Disclaimer: The only thing I own are the members of the Monogatari family, their associates, and their stories.

A/N: Well, once again this chapter has been up for about week…elsewhere. And for those Monogatari fans I have made some icons for those that have friended either of my journals…they are posted on both my fanfic LJ and my Blood and Trust LJ.

Chapter 18

Revelation

He stood in the doorway, serpent handled cane in one hand, brandy in the other. The room had not been touched since she was taken from him. The bed was ruffled…more so than what his imagination felt it should be. Just the state of the bed put his mind on a dangerous track. His lip curled up in disgust. Did she let that…vampire touch her in such an intimate way when he barely got a kiss out of her?

His eyes scanned the room. The French doors. In his mind's eye he could see one of them standing there stalking her like prey. She was not their prey…she was his. He had staked his claim. His family would be whole again even if it was a charade…a mockery of what he believed in.

His eyes landed on the cream sofa. It looked thoroughly used. A drop of blood soiled the pure fabric of the expensive piece of furniture and a slight smear of red lay on the floor where he had found the bracelet. Yes, the sofa had been thoroughly used. His imagination took over, putting images of Hermione on that sofa with that vampire guard she had. Did he force it or did his Hermione lie willingly beneath him, writhing in a mixture of agony and pleasure?

The glass broke in his hand.

The shards of glass fell from his hand, littering the doorway. What was left of the brandy spilled over his fingers, mingling with the blood that now seeped from his fresh wounds. He stared at the red liquid oozing from those wounds.

He was a pureblood!

Why was he letting this Mudblood get to him?

Because she was his Mudblood.

She would fix his family…make it whole again, fill the void Narcissa left. First things first. The vampires had to go. And Hermione…there were consequences for your actions and she would learn that the hard way. With a mad glint in his eye, Lucius turned from the doorway and wandered down the hall toward the stairs, not bothering to care about the trailing occasional drip of blood from his hand that followed.

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Kuro sat at the head of the table, still, watching as Hermione clung to the bespectacled boy like some sort of life jacket. The jealousy that tried with a vicious fervent to rear its ugly head was pushed back down, reminded that Harry Potter was one of her best friends. The entire occupants of the table watched as she lifted her head up off Harry's shoulder and her face lit up some more.

"Draco!"

The blond young man appeared from around the corner as if he had been held up on their way in, which was possible if he ran into Rodolphus on the way. Hermione released Harry and looked between the two.

"Don't tell me you two are friends now!"

"NO!"

Their answer was simultaneous.

"We just share a common goal," Harry explained

"And that goal is?" The smile on Hermione's face told them both that she truly found this amusing.

"Keeping you safe of course," Draco said while rolling his eyes.

She pulled them both into a hug against their wills. At the table, Chloe giggled at the ruckus.

"How did you guys even get here? It's so hard to get in, I know…"

The guards outside the dining room slowly urged the little trio fully out of the dining room so they could shut the doors. Hermione's excited voice became muffled with the closing of the doors and faded to nothing as she moved away from the dining room completely.

Kuro looked at her empty spot and the two stones sitting next to the plate she was eating from.

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Hermione fell back on her bed, a smile on her face. It seemed like forever since she saw either Harry or Draco. She just wished Ron could be there as well, but he was still in the dark about Kuro. Guilt gnawed at her. What would Ron do though? His main concern right now was that she wasn't with him, not what she was going through. It would take time. And though Harry and Draco were nowhere close to being friends, it was good to know that both of them cared enough about their common friend to do what needed to be done, even joining Kuro.

They couldn't go to the annual celebration she would be attending the following night though.

"As few humans as possible," was how Kuro put it.

Did that mean she would be in danger in Darkland? No, that wasn't possible. Kuro would never take her somewhere she would be in serious danger. Her eyes lingered on the dress hanging on the back of the door. The deep blue color of the satiny fabric reminded her of a midnight sky.

