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The Council of Thirteen

Book Seven: The Second Lord

The Kuran Restoration

Chapter 2: Romance

Beta:

A sixteen year old Yuki was visiting the infamous former Vampire Hunter Cross Kaien in the rural hinterlands of Hokkaido, where the site of Cross Academy, the school she, Cross and Niisan had co-sponsored, was to be built. It was to be a model school where humans and vampires would study together and serve as proof that peaceful coexistence was possible. One that Cross and the Kuran siblings dearly hoped would work, especially as they had essentially staked and leveraged their reputations as the former Number One Hunter and Purebloods to even make it possible despite strident opposition from both their peoples.

She was riding in a snowcat through a raging snowstorm that was being driven by Kaien-san around the countryside surrounding the site where the Academy's campus would be, surveying it.

"You picked this site because it's defensible?" Yuki asked her host as she noted that the hill where the school was being built was surrounded by a relatively flat plain. "Isn't that a tad paranoid? We are starting a school, not building a military base."

"I am afraid we need to be paranoid." The blond man with his long hair pulled back into a ponytail said. He looked like was in his mid-twenties despite being over two hundred years, which perhaps justified his eccentricity as demonstrated by his odd choice in clothing as seen by the oversized clothing that he was wearing and paired with a decidedly feminine shawl. "Considering how controversial our school will be among vampire society, we must account for the possibility of it coming under attack."

"I know," Yuki said with a sigh. "Kaien-san that's just so sad…"

"I understand how you feel, Yuki-chan." Her birth mother's old friend said comfortingly. "But we've to start from somewhere. We just have to be prepared for resistance."

"Resistance for controversial projects shouldn't lead to an attack against a school." Yuki repeated. "But yes, I know that it's a must."

"Things will change. Eventually." Kaien offered reassuringly.

"They will," the Second Lord of the Council of Thirteen agreed. "I will make sure of it."

Kaien nodded and the two of them descended into silence for a long moment as they continued their drive around the hill.

"So," Kaien said, breaking the silence. "This plain has plenty of room for expansion after things settle down."

"That's true," Yuki nodded concomitantly. "We might be able to develop it into a college town of sorts. It is some distance to the nearest towns otherwise."

"Not really," Kaien countered. "It's just about a half-hour ride either way. We are pretty much halfway between Furano and Ashibetsu."

"That's true, but my point about expanding into a town still stands."

"I suppose," Kaien said with a shrug. "Not sure the plain is big enough for that."

"It might be an engineering challenge to build on the hills around here but it's not impossible. If need be I can bring in some specialists from Sanctuary. There are some dwarves and goblins who I think can be of help there."

"Let's not think so far ahead shall we?" Kaien said with a nervous laugh. "We haven't even opened the Academy yet."

"Just thinking ahead, Kaien-san." Yuki said apologetically.

Kaien was about to reply but something caught Yuki's eye and she cut him off before he could. "Wait, what's that?"

"What do you mean?" Kaien-san asked but Yuki didn't reply, instead choosing to lean forward on the snowcat's dashboard to get a closer look at the pair of lights moving erratically in the distance.

If I remember the local geography correctly, that's the road. Yuki thought as she began to come to a worrying conclusion. And those lights look like headlights. If it is and it's moving that erratically… It's out of control!

"Kaien-san! Follow me!" Yuki shouted as she ripped the snowcat's door open hastily and jumped out of the vehicle, before running off in the direction of the road as quickly as possible.

She would've teleported to it but with the storm, its exact location was difficult to pinpoint even for her enhanced senses as a Kuranian Pureblood and a Lord of the Thirteen.

I really need to work on my sensor skills. Yuki thought idly as she ran as fast as she could. She was superhumanly fast even in the adverse conditions of the snowstorm. However, the mountain road that was her destination was a significant distance away and by the time she closed with it, the beleaguered car, a family car, had fully lost control. And to her horror, it crashed into a tree before tumbling down a ravine.

"No," Yuki gasped in shock as she teleported the final distance to the side of the ruined car.

