Hello everyone. It's your shameful author here, dashing in with a super late chapter. Sorry to have worried anyone. February has been a mess and I have been distracted with a side project. Expect the next chapter to also be delayed, but TWOFT remains my main focus, and will until I finish it.
I'm a little surprised nobody in last chapter's comments so much as mentioned Kaname being shameless and lounging naked while drinking wine. That's peak Kaname right there, my friends.
XLI. East of the Fire, West of the Flood
"I don't understand why you're upset," Zero drawls lazily. "So what if the Senate makes me testify? I'll lie and tell them I killed Shizuka." Zero had wanted to kill her, anyway.
He shifts on his pureblood throne, sprawled over both Yuuki and Kaname's laps while laying on his back. His omega instincts are purring quietly, pleased to have his alphas' attention focused on himself. He's been nearly inseparable from his spouses and disgustingly needy for over a week now, as though his omega is protesting their absence by being extra demanding.
With that thought, Zero nuzzles his face into Yuuki's soft stomach, 'accidentally' letting the collar of his robe fall open to reveal his naked shoulder. He's not wearing a stitch underneath.
Yuuki has the expression of a woman exerting great self-control not to molest him. Zero shoots her a smug look, acutely aware he's full of so much seed it's leaked down his inner thighs all the way to his knees.
Kaname places a hand on Zero's calf, a considering glint in his eye. Indulging his instincts, Zero opens his thighs a little wider, just to see how far he can push.
His husband blinks, visibly drawing himself back and clearing his throat. Past the warm twist in his gut, Zero is touched - they try so hard to keep his body's limits in mind.
"Having the Senate interrogate you is different than your bouts with the Jeweled Court," Kaname replies, tearing his hand away from Zero's skin and busying himself with the remains of the snacks Zero polished off on the side table.
"As the Head Consort, you possess a position of authority. You can set the pace, and the Court's traditions limit avenues of attack. If you testify before the Senate, the cross examination could go on for hours - days even - and every question will be meant to entrap you. The Senate does not operate beneath the silken veil of politeness the Court demands."
"What do we do then?" Yuuki questions as she plays with the sleeve of Zero's robe.
"Refusing to let Zero testify will set public opinion against him," Kaname states contemplatively, hand unconsciously drifting to Zero's thigh. "But allowing Zero to be interrogated in an open Senate session is equally unfavorable. As much as you've improved, you will eventually be goaded into admitting something they will spin into an attack. What we need is a middle ground. Something that gives the impression of compliance, but abides by limits we set."
Yuuki hums. "Zero is our omega. Can't we use that fact as justification?"
"Leverage 'protective alpha' stereotypes to force concessions?" Kaname sips his tea. "It could work, especially if we demand privileges due to our blood status as well."
Grinning, Yuuki sing-songs, "We wouldn't want a pureblooded alpha's protective instincts stirred up, now would we? Who knows how violent we might get."
Zero snickers - Kaname's self-control is practically unbreakable, but the aristocrats won't know that. Just imagining a bunch of arrogant nobles sweating nervously is satisfying.
His wife wears a matching grin, swooping down to peck a kiss on Zero's nose. "Since it involves Zero, I'll ask you to help out, Kaname."
Kaname's hand sneaks up Zero's leg underneath his robe. "Of course. Anything for our precious boy. That goes without saying."
Zero's chest holds a warm, squishy feeling. He puts a hand to his cheek, the heat of a blush meeting his fingers. Embarrassing. Utterly embarrassing. "Today is a holiday," he mutters, giving tacit permission to the hand creeping up between his thighs, edging closer and closer to forbidden places, cheeks burning so hard he's sure he must be tomato-red.
Yuuki giggles, and Zero muffles his squeal in his sleeve as Kaname's fingers slide inside him. Pinned on his back, he stares wide-eyed up into identical predatory faces, and that's the last clear thought in his head for the rest of the night.
Following Shirabuki Sara's steps is like winding through the tunnels of an anthill. You could hear things moving in the walls, feel the weight of the mound pressing down, but all you see is the single, winding tunnel under your feet.
Tracking her network of spies is much the same. No matter how many drones you catch, all you find is whispers in the wind. A single order or a fragment of information is all Yuuki gleans at best. Only the hive's dead queen knew the true intentions behind her orders.
Most of Shirabuki's servants are under the effects of her mind-control drug, meaning distinguishing fact from fiction is impossible. Many of them aren't even aware they're following her orders, their memories wiped after being unwillingly recruited.
The prisons holding Shirabuki's servants while the antidote is developed are beginning to burst at the seams, and Yuuki is no closer to holding answers than she was before.
Walking away from another useless interrogation, Seiren at her back, Yuuki bites down the nagging suspicion that Kaname could have done better.
They caught the latest agent in his home, an apartment building in a well-off vampire neighborhood. Others have been found in the slums, among the households of the nobility, and from every walk of life. Shirabuki's influence reaches deep, from the highest towers to the lowest bowels of the vampire world.
Alerted by the commotion, the apartment building's residents are opening their doors and peering out. Upon seeing Yuuki, their faces shine with disturbing admiration, and they fall to their knees, bowing until their foreheads touch the ground.
'Kuran-hime, Kuran-hime' - those words surround Yuuki , making her skin prickle. The common vampires have always revered the Kuran family, but this is a new level of awe. In the eyes of most vampires, the Kuran family has just saved their world, acting decisively to preserve their way of life when the Senate failed. Dissatisfaction with the Senate has only grown, and Kaname's vast power makes them whisper - stories of the old monarchy, of their ancestors, and of the Original King.
Yuuki accepts their cries and respectful obeisances because she wants to be polite, but it makes her uncomfortable to see. Purebloods have always been sacred existences in the minds of ordinary vampires, but those expectations would be impossible to live up to.
"Tell me what you think of the situation, Seiren," Yuuki orders when the car door shuts, and they are alone again.
Kaname's shadow reflects for a moment. "Through her drug and pureblood commands, Shirabuki Sara created an extensive spy network whose sole purpose was to manipulate public opinion in favor of purebloods. Finding any single agent who knows anything useful will be a matter of luck."
Dissatisfaction strikes Yuuki again, and she bites her lip. "Seiren, please have time set aside in my schedule every other day for training."
"As you wish, Yuuki-hime," the other woman replies, inclining her head without a single flicker of expression.
