The next day, Aina woke up groggy and confused. She didn't recognise were she was. The memories of the night before came flooding back. She pulled herself together despite the need to just break down and cry, she needed to work out there she was. She looked around the gold and cream decorated room. She quickly spotted the note.
'Aina, my love,
You are safe, you are at the home of my siblings. I need to find out who is doing this to you. For me to do that know you are safe, I have asked Juri and Haruka to take you in.
Please try to understand that I doing this to protect you and that I love you. I will and have always loved you.
I will be as quick as I can.
I love you.
Rido.'
Aina felt her heart break a little. She felt her tears stating to fall. He had left her like Zero had and he promised her he wouldn't. She wasn't sure if he was going after revenge on her behalf or if he felt that he needed know who it was. Aina didn't know about the new letter that was found, as far as she knew, it was a completely random but direct attack on her and her family. The reason unknown. First her aunt was killed by someone trying win her favour. But her parents had no reason to attacked... unless it was because of their debts, but why kill them in front of her.
The family left Aina to come out on her own but after a few days, they all started to worry. She hadn't come out to drink or eat. She hadn't even touched the food and drink left outside her door for her.
Kaname had to fight with Haruka in order to be the one to enter her room. He had stupidly promised Rido to keep Kaname away from her. But this would not stop Kaname from seeing her. He needed to make sure she was alright, he didn't care about Rido or his feelings.
Kaname knocked on her door but got no reply.
"Aina, it's Kaname. Can I come in?" He asked through the door but still no reply. "If you don't answer, I will have to come in." He then added, hoping it would be enough to make her move. All he wanted to hear was her moving around if she didn't want to talk. But still no sound was made. "I'm opening the door." He told her just before opening the door.
As he entered the room, he was met with darkness. She hadn't lit any candles or even opened the curtains. He took a quick look around. He soon spotted her in the furthest corner of the room with two very bright red eyes.
Aina watched him closely as he walked around the bed and stood in front of her. She was still holding the note from Rido. It looked like she hadn't moved in days. "Aina, you need to eat and drink." He told her as he sat down in front of her. She shook her head. "Why?" He asked confused. She looked away from him.
"They left me." Her voice was hoarse and weak. "They promised they would never leave me for revenge or anything else." A small weak sob escaped her lips.
"Aina, I won't leave." He told her and she shook her head.
"You will, eventually you'll leave." She curled up even tighter. Kaname frown and moved closer to her.
"Will you eat?" He asked and she shook her head. "Drink then?" Again she shook her head. "Please don't make me force you." He then said and she turned away from him. Kaname sighed and pulled her into his arms, her back to him. Before she could react, he wrapped himself around her as she sat in his lap. He pulled her head to his neck. "Drink." He ordered.
"You're not Rido." She hissed at him.
"Well, Rido isn't here." He snapped at her. "Don't be naive and think he wouldn't happily drink from another woman." He then added, he felt her body shake in anger.
"He loves me." She hissed at him.
"He left you like Zero did." Kaname told her and she froze. "Now drink." He moved her face closer, her lips resting on his neck. He held back a shiver. Kaname sighed after she still refused to bite. He shifted so she sat on the floor and bit his own hand. He held his blooded hand to her lips. She clamped her mouth shut, refusing him. He growled and bit her neck, making her gasp. He took the chance and pushed his hand into her mouth. He knew she wasn't drinking but she wasn't stopping the blood from flowing down her throat. He drank from her slowly, taking in the taste. He relaxed his hold once he knew she had regained some of her strength.
Aina quickly escaped his arms, wiping the blood from her lips.
"Don't ever do that again!" She shouted at him as she rubbed where he had bitten her.
"Don't force my hand again." Kaname told her as he stood up. "Eat and drink and I wouldn't have to do it." He told her before leaving her on her own.
Aina sighed and sat on her bed. She had to pull herself together.
The next day, Aina finally emerged from her room. She wore a simple blue dress, not bothering with a hoop skirt. Her hair was kept down. She wasn't in the mood or even ready to feel like dressing the part. Kaname smiled when he saw her.
