Chapter 49
(This is a special chapter based on few episodes of the manga. Focusing on Kaname's memories and Aiyora's journey through it. A bit similar to how Yuuki's was, but tad-bit. Another thing to keep in mind "Bold Quotations" are Kaname narration.)
It was an unfamiliar setting. Somewhere she had never been to. The realization made Aiyora quickly sit up, feeling all the more cautious of her surrounding.
Where am I?
The soft tune of the piano, that had been playing in the background all this time, finally came under her attention. Strangely enough, she found herself sitting on top of the grand piano. Out of curiosity Aiyora turned around to see the person playing it and—
"Kaname?"
He did not respond nor acknowledged her presence, simply continued to play.
"Kaname? Where are we?"
His reaction remained the same as before.
"...Kaname?"
Confused about whether he could hear her, she took a closer look and found that he appeared a bit younger in age— somewhere around sixteen to seventeen. Automatically one of her hand reached out to touch him, only to have it pass through him completely.
Aiyora let out a loud surprised yelp.
Then it all clicked— she was inside his memory!
"Are you playing a new tune, Little One?"
Kaname stopped playing and turned hearing that feminine voice; and Aiyora followed his gaze. It led her to the grand round staircase, where a woman was descending.
The woman was beautiful. Pale blonde hair, long facial features, defined nose, light pink lips and dark burgundy eyes, exactly like Kaname's. And the strangest part... she was no vampire, but a human.
"Yes, this particular tune has been playing in my mind since yesterday. So I decided to test it out on the piano. ...How does it sound, mother?"
Mother?! She's the mother! Never in my wildest dream did I imagine she would be this beautiful.
"It's a treat to the ear."
The smile dropped from Kaname's face.
"What happened? Why did you make that face Little One, when I just gave you a complement?" She asked placing her hands on his shoulders and massaging them slightly.
"Because it makes me wonder whether you genuinely mean them or is it one of your attempts to lift up my sprit."
His mother's face turned serious. "Did your sisters say something again? ... I must talk to your father, those girls are taking their jealousy too far."
"They're not jealous mother. They're afraid of me, they hate me for who I am. As for father... he's beyond ashamed that his only son happens to be an odd freak who cannot go out in the sun and survives on blood of the living animals."
"Don't ever say that! You're not a freak. My son is no freak. He is special, very special." She placed multiple kisses over his head and hugged him tightly from behind.
"Tell me... is it human blood that you're starting to crave Little One?"
The young boy looked down in shame and nodded his head.
"Then have mine." She offered.
"No!" He turned her down right away. "I can't! What if I hurt you mother. You are all I have, I cannot lose you."
"Little One... I have been pregnant three times in my life. But the first two times doesn't even come close to the last one, when I was pregnant with you. Despite doing perfectly fine at the initial stage my condition suddenly deteriorated. The doctors could not diagnose anything and ultimately blamed it on the changing climate and advised your father to have my pregnancy terminated immediately... to which he agreed.
I fought with him, begged him and ultimately threatened him that I would end my life only until he changed his mind. Might I say... I had to go through a hard labour, which lasted over seventy two hours. But... we both made it out alive. Then those times when I was feeding you my milk... at every session I thought I would die by the time you finished. It was as if you weren't just sucking out the milk, but also my energy and life force.
However I did not give up, neither on myself nor you. Which is why I know... nothing will happen to me. I have faith in my son. He won't let anything happen to me."
"But mother, it's different now. I'm grown... besides strange abilities are developing which are beyond my understanding. Whenever I panic or get angry, glasses around me starts to break, floor beneath me quakes. When I try to stop them my head hurts and more objects around starts to break."
His mother suddenly noticed that Kaname's eyes have turned red.
"Little One your eyes..."
"They're red aren't they?" He finished her sentence and closed his eyes in rage. "Do you know... my throat is dry... I can smell the blood flowing under your skin. And the urge to taste them is killing me."
"Here..." Without any amount of hesitation she offered him her wrist. "...then drink it."
"Mother!" He protested
"Drink it!" But she commanded.
Kaname took the offered wrist and gave it one long lick before piercing it with his fangs.
A pained expression took over his mother's beautiful features but she soon masked it with a smile. Just so that it doesn't cause her special child any form of unease.
