Toga stood and bowed to Mr. Hiroto Fuji, the Arms and Weapons Department Head, and also his own Master.
He was called so early in the morning for something very important.
The distressed-looking blue-eyed man looked at him with a happy glint on his eyes before signaling him to sit down again.
For a man his age, he still looked like he could go hunting like they used to.
Hunters who are descendants of the first hunters are known to live longer. Some could even live up to a thousand years old.
"Master, I-"
As soon as the older man sat, he cut him off by saying, "Help me."
Toga will give his life for his master, it's no doubt he'd help him no matter what. So he bowed once again and pressed a hand on his chest, "By all means, master."
His master let out a satisfied grunt, "Some secrets are meant to be revealed… but some are meant to be kept forever." He paused to heave a good long sigh. "The Hunters Association's most kept secret is in danger of being exposed."
Toga watched his jaw tighten and his fist clench. "Is there a way to keep it a secret?"
When his master shook his head in defeat, Toga knew that they were in a grave situation right now. "Reports are coming in fast from all over the world this morning about…" his voice trailed.
Toga knows his master is debating whether to tell him what's next or not. He knows that what he's about to say could give away information about the said secret. The kind someone in his level is not allowed to know.
"You don't have to tell me about the secret, master. You just have to tell me what to do to help you." He assured him.
Hiroto Fuji shook his head, then with a resolved look in his eyes, he said "Our anti-vampire weapons are losing their powers." He declared.
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"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Kaito asked, mouth busy chewing gum. Then he paused and pretended to gag. "Why did I just suddenly sound like a mom?"
Zero glared at the older hunter. "I need to do this alone."
Laughing, Kaito shrugged his shoulders before leaning back to rest his upper body on the big tree as he made himself comfortable in a sitting position. "I know. Just thought you might wanna form a band with me… y'know, a duo or something."
"Get some sleep!" He rolled his eyes. "I'll be quick."
And true enough, with his body in good condition and all the newfound skills he developed after feeding from Kaname and keeping in mind all the tips he received from Kaito from the missions and exercises he tagged along with, he finished the mission in record time.
This is the fastest mission he'd ever accomplished. A personal record.
He wasn't even out of breath!
He could easily outrun a Level E even before but now it seems like he could even chase and detect them from half a mile away. His senses have definitely improved, and improved is just an understatement.
It's like he's in a different body.
"What? Where?"
The urgency in Kaito's tone made Zero look in his direction. The two of them are already walking back to the main road.
The older hunter received a call in the middle of Zero's musings.
"Positive. We're on our way." Kaito turned to him with an impish grin as he wiggled his eyebrows. "Are you in on a little rescue mission?"
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"I don't understand why you two haven't completed the bond yet." Takuma couldn't help it. It's been days? Well, two days. But they've been thirsting for each other for months!
The pureblood told him that they've both finally accepted the bond and that they will help each other figure everything out.
He told him with those lovestruck eyes! Of course the pureblood couldn't see himself and the changes in him since he met the silver-haired boy.
But still!
"It's none of your business, Takuma." Kaname said in a dismissive tone.
The pureblood that he knew is always sure of his steps. He never had to think twice because he knows vampires and humans so well after living for as long as he did.
He was never confused, until Kiryuu Zero came along.
"I'm just worried about you, Kaname." You haven't forgotten how to fuck, have you? Takuma wanted to ask but wouldn't dare.
But it's like he's read his mind when he answered, "I'll devour him soon. There won't be an inch of him left unconsumed."
The words carried a heavy aura of need and lust that made Takuma's throat dry and his skin prickle in the heat that quickly burned his skin.
Thank goodness for the knocks on the door.
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Kaito said that one hunter needed reinforcement in the next town. They were told the said hunter was wounded but will still be able to meet them once their presence is detected.
It's getting late and the whole town is already sleeping. Some lights from the lamp posts are flickering in need of replacement. This part of the town is one of the quietest in the day, especially in the evenings. Zero had been here many times to buy school supplies with the headmaster and Yuuki.
Most of the business establishments are on the opposite side while here are the warehouses. People don't go here, just the warehousemen and the delivery truck drivers.
