"This has to stop." Said one clan representative from the North. The rest agreed in unison.

Kaname clenched his fists while looking at the piled folders of reports about the recent issue that started to surface just months before.

This is the most serious problem the council has faced since his election as the head of the Vampire Council two years ago. Probably even the most dangerous in history.

He had no intention of taking a position in the council but he realized that in order for him to execute his plans for the future, he needs support, followers, connections, and authority.

Though he had to fight against the old prick, Asato Ichijou, the former head, it was all worth it. The look of betrayal and hatred was such a great sight on his face when he found out that he beat him by a landslide.

It is no secret that he wasn't a new blood. Everyone in the Human-Vampire Relations Organization from the Vampire Council to the Hunter's Association knows that he was awakened. That he is one of the originals.

When he started regaining bits of his memories from his previous lives, he started to put things in order.

Immense hunger after thousands of millennia in deep slumber made him reach for the nearest life source who happened to be one of his descendants, Rido Kuran, the fool who awakened him because he wanted to devour him to amass the power of a progenitor.

All these backstories convinced everyone that he is gonna be a great leader. Kaname scoffed at that.

But now he's here, and they want him to do something.

"Increase security for all pureblood families and round up our best men in the army for at least five different missions. I'm expecting five teams in a week. That should be enough time for you to scout the best before I meet them and hand over their missions." He said, looking everyone in the round table in the eyes.

They seemed to be quite satisfied with what they heard, except one.

"Two young purebloods have been abducted in the last week in two different areas. We're dealing with a huge number of people who know what they're doing. Who else has the ability to do that aside from the Hunter Association?" Asato Ichijou said from the back. He may no longer be the head of the council but he still represents his clan.

"Because the organization won't allow that without proof." Said another clan representative.

"They're the only ones who possess anti-vampire weapons!"

"We don't know for sure if anti-vampire weapons were used. The technology that humans have nowadays is practically capable of killing the whole planet, much less pureblood vampires."

"You know the HVRO treaty favors the humans, that's why we are the ones in hiding!"

Susurrations and rustling followed after and Kaname had no time to hear everyone out. One thing is clear to him now, the old man is starting to sneak his way into the other representatives, given that the last one who spoke supported him in the last election.

Kaname released a very thick and heavy mass of aura to get everyone's attention back on him. They all quieted down and looked in his direction with his desired attention. The one with fear.

"You can continue your useless debate but I am not going to repeat myself." He turned to the council secretary who stood immediately after he did. "I expect a daily update starting tomorrow." The pureblood secretary nodded and scrambled to distribute the folders he made him prepare yesterday.

Just before the hall's door closed, he heard Asato Ichijou's niggly voice in a whispered side comment that was meant to reach his ears.

"Self-centered bastard."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Zero in his school uniform has already rounded the campus twice this morning but when it was lunch break, he decided to go another round, more to keep his adrenaline high because when he's sitting still, he feels the hunger and it's definitely not for food.

Although this time it may be because he's truly hungry since he woke up to the headmaster's burning pancakes and wasn't really up to getting sick so early in the morning, he decided to get something from the cafeteria instead.

He's feeling a little short of breath by the time he reached his usual spot on the rooftop. He's getting weaker and Kaname still has yet to come back. He's still thinking about the pureblood's mysterious action that night.

Zero sighed and pulled out a small paper bag with the hot meat bun he got from the cafeteria.

Halfway into finishing his lunch, he felt this unique aura coming up to him at a very familiar pace similar to his own. That's because he learned it from him.

"Master," Zero uttered and stood before turning just in time the older hunter appeared next to him. His big bulky frame makes him look so lanky standing beside him.

"Quite an accurate sense you've got." Toga Yagari's big and deep voice made Zero truly miss him. He grew up with that voice and he's the only one left that reminds him of his life before the attack.