Even with her subpar senses, she could tell from the wreck that almost everyone in the car was dead. Not that she needed them to tell that. The whole front section of the car had been crushed by the impact of the crash. The two adults in the driver and front passenger seats were practically pancaked. The only one in the car still alive was a badly injured teenage girl in the backseat.

Taking a fortifying breath, Yuki pushed aside her horror and used her vampiric strength to rip the car open and pulled the petite girl with short light brown hair and dazed big hazel eyes that seemed around her age out.

"Can you hear me?" She asked the girl reassuringly as she laid the girl gently down on the ground. "My name is Yuki. What's yours?"

"P-Papa, M-Mama?" The girl said deliriously.

Yuki winced. There was no way she would be answering that question. But at least the girl was responsive. That was a good sign at least.

"Reprehendo Sanitas (Health Check)," Yuki cast, causing her right to start glowing green as she moved it over the injured girl's body and letting the scanning magic seep into the human's body.

This is bad. Yuki thought as it informed her that besides the visible cuts and bruises that littered the girl's body, she had also suffered significant internal injuries.

"Consano (Heal)" Yuki incanted hastily, casting the most powerful of the limited healing spells she had in her repertoire.

Her hands glowed with a weak white light and she laid them over the other girl's battered body and some of her wounds slowly closed. It was not nearly enough though. Through the spell Yuki could sense the full extent of the poor girl's injuries and whilst the Pureblood's Consano was helping, that mainly applied to her external injuries. The most pressing, internal injuries weren't even touched by her healing magic yet.

And it won't make it in time. Yuki realized. Never mind the girl's blood loss from her many open wounds, she was bleeding internally in at least three major places, including in the brain. There is only one way I can save her…

"Hey, uh, can you hear me?" Yuki asked the girl again.

The girl shot her a distracted, clouded look but thankfully replied. "Y-Yes."

"So what's your name?" Yuki asked, biting her lower lip nervously.

"Y-Yori." The human said, her voice getting steadier as Yuki's healing magic began to have some positive effect. "Sayori Wakaba. My Papa and Mama?"

"We need to focus on you first." Yuki deflected. "So, um, I need to ask you an important question. Something that I can't ask a stranger. Oh! I totally forgot. I'm Kuran Yuki, Wakaba-san."

"Hello, Kuran-san." Wakaba-san said, blinking in confusion. "Call me Yori."

"Alright Yori-san," Yuki agreed with a nod. "So, this is a really important question. You, uh, are dying. So, um, would you be willing to give up your humanity to live?"

Yori-san blinked in confusion once more before she glanced to the side, spotting the wrecked car. Her eyes popped open and Yuki realised that the other girl had realized what had happened to her parents.

"Yori-san?" Yuki asked, worriedly.

"Papa and Mama wouldn't want me to die, would they?" The dying human said, her voice trailing off uncertainly.

Yuki shot her an understanding look and gave the other girl's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"They would," Yuki told her. "Good parents would do almost anything so their children can live on. I speak from experience."

"I think so too." Yori-san said with a stifled sob. "And I'm sorry about your parents, Yuki-san."

"It's fine," Yuki said with a disbelieving laugh. This girl was dying, had just realised her parents were dead, and she was offering Yuki her sympathies!?

"What would you turn me into?" Yori-san asked, biting her lip nervously. "You're a vampire? A werewolf?"

"The latter," Yuki said with a reassuring smile. "I'm a Pureblood Kuranian Vampire. Do you know what that means?"

Yori-san tried to shake her head but just groaned in pain as doing so aggravated her injuries.

"Yori-san, are you alright?" Yuki asked worriedly as she redirected the healing magic of her Consano to her head.

"No, I'm dying." Yori-san replied with a wan smile. "So please save me, Yuki-sama."

"I'm sorry I have no other choice," Yuki said as she began to bend down to bring her lips to Yori-san's neck.

"It's okay," Yori-san said nervously, her labored, frantic breath played over Yuki's skin from the closeness. "At least, you're saving me. The method doesn't matter."