As soon as Zero heard a thump, he stopped and extended his arm to stop Kaito as well. He listened in and heard another one, then another. They were very faint but they came in waves and as soon as he focused on its direction, they became louder and louder. Then he started feeling the pulses of a human aura.
Zero has learned to identify the differences between the auras of humans, hunters and other vampires with different levels. The difference came with the thermal energy. Which means the heat that is coming off from the bodies. Heat can travel as invisible waves through air and it's called radiation.
The strongest heat usually comes from humans and even hunters. The next one are from Level D and C vampires, as they have the most human blood in them. Then followed by the noble vampires. The Level Es emit zero thermal energy so instead, Zero could feel kinetic energy without the thermal energy, which means movements without heat.
Level Es are basically walking dead bodies. The fate he managed to escape somehow.
Purebloods however are a different thing. They could control their auras. They decide if and when they want their presence known.
Memories of Kaname and the many times Zero couldn't feel the pureblood even when he's already breathing down his neck flashed before him.
He shook his head and almost smacked himself in the head just to focus on where he is and what he is doing.
"Right there!" He whispered and motioned for Kaito to follow him.
They crossed the street and turned to the narrowest alley Zero has ever walked through. The waves are getting stronger as they get closer and he found it was coming from the small vent on the side of the building.
Kaito took the lead when he finally felt it this close. He crouched to open it when both of them felt and then heard the sound of a raging Level E.
The stench is strong and they know it has just fed. A bit of a certain type of scent is coming off of the E and Zero knew that he got a piece of the hunter that is hiding in the basement of the building below them right now.
"Get him…" Kaito said - he meant the hunter, while reaching out for his anti-vampire dagger. There's a glint of fire in his eyes. "I'll take care of this sucker." Then like the phantom, he was gone from Zero's vision as he moved towards the Level E.
Zero crouched - more like crawled, to get inside. The smell of blood and exposed torn flesh is so thick and close to suffocating. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he spotted the poor hunter's hiding spot.
He propelled his body and jumped from the small entrance and landed on his feet with ease. He didn't realize the height was taller than him until after he landed but he had no time to be impressed with himself because he needs to get to the hunter hiding from the Level E, which is rare on its own.
"Who's there?" Asked the hunter, peeking from under the table.
"Kiryuu Zero… Kaeda Branch." He introduced himself and walked closer.
"Is your weapon working?" The hunter asked.
"What?" Zero responded, confused.
"Is your anti-vampire weapon working?" He repeated, with emphasis on working and Zero still doesn't get it.
"Yeah, why?" He just used it less than an hour ago.
He heard him exhale in relief before he finally saw his situation. He was quite literally lying in his own pool of blood. The Level E didn't just get a chunk… it got chunks of the poor hunter. He was literally mauled all over! His left cheekbone is already exposed from the torn flesh.
Zero had never seen Level Es do this much. It was only just blood they used to be after.
"M-my weapon could no longer subdue them… I-it b-became like a regular weapon- they just take it out…"
Zero's breath got caught in his throat. "They?"
The hunter's eyes rounded, and as if reminded, he shivered in fear. "There are four or five of them. I- I thought at first there was just one! It's so weird! They never go in packs!"
He stood so quickly and told the hunter to stay hidden and not make any noise. Kaito is in real great danger.
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Aidou kept his head low and never made eye-contact with him since the conversation started. He was bent on winning him back.
Kaname just sat observing him and thinking to himself, why between the two of them, Hanabusa Aidou was the one who looked and sounded sorry when he was the one who almost died?
Is this one of the privileges of being a pureblood and having nobles wanting to be on his good side for the protection and connection he could provide?
Nobles have this weird fascination with following and serving purebloods. They deem them worthy of their loyalty and service as their master.
She would have disapproved of this. Of him using his status… but he'd been fighting alone since she left. He had no one. He had to take advantage of what's going to help him win. For the sake of their shared goal.
