked in between pants, looking at Zero with half curiosity and half worry. Zero merely shook his head though, implying he didn't know too. He was still shaken and confused, not to mention frightened by the earlier events. Traumas weren't called such if it never caused fear even to the man with the strongest of will. The wall was burnt black and everything that hung on it was burned too. A part of the bathroom door was also eaten by the huge fire.

After that, they told the students that they could all go back to their respective rooms. The fire was already out and the Sun Dorm was once again safe. Many sighed in relief while many others were still too afraid to enter their own rooms, looking here and there for any signs of fire. The panic caused their minds to be alert on even the tiniest thing. Some more moments after and everyone was already resting again.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Don't tell me the wall just burned on its own." Yagari arched an eyebrow at his student's answer, though Zero could see an edge to his voice. It's as if Yagari wasn't asking the question in mere mockery at all. The raven sighed before he took a stick of cigarette out of his pocket, only to curse when he saw that it was wet too. They already changed clothes because they were wet earlier, just like half of Zero's room now.

"Zero-kun, did something like this happen before too?" Cross asked as he clasped his fingers together, an act that he knew would manage to at least prevent his hands from trembling. The four of them were in the kitchen, seated at the dining table, facing one another in much the same way they did yesterday. Cross was seating beside Zero while Yuzuru and Yagari were seated across them. Their warm cups of tea, milk, and coffee lay forgotten in front of them.

Zero furrowed his eyebrows, before he slowly nodded. "Yesterday morning, too. My mat was engulfed in fire." He answered quietly, as if afraid that someone would hear his answer. He knew that it was impossible, on top of ridiculous, for his things to just burn on their own. And it was a little shameful to admit it to the elite hunters in front and beside him. "Earlier, the wall just burst into flame even though there wasn't any flammable thing beside it. I knew I was alone in the room at the time, or so I thought, so I don't know how it happened." And when he thought that he was just being idiotic, the faces of both Yagari and Cross made him think otherwise. They were bothered… not to mention a little afraid, even if they were doing their best to hide it.

But why..?

"Zero-kun, what were you doing, or thinking, when the wall was engulfed in fire?" Cross asked, but then he shook his head and smiled. "No, never mind. You should also sleep for now. Since your room was a wreck, you can share with me!" And without even looking at the face of the man beside him, Zero knew that Cross already had that childish expression again.

Zero sighed as he narrowed his eyes at the man, who immediately gave him a pout and puppy eyes. Yagari's eyebrow twitched in irritation and he immediately glared at the man across him, as if daring him to humiliate himself more. Yuzuru merely laughed at them.

"Anyway, we need to fix your room after we finish this." Yagari pointed at the cold coffee in front of him before taking it and sipping. "We also need to talk, Cross." He gave the man 'the look' too before he sighed. "And I also need to go back to the Headquarter this afternoon. I have a mission tomorrow and I need to prepare for it." He was glad that his mission was postponed by one day so he was able to stay in the school until today.

"Ah, of course… Goodbye, master." Yuzuru grinned, obviously in the mood for some 'piss Yagari off' game. His tone sounded only too happy for the raven's liking.

"Don't you dare make any trouble here." Yagari glared before he sipped his coffee again. Zero drank his milk and Cross drank his tea. Yuzuru only laughed at his master in answer to the statement/threat. The silver-haired hunter didn't pay his master and his senpai's banter any more attention, since it was not really that unusual for him now.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So, what are your plans?" Yagari was once again seated in the couch in the Chairman's office just like yesterday together with his cup of already cold coffee. "This doesn't look good to me."

"I know." Cross sighed. "I didn't think Zero will once again…" He gritted his teeth before he sighed again in an attempt to control his emotions. "…What should I do, Yagari?"

The other man sipped his coffee and made a sour face when he tasted its coldness. "I think you should tell him everything that he needs to know. He's a grown-up male now. He's not that fragile kid from ten years ago anymore. I believe that it will be better to just tell him everything he needs to know." He looked at Cross's expression then. "The question is… can you?"

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Cross chuckled hollowly. "How can I tell him without breaking him into pieces? Zero-kun is very important to me… I don't want him to get hurt…"

"That's the one thing we cannot avoid, Cross." Yagari put down his cup on the table in front of him. "Let's just hope that his mind is strong enough to accept everything. If you were to tell him though, then I think he'll find the answers to the questions he's been asking himself for the last ten years."