Zero doesn't know what to say. He's not sure anymore if it is a result of training or the bonding. He isn't sure how much the dark-eyed hunter knew about his current circumstance before coming to the academy but he's convinced that he now knows everything. He didn't get to see him this morning before school because his master isn't a morning person, but he found out from Yuuki on their morning break that 'they're having a serious conversation in the headmaster's office'.

"I'm not sure if you can smell yourself but you smell so much like that bastard." His master was never one to mince his words even when he was a kid. His parents have always had to nag him about his words around him and Ichiru and he would apologize and wink at them, but that's never an assurance he won't do it again.

Whenever he gets caught cursing, Kaien Cross always tells him that he's got Toga Yagari's personality and it's such a shame because he liked his parents more.

"So I've been told." Zero responded but was taken aback by the way it sounded more like a compliment to his ears now.

The older hunter reached for his shoulder, "You can't prance around with his scent on you!" He was already yelling with fright but then let go of him to get something from his pocket. "I already smelled him on you last night but I couldn't get the chance to give you this." He handed him a spray bottle with a cloudy liquid in it. "Take this…" He sprayed some on him, especially on the neck area. "I use this on my missions to mask my scent from vampires who've already known my scent before, in missions where I have to disguise myself."

Toga Yagari is a well-known hunter and not just in the association but also by the vampires. He'd be easily identified, for sure.

"I'm going to send you some more, so keep using this until we find a way to sever the bond."

That made Zero look up to meet the dark-eyed hunter in the eye. "Can we?"

Toga took his hands off of him and inserted them in each of his pockets, then turned to look at the Moon Dormitory across the lake. He heard him take a deep breath.

"The only known way to break the bond is to kill one of you, and if someone's going to have to die, I'll make sure it's not gonna be you."

Zero's heart rate spiked and his blood rushed to his head, his body heating up at the thought of his master killing Kaname. He clenched his fists and couldn't stop his hands from pushing the older hunter hard enough for him to actually take two steps back.

He looked at him so shocked with his mouth agape. His eyes focused on his face and down to his hands because he's suddenly in a fighting stance.

"Zero…" He uttered.

As if woken up from a trance, he forced his body to relax and immediately stood straight. He lost himself for a moment there. It was like his vision just suddenly went red at the thought of Kaname being hurt and much worse, dead.

"I'm sorry, master… I-" He ran his fingers through his hair and took gulps of air to loosen up.

"Have you and that pureblood already had sex?" Toga asked, voice dangerously low. His eyes trained on his own, seeking for the truth.

"What?!" The word sex sounded so scandalous to him. His master is always so straightforward. "N-no! We haven't done it yet!" He answered defensively.

Toga sighed in relief but reached to calm the stress that settled on his temples with hard presses of his fingers. His eyes were shut tightly.

"Yet?" That one word didn't escape his trained ears.

Zero looked away, feeling twitchy about telling his master about the truth that they almost did it and he was so willing that he's a little upset that it didn't happen. He had truly fallen too deep.

"Never mind, don't answer that. I don't wanna know the details." Toga dismissed it, waving his hands in the air. "But let me ask you one thing."

He still couldn't face him, so while looking at his shoes, he answered, "Okay."

"Do you like him?"

Zero looked up again, conflicted about the answer. Because yes he has come to like Kaname but he's also sure that this is just because of the bond. Or is it?

Toga breathed a sigh of resignation. "T-that's completely normal. But how about before the bonding?"

He frowned. Suddenly he realized that the things that happened and the feelings he's felt with Kaname before the bonding have been pushed to the side of his brain where his access was getting hazy. The memories of before the bond seemed so long ago that Zero felt the dislike and hatred he had towards him has already been buried so deep that he had to dig deeper to remember it and to know why.

"I don't - I kinda hated him… for being… a pureblood." That seemed pretty petty and immature to him now that he's thinking about it again. "I wanted to kill him…"

"Well fuck-," Toga uttered as if he found out something.

"What?"

