Ren-sama's Note:

Thanks for reviewing, guys~! I love you all! ᶺoᶺ

Here's the next chapter~!

.

Chapter 15

"Zero!" Kaname called as he chased after the hunter in the busy streets of the town. It was certainly a mistake to ask that question. He wouldn't forget how Zero paled the moment he heard the question that the pureblood just asked without any ado. But Kaname couldn't help it. He wanted to know. He wanted to know so much that it was almost driving him insane. "Zero!"

And yet, the person he was chasing after kept his pace steadied, running at full vampire speed even in the middle of the day. He could see that Zero was much shaken by the question. The latter's heart skipped some beats before he immediately stood up and left the restaurant without any word.

Kaname gritted his teeth as he continued to run after Zero. He wanted to say that he wasn't doing it merely for something trivial or just for the sake of asking. He really wanted, no, needed, to know. "Zero!" He couldn't see Zero anymore but he could still feel the other's presence in the vicinity. Zero was much faster than he thought. No wonder he was in the Elite Force at such a young age. But Kaname wasn't a pureblood for nothing…

Zero's mind was blank. He kept on running, running, and running away from Kaname, as if the pureblood himself was the embodiment of his past. He didn't want to even think about it, not to mention remember it. He continued his mindless run until he was sure that nobody was following him anymore. He wanted to be alone, to think alone, or maybe to not think at all. He only slowed down in his pace when he felt that there wasn't any more presence beside him, no more people to bump into or even annoying by-standers who only knew how to gossip.

And the moment he realized where he was, he immediately stopped in his tracks.

He looked at the dilapidated infrastructure, or at least it used to be one. The church still stood proud and high even when its whole body was crumbling into the ground slowly. How ironic. It seemed the church was a lot stronger than him in some ways, even though both of them were slowly crumbling. He entered the church with slow steps, though with vampire silence.

And just then, he realized that he was already at the outskirt of the town, the same church where he was once ambushed. The same church where Kaname almost bit him… Kaname…

His eyes immediately widened when he realized he was no longer alone in the place. Hell, he didn't even realize someone already approached him from behind.

"I apologize." It was the last set of words Zero expected to hear from a very proud person such as Kaname. And yet, and yet, as he turned around to face the brunette vampire, he could see how much the pureblood meant what he just voiced. "I apologize for hurting you." Kaname's voice was cool and calm, but Zero could feel the sincerity in it.

He didn't know how to react. "W-What do you… want? Why do you… want to know? It has nothing to do with you… And yet..!" The questions were in themselves accusing. But the hunter couldn't help it. He couldn't believe that a pureblood vampire such as Kaname would ask those things without any ulterior motive. Or maybe he just didn't want to believe it. Because if he did…

"Alright. I won't ask you anything anymore." Kaname answered, not wanting to aggravate Zero into another running-away-mode. "I want you to know that I'm investigating everything." When he saw that the hunter was about to retort, he immediately added something. "This isn't just about you, Zero. I want to know why there's a pureblood vampire that night in my vicinity without my knowledge. I want to know everything, and I need to investigate everything, including you, if I want to know the answer."

Zero froze at that. Investigate everything… Then that meant Kaname might be able to know that he was here on a mission. That meant Cross and Yuuki might know as well. And that meant… they would know how filthy he was, using the people who cared for him as tools to get what he wanted. They would know how terrible he was, staining their trust and kindness with nothing but betrayal. They would know everything… And that also meant that his last mission would be… a failure.

The teen's anger lessened a bit with that realization as dread and fear immediately gripped his heart.

"Zero, I want to know what you know." Kaname voiced again when he noticed that the hunter had withdrawn into his own world now. "I think that what happened to you that night over two weeks ago has some connection to what happened to your family ten years ago."

And that piqued the silver-haired teen's curiosity. "What do you mean? What do you know?" It was a real question this time.

"We just had lunch." Kaname closed his eyes. "I think it will be better to sit down while we let our stomachs digest what we ate." And he walked towards one of the long chairs used for masses before he sat. "Shall we spend our whole afternoon here?"

Zero furrowed his eyebrows before he managed to interpret the words. Kaname was willing to tell him what he wanted to know. He followed the brunette to the chair and sat a meter away from the latter. He sat stiffly, eyeing the pureblood once in a while as he waited for Kaname to speak.

"I'll ask you first. But not the question earlier…" Kaname looked sideways at Zero seriously, making the hunter stiffer than earlier. "How much do you remember about your family, Zero?" When Zero's eyebrow furrowed, the pureblood readily added, "I don't have the right to tell you anything. But I think it is only right to tell you the things that I know, if I want to know what you know."

