I am quite happy that I managed to clean up this chapter and post it so soon! Your comments and support was a great motivation! Thank you All for that! 3
Action filled chapter ahead! Hope you enjoy it!
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Chapter's start ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
The next day was nothing short of awkward, starting from the way everyone scurried out of the kitchen with their plates instead of sitting there to eat breakfast with the old lady like they got used to doing lately, courtesy of a pregnant vampire who started doing it first as a rebellion against whatever frigid system they were used to.
Zero sipped on his egg soup silently, wishing to dig a grave if it allowed him not to deal with the quizzical looks of the servants.
The time of the departure for the guests finally arrived and Zero could finally breath. Yuki has been a nightmare ever since she found out about him and Kaname, wiggling like a worm in happiness, giving them googly eyes and poking around trying to find out more.
Zero bid farewell to the ball of energy that is Keiichi and made his way back into the castle. He barely rounded the last corridor to his destination and halted, noticing Ichiru sitting on the couch, ending a visibly irritating phone call judging by the way he slammed the phone on the side table.
The pregnant vampire walked towards his brother, gestured for him to scoot over, and flopped on the couch, using the hug Ichiru prepared as his cushion. Ichiru hooked a leg around his brother's and secured him in a tight hug "you fall over if you are not careful"
"I am not that round to fucking topple like ball…" Zero growled and sighed at the chuckles of his younger twin, enjoying the light patting on his head.
From a bystander perspective, it looked like the roles were reversed from their childhood days, where Ichiru used to crawl into Zero's bed and hide in his embrace for a sense of safety and belonging.
"Kuran?" Ichiru asked.
"Packed and left for Cross Campus early this morning." Zero whispered lazily, "Hanabusa?"
"Packing our stuff to leave later this afternoon, including yours." Ichiru whispered, burying his face in the silver mane.
"Thanks" Zero felt drained suddenly. Everything that they were working hard for was to be concluded in the next seventy-two hours. It would be either victory or carnage, nothing in between.
"Nah… Nii-san…" Ichiru tightened the hug before inquiring about the details that kept nagging him for a while, "Why did you decide to get together with Kuran?"
"Hmmm" Zero was starting to zone out, enjoying the peace and quiet.
"I doubt that you suddenly realized that you were in love with him." Ichiru poked further.
"Obviously." Zero mumbled, "Can't you just be happy that your wish came true."
"You make it sound as if you did it for me." Ichiru chuckled for a minute before quieting down suddenly. The action made Zero open the half-mast eyelid and stare at the phone on the side table facing him. Zero could tell, from the way Ichiru tensed, that his twin was onto something.
"I am not in the mood to talk about this." Zero tried to avoid any kind of conflict.
"We may not get the chance to talk about it." Ichiru let out a sinister comment.
"Don't be so pessimistic." His older twin scolded softly, pinching the hand hugging him.
"Ouch… I am being realistic… We are doing something crazy, regardless of whether or not I approve of the strategy behind it." Ichiru tightened the hug to suffocate his brother.
"It worked before." Zero stated
"but the casualties were too big. I don't think I can handle having that burden on my conscience. The current death toll is keeping me sleepless enough." Ichiru groaned.
"That is why we added preventive measures." Zero reminded him.
"Starting a damn war will leave us with a lot of unexpected events even if we prepare for the worst." Ichiru sighed,
"If we wait any longer, the death toll from their sneaky attacks will makes us regret it." Zero reminded his brother, "The first parent started the war herself, fully knowing that she was at disadvantage but kept her faith in the hunter race strong. That action and sacrifice ended a gruesome era for humanity, allowing it to rebuild itself for the better."
"Kuran Kaname started a war when the enemy was cowardly manipulating things in the shadows. He brought forth the evil and greedy, exposed a lot of hidden secrets and caused the annihilation of the festering corruption in both societies almost completely." Ichiru finished his brother's statement. "But Nii-san, you are talking about a legendary first-born lady and a vampire crowned king not once but twice in his lifetime. What do you think we, broken excuses of the Kiryuu bloodline, would be capable of?"
"We have better odds. More importantly, we are not alone in this fight." Zero reassured him.
"That is a lot of faith you put in him." Ichiru teased, knowing that his brother was talking about the one and only ancestor in their group.
"Maybe…" Zero mumbled, feeling sleepy.
"If that is the case, why have you not confessed about him already?" Ichiru patted the pregnant bump. He tensed in surprise when noticing the gloomy cloud suddenly hovering on his brother's head.
The younger twin had to lean closer to understand the low muttering of his obviously miffed brother "… yeah… why?... why did you not open your freaking mouth and confessed instead of using those lips for something else…" Zero clenched his teeth… "Acting like a fucking horny whore, getting caught in the act by your other child…. Ugh… and then each and every one of them popping out of nowhere whenever I try to grab a chance… if hell is meant to look like something, it is definitely what I have been through trying to get few words out of my bloody mouth these past hours…" Zero was downright livid, continuing to mumble on and on.