Unexpectedly, laughter broke out of the older hunter's throat that red crept from his neck up to the whole of his face. It seemed like he couldn't even stop himself that he had to cover his face with both hands to hide from him but since he couldn't, he turned his back on him.

From where he's looking, Zero could see his wide muscular shoulders shaking.

"Master… are you okay?" Zero is actually starting to worry. It's not like his godfather never laughed, it's just that this one didn't seem out of happiness.

"I'm s-sorry, Zero-kun." He apologized. His laughter is starting to die down, but the corners of his eyes got misty so he had to quickly wipe them away. "It's just so…" He's still shaking with laughter a bit. "It's ironic… and… and I shouldn't even be laughing."

Frowning because of confusion, Zero moved to face Toga Yagari again. "What do you mean?"

He raised a hand signaling him to wait until he recovered and by the second minute, he finally huffed the last bit of laughter off his chest.

"Bonding is basically just a vampire term for…" Toga paused a bit to prepare him but it only made him agitated.

"For what?"

"For being emotionally, romantically, and sexually attracted to someone." Toga shook his head when Zero cocked his head to the side, still not understanding. "It's the vampire's version of falling in love."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The silver-haired boy shook his head and now it was his turn to laugh hysterically. He took a step back several times as if he's being attacked by the intensity of the truth.

It was clear for Toga that Zero, his beloved student and godchild, has no idea about vampire bonding.

So much has happened. His lessons with him didn't include this and the hunter training focuses only on tactical and physical aspects of hunting.

This bond is surely the most unique in the world.

"That's impossible…" Zero uttered, multiple emotions flashing on his face, his eyes. Memories reminding him for sure of what happened are now starting to make sense. "He didn't understand what was happening! He told me he doesn't know why he's so attracted to my blood… to me!"

Toga wanted to reach and pat the kid but he kept stepping back.

"Zero stop backing away." He warned him.

"He was so bothered by it. He even tried to avoid me!" He continued, deaf to Toga's voice and he's getting closer to the edge.

"Zero, I said stop! It doesn't matter!"

"No. "

"Fuck!" Toga moved the quickest to reach for the boy's arm, gripping him hard because one of his feet was already raised and the knee-high railing will not be enough support to keep him from falling. He's not going to fall off the building of course, because they're practically standing on the roof deck, an elevated part of the rooftop just right above the head of the staircase, but it will definitely hurt falling on the hard concrete and he doesn't want him to hit his head.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Kaname reached for his arm. There was a throbbing feeling coming from it like it's being squeezed.

"What is it?" Takuma asked.

"It's Zero… something happened." He said and instructed the driver to be quick.

"What did you feel?" Takuma looked over to his arm.

Kaname waited for another pain from any part of his body, thinking that Zero was being attacked. But nothing came, except for that persistent tug in his chest and the constrictions that started minutes ago.

It's different from the ever-present need he has to carry around with him.

Now he's now shaking his leg to ease the tense feeling in his body.

"Stop the car." He ordered and it stopped just right after they turned to the streets.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Toga did not expect that with Zero's thin figure, he'd weigh more than he thought. Muscle-weight really is very deceiving.

So with much strength, he pulled the boy towards him. He took three steps back to make sure they're far enough away… but his back hit what he thought was a wall. Until he felt the said wall move on his side, pulling Zero away from him in just a second.

That inhuman speed could only come from-

"Zero…" The sound of Kuran Kaname's voice almost gave him goosebumps.

As usual, this pureblood is truly of another level. He didn't even feel or scent him.

He could only look as Kuran fussed over the silver-haired boy, checking him for injuries. He reached for the arm that Toga had to hold tight to keep him from falling and checked the other arm but when he couldn't find one there, he turned to him with that hostile look in his eyes, replacing the worried one he had on earlier.

What an unusual sight.

"What did you do?!" The pureblood yelled, the air around him started weighing over his shoulders and slowly pinning him down.