"It's good to see you up and about." Haruka spoke up from his seat in the drawing room. Aina gave him a small smile as she looked around the room nervously. She clearly felt like a fish out of water.
"You can sit anywhere you like." Kaname told her and she nodded, thanking him. She sat down as far as she could from Kaname. They were soon joined by Juri and Yuki. Yuki sat next to her, much to Aina's surprise.
Aina kept to herself most of the time, avoiding Kaname as much as she could. She wanted Rido to come back. She would receive letters every few days from him, telling her that he was still alive. Sometimes he would tell her he had a lead and he hoped to be home soon.
Weeks passed and she was still at the Kuran's. She had started to settle a little bit and relax. She was most relaxed around Haruka, mainly because he left her to own devices, only asking if she needed something every now and again. He would give her a smile when she entered a room before going back to whatever he was doing. Yuki had started to give her some space as well, even asking Aina for advise on anything from fashion to boys. Juri still glared at her, they largely kept away from each other. Kaname seemed to be leaving her alone but she always felt him hovering nearby. She assumed he had a familiar watching her for him.
One day, Rido appeared at the door. Aina almost fell down the stairs when she saw him, running straight for him. Rido grinned and opened his arms for her. She almost took him out as they collided. He spun her around, loving the cries of happiness from her. As soon as her feet were back on the ground, he kissed her with all the passion he had. Someone clearing their throat pulled them apart.
"Did you find any thing out?" Haruka asked and Rido smirked.
"I know exactly who is doing this." He answered, Aina looked up him surprised but happy.
"Who?" She asked, egger to know.
"I'll tell you later, but now it means we can go home." He told her and she cried out in happiness. "Go get packing." He told her, she didn't need to be told twice.
As soon as she was gone. Rido looked at Haruka, his eyes red. Haruka looked confused. "I hope you haven't had a hand in this." He growled at him.
"Hand in what?" Haruka asked, frowning.
"Ask Juri if she has stopped helping Kaname because she hasn't. He and Juri have done this." Rido told him, his fists clenched.
"How can you be sure? What evidence do you have?!" Haruka was outraged at the suggestion.
"They used their own servants and supporters." Rido hissed as him. "They stop now or I will kill you all!" He added before storming off to help Aina.
As they were leaving together, they were stopping by Juri and Kaname. Aina looked confused and looked up at Rido. "Aina, why don't you head home, I'll be close behind." He told her but she shook her head.
"No, I want to leave with you." She told him, looking concerned.
"Aina I will be right behind you." He told her. "Please head home and don't argue with me." He added and she sighed. She kissed him softly.
"You better be right behind me." She told him. He smiled and nodded.
Rido watched her leave before looking at Juri and Kaname.
"Why?" Rido asked them.
"Because she should be with me." Kaname told him and Rido shook his head.
"What about her feelings? What about Yuki?" Rido asked annoyed. "You are forgetting about them, don't they matter in all this too?"
"Yuki is fine with it, she loves to flirt and play about, this is allow her to so." Juri stated. "She will still be happy."
"Does Haruka know about any of this?" Rido asked and Juri shook her head.
"No, he would only get in the way." Juri answered. "Especially after Aina stood up for herself against me." She added annoyed.
"You know I warned Haruka that I would kill you all." Rido paused for a moment. "It looks like I am going to have to."
Aina sat at home and waited, and waited. She jumped as she heard a bump, the sun had lot up the room, she must have fallen asleep. She slowly got up and started moving towards the noise.
She gasped as she found Kaname at the front door, struggling to stand, holding his side. She helped him into the mansion. He was covered in blood, she wondered how he got here without being seen.
"Kaname, what happened?" She asked as she help him sit down and started looking over his wounds.
"Rido." Kaname hissed as she took if his jacket. "He completely lost it and attacked us." He told her. "He's killed them all." Aina froze and looked into Kaname's eyes, looking for a lie.
"Where is he?" She asked concerned. If Kaname could have made it to her, so could he.
"Aina." He took her hand and looked up at her. "I'm so sorry." Aina shook her head.
