Rido found them in Aina's room. Zero had her against a wall, holding her by her neck. His grip didn't seem to be tight, but enough to make her stay still. She looked up at Zero and pulled him closer to her by his jacket. She called his name and he looked down at her. "Mine." He growled at her as he gave her neck a light and quick squeeze.
"Yes, I'm yours." She reassured him. "And I need you." She then whispered as she kissed down his jawline.
"Prove you're mine." He growled as he let go of her neck. Rido kept hidden, watching, making sure he didn't force her into anything or hurt her. Aina smirked and dropped to her knees, knowing exactly what to do.
Rido so desperately wanted to in Zero's place right now. Zero stopped her after sometime, apologising for his outburst. He was angry and upset, she couldn't blame him. Rido walked away, she would always forgive Zero no matter what. He would have to set his wedge between at Zero. Zero was more likely to react with emotion, maybe even walk out.
Aina was on guard with Rido now. He had no real reason to get in that bath with her. But what concerned her more was Zero. He was disappearing for longer periods of time and more often. She had to pull him over it now. She had no idea where he was going or what he was doing. He seemed to think she wouldn't notice or at least not be bothered by it, but he was wrong. Normally she wouldn't care about him going out, but he was being so secretive about it.
Zero had finally come back from a two-day absence. He smiled as walked into her room.
"Hello." He greeted her and kissed her. "I missed you." He then told her. He did this every time but never told her where he had been.
"Zero, we need to talk." She told him and Zero paused.
"What about?" He asked after a short silence.
"Your absences." She stated calmly. "I need to know where you are going and why." She then added.
"You don't trust me anymore?" He asked upset. "Why do you need to know where I go?"
"Zero, I need to know so I can keep you safe, so I know you're safe." She told him. She felt like she was being controlling but she was worried. Had the Vampire Hunters Association started demanding more from him? Had he found a new love? All those thoughts swam around in her head.
"You don't need to know." He told her sternly.
"Yes, I do!" She snapped at him.
"No! I am trying to protect you! The less you know, the better." The shouting was enough to attract Rido's attention.
"Tell me Zero."
"Or what?!" He snapped at her. She paused and turned her back to him. Zero sighed and walked up to her, he tried to pull her into a hug but she pulled away. "Aina, I'm sorry." He told her once he had calmed down. He hadn't meant to snap at her.
"Tell me or get out." She told him sternly.
"I've been tracking Shizuka..." He admitted.
"What!?" She turned to look at him in shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Why?!"
"I think I can get her to leave you alone." Zero answered her honestly.
"You stay away from her! It will just get you killed!" She warned him.
"I told you I will protect you till the end; I have to do this to keep you safe!" He countered.
"If you continue this..." She paused.
"What will you do?" Zero sounded almost snarky.
"If you walk out of that door again to go after her, even just to track her, you can't come back." She warned him. Zero looked confused.
"But you want her gone as much as I do, right?"
"Nothing good has ever come from vengeance." She reasoned. "I may want her dead, but I do not want to lose you in the process!"
"That's a lie!" He snapped at her. "With Shizuka gone, you will be free, I will be free."
"It's me or vengeance." She told him, standing her ground, turning to look at him.
"I am doing this for you. I'm doing this to keep you safe." He told her before kissing her. "I love you and I always will. I need to do this." He then told her. He kissed her once more as she cried. "Goodbye. I hope I can see you again. I need to do this for you. I love you." He told her before walking out of the room. Aina stood still, she never thought he would leave her for revenge.
Rido waited for a few minutes, so as not to look like he had eavesdropped.
"Aina, what's wrong?" He asked, feigning confusion as she found Aina crying. She hadn't moved from the spot Zero had left her.
"Zero." She choked out.
"Zero what?" He asked.
"Left." She whispered.
"Zero left? Left what?" He pressed for the answer he wanted to hear. He needed to hear it from her, she had to tell him so he could be sure.
"Left me." She went to drop to her knees but Rido caught her. He held onto her tightly, helping her to sit on the window seat. He sat down next to her, holding her. As he gently rocked her back and forth, tucking her head under his chin.
"It'll be alright. I promise." He told her. It broke his heart to see her so hurt, even if he did want this. He didn't want it to hurt her.
It took Aina a long time to calm down, she had gotten so upset, she had exhausted herself. Rido had his maids help her get undresses for bed before coming back in to sit with her. Aina stared out the window while Rido sat on bed with her, playing with her hair so she knew he was there. He wanted her to know she still had space but he was there for her if she wanted to talk or even just a hug.
Aina took a few days to get out of bed. The first thing she did was find Rido in his library in just a nightgown and dressing gown. As soon as she walked in, Rido stood up and went to her. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he led her to sit down.
"Worse somehow." She admitted. He sat down with her and took her hand.
"It'll get easier soon. It will still hurt but less so." He told her with a small smile.
"How can I make it hurt less?" She asked as Rido caressed her cheek.
"By letting someone else in when you are ready." He told her. He smiled as she leant into his hand.
"Rido." She whispered and leaned forwards to kiss him. He moved away.
"You are still grieving the loss of him." Rido told her. "When you feel better, then you can if you still want to." He told her and kissed her forehead before hugging her.