Despite his decades of service in the association, he has only ever encountered renegade purebloods in a fight… never a progenitor. He'd been in the same vicinity with Kuran more than once, but never really had the reason to speak to each other.

He's not going to fight him of course. It seems that, just like Zero, he's also heavily influenced by the bond. What he saw just now, is too raw and dare he say, intimate. He's out of words and it might just be a little too dangerous in front of possibly the most powerful pureblood in the world who wants an answer from him.

His eyes glowed red.. but the redness has that tinge of gold on the side, further proof of how different he is from the rest of his kind. He's heard a lot about Kuran Kaname. An experienced hunter like him can tell that despite his background, he's no match like this.

Toga raised his brow. This encounter is proving to be the most interesting one he's had in a while and he's not even in fighting mode.

Zero was the one who answered and took all the pureblood's attention from him when he reached for Kuran and wrapped his arms over his shoulder, whispering something against his ear and the heavy air pinning him down disappeared in an instant making him almost lose his balance.

He saw the way Zero buried his face on the pureblood's neck and he could almost hear the hum of satisfaction coming off of him. Kuran on the other hand lowered his head and scented him back from Zero's nape. His arms tightened around Zero as his hands caressed the boy's back up and down as if soothing him.

Toga felt like an outsider looking in.

It didn't take long for the awkwardness to disappear because, before his very eyes, the two literally disappeared.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Zero opened his eyes to find himself back in his room, as it's the closest. He heard Kaname willing the windows and door to close without ever letting go of him.

His body is singing in a mix of want and satisfaction just by being close to Kaname again. But it's not enough. Not with the clothes in between them and his taste on his lips.

He moved to do something about it when Kaname's hungry mouth came down on him hard, kissing him heavily with the passion so intense it spoke to him the words 'I missed you'. His lips rubbing against his and tongue now entering his mouth is all he's ever thought of when he couldn't find a distraction. He tastes so good that each time they kiss, the taste just gets better.

"I don't like your smell," Kaname said in between kisses. He's now gently laying him on his bed. Then he pulled away and grimaced, the look of it on his face was so captivating. He's only ever shown him a cold and intimidating expression before… seeing all these other emotions makes him so… happy. He doesn't know why.

He could get lost in his crimson eyes and still be glad even if he's not able to find the way out.

"It's the scent mask my master gave me. He said I shouldn-"

"I want you to smell like me and you," Kaname uttered.

His intestines probably did a complete 180 because he had to gasp for air like it was knocked out of him.

"But I agree. It's not safe for you to smell like me." Kaname nodded, fell on the bed next to him and continued, "Some people are targeting and killing purebloods right now."

Zero understood from the beginning why no one can know. He's protecting his job as a hunter and he's protecting his position as the king of the vampires. "They can't know you're associated with me."

Kaname chortled, "Associated?"

Zero wondered if he'll ever get used to seeing human emotions on Kaname's handsome face and the sound of his quiet laugh.

"Kaien Cross…" Kaname mentioned while swiftly moving on top of him, pinning him down just like last time. "-is associated with me." He continued and rained kisses on his face from his forehead down to his eyelids, nose, cheeks, "But we don't do this." He then lowered and claimed his soft but firm pillowy lips that feels and tastes so good. He opened his mouth and accepted him. The rest of his body reached and wrapped around him, his arms on his back and his legs closing in on him to keep him still and close.

"I can't imagine…" Zero said.

Kaname pulled away again, shocked eyes rounded at the mental image. Then he laughed. Loud. "Don't. It's gross." He paused as if he said something wrong, then said "No offense."

Zero laughed at the pureblood's unguarded expressions when he realized he'd be offended because the headmaster is his guardian and parental figure.

"No worries. I-"

Kaname's wonder-stricken face made him a little bit conscious. He's looking at him like he's having an epiphany or something.

Then he closed his eyes firmly, looking so pained as if he's enduring something.

Zero remembered this look. The lost look. The look of confusion.