"I'm sorry, I completely lost it." He said. He wanted to add that he felt a little guilty but that's just going too far, he did want to kill him at that time. The residual want to kill him lingered a few days after.. But now, looking at Aidou made him realize how much Zero meant to him and he himself doesn't even know the half of it. It's ingrained in him through the bond, even though he denies it every step of the way.
"K-Kaname s-sama, wha–"
Aidou's panicked voice brought him back completely from the abyss of his thoughts. Then he finally noticed him stuttering and with tears almost rolling down his cheeks. It's weird that he looks like a broken robot doll. Like he broke him.
The blond noble wiped the tears that had escaped through his cheeks and smiled like an idiot. He looked so overwhelmed, it was ridiculous. He was crying and laughing.
Kaname frowned and looked behind him to find a clue what was wrong with him when he found out that every pair of eyes in the room were on him. They all looked flabbergasted, to say the least.
"I-It was my fault! Don't worry, it's all in the past!" Aidou's tone was increasing in excitement and glee. "Do you want me to make friends with Kiryuu?" He even offered.
"Hanabusa-kun…" Ruka tried to call out the noble's attention, she knew he was getting carried away.
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For someone who has lived thousands of years, Kuran Kaname is oblivious as fuck. But he loved every single bit of his obliviousness in the matters he'd consider so miniscule he never really paid them any of his attention.
The pureblood has a horse vision or something. He has difficulty seeing things directly in front of him. His advanced planning is always the one saving him. That's why when Zero Kiryuu happened, he was caught off guard.
Takuma stopped the smile on his lips, in fear of the pureblood getting offended. So he stood to bring the talk to a conclusion.
"The sun's almost up, it's time for bed." He reminded everyone who came to support Aidou in his reconciliation effort.
He would take a picture of the other noble's faces if he wasn't surprised himself. Hearing the pureblood apologize is rare… In fact, he usually never does. He never had to.
With the way he said it, Takuma knew he said the words carelessly, without much thought. Nonetheless, it's an apology!
After closing the door, he was gonna lightly confront the pureblood about what happened earlier when he heard him groan.
Kaname was on the floor, eyes glowing red and hand grabbing his stomach as if he was hit with something.
"Kaname! What's wrong?" He was quick to remember something. "Is it Kiryuu?"
He didn't answer but he went still and Takuma knows that he felt more blows because his whole body including his face is flushed and he's gritting his teeth with his hands closed in a tight grip.
"Is he on a mission?" Takuma uttered, more like asking himself because knows nothing.
The pureblood stood, determined to fight. "I need to go…"
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"Zero!" Kaito ran towards Zero after finishing the sixth and last Level E. "Fuck! You're bleeding!" He went to press his hand on his stomach to stop the blood from leaking out. Then decided to press Zero's hand on it so he could cut the hem of his shirt and then wrap it around Zero in a tourniquet.
"I'm alright." Zero said, pushing his hand away. "It's a shallow wound. It's just the arrowhead."
Kaito sighed and ran his fingers over his hair. "The fucking Level E's have freaking evolved! They've learned to use weapons!"
"This wasn't my first encounter with an E that knows how to use weapons," The younger hunter said, as he started walking back to the wounded hunter in the basement of the warehouse. "But, I didn't know they started hunting in packs."
They would normally hunt Level E's individually. They're just a walking dead body with an instinct to feed. "It seems like they've developed the ability to think."
Zero snorted to indicate that it's quite obvious.
"And my dagger's acting up." He murmured, examining how his anti-vampire weapon had suddenly lost its power to weaken the Level Es. He uses the dagger to weaken them as it is poison to them once they get even just a tiny cut and then finishes them off with his regular gun.
"That's what the other hunter told me earlier…" Zero brought up.
He looked at the fancy-looking anti-vampire weapon on the silver-haired boy's holster. "But yours still worked?" He made sure.
Zero nodded, a little confused as well. "I think so."
"Huh." Then he heard sounds of vehicles approaching. The cleanup crew have just arrived to pick the bodies up including the injured hunter.
He took charge of the report and will personally submit it to the department so he could also inquire about what happened to their anti-vampire weapons.
Once they've left, the two of them took their time walking because in an hour, the sun will be rising anyway and they'll just take the first bus home.