So it'd be an exchange of information, huh…

Zero looked down, thinking hard if he wanted to share anything with a pureblood. But knowing Kaname, he might already know everything and was just asking Zero for confirmation. "My father's name is Shiro Kiryuu. And my mother is Kara. I have a younger twin named Ichiru. We lived in the wooded outskirt of a small town when I was young… My brother and I were always alone with one another while our parents hunted vampires… We always played together..." He furrowed his eyebrow even more as he tried to remember things. "Ichiru had a weak body and was almost always ill. It's my fault for taking his life energy when we were still in our mother's womb. I'm sure you know about that well."

"The curse the hunters' ancestors received when they tried to drink the blood of the purebloods to gain power." Kaname pointed out. "No twins would be born in the hunter families, since the other twin will almost always eat his or her sibling inside their mother's womb."

"Yes, that's right." Zero answered, gritting his teeth. "But Ichiru was born, with much weaker body than mine. I always cared for him and took care of him. At least until that night… Your turn. Tell me what you know. Now."

Kaname blinked at Zero's sudden Zero-like attitude. It made him chuckle before he started. "The Chairman asked me to investigate about Shizuka Hiou, the vampire who bit you. But I ended up investigating everything about you."

Zero growled before he glared at Kaname for being so nosy. "You're nosy, you know that?"

"It's my curiosity, Zero. I can't do anything about it." Kaname shrugged, earning him a WTF face from his favorite hunter. "And before you say 'curiosity kills the cat,' though the cat was supposed to be you, I haven't dug any major information… just bits and pieces of them."

Zero stared at Kaname, not knowing what he would feel – would he get angry at the pureblood and just punch him on the face, even if only the attempt counted, or would he just laugh out loud for the pureblood's childish attitude. He sighed before he decided on the more civil action and asked a question of his own. "What do you mean bits and pieces? Don't tell me your intelligence network just results to that much, Kuran?" He initially attempted to mock the vampire but all that came out of him was a weak tease.

Kaname arched an eyebrow at him. "My intelligence network is superb, Zero. It's just that… there's no information about your past anywhere, as if your past was purposefully hidden by someone." Just like what he did to Yuuki's past back then…

That statement somehow made Zero feel cold. "Tell me what you know. And I… I'll tell you about that night…"

Kaname looked at the teen first, weighing things and thinking whether Zero was even aware of the complicated past he had. "Do you know that your family has been called…" He looked at Zero, to see if the hunter was ready to hear something so disturbing about his family background.

Zero looked at him as well, eyes slowly widening with realization. "…traitors?" He didn't want to believe it, but when Kaname slowly nodded, he couldn't help but feel like he was just slapped. So it's true then… his dreams were really broken pieces of his past… "…Why?"

"There's no record or any information pertaining to that." Kaname's voice was already so quiet it was hard for even Zero to hear him clearly. "It seems to me that someone tried to hide, or erase, everything that happened to you prior to the day of the accident." He looked at Zero's trembling form before he sighed. "Do you want to continue?"

Zero looked at him, more vulnerable than he could ever be. He only hoped, at the back of his mind, that Kaname wasn't the type to exploit that. "…Yes."

"Trust me a little, Zero. I don't have any ulterior motive except my curiosity." Kaname voiced, trying to assure the hunter that he was harmless, at least in some ways. "Believe me if I say I am on Cross's side."

"What does he have to do with this?" Zero asked, only for his eyes to widen again. Cross was also included in his past..? He knew it. So Cross's kindness didn't have anything to do with the fact that he was a vampire, but at the fact that the guy knew him. Now he didn't know if that would make him feel relieved or betrayed.

"I won't tell you anything regarding that because it's not my place to do so." Kaname answered again when Zero was about to ask him. "I can only tell you the things that I investigated myself." He shifted in his seat and sat sideways now, facing Zero and making the space between them narrower in the process. "Now, can you tell me, even if not in detail, what really happened that night? Not what others told you, Zero, but what you really remember."

Zero looked at Kaname's chocolate eyes and saw the seriousness of his question. There was no mockery and no joke in those orbs, only the sincere perseverance to want to know the truth. He couldn't keep up with those eyes so he chose to look down. "You say you're on the Chairman's side. But… are you on my side, Kuran?"

Kaname didn't expect that question at all. It made him stare at Zero, gaping a little, so unlike how he usually was. He looked at Zero and saw that the hunter, it seemed, was thoroughly shaken by things. He was more vulnerable now, and if it was any other predator, they would have immediately grabbed that chance to devour the teen. "I'm on your side, Zero. Even if we're not friends, as you said."