"I can't seem to stay away from you." He whispered.

'It's the vampire's version of falling in love.'

"Then don't." He whispered back.

Shaking his head, "You don't understand."

"Tell me."

There was a long pregnant pause where Zero was just expecting to hear anything that might help their situation.

"I can't. I don-"

He's getting angry. He tightened his legs around him, glaring at the pureblood to show his displeasure and anger. "You got me into this, you have to take responsibility."

His glowing crimson eyes flared up, even more, his body's heat seeping into his pores through their clothes. The pureblood's huge hardness on his crotch is straining against his own.

Kaname moved, rubbing his erection against Zero's wakening one. In just a few seconds, his own member responded to the call, his body moving along to chase the trails of pleasure it leaves behind.

Hot fingers sneaked their way into Zero's school uniform to undo the button and pull the zipper down.

Zero is now burning up. He feels it the most on his face and through his reflection on the pureblood's eyes, he saw how lewd he looked with his mouth open, tongue moving and calling for Kaname's mouth, and the sound of his quickening breath hitching when his warm hands squeezed around him.

His eyes have gone cloudy, he's begging, even without words, for Kaname to make him come. To have sex with him.

When his hand started pumping him, spreading the precum that trickled his cock with all the wanting, he bit his lower lip to keep himself from moaning so loud.

Kaname's entranced look as he stared at him is honestly giving him the satisfaction that his body also wants. The look of pure lust for him.

It didn't even take that long for Kaname to squeeze and pump him when he started coming hard as waves of pleasure rocked him along with Kaname and his poor bed. He didn't wait for his feet to fully touch the ground and pulled the beautiful pureblood down to kiss him, mouth open and wet from being so overwhelmed with the pleasure of orgasm.

Zero nibbled back as Kaname did on his lips, traced his tongue around and into his sinful mouth, the heat of his lips and tongue both keeping and making him insane.

Until he felt a sole finger coated with his cum gently poking at his ass hole.

Kaname must have noticed his body stiffening at the way he was tracing the rim of his hole and Zero suddenly felt so embarrassed, he was about to pull away when the pureblood spoke, eyes closed again like he's restraining himself. His veins bulged on his temples and his face now red as a ripe tomato as his body trembled.

"Zero Kiryuu…" He uttered under his breath, seething like he's in immense pain. When he opened his eyes, they were no longer red. It's the first time he's seen something like this. His eyes.

They have changed color and it's nothing like he's ever seen before.

It's a beautiful glowing golden color. Like as if molten golden dust are dancing in his orbs.

"I really, really want to fuck you so bad, Zero…" His voice has gone so deep it's giving him chills. His finger is now doing that shallow push and pull motion on his entrance and is making him hard again, giving him intense pleasure that's unlike they're ever done before… unlike Kaname's ever made him feel before.

"Then fuck me!" He groaned, daring him because he's suddenly so sick and tired of Kaname's push and pull, literally and figuratively.

Kaname pulled his hand away and out of his pants to Zero's frustration. He pressed his face on his neck before he could even protest. He's trembling all over now.

"What are you doing to me?" His voice vibrated on his skin, his hot breath is not helping to calm him down either.

He feels bad. How can he not know and understand what's happening to him? Is it even true what his master told him about the bond?

He pushed Kaname next to him and then pulled him as close as possible, wrapping his arm and leg around him as he continued to bury his face on his neck, scenting him helplessly despite the scent mask on him.

"Let's figure it out together."

Kaname hugged him closer. He wants to help him figure out his own feelings.

The silence was very comforting. The faint sound of their heart beating is lulling.

"What if I tell you that there's a way to break the bond," Kaname said out of nowhere. He looked up to meet him in the eye. "Consummating the bond by making love with you and exchanging blood while we're connected… will permanently seal and complete the bond." He started explaining. "It means I cannot fuck you if you want to break our bond. I leave the decision to you." It sounded like a declaration.