Yuuki lowers her eyes, folding her hands in her lap. Kaname treats her more and more like an equal, like someone who can help him. But the more he treats her like an equal, and the more other people take her seriously, the more Yuuki really wants to become Kaname's equal. Kaname's equal in skill. Kaname's equal in power. But the gulf between them is so wide. If Yuuki can close that gap, even just a little…
"Seiren," Yuuki amends. "Change my schedule to have at least an hour of training each day."
With the size of its members' egos, Zero imagined the Senate building would look more impressive. From the outside it appears deceptively ordinary, blending seamlessly into the cityscape like just one more average corporate office. The structure's only unique feature is the domed roof over the Senate chamber on the top floor.
Except right now, the crowd gathered in front the building's facade at two in the morning is abnormal enough to draw suspicion. The sullen Senators and their staff have all been drawn up in the front, forced to greet the Kuran family in person no matter how much they resent Kaname's forceful actions.
Behind them, held back by a line of security personnel, is a mob of C-rank vampires cheering and waving, even falling to their knees and bowing. Zero finds the devotion uncomfortable - Hunters never hold such devout adoration even toward their heroes - but Kaname and Yuuki seem unmoved by the pious praise.
The three of them are bundled into the building as quickly as the Senators can manage. The Senate came out looking bad in the last crisis, and with their already poor popularity they obviously don't want the reporters mixed in with the crowd to get any more unflattering pictures.
The Senate building's interior shows all the opulence Zero was expecting - crystal chandeliers, thick pile carpets, architecturally unnecessary pillars, and gold gilding everywhere. Zero won't get to see the Senate floor itself. Through Kaname and Yuuki's negotiations, Zero will give testimony only to the investigative committee itself.
While the rest of their attendants are escorted away to wait, Zero and his spouses are led deeper into the building, entering a restricted access wing containing the Senators' private offices. Zero is not walking in blind. Kaname has coached Zero's responses for weeks, and the Senate is forbidden from asking about anything except Shizuka's death. But Zero would really, really like to be somewhere else right now.
Unfortunately, it seems Zero hasn't been granted a convenient escape. Entering an especially heavily decorated, deserted hallway, their escort raps on the only door in sight. A male voice replies, inviting them inside. Their escort holds the door open for the three of them and then shuts it after they pass through, leaving Zero and the Kurans alone with the room's single noble-rank occupant.
This vampire has a distinguished air, and holds himself confidently. He's handsome enough for Zero to remark on it, with a high forehead and round face. His sleek black hair holds just a hint of his silver at the temples, hinting at his real age. There's intelligence in his gaze, and even standing politely in the center of the room he gives off a strong presence. Zero is somehow reminded of Takuma.
"Kuran-sama, Kuran-hime," the noble murmurs, executing a precise bow.
"Chairman Ichihara," Kaname replies, voice distant.
Zero's eyebrows raise, and he takes a second look. So this is the Senate's leader? Ichihara is said to be very capable.
Ichihara does not lift his eyes, remaining folded into his bow. "My deepest apologies for not greeting you personally when you arrived. Last-minute preparations prevented me from paying my respects."
Half-truth, Zero's intuition informs him. The preparations really hindered him, but he's not sorry about it.
"Then I am sure your arrangements will be impeccable, since you take such care with your duties," Kaname responds, the tone of a voice a clear warning if the pureblood finds anything unsatisfactory.
Ichihara's bow deepens. "Of course, Kuran-sama. As you requested, only the committee members and myself will be personally present during Kiryuu-sama's interview. A separate viewing room has been arranged where you and any other interested Senators may watch remotely through video."
Unseen by the bowing noble, Kaname's lips press together in a disdainful line, before smoothing out into unruffled calm.
After Kaname allows Ichihara to straighten, the two discuss small details for a few minutes - Kaname's demeanor is cool and terse while Ichihara remains exhaustingly respectful without acting obsequious. Yuuki observes closely, though saying nothing.
Left to his own devices, Zero paces the office in a slow circle, pausing to examine anything that catches his eye. Ichihara's office is conservatively decorated, almost spartan, and completely lacks any family photographs or personal objects. An antique desk stacked with papers and a few leather-upholstered chairs are the focal point of the room. Shelves of law books and filing cabinets line the perimeter, and a few paintings depicting previous Senate residences decorate the walls. The chairman seems to be a man focused on his work, to the exclusion of all else.
Glancing back toward his spouses, Zero watches the interplay between Kaname and Ichihara unfold, sorting through the information his extra sense imparts. Kaname holds a certain regard for Ichihara, but they're not friends, and not precisely enemies. Truthfully, Zero can't tell whether they like or dislike one another. They're certainly not at ease in each others' presence. Ichihara is always maneuvering carefully, each word precisely chosen.
Zero lets his intuition flare, and tastes the noble's fearful caution like a burn scar. Considering Ichihara once more, Zero's brows furrow.
"Then we will leave Zero in your care, Chairman," Yuuki says, the words more like a threat. Zero startles, realizing time has slipped has away from him.
Ichihara's expression does not waver, and he bows once more. "I will bring Consort Kiryuu to the committee's room at the proper time. Until then, I invite him to wait here."
Neither of Zero's spouses are happy, but when a muscle in Kaname's cheek jumps, instinct sends Zero straight toward his husband. Understanding without words, Zero wraps his arms around Kaname, feeling something unsteady with ragged edges inside the pureblood that needs to be soothed. This happens sometimes - that Zero knows something is wrong with Kaname. If Zero had to describe the feeling, it's like seeing a cat with its fur fluffed up being stroked against its fur.
Zero lays his cheek against his husband's shoulder, going pliant and allowing Kaname to passively scent him. "I'll be okay. Come find me when we're done."
The bunched muscles beneath Zero's cheek gradually relax; Zero knows that Kaname has regained his inner balance, and steps away. Yuuki receives her own lingering hug. Zero allows himself to luxuriate in her affection one last time, like a man drinking water at the edge of a desert.
Then their escort returns, and Yuuki and Kaname leave with their perfect pureblood masks back in place.
Left alone with a stranger, Zero eyes Ichihara doubtfully, but the noble shows nothing except placid politeness. "You make take a seat if you wish, Kiryuu-sama. Please make yourself at ease," Ichihara invites, sitting down at his desk and gesturing toward one of the chairs placed in front.