As Kaname continued to drink his mother kept on showering him with affections. She used the free hand to comb his hair, rub his back, kiss his arm and then suddenly collapsed.
Kaname and Aiyora— who was still sitting on the piano watching, gasped.
"Mother! Mother! What happened?!" Kaname shook her as vigorously, desperately praying for her to wake up.
"Please wake up! Open your eyes mother! Please!"
"MOTHER!" Cried two other voices in union.
Aiyora looked back at the stairs and found two girls in their twenties rushing down the stairs. Behind them was a man that looked exactly like how Kaname probably would look in his old age if he were human. Aiyora understood the girls are his sisters and the man behind is obviously the father.
"What happened to mother?" One of his sister asked.
"I don't know... she was just here talking to me, feeding me and then—"
The other sister, the oldest one, noticed the two puncture holes on their mother's bloody wrist and looked up to find his lips covered in blood.
"You bit her!" She wasted no time to accuse.
"I didn't mean to kill her!" Kaname innocently defended himself.
"OUR MOTHER IS DEAD! SHE IS DEAD! YOU KILLED HER, YOU MONSTER!"
While the oldest sibling continued to scream at the youngest one, the middle one tried to reason.
"Little brother why did you do this? We're family. She was our mother. She loved you so much and you..."
"I told her not to... but she insisted on feeding me..." Kaname words were incoherent.
"You're lying. Father don't believ—"
Suddenly their father dropped dead on the floor.
"Father!" Both his sisters once again screamed in horror and rushed to revive him.
"First mother and now father too!" The oldest sister accused once more.
"I don't know what's happening my head hurts." Kaname said in state of panic and rage. As he could not figure out what was happening. All he felt was intense level of emotion taking over his mind.
The objects around him started to explode one by one. The big chandelier hanging on the ceiling, loosened, and dropped on the sisters. The impact killed the middle sibling on the spot. While the older one sustained heavy injuries which resulted in blood loss.
And unfortunately the strong smell and sight of freshly gushing out blood made the young vampire lose all control. Even before he realized, the brunette had his sister pinned down on the floor with him mercilessly devouring her.
"...Little brother... You're a monster... I wish you were never... born..."
Were his sister's last words before she succumbed to death.
•••
Next time Aiyora opened her eyes, she found herself in a different setting. Inside a study, sitting on top of the desk with Kaname settled on the chair behind, leisurely writing a journal.
Although she couldn't exactly tell how much time has passed but Kaname's physical appearance changed. Here he looked mature, somewhere between late early to mid thirties.
She looked for a calendar or something of sort to see how much time has exactly passed. But when nothing like that was found Aiyora looked at the journal he was writing as the last resort and picked up few lines:
...Such agonizingly long time, that, I can no longer remember what my name used to be...
Aiyora was going to read more if not for the knock that came out of the blue and interrupted. However that didn't stop Kaname. He continued to write for another full minute until the sound of knocking turned absolutely urgent.
He stopped writing and put the pen down. Face crunched and brows squeezed in wonder before he rose up from the chair and left to answer the door.
Aiyora followed.
"May I help you?" He calmly asked. His voice absolutely uninviting.
"I was hoping you could provide me shelter for the day. The sun is too bright and it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to be outdoor." Spoke a soft, sensual, feminine voice.
Aiyora tried to get a glimpse of the owner of that tantalizing voice but Kaname's tall figure was making it impossible. She jumped few times, still no luck.
Kaname hesitated.
"You know, my mother used to say— "A gentleman does not turn away a woman in need. ...Specially someone who is the same as him." We are alike, so you know how hard it is for me to be outside... right Mr. gentleman?" Her posh accent and voice laced with confidence further hinted that she was well educated.
Aiyora raised an amused brow hearing the woman's word. Whoever this person is, she has a way with her words. Because soon as she finished Kaname stepped aside and made way for her. And that was when Aiyora finally got her anticipated glimpse; only it was way more than that. But unfortunately most of her face was covered with beige coloured hood she had on.
The woman walked in with grace and elegance that rivalled Kaname. It became clear that like him she was also someone of aristocratic background.
Kaname didn't have to tell, she was already making herself at home.
"Nice place... do you live here by yourself?"
"..." Kaname chose not to answer. But that didn't seem to offend or bother his guest.
"I see you have no family. How about a lover or companion? Do you have any?"