"You're too kind, Yori-san. This might hurt." Yuki said honestly. She had never turned anyone and had only ever drunk blood from her foster family, Kaname-niisan who all knew how to leech their emotions, thoughts and power from their blood when they did or blood bags so she didn't really know how doing so from a normal person felt. Much less how it would feel for those being fed upon. Helena-san had tried to explain how it felt but comparing how a Nosferatu's bite was to a Kuranian's was like comparing a flea's to a mosquito's. Similar in many ways but also very different. Then there was Niisan's attempts at explaining, which was full of flowery descriptions that failed to convey anything.

As she finally bit down on the neck and Yori-san's blood flooded into her mouth, Yuki was thus completely blown away by the euphoric feeling that rushed over her body and mind. It was like drinking the sweetest, most wonderful tasting thing in the world! Drinking from Niisan could be intense at times when he wasn't careful with holding back his power, feelings or thoughts from flowing into the connection. But it was nothing like this! Yori-san had no experience whatsoever with the supernatural and had no way to block anything out, thus everything that she was poured into Yuki alongside the surge of strength that came from feeding from the life of another.

It was no surprise then that Yuki almost became lost in the memories, feelings, the very life of Sayori Wakaba as she fed. The life of a normal human girl was unlike anything Yuki had ever imagined. There was none of the worries about the politics of vampire and magical society that came with being a Pureblood or a Lord of the Thirteen. It was full of the simple pleasures of daily life. Of struggling with schoolwork. Of the ups and downs of relationships with friends and family. That last bit was at least something that Yuki could relate to and she clung to it, using it as an anchor as she clawed back to her senses.

"You need to give her your blood too, Yuki-chan." A distant voice that Yuki only barely remembered as Kaien-san said as her head finally began to clear from the euphoric high that drinking Yori-san's blood had given her. "Otherwise, you won't be able to change her."

Thank you for the reminder, Kaien-san. The Second Lord sent the former Hunter telepathically as she pumped a small dose of her blood through her fangs and into Yori-san's body. She kept doing so until she felt the first stirrings of her blood initiating the change before she finally pulled her fangs out of the other girl's neck.

"The change has started?" Kaien-san asked, as he passed Yuki a handkerchief that she gratefully used to wipe her bloodstained chin.

"Yes," she told her ally. "She should be awake in a day or two if I remember my studies on the change correctly."

"Oh, she'll be up before that." Kaien-san said with certainty as he bent down to pick up Yori-san in a princess carry, an act which almost had Yuki hissing possessively before she stopped herself at the last second. "As the youngest of the Kuran line and a Lord of the Thirteen besides, your blood is extremely potent."

Yuki just nodded distractedly, barely managing to stop herself from lashing out at the man for touching what was hers. Which was stupid! Kaien-san was just trying to help.

"Let's get her back to the campus." He told her. "Most of it is still unfinished but my cottage is done. It's not much, but there's a bed there and I'm sure she would appreciate waking up in one."

"I can take her back to Sanc-"

"And who would settle her parents' affairs?" Kaien-san asked with an apologetic shake of her head. "I am sure that she'd want to be part of that process."

Yuki frowned. Would that be wise? Yori-san would be traumatised by the experience wouldn't she? And if the mundane authorities needed her for anything they could arrange things for later, right?

"At least give her the choice," Kaien-san insisted.

"Very well," Yuki said unhappily as she gently took Yori-san from the unresisting man's arms. "Please settle the rest here. You've called the authorities?"

"Yes, the rescue service is on the way." Kaien-san nodded. "I'll catch up with you at my cottage?"

"Yes," Yuki affirmed begrudgingly before teleporting away to said cottage, her precious new scion held in her arms.

"Bullet swords," Yori cast, conjuring a dozen energy sounds around her in a parody of wings before sending them flying at her savior, sire and mentor, Yuki-sama.

It had been three years since the car accident that had changed her life. Not only had it left her an orphan but it had also led to her becoming a Kuranian Vampire. A scion of the Pureblood Princess, Kuran Yuki-sama. A fate that had dragged her out of her mundane life as a normal human girl and into the fantastical world of magic. It had been a harrowing experience at first, especially those first few days when she'd had to struggle with her new nature and managing the sorting out of her parents' affairs. Thankfully, Yuki-sama and their mutual foster mother, Dom-sama, were there to help her through it.