"But he'll… hate himself more…" Cross fisted his fingers. "I don't want my nephew to feel any more pain."

"Cross, as long as one is alive he will almost always feel pain." Yagari said, though the Chairman could also see concern in his eyes. "That's part of the proof that one is alive."

"Will he be better off not knowing?" Cross looked pleading, as if he wanted Yagari to agree.

"Do you want him to live in a life so unreal? Do you want Zero to believe in all those lies? In all of the Association's lies?" The raven asked, eyes flaring a bit at the thought of how the Association wrapped Zero up in their hands. "You know that the only reason why I didn't say anything to him all these years is because I believe it isn't my place to say anything. It is your place, Cross. You owe him that, as his only living relative."

Cross looked down on his lap, where he found his fingers intertwined with one another tightly. He heaved a deep sigh before he nodded his head. "I'll prepare myself then. After that, I'll make sure to tell him everything." Yagari nodded and took his coffee once again, sipping it with a sour face.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All Zero wanted was a nice and quiet morning after the disturbing commotion earlier. He wanted a place where he could think freely. And he just thought of the perfect location to unwind, not knowing that his day could get any worse.

He, together with Yuuki and Yuzuru, went to the inner circle of their school ground where the buildings were and the new student was immediately introduced by the teacher to the students, much to the silver-haired teen's embarrassment and irritation. He really thought that the guy would at least be a year higher than him. So why the hell were they classmates?!

He couldn't hold back the irritated growl that came out of his throat at the thought that Yuzuru, and of course with the help of Yagari, had convinced Cross into transferring the younger brunette to Zero's class even though he was a year older. And the guy was now grinning at him from the front.

"Hi, classmates, I'm Yuzuru Takano! I'm Zero's older brother! We're not related by blood, but our bond goes beyond simple comrades-at-arms!" He said as an initial introduction and everyone's head immediately turned to the backseat, where a certain glaring hunter was seated, much too embarrassed to even act like he knew the guy in front. "Hi, Zero! From now on, nii-san will protect you!" Yuzuru waved his hand and Zero had to hold back the urge to throw a book or two at him.

Some males sniggered at 'little brother' Zero who, even now, continued to drink milk. They even speculated that it was breast milk, much to the younger hunter's chagrin. Not to mention that Yuzuru even sat beside him just to prove that he'd 'protect' his younger brother from any kind of harm, even to the harm brought upon by love. Some females giggled at that, again, much to Zero's chagrin. It was just the first day and he already wanted to kill Yuzuru.

Zero was glad that his 'nii-san' had become quiet when the lesson started, giving him the time to recuperate. Yes, he accumulated a not-so-healthy dose of embarrassment and irritation back there. And the moment the bell rang, Zero was already out of the classroom even before Yuzuru, or anyone for that matter, could react or tease him. The older hunter sighed as he chuckled.

"You deliberately said those things earlier, didn't you, Yuzuru-san?" Yuuki said when they went out of the classroom together with Kaori. The guy continued to laugh until they were almost in the cafeteria, earning an inaudible blush from the female brunette.

"I was curious on how he would react in front of a huge crowd." Yuzuru shrugged. Yuuki and Kaori looked at each other before they looked at the hunter once more.

"Why?" Kaori was the one who asked the question this time. "Kiryuu-san is quite scary when angry, you know… Takano-san might be used to that but we're not…" Her statement might be accusative but her expression said she was merely curious. There was no ill feeling in her aura, or at least that's how Yuzuru interpreted her emotions.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I want to test it." Yuzuru answered with a smile before he ordered from the counter, followed by the two of them. Actually, it was Yagari's order. He was asked to know and investigate Zero's stability and would-be actions when in a classroom full of people, when angry, when provoked, when thirsty… He knew Zero was probably already aware of his mission, but that didn't mean the guy could still maintain his cool at all times. They wanted to know how stable Zero was – mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's nothing personal. It's only to know if their family member was a danger to other students and also to himself.

And that was not the end of the show… it was just the beginning. Yuzuru inwardly sighed. Even if Zero wasn't a vampire, the guy would still have killed him by now if it weren't for the crowd. Zero hated being embarrassed, especially in public. Well, anyone hated that. But Zero was just too sensitive for his own good. The hunter sighed again, wondering how the hell he would survive if Zero really lost it.