This time however Kaname responded, but sarcastically.
"Yes... her name is Loneliness."
The woman chuckled. "Do you perhaps have children with her named Emptiness and Vacancy?"
To Aiyora's surprise Kaname smiled, then said. "You seem curious."
"Indeed... it is my right to know if I took shelter at the right place. So... what is your name Mr. gentleman?"
"...I forgot."
"My dear... that's one odd name."
"I meant I forgot my own name... because it has been such a long time since anyone has called me." He clarified running a hand through his dark locks.
"Ah! I see. Well then... I will call you Mr. Forgot."
Kaname gave her the silence, did not bother to make it clear whether he approved or disapproved of the decision. But that did not bother her. Because if it did, she wouldn't have so bluntly asked him to
"Anyway... show me to my room."
Defeated, he ushered her to follow him.
•••
"It's been over a week and you are still here. Don't you think you're taking advantage of my kindness?" Kaname stated blatantly.
He was leaning against one of the rounded pillar with his arms crossed across his chest and an irritated look on his face. But the woman at whom he l just threw those words, wasn't even affected. She simply continued to read her books.
"Excuse me I'm speaking."
"And I heard you." She said while turning a page.
"How much longer are you planning to continue your overstay?"
"Why are you complaining Mr. Forgot? It's not that my staying here is costing you anything. In fact it is actually benefiting you. You're getting freshly prepared meals twice a day and your place is neat and clean. And on top of it, you're getting company. So... are you sure you want me to leave?"
Kaname opened his mouth but closed it off the only seconds later as he found nothing to counter her words. And walked away, leaving her to her reading.
•••
Over the next several days Kaname had a change of his opinion. He no longer felt irritated by this mysterious woman's presence. While he was trying to not to show but his curiosity towards her was becoming harder to hide. He had formed the disturbing habit of secretly watching her. He watched as she sat by the fireplace and read a book... cooked in the kitchen... changed things around the mansion.
It was getting to a point where most of his time was spent by watching her. And yet, every time she tried to make conversation he ignored her.
Aiyora facepalmed herself in frustration. This ancient Kaname is not so different from the one she is familiar with.
Then one day he came across his guest when she was bathing in the pond at the late hours of afternoon... stark naked. From barely having a glimpse of her face to seeing her absolutely exposed; something was bound to stir up.
"She is beautiful! It was the first thought to cross my mind."
Dark eyes and light hair. A combination of feature that his mother used to have.
"Something happened to me that day... it made me feel something I have never felt before."
"Mr. Forgot... it's inappropriate to watch a female in such vulnerable condition when your just a stranger."
Kaname eyed turned wide at the realization that he got caught. The expression that took over his features, made Aiyora laugh out loud.
Having her watched naked, came with perks of its own. That night instead of her taking the initiative to start the conversation, it came from Kaname. As he went to sincerely apologize for the embarrassing incident earlier and the two ended up conversing for the next entire day.
•••
"A beautiful friendship was blooming between us, a friendship I was starting to cherish."
They started to do everything together. Be it cooking, cleaning around the house or feeding the horses in the stables.
Aiyora observed, how the loneliness in his eyes were starting to leave.
During the morning hours they would sit by the window and watch the sunrise. And on some occasions they talked.
"Were your parents human, Mr. Forgot?"
"Yes... even my two older sisters. However, for some strange reason my mother stopped ageing ever since I was born."
"And how did they die?"
"... I..." Kaname hesitated. Not wanting to relive that time again. But ended up telling her regardless. "...I-I killed them..."
"Even if it looked that way, I'm sure you didn't. There is definitely an explanation for it."
A rare smile appears on his lips. He was happy to have met someone who didn't consider him to be monster or a freak.
"I'm glad that you think of it that way."
•••
The setting changed.
This time Aiyora found herself in bed with Kaname, who was sleeping on his side facing her. Initially she took several attempts to leave the bed but it felt as if an invisible forces was holding her back. Which got her to think if this part of the memory was actually important. Therefore, she decided to wait and see.
The bedroom door slowly opened and that woman quietly stepped in, and Kuran Aiyora finally understood the importance of this setting.
The woman approached the bed while removing every article of clothing from her body and joined him under the sheet, absolutely naked.
Kaname woke up to the feeling of an arm circulating around his waist and the warmth of a body pressed against his back.
