A few weeks later
I went into the clearing where Zero and I had first kissed, I sat on the boulder, every night, I would stand on that boulder, and howl for Zero, my howl would be lonely, grieving, even loving, I sat there, thinking about the time I had spent with Zero, the sun started to set, I looked up and waited for the moon to rise, several real wolves started to gather, I became a wolf and they gathered around the boulder, they were in a range of colours, there were rusty brown-red, moonlit grey, chocolate brown, and even a midnight black one, I took no notice of them, I stood on the boulder and lifted my head to the now-risen moon, I closed my eyes and pursed my lips, I let my heart show, I howled for a long time, my voice slowly faded and I kept staring at the moon, it was full, like when Zero and I spent the day in town, I remembered how we had sat together in the garden, how we had kissed in front of the moon, how Kaname had broken the moment, I remembered the taste of Zero's lips, the feel of his tongue, I had always felt most comfortable when I was in Zero's arms, had always been happy when in his company, I lowered my head and looked at the boulder
~leave me alone, Kaname~ I thought, I turned my head to the black wolf that was hidden in the trees, it stepped out
"you need to get over it, Keikan" I dropped to the ground and let out a low growl
~get OVER it? How about I brutally murder Yuki and see how long it takes you to get over it?~ he flinched
"the circumstances are different"
~WHO CARES!~ I practically screamed, since my thoughts were directed at Kaname, my voice thundered in his mind, it was rare for a pureblood to lose control over their emotions, it has led to beliefs that purebloods HAVE no emotions, which is, of course, not true, purebloods have emotions, they just rarely show them, Kaname closed his eyes
"I did what I had to"
~which is what? Kill the one I love?~
"listen to yourself, Keikan, you're in love with a vampire hunter!"
~I don't care what family he was born to!~
"don't you get it? Vampire hunting is in his blood! And do you know what his goal is? To kill ALL vampires, aren't you a vampire, Keikan? Aren't you one of us? He would eventually kill you!"
~you're wrong!~ he shook his head
"no...I'm right, it would have happened, maybe even that very night"
~LIAR!~
"no...he would kiss you, tell you how much he cares, he would hold you to his chest, he would murmur seductive words into your ear, then he would hold the gun to your head, once you had given him all he needs...he would pull the trigger" the images formed in my mind
~NO! He isn't like that!~
"all hunters are the same, Keikan, including Kiryu"
~NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!~ I sprinted off as fast as my legs could carry me, his words had poisoned my mind, I stopped and leaped onto the roof of the headmasters building, I laid on the roof with my head on my paws, I whimpered once and felt glad that wolves can't cry, my ears drooped, if Zero were there, he would stroke my cheek and murmur comforting words to me, but if Zero were there, I wouldn't be feeling like that anyway, I saw a figure come onto the roof, it was the headmaster, with a blanket draped over his shoulders
"who says purebloods are heartless?" he asked himself
"are you okay Keikan?" I needed to say it to someone, I needed to tell someone about my problems, I needed someone to care, I got up
~I'm fine~
"Keikan, I know how badly you were affected by what happened to Zero, you look like you want to die, I can help"
~I don't need help~ I snarled
"even purebloods need help sometimes"
~no...they don't~ I walked past him
"it's for him, right? Every night...you howl...for Zero?" I looked back at him sadly and dipped my shaggy black head
~every night~ I leaped off the building and landed on my padded feet, I sprinted away and went back to the clearing, I sat on the boulder and transformed again (she doesn't realize she's dreaming)
{...I touched the gem on my necklace and thought about Zero
"Tora?" my head snapped up, I could swear that voice belonged to Zero, I jumped up and looked around
"Zero?" a figure emerged from the trees, a figure with silver hair, a figure with lavender eyes "Zero!" I leaped down from the boulder and hugged him, he nestled his face in my neck
"my Tora" he murmured, I lifted my head and kissed him
"you're alive" I sighed, I kissed him again "but how?" I wondered aloud, he shrugged
"I don't know" he caressed my cheek
"frankly...I don't really care, as long as I'm back with you" he licked my neck subtly and I leaned my head back
"go on" he kissed my neck and sank his fangs in, he drank hungrily and licked my neck again to get the last of the blood off, I moaned quietly and he kissed my neck again, he trailed his lips from my neck to my own lips, I played with the buttons on his shirt, he slid his own hands around my waist "my...Tora"
"Zero, why do you feel so different?" he smiled sadly