"So, where do you think he went to, Yuzuru-san?" Yuuki asked the question as she ate her meal, almost choking on it when Yuzuru's cool emerald gaze met hers. She immediately drank her glass of water in an attempt to divert her gaze to other tings before she continued. "He didn't bring any lunchbox though… I wonder if he went back to the dorm…" The male brunette blinked at Yuuki's sudden action while Kaori stared at her meaningfully, as if she just realized a very important fact.

Zero walked briskly from the inner circle into the outer one. His mind was reeling, still rewinding the events earlier when he woke up. He was sure that he felt no one in the room except his own presence. So how could the wall just burn like that? And also from a fire that just came from nowhere?

The scent of blue roses tickled his senses and he immediately realized he had been walking mindlessly for quite a while now. He looked at the serene surrounding in front of him and thought that the place was really a good site for musings as well as mental and physical rest. As usual, the place was uninhabited and only the sound of the water and the rustling of leaves from the trees could be heard in the area. It was so peaceful he could almost forget all of his problems just by being in the place.

The hunter sat on one of the trees' roots, the ground where he usually sat on, and pondered about the things that he had to think about. First things first, it had already been four days since he last drank blood from Kaname. Soon, he'd need to drink blood again – whether in the form of the disgusting pill or the thick and rich Kuran blood. He knew that Yuzuru would immediately realize it if he drank from another since the scent of blood would–

Zero's eyes widened when realization, which should have been obvious to him from the start, kicked in. If he's been drinking from Kaname all this time, then surely Cross would have realized it by now just from the scent of blood? Not to mention that the vampires in Kaname's circle should have been able to feel and smell the scent of their leader's blood being spilled. And if they realized it, why was no one questioning or even attacking him? Why were they acting like they knew nothing? Even Cross never acted like he knew what's happening. Maybe Kaname did something about it, but he doubted Aido and the others would just stay quiet if they knew. Did that mean no one actually knew?

"How can that be..?" He found himself voicing. It was a little easier to deceive a hunter's sense of smell, but a vampire's?

He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about it so hard. If no one realized it, then it's all for the better. The thing he needed to realize was the fact that when the thirst strikes next, Yuzuru would already be there to see it. And Zero doubted the older hunter would let Kaname just go near them like he usually did when Zero was thirsty. What to do, what to do… It somehow unsettled him that he was even thinking of drinking from Kaname again. But the truth was there and he couldn't deny it anymore even if he wanted to. Kaname Kuran's blood was the richest and most mouth-watering blood he ever inhaled and tasted… not to mention the only blood that could probably satisfy his hunger.

It was so intoxicating he couldn't help but want for more…

Zero's breathing hitched as his eyes glowed red just from thinking about it and he couldn't help but curse under his breath from being so damn bloodthirsty. His fully aroused fangs were peaking from the corners of his lips, grazing his skin gently. Well, he's sure Kaname would do something about it, since the pureblood didn't want his lovely sister anywhere near an uncontrollable bloodsucker.

He sighed as he tried to even out his breathing. He needed to calm down and keep his thoughts from wandering anywhere near Kaname's blood again. The next, and should have been the foremost, thing he should think about was his mission – his secret mission. He needed to complete it… And yet, he knew he had nothing to report anymore. He just sent a report last Monday and the answer had yet to come. He now dreaded the content of the next letter from the Association. And once again, he found himself having another realization that should have been obvious from the start.

If someone was spying on his activities here… did that mean that the Association already know about his identity? Did that mean they already know about him being a vampire?

If that was the reason for the sudden mission and the unsatisfied feedback from his reports, then he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He just hoped they'd let him at least complete the mission – if only for the sake of formality. And another thing to consider now that he thought about it… was when would this little mission of his end? If he'd already discovered something about Kaname and Cross's alliance? If he was already a full-fledged Level E? If he's already retired?

But what if he didn't find anything? Did that mean he'd continue with this mission until he died? Or until he was alive, as long he wasn't able to find any conspiracy?

"How annoying…" He muttered just as he closed his eyes. He let his head loll in front of him as he continued with his musings. The vivid dream he'd had earlier made his eyebrows furrow. He never remembered anything about his family being a traitor… He didn't know he'd attended some parties too. The only memories he had when he was young was the memories he shared with his family in the woods and also his memories with Ichiru.

Now, the next question should be… Should he ask Cross about it? Or even Yagari? He sighed as he thought of that option. Would they answer him though?

And as he continued to think about things, he didn't realize he had fallen deep into the darkness of slumber.

Everything was dark and cold… all he could see was his own body trembling in the middle of the vast void. His little fingers were trembling and he couldn't help but whimper a little. He was cold. And he was scared.