He sat up at once. His body turned tight and rigid from tension.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded.
Aiyora felt his feelings. He was overwhelmed with so many different emotions that were storming inside him all the same time. There was tension, fear, nervousness and some form of sheer excitement.
"Relax..." the woman purred into his ear seductively before coming around and settling herself on his lap.
"Why aren't you clothed? ...What are you?—"
"Ssshhhh!" She silenced him by pressing a finger to lips. "Just relax. I'm not going to harm you... you know that. So close your eyes and take a deep breath. Eventually everything will feel normal." She said, taking his hands and guiding them to explore her body.
"Does it feel good?"
He remained silent.
"Does it feel good?" She repeated her question.
Only this time, he nodded his head like an obedient child.
"Good..." With that said she grabbed him by the face and pulled him in for a deep kiss. A kiss that swallowed all his emotions.
When she pulled away, Kaname kissed her back. His kiss was raw and full of hunger. And in between their second kiss his mysterious guest started to strip him off of the clothes. One by one his pieces of clothing joined her's on the floor. Before long, their adjoined bodies bounced back on the bed; kissing... bitting... panting... hands exploring... fingers grasping... nails scratching... and moaning in pleasure. As they continued to make love to one another madly.
Despite her intense desire to watch them in action Aiyora turned the other way, out of respect for her ancestors and to give the lovers some privacy. However what she couldn't avoid was the nonstop rocking of the bed and the sound of pleasure filled cry which went on for the next couple of hours.
.
.
.
The new generation Kuran turned back after she thought the lovers had finished, and found the pair cuddling.
"You said you forgot your own name... is it okay if I give you one in that case...?" She suggested drawing circles on his bare chest.
"Do you have something in mind?"
"...Yes, it's Kaname. Pronounced and spelled like the name of my hometown."
"You want to name me after your hometown?" He asked curiously.
"Why not? You remind me of my home, my family and my loved ones. That is why starting from today you are Kaname... my Kaname."
"From a nameless lost soul I became Kaname... her Kaname. And life as Kaname felt more meaningful and much more beautiful.
It felt good good to have a name after such a long time. But what felt even better was that there was someone to call me by that name."
•••
The next few days were just blissful.
She was no longer his guest. Now she was someone whom he could call a friend, a companion, and perhaps at times... lover.
Together they laughed, loved, talked and sometimes even argued. But with each one of these moments, their bond only grew stronger.
Their relationship became more physically and mentally intimate when she started to drink from him. Every time her throat felt dry, her fangs sunk into his neck. Although Kaname refused to drink himself but never stopped her. Why should he? When the feeling he felt from her bite was so intense and orgasmic.
"You know, you're actually the first one I've met of our kind, who so stubbornly refuses to give into the natural instincts. What are you trying to prove? Why do you still refuse to drink blood Kaname...?" She asked retracting her fangs off of his neck and licking his wound clean.
"And who am I supposed to drink from?"
"Drink from me."
"No! What if you die, just like my mother did."
She laughed.
"I won't... unlike her I'm not a human. I am like you Kaname. We are the ones who probably cannot die."
"I don't want to take the chances." He remained firm on his decision.
"But how long can you go on like this? You'll fall sick if you refuse your body what it needs."
"Doesn't matter!"
"You're such a stubborn boy. In any case... until you're ready to bite, this is the process we will follow..."
With that said, she bit into her own wrist and drew as much blood as possible before pulling back and sealing her blood filled mouth onto his.
•••
"Are you going somewhere?"
Kaname closed book he was reading and put all focus on her after noticing that she packing her belongings.
"We are leaving."
"We are leaving?!" He repeated her words with a raised brow and confused tone.
"Yes. I am going to travel around and search for the others like us and I suppose you are coming with me."
"But this is my life. People of the town need me. I am the one they turn to in times of need. If I leave, who will look after them?"
"Even without you these people will perfectly survive. You need to be with your kind Kaname. Not secretly live amongst humans. This way you're putting them and yourself in danger."
Kaname simply withdrew from the argument and excused himself outside. He sat down on a broken monument and watched the horizon.
Aiyora sat with him, observing. The pain return in those burgundy orbs once again.
Hours later she came out.
"Kaname...?"
"..." He did not respond to her call.