Zero decides that accepting the invitation is better than deliberately spiting the man. While Ichihara takes out a fountain pen and begins annotating one of the many documents stacked on his desk, Zero does a passable job arranging the heavy silk of his formal robes without creasing them.
The scratch of the pen's nib on paper is the only sound in the room. Zero tries not to stare as Ichihara works. He was expecting some kind of malicious gesture once the Kurans left, but Ichihara does not offer a hint of offense.
"Thank you for allowing me to wait with you," Zero blurts, desperate to understand why Ichihara hasn't even insulted him.
Ichihara pauses, the pen in his hand halting as he raises his head. "It is my privilege, Kiryuu-sama. It's the least I can do since the Senate's request is inconveniencing you."
The tone of those last few words makes Zero's power twist and leap. "You think having me testify is a really bad idea," he blurts, half-incredulous though he knows it's the truth.
Chest rising in steady breaths, Ichihara watches him for a moment, then puts down his pen. "I have made it privately known that I believe any further testimony is unnecessary. But I carry out the wishes of the Senate as a whole, and whatever my personal opinions, this is what the majority had decided."
"Why do you disagree?" Zero continues, his gut urging him to spill the question.
Ichihara pauses for even longer this time. "Kuran-sama clearly treasures you. And you have been questioned once before. I ask if there is any long-term gain worth the potential conflict that raising the issue again may cause."
What a careful, unsatisfying answer; Ichihara's reputation as a mediator is well-earned. Ichihara believes that going after Zero to indirectly attack Kaname and Yuuki won't be worth it, because Zero himself is someone they won't allow to be harmed, and will provoke them into a more vicious response. How perceptive of the man to identify one of Kaname's true triggers.
"It's nearly time," Ichihara demurs, rising and circling around beside Zero's chair. He offers Zero an arm. "May I escort you?"
Feeling off-balance, Zero eyes the man, hesitating to accept the help. Ichihara is the Senate's Chairman, and thus supposed to be his enemy.
Ichihara waits patiently, hand outstretched and the picture of unruffled calm. "You need not be reluctant. As you can tell, I am a beta. You are a very beautiful member of your dynamic, Kiryuu-sama, but my tastes lie toward unattached noblewomen my own age."
What a strange man, Zero thinks as he allows himself to be lifted out of his chair, fighting the weight of his robes. A silver-tongued politician who, as far as Zero's intuition can tell, spends most of his time telling the truth.
Zero watches Ichihara out of the corner of his eye, still off-balance. Ichihara keeps their pace relaxed to accommodate him. The heavy layers of Zero's black formal robes slow him down, and the panels of his silver peony patterned sleeves nearly reach the floor.
"A word of advice," Ichihara says suddenly when they reach a pair of heavy double doors. Behind them, Zero's senses catch voices and a current of anticipation lighting the air. This must be the committee's room. "Try crying. A roomful of alphas can never resist an omega."
Zero just stares at the noble. He simply doesn't know what to make of the man. "Thank you," he settles on.
Ichihara makes a gesture of acknowledgement, and then the two of them are striding into a low-ceilinged, close room packed with far too many alphas. The stuffy, still air is a swamp of aggressive pheromones and animosity.
Zero hardens his stoicism, remaining defiantly unmoved despite the way his stomach churns sickly. There are two empty seats in the room beside each other; Ichihara settles Zero into one, and takes the other himself. Looking out at the unfriendly faces lining the walls - standing room only - the Hunter feels his belly twist, his omega gnawing at his nerves.
And after a few opening words from the investigative committee chair, the interrogation begins.
"Consort Kiryuu. Did you kill Hio Shizuka-sama?"
"My actions led to her death," Zero replies, skirting the truth just as he's been coached. "It was within my right to do so, as a Hunter enforcing the treaty laws."
"But you are not just a Hunter. You are Hio-sama's thrall, and it is forbidden for a thrall to attack their Master. The penalty is death. Do you deny this?"
Zero chokes, mind racing. He's never been judged under vampire law for his actions, though the Senate had tried. Now that his legal status has changed, written into the very treaty he used to defend his actions…
Shit. He doesn't know enough to judge if that's legally viable. And with just that, Zero is left off-balance and unprepared, easy prey.
You held malice toward your master, did you not?
Did you intend to kill Hio-sama when you saw her that night?
Then you admit that the situation did not require her death
You were capable of capturing her then?
But you killed her, even when why didn't need to, correct?
Tell us why, Kiryuu-sama
Tell us more, Kiryuu-sama
Explain yourself.
Incriminate yourself for us.
Zero defends and defends, the events of that night twisting out of recognition He's forced to repeat himself over and over, every detail dug out like a corpse and presented in the worst light.
Kaname was right. This is nothing like the Jeweled Court. His heartbeat skyrockets and his palms grow sweaty, folded inside his silk sleeves. Even Zero's weak nose can smell the scent of distressed omega rising from his skin. A few of the alphas shift uneasily, but press harder, forcefully suppressing their instinct to protect.
The moments seem to expand, voices echoing queerly, time twisting and distending in Zero's brain. His vision narrows, panic rising in this throat. This - what is this?
Stumbling over his words, Zero realizes the crushing feeling in his gut comes from his omega. It's always been a violent, fearless beast, but it has never made him feel like an animal in a trap before. Yes, a trap - instinct desires the blood of the alphas threatening him, but his omega feels as though its back is against a wall. It's caught, caution warring with rage.
He wants Yuuki and Kaname, wants his alphas - where are they? They're supposed to be here. Why aren't they protecting him?
Zero's hands tighten inside his sleeves, and his scent spikes with distress; all the alphas around him scrutinize him. A few of them have a mean, pleased, sharp look in their eyes. Mouth dry, Zero's breathing goes unsteady and uneven, the panicked taste of bile on his tongue.
Their voices are spears, seeking blood.
Zero bleeds, and bleeds, falling back.
Just as his panic mounts to unbearable levels, and his stoic mask is on the verge of fracture, a hand touches the fabric of Zero's sleeve.
Dazed, Zero turns his head to find Ichihara at his elbow, expression unmoved. "Let us pause for a moment. I will take Kiryuu-sama out to rest for a few minutes."
Zero has no idea how they get to the tiny office nearby. He has just enough presence of mind left not to crumple into the couch in front of Ichihara, but he still needs to sit and breathe until the scent of angry, threatening alpha coating his senses thins.