As they were walking, Zero froze first before he felt the waves of powerful auras coming their way. He's in a defensive stance when in a blink of an eye and a swift cutting wind slapped his face and body, he saw a figure appear in front of Zero.
A tall, dark haired person who is now standing too close to the silver-haired hunter is leaning down on Zero. By the strong menacing aura that is unlike any other, he concluded that this one is Kuran Kaname.
"You're hurt!" He heard his voice. It was deep and accusatory but laced with worry.
Then he took a step back when one…two… three… and now he couldn't count anymore. More bloodsuckers have appeared out of the bush and surrounding them.
"I'm alright!" He heard Zero respond but he was a little distracted by this much presence.
He'd never encountered purebloods like this before but he knew they are almost always surrounded by their followers.
"Yow Zero! You brought the whole coven out of their coffins." He made sure every pair of ears in the woods heard it.
He didn't know that the extent of Zero's connection to the pureblood with their incomplete bond goes this far.
"Kaito-" Zero's words were cut when the pureblood finally turned to him, dark-brown eyes glaring at him in distaste.
"I'm taking Zero home." Kuran said, careful that his anger doesn't accidentally slip and end up killing him instead.
Kaito knows in a snap of a finger, the pureblood can so easily do that. He heard a great deal about them, and even with a working anti-vampire weapon, someone like him who's not even a decade in the job is going to be wiped off without a trace.
But would he actually kill him? And then put a target on his back?
"We're on our way." He said the obvious. "We're taking the bus."
Oh how he loved the way the pureblood's aura intensified, and immediately calmed when Zero touched his arm.
"Zero is my responsibility. I'm the reason he got hurt, he took an arrow for me. I can-"
"He's my mate!"
It felt like the eye of a supertyphoon landed in the clearing where they're all standing. Strong wind swirled down the ground and uprooted the grass and bushes. The thick trees swayed in defiance and he was trying his best to fight it.
The pureblood's voice definitely changed. Kaito can swear by how it sounded so deep and loud almost like a lion's angry roar. For a second he thought he saw his eyes flash gold before it turned a fiery red.
"Kaname, please stop." Zero's voice broke through the storm, calming it down with just those three words. He's looking up at the pureblood as if silently willing him to stop and calm down.
It's quite a disgusting sight, really. How could Zero look like that to the pureblood whose kind killed his family?
He's right all along. The silver-haired hunter has definitely fallen too deep.
"Are you seriously going to allow him to carry you home like a damsel in distress?" He just wants to piss the pureblood off.
This time, it was Zero who glared his way. "See you at dinner, Kaito." He saw him tightening his hold on the pureblood's arm because the dark haired vampire was getting angry again. Mad that his mate risked his life for someone else.
As quick as the pureblood arrived, he didn't even actually see him carry Zero. He moved too quickly and the both of them disappeared in the air.
"Do yourself a favor." Said a man's voice behind him. "Cut your tongue and maybe you'll live longer."
That was all and the gang of nobles disappeared as well.
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"Oww!" Zero groaned in pain.
Kaname none so gently dropped him on his very large bed. He felt the mattress dip and move in waves at the impact. It wasn't painful but the wound on his stomach hurt from the position that squeezed it for a moment.
He felt hands gently pulling him from his crouching position. The pureblood is suddenly all over him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Kaname whispered, and kissed him in the temple with every apology, trying to make up to him for being a little harsh on him.
Zero scowled as he looked at Kaname's frame towering over him like a big warm fluffy dog. He's so adorable that Zero couldn't help pulling him to meet his mouth and kiss those pillowy lips that he's learned to be very addicting.
He felt him sigh before taking over with passion, urgency and excitement that never faded since the beginning despite all the fighting they do against the pull of the bond.
So Zero moved to get on his lap to properly kiss him and taste his captivating mouth when the movement made him flinch and groan in Kaname's mouth. The pureblood pulled away with a drag and then carefully pulled his shirt up and off of him to reveal the tourniquet Kaito did earlier.
"Fucking hate this smell…" He quickly untied the fabric and threw it away then carefully lowered him again on the bed, his body following him.