"No. No!" She gasped and tried to pull her hand free.
"I'm sorry but he died from his injuries." He told her, he wasn't going to give her all of the details yet. Especially the detail that he delivered the final blow. He pulled her down on to his lap with a grunt. He held her as she sobbed. He kissed her forehead as he tucked her head under his chin. He would look after her now. He had won.
Aina ended up nursing Kaname back to health over the few days he needed to recover. She couldn't help feeling Rido's presence everywhere. She truly believed he had survived but why hadn't he come back?
It appeared the news had travelled fast as Zero had suddenly turned up on her door. But he was no longer falling, he had become a vampire. She asked him what happened with Shiruka. He reassured her that he had not done the deed. He had found her already in a pile of glass. Ichiru was crying over it, begging for her to come back. Zero won't tell her what happened between the two of them, only that Ichiru had given his life for Zero to become whole.
Kaname wasn't happy to see Zero but made no effort to chase him away.
"Kaname, what happens now?" Aina asked as she sat with him in the drawing room.
"I have to find a queen." He told her. "You can go back to that thing if you want." He then added, referring to Zero. Aina rolled her eyes.
"Stop speaking about him like that!" She snapped at him. "What Zero and I had has long ended. He is my friend that is all." She then added with a sigh. Zero and she had tried to rekindle their love but they couldn't. It wasn't meant to be anymore. She and Zero had decided it was best to go their separate ways but she would always support him and invite him back whenever he wanted. They were still friends despite their differences. Aina guessed he had gone back to being a hunter, after all, he was a hunter first and a vampire second.
"You can do as you please." Kaname told her. "But I would like your choice to be to stay with me. I need a bride and you can do as you please, preferably you would keep any lovers secret." He added and just stared at him.
"Why would I want to even think about being your bride at all? Especially if I can do as I please anyway. I have no family to force my hand anymore." She said simply. Why would she contemplate being his bride if she didn't have to.
"Because I would hate to have to force you myself." He told her, his eyes turning red. "I would hate that my hard work to destroy your chains would all go to waste."
"I won't let you force me into anything Kuran!" She was outraged. "What chains have you freed me from?! Unless you think my chains were Rido, then you are wrong!"
"I freed you from Shizuka." He growled, in a blink he was in front of her, pinning her back into her chair by her shoulders. She looked up at him fear. "I freed you from your disgraceful parents!" Tears started to escape her.
"You killed my parents?" She asked as she held back a sob.
"Yes, they were a disgrace to you. Getting themselves into debt and then using you to get more debt to pay their debt. They handed you to Rido..."
"No! I chose to be with Rido!" She snapped at him. "I love Rido!" Kaname growled and slapped her a cross the face, leaving a red hand mark on her face. She gasped from the pain.
"You are mine now." He told her, squeezing her shoulders tightly. "You love me now, is that clear?" Aina nodded as his grip tightened. "Say it!"
"I'm yours." Her voice was shaky.
"Who do you love?" He leaned down to her ear, his lips brushing against her.
"I-I love..." She paused, she didn't want to say it.
"Who do you love Aina?" He asked her again, not sounding as patient as he had the first time he asked. His lips moved down to her neck, his tongue licked up her neck before he kissed the space between her neck and jaw.
"I love, I love you." She finally answered him. She felt his grip loosen ever so slightly. She closed her eyes, holding back her tears as she apologised to Rido in her head.
"Good girl." He told her as he smiled against her skin. "I would have hated to lock you away until you gave into me. This way is much more easier for the both of us, especially you." He added as his hands moved down her arms. He moved to look at her face. "Open your eyes." He ordered and she obeyed. He praised her again. "Now I don't expect too much from you right now." He told her, making her panic internally. "But you will kiss me." He added as he moved his face closer. "You will let me drink from you and will only drink from me. You can never drink from a human ever again." She looked into his eyes. She would never willingly drink from him and she was certainly not about to let him drink from her. He kissed her, Aina froze for a moment before slowly kissing back. "Good girl." He smiled at her.