Once his thoughts slow, Zero's eyes find Ichihara watching him from the center of the room.
Ichihara simply says, "I could not allow the situation to continue. Kuran-sama would have slaughtered the Senate."
Truth. Zero swallows, sensing the twin disasters bearing down on their position. The rage contained within Yuuki and Kaname's auras frightens and reassures him by turns. His alphas are here, and he will be safe. Not abandoned.
Zero speaks not a word of protest when Yuuki sweeps him up and carries him straight past the crowds.
In the last moment, as the car pulls away from the curb, past his muddled emotions, Zero imagines a spark of something familiar brushing his Hunter senses.
"I hoped I might find you here, Kuran Kaname-san." As Shouto Isaya stands upon his castle's grand staircase, his grey eyes glitter like frost, and when he speaks his tone mingles request and order. "Come enjoy a drink with me. We have not spoken in some time."
A flicker of Kaname's eyelashes hides a flood of calculation.
So it has come to this? How polite, waiting until Kaname's quarrel with the Senate is contained to a rude simmer. Prudent, too, for Shouto to wait until he's thoroughly prepared and the sword of his logic is all the sharper.
Kaname revealed the extent of his powers; this confrontation exists as the inevitable result. Only another sufficiently ancient pureblood could comprehend the true depth and breadth of the Ancestor's feat, and how utterly, utterly impossible it would be for Juuri and Haruka's real son.
"I will gladly accept your hospitality, Shouto-san." Until he can discern how deep the pureblood's suspicions run, Kaname will play along.
Once ensconced in a nondescript receiving room, Kaname accepts a glass of blood wine, mind unwillingly drawn back to the last time the two of them played such games and Takuma gave away his heart.
Pouring his own glass, Shouto offhandedly mentions, "I hope Consort Kiryuu is well."
Only Kaname's hard-won control preserves his indifference.
The pureblood swallows his wine without tasting it. "Zero is as well as could be expected."
It is more or less true. His instincts brought to a crisis from stress, Zero has remained for days in his nesting den. When he's not sleeping like the dead, Zero can't be pried away from his alphas' company, demanding their constant presence, and he's fed desperately from both Yuuki and Kaname several times. Allowing Shoshana's company has helped somewhat to ground him, for which Kaname is grateful, but Zero is still not his normal self.
Kaname himself is elbow deep in a legal quarrel over Zero's right to execute Hio Shizuka - which Kaname will eventually win, because arguing Zero's new treaty-imposed legal status as vampire foremost should be retroactively applied to the legality of his previous actions as a Hunter is ridiculous. The Senate has been making the most of things, of course, using the controversy and publicity to their advantage.
Frankly, the Senate stands within a razor's edge of Kaname wiping the field clean and killing them all. Threatening Zero or Yuuki is intolerable. However, eliminating the Senate would require Kaname to take over the government himself, which would displease him. He needs to devote his time to courting Zero and teaching Yuuki. As long as the Senate saves him the trouble, Kaname will reserve slaughter as a last resort.
"I wish to emphasize once more, Kuran-san, that I have no interest in interfering with your affairs," Shouto begins. "I lack interest in anything except Takuma and my child slumbering in his belly. I am content to support his political work from a distance, without becoming involved myself."
The pureblood's expression goes cold, and he gives up any pretense of drinking. "But I will protect my family, Kuran-san. I will never allow them to be taken from me again, even if they desire it. So please understand. I cannot protect them when I do not know the danger. You will either need to explain yourself to my satisfaction, or I cannot permit Takuma to associate with you any further."
Kaname's grip tightens just short of shattering the glass in his hand. He may understand Shouto's reasoning, but being offered an ultimatum tries his temper. "I assume you have eliminated the easy answers?"
Shouto's expression stays cold. "I have. I was surprised to find the other pureblood families remain completely intact. I thought you might have consumed one or two of the Sleeping clans to boost your power."
"It wouldn't be enough," Kaname replies, testing Shouto's knowledge.
"No. But it would have been something," Shouto rebuts. "Your strength should be impossible for a pureblood your age. I can produce no explanation for your power."
If it were anyone else, Kaname might have been able to manufacture a suitable lie. Unfortunately, Shouto knows pureblood powers too intimately to fool. That leaves two possibilities.
Kaname could leave now and refuse to tell Shouto anything. That means he will lose Takuma and make an opponent of Shouto. If necessary, Kaname would probably be able to kill Shouto, but it would be arduous. Shouto is among the eldest living purebloods, and therefore nearer to Kaname in power.
On the other hand, Kaname can't predict how Shouto will respond if Kaname reveals the truth. Shouto could become an enemy anyway, and still remove Takuma from Kaname's circle. The vampire's promises aside, Shouto could also reveal Kaname to the Senate, or the other purebloods - either side would immediately attempt to eliminate him.
Kaname is not so sunk in his deliberations that he allows his unruffled mask to slip. Downing the last of his wine to delay, he places the glass aside, weighing his options.
If Shouto pursues this further, how long could Kaname honestly block Shouto from discovering Kaname's origins? Yuuki found out, so why not Shouto?
Kaname trusted Shouto Isaya once before, and Takuma gained a beloved alpha. Should Kaname trust him again?
The Ancestor of the Kuran almost scoffs. Really, he's been spending far to much time around Zero. Decision made, Kaname allows a hint of his mirth to creep into his gaze.
Shouto, feeling the shift in the air, furrows his brows.
I can always kill him later, Kaname consoles himself. "Very well. If you wish to know so badly, I'll give you the opportunity. But I will have your silence, Shouto Isaya, or I will have your heart."
Shouto agrees immediately. "Acceptable. As I said, I will not interfere, but I promise nothing regarding your association with Takuma before I can accurately judge the risk."
"Also acceptable." The smirk on Kaname's face widens. "My name is Kaname, and I bear the Kuran bloodline. But I am not Haruka's son, nor Juuri's child."
The puzzled look on Shouto's face is wonderfully entertaining. Kaname can almost see the flicker of his thoughts, colliding and connecting.
Minutes pass. Shouto becomes more and more agitated, fingers tapping against his arms as he thinks. As the royal line, the Kuran family is especially well documented and its members are carefully accounted for, but guessing Kaname's identity still isn't simple.
Kaname decides to throw Shouto one last clue. "I remember the beginning of our race. Perhaps I will also witness our end."
Shouto rears back, his shock apparent. Stumbling against a table, his wineglass shatters as it's knocked to the floor.