Ichiru smiled at that instead of worrying, patting the tense shoulder, "There There… you tried your best Nii-san…"
Zero finally relaxed again but remained dejected at the thought of missing out on a golden opportunity. "Maybe it is for the best."
"Hm?" Ichiru snapped from his daydream when his brother finally spoke coherently.
"Maybe I should wait until this battle is over and tell him. It will be just a couple of days." Zero elaborated.
Not one to miss the change of tone, Ichiru adjusted their position in a way that Zero was flat on his back and Ichiru was squished inside the sofa, looking at him from the side. "Is there a reason for waiting any longer?"
"He hates betrayal." Zero spoke softly, but his voice had a pained tone that matched the one haunting his face. A flashback of the day of Ai's birth made his heart ache.
"How is that relev… oooh…" Ichiru slumped to the side and rested his chin on Zero's shoulder, feeling defeated. "Nii-san! You are really an expert when it comes to crafting the most sinister scenarios… From the look of it, he cherishes this baby without even knowing that he is his flesh and blood, I can only see him lighting fireworks in celebration after learning the truth."
"Probably." Zero caressed his bump.
"Nii-san, I want to ask one more time. Why did you decide to get together with Kuran?"
"He hates betrayal." Zero reiterated
"I understand, but that does not answer my question." Ichiru was starting to lose patience.
"He hates it with gusto. People who hate betrayal to that extreme are generally the most loyal at heart." Zero explained further.
"Oh please…" Ichiru was about to mock the statement.
"Think about it for a second… Go down the history that we learned as kids and all the scriptures you read staying here…" Zero urged his brother.
Ichiru stared at him for a moment as if he had gone mad, sighed, and surrendered… "He was presumably king of his race, at the time of rebellion, he managed to find a way for humans to defend themselves against rogue vampires that did not follow his ruling… the sacrifice of Kiryuu Shima seemed to have had a strong mental and emotional impact on him to the point of going into slumber for ten thousands of years to heal. When he awakened the first time, he witnessed the loss of his descendants because of him and dedicated the first seventeen years of his life plotting their revenge and protecting the last person standing from his bloodline. Once that was done and dusted, he moved on his lifetime mission… to rebuild the society where cohabitation is not a myth. When faced with the corrupted mindset of his kind, he took drastic measure and started a killing spree." Ichiru could go on for longer, "All I see is him turning on his kind in every turn."
"Out of loyalty." Zero pointed, looking at his brother.
"huh?" Ichiru was downright confused at this point.
"Out of loyalty to his beliefs, to his family, to his people… He went above and beyond to create a world where the weak can thrive without the fear of becoming a prey. He was never afraid to execute the ones who presented as fatal danger to his people, vampire, human or hunters. But most of all, he would go to the far extreme when it comes to one thing."
If finally clicked, Ichiru breathed out the words "When it comes to his own blood." Suddenly remembering that the spark of the last war being Yuki and the threat to her status as the princess to become queen of the vampire society.
"I betrayed his trust before… He may be over it after all we have been through… but… once I reveal the truth… we may never be the same again…" Zero confessed, "I just needed a bit of time… to truly see him for who he truly is… the real Kuran Kaname."
"And coming here led you to the answer you were seeking." Ichiru confirmed, running his fingers through his brother's hair,
"I…" Zero hesitated for a second… "I don't know what the future holds for us… heck we may not be the same ever again after what will happen in the next few days…" he snorted,
"But he has been quite consistent through the long millennia he lived." Ichiru commented, as if reading his brother's mind judging by the way he nodded.
"We… no matter how much of supercharged beings we are… we are still mortal… You and I will probably not live as long as he will." Zero rubbed his bump, "That alone is reason for me to seek the help of the only person who will give him the unconditional support and love he needs."
"Geez Nii-san." Ichiru slumped, hugging his brother who confirmed his suspicions.
Zero's lips curved in a sideway smile as he mused, "I have to admit that the thought of having him as a partner is scary and thrilling at the same time…" inhaling a deep breath he patted Ichiru's back when feeling the hug tighten again, "It still feels unreal to me… but… I can't say that I have any regret yet…" Zero's tone turned a bit more serious as he thought about how things have been escalating with the dark-haired vampire, "As for how it all came down to this situation, it started from the moment that I decided to just shove all my freaking prejudice, hate and fears aside and look objectively for a while… Do you know what was the first thing that I realized? It was me being fucking unfair to my own son whom I swore to protect at whatever cost." Zero gritted his teeth, meeting the gaze of his brother with shaky amethyst irises. He took a deep breath, "Anyway… I will have to tell him the truth."