It wasn't the only thing they'd helped her with though. Over those three years they had also taught her some magic, which through her hard work and their guidance, she had honed into a specialisation in Sword Magic which revolved around the creation of Magical Swords that she imbued with a variety of different attributes.

A skill that she was now testing against Yuki-sama in a spar in one of the dozen or so training rooms underneath Sanctuary's Governor's Palace.

Not that her opening move seemed to impress the beautiful Pureblood Princess as she simply drew her Mystic Code, Artemis, and swung the scythe in a wide arc at the incoming swords, unleashing a wave of raw magic that disintegrated them before they even got close.

Yori had expected that though and used Shadow Step to teleport behind Yuki-sama, a flaming sword in her hand and poised for a powerful overhead slash.

"Yori, do not be so predictable in a fight." Yuki-sama chided as she spun gracefully around, swinging Artemis around to block Yori's strike in the process. "It is well known that you've been trained, at least in part, by Sensei, and the move you just tried is practically standard for her."

"Noted, Yuki-sama." Yori replied as she caused her sword to detonate in a carefully controlled explosion. It was just powerful enough to force both of them apart whilst slightly disorientating them at the same time.

At least it would if one wasn't prepared for it like Yuki-sama who blinked adorably as the flash of the explosion blinded her. The look was so cute that Yori had to fight the urge to squeal.

Yes, Yori had a crush on Yuki-sama. Who could blame her? Yuki-sama was beautiful, smart, elegant, powerful, loving… She was just perfect in every way! At least Yori thought so.

Despite her feelings and the wonderful sight in front of her, she did not allow more than a smile to grace her face at the moment. They were sparring and Yuki-sama demanded they take it seriously. In her words, "the more seriously we take a spar, the more prepared we will be when we get into a real fight". A lesson Yori took to heart.

As such, even as a smile graced her face, she conjured a pair of scimitars into her hands. One crackled with imbued lightning and the other radiated cold from the frost magic she'd worked into it.

"Good followup," Yuki-sama praised as she recovered just in time to leap back just seconds before Yori brought the two elementally charged blades together in a scissoring motion. "But your blade conjuration is still a bit slow."

"I'm still working on it," Yori confessed as she smoothly recovered from her failed attack and charged forward to close the recently opened distance before transitioning into a series of slashes.

"And you're improving," Yuki-sama acknowledged as she effortlessly parried Yori's strikes. "But it's still a little too slow to catch me unawares even with that little distraction of yours. You'll need to keep at it."

"I will," Yori promised as she decided to change tack and leaped back, tossing the scimitars at Yuki-sama as she did so.

"What are you planning?" Yuki-sama asked curiously even as she easily deflected the two thrown blades with Artemis.

"Rain of blades," Yori cast, conjuring hundreds of blades all around Yuki-sama which with a wave of her hand, she sent flying at the Pureblood.

"Ah. Area of effect now?" Yuki-sama commented airily as she spun Artemis around her to deflect the first few blades. She couldn't keep it up though. Not even her skill would allow her to do so as the sheer number of approaching blades started to reach into the hundreds. Which was why Yori was unsurprised when the Pureblood finally resorted to a spell of her own.

"Destruction Wave." The brunette beauty whispered, sending a wave of destructive magic pulsing out from her nubile body that shattered every last one of Yori's blades.

The former human knew what was coming and conjured the sturdiest blade, a Zweihänder, she could even as she fell into a guard position.

It wasn't enough. Nowhere near enough as Yuki-sama blurred in front of her and brought Artemis down at her. She tried to at least block the blow but her mentor used some spell she was unfamiliar with to turn the scythe's blade intangible for a second and it passed through Yori's sword unhindered. It regained its solidity, hooked firmly underneath said sword and with a forceful tug, Yuki-sama pulled it out of her grip.

Hissing lightly from the friction burns caused by having her sword jerked straight out of her hands, Yori tried to back away even as she began to materialize a pair of new swords.

Tried being the operative word, for Yuki-sama was having none of it.