Zero sighed. It wasn't his nature, but he would trust Kaname's words for now. "I don't remember much… But… i-it was my fault." Zero trembled a bit before he stood up, unable to stay seated any longer. "The incident that night has nothing to do with the incident now. That night… even if I can't remember anything, I know it's my fault… My parents and sibling were killed because of me… I did something… I can't remember what… but because of that, they died…"

Kaname sighed and was already about to ask Zero to stop when he saw Zero still repeatedly muttering the same thing over and over again. "Zero?" But it seemed the teen didn't hear him anymore. "Zero."

"It's all my fault… If it weren't for me, that fire…" Zero's eyes widened as his head hurt a lot. He immediately screamed in pain and clutched his head as he lost his balance and fell on his knees, not even flinching when he felt Kaname's warmth all around him. "The fire… The fire…" Images of everything burning filled his mind as he saw flashes of his broken memories. And to say that his head hurt like hell was an understatement. It was probably the hunter seal on his memories working its 'wonder' to prevent him from remembering.

"Zero, Zero!" Kaname shook the hunter's shoulder a little, and then more forceful when the hunter still didn't respond to him. He hugged the latter in his arms again. "Don't think about it anymore. It's okay. You don't have to blame yourself, Zero."

"I killed them… I killed them all…" Zero continued to clutch his head while he continued whispering to himself. "The fire… I set the fire… I can't even remember why…" And he screamed again in pain.

"Zero!" Kaname yelled the name when the hunter went limp in his arms and lost consciousness. He gritted his teeth as he tried to wake the teen up. When the latter still didn't stir, the pureblood couldn't do anything but wait for Zero to regain consciousness.

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

"Your name is Zero, you say?"

Little Zero looked up as he saw the man loom over him. The man had wavy brunette locks and mismatched eyes. He nodded and the man smiled. He didn't know why, but the man carried him in his arms and started walking away from the party.

"Where are we going, Sir?" Zero furrowed his eyebrows when he saw that the man was already leaving the premise. "Are you really a friend of Oto-san?"

"Yes, we're very close in fact. You can call me Rido-san." The man smiled kindly, making Zero smile in return. "You're very beautiful when you smile Zero-kun, just like your father."

"Rido!" They both looked when the unmistakable angry voice shouted behind them. "Give me back my son!"

"Oto-san!" Zero called at him happily, though Rido's hold on him prevented him from going anywhere.

Shiro was glaring daggers at the man as he stopped some meters away from Rido. Zero didn't know what was happening. But it seemed the man and his father had some fights, for they didn't look like friends at all right now, though his father really knew the man.

"Don't worry, Shiro." Rido smiled, though Zero noticed that it wasn't the same warm smile he showed the kid earlier, but a rather feral one. "I was just talking to your son. I won't take him… not yet."

"Rido-san..?"

"Zero!" Shiro called before his eyes turned red.

"Zero, wake up!" Zero's eyes opened and the first thing he saw was wavy brunette locks.

"Rido-san..?" He furrowed his eyebrow when he blurted out the name, though he couldn't remember much about his dream, except that there was a man his father supposedly knew of.

Kaname's whole body froze when he heard the familiar name. He felt his whole body turn cold as he stared at the hunter in his arms. Cross said that that man had something to do with Zero's past too, but for Zero to dream of him… "Zero…"

Zero blinked and realized that he's once again in the arms of the pureblood, but it seemed the situation right now was nowhere near the situation back then. He couldn't help but freeze when he saw Kaname's deadly cold eyes glaring at him while the pureblood's hold on him tightened greatly. "W-What do you think–?"

"How did you know that man?" The pureblood's voice was cold and a lot more distant than he remembered. "Answer me, Zero. How did you know that man!?"

"What are you talking about?!" Zero immediately tried to pry off Kaname's hand, to no avail. And those same hands that comforted him earlier were hurting him so much now. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Answer me! How did you know that man!?" Kaname shook the hunter's shoulder again. "Are you friends with him!?"

"What's wrong with you, Kuran!?" Zero could feel his muscles ache under Kaname's hold and it wasn't funny being grabbed like that. It felt like the pureblood was about to rip him apart with sheer strength alone. "Who are you talking about!?"

Kaname seemed to have realized what he was doing because he ceased his hold. "Rido. Rido Kuran. Who is he to you?" His eyes were covered by his fringes so Zero wasn't sure if his eyes were red or not. But judging from the cold and choking air surrounding the two of them, the hunter was sure it was blaring crimson with so much rage.