"...I have been on this journey for a while now. To be honest that was why I showed up to your threshold that day. And I must continue with this journey. Although I was hoping you would join... anyway...
Just so you know the human population dropped colossally with the climate change. There isn't much you can do... however my hope was, together we would find a solution for them..."
She was hoping by now someone sort of response would come but it didn't. Which made her all the more upset.
"If you want to stay here by yourself, then just do it. But here is where we part... farewell Kaname." This was her final call.
And yet, she spared him few more moments to decide. But his response remained unchanged.
She heaved out a sigh in frustration.
"Oh one more thing, it doesn't matter if you forget this name too. It's not like you have a use for a name anyway."
"And just like that she left, pushing me back into the arms of loneliness and disparity."
•••
"Look at this my lord! The harvest this year is so huge. All thanks to the help of your knowledge."
"Doctors-sama thank you so much for curing my child. May you stay blessed forever."
"The next several years of my life was dedicated to help out the people of this village and neighbouring one. I educated them on farming and cultivation. As a doctor I cured them and their loved ones when they were ill. And in return all I took was small bit of their blood secretly.
In fear of harming them I never used my fangs... only used needles and syringe to draw out small amount of blood as less painfully as possible.
However, it was only a matter of time before..."
Aiyora went with Kaname when he was forced to face the bunch that showed up on his door demanding him to address the rumours that were making rounds.
"My lord are the rumours true? Is it true that night after night you have taken our blood from us while we slept...? And giving us your own blood in the place of medicine...?" One of the man from the crowd asked.
"Aside from that, you also never go out in the sun." Someone from the back pointed out.
"And your looks haven't changed since the generation of my father." The person that led the crowd over, pointed out.
From there it only got worse.
Few days later the same crowd showed up with a larger group. They came bearing whatever form of weapon they could gather and rioted in front of his house.
"You beast! Give back the blood you took from us."
"Pay us back with your own blood."
"Dirty freak!"
"Come on pour out every drop of your blood medicine on us!"
"Let's burn this house with him inside."
"YES... LET'S DO IT!"
"You monster leave this village forever and never come back otherwise we will burn your impure flesh and bones to the ground."
Aiyora hoped for Kaname to do something. Doesn't matter if it involves bloodshed. She wanted him to teach those ungrateful men a lesson, that would haunt them for the rest of their short life. However she was left stunned when without any form of protest Kaname gave into their demand and quietly left.
.
.
.
With nowhere to go, his nights were spent roaming the streets while the days were spent under the shade of a tree.
Days after days of no food and shelter took Kaname to the verge of collapsing. But fortunately for him, that woman found him once again.
"Kaname... What are you doing here? ...Under a tree?"
Depleted of strength and energy, the said man couldn't even bring himself to look at her.
She understood what had happened and sympathized with him. However she wasn't surprised. It was inevitable.
"We are different than them and without a doubt more powerful. It is only natural for the humans to fear us. Therefore for their own good as well as ours, we must live away from them."
She offered him a hand.
"I've found a place for people like us, come... join me."
This time he accepted.
•••
"Things have certainly changed over the span of time we've spent apart. She had a slightly different outlook now."
"I'm worried. Some people of our kind have started to create more and more servants just for the purpose of entertainment. While I agree that we do need some, but not as many as they are creating. And it's not like those turned servants live off of thin air. At this rate there will be crisis of blood in the near future. ...The very thought scares me. I have a terrible feeling about this!"
"What must I do?"
Her hold on his hand tightened as they walked along the crowded streets filled with newly turned vampire servants.
"We have to work together Kaname. Even if no one is by my side. I know you will stay and that's all that matters."
.
.
.
"Kaname! Wake up Kaname..."
He opened his eyes and found himself inside a hut.
"What happened...?"
"Exactly what I said would happen— you collapsed." She replied to his question while helping him sit up.
"You know it was the first time ever I have seen one of us passed out on the ground like that. I hope you understand why it happened to you... Kaname, you have to stop pushing yourself. You cannot deny your body much longer. At least bite the ones that are volunteering."
"I cannot do that, I have to love someone in particular." Came his response.
"You fool! Do you honestly think you can evade your thirst for all eternity and be able to escape from endangering anyone with your fangs. If your thirst isn't dealt with... what happened with your mother, will happen to many others."
Kaname said nothing. He just sat there, quietly listening.