Yori had barely taken half a step back and her swords were barely more than raw unmolded magical energy in her hands when moving with seemingly impossible speed and yet fluid grace, Yuki-sama moved Artemis' blade behind her neck.

"Yield," she demanded and Yori sighed.

"I yield." Yori said, admitting defeat as she let go of the half-formed magic in her hands, letting it dissipate into the environment in the form of motes of light.

"You did well today," Yuki-sama said with a reassuring smile as she too dismissed Artemis to the spatial pocket where she kept it when not in use. "Especially at the end there. But you do need to work on your focus. There were a couple times your reactions were a little slow, like you were distracted."

Yes, I was. By your beauty Yuki-sama. Yori thought as she nodded in agreement.

"Well, let's head to the locker rooms and get cleaned up." Yuki-sama said with a shrug when Yori did not elaborate immediately. "You can tell me what exactly had you so distracted? Were you caught up thinking about your upcoming birthday?"

Taking the out given, Yori agreed. "A little."

"You don't need to worry, Yori." Yuki-sama said with a reassuring smile as they walked side by side down the corridor to the changing rooms. "I already have a gift prepared that I'm sure you'll love. And I'm sure everyone has too."

"If I could ask for any gift, I'd ask to be able to win at least one fair bout against you, Yuki-sama, by the time of my eighteenth birthday." Yori lied.

"That's a tall order." Yuki-sama chuckled. "Since your birthday is only a few days away."

Yori pouted at that. A victory in a spar might not be exactly what she wanted but it was something she'd have enjoyed nonetheless.

"No need to pout, Yori." Yuki-sama said as they walked into the locker rooms, holding the door open gallantly for Yori as they did. "Why don't I make up for that disappointment by offering to fulfill one wish of yours instead? This is, of course, in addition to the gift I've already prepared."

"Any wish?" Yori asked curiously as she paused to consider the offer.

"So long as it's reasonable." Yuki-sama nodded as she walked over to her locker and pulled it open. "So what would you like Yori?"

This is my chance!

"How about a date, Yuki-sama?"

Yuki-sama had been halfway through pulling off the tanktop that she'd been wearing for training when Yori had voiced her question and she froze mid-motion.

D-Did I go too far? Yori thought as she hastily began to backpedal.

"I was just jo-"

She never got to finish the question as Yuki-sama tossed her top aside and blurred right in front of her.

"Y-Yuki-sama!?" Yori cried out in surprise, blushing at the sight of her crush topless save for her sports bra. It wasn't exactly a new sight for her. They'd shared a locker room and baths together, but it still nevertheless set her loins ablaze.

"I'd love to go on a date with you," Yuki-sama said with an uncharacteristic blush of her own.

Before Yori could reply, or more likely squeal in delight, Yuki-sama gently put her hands on either side of her head and began pulling them together. The grip was gentle and if Yori wanted to she could have easily pulled away but that was the last thing she wanted, so instead she closed her eyes and leaned in, allowing her crush to guide their lips together in their first kiss.

"So is it up to your standard, Yuki?" Iris asked, sounding annoyed as she crossed her arms as she and the rest of the children of the Tredecim household sans Yori surveyed the room that they would be holding the aforementioned birthday girl's celebration in.

"We did it just like you asked," Rose added in the soft-spoken tone she favoured, uncrossing the arms her other half had crossed.

Yes, Rose and Iris were a single person with two distinct personalities. It was unusual but not particularly so. Not when one was a Lord of the Thirteen. And despite what her biological parents might have against the idea, Rose Iris Potter was most definitely the Fourth Lord.

"I think it's perfect." Alyssa opined happily as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "Yori will love it."

"I certainly hope so." Fleda said as she collapsed gracelessly into a chair. "I'm not redoing that ice sculpture again."

"You wouldn't have had to if you bothered to do it right the first time," Chihiro scolded her elder sister as she pointed the dagger that served as her Mystic Code at the fireplace and used her fire magic to set the logs alight.

"And why do we even need an ice sculpture!?" Fleda whined.

"Because Yori wondered if you could make one." Yuki told the ice mage with a roll of her eyes.