"Rido..?" Zero tried to think who the man was for a while and remembered his dream. Was that his memory as well? He didn't realize it when he was young. But right now, he could only conclude one thing. "Rido… wanted to…" He furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to remember the contents of his dream. He had almost forgotten it due to the scary pureblood's scary outburst. But more than the dream, he was more scared at the fact that Kaname seemed ready to kill him just to get the information.

Kaname lost some of his hostility at that. "…What?" And his eyes widened at the extent of what he did to Zero. The hunter's shoulders were bloodied due to the force he exerted earlier. But more than that… Zero looked really hurt. "Zero, I…" He found his anger immediately disappearing. What was he going to say? That he didn't mean it? He knew he meant it the moment he heard the name.

"Are you always like this… Kuran..?" Zero looked hurt at what Kaname did – though more than physically, he realized he was more emotionally hurt. "You… You said you're on my side. And yet, the moment I said the name, you immediately hurt me without even asking me civilly first."

Kaname's eyes widened at that. "No, it's… I'm sorry, Zero. It's not like that."

"You're not my ally, Kuran." Zero felt betrayed somehow, and he was too angry at himself for feeling like that even though he knew he shouldn't have trusted the pureblood in the first place. "You're just with me for the time being. You're just willing yourself to be on my good side while I don't do anything disadvantageous to you. Once I did something, you will be like how you vampires usually are… You're… a manipulator… You're… not my ally."

The teen didn't even know what he was saying anymore. He just knew he needed to say that. He wanted so much to just go back to being a hunter in the Headquarters, hunting with everybody else, not a vampire and certainly not in this church together with a vampire who confused and manipulated him to no end. And before he knew it, he was already running away from the place with vampire speed.

He didn't know why… It's not as if he trusted Kaname in the first place. So why did he feel so betrayed..? The moment Kaname lost it was the moment the pureblood would hurt him without any remorse. And it hurt him somehow to know that his life and existence mattered so little to Kaname…

Kaname looked lost as he watched the hunter leave in vampire speed. He couldn't even do anything. Why did he lose control..? Why did he have to hurt Zero..? He gritted his teeth, knowing full well that he'd forever regret what he did today.

"Zero… I'm sorry…" He heard himself mumble, though it felt like it came from a very far away place. It's as if cold water was poured down on him. He wanted to blame Rido for everything, but he knew that what happened earlier was no one but his fault. It was all his fault… And he was sure Zero wouldn't ever forgive him… It's not only the fact that he hurt Zero physically that would matter there. It was also the fact that he betrayed his promise to be on Zero's side… "Zero…" He inhaled his thick Kuran blood in the air and realized that he had been clenching his fists so tight his fingernails were drawing blood from his flesh. He looked at his palm absentmindedly before he licked the red liquid. "Zero…"

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

"Zero-kun..?" Cross called in uncertainty, not knowing if Zero was awake or asleep. "Are you alright?" He looked at Yuzuru when no one answered.

The Chairman and the teen's senpai had been chatting animatedly when the silver-haired hunter appeared from the doorway, looking so wet and broken. It was raining all afternoon up until evening so the teen was soaking wet. The first thing they both noticed was the fact that Zero didn't look like himself. He appeared too out of it, not to mention hurt. The shoulder of his long sleeves were torn and bloodied, though the flesh had healed a long time ago. Then there was the fact that the hunter didn't even greet them or recognized their presence.

"Oy, Zero?" Yuzuru called as well, followed by some knocks. He shook his head before he looked at the Chairman. "I think he has some problems. But he might want to be alone for now, Cross-san." The two hunters looked worried as they nodded to one another and left Zero on his own for now.

The silver-haired hunter felt the two males on the other side of the door leave, and he couldn't help but feel relieved. He didn't want to face anyone, most of all Yuzuru and Cross right now. No, more than them, he didn't want to see Kaname…

He buried his head on the pillow as he slumped on the bed. He had just finished bathing the whole time they were calling, and he didn't answer even after he finished. What would he tell them if they asked anyway? He was hurt because of Kaname… because he thought he could trust a vampire..? How ridiculous…

"Why do you think those two hunters came here?" Cross said as he and Yuzuru ate dinner. Yuuki was already out patrolling for the night even though it's raining.

"Unfortunately, Cross-san, I don't know each and every move the Association makes." Yuzuru munched his food in thoughtfulness. "Maybe they're… investigating..? I doubt they came here for what they call as 'visiting'. Those two aren't close to Zero or even to me even if we're all in the Elite Force."

"Does it have to do with Zero-kun's secret mission, I wonder?" Cross said more to himself than to his companion, making Yuzuru stop his hand midair – spoon hanging.