"I think I understand you a little better now Kaname. You didn't speak a single word of refutal against your vassals as you were cast away. You could have taken down the entire bunch or turn them into your servants, yet you chose not to..." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"You're a good man... Kaname." It was the first time she spoke so tenderly and placed an affectionate kiss at the crown of his head.
"And strangely, I felt complete again."
•••
Once more Aiyora found herself in a different setting. She and Kaname were in the middle of the street amongst a big crowd of newly turned servants.
"Kaname!" Both Kurans turned and found that woman on a horse, at the back of the crowd racing towards them.
"Leave these people for now!" She gave him her hand to take. "Come on, we have more pressing matters in hand." And pulled him up to mount the horse.
Strangely enough, Aiyora also found herself on the horse, sandwiched between the two ancients.
They rode through the busy street in a long silence. A long stretched out silence which was later broken by Kaname.
"The servants have increased in number. More and more of them appear everyday."
"Yes... it's a pity for this to be happening right when the humans were finally managing to repopulate. They were almost on the verge of extinction due to the climate change and now this...
As of now more than half of our kind has chosen ideology to turn the human population into our kind. However it's not a matter of turning them into equal members. The mankind is being turned into submissive slaves.
Kaname, have you had the chance to visit south? I heard the castle that they're making their slaves build for them has gotten even bigger."
"What...?"
"DON'T YOU 'WHAT' ME!" She scolded while pushing him off of the horse.
Aiyora also fell with him.
"You said you would stop them at once, even if you had to fight them for that. SO GO NOW!!"
Once Kaname got up on his feet she spoke again, this time facing away.
"We don't have a choice Kaname. There's only one way to stop this multiplication of ex-humans. We must cut the problem down at the root. ...Later we shall deal with the slaves that lost their leaders."
While Kaname absorbed the instruction quite casually, beside him Aiyora gasped. Somewhere she found the woman's ideology wrong. Killing their own people was perhaps one of the worst options when she and Kaname were already outnumbered.
"I don't want to hurt our people. But... well..."
Aiyora noticed that she changed her mind.
"I realize that I'm pushing such a nasty duty on your shoulders. For that I'm truly sorry Kaname."
His hand extended to cupped her face lovingly.
"Don't worry about me. I don't mind doing any nasty task, as long as it is for you. What about you though...? You're looking sort of pale today. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Just know that I'm aware of how hard you're working and I am proud of you."
She leaned down and pressed a kiss on his lips. Only to pull away moment later and whisper against his lips.
"You're a good boy Kaname... you'll work well even when I'm not around you."
It was after she was gone that Aiyora was able to pick up on the context the woman was referring to; when she stumbled upon a mother and daughter— where a desperate mother was convincing her former human daughter to return home and drink blood from her mother and boyfriend when the need arise, but the girl refused. Instead responded to her master's call.
The mother desperately begged her daughter not to go but her cries fell on deaf ears. Before the daughter used her newfound powers and electrocuted her own mother.
•••
"Kaname... do you find my strong desire to protect mankind absurd, like the others?" She asked nuzzling into the warmth of his chest.
"No I don't." He replied playing with her hair. "But why are you asking me that?"
They were cuddling for a long time.
"All of us were born from humans parents. Even though we happen to be slightly— no very different form of creatures. Despite that, my parents still loved me. Just the way your mother loved you Kaname.
My parents we very strong minded people. They were willing to fight to protect me at the peril of their own lives. Even though they were remarkably frail beings compared to me.
And that is why I cannot forgive those, who forgot theirs purpose in life and mindlessly play with the weak yet strong lives that instinctively continue to hope.
There's no way I can just silently watch.
...Not anymore."
"Don't worry everything will happen according to the way you want. I will make sure of it." He assured and placed a longing kiss on her forehead.
•••
.
.
.
Again, Aiyora found herself at a different setting. This time she was inside a laboratory. Standing behind Kaname, who was conducting some sort of experiment.
"This is about the distant past when I was doing a certain kind of experiment on our abnormal abilities to resurrect ourselves and how to stop it.
The core of the experiment was a part of my own body.
After conducting numerous tests, ultimately I found one possibility. Perhaps the only thing that can kill us is ourselves."
The sound of approaching footsteps made Aiyora turn.
That woman was at the door, watching Kaname eagerly.