A soft knock on the door caused her to sit up. When Kuro stepped in, he held something in his hands. It looked to be a blood red linen napkin with its corners tied in the middle as if the napkin held something inside. He stepped forward as Hermione stood up. A warmth washed over her and she was reminded of how she felt when she saw him behind those bars in Malfoy Manor…how she felt when he reached for her, starving and yet willing to starve if not starving meant causing her harm. He held the linen out for her to take. She held her hand out, palm up and Kuro sat it in her palm.

"It's the stones," he said as explanation. "You should keep them both until you've decided."

Kuro didn't say anything more as he turned to leave the room. Hermione watched him go wondering and worrying what all this was doing to him.

"Thank you," Hermione said before he could fully escape her presence.

Kuro turned around looking at her curiously.

"For allowing Harry and Draco to come visit. Rodolphus told me it was your doing…for Christmas."

He nodded and left, afraid to stay any longer. Hermione sat on the bed and untied the linen, letting the corners fall back. The two stones, one light and one dark, lay there so innocent looking, but each held a different future for Hermione. She had a choice…three paths to choose from and even now with the hovering emptiness of Kuro's departure, she wasn't sure what the right choice was for her…for the wizarding world. Kuro's desire to protect her had already created one schism with the Death Eaters; what would happen if she chose to be with him? Would some other part of the wizarding world be torn apart?

She shook her head. How self centered to think such a thing. She was just a girl as Ayame liked to point out. The only schism she could see was with her and Ron and that was bound to happen with or without Kuro. She sat the stones on her bedside table and crawled under her covers. Her mind was over flowing with thoughts and the excitement of visiting Darkland; the night around her slowly drifted away until she would be reawakened by the rising sun.

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It was the second time since Kuro made an appearance in her life that Hermione stood before a mirror staring in wonder at her own reflection. The dress was not strapless by any means, but what sleeves there were, were only strips of fabric around the upper arms that exploded into wisps of fabric that fell down her arms and flowed with her movements, matching the way the skirt of the dress moved. It was amazing how a dress that was so fitted to her body could flow so magically.

"Yes, that is you," Chloe said from behind her.

Hermione turned and smiled at the girl in the turquoise dress that matched the turquoise choker she wore. Her eyes lingered on the choker, smiling about how clueless Chi could be. Did he really have no clue or was he simply not ready to admit that he knew? Chloe smiled, knowing what she was smiling about.

"A couple of things before we go," Chloe said. "Rui-san wanted to make sure I told you this before we left."

Hermione nodded her head, looking intently at Chloe waiting for the information she was sure to get.

"Do not mention the curse at the celebration," Chloe said. She noted Hermione's curious look and continued. "You have to understand the Monogatari are a royal family, though not the first royal family of Darkland, but certainly one that stands to lose the most."

"What do you mean?" Hermione stepped forward as if bringing her physically closer to Chloe would get her the story faster.

"There is no other family of vampires like the Monogatari," Chloe began. "They were cursed. Those in Darkland do not know this. They would be seen as not a true vampire. If it were to get out that they were simply a cursed family then there could be anarchy…war…it wouldn't be pretty."

Hermione nodded.

"I won't whisper a word of it," Hermione reassured.

Chloe nodded feeling confident she had completed a task without personal injury. As they turned toward the bedroom door to leave, Hermione's heart began to pound heavily. She was going to a winter celebration…in Darkland…surrounded by vampires of the uncursed variety…which meant she would appear to be an appetizer instead of a guest.

A thunk and a squeal snapped Hermione out of her thoughts and caused her to come to a sudden halt before she became part of the accident. In front of her, Chloe had, once again, missed the doorway and walked into the door frame. As Chloe's hand clamped over her nose in pain, a hand reached in and jerked her out the door. Hermione stepped out into the corridor to see Chi standing there with a tight grip of Chloe's arm and prying her hand off her nose with the other.

Hermione couldn't help the smile that played on her lips as she looked from the turquoise choker to the scowling Chi.

"Baka," he said as he released his grip on her as if touching her burned him in some way.

He turned away, his eyes barely shifting back to Chloe's direction as he descended the stairs. Hermione giggled slightly into her hand. Chloe, still rubbing her nose, looked up at Hermione

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"You ready? Kuro-san left a while ago. As the Prince he has to be there with Rui-san to greet the guests. Ayame-san will be escorting you."