"You know that you will have plenty of time with him, right?" Ichiru rubbed the bump.
"It does not feel that long compared to the lifespan of a pureblood… I consider myself lucky that Kaname found out about Keiichi the way he did. It opened my eyes to so many facts. I was so naïve thinking I can do this on my own…" Zero laughed sarcastically…
Ichiru sympathized with his brother to a certain extent. The looming fear that he would have to bid his husband goodbye due to the obvious difference in their lifespans gnawed at him, even if he was granted more time thanks to his genes and awakened powers, he still felt like it would never be enough. He could barely imagine how his twin was feeling knowing that his two sons would live as powerful pureblooded hybrids. No matter how powerful he may become, Zero was still an ex-human, the lowest of the pyramid, while Kaname sat at the very top. Or almost, if Cyrus and his kind were disposed of properly.
Ichiru was still puzzled over the actual reason that made Cyrus grovel to Kuran despite being just as powerful if not more. Knowing that Kaname was younger than him and his disciple no less made the younger twin even more confused. Zero shuffled and sat upright, snapping his twin out of his musing.
"Pureblood or not, Nii-san is strong enough to handle them come what may" Ichiru bumped the shoulder of his brother, pride shining through his face and voice. It drew a smile on Zero's face before he stood and walked over to the noble vampire coming their way.
Zero grabbed the suitcase from Hanabusa while thanking the servant who was helping him carry the other two to the car.
"Shall we get back to the real world beyond these huge walls?" Zero breathed out as soon as he stepped out of the castle towards the car, he inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly, "It sucks but I fucking miss it."
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Same morning in Cross Academy ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Cross Kaien cradled his sheathed sword at the sitting area by the porch of his house. He looked at the weapon while his loose hair swayed at the soft breeze. Light footsteps did not alarm him, neither did the lady shoes of the woman hovering over his head. He allowed the feminine hand to caress his locks and tuck one behind his ears.
"I thought I could protect them from a day like this." Kaien whispered.
"Destiny can play dirty tricks sometime." The voice was kind, low and motherly.
"Tell me about it." Kaien sighed, "this is supposed to be my heirloom." He swung the weapon and pinned the end to the ground, leaning on it like a wooden cane, "it is as good as a scrap of metal in my hand."
"Yet you slay so many of your enemies swinging it." She giggled at the side glare he threw her way,
"I guess you came to hear a thank you for everything you taught me." Cross Kaien finally straightened, meeting the familiar gaze of the mysterious woman, "Thank you for teaching me how to survive in this world of insanity, Sensei."
She smiled and caressed the grim face, "You are quite charming when you are all dark and gloomy." She teased, "I have to get going now…"
"Yeah… It looks like a visitor is on his way… I doubt that he would mind having you over for some tea." Cross stated nonchalantly, attempting to stall her departure.
"Clever boy." She pinched his cheek. "Keep being that smart and stay out of situations you cannot handle in the coming battle. That is what I came here for…"
"I will try to get out of it in one piece." Cross Kaien scoffed,
"I would not mind you losing a limb or two, it will be just as much fun sewing it back on." The comeback made the ex-hunter cringe knowing what the woman could be capable of.
His jaw slackened as soon as the feminine figure turned around. The body started shifting before his eyes. The lady grew shorter as the hair texture changed along with its color. The once body-hugging dress turned looser and extended from knee length to a full maxi garment. Bright eyes turned around and waved at him cutely in between unruly silver bangs.
Rosa skipped the steps, disregarding the oversized shoes and walked on the stone pavement in hurried footsteps, but she halted suddenly, midway towards the nearest path to the exit.
At the end of the path stood a familiar figure. Her eyes locked with wine orbs for a good minute before she started walking again. Her heart was pounding harder the closer she got to his side.
Kaname stood still as the girl shortened the distance, his face remained void of any emotion.
Rosa hurried her footsteps to get past the taller male. She took a risk coming into this territory, a risk she started regretting when feeling estranged, again. Her steps grew as heavy as her heart when her now flowing dress grazed the pants of the taller man as she passed him.
"Ack!" She yelped loudly, enough for Cross Kaien to snap out of his stupor and stand up. Although alarmed, he quickly halted his steps at the scene he was witnessing.
Kaname collected the woman in a girl's body by the waist and twisted her so that she was snuggled against his chest. He kept her head in his embrace as he easily cradled her body with one arm against his. With his mouth close to her ear, he whispered, "Thank you for staying safe all this time." The whisper was followed by a tightening hug that made Rosa choke on the lump forming in her throat, she almost lost it at the next words "I can't wait to sit with you and listen to all the stories you were waiting to tell."