Kaname still looked very angry as he stared at his wound that stopped bleeding for a while. He just stayed staring and visibly calming himself. He moved to run his finger through his hair and with a clenched jaw he uttered…"What am I gonna do with you?"
Zero opened his mouth to ask him what he meant when he realized Kaname looked and sounded like he's talking to himself.
Then their eyes met. His beautiful warm brownish-red eyes smoldering and slowly burning red. His body started to shake and for a second, his eyes were a golden glow before he quickly closed it and covered his face with his hands, pressing them hard like he wanted to get rid of a very bad headache.
The sudden animalistic growl almost made Zero jump out of the bed.
It reminded him of the night Kaname attacked the blond noble. The pureblood is that angry right now?
What did he even do?
Was it what Kaito said? That gasbag!
He got up and endured the sting of the movement from his wound and wrapped his arms around Kaname. His smell calmed him so quickly. Being this close sated his body and soul.
"Don't mind Kaito. You're right, he is stupid and a blabbermouth."
"I want to kill him." Kaname declared.
"You what?" Zero responded incredulously, but then again, this is the big bad.
"I will kill him." The pureblood said again with conviction and Zero felt seriously scared for Kaito.
"No, you won't!" He said but was suddenly grabbed forward only to meet Kaname's intense golden eyes. He's seething but looking so in pain at the same time that the fear dissipated into feeling sorry for Kaname. He's worried about what's making him so distressed and mad, Zero just wants to take that look off of him. It doesn't belong in his beautiful face.
Zero wanted to cup his face with both his hands but Kaname was holding both his wrists and they're starting to hurt.
"Is he that important to you? More important than me? That you risk your life for him?" Just like a broken dam, every single frustration and insecurities spilled out of Kaname's mouth. The pain in his words and on his face hurts him as well. His chest is tightening and getting more and more painful than the wound he got earlier.
"No, Kanam-"
"You would die for him?" Kaname asked, his voice suddenly small and laced with so much hurt that it was palpable.
"No! I miscalculated! I pushed him. I thought that we'd both avoid the arrow, but I guess I wasn't quick enough so it hit me!" He explained fast so the look the pureblood is wearing right now would immediately go away. His heart hurts. "Believe me! I didn't take the arrow for him! I wanted to avoid it too!" He's willing Kaname to hear him out.
The hold on his wrists have started to loosen up. When he finally had his hands free, he jumped towards the pureblood to bury his face on his neck and he doesn't know anymore if he's trying to calm Kaname or himself.
It hurt to see him hurt. He couldn't bear it.
Only when Kaname's heartbeat started to normalize and his arms wrapped around him too did Zero start to feel the pain in his heart starting to go away.
"You're mine, Zero."
And oh those words felt really great to hear. He pulled away because he wanted to look at his eyes when he say them.
"Tell me again." He asked. More like demanded.
And Kaname obliged. "You are mine, Zero. Just as much as I am yours."
Zero literally melted, his bones and the rest of him lost strength. Those words felt and sounded even better. He didn't know words could be this powerful and could make him so…
Happy?
His eyes are getting hot and he didn't want Kaname to see him cry, so he moved to crush their mouths together. But still, hot tears spilled down his face through the kiss and when he felt Kaname pulling away, wondering why he was crying, he tightened his hold on him with both his hands behind his head to keep him from breaking the kiss.
Kaname's hot and moist mouth felt and tasted so good that he'd gladly not break the kiss forever. The feel of their mouths brushing against each other and their hot tongues playing catch and then twining to taste every inch of each other is just so amazing.
Zero's never kissed anyone before but he doubted any other kiss would be as good as this. Kaname's lips are so perfect. He couldn't decide if he wanted to suck his lower lip or his tongue, lick all of his mouth or let Kaname invade his own, because he likes everything.
Hot liquid traveled from the pit of his core to the rest of his body, activating his nerve endings with fervent heat that need not be put out but instead to let it grow into a raging firestorm until he's nothing but a brilliant conflagration.
"Then make me yours… and be mine, Kaname." He said, feeling like he's about to explode from the intensity of the need to consume and be consumed.