"There is no need for that experiment. What does it do for us?"
"It's for the mankind." He replied.
"Why mankind? They need it even less. We shouldn't come into contact with humans unless absolutely necessary. Why give them needless fear. But show me what you have so far..." She inquired getting closer.
"A specific part of the flesh and blood of our own body can alter the metallic soup— this is all I have for the moment. But you can see some process." He explained.
"Hmmm..." She leaned closer to him. The action that gained his attention instantly.
"Kaname... there is something I want from you."
"What is it?"
"I want you to be useful to people and work hard towards our goal, even if I'm not around you."
"Deep down I sensed the importance of that message and ignored the smell of secret and faint feelings that was building up inside me. Instead, I focused on my experiment. Determined not to get anymore closer to her than I already was... because I had a duty to accomplish and I did not want her to suffer without me."
•••
The setting changed in a flash. Now Aiyora was standing with Kaname near a burning furnace, and before them lay the lifeless body of that woman.
Aiyora placed both her hands to cover her open mouthed that gaped in horror. Whereas Kaname quietly walked over to her and caressed her resting face. A single drop of tear rolled down his emotionless vacant eyes and landed on her face. Soon after cracks started to appear, before long her body shattered and sent pieces of crystal flying all over.
The brunette picked up few pieces of the broken crystal and walked towards the burning furnace when a man approached him and gave him the vivid details of what had occurred.
"That woman threw her own heart into the furnace. Even then, she moved about without concern and went around handing her flesh and blood to us."
Kaname listened without interrupting him.
"I don't know much about you people, but aren't you guys supposed to be monsters that are incapable of dying no matter what happens?
"I listened to the man while my own mind still processed what has happened— that woman had magnificently accomplished the duty; the duty that was meant for me to carry out. ...Therefore, it made losing her every bit more regrettable."
For the longest time Kaname stood facing the furnace before finally turning around and addressing the crowd that gathered behind him.
As he turned, Aiyora noticed that his eyes were closed and partially covered by those dark long bangs. And finally when he reopened them, they weren't the usual hue, those enraged eyes were glowing crimson.
"You people are the ones who took her flesh and blood in order to acquire the power to protect yourselves. And those of you standing here before me, are the ones that survived..."
The menacing look he was carrying frightened Aiyora.
"Remember, your enemies are those fools who continue to believe they cannot have their lives taken away... ever."
She did not like where this was going. But at the same time she understood where he was coming from. That woman's sacrifice put immense burden on his shoulders. And the determination to carry on with such load stood as the obstacle on his path to understand the people of his own kind.
"I shall grant you all wisdom and help you make weapons from this furnace. To every last one of you, I will give you a role to fulfill. But before that, give me your word, that you will not run away from your obligations...
And...
YOU WILL SEEK BLOODSHED, JUST AS WE HAVE, FROM A HATEFUL INSTINCT!"
•••
"After the war finished I entered a slumber, from which I never intended to be awakened.
I rested in the coffin patiently for this body to reduce to dust until the day..."
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.
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"It's such irony that this baby was named 'Kaname', after you. And that was what got me started thinking on this idea... rather than just devour this newborn in haste, why not use him to bring you back to life and devour you instead; and of course earn more power that way."
Rido snickered hoovering over the opened coffin.
"Isn't it a far better idea? ...Tell me do you approve of it, oh ancestor of the Kuran clan?"
The baby's dripped inside the coffin in big, thick droplets.
Drip!
Drip!
Drip!
"Here it is... take it! Not just the blood, have it's soft flesh too. Kuran blood— the thickest of all that exist.
The pair of eyes that have remained shut for thousands and thousands of years finally reopened to the taste of fresh blood and the soft flesh of its owner.
The slumbering vampire rose from the coffin in a haste and grabbed Kuran Rido by the neck.
His thirst... unbearable.
But the vampires in chokehold showed no fear. Instead continued to laugh like a manic. Before pointing a finger at the just awakened ancient one.
"Don't forget, who it was that opened the lid of this coffin and brought your filthy carcass back to life."
He then pointed the same finger back at himself.
"It was me, Kuran Rido. I am your master now. So be an obedient servant while I go and devour your—"
Rido got cut off when that said servant forcefully sunk his fangs into his neck. The ancestor drank enough blood to drain Rido off of his strength and threw his barely conscious body on the floor.