"Y-You know… about Zero's mission?" Yuzuru furrowed his eyebrows. The younger hunter looked saddened when Cross nodded. "Zero is doing his best just so you and the others won't know anything about it. He doesn't want to sully your trust, Chairman."

"I know that." Cross smiled warmly. "Zero-kun is very precious to me. That's why… I'll do my best to at least ease his pain. I won't do anything that will put him in a disadvantageous situation." Yuzuru creased his eyebrows at the older male once again. He didn't know why the Chairman was saying all those things, but he could feel that Cross was sincere in everything that he said.

"You're talking about me?" They both turned when they heard the unmistakable voice of a certain grumpy silver-haired hunter.

Cross immediately beamed at him as he stood up and prepared dinner for Zero too. "Just wait a minute! I'll prepare your food, Zero-kun!" The teen only nodded as he sat beside his senpai who merely arched an eyebrow at his strange behavior earlier.

"So…" Yuzuru felt like he was threading on a tight rope that's about ready to break any second now. "Uh, where were you? You're all wet earlier." When he received a simple shrug from his kouhai, the former could only sigh in defeat.

They all ate silently as Zero seemed to mull on something. Cross sighed in relief when the teen's mood brightened after drinking his glass full of milk. "So, Zero-kun. Are you alright now?" Zero blinked at the chairman before nodding.

"Ah… Chairman." Zero put down his glass on the table before he looked at Cross straight in the eyes with a serious expression. "Can I talk to you after this?"

Cross tilted his head to one side, blinking, before he nodded with a smile. "In the office?" He didn't mind the fact that Zero didn't address his earlier question.

"No, in your room is fine." Zero felt a little embarrassed. He barricaded himself inside that very room earlier, not even realizing that Cross could have needed something in the room as well. And he dared show himself in front of them now. His room was still in the middle of renovation so the Chairman had so kindly shared his room with the teen.

Yuzuru looked curious, but he didn't ask any question. If Zero wanted to tell Cross everything about the mission, then he couldn't do anything about it. Besides, it seemed the legendary hunter already knew everything anyway.

When Yuuki entered the kitchen some time later, she was greeted by Yuzuru's back. The latter was washing the dishes that they used earlier, wearing the apron that Cross usually wore – pink and frilly. But somehow, it looked cool on the younger male.

"Please don't burn holes on my back, Yuuki-chan." Yuzuru voiced, making Yuuki blush deeply, before the male turned around and smiled.

"I-I was merely..!" The brunette was still thinking of a smart excuse when her companion merely chuckled.

"It seems Zero abandoned his duty again, huh." Yuzuru smiled as he pulled out a chair for the female to use. "I'll serve food for you since you look tired." Somehow, that action only made the female blush even more, making Yuzuru blink before smiling kindly.

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

"Chairman," Zero sat on the bed before heaving a sigh. "You're the legendary hunter Kaien Cross, right? You've been in servitude for at least a century."

Cross furrowed his eyebrows at the sudden question, before he nodded. "Yes, but I resigned from being a hunter ten years ago."

"Ten years ago…" Zero furrowed his eyebrows as he looked down. "Then… do you know of the Kiryuu family?"

Cross felt his whole body froze at the question. He felt cold even though it was warm inside the room because of the heater. "W-Well, yes… Why?"

Zero looked at Cross as the latter turned his back on the teen, earning another creased eyebrow from the younger hunter. "Then, you know why they are called the family of 'traitors', right?" He could see how the back of the older hunter stiffened even more.

"Zero-kun, I think it's getting late–"

"Please, Chairman. I need to know." Zero bowed his head in an attempt to plead. "I beg you. Do you have anything to do with the Kiryuu family, my family? Please…"

Cross sighed, feeling that the walls of the room were crashing down on him. He slowly pulled a chair from the study table and sat, not trusting his knees even for a second. "They were called traitors… because it's a family of vampire hunters and yet also a family–" They both stopped whatever they were doing when they felt the unmistakable strong vampire presence, pureblood vampire presence.

"It's not Kuran-kun…" Chairman stood up from his seat just as Zero did the same.

"Enemy..?" Zero asked. He could feel his hunter senses blaring in alarm and he wouldn't be able to keep quiet about it. He immediately padded over to his drawer and took out his Bloody Rose.

"Zero-kun, no. I'll be the one to–"

"There's no need for that, Chairman." They both turned as Yuzuru and Yuuki appeared from the doorway. The former's face was dark and unreadable. "They're already here."

Zero felt his whole body shiver as he felt the somehow familiar presence of the pureblood vampire. They all came out of the room and went to the front door of the Sun Dorm, just in time for two vampires – one a pureblood girl with long silver hair and one a noble male – to appear.