"because this is isnt real...its all a dream"...} I awoke, I had dreamed, properly, I sat up and noticed that someone had put a coat over me while I was sleeping, I sniffed the coat, it had been on me for too long, my scent completely covered the scent of the owner, I decided to walk through town, I kept thinking of the day we had spent in town together, I sat in the same garden, tears gathered in my eyes, we had exchanged some serious words before Kaname interrupted us, no matter what, I kept seeing Zero, ghostly visions of him, half-flashbacks to the day we spent together, I closed my eyes, the memory overpowered me, tears dripped down my face and I inhaled deeply to calm myself down, a faint scent touched my nose, nostalgic, strong, and beloved, I sprinted through town as a wolf, I needed the wolf's nose, I stopped at an old building, the smell was still faint, but it was strongest here, I stood on my hind legs and put my paw on the handle, locked, but I smelt flesh, I heard a heartbeat, I sensed life, I looked around, there was no one around, I became myself again and formed two picks out of ice as strong as metal, I picked the lock and raised the hood of my black cloak, I always wore it, to show my mourning, the black hood covered my face with darkness, I stepped into the building, I heard a voice ring out in the silence
"stop where you are" I halted
"close the door, and don't try anything funny! I have a loaded gun pointed at you" I turned and shut the door, I heard the lock click, I turned back around, I was faced with a few doors lined along a hallway, the building was probably once an apartment, the voice came again
"take your hood off"
"no" I growled, I heard a KCHK as a gun was loaded
"take the hood off, or I shoot" I turned to find the source of the voice, but I couldn't
"show yourself first" I called, the voice laughed, it wasn't a real laugh, it was an angry, sad laugh, I heard the safety turn off, the gun was ready to fire
"I'm not afraid to fire, I have nothing left to lose" I lifted a hand and pushed the hood of my cloak down, showing my face "Tora" breathed the voice
"how do you know my nickname?" I growled, a shadow stepped closer
"because I'm the one who gave it to you"
"liar" I snarled "the one who gave me that name...is no longer alive" I finished quietly, the voice was sympathetic
"you sound like you cared for them very much" I closed my eyes
"that person, was the world to me...and more" I finished, my voice breaking, the voice was curious now
"and how would you feel...if they weren't really dead? If it was all a trick? If he had lied to you?" 'he?' I wondered 'how do they know I was referring to a boy?' I answered anyway
"I wouldn't care that they lied to me, because they would be alive" there was a pause, the sound of bare feet on wood, my lips were hit with another's, I shoved the stranger off
"stop! My heart belongs to another!"
"you told me...that your heart belongs to me..." I gasped as I took in his face, his silver-white hair, his lavender eyes, several rings puncturing his ears, and an unmistakeable marking on the left side of his neck, he looked horrible, his neck was covered by a carelessly wrapped bandage, dark rings were under his eyes, he hadn't been sleeping well, he looked rugged and unkempt, like he had been surviving the streets
"Zero" I gasped, I threw myself into his arms, I wept into his chest and kissed him, many times. Zero buried his face in my hair
"Tora" he whispered, as if it were the best word in the world, I spent a while sitting in his arms, not even doing anything, just being in his arms was good enough for me, I kissed him again and looked at him
"Zero...what happened? I don't understand"
"I don't know much either, I fell unconscious in the stables, when I woke up, I was in here, being nursed by the chairman and my master, I was told to stay here, until I had healed...so that's what I did"
"Zero...this whole time, I thought you were dead" i whispered, he nodded
"I knew it was you" I cocked my head "I knew it was you howling, every night, I stand on the roof and listen to your songs...I'm so sorry, I had no idea what you really felt" I kissed him again and he stroked my cheek "my...Tora" I shut my eyes and buried my face in his chest, we sat together for hours, simply enjoying one another's company, after a long time, I fell asleep in his arms.
Zero's POV
I looked down at Keikan, she was fast asleep, I hugged her tight and carried her to one of the beds, the chairman had put a blanket and pillow on there, but I never slept on it, I took off Keikan's cloak, only half-hoping that she was wearing something underneath it, she was wearing baggy black pants and a black t-shirt to match, but the one thing that caught my eye, was the necklace, she was wearing the necklace I gave her, I placed the blanket over her and kissed her forehead affectionately, she smiled and murmured my name longingly, I was still wearing my school uniform, I had nothing to change into, but I had taken off the frustrating chains and decorations, it was much more comfortable, I walked to a window and looked out at the street below, barely anyone used that street, I saw a figure with dark black hair and half of his face covered with an eye patch, I recognized my master, Toga Yagari, I looked over at Keikan's sleeping body, if master found her, he might misunderstand, or worse, erase her memories, I decided to meet him downstairs, I kissed Keikan briefly on the cheek and went down to meet Toga.