Rosa finally pushed against his chest, raising her head to meet Kaname's eyes. The almond shape of her own turning almost round in shock when she found the familiar glint in those wine orbs. Tears started pooling around the bright amethyst as she choked out the words, "It will take a couple thousand years to go over everything."
Kaname shrugged, "I can spare that much time." The smile he gave her was the last straw that sent her back to her childhood as she cried loudly in his arm, the weight of all the time that passed finally crushing her.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Memories of Rosa's childhood ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
"…. And…. And…." The little girl stuttered as she excitedly talked about her day while tightly grabbing the long finger of the adult male sitting across the sofa from her.
"Hmm?" Kaname smiled as he faked a great deal of interest in what she was saying.
The front door creaked open, and a pregnant lady made her way inside. "Geez… I will have Kagetsu-san look into this noisy door if you are not going to fix it by the next time we visit."
Kaname chuckled at the annoyed tone, "I will make sure to fix it before your next visit. I would hate for it to wake up the baby from sleep."
"Rosa! Are you still talking about nonsense?" the woman teased the girl who puffed her cheeks in annoyance, "Makkuro does not have that much time to waste on a chatterbox."
"Rika-ma you meaanie!" Rosa snapped and turned towards Kaname with a stern look, "You have time this much?" she pointed to ten of her fingers.
"What is that supposed to be?" Rika chuckled, "minutes? Hours? Years?"
"Years!" Rosa took the last option and ran with it.
"Oh my…" Rika hid her mouth, knowing that it was her fault that Kaname was getting into a pickle.
The older man took the tiny hands and kissed the palm of each, making the little girl giggle. "I can spare that much for our princess."
Rosa gave Rika the 'I told you so' look and proceeded to drag Kaname by the hand, "Come…"
"Where do you think you are going?" Rika teased some more.
"To tell Makkuro a secret I don't want meanie Rika-ma to know." The expression earned her a soft laughter from both adults as Rika put away the grocery and Kaname signaled for her to stop the teasing.
As soon as they reached the staircase, Rosa yelled at the loud sound of glass shattering on the floor. She ran back faster than Kaname, face paling when she found Rika crouched in pain, "Rika-ma?!"
Kaname was by her side in a heartbeat. "I warned you not to push yourself in your state." His voice was stern, and Rosa observed as he pulled the sleeve of his shirt while pulling a dagger from Rika's belt. The pregnant woman was breathing heavily, drenched in cold sweat but smiling nonetheless as she huffed the words, "I guess I was having too much fun spending a normal day in the farmer's market."
Kaname did not scold her any further. He simply slashed his own wrist and allowed her to drink as much blood as she could before the wound closed. He repeated the same action a couple more times before picking her up bridal style in direction of the bedroom. Lying in bed, Rika simply hugged his torso and enjoyed the quiet while Kaname massaged her scalp in soothing circles. "I miss this."
The sound of tiny footsteps coming up the stairs made them chuckle as Rosa made her way in. The little girl noticed that the shards were those of a fruit cup while a couple of persimmons sat on the counter.
Rosa figured that Rika was preparing some fruits and decided to help. She entered the bedroom with a tray holding three fruit cups filled with the favorite fruit of each one of them. The adults accepted them gratefully. Rika and Rosa looked at Kaname in anticipation as he took a bite of the bright orange-red fruit. He nodded after the first one, "it's pleasantly sweet when in season."
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ memories of Rosa's childhood ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
The crying quieted down, leaving the now grown-up girl breathing heavily as she clutched the fabric of Kaname's shirt. With his chin on top of her head, she heard the question that made her heart beat out of her chest again, "Nah… Rosa… Is Sepideh safe?"
"Huh?" Rosa blinked a couple of times at the question, "You remembered…."
"Sepideh seems to be a lady that Shoken cherished as a child… Also.." Kaname did not miss the hint of disappointment. "Is she okay?"
Rosa nodded. However, her gaze flickered to the hand now shoved in Kaname's pants, not missing the way his jaw tensed at her confirmation. "So she does exist…" Kaname whispered… "and so did Mizuki."
The last name triggered a moment of pure panic in Rosa's head… "Kaname that is not-!"
"I know…" Kaname calmed her down with the familiar gesture of kissing the palm of the hand she was flailing, discreetly pushing a memory card in it and closing the fist around it.
"I get it… somehow, I get it." He finally put her down and ruffled her hair, "You should get going." He pointed to the two men that escorted her making their way in their direction when she took too long to come out.
Rosa spent the rest of the ride still as a stone. As soon as the vehicle stopped, however, she flew out of it in the direction of her mother's dwelling.
"MOTHER!" she jumped on the bed of the sleeping vampire.
"So noisy… shut up…" Sepideh grumbled as she propped on her elbow to glare at her daughter. "What is it?" her throat tightened when she identified the look on the petite woman, a look of hope and fear at the same time.