"Oto-san..? Oka-san..?" He willed himself to walk to at least prevent himself from just freezing on the spot and crying. "Ichiru..?"His voice broke a little at the last word, not knowing if it was for the best that not any of his family members were there in the darkness with him.

The sound of his steps echoed together with the splash of water and he looked down. He couldn't see it for everything was dark, but he knew he was stepping on water, at least an inch of it. He whimpered again as the unmistakable scent of something mouth-watering delighted his senses. It was somewhere close, somewhere really close… And he started walking again, slowly at first, but gradually increasing in speed. His little limbs started to stride faster, faster, and faster, until he realized he was already running.

He was scared. His little self knew what was going on but he, as someone inside the dream, didn't. He called their names again, then called a little louder, and a little louder, until he realized he was screaming their names now.

"Please, someone…" He panted as he continued running in the vast darkness, getting nowhere, while he continued to call his family. The sound of the water beneath him was the only sound accompanying his scared voice. "Answer me!" And alas, his little limbs gave out and he fell to the dark water face-first.

The water's color was a little lighter than he originally thought, for he could see his own reflection on it – a child looking scared and lost. And his eyes widened just as his breath hitched. His hair was red, his shirt was red, his sweat was red, his eyes were glowing red…

He tried to open his mouth, but nothing came out except empty scream. He tried to cover his eyes with his little hands but the moment he lifted them up from the water, he realized that the liquid he thought of as water was actually blood. He was covered with it. His fangs ached just as he willed himself from licking the liquid on his hands. It scared him to no end that he, a child, would want to have a taste of something only a monster would want.

And he screamed this time, voice filled with utter horror and shock.

He thought that he'd never wake up again, that he'd never get out of the darkness. But after a few seconds, something warm brushed his cheeks. The warmth that seeped inside him made him whimper again, though not in fear this time. It spread from his cheeks, to his arms, to his torso, to his whole body, until he was enveloped in the feeling. It was something foreign, and yet something so familiar he couldn't help but sigh, his fears slowly disappearing just as the darkness was slowly fading away.

There was light in front of him and he tried to reach for it; tried being the root word because he suddenly found out he couldn't move. The light was there but he couldn't move towards it. And then everything was suddenly so bright it immediately blinded him.

He groaned just as he slowly opened his eyes. "It's okay, it's just a nightmare." A voice he knew he heard from somewhere said. And the scene that he found himself in immediately made him wish he was asleep again.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kaname lay on his back in his bed. He was absently looking at the canopy above him supported by four pillars, still thinking of many things. He couldn't sleep. He knew it was the middle of the night for him, if the sun high in the sky outside his curtained window was any indication, and yet he still couldn't find any sleep. Takuma's end-of-the-world news earlier was preventing him to.

That man was already on the move…

He sighed as he got out of the bed, knowing full well that there's no point on staying in it if he's not going to sleep anyway. He opened the curtains a little and saw the mid-noon sun hanging in the sky. It would be annoying to go outside. And yet, the mere thought that Zero would be in the classroom right now, studying like everyone else his age, was enough to get the pureblood moving.

Kaname wasn't an idiot. He knew better than to barge in the classrooms in the middle of the day, especially in the middle of those rabid fan girls. He'd be devoured alive instead of the other way around. His plan was just to observe how things were going for the silver-haired hunter and his friend. He wanted to see how Zero acted in front of other people. But the moment he went into the woods separating the Moon Dorm from the inner circle of the school, he found himself going right instead of forward. Zero's presence was there… in that place again.

He managed to get closer to the lake without the notice of the young hunter, though it seemed stealth wasn't that necessary anymore seeing that Zero wasn't even stirring even though he was already so close.

"Ah, ah. Kiryuu, you shouldn't let your guard down so much… even if it's in front of me." He smirked as he walked closer to the hunter, who was sitting under the shade of a tree, head hanging in front of him. "…especially if it's in front of me." He added when he felt his fangs protracted and his eyes glowed crimson in color at the sight of a vulnerable prey and the intoxicating scent of one particular Kiryuu blood.

His mouth watered as he stepped even closer to where Zero was, all his senses screaming for him to take at least a little bite at the handsome and yet at the same time beautiful hunter in front of him. He slowly knelt when he was already in front of the hunter. Oh, Zero how close you were to getting bitten by a pureblood… again. His slender hands slowly and gracefully leaned on the trunk of the tree just as his head leaned closer. If Zero still didn't stir with that, then he knew that his assumption about the Elite Force was probably wrong.