Keikan's POV
I opened my eyes, Zero was gone, I immediately worried, I got up, my cloak was on a chair near my bed, I looked at myself, I was wearing the same black pants and top as I was wearing before, I looked around, I heard distant voices.
Zero's POV
My master checked my neck, it irritated me, he pressed his fingers into the side of my neck, but improved my mood with what he said next
"you're good to leave, let Cross check in and you can go back to school"
"what about Keikan? Is she...okay?" he shrugged
"she's been skipping my classes, nobody's seen her" I knew I looked worried
"oh..." the old hunter turned to the door and lit a cigarette
"I'll see you at school, Zero" I nodded and he left, my face broke into a broad smile and I hurried up the stairs again, I saw Keikan, she was edgy, she relaxed when I appeared
"Zero" she sighed, I held her hand
"I'm able to go back to school soon" she smiled as well and stroked my cheek, she put a single hand on my chest, I kissed her neck, a voice rang out
"will ANYTHING make you two follow orders?" I withdrew from Keikan's neck and turned to see my master
"no, master, nothing" I answered defiantly, he toyed with the cigarette in his mouth and turned to Keikan
"pureblood or not, YOU have been skipping my classes" she rolled her eyes
"I've been skipping EVERYONES classes"
"are you going to give me a reason why?"
"no" I held her hand
"you should go back to the school, Tora" she looked into my eyes
"I'm staying with you" she said firmly, I smiled and hugged her
"you never do what you're told" I murmured into her hair, she laughed her wind-chime laugh
"you know me so well" I kissed her and my master sounded irritated
"I'm still here, you know" I went a little red and turned to my master again
"master, Tora can stay here with me" he raised an eyebrow
"there is only one bed" a smirk grew on his face "you're way too young" I shrugged a little
"we'll work something out" he turned
"fine, fine, do what you want, Cross won't be as understanding as me" he called over his shoulder as he walked out of the room
"he's right, the headmaster won't be happy" I murmured
"maybe he has a hard time realizing you aren't a child"
"he has a hard time realizing I'm not HIS child" she must have seen the look on my face, she started playing with the buttons on my shirt
"put that out of your mind, my love" she opened my shirt and I shrugged it off, smiling, she put her hands on my bare chest, our lips met.
Keikan's POV
It was the holidays, Zero had very recently come back to school, I was worried about him, he was acting distant, usually he was the most down-to-earth person I knew, I slipped a light jacket over my short silk nightgown and jumped out the window, I knew that Zero was probably in his room, I snuck into the boys dorms and opened the door to his room
"Zero?" I whispered, a figure looked up from its place sitting on the bed
"Tora? What is it?" I lowered my eyes
"I was worried about you" he smiled and gestured with his head for me to come in, I closed the door after me and Zero pulled me onto his lap, he nuzzled my cheek
"you were worried? Why?"
"you were acting a bit...different" I blushed, Zero took my face in his hands and kissed me
"well...now you're here you might as well make yourself comfortable" he slipped into the bed and gestured invitingly, I smiled and shrugged my jacket off, I climbed into bed beside him and he kissed me again, I smiled and fell asleep
{...Zero nuzzled me intimately and I groaned happily, he kissed me softly
"oh Tora...you are my everything..." he hugged me and started murmuring seductive words into my ear, I felt something press against my heart, the barrel of a gun
"Zero?" I whispered fearfully, he smirked
"goodbye, Keikantora" the gun went off...}
Zero's POV
I woke in the middle of the night, Keikan was next to me, deep in a troubled sleep, her fist was clenched and when she sleep talked, her fangs showed
"Ze...ro" her face became pained "Zero" I touched her cheek
"Keikan, wake up" she gasped as her eyes shot open with and her hand flicked to my throat, she blinked
"Zero? Oh by fang and claw, I'm so, so..." I cut her off with a kiss "sorry" she breathed after I pulled away, I smiled and hugged her, I pulled her on top my bare chest
"Zero?" I kissed her again
"go to sleep, my Tora" I placed a hand on her back and she rested her hands on my chest, she fell asleep, I fell asleep as well.