"Exactly," Iris told their foster sister with a snort. "And consider yourself lucky. It saves you having to go get Yori a present."

"But I already got her one!" Fleda said with a pout. "Why didn't anyone tell me I could pass the ice sculpture off as my present?"

"You didn't ask," Yuki deadpanned as she eyed the icy likeness of her scion with a critical eye. "And good job, Fleda. I think you captured her appearance perfectly."

"Of course, I did." The oldest Tredecim daughter said with a tired, dismissive wave of her hand.

"Is everything ready?" Rose asked, having swapped control of her body with Iris again.

"Yuki?" Alyssa asked on behalf of the room as everyone turned to look at her.

She considered the matter for a long moment. The decorations were all in place and set up just like she'd wanted them. The fire in the fireplace was roaring and releasing the perfect mix of scents from the aromatic woods she'd specially selected for the occasion. Fleda's ice sculpture was ready.

Yes, everything was just right for the celebration of Yori's eighteenth birthday. Just like it should be.

Yuki had not admitted it to anyone but she knew about Yori's crush on her for years. Being the girl's sire and considering the circumstances of Yori's conversion, primarily the other girl's lack of training at that time, she had part of the girl's essence inside her. That gave her more of an understanding of her scion that was probably better than Yori had of herself. That meant she'd seen all the subtle signs of Yori's attraction.

At first she'd chosen not to do anything about this knowledge because she thought it was a passing phase and that it was endearing.

Later though as she spent more time with Yori, with the wonderful girl whose charming personality perpetually never failed to somehow put a smile on her face even when she was most down, the reason she had not acknowledged it had become selfish. She wanted that crush to blossom into something more.

Well, she subconsciously did anyways. To be honest, she hadn't noticed her growing feelings for Yori until the other girl had demanded a date from her after the training session last week. But when offered the chance to further their relationship, Yuki found it impossible to not jump on the opportunity.

She knew they were going into uncharted waters but damned if she wasn't willing to explore where they led. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Setting aside her wandering thoughts, Yuki just nodded in the affirmative to her siblings' question and with a squeal, Alyssa eagerly transformed into a bolt of electricity and streaked out of the room.

"Alyssa is going to be scolded for that," Chihiro commented with an exasperated shake of head. "Mamas are always reminding her to not streak around the house."

"And she'll keep doing it." Iris said with a shake of her head. "You know how excitable Alyssa is. You think scolding her will change that?"

"Iris!" Rose hissed reprimanding.

"Wha- Hey! Rose that's not what I meant and you know it! You're in my head, you know it wasn't!" Iris shot back.

"But it gave the impres-"

"And they're at it again." Fleda said with a sigh as Rose and Iris started arguing with each other in thankfully increasingly quiet whispers. "You'd think being two personalities of the same person, they'd be less prone to fighting."

"Considering how different they are, did you expect anything less?" Yuki asked the ice mage.

"I think it's cute." Chihiro said with an amused smile at the still bickering Fourth Lord.

"You'd think that sis," Fleda said with a roll of her eyes. "You think everything is cute."

Chihiro pouted at her sister but didn't deny it.

Any further back and forth between those present were cut short however when Alyssa returned dragging Yori into the room behind her, the three Tredicim parents trailing behind the two.

"Yori," Yuki greeted her scion with a wide smile. "Happy birthday!"

"Happy birthday Yori!" Fleda, Chihiro, Alyssa and Rose Iris chorused.

"Thank you," Yori said with a smile, looking between everyone present with gratitude before she settled her eyes on Yuki. "You especially Yuki-sama. I know you planned all this."

For a brief moment, Yuki felt a burst of irritation at who let that cat out of the bag. This was supposed to be a surprise! But she could worry about getting even with the tattletale later. Right now, she had a birthday girl to entertain.

"Anything for you Yori," Yuki said, pulling her into a hug. "Anything."

A couple days after Yori's birthday party, it was a Sunday evening and they were finally out of the date that both she and Yuki-sama had been eagerly anticipating.