The Ancestor of the Kuran laughs, stalking forward. "I see you understand. Now tell me, Shouto Isaya, do I have need of your death?"
Shouto falls to his knees, eyes fixed on Kaname's face. "Ancestor of the Kuran. Your majesty, I will not expose you."
"Good." Kaname places his hand on Shouto's throat, tipping the vampire's head back. "It would displease me to orphan Takuma's child."
Zero comes back to himself slowly. Now twice betrayed, his omega eases back under his control with great reluctance. When he feels secure enough to have visitors, Shoshana urges Zero to allow himself what he needs, no matter how shameful.
So he does.
With Zero so needy, it's almost like another heat, all three of them isolated together in the warm soft darkness of Zero's nest. The omega teaches Zero how to use his sweet scent and pitiful mewls to make Kaname and Yuuki indulge his tiniest whim. Nuzzle at a throat, and they fall over themselves to feed you. Cling to their hand whenever they try to leave, and they climb right back in and let you sleep on top of them. Whine, and they will take you in their arms and lay claim to your body right there, marking you so well.
After Zero feels safe enough to roam the estate, they remain in a kind of self-imposed isolation, refusing visitors and invitations. But it can't last forever, and eventually Kaname and Yuuki must leave him behind. Zero remains at Rosehill, out of sight, while Kaname fights the Senate for his safety, and Yuuki hunts down Shirabuki Sara's legacy.
They - one two three points of a triangle - slip off into the human world whenever the desire to be together grows strong. In the world of night they attract too much attention, forcing them into yet another scripted performance, while the humans' bright world is shapeless and faceless, easy to lose themselves in.
Zero pulls up the hood of his raincoat, while Yuuki and Kaname walk arm-in-arm beneath the eaves of a cheap umbrella they'd bought from a street vender, too small to fit all three of them. They'd flown across the sea to sample one of the famous night markets, then been caught in the rain. Hair damp and clothes wind-blown, they wander until the market closes, then sightsee until even the nightlife sleeps.
Ducking beneath a flickering halogen sign, Kaname and Yuuki introduce Kaname to the wonders of terrible all-you-can-eat buffet food, the only thing open at four in the morning. Yuuki and Kaname cooperate in a dastardly plan to stuff Zero like a goose - really, Zero doesn't need the help. His appetite has been healthy lately, and he's put back on the weight he lost during his heat.
They can't always avoid vampire eyes - they've been caught once or twice, cold reminders of reality as they drift within the cities' soft mortal tides. Nevertheless, they cannot resist the chance.
The rain may be chilly, but the night is good.
Zero tries to project confidence as Kaname draws up the hood of his brand new coat. "I know what I want for Midsummer," Zero ventures, testing the waters.
Yuuki presses an umbrella into Zero's hands firmly - he's been more sensitive to sun since their bonding - and tips her head sideways in interest.
Pinned between two purebloods who will pounce on the tiniest opportunity to spoil him, Zero fumbles. "I, ah...seem to remember Yuuki…"
You're a grown adult, who already decided you wanted this, Zero reminds himself, the nervous heat in his belly jumping.
"..staking her claim on my ass."
Yuuki makes a tiny 'ah' noise, then claps her hands together with sparkling eyes, a fox welcomed into the chicken coop. "Really? Now I wish you weren't going to the solstice celebration!"
Zero buries his face in his hands, cursing his own boldness and persistent curiosity. This was probably a terrible idea. But Zero couldn't stop thinking about it - couldn't stop imagining it - and he doesn't take the words back now. This is something Zero has wanted to give Yuuki for a long time, a piece of himself that she alone will hold. The idea appeals to him, and felt safe when he prodded at it.
Kaname chuckles, prying Zero's palms away from his face, and husks into Zero's ear. "So bold, little Hunter. Such a pretty invitation. Shall we leave you a little anticipation to savor while you're gone?"
Yuuki yanks Zero's coat lapels, pulling him down and kissing the daylights out of him. "We'll be ready when you get back," she promises, breath fanning against his lips. Then with one last nip to Zero's reddened lower lip, Yuuki flutters away, nearly dancing on her toes she's so excited.
Zero coughs, attempts to straighten his clothes, and flees. He's no untried maiden any longer, and he understands the slight damp feeling between his legs.
That touch of warmth in Zero's blood distracts him from the coldness some of the other Hunters treat him with. But Zero loves seeing Misao and Kaito's kids, and spends the Midsummer celebration visiting with Yagari-sensei and stuffing himself on Misao's cooking.
When the celebration draws toward sunset and the bonfires burn low, Zero's lucky no one asks why he's checking his clock so often, because the promise of going home hums like a constant, gentle anticipation under his skin.
Just like last year, Kaname's raven escort waits patiently in the trees until Zero leaves. After Zero passes the boundaries, the bird glides down, perching on his offered wrist while he waits for Kaname. Despite the heat, the Hunter shudders beneath the breeze. He's more excited than he expected.
The next moment, Zero raises his head to find wine-colored eyes fixed upon him. A shivery feeling washes over him as he accepts Kaname's hand.
"She's waiting for you, precious boy," Kaname whispers, and whisks them away while Zero's skin is still covered in goosebumps.
Kaname is the master of ceremonies today, and delivers Zero straight to the eaves of their bedroom where Yuuki waits, dressed plainly like a human and bearing no marks of her status, the same way Zero wears no hoseki or robes.
"I'm really happy. I've wanted this for so long - wanted you for so long, Zero." Yuuki confesses. The soft, open longing and desire in her face twists his heart.
Her auburn hair, tucked behind her ears, come loose and falls forward as she extends her hand, waiting for Zero to take it. "Will you let me show you?"
"Anything," he promises, and goes willingly.
She noses his throat, pressing her lips against the soft skin of his pulse until Zero relaxes, understanding she won't bite. "Here are the rules for tonight," she murmurs. "Kaname will not touch you unless you invite him. And you will tell me no if I do something you don't like."
Not trusting himself to speak, Zero kisses her in reply. The slow, syrupy feeling in his blood thickens. The kiss is leisurely and slow, crystallized sweetness and affection. That feeling persists as Yuuki and Zero undress each other, and as they lead one other to bed. Zero is glad for it. Every inch of his skin feels sensitized, and his nervousness earlier is a distant memory.
This is Yuuki. Nothing in this moment is worth his fear.