Keikan's POV
I opened my eyes, my head was on Zero's bare, toned chest, he had a hand protectively on my back and my own hands lay on his chest, I closed my eyes again
"jeez Keikan, do you have to throw it in our face?" Zero awoke, startled, and I raised my head to look over at the door, there stood two very familiar figures, I swallowed
"mother? Father?" my father looked stern
"get away from my daughter!" my face went bright red, my mother touched his arm
"Haruka" she scolded, she turned to Zero and I "well, aren't you going to introduce us, Keikan?"
"uh, yeah, of course" I got out of bed, so did Zero, I made gestures "Zero, these are my parents, mother, father, this is Zero, he is..." Zero held my hand protectively
"I am her lover" he said calmly, I read my parents faces carefully, my father didn't approve, my mother wanted all the 'Goss', my mother hugged Zero and my father shook his hand
"you look so serious!" my mother laughed, my father looked suspicious
"just how old are you?" he was referring to Zero's hair
"I'm nineteen" Zero answered guardedly, I went red
"father, can you NOT interrogate him?" my mother giggled and I went even more red "what are you doing here, anyway?" my mother answered with a smile
"tadaaa! A surprise visit from your beloved parents! Have you got any idea how hard it was to find you? We had to ask Kaname for directions" I looked down, of course Kaname would lead them right to Zero's room! My mother took my hand and dragged me away from Zero's side
"come on, Tora! You have to show us everything!" my father smiled as well, I stole a glance at Zero, he looked confused, my mother asked me questions all the way back to the dorms
"is he even a pureblood?" she finished seriously, I shook my head, she looked sad
"you realize that you are expected, as our daughter, to marry another pureblood" I looked down
"mother, Kaname has Yuki, must I also carry the line? I know you said you luckily found love in another pureblood, but...I want love, not lineage..." my father hugged me
"I'm sorry, tiger" (yes, this is a translation of her nickname, but instead of calling her that because her name is KeikanTORA, he is just calling her tiger)
"but that is the way it is, there are just too few purebloods to marry for just love"
"that's the reason you visited, isn't it?" I looked at my father, he turned away guiltily and my mother answered
"yes, it is, we want to take you to all the suitable purebloods and find you a fiancée...so dress nicely" my mother and I went in my room, she handed me a dress that was black and had no straps, it was a beautiful dress, there was a slit up the side of the leg, which went to the very top of my thigh
"wear this one" I looked down and changed
"mother...what about Zero?"
"he will understand"
"mother...I can't hurt him like this..." I fixed my necklace and showed the dress to my mother
"well, then hurt him as little as possible, tell him to his face, but not now, we need to go" I nodded sadly and put a nice pair of black heels on, we got inside the limo and mother kept fussing over my hair, she decided to leave it out, but still wove in precious gems, we had been to many purebloods, none of them had been deemed fit by my parents, the car stopped again and we got out, I looked at the mansion with a tired expression and a servant appeared to lead us into the right room, we were met by an old pureblood
"welcome, I am Junketsu Oriya" we all bowed in turn and introduced ourselves
"I am Haruka Kuran"
"I am Juri Kuran"
"I am Keikantora Kuran" he gestured with his hand
"please, sit" we all sat, but no-one relaxed
"so, what brings the Kuran family to my home?" my mind was back at the academy, I was thinking of Zero, my mother began
"we humbly ask, that we marry our daughter" she gestured to me "to your son" he gestured the servant over
"go and fetch Taiteki, will you?"
"yes, my lord" Junketsu looked at me
"so, miss Keikantora, you wish to marry my son?" I bowed my head 'no, I would never!' I thought, he continued "he may not like you, you are awfully quiet" my mother smiled
"she is not usually quiet, she becomes shy around new people" he nodded
"you are a very beautiful vampire, miss Keikantora, you look very much like your parents" I bowed my head again
"I thank you" another pureblood entered
"you sent for me...father...?" he trailed off when he caught sight of me, he stared at me, he had messy black hair and dark eyes as well, I stood and bowed, I knew how those 'meetings' work, he bowed back and spoke to his father, without taking his eyes off me
"father...I wasn't aware we had guests" Junketsu nodded
"yes, this is the Kuran family" my mother and father bowed and introduced themselves, the new pureblood also bowed, he turned to me
"and what might your name be, miss Kuran?"
"I am Keikantora Kuran" I said, inclining my head respectfully, he nodded
"and what is your family's business here, miss Keikantora?" my mother answered
"we wish to engage our daughter to you, Taiteki" his eyes widened
"oh?" he looked at me and smiled
"I accept" 'and I don't' I thought, I smiled back, but sadly, it was not a real smile, Junketsu clapped his hands together
"I believe this calls for a celebration!" he turned back to the servant "go and fetch us some blood tablets and glasses, will you?"
