Chapter 2:

It was cold.

It was dark.

There were flurries of snow.

There was a smell of blood in the air. A strong smell of blood.

That of two purebloods.

A massacre had taken place a few hours ago.

And even then, the smell didn't go away.


A young girl was walking through the snow.

Her dark brown, almost black hair and the ends of her white scarf flew around her.

She was not wearing a coat. She hadn't had time.

So, she shivered slightly.

One of his hands was resting on his nose. She was trying hard not to smell blood.

Their blood. The blood of his parents.

At the thought, she let out a sob as multiple tears rolled down her cold-red cheeks.

She knew they were going to die, but it didn't hurt any less.

She had really loved them.

With her free hand, she wiped away her tears. She took a deep breath and quickened her walk.

When she will get there, there must be no trace of her grief.

Even if it was hard, she should do it.

To survive.


A light appeared in the distance.

The girl let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't take it anymore.

She was exhausted and she had very cold.

Although vampires hardly ever got sick, it wouldn't surprise her if she caught a cold.

She took a deep breath, the cold entering her lungs burning her throat.

Then, gathering her last strength, she ran towards the light.


A small house soon appeared.

From where she stood, the girl could smell a pureblood and two humans.

'He had found it ... Good', she thought reassured.

She knew he would succeed, but given his presence in this world, nothing was really certain.

She stopped in front of the door.

Slightly out of breath, she decided to catch her breath before knocking.

But it seems her brother either sensed or heard her coming, for he opened the door wide, gazing at her relieved.

"Aya! You are finally here!"

She tried to smile at him but only managed to make a strange face. It seemed that past events still affected him as much.

So, to prevent Kaname from making a remark, the young girl threw herself into his arms.

He smelled of firewood and a faint smell of blood.

Normally being in his arms made her feel good, safe, safe from any danger. However, because of the smell of blood and despite her resolve on the way, she cried.

"Aya ..."

Kaname's voice was weak when he said her first name.

The young girl did not know why but this made her tears redouble.

Kaname's arms, which had since long closed around her, squeezed her body a little tighter as her hands gently rubbed her back.

"Hush, hush, calm down," he pleaded with her voice still weak. "I promise that nothing will happen to you and that we will get revenge."

"Don't make promises that you can't keep," Aya managed to answer between sobs. "Something will surely happen to me. I am a Kuran ..."

Kaname pulled away from her slightly to cup her face.

"Aya, look at me," he asked her when he saw that her teary eyes were avoiding her gaze.

He knew how much Aya hated to cry, let alone in front of anyone.

But it was Kaname… and although he was a heartless manipulative ancestor most of the time, the young girl had become attached to him as he did to her, so slowly she laid her eyes on him.

"Never. You hear me? Never again will you be hurt in any way as long as I am alive. Okay?"

Aya who was trying to calm down, could only nod her head, gasping slightly.

Kaname hugged her back, whispering in her ear.

"Go calm down, please ... I need you and your strength for the future."

He needed her.

It might have been stupid but this confession from Kaname touched her deep in her heart and helped her calm down.

So, she pulled away from him a few seconds later and wiped away the few tears that were beading her cheeks before looking at him, nodding her head.

"I'm here."

Kaname smiled at this statement and gently kissed his forehead before waving him forward.

As she walked, Aya heard Kaname shut the door behind her before quickly coming back to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist.

In the living room was a little girl with chocolate eyes and hair sitting on the floor with her coat still on her back.

"Where's Kaien?" Aya asked surprised not to see him.

"He went into the kitchen a few minutes ago to make tea. Besides, it takes a long time."

"No!" Aya exclaimed as she saw him leave for the kitchen. "You'll take care of Yuki and I'll go see him."

"Why?" Kaname asked surprised by his reaction.

Aya looked at him in dismay at his reaction and slapped her right hand on the forehead. Sometimes she really wondered if Kaname was a ten-thousand-year-old vampire.

"Because, fool, losing someone you loved and believed to be invincible and immortal can tear us apart from within."

Kaname looked at her with wide eyes. She wouldn't say if it was the fact of having called him a fool, of having revealed to him that Kaien is in love with their mother, of having suddenly regained his impulsive and volcanic character while a few moments ago she was crying in his arms, or else all three.

Still, instead of waiting for a response, Aya passed him and headed for the kitchen.

She found Kaien staring blankly at the already hot kettle, which was overheating.