And yet, the only thing he could think of the moment he inhaled Zero closer was the thick blood running through the hunter's veins right now. He inhaled Zero's hair, not really touching any part of the hunter in case Zero did stir – he didn't want that – and contentedly smelled all available parts of him. He prevented himself from licking the hunter's ear, as well his neck, his throat, his lips… He closed his eyes as he contentedly inhaled the silver-haired teen's scent from so up close while trying to prevent his vampire instinct to take over and bite the hunter. He gulped and prevented himself from groaning in satisfaction when he was finished. And yet, Zero still didn't stir awake. By now, he knew that something was wrong…

"Kiryuu." He called tentatively. He wasn't expecting any reply, and he didn't get one. Zero continued to doze off, unaware of the earlier events, and it puzzled the pureblood greatly. In the past, Zero would stir awake whenever he tried to take advantage of the hunter's sleep. Yes, during those many times that he did something like this…

Much to the brunette's surprise, Zero whimpered in his sleep. Kaname furrowed his eyebrows as he took a good look at the hunter's face. Zero's face was filled with unmistakable anguish and fear. And not only that, now that he saw things with a clear mind – not fogged with bloodlust and something else – he realized that Zero was trembling in his sleep, as if he's cold, even though it was in the middle of the day. The forest was cool, but not that cold enough to make someone tremble. His breathing was also ragged and his forehead was covered with sweat. He was dreaming..? The brunette was about to open his mouth to talk when Zero whimpered again, a little louder this time. "Zero..?" He knew that the hunter was having a nightmare. He was curious about what it was, he was curious, and yet he didn't want to see that kind of expression from Zero's face. "Zero, wake up."

Kaname was about to shake the hunter awake when the latter screamed with voice filled with agony and horror, and the pureblood couldn't help but cup the teen's face with both hands. "Zero, wake up!" He shook the hunter a little, but it was no use. Zero whimpered again, pained, and Kaname, without a thought, hugged him tight. "It's okay, it's only a nightmare."

The hunter leaned into the warm embrace and Kaname was actually surprised that Zero was still asleep even though he was basically in the arms of a thirsty pureblood. But he didn't care about those things for now. All he wanted was for Zero to wake up again and make some of those rude comments of his. He felt relieved when the hunter's breathing started to gradually even out and his tremble slowly stopped. With his whole body supporting Zero's frame, it was a little harder to actually control his thirst.

He just realized what he did when he finally managed to let out a sigh. He was already sitting in front of the tree, facing it. In his arms was Zero. He was stroking the hunter's hair with his right hand while his left hand supported the hunter. Zero was gripping his black polo sleeves with his pale hands. He shifted his support to be able to get the hunter's hand and stroke it too. He closed his eyes as he leaned in and kissed the hunter's forehead. "It's okay, it's just a nightmare."

And when he opened his chocolate eyes again, the first thing he saw was wide amethyst eyes staring at him in shock.

Zero couldn't help but feel his cheeks color up from Kaname's proximity. The pureblood's slightly parted luscious lips were almost brushing against his cheek, not to mention that Kaname was hugging him, his own hands were clutching the brunette's clothing tightly, and he was leaning to the older male's warmth as if it was his lifeline. The pureblood's brunette hair was like a silk, curtaining both their faces from the outside world. Every dark brown strand was wavy and smooth. And Kaname's eyes… chocolate in color with a tinge of crimson… they're so… beautiful. And the brunette's scent was making him dizzy – both in intoxication and in daze. The shock and embarrassment were too much to handle and Zero froze on the spot, afraid that a single movement might allow some annoying reactions from both of their bodies.

Kaname smiled playfully at the hunter's way of trying to fight his blush. He liked it… only so much. He gazed at the hunter's wide amethyst eyes, strong and yet so delicate, beautiful and charming. His eyes darted towards the hunter's eyelashes, long but not too much. Zero's creamy skin was just as pale as his, if not even paler. It must taste good… His silver hair was a bit disheveled, giving him a seductive air. Not to mention that his forehead was covered in sweat, an added bonus to the overall wet look. And his lips, parted a little because of shock, looked really inviting. How he wanted to devour the hunter right now…

He wanted Zero… both his blood and body.

.

.tbc.

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Ren-sama's Note:

Oh my gosh! Perverted Kaname strikes again! Hahaha! Please review, everyone~!