"yes, my lord" the servant bowed and left, he later returned with 5 champagne glasses and a packet of blood tablets, he handed the glasses around and I held mine and Taiteki poured some water in for me, I dropped in a tablet and watched it dissolve, Taiteki's eyes never left me, I tried to smother my anger, a tiny crack appeared in the side of the glass krck! I glanced around, my father, Junketsu and Taiteki had busied themselves in a conversation, but my mother looked at me pleadingly, I lowered my eyes and covered the crack with ice 'by the time they find it, I won't be a suspect' I thought 'heh, Kaname was right, my thoughts WILL get me expelled' I looked up and thought to my mother
~are you satisfied?~ she nodded and stood
"Haruka, I think it is time we took our leave"
"very well"
"are you leaving already?" Taiteki's voice was upset 'yes we are leaving, hopefully forever' I looked at my mother
"many apologies, I haven't had a chance to spend time with my daughter for quite a long time" Taiteki nodded
"very well" he came close
"may I?" 'no' I thought, but I nodded and he took my hand, he leaned in until his lips met my own, I closed my eyes, but I couldn't get Zero out of my mind, I imagined him discovering it, I saw a million reactions at once, he looked hurt, he looked betrayed, he looked angry, he looked forcibly understanding, he lowered his eyes, he murmured to me, he shouted at me, he simply looked at me with sadness in his eyes, he asked sadly
"how could you?" Taiteki drew away, and I did my best to smile, it faltered, he smiled back, as far as he knew, I was simply shocked, I walked out of the house and said nothing, my mother hugged me, I didn't look at her, our driver held the door open, my mother and father entered
"are you coming?" I looked at the road
"I will find my own way" she nodded and the driver closed the door and drove off, I touched my necklace
"Zero" I murmured to no-one, I transformed into a wolf and sprinted down the road, 'I will NOT lie to Zero, I will not be that person!' I ran and passed the sleek black car, I knew my mother and father saw me, I had to do something, I ran and ran, I ran until I was back at the school, never had I ran so fast, or for so long before, I panted and walked slowly, I needed to calm down, I spotted Zero, he walked over, he knelt and stroked my cheek, I closed my eyes, he knew that as a wolf, I loved to be petted, he backed away and I stood up and transformed, I heard his breath catch
"you are so beautiful" he murmured 'no, Zero, no!' I thought to myself 'I don't deserve your kind words, I don't deserve your love!' I looked away, he hugged me
"what's wrong Tora? What's the matter?" I lowered my eyes
"I can't bring myself to say it" I whispered, I looked up "but I can show you" I brushed my hair out of the way and Zero hugged me again
"my...Tora..." he murmured and let his lips drop to my neck, he licked me and I shivered in anticipation, I felt him brush my neck with his fangs, he bit me and drank my blood, I closed my eyes, I opened a little bit of my mind, enough for Zero to see the events that had taken place that day, he clenched his jaw hard when he saw that Taiteki had kissed me, sending a surge of pain down my neck, I clenched my own teeth and focussed on not letting Zero see that he was hurting me, I squeezed his hand
"Zero" I murmured, he licked my neck once more and stood up straight, he looked into my eyes, I couldn't hide fractions of the events, he saw everything I heard, everything I saw, everything I thought, even though I had thought up many reactions, his reaction was inconceivable, he took me in his arms and kissed me, I gasped slightly and closed my eyes, I opened them again when he pulled away, he hugged me and I buried my face in his chest
"only you...Zero" I whispered into his chest, he smiled into my hair
"official arrangements mean nothing to me" I smiled back and breathed a quiet sigh of relief, he nuzzled my neck and kissed it
"hnnn..." I murmured dreamily, he trailed his lips up my neck to my chin, then to my lips, he put his hand on my lower back and pulled me to him, until our hips were pressed together, I put a hand on his neck and licked his lips playfully, he chuckled quietly and bit my lip, drinking a little blood before licking it again.
Note from the author: heyo! what do you think if the story so far? BIG TWIST: ZERO IS ALIVE! LETS THROW A PARTY AND DRINK! hmmm maybe ill actually do that? anyway, only the vampires and headmaster actually know/think that Zero is dead, Yuki and everyone else in the day class, as well as the teachers think he is skipping school or away or something, in case this chapter sounds weird, i wrote it while listening to Haunted by Disturbed, The Death Song by Marilyn Mansonand Vampire by Rammstein. LOL im going to call that my Vampire Knight playlist!