"I've got a plan. Made some preparations," Yuuki tells him, peppering kisses down his collarbone.
Zero gives a noise of agreement mixed with a moan, arching his back for more. They've learned this rhythm, worked out together through practice. Kaname has settled on the edge of the bed, watching the two of them intertwine with a hard bulge in his slacks, but Zero and Yuuki don't need him to mediate the flow between them. They can do that all on their own.
Zero draws his hands down her shoulders, fingers rubbing the points of her hipbones and the curve of her ass.
"Ah - don't distract me," she pants, and Zero sends her a smug look.
"I've gotten some toys for us, to make things easier," Yuuki says.
Zero is distracted by the way her mouth moves, memories of what she can do with that mouth jolting his arousal. "Mmm?"
His wife hums, kissing behind his ear. "I'm going to start with the smallest toy, and then we're going to work our way up, until by the time I slide inside you, you won't feel anything except really, really good. Okay?"
Zero feels a shiver wrack his body from skull to tailbone. Slick pools heavily between his legs in the flushed heat there. "I don't think I've ever wanted anything more."
She grins, and Zero sees the girl he's always loved. "Good. This is going to take a while."
Yuuki puts Zero belly-down in their marriage bed, his knees splayed open as she eases herself between them. Her gentle touches to his thighs and hips are meant to reassure him, but Zero doesn't feel a shred of anxiety. All his issues are centered lower; this is something he would always have been willing to share with Yuuki if she'd wanted it, and he is happy to give it to her now.
Lube is weird. Even warmed by Yuuki's hands, it makes Zero jump when his ass is suddenly wet. He's an omega, so they've never needed it before. His body always produces so much slick he soaks even Yuuki and Kaname's ridiculous porn star cocks.
"Touch yourself," Yuuki orders. "I want to appreciate you properly."
Obediently, Zero reaches down and fists himself, slow strokes from root to tip.
Yuuki squeezes and pets, cupping each cheek and enjoying his body in such a delighted way that Zero nearly buries his scalding face in the bed. When Yuuki first touches his hole, Zero startles, but settles quickly when she does nothing more than rub at his entrance for nearly a minute, spreading the lube and playing with Zero just like she promised.
Beneath the stimulation, Zero wiggles, lifting his rear higher in unconscious invitation. Only then does Yuuki press the tip of one finger inside.
"Yuuki…" Zero complains, barely feeling anything at all. His wife has tiny, slender fingers, and he's not made of glass.
She smacks his rear with her clean hand, and dumps more lube on Zero's hole. Learning his lesson, Zero quiets, quickening his hand on own cock for more stimulation.
With Zero properly distracted, Yuuki slides two fingers inside him as deep as she can go.
Zero grunts, and digs his toes into the bedding, finding the sensation curious but not bad. It's different than between his legs. He's less exquisitely sensitive, and his instincts don't jump immediately to label the feeling as pleasure. But Yuuki is gentle and patient, working Zero open and yielding while his body tries to work out what's being asked of it.
The lube gives an embarrassing squelch when Yuuki tries three fingers, crooking her wrist and rubbing at his inner walls, but her fingers are too short to find his prostate.
"I'm going to switch over to the toys now. You ready?" she asks, lifting the first one, thicker than her fingers, and longer, but far from the girth of her cock.
"Go ahead," Zero affirms, and grunts when it slides home. He's used to having things inside his body now, so it isn't too strange, but plastic feels weird compared to a real cock.
"Now," Yuuki says, "time for your first orgasm, and then we'll switch to a bigger toy."
Zero's brain catches up with him. "What." There are what - three, four more of the toys laid out? The Hunter swallows, feeling his brain leaking out his ears. "Yuuki, are you trying to kill me?"
Kaname - who has stripped down to nothing but his trousers - laughs.
His wife gives an angelic smile. "I'm claiming the other half of Zero's virginity. I want to make sure you remember this."
The first time, Yuuki rolls Zero onto his back, and rides him just like that, with the toy pushing deeper and deeper inside his ass every time she rocks her hips. Her alpha howls and snarls, insisting they should be the ones taking, but Yuuki pushes it deep and locks her beast away.
Yuuki and Zero have made love enough times to recognize when the other is close to release, and when to stop and provide the extra push each of them needs to orgasm. Zero uses his hands to coax Yuuki into coming all over his belly, while Yuuki sinks two fingers deep in Zero's pussy until he quakes inside.
Zero's ass is lovingly fingered open again, and receives a new, larger toy. This time, Yuuki gets down on her knees and licks his cunt until Zero can't hold back his cries, kicking and squealing as he's tipped over the edge.
Kaname is allowed to pleasure Zero while their husband's body accepts the third toy - just his mouth alone, choking down Zero's cock. Kaname really, really enjoys it, but he also isn't allowed to come before Yuuki sends him back to his corner of the bed.
With the fourth and largest toy, Yuuki teaches Zero how good his prostate feels, pinning him down and holding him still with a hand on his back as she draws out the torture for a good hour.
Slowly, Yuuki opens Zero up, and when at last she places her cock at his stretched hole, he's so soft and relaxed he doesn't bleed at all. He just softly sighs and accepts her length inside him, his face streaked with tear tracks and replete with satisfaction, turned toward Yuuki with dazed adoration.
"I love you," she tells him, desperately reminding herself not to come, even if Zero is snug and hot and wrapped around her cock like heaven. Yuuki is the first person to ever feel this part of Zero, and he's so perfect. She has to carve it into her memory forever.
"Love you too," Zero sighs. His face is completely unguarded, his body so full of pleasure she wonders if Zero can even feel discomfort. "Go ahead, Yuuki."
She's careful until she can't stand to hold back any longer. Then she cracks. When Yuuki comes she's crying, and Zero accepts it all, squeezing and rippling around her. She loves him so much.
When Yuuki softens and slips out, her come drips out after her, and she admires Zero's opening for a while, rubbing and pulling his hole open to look. No blood - her seed is still white against his pink insides.
When Zero recovers enough to become lucid again, he feels around until he touches Kaname, and then sleepily guides Kaname inside his cunt. Their husband barely lasts a few strokes before creaming Zero's insides a matching frothy white.
Kaname withdraws, and the two purebloods take in the sight of Zero, open and claimed by both of them, his loosened holes dripping their seed down his thighs and the crack of his ass.