Hermione nodded as she followed Chloe to the stairs, feeling the anxiety in her churning stomach.

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Ayame explained to Hermione how they would get to Darkland. He would need to hold her and then they would do the vampire's form of apparating. It made no sound, no uncomfortable feeling of squeezing into a hole, just the feeling of fading away only to fade into being somewhere else.

What Hermione didn't expect was to fade back into being on the shores of a beach. She blinked in the darkness that surrounded her. Sitting on the beach were two cars though. She had to remind herself that she was no longer in the wizarding world. One car was a brilliant red, as flashy as any sports car could be. She had no doubt that would be Chi's car and she was not disappointed when he walked straight toward it, not bothering to see if Chloe was coming or not.

"You cannot get to the estate without a vehicle," Ayame said as he took Hermione's hand and began to lead her to the car that was such a strange dark shade of grey it appeared nearly black in the night.

He held the door open for her and she slid into the seat, still looking at the world around her. As Ayame climbed in on his side, his crooked smile turned toward her.

"Is Darkland on an island?"

One thin eyebrow rose in the air. He pointed out the windshield.

"The estate is up on that crag."

Hermione followed his finger and she could see on the crag an estate, almost castle like, sprawled out and alight with activity. Ayame started the car and turned his head to look out his side window at Chi. They were both revving their engines with a gleam in their eyes. Hermione squealed in fright when Ayame finally took off, tires spinning in the sand, Hermione being thrown back against her seat as he raced Chi to the road. Hermione gripped her seat, momentarily forgetting that on the crag a party full of vampires awaited.

As Ayame hit the road, the back end of his car fishtailed slightly, but Ayame was quick to gain control of the car and race forward toward the road that climbed up the crag. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest as the car came to a screeching halt in front of the estate where people were gathered, watching the new arrivals and valets of the vampire sort waited. The moment the car stopped, Hermione turned to Ayame and hit him across the arm.

"How dare you play such a childish game with me in this car!"

Ayame looked at her as if he were bored before his crooked mischievous smile began to form on his face.

"Welcome to my world, Mi-chan."

A vampire dressed in red opened the car door for her as Ayame climbed out and handed him his keys. He held his arm out for her and she gladly took it, desperate to hold on to something familiar. Behind them, Chi and Chloe had pulled up and Chloe was walking too fast to catch up. She started to trip and Chi was quick to catch her before she hit the ground. With one hand he grabbed her by the back of her dress and sat her upright on her feet. Chloe turned bright red as she turned to look at Hermione. Over the girls' heads Ayame looked at Chi.

"I won again, Chi-san."

Chi mumbled something that sounded like a death threat, but the silence that surrounded their arrival drowned it out. The vampires at the door took note of who was entering and announced their arrival.

"Prince Ayame and Prince Chi with…Hermione Granger and Chloe Blaise."

The room at large turned…not at the announcement, but at their arrival in the room. It was like the room of vampires could smell the blood coursing through her veins. Chloe was a regular part of the estate so, Hermione had no doubt she was the cause of the stares and not Chloe. Unconsciously, Hermione took a step closer to Ayame as if wishing to disappear into his arms. His eyes narrowed, sweeping over the onlookers as if warning them that he could see who was there…he knew that if anything happened to her…

"You're a prince too?"

Ayame looked down at Hermione's curious question.

"Yes, we all are, but Kuro-san is the Crowned Prince…the next King."

Hermione nodded, understanding and then turned to Chloe as she drug Hermione off toward Kuro and Rui were they currently stood by their thrones.

From the small raised platform Kuro watched Chloe clumsily pull Hermione through the crowd of party goers toward him, Ayame following behind, his dark eyes never leaving Kuro with a dance of delight in them…taunting delight. Hermione followed Chloe's lead and bowed slightly toward the two men. Rui smiled down at Hermione remembering the last time she came into a room to greet them.

"No fists this time, Hermione-chan?"

She blushed brightly, remembering the incident herself. Rui chuckled slightly.