They had started the evening by going to watch the Netflix movie #Alive that Sanctuary's arthouse cinema had screened. Sometimes, not being part of the rest of the world was a good thing. It allowed Sanctuary's businesses to shamelessly strike special deals with mundane businesses, or just outright pirate their work. After all, if it was the only way for them to tap into the market, they didn't really have any other choice.

"That was a fun movie," Yuki-sama opined as they walked out of the cinema.

Yori hummed in agreement before adding her two cents. "A little unrealistic in parts though."

"I know right," Yuki-sama said with a giggle. "I mean it was just so damned convenient that just when the protagonists were about to be overwhelmed on the eighth floor, they were rescued by that guy with the zombified wife."

"Yeah," Yori agreed. "But I think the heroic entrance of the helicopter at the end was even more unrealistic. How in the world did they not hear the helicopter coming and why did it fly up, instead of flying down to rescue them?"

Both women laughed at that.

"I can't wait to watch Wow Such Gaming's video on the Zombie Sins for #Alive."

"Neither can I," Yori said with a smile. "I'm sure it'll be a very fun watch."

They smiled at each other at the idea of watching a video from one of their favourite YouTubers together crossed Yori's mind just as she imagined it did for Yuki-sama.

They transitioned to a companionable silence which they enjoyed as they strolled aimlessly through Sanctuary's streets, kept safe from harassment by fans and/or those with malicious intent by a set of wards they'd cast to hide their identities. Thus allowing them to enjoy the metropolitan ambience of the hidden city in peace.

When the quiet was finally broken, it was by both girls trying to speak at the same time.

"Yuki-sama." "Yori."

They both paused at that coincidence for a moment before breaking into giggles of amusement, Yuki-sama waving at Yori to speak first.

"Uh, Yuki-sama, I just, um, wanted to say that I love you."

"I do too," Yuki-sama said with a pleased smile.

A bittersweet smile spread across Yori's face and she shook her head. "No, Yuki-sama. I don't love you in the same way. I love you in the way that I want to be my girlfriend."

"I know. I love you in the same way too."

"Y-Yuki-sama?" Yori gasped, sure that she had misheard what her beloved had said.

"You heard correctly, Yori." Yuki-sama said as she reached over and cupped Yori's face, offering her a nervous smile. "I want you to be my girlfriend too. Or did you forget the kiss in the locker room?"

She hadn't. Couldn't. But yet… This can't be happening, can it!?

"Y-Yu-" Yori began but was cut off as Yuki-sama pulled her into a kiss.

For a moment, Yori was too shocked to respond but that surprise faded quickly and she soon was eagerly returning the kiss.

Kuran Kaname thought of himself as a reasonable person. It is this adherence to logic that had allowed him to agree to allowing his beloved sister, Yuki, to be raised by the Thirteenth Lord against every desire in his body to keep her by his side always. It was this logical, some said scheming, mind of his that had him infiltrate the household of Ichiou to use the connections of the noble, who was certain was allied to the monstrous descendant of his that had awakened him from what should have been his eternal slumber, to build his own support base among the modern Kuranian aristocracy. It was this same mind that left him feeling bewildered at learning from a proud and amused Thirteenth Lord, via letter no less, that it seemed Yuki and her scion had become a couple.

It was thus to alleviate his confusion over this matter that upon receiving said letter that he made haste in making his way to Sanctuary to get to the bottom of this. It meant sneaking out of the Ichijo estate and having his friend, perhaps his only true friend in this world save Yuki, Takuma cover for him but it had to be done.

Teleporting into Sanctuary, he materialized not in the gardens of the Governor's Palace as he usually did when he came to visit Yuki but instead at one of the public arrival points. He got odd looks from the myriad of magical beings present, understandable considering how rare it was to find Kuranians of any type, much less a Pureblood, outside of East Asia where they'd come to settle after being driven out of Europe all those millennia ago. He ignored their looks though and instead stretched out his senses to detect one of the two other Kuranians in the city.

It took him no time at all to pick up Yuki's presence. She shone like a sun to his sense, a veritable star worth of power and liveliness. But this once, she was not the Kuranian he'd come to the hidden magical city to find. Instead, he zeroed in on the only other person of their kind here and teleported to her side.