"Greetings to the Chairman of this school." The little girl curtsied elegantly, before smiling at them, her amethyst eyes gleaming under the light of the moon. "Sorry for the sudden intrusion. I am Maria Kurenai, the new transfer student who called last week." Cross smiled in a strained manner before ushering the two vampires inside his office and closing the door behind him.

As soon as the door closed, Yuzuru immediately spoke with a venomous tone. "Bloodsucking monsters." That statement made both Zero and Yuuki flinch, earning an apologetic look from the male brunette. "S-Sorry… I just…" He sighed as he tried to calm himself down.

"Don't worry, Yuzuru-san." Yuuki voiced with a strained smile. "You're not the only one…" And then she looked at Zero, who looked like he wanted to blow up the room with his Bloody Rose.

The silver-haired teen knew it. Those two vampires inside the room were different from Kaname and the others. They weren't someone who'd help bring upon co-existence between vampires and humans. They felt so ominous and so instinctive. They'd definitely bring trouble to Cross and his ideals…

"Zero..?" Yuzuru looked worried. He knew it didn't have anything to do with the fact that the girl was a pureblood, since the silver-haired hunter was also quite close to another one. It was something deeper…

After some time, the door to the office opened and Cross with a still strained smile came out together with the cheery vampire girl. The noble male, who looked like a butler with his outfit, merely followed behind them.

Cross looked apologetic as he looked at Zero. "Do you mind touring them to the school ground right now? And maybe also bring her to the Moon Dorm so Kuran-kun and the others will be able to meet her?" Zero knew that Cross couldn't ask anyone else, except maybe the vampires themselves, that's why he's asking the teen. Yuuki was human and it would be utterly dangerous to make her do it. It would also be dangerous if Yuzuru were to do it, since the hunter might try to do something rash if the vampires said or did anything out of the ordinary. That would definitely be trouble.

"I'll go together with Zero." Yuzuru immediately said as he looked at his kouhai who was trying his hardest to control his urge to pull out the gun in his belt and shoot the bloodsuckers.

"So, you're Zero-kun!" Maria cheerfully smiled as she bowed a little. "I'm Maria Kurenai. Nice to meet you!" She then looked at Zero with a feral gleam in her eyes before she licked her lips, an action that earned her a growl from both young hunters. It seemed she was also looking at the silver-haired hunter as a potential prey since the teen's blood smelled so damn delicious.

Later that night, Zero and Yuzuru left the dorm and circled the inner grounds of the Academy just to tour the new student. Zero didn't even need to ask why she wanted to tour the school so late at night since he knew very well how the middle of the night looked like the middle of the day to vampires.

They all passed by the rooms of the Night Class and saw many students doing their best to study without gawking at the female pureblood. They were used to Kaname's presence but not to the presence of other vampires with blood as strong and powerful as his. Although from the look of things, the hunters knew that Maria was way weaker than the brunette pureblood. Now that the teen thought about it, he couldn't feel Kaname's presence at all in the classrooms. Didn't he go to class..?

Zero immediately scowled when he found himself thinking of that annoying brunette. It's none of his business anyway so he decided to not think about it anymore. He focused his attention instead on the pureblood just some meters behind him. He knew that it was suicidal to let a pureblood stroll behind him and walk as if there wasn't anything deadly in the surrounding. But he knew that he'd feel it the moment Maria or the male vampire's aura darkened with killing intent or even bloodlust. Besides, Yuzuru was with him tonight. He'd be okay.

And one more thing, he could feel it ever since earlier. He wasn't able to feel it so much back then because he was too weak to feel anything at all except pain raking throughout his body. But now, he was sure of what he was feeling. No wonder Cross looked so apologetic asking him… He didn't think that it could be possible. But it was. Maria… no doubt that she's… He did his best to focus his attention to other things, not even letting his hand get near to his gun. Cross would be disappointed in him if he didn't do this escorting properly.

"Zero-kun, what are you thinking?" Maria said beside the teen, earning a glare from the hunter. Yuzuru, who was on Zero's other side, immediately growled.

"Don't you dare do anything suspicious here, bloodsucker!" The brunette snarled as he pulled out his gun from his belt. The male vampire, who was merely walking behind them all, immediately stood in between the two, just so his master wouldn't be hurt. Zero silently asked Yuzuru to put the gun away and the brunette hunter followed with much reluctance and caution.