"No reason to be embarrassed," he said with a playful tone to his voice.

Rui then turned to look at his other two Princes.

"You need to remain up here to greet the newest arrivals as well. Hermione-chan and Chloe-chan may remain by your sides."

Kuro's eyes had not left Hermione. At the words of their King, Kuro reached out and gently led Hermione to stand next to him. Ayame smiled ever so slightly as he stepped behind Hermione, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. She felt like a toy being tugged back and forth between two children. Chloe stood next to her so she could whisper who everyone was in Hermione's ear, remembering how it felt to be the outsider.

Hermione did her best to concentrate on every tid bit of information Chloe gave her. It was difficult though. Oddly, it was not Ayame's hand on her shoulder that was so distracting. It was how close to Kuro she was. Just standing there she could feel a pull toward him, the desire to be closer and that possibly would not be close enough. She took a deep breath fighting the need. That was when the three cousins came in. The three young men stood there while their arrival was announced.

"Shadou Karasu…Shadou Taka…and Shadou Naito."

Each of the three held a certain aura of arrogance about them. All the women in the room watched their every move, loving it. Every man scowled and those who didn't scowl watched curiously…anxiously for what would come. No matter what, there was still the underlying feeling of fear Hermione picked up on.

"Those three are the Shadou cousins," Chloe whispered into Hermione's ear. Her tone was a mixture of fear and excitement. "Their fathers were the kings prior to Rui-san. They were supposed to rule together just as their fathers did."

For once Hermione whispered back.

"And why aren't they then?"

"The three kings were suffering from the same disease. A sort of vampire cancer. Well, he called for the oracle who told him what she could see for the future of the kingdom if the cousins ruled. That was when they decided. The cousins would not rule, the strongest family, the Monogatari family, would rule."

Hermione's eyes had not left the cousins as they made their approach to greet the royal family.

"And the cousins were okay with this?"

Chloe shook her head.

"Of course not. I told you about them once before. I told you about the Shadows. Who do you think leads them?"

Hermione felt a chill run down her spine as the cousins approached, each with their own swagger and heart melting smile. She felt Kuro's hand reach out and grab a hold of hers tightly and Ayame's hand tightened some what on her shoulder. They didn't look evil per say. Looks could be deceiving though. If evil were unattractive would anyone follow it? No, look at Voldemort. At the end he was not an attractive man, but at the beginning he was.

As they crossed the platform greeting each in turn, Hermione could feel the tension in the air. They ignored her, except the one in the middle, who stopped and peered down at Hermione noticing Ayame's hand and Kuro's.

"Sharing toys now?"

"Taka-san," the eldest said in a tone of warning.

His eyes flashed from Ayame to Kuro and smiled as he turned to follow his cousin. Hermione's nerves were so rattled she didn't hear the announcement of the oracle, Oriana, until she was standing in front of her and Chloe.

"Finally," the older woman said. She reached out to take Hermione's hand and with a strange face, she grabbed Chloe's, holding them both. Her lips turned up as she mumbled words Hermione had heard mentioned once before.

"Blood of a witch…blood of another," she said with that strange look as if something finally made sense to her.

They watched the oracle wander off. At least Hermione wasn't alone in not knowing what that was all about.

"I'll talk to her later," Rui said as if he could hear the question in everyone's head.

Once the arrivals dwindled off, Rui released them all to enjoy themselves. Hermione, despite Ayame's scowling face of disapproval, refused to leave Kuro's side. She felt safer there, more at peace there. And no matter what, she felt that strange undeniable pull to get closer. But at one point Kuro had no choice but to leave her side. She watched Kuro exit the room with Rui and that was when Hermione got curious. When she and Ayame had entered the house, she remembered seeing a door slightly ajar overflowing with books. The library perhaps?

She went back to the foyer and took a right. There it was…slightly ajar and barely lit with a candle. She slid into the room, taking in the books that surrounded her. She couldn't say how long she stood there staring at the books.

"Oh…what do we have here? Did the princes lose their toy?"