"Makkuro… Makkuro…" Rosa stuttered, "He started to remember…. He remembers…"
The eyes looking at her as she stuttered widened briefly before a blank expression plastered on Sepideh's face, "What of it?" she extended her arm to the nightstand and pulled a pack of cigarettes, placing one in her mouth to light it. "He mentioned your name… Although still confused on who you were… but he looked concerned…."
"Hmmm…." Sepideh picked up the lighter, cursed under her breath when it wouldn't work.
"and he also mentioned Uncle Mizuki." Rosa trailed, losing the initial spark when facing the cold reaction of the older vampire.
The words brought around an eerie silence and a change in the air. Rosa felt shivers run down her spine as she watched the tobacco stick fall from the parted red lips. Her mother stared at her with piercing eyes, almost bored into her soul. "What did you just say?"
"He mentioned Uncle Mizuki…" Rosa's heart sunk for a second, "What about it?"
"It is impossible…" Sepideh whispered.
"Why is that… he has been pushing against the spell… wouldn't it be possible that he managed to break it." Rosa closed the rest of the distance on the bed, trying to pick up on the words that her mother was whispering, visibly in shock.
"There was no such a thing as a spell…" the words made Rosa's mind spin… she felt her ears ring loudly as Sepideh continued talking, picking up on the last words that were some sort of question to which she answered, "I don't know…"
The shapeshifter left the room in complete shock, feeling as if the last ten thousand years of her life were infused with more lies than what she accounted for. She finally sat on the sofa and pulled out the laptop, hoping to find clues that would get her mind out of the dark hole that was sinking it. "Have we been living a lie, all this time?"
The next day, Cross Academy, Ichiru's apartement
"Well… that is the last of it…" Ichiru flopped on the couch where Zero was lazily picking on an ice cream tub while reading the latest update, "It feels so good to be home."
"yeah…" Zero pulled his phone and dialed the last number he called barely fifteen minutes ago, "How far along are we…"
Ichiru cringed. He could easily imagine Takuma holding his temple at this point, ready to pulverize the first person adding to the irritation caused by Zero's continuous requests for update.
It was not the best Idea for Kuran to 'forget' his phone and instruct Zero to stay put until all preparations were done to his liking. It put Takuma in the worst position during this stressful time.
"We are getting there, Kiryuu-kun. With all the intel that your brother provided, things are working out easier than expected." Takuma reassured as he gestured instructions to the crew that he was handling.
"How is he?" Zero's voice was laced with concern. It was understandable since Kaname had to deal with a bout of splitting headache just before leaving the campus. Zero did not need to do much this time. The older vampire had things under control. He simply forced him to get one IV bag of human blood before leaving. The thought of Kaname going berserk away from him stressed the pregnant hunter to no end.
"He seems to be doing great." Takuma reassured him. Ichiru doubted that the words had any effect judging by the way his brother stabbed the helpless food with the spoon.
Long and painful hours later, the twins headed to the house of the chairman. They did not bother entering the building since their ride was waiting for them outside. The two limousines and several luxury cars looked imposing, but nobody cared. Kaname stood in his suit with the door open for Zero to get into the limousine along with Yuki and Isaya Shouto. Hanabusa swiftly moved to the passenger seat next to Seiren, who was driving the vehicle. Ichiru climbed the only odd car in the crowd, Zero's Jeep where his bartender was waiting to drive him to his destination. Takuma took the helpers, the kids including Keiichi and Ai to pick up Rima and Senri from the airport using a different car, Ruka joined them minutes before their departure. Two heavily armed special forces along with a car filled with noble vampires followed them as they are left first. Zero clenched his fist watching the car drive away while the boy waved at him from the back seat. Kaname held the hand and squeezed it in a reassuring manner. He quickly jerked the hand away when Cross Kaien tapped on the window that Yuki slid down.
"We are good to go. What is the situation now? Are we still going with the same plan?" the ex-hunter inquired for the last check before parting ways. Zero nodded,
"Just make sure the detectors are working." He held up the tablet and tapped a few commands,
"things are looking alright for me." Cross Kaien held out his wrist and pulled at the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a band that blinked green and blue, "This looks fine to me."
"Don't get too excited old man" Zero grumbled as he flipped the tablet to show the stats, "I might think you are having a heart attack or under attack when you are just prancing around acting all jolly."
"Geez, you can't take a joke now…" the ex-hunter teased.
"Father… I agree that this is no time for jokes." Yuki scolded, starting to tense up ever since she left her daughter in the care of her nanny and Takuma.
The ride was dangerously quiet all the way down to their destination. The purebloods, hunter and co were watching their own clocks like hawks. Once parked, they got off the vehicle one after the other. It was not until Zero left the limousine that the paparazzi started swarming the place, blinding them with their camera flashing.