They were all walking towards the Moon Dorm now, just north of the inner grounds. When they arrived at the gate, the gatekeeper merely nodded to Zero and let them in. It was Yuzuru's first time inside the ground of the Moon Dorm so he was way too cautious. He never let his guard down even a second. He now looked at Zero who was walking straight ahead without holding his gun, making him think how his kouhai could even be so careless like that. Or maybe it's because it wasn't the first time he'd been to the place…

The door opened on its own even before Zero touched it. He smirked to himself at the scene that greeted him. "Well, what do you know..? Vampires are pretty lax in their studies, aren't they?" He said, not even stepping inside the room. He remained outside the doorway together with Yuzuru, who kept growling under his breath from too much vampire presence. Zero thought that the vampires knew from the start that Maria was coming, and thus didn't go to school so they could greet her.

"Well, what do you know..? Kiryuu has become so close to vampires that he's made friends with another pureblood." Aido immediately commented, earning a growl from the hunter. That made the blonde smirk in victory. Kain and Ruka didn't even give Zero any mind, as if his presence was already so normal, while Takuma did his best to wave his hand at the hunter, greeting Zero cheerfully. Senri scowled when he saw Zero while Rima only continued eating her snacks. "Well, who's she?" Aido added with curiosity thick in his voice even though he could feel her pureblood presence in the air.

"Welcome to Moon Dormitory, Maria Kurenai-san." A cool, composed voice that Zero knew only so well rang in the entire living room, making them all look up at the staircase and saw a certain pureblood stood so regally.

Maria merely smiled as she stepped inside the living room, only for the noble vampires to stiffen at her action. "It seems I'm not as welcome as I thought." The nobles immediately looked at one another before they decided to stand up and bow to the female vampire.

Even to Zero, it was obvious that Maria wasn't welcomed by the vampires in Kaname's circle. It seemed not all purebloods were treated with so much respect like the brunette. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that these vampires were part of Kaname's circle to begin with, meaning their loyalty lay towards Kaname alone.

"I've finished my job to escort you here. I'm leaving." Zero voiced, not even daring to meet Kaname's gaze or even Maria's. He didn't want to see any of their faces right now. He was so sure that Kaname was looking at him with that unreadable expression again. He was also sure that Maria was looking at him with her own unreadable expression. He tilted his head to everyone except the two, indicating his goodbye, before he left together with Yuzuru. He needed to talk to Cross… soon.

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

"So you're saying they merely went here to visit us?" Zero arched an eyebrow, obviously not at all convinced with his senpai's answer. He asked Yuzuru directly about the intention of the two members of the Elite Force who visited that morning. They were now walking back to the Sun Dorm, both glad to leave the place reeking with too much vampire presence.

"Yes, they said they were on a mission and decided to visit us here to see how we're fairing." Yuzuru answered. "Cross-san said that they might be trying to see how we're doing our job."

"I can't blame them. And why are you following us, Aido?" Zero asked out of nowhere. Yuzuru's eyes immediately widened before he turned around and saw the blonde vampire not too far from them. He didn't even realize such fact. His hand immediately went down to the gun in his belt and pointed it to the vampire.

"Why are you following us, vampire!?" He shouted as he aimed for Aido's head.

Zero could only sigh at his senpai's attitude. It's not as if he could blame the guy. They were in the forest and it was already late. The moon was covered by thick dark clouds so the surrounding was dark as well. And yet, Aido had the nerve to follow them alone in the forest, even trying to hide his presence and scent from both hunters. Who wouldn't be alarmed? Zero only managed to sense the other because he was a vampire. No… that's not right… How was he able to do that? He knew that he was a vampire, yes, but his senses shouldn't be able to outdo a noble vampire's. So why..?

"Woah, your friend is so unlike you, Kiryuu." Aido merely shrugged before he walked into the open and raised his hand, appearing so lax even though the gun pointed at him was very deadly. "I was annoyed so I followed you."

"About Kurenai, am I right?" Zero turned around as well, looking at Aido's trying-to-be-innocent expression.

"Tch." Aido scowled when it seemed Zero was already convinced. "Where did that girl come from anyway? Why did you bring her there? Do you even know what she's doing to Kaname-sama now!?" Aido was starting his daily dose of anger venting again and the silver-haired hunter was so sure that the hunter beside him wasn't used to it, since Yuzuru's alarm was probably blaring so much.

"Hold on, idiot." Zero answered calmly, not entirely sure if he was pertaining to Aido or Yuzuru or to both of them. "Cross merely asked us to escort her. I don't know her personally." Or probably… he did.

"It looks to me that you vampires aren't as submissive to purebloods as we hunters thought." Yuzuru tried his best to control his hunter alarm signal, his voice full of mockery.

"Control your tongue, hunter. Being Kiryuu's friend doesn't ensure your safety in our turf." Aido glared at the brunette hunter, making sure to snarl the words at him. "I have no patience for you." His glare then darted to Zero and scowled even more. "Can you at least try to pretend you're stopping us?"