The sound of the soft, almost seductive voice startled Hermione. She jumped slightly and turned to see the middle of the cousins standing there. He took slow deliberate steps toward Hermione as she remembered the fear Chloe talked abut when she spoke of these cousins and their Shadows. She began to take steps back in order to keep a distance from him.

"You know, they took something that belongs to me," he said. His voice had a caressing sound to it despite the malice it was laced with.

Hermione took another step back, but found she could go no farther as she bumped into the old table. She gasped slightly at the sudden realization.

"Perhaps," he said stepping closer to Hermione. "I should take something that belongs to them in return."

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Kuro was listening to what Rui was saying about Oriana's strange words when he felt it. It was an overwhelming sense of anxiety and fear. It churned his stomach. Pain shot through his head as if something was screaming out for help within his own head. His hands grabbed the sides of his head and his knees buckled.

"Hermione," he whispered.

"Go to her," Rui demanded.

Kuro fled the room, adrenaline pumping through his body. Fear was flooding him. Where was she? She was nowhere to be found in the main room of the party and neither was Taka. The one place he could think of her being at was the library. He ran through the crowd of people, nodding his apologies to those he shoved aside in his hurry.

He could hear Taka's words from outside the library.

"Perhaps I should take something that belongs to them in return."

Kuro burst through the doors of the library.

"There you are," he said in a deceptively calm voice.

Never show the enemy how scared you are…never.

Taka turned and glared at Kuro, looking him over as if searching for some sign of his fear.

"You can't hide it from me," Taka said as he left the room, realizing he could do nothing with Kuro there.

Hermione leaned against the table, waiting for her heartbeat to return to normal. Her eyes looked up meeting Kuro's and it was overwhelming for him. He knew he told her it was her choice. In reality, she could choose neither him nor Ayame, but at that moment he didn't care. Her decision wasn't today. At that moment the fear was still rushing through his veins, the smell of her life, her blood still flooded his senses, and his mouth watered remembering the taste. He wasn't aware that he was walking toward her until he was standing right in front of her. It was like she could read his mind and was channeling his senses.

Her eyes looked up at him; her hands rested on his chest; her chest heaved in a combination of her anxiety and excitement. She nodded her head as she pulled him down toward her.

That was all he needed to lose his control with her.

It was a relief.

Like she had been holding it in…not letting anyone know exactly how close she wished, needed to be to Kuro. When his mouth moved down to her neck he paused as if inhaling her scent. No matter what, Hermione could not slow her breathing down. She felt light headed and yet, she didn't want him to stop.

He couldn't do this.

With a growl, more to himself, he pulled away, removing his hands from her waist and laying them flat on the table. That was when he noticed she was on the table. Had he put her there? He couldn't recall. His head and heart pounded.

Just a taste.

He tried to look away, but her movement distracted him. She shifted to her knees, so that her height was now equal to his. She was tired of his act, tired of his attempts at ignoring what was there.

She sat back on her feet. She nibbled her bottom lip as she looked up at him as if unsure of herself. She moved slightly; Kuro closed his eyes almost afraid of what she was going to do. That was when he felt it. Her lips moving across his throat and up his neck. His nails dug into the wooden table, leaving their mark—physical evidence of the strength he had and the control he was losing. Then she whispered his own words into his ear.

"Ichi-go ichi-e."

From the library door, Ayame stood watching the way Kuro pulled Hermione closer to him as if he just couldn't get close enough. He watched Hermione's stilted breath physically reveal itself with the heave of her chest. He watched the way she whispered his name, "Kuro," and he mumbled "my pet," into her neck. And he watched the way she allowed her head to fall to the side and back slightly, offering herself to him…offering Kuro that intimate bite.

Next Chapter: He leaned down, inhaling deeply before whispering against her neck.

"Your blood, Mi-chan." She felt his lips barely on her skin as if fighting the urge to bite her or kiss her. "If I must torture myself," he continued. "I'd rather take it from the source so I can hear her every moan and feel her every breath."

Hmmm…ready for the next chapter? It is posted evil grin

I fixed both LJ links...so they should send you straight to the LJ now.