It took an equally large swarm of bodyguards to get the bystanders and pests out of the way. Zero simply sliced through the crowd, lips curling sideway, satisfied by the result of the media campaign that launched a few days ago.
Once inside the building, they took a deep breath and relaxed. The tv station had less staff than usual due to the special circumstances. They passed one door after the other as they walked down the corridor. Zero glanced through a couple of doors before suddenly pulling the dark-haired vampire inside one of the rooms, slamming the door behind. The action startled the group, but Hanabusa half expected it. His brother-in-law has been antsy ever since they left the castle.
"You guys go ahead; I will stand watch and join you later." The noble vampire leaned against the door, taking out his phone to check on his own partner.
Kaname complied silently as Zero dragged him inside the room and allowed the hand holding his to linger for a while when Zero kept tightening his grip.
They were extremely busy after leaving the castle so they barely talked. He could feel as if a dark cloud was forming above the hunter's head. Knowing the pessimistic nature of his partner, Kaname expected Zero to blow his top sooner or later. However, he knew that it was too early for it to happen yet.
"Once we go inside the broadcasting room, there is no going back." Zero whispered as he let go of the hand he was holding. He shuffled around the bag that he was carrying and took out a long black trench coat.
"Yuki allowed me to see her vision of the first parent before. I noticed that you wore a black cloak at the time." Kaname remained silent, "Also, I took a hint from the stories you told me about, when recollecting fragments of your memories. That cloak was almost your signature style." Zero chuckled as he unfolded the garment.
"Even after awakening, you tend to gravitate towards long garment, except for the school uniform." Zero mumbled as approached the taller man.
"But lately… you seem to have forfeited that style of yours… not that I am complaining, casual suits and tuxedo look equally stunning on you." He shrugged.
Kaname complied gently as Zero took off his suit jacket leaving him clad in the cream-colored shirt. He then slid a hand in the sleeve, noticing the light fabric of the garment, suitable for the weather. Once the 'coat' was on, Zero patted the fabric on top of his chest and smiled reluctantly, "That is more like it…" without waiting for an answer he snuggled into the wide chest and grabbed the collar with both hands. The shaking of the hands surprised the older vampire, but he held it in and cupped the cheek of the silverette looking him straight in the eyes.
"Promise me something." Zero whispered,
"Anything." Kaname leaned his head against the door supporting his back.
"No need to lie…" Zero chuckled as he tiptoed to claim Kaname's lips for a soft short kiss.
"Try me." Kaname urged him, yearning to claim the lips so close to his again, if not for the urge to clear away the worry in the shaking amethyst orbs.
"Do not die." Zero's words came out as a mix of commanding and begging coupled with the tightening of the hold on the fabric, "Don't you dare go off sacrificing yourself and leave us to fend for ourselves." Zero's voice trembled slightly, "Come what may, you are not to die."
Kaname's eyes widened in surprise, a gleeful smile traced his lips as he caressed the cupped face with one hand and used the other to pull the slightly smaller man into a searing kiss. It was intense enough to elicit a moan from the pregnant vampire.
Once the lips were free, Kaname wiped the stray tear from the hunter's face, not bothering to inquire if he was crying or lacking oxygen. "Whatever happens, even if you saw me get torn to pieces… you be sure of one thing…" his thumb traced the wet lips that attempted to protest, "I promise that I will come back to you." The hand slid to the pregnant bump, "I would not let go of my happiness that easily… not this time around." Kaname leaned for another kiss, this time feeling a string of wetness slide on his fingers as he cupped Zero's cheek.
A while later, Hanabusa moved away from the door as he heard the lock click open. He waved his phone and informed the couple that Ichiru was detecting unusual activities around the area where he lived. A positive indication that their plan was working.
With renewed resolve, they walked down the corridor towards the broadcasting room.
"Ah! You finally made it." Yuki exclaimed, seeing the two enter the room. Her tone was exasperated. Zero understood the reason as soon as he identified the crowd. A long sigh escaped his lips and he moved towards the old man arguing with Isaya Shouto about the change of plans.
Before Zero could utter a proper greeting, a loud familiar voice made his lips curled up and his shoulder relax. "SORRY FOR BEING LATE EVERYONE!"
The female in a ninety-degree bow managed to instantly silence the crowd inside the room, landing all eyes on her as she straightened her back. The first thing that caught Kaname's attention was her stance as well as the way she was overly accessorized with plain metal and silver that blended well with her formal outfit. He gave her a once all over look and waited for her introduction before taking any further action.