He reappeared in a park, startling the girl and causing her to leap back in shock, a flaming sword manifesting in her right hand.

"Good evening, Wakaba-san." Kaname greeted the girl with a courteous bow.

"Good evening, Kaname-sama." The girl said with a passable curtsy as she dismissed her sword. "Apologies, you surprised me."

"I can see that," Kaname said, allowing himself an amused smirk at her expense. "May we talk?"

The Level D, though considering the amount of Yuki's blood he sensed inside her and her own talent for magic calling her that seemed ridiculous, hesitantly nodded.

It is hard to tell based on presence alone but I'd wager she's at least equivalent to a mid-tier noble in terms of power. Kaname mused appraisingly. And that's if Yuki doesn't let her drink more of her blood which if what I hear about them is correct, is a distinct possibility. If she does, well… I suppose she would make a worthy consort for Yuki, at least in terms of power.

"Of course, Kaname-sama." She said cautiously. "What would you like to talk about?"

"You and Yuki have begun a relationship, am I correct?" Kaname asked, cutting straight to the point. He usually liked to toy with his conversational partners, leading them in circles before getting to the point but this time he'd make an exception. He was too eager to get his answers to play games. Besides, sometimes surprising others by subverting their expectations was its own brand of amusement.

"Yes," the girl said confidently, leaving Kaname pleasantly surprised. "We have, Kaname-sama."

"I see," Kaname replied slowly, still processing how the girl did not even hesitate to declare the status of her relationship with Yuki to her girlfriend's fiancé and more importantly a Pureblood. "Then I believe I should warn you about what will happen to you if you break Yuki's heart."

Kaname's stern mask almost shattered at the sheer amusement he felt in light of the confusion that spread across Wakaba's face but he managed, continuing with the speech he'd prepared for the occasion.

"She is like a sister or even a daughter to me."

Once he had thought that mayhaps they could've been more. But it seemed like her heart lay elsewhere.

Maybe in another world I'll have better luck. Kaname thought as she pushed aside the bittersweet romantic feelings he felt for Yuki as he continued addressing her girlfriend.

"And if you hurt her…" He trailed off meaningfully even as he let loose a small fraction of his power, causing a nearby bush to wither as it was subjected to the demonstration of his might.

"You're supporting our relationship?" Wakaba-san said, looking lost. "But you two are engaged?"

"I see Yuki did not tell you," Kaname said, knowing full well his sister would not. They had agreed to keep the specifics of their situation a secret as much as possible after all. All the better to confuse their enemies. "Our engagement is largely just a ruse to keep The Council of Elders and the other Purebloods from trying to interfere in our affairs."

"I knew I sensed you here, Kaname-niisan!" Yuki said with a smile as she teleported in, threading an arm with her girlfriend's own and giving the thoroughly confused lesser vampiress' hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Apologies for not going to meet you first, Yuki. I merely came to meet my future sister-in-law." Kaname teased.

Both girls blushed prettily at that and he chuckled at the sight. They looked remarkably cute together.

"Have you two had dinner?" He asked after he'd calmed.

Yuki shook her head and turned to look at her girlfriend.

"I was going to grab something after my walk, so no." The girl with light brown hair explained with a shake of her own head.

"Then let us have a meal together." He offered. "It will be the perfect chance for me to get to know my little sister's girlfriend."

Done!

Hope you liked the direction I took Yuki's pairing. Considering the direction the story is taking I hope it wasn't too much of a surprise.

So how did I do with the romance here? Passable? Utter fail? Do let me know.

Lastly, just want to comment on my characterization of Kaname. I always saw him as someone who keeps hiding behind masks, with his true self so deeply hidden that even he struggles to discern it from the masks he's wearing. That and he has a cruel streak. Hence, the last scene where despite everything, he refuses to show his true feelings to Yori. Even when he's essentially trying to be a good brother and act supportive of Yuki's new relationship, he can't help but use his masks and misdirection to mess with Yori. That and take enjoyment out of her suffering due to his games. It is a very mild form of what he can do. If you don't understand what I mean, go read Vampire Knight canon and you'll get it.

Well that's it for today till next time la revedere!