Aya rushed to turn off the kettle before finally turning to Kaien.

He wasn't looking at her. He seemed to be places here.

The young girl didn't really know how to help him, so she just hugged him.

It seemed to help him as he closed his arms around her, taking a deep breath. His mind had returned here.

She felt her body start to shake slightly as she began to affectionately rub her back.

"Juri…" Kaien said in a small voice.

Aya didn't know if he took her for his mother or if he was trying to make a sentence but she kept trying to console him as best she could.

"Juri… left…"

"Yes…" Aya confirmed as she felt her tears return.

However, this time around she didn't know if she wanted to cry for the loss of her mother or because it pained her to hear how torn Kaien was by the news.

Probably for both.

"She ... will never come back ... never again ..."

He was crying now.

Aya took a deep breath before declaring:

"You know it's not because she's physically gone that she doesn't exist anymore. Juri will always be alive ..."

"How?" he asked her.

"She will continue to live in our hearts forever."

"Yes…"

"Then in that case", continued the young girl in a voice filled with tears, "we too must continue to live ... so that her memory does not disappear."

"Yes…"

They hugged each other silently mourning their loss for several minutes.


Kaname and Aya walked through the snowy night, silently.

They had left Yuki with Kaien a few minutes ago now.

"What you said to Kaien…" said Kaname suddenly breaking the silence.

Aya turned her head towards him, curious to know the rest.

"On the memory of Juri ..."

"Yes?"

"You really think it?" Kaname finally asked, stopping to look her in the eye.

The young girl stopped too.

"Of course yes, I was very serious. Our parents will live forever through us."

Kaname didn't answer but smiled sadly before surprising her by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back to him.

They didn't say anything. Yet in each other's arms it was all said and done.

They vowed to stay together forever.

Unfortunately, Aya knew that someday she would have to break that oath to let Yuki replace her.


"Kaname?" Aya said softly.

He stopped reading to look at her.

They had been at the Ichijo mansion for a few days now.

"Do you really think it's such a good idea to live under the same roof as Asato Ichijo?"

Kaname only looked at her silently which made her uncomfortable and prompted her to explain.

"I mean, I appreciate his help and Takuma is nice but I'm afraid that in time Asato will try to take advantage of it ..."

"Don't worry," Kaname said finally, smiling.

He put down his book and got up from his chair to join Aya on the sofa opposite.

Once seated next to her, Kaname put an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to her. He then took her chin in his right hand to make her look him in the eye.

This closeness, although normally between them, bothered Aya who couldn't help but blush.

"Living with the Ichijo is a good way to watch part of the Senate and get into its good graces."

Kaname's explanation surprised Aya, but she understood his logic.

"Manipulate and take advantage of those who want to manipulate you and take advantage of you," she muttered.

Kaname looked at her strangely a few seconds after that as a veil of sadness fell over her eyes.

"What is it?" Aya asked worried about the sudden sadness.

"Nothing…"

"Kaname ..."

Aya frowned when he looked away.

He was not the type to hide from the eyes of others at all.

The young girl climbed onto his knees and took her face between her two hands to force him to look at her.

"Tell me."

He watched her for a few seconds.

Aya knew she had won the moment he let out a sigh.

A triumphant smile appeared on his lips.

"What you were saying earlier reminded me of something quite similar that someone said to me in the past."

"I see…"

She watched for a few moments before daring to add:

"And you became sad because this person is no longer in this world?"

Kaname didn't answer him but his silence spoke for him.

It had to be someone from her past that he was close with or it had to be someone he had met at that time but who died before she met him herself.

Wanting to erase this sadness on her face so similar to hers at times, she kissed his forehead before asking happily:

"Are you coming for a walk with me?"

Kaname smiles. It seemed like he had understood his ploy.

"All right," he agreed before kissing her nose.

Aya smiled at him and got off his knees to then grab his hand and lead him to the gardens.


Despite some sun burns, Aya had had a good time in the gardens with Kaname.

As she put on her nightgown, the door to her bedroom opened.

Aya was going to shout at the person she was never allowed to enter her room without her permission before noticing that it was Kaname who was in the doorway.

"I'm not bothering you?" he asked.

"No, no," she assured him, beckoning him to enter completely. "What's the matter?"

Kaname walked over to her and grabbed her right hand without a word. He took her to bed and once the two of them were inside he said with bloody red eyes:

"I'm hungry."