Zero sighed again. "You're both too stubborn for my liking. It'll only be a waste of my time." He looked at Aido with his own signature scowl. "Make sure you tell Kuran to subdue that pureblood. She's not like you. She smells too much of blood." Both Aido and Yuzuru looked shocked beyond belief as they stared dumbfounded at the hunter. Zero just thought that Kaname and his circle were different from other vampires.

"You're a hunter, Zero. You shouldn't say those kinds of things." Aido felt a little embarrassed at the fact that Zero considered them more rational than other vampires who only followed their instinct, though he was smirking as he said the words. He somehow felt touched.

"And you shouldn't be saying those kinds of things as well." Yuzuru growled. "Acting like a goody vampire in front of Zero to make him think that you're nice, huh?" He huffed.

Aido laughed hollowly at the sudden annoying hunter. "If you only knew what transpired between the two of us just so we can stand in the same ground without trying to slit each other's throat. Anyway, just a friendly reminder. Do be careful of that girl, Kiryuu. She seems to have taken a liking to you." Or rather, your blood. He then looked at Zero, and then Yuzuru, and back to Zero before his eyebrows furrowed.

Zero felt the chills on his spine with the gaze. It's a little similar to how Kaname would look at him sometimes. "What?"

"Hmm… I thought that your intoxicating scent and blood has something to do with the fact that you're a hunter, Kiryuu." Aido still had that thoughtful expression. "But your friend there, though he smells delicious, doesn't even compare to how you tickle our senses pass the limit." Both hunters growled at that.

Zero's left brow twitched in annoyance. "I can't believe you're thinking of such things, not to mention saying such things aloud, while in front two armed hunters, Aido. No wonder the others always bully you."

Aido didn't even feel threatened at that fact. He merely ignored Yuzuru's hand on his belt and continued his banter with Zero. Zero's warm presence was preventing him to feel the fear that a hunter would stir inside him. "You're the one who's always bullying me! And besides, I'm just stating the truth! I thought that you smell more delicious than Cross because he's older. But Takahashi here is on the same age as you! Aren't you curious at all? The others have also been talking about that in the Moon Dorm, you know!"

Yuzuru's left eye twitched in irritation. "It's Takano. And I'm older than Zero by a year." He scowled before he muttered under his breath, "Somehow, my killing intent for this certain vampire is greater than the others."

"Your words don't make any difference to a vampire like me who can live for centuries without getting old." Aido merely shrugged. Both he and Zero heard the brunette's hunter's last comment earlier but he didn't want to argue about that anymore since Yuzuru wasn't the only one anyway. "But it's truly perplexing." He added after a while.

"Aren't you embarrassed at all with your words, Aido? I'm the one getting embarrassed for you." Zero was already scowling. "And tell the other minions not to talk about someone behind their backs. That's not very noble of you."

"Hmph! Anyway, I want to sleep in the Sun Dorm for tonight." Aido scowled again before he started walking towards them.

"What!?" Both hunters blurted out as they saw the vampire scowling.

"You can't stop me." The blonde simply ran in vampire speed and disappeared in the darkness.

"I can't believe he'll be such a pain in the ass this late at night." Zero muttered to himself. "The prefects are supposed to be the ones to prevent them from doing such things… And yet, that idiot..!"

"Are they all like that..?" Yuzuru asked, an unreadable expression on his face.

"What? Yeah, they're all so annoying!" Zero started walking now together with his senpai. "Really, what's that more idiotic pureblood doing, letting his devilish minions roam about the face of the earth like–?" Yuzuru's loud chuckle immediately stopped the silver-haired hunter's ramble. "What?"

"Really, Zero. I don't know if I'll cry or laugh at you." Zero arched an eyebrow at that. "I mean, they're our enemies, you know? And yet, you're too close to them for your own good. That blonde's words earlier make it clear that to them, you're still food. So… why..? Why is he so at ease when there are two armed hunters who're capable enough to kill him? Why are you so relaxed even though he's been talking like you're some kind of delicacy?"

Zero looked at his senpai before he shrugged. "Because… I'm already so used to their annoying presence, not to mention their bloodlusts toward me. And they're already so used to be on the other end of my Bloody Rose."

"That's not all, right?" Yuzuru smiled.

"Hn." Zero walked faster then, answering the question without any word spoken. It's because they're doing their best to adapt to Cross's ideals about co-existence. That reason was good enough for him to try and accept them too.

.

.tbc.

.

Ren-sama's Notes:

Woah… The story gets more and more interesting now! Thanks for reading, everyone!