By all that is sacred in this world, Yuuki loves him.
In her dark pureblood's heart, something in Yuuki goes to sleep, finally satisfied.
The messenger arrives flustered and out-of-breath, escorted by a passel of Zero's maids all squealing and fluttering. She kneels, and announces, "Consort Kiryuu, Azai-sama is returning from a long journey, bringing a guest, and asks if you will come and await their arrival."
Zero's heart jolts, and he flies to his feet. Azai is in labor! Vampires are so superstitious they won't directly say someone is 'giving birth.' Even omegas won't disregard the taboo, because birth is the most dangerous time for them.
Shoshana's shoulders raise despite her weariness tonight, and she gestures with a faint smile toward the messenger. "You'd better go, Consort Kiryuu. Make sure you feed or take blood tablets before you leave."
Zero licks his bottom lip. He drank from Yuuki only a few days ago, but now that's he's thinking about it, stopping by Kaname's study sounds appealing. "I will."
The journey passes too slowly to satisfy Zero's anxious excitement. Having a foreign alpha nearby would distress Azai and his alphas, so Zero must go by car.
When Zero arrives, every light in Azai's estate is ablaze, and every servant seems to be fetching or preparing something; the whole house is like a prodded beehive. Zero has entered Azai's home once before under less happy circumstances - Azai hosted the rituals before his missed heat - so he finds his way indoors himself.
In the foyer, a well-dressed male alpha waits with tightly clasped hands. "Consort Kiryuu," the nobleman says as soon as Zero's silhouette appears out of the night. A tenseness to his posture warns Zero's omega that this alpha is on hair-trigger.
Zero nods politely, cranning his head back to look at the taller alpha. He's well-built, with chiseled features, and has dark brown hair with a faint copper tone to his skin.
"I'm Sousuke -" the noble begins.
"You're the father!" Zero blurts as his extra sense knocks him over the head with a sudden burst of intuition.
The two vampires stare at each other awkwardly, before Sousuke coughs and mumbles something about bringing Zero to see his bondmate.
Zero follows the fleeing alpha straight to Azai's nesting den, where he briefly meets Azai's other two bondmates. Both of them are built from the same pattern: muscular, impressive-looking male alphas with unexpectedly sweet personalities. All three alphas are close to climbing the walls with leashed defensive aggression. Normally they would already be sequestered with Azai, but the necessity of greeting Zero requires their presence.
Wanting to keep the disruption as small as possible, Zero exchanges a few quick words before being ushered into the nesting den. It's nearly identical to Zero's own, except Azai's bed is on a raised platform against the far wall. Azai, wearing a loose nightgown and assisted by his midwife, is sitting upright amid a ring of pillows. The scent of omega-in-pain smothers the room, making Zero frown.
"Consort Kiryuu," Azai rasps, "thank you for coming." Sweat makes the wispy hairs escaping from his braid stick to his temples.
Zero regards the omega's rounded stomach with fascination and deeply-buried envy.
"Are you well, Kiryuu-sama?" the midwife asks.
Overcoming his faint embarrassment, Zero shakes himself free of his paralysis and darts closer. He knows his task already. As witness for the Kuran family, Zero must affirm that Azai has no substitute baby hidden in the room, and then he'll wait outside before confirming the birth.
Zero's searching the cushions on the bed when Azai's hand darts out and clamps down on Zero's wrist so hard his bones creak.
"Don't look so frightened," the other omega scolds. "I am not afraid. I have done this many times." Azai presses Zero's hand to his belly, and Zero freezes, mind distantly taking in ripple of muscle under his palm. The Hunter's throat closes up, emotions too muddled to understand.
Zero pulls his hand free as gently as he can. "I'll tell your bondmates to come in," he says, and bolts.
A vampire's birth is a community affair. In the old days, blood in the air would have drawn the family's enemies and attracted opportunists seeking weakness. Azai's children and relatives arrive soon after Zero, and all their servants remain alert and on duty. Following custom, they circle the house beating pans and striking rods to frighten away misfortune, and scatter heavy-smelling flowers and perfume sachets in the halls for luck.
As hours pass, Azai's servants fritter away their nervous energy by bringing their guests food and entertainment. Zero eats absentmindedly, attention focused next door. Zero cannot tell how the labor goes - the walls of Azai's nest are built to muffle sound - but the midwife sends her apprentice with periodic reports.
"Consort Kiryuu?"
Zero looks up to find the little apprentice beaming at him.
"Azai-sama is asking for you."
Zero's body feels light enough to float away. He's dizzy when he stands and stumbles after the girl.
Azai has been washed and redressed in a clean gown, black hair shaken loose down his back. He's curled around a squirming bundle of blankets with his alphas leaning over him in a protective ring.
"A boy for Yuuki-hime," Azai announces triumphantly, lifting the bundle and offering that precious weight for Zero to take.
Tears prick at Zero's eyes as he accepts the child with the easy motions of habit; he's been Uncle Zero to every one of Kaito's children.
The newborn boy is a reddened gremlin with a scrunched-up face, fussing and squalling. Zero's power whispers in his ear; the boy has his bearer's eyes, and he'll be a beta when he's grown. "He's inherited his father's power," Zero says out loud, keeping the rest to himself. "What's his name?"
Azai smiles past his exhaustion. "This is Habiki."
"Hi there," Zero says, and has to hand to baby back to Azai to wipe his eyes.
Zero has hardly been able to tear himself away from Habiki's cradle, but the child will be seven days old soon, and Zero needs a suitably lavish gift for his Oshichiya celebration. Vampires postpone their pregnancy celebrations until after a successful birth, so the party for Habiki is like a gigantic baby shower and naming celebration put together. Habiki's Shadow contract with the Kuran family will also be formally affirmed then, and Zero is in change of showering Azai and his family with gifts.
Unfortunately, vampire superstition insists that baby gifts never be bought before the birth - that's bad luck and invites a miscarriage - so tonight Zero and Takuma have descended like a whirlwind of retail fury on the nearest vampire shopping district. Takuma knows the protocol for gift-giving and has plenty of experience, so Zero is letting him place the orders and mostly tagging along to open doors. Thankfully all the shops deliver directly to Rosehill, otherwise Zero would be playing mule too.
The chime of Takuma's bells ensures the two omegas are left unbothered except by the shopkeepers. And the three familiars escorting them stay at a discrete distance so the two omegas can chat and catch up. All together, it's a pleasant evening.