Since that day, Aina stayed close to Rido. Juri and Haurka visited regularly, Aina made herself scarce every time. She didn't want to deal with them, not while she had to deal with the loss of Zero. But it was getting easier, just like Rido said. Due to her hiding from them, Rido's brother and sister had threatened to force them to end their relationship. They had even heard about Zero's departure. Rido had told them that he had stepped out of line and Aina ordered him to leave. It was close enough to the truth. They seemed pleased that he was gone. Rido had also told them about Kaname's intrusion however, they chose to ignore it, it was as if Kaname was the one with the power, not them.
A few months later, Aina came down to find Rido in his library. She had put on a blood red silk dress. The dress was only just covering her nipples, teasing him. It was the first day since Zero left, Aina wore colour. Rido smiled when he saw her.
"You look amazing." He told her as she walked up to him. She smiled, thanking him and sat down next to him. "How are you feeling?" He asked her even though he knew she was feeling better.
"I think I'm ready to let someone in." She told him as she leaned forward. "If you'll have me." She added and Rido smiled.
"Of course, I will." He told her and they kissed. He was overjoyed.
Once they pulled away, Aina stood up and held out her hand for his. "You don't have to rush things." He told her.
"It's not that." She said as she looked out of the window. "They've come for another meeting." She explained. Rido knew exactly who she meant, Juri and Haruka.
Aina and Rido greeted the pair at the door.
"It's nice to see you again." Juri said with a smile but it wasn't a real smile.
"Yes, well after are previous meetings, I didn't feel up to being verbally attacked again." Aina said with a smile, Rido smiled as well, Aina was back to her normal self and it seemed with the added stress of Zero gone, more confident to speak up.
"We are sorry to hear you felt that way." Juri said politely. "But recollections are different." She then added as a hint to damming comments about Kaname and Yuki.
"Shall we go through to the drawing room?" Rido suggested as he tugged lightly on Aina's arm as she and Juri glared at each other.
Once they were all sat in the drawing room, Rido spoke up again. "Now what are you here for this time?" He asked.
"We are not convinced with Aina's actions these past few months that the two are a suitable match." Juri stated.
"The only suitable match being you." Aina snapped back, taking everyone by surprise. Juri was left speechless. "You chose Haruka now deal with it because Rido is no longer chasing you. You miss the attention and now I have it."
"How dare you?!" Juro stood up.
"How dare I tell the truth?" Aina stood up, ready for a fight. "The moment I became a real threat you have made your presence known. The night of the ball you sent a number of maids because I wouldn't be able to choose an appropriately royal outfit. No doubt to bring my confidence down."
"I did no such thing!" Juri defenced herself.
"You did, I was there." Rido backed Aina. "The maids were yours, I recognised some of them." He added, making it harder for Juri to deny her actions. Juri didn't respond.
"You have done everything you can to upset me." Aina said. "Who's the one who has been pushing for these unnecessary meetings?" She then asked, looking Haruka.
"Juri." Haruka answered with a frown. "I think we have disrupted Aina and Rido's lives long enough now." He then added, standing up to leave.
"What about what she's done to Yuki!? What about what Kaname wants?!" Juri then snapped at him, angry her husband would take someone else's side.
"Yuki needs to grow up, she's been acting like a child for a century longer than she should have and if it took Aina's outburst for us to realise, then it needed to happen. Not just that, but for Yuki to actually take notice and started acting like she should. We should be thankful for that. As for Kaname, he has a duty to become King, no matter how he chooses do it." Aina frowned confused. The statement about Kaname seemed strange, 'no matter how he choses' to be King. What did Haruka mean by that? "Kaname will have to do what he wanted on his own because I am not helping him destroy a clearly well working relationship." He continued before apologising to both Aina and Rido for what had been going on.
Juri, however, wasn't done.
"No, Kaname gets what he wants and you know why!" She shouted at Haruka. "We have no choice." She added through gritted teeth. Aina was incredibly confused by what was going on.
"I will no longer be a part of this. He has had everything he has ever needed and wanted since he was a baby. He is a grown man and can-do things himself. He can no longer hide behind me or use our names to get what he wants." Haruka sounded as though he was about to lose his temper. "You and I both know he has a big problem with Rido so how do you know that he isn't just trying to hurt Rido? Why should we hurt them just so he can say he steal her from him? He isn't in love with her, he just wants someone who isn't acting like a child, who doesn't look like a child and can stand up for themselves instead of lying to people to do their bidding!" He added, clearly referencing Yuki. "Aina is a beautiful woman who has through no fault of her own, turned Kaname's head. He has targeted Aina because of Rido, because she is everything Yuki should be right now. He doesn't want to want a childlike girl. He wants a woman."
"Yuki is a woman!" Juri shouted, outraged by Haruka. "How could you say such things about your own daughter?!"
"Because it's true!" He shouted back at her. "We were too soft on her. We thought because we had Kaname, why didn't have to worry about her. We made a mistake and now we have to fix it. Letting Kaname and Yuki do what they want is no longer an option!" Juri stood there is shock. It was as if Haruka had shouted at her for the first time. Aina didn't know what to say or do apart from look at Rido for help.
"Are you two done?" Rido asked with a sigh. They looked at him, Juri with a glare, Haruka just looked blank. "Are you both done with interfering with Aina and I?" He then asked.
"Yes." Haruka answered calmly. "We will leave you in peace." He then added, holding onto Juri's arm, tugging her with him.
"No more visits?" Rido asked standing up.
"No more visits." Haruka repeated, confirming that Juri and he would no longer be a thorn in their side. Haruka had to drag Juri out of the mansion in order to leave.