Rido remained on floor watching the ancient vampire as the latter tried to make a sense of his new surrounding. Although the former couldn't find the strength to get up on his feet, however, he had just enough stamina left to speak.
"It would have been better for you to be obedient and let me devour you!" He told the ancestor. "That baby's life and my blood even together are nowhere near enough for your body to be fully restored to life."
The awakened vampire glared at his new master.
"The hunger that accumulated for thousands and thousands of years would slam into you soon. I can't even wrap my mind around how brutal that must be..."
Rido let out a hysterical laughter, before advising.
"Here is what you can do... there are more members of your kin just over there..." he pointed towards the door and Kaname's gaze followed. "Go ahead feel free to take their lives as sacrifice."
He let out another maddening laughter. While Kaname debated on his decision.
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"Onii-sama...?"
The door opened and Haruka walked in, in search of his son and brother. But was met with the horrifying bloody mess.
His older brother was laying flat on the ground unconscious. The blanket his son was wrapped in, was hanging off of the open coffin, soaked in blood.
He rushed over and brought the bloody blanket to his face. A single tear slid down his face as mourned his little boy.
"It was as your father had said. I was awakened with a body that was too incomplete of a state. My body, all the way down to it's cells, was far too desiccated to be able to reconstruct by itself. And the growing bloodlust was quickly swallowing my mind."
Soon the cry of another baby caught his attention. Haruka followed the sound and it led him towards the pile of old clothes. Where he found another baby.
"At that moment the only way for me to completely stabilize myself was for me to make my body regress all the way back to the state of a baby."
Haruka picked up the child and that was when Juuri walked in. The sorrow of losing her son reflected on her face.
"So I did... and handed over my fate to Haruka and Juuri. While also putting my own memories to sleep, so that it would not get in the way."
"I found him inside the pile of the clothes. Onii-sama sacrificed our Kaname to awaken this Kaname." Haruka told his wife, barely containing his broken voice.
But Juuri responded to him firmly.
"Haruka... it doesn't matter who he is... because from now on he is Kaname, our Kaname."
A/N: Thank you all for reading. This was my take on Kaname's past life. I took the liberty to add some details such as:
-little background on his parents: unlike the hooded woman, Kaname had different experience. Only his mother loved him. His father was embarrassed as his only son was different and his 2 older sisters hated him.
Unfortunately and accidentally Kaname ended up over drinking from his mother and killing her as result. When the rest of his family confronted him, he panicked and for the first time his power came out which resulted in the death of the other members, except for the oldest sister, whom he devoured when his thirst took over from the impact of power.
The reason I added the part, so that it explains why Kaname always refused to bite. In the manga it showed he refused to bite humans, I thought of giving an explanation for that.
-how he met the hooded woman: I also took liberty in this part and played around with the details while also sticking to canon as much as possible. The manga never showed how they exactly met. It started with the background narration of that she gave Kaname his name. But I personally think Kaname's feelings for the hooded woman were deeper. So I tried to show as much of it as possible. Let me know if you guys enjoyed the pairing.
-After reading those chapters once again, now I think Kaname and the hooded woman never children. They may have been lovers, he loved her quite deeply but don't think they were able to start a family. My guess is some time during the war Kaname may have had a lover with whom he had children and thus continued the Kuran line. However, that said wife/lover was probably so insignificant that he never even mentioned them anywhere in his memory. Feel free to share your thoughts if you feel otherwise.
That's all for now. If you guys have questions or confusion feel free to ask. Also point out if you notice any mistake, I'll have them corrected.
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Reply to guestwithreviews:Let me start from the bottom. The reason Aiyora didn't get Senri's name tattooed because he is still in her life. Having baby Kaname's name tattooed on her hand was a way for her to give him a tribute. It's kind of like keeping him close to he. Her heart goes out to him because he is someone who suffered the consequences of problems within the adults. Personally I think Yuuki should have done something like for her real brother that in canon. Sadly she brushed him off faster than Kaname finished his explanation.
As for biting... I guess she is more used to biting from the neck. (Which she should definitely change)
And even I don't hope for a messy ending like canon. I personally think she should one up with one person. Even being single is better. Although many are suggesting about the polyamorous pairing but I'm still hesitant as I don't want to mess up. I don't plan to take the route unless I have some solid way to show how it works.