Once their shopping is finished, they find an empty bench so Takuma can rest before returning home. Zero buys them milk tea as a treat, and they chat some more while sipping their drinks.
"You sound very fond of him," Takuma observes after Zero relates yet another cute thing Habiki did.
"I know that it's stupid to get attached so soon," Zero confesses to his friend. "Azai-san will raise Habiki until he's weaned. It will be another few years before - " Zero's gut somersaults, Hunter senses snapping crystal clear.
Someone is watching them.
Placing his drink calmly on the bench beside him, the Hunter lifts his head, studying the passerby out of the corner of his eye. At the same time, he eases his senses open, sifting through the auras around them. In a place like this, there are so many vampires nearby that Zero limits his range to only the closest proximity.
C-ranks, a few B and D ranks, and the faintest tinge of…
"You already know I've found you. Why don't you come out?" Zero challenges, knowing his observer can lip read.
A blur descends from a nearby rooftop, and the D-rank vampire straightens from his crouch.
"Hunter Campbell," Zero greets tersely, pity and discomfort warring in him.
"Hunter Kiryuu," the man returns without surprise. Though dressed in nondescript clothes, Evan Campbell stands out with his height and clearly Western European features. Combing a hand through his shorn, murky blond hair, the Hunter's bare forearm displays the distinct scar used to identify him as one of Sara Shirabuki's victims.
Isa has taken up a guard position in front of Takuma, a low snarl tearing from the hound's throat. Nightshade is silent, but his lips raise to show his teeth, and he is sunk down on his haunches ready to spring. Yuuki's butterfly flutters beside Zero's shoulder, help already summoned.
Campbell holds up empty hands to show he's unarmed. "I'm not here to hurt anyone, Ichijo-san. I'm only here to deliver a message." He winces, seeming to struggle against something unseen. "Your last messenger failed. The consequences are...unpleasant, to say the least."
Trusting his gut, Zero hooks his hand through Nightshade's collar, holding him back. "Others will be here soon. Hurry."
Nodding, Campbell faces Takuma. His expression contorts again, and when he speaks the cadence is eerily lighter, and more feminine. "Takuma-kun. I hope you liked the flowers I left for you. I've brought more." From beneath his coat, Campbell produces three long-stemmed roses, tied by a red ribbon, and holds them out apologetically.
Isa's growl deepens; Takuma looks at the flowers with horror.
Campbell opens his hand, allowing the blossoms to drop to the ground, and begins backing away. "I've prepared another surprise, so be careful tomorrow, Takuma-kun. I hope you enjoy it."
Takuma recoils, and Campbell retreats further, keeping his attention split between the two familiars.
Zero cannot let him leave like this. "We're trying to find you all, Hunter Campbell, and we'll keep trying. We haven't given up on you. Pass that on to the others."
"I will," Campbell replies, and melts into the crowd with one last swift glance.
Takuma's hands protectively cover his child, and his complexion is pale. "I thought she had left us alone. I - It didn't seem important at the time, but someone tried to break into my personal estate on the night Shirabuki attacked the humans. The guards chased whoever it was away. Nothing was left behind, but now, I think perhaps..."
"Takuma-sempai, it's time for you to go home," Zero tells him firmly.
Kaname scrambles to warn the human governments, and the Kurans place their own agents on high alert, poised to counterattack as soon as they identify Shirabuki's next targets.
And that's why, when the real blow comes, they are caught completely unprepared.
Shirabuki's next step is not to spill blood, but ink. Thousands and thousands of pages, released anonymously on the web. All of them documents incriminating members of the Senate.
The Senate promptly implodes.
Within twenty-four hours, nearly half of its members are mired in major scandals; the assembly devolves into a storm of finger-pointing and damage control. Chairman Ichihara, who passed through the deluge with only minor scrapes, does his best to bring order. But it's Vice-Chairman Noguchi who finds the one topic that can unite them: blaming Kaname for their troubles.
"But we haven't done anything!" Yuuki protests.
That desire for fairness proves her good heart; Kaname strokes her hair fondly. "Shirabuki Sara is dead. We can prove nothing," Kaname reminds her.
Yuuki's mouth tightens.
"The Senate will certainly target us for retaliation, but we will endure," Kaname assures her. "I am more concerned with Shirabuki's actions. We did not predict her movements, neither this time nor last. First the human governments, now the Senate?" Kaname shakes his head. "Even if she meant to expand her power, it's too much, too soon."
Tangling her fingers together behind her back, Yuuki pauses. Her eyes widen, and she turns to Kaname. "What if we were wrong? We thought Shirabuki meant to gain power in the human world. What if those attacks were just a means to an end?"
"I don't follow."
Yuuki waves her hands wildly. "Shirabuki Sara once told me exactly what she intended. I just didn't think…"
Kaname takes Yuuki by the shoulders, trying to help her focus.
Yuuki stares up at him with wild eyes. "Shirabuki Sara wanted to become the Vampire Queen. Every action she planned was meant as one more step toward that goal." His wife raises a finger. "If she had killed you, she would have destroyed her main obstacle and rival among the purebloods. Who's left after that?"
Kaname's eyes narrow, and Yuuki nods. "Exactly. The Senate. Shirabuki attacked the humans to discredit the Senate in front of the Hunters and the human governments. Now she's taking the fight directly to them."
Kaname reflects upon this. The logic is undeniable. "Then Shirabuki will go after the Senate again in the future."
"Yes."
Kaname closes his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose.
Yuuki glances hesitantly at Kaname. "Does this mean we have to protect the Senate, even though they hate us?"
"Unless you want the vampire world dissolving into chaos, yes," Kaname replies.
Yuuki contemplates this for a moment. Chaos in the vampire world means chaos in the human world, and therefore chaos among the Hunters. "This is going to suck."
Wordlessly, Kaname hands her a glass of wine.
A big thank you to reviewer Blemm-chan on who came up with the name for Yuuki's Shadow! I had so many good suggestions that it was difficult to choose. But Azai is a bit of a traditionalist, and Habiki means 'echo' which makes it extremely appropriate for a Shadow. Thanks again to everyone who suggested names for the baby, and remember that Takuma's child will also be named using your suggestions!
Next Chapter – Zero seeks to help Shirabuki's victims, Kaname and Yuuki attempt the most thankless job ever, and Sara's ghost advances once again