"Again…" she started speaking after catching her breath from the long sprint she made running here, "Sorry for being late… Please let me introduce myself first, Kiryuu Ren! The anchor broadcaster of tonight's special news." The announcement earned yet another uproar along with a frozen Kuran king who turned to look at Zero, "Kiryuu?" He could barely formulate the question before the young lady launched towards Zero screaming out Kaname's suspicions "Daaaad! I missed you!"
"You look surprised." Hanabusa snapped him out of his daze.
"Should I not be?" Kaname fixed his follower and long-time friend with an inquisitive gaze.
"It is true… She is Zero's adoptive daughter, with all the legalities that support the claim. Kiryuu Ren… I hope that you did not suspect that she was his actual daughter." Hanabusa teased, taking advantage of the rare chance where he had an upper hand over his boss.
"Obviously." Kaname looked at the girl hugging the pregnant vampire and engaging in an energetic conversation with Yuki who seemed aware of her identity. He did not miss the way Zero patted the head of the young lady lovingly, commenting on how short her bob cut looked. Yuki was obviously complimenting the way the new color suited her features.
"Zero found her during his first visit after the annihilation of the vampire council. The first time Yuki was allowed to visit Cross Academy after reverting to being pureblood. You met him in the association, I think." Hanabusa Clarified.
Kaname smiled at the memory, especially the moment when he offered a handshake in honor of the peace treaty, then having Zero promise him that the only time he will bother touching the 'filthy King' would be when sweeping his crystals off the floor to dump it in the murkiest sewer he could ever find.
"Well… Apparently… the visit to the association was a side errand for Zero… He took it as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone."
"Are you saying that he was looking for this girl."
"I would say he was looking for her older sister at the time, or maybe looking for both of them…"
"Who is she?" Kaname finally asked the million dollars question.
"She was a no name raised in the confines of the Vampire council, and used to feed vampires just like many human children that were abducted at the time… A similar case to Seiren… Except that this girl was lucky enough not to catch the fancy of the higher ups, somehow kept her human form and managed to escape when things went downhill. I cannot say the same about her humanity though."
The statement confirmed the warning alarms that went off in Kaname's head when the girl entered the room. She may be human, but her sinister aura spoke volumes of darkness and vice. Wine orbs noticed the swift way Ren moved when someone approached Zero from a blind spot, despite that person being human.
"That is something she does out of habit." Hanabusa clarified, "She pride herself for being a self-appointed bodyguard."
Noticing that the questioning look persisted on Kaname's face, Hanabusa cleared his throat and elaborated "Long story short… She suffered a lot of traumas during the years she spent at the vampire council. She tried escaping, sneaking out to get help various times but it only backfired and had her comrades killed in the process. Zero found her during her last attempt, tracked her down thanks to her cyber activities that sparked his interest. Once he secured the girls, he immediately sacked them in a cab to Cross Academy. Ren in particular was emaciated, on the brink of fading into eternity. Her equally exhausted sister barely made it to the gate for the guard to carry them inside. Yuki was there, and it triggered an intense response when Ren identified her as a vampire. The whole thing was a mess. Her sister was old enough to live in the dorms. As for Ren, Cross decided to enroll her in the fostering system and find a human family for her. Few months later… she was sent to juvenile detention for cutting off the reproductive organs of her foster father whom she claimed was trying to sexually assault her."
Kaname cringed at the image forming in his head, pitying the girl who did not seem to catch a break from any species that she encountered.
"The news reached Cross Kaien who was with Ichiru at the time. Ichiru relayed it to Zero, who got on the first flight that day. Cross Kaien managed to bail her out of juvie but was not able to keep her around since he was blacklisted at the time, hence not allowed to take any legal action of any kind, let alone foster or adopt a human child."
"Zero was underage at the time… How?" Kaname followed up.
"You can say that he blackmailed the adults. One way or another Ren chose to leave with him. Yuki mentioned that she had the same look as the one Yuki herself would have when looking at you after you saved her in that snowy night."
"Seems like she still has it." Kaname commented when noticing how the glint in Ren's eyes would change whenever she was addressing Zero.
"She sure does… Well… Zero smuggled her back with him to the U.S and I guess that was the pivotal point in his life as well as ours. Instead of aimlessly going through life, he started working a couple of part time jobs. Ichiru took on an apprentice bartender gig and they swapped places whenever their schedules would allow them to get the college degree they needed. A female friend of theirs would help look after Ren and tutor her until she passed the GED exam. The girl poured her soul into her studies, motivated by the efforts the twins were making for her sake. Contrary to how tense Ichiru, their lady friend and I were, Zero was not as worried about the result of the entrance exams. He knew Ren was a natural genius. She managed to snatch not one but multiple scholarships from prestigious colleges. Zero made sure to help her make the best choice. Unfortunately, her attempt to attend a mixed college was a total failure when Zero's lifestyle caught up with her."
"Pardon?" Kaname was totally focused on what the noble vampire said but failed to relate.
"Ren was kidnapped at one point by some thugs who aimed to get a 'taste' of Zero." Hanabusa gritted out, "Had I been there at the time, I swear they would be frozen for eternity and screaming where no one would hear them."
"What happened?" Kaname gritted back, expecting the worst.
"Zero managed to find her and save her, unscathed. But that was not because they found her fast, it was because Ren stabbed her captors to death. One body was unrecognizable by the time Zero reached her. It was at that time that he realized her core motivation, apart from her hate for men, Ren was triggered by the thought that the captors would harm Zero. Her motivation at the time was protecting him at all costs."
"So, he capitalized on that to channel her thirst for blood and the psychosis in the right direction." Kaname concluded. It was something he would have done himself if he were in Zero's shoes.
Aido nodded, "He pulled some connections from the underworld and got her into an intense training for high level assassins. A training that should have lasted two years, but Ren got it wrapped up in six months."
"Which explains why she is moving with an arsenal of weapons hidden all over her body in the form of accessories and simple clothing."
"Nothing escapes your keen eyes." Aido complimented.
"But she remains a human at the end of the day." Kaname dismissed the compliment.
"She would surprise you." Aido was proud.
"So that is what she is, trained assassin?" Kaname pointed, feeling that there was more to the story.
"Certainly not. Well… Zero was on a timeline. He had two years to become legal for adopting Ren. If he did not qualify by that time and if Ren was not on a right path to lead a decent life, Cross Kaien was going to revoke his financial support and take the girl back. Ichiru and Zero were losing hope of helping the girl lead a normal life after all that transpired, but Zero managed to build a great network and business relations that made him qualified to be her guardian. He was about to have her homeschooled and then carry on his business legacy."
"What happened then?"
"Allen happened." The name had the brown eyebrows rise.
"Allen came into their life at the perfect moment. Their first encounter was not the best since she tried to kill him thinking he was harassing Zero when he gave him a bear hug. Thankfully, Allen is a special force veteran. He managed to dodge her attack, giving Zero enough time to calm her down. The next thing we knew, the man was swooning about how cute she was and fawning over her strength and beautiful eyes. That was the first time I ever witnessed Ren blush and react with anything other than murder in mind towards another man."
"He does seem like a friendly fella." Kaname nodded.
"Well… long story short, Allen managed to gain her trust thanks to being the oldest brother of four sisters. He took her under his wing, sponsored most of her education in all girls' programs while helping Zero build his empire, going as far as taking her to live with his own family for a while. She was a changed girl after that. The genius that Zero saw in her when he saved her manifested in a passion for Media and information gathering as well a being a cyber security specialist. She became a backbone in Ichiru's business while manipulating most of the information that may have leaked regarding Zero's personal lifestyle at the time. Basically, she was soldier operating in the dark while living her early twenties to the fullest, carrying the Kiryuu name with pride."
Once satisfied with the story, Kaname redirected his focus to the group, picking up on the whispers of people wondering if the girl was indeed the founder of the media company they were affiliated with, making her the boss of every person working in the building.
It was not long before Zero gestured for Kaname to join them as they sat on the chair behind a high counter. Ren sat in the middle while the vampires sat on either side. The start of the news was generic, focusing on the alliance between the companies along with a short Q&A about the expectations of such venture. It was not until Ren announced that they received a request for a direct call that things started going downhill.
Kaname and Zero exchanged a knowing look while Ren performed the perfect act by looking puzzled, surprised and later scandalized by the call.
"Hello there… It is such an honor to have my request granted. Especially by the night butterfly, Kiryuu Zero. To think that you managed to spread your legs and climb so high up the ladder. Never deemed Kuran to have such cheap taste, but oh well… who knows how the perverted world of vampires' work. Am I wrong? Mr. King of Vampires Kuran Kaname who is probably more than ten thousand years old, while Mr. Kiryuu Zero, a human turned vampire is but a toddler in comparison. Straight up pedophilia if you ask me… Disgusting abominations that deserve nothing but annihilation… You dare sit at the top of the financial world that humans are working so hard to maintain and on top of that coming on TV to brag about it… Give me a break! Your kind did nothing but feed on us human, leaving us in fear and despair. Die!"
The call caused an uproar with the group of journalists sitting in the three rows of chairs waiting for their turns. All the information previously leaked came up in the form of questions and accusations while Kaname, Zero and Ren remained quiet.
"Is this supposed to happen?" Yuki turned to Hanabusa in shock.
Hanabusa approached the cameraman and whispered, "Zoom into Kiryuu Zero and keep the frame as is until I give you the next signal."
The flustered staff complied without uttering a word, fear shook his core as the red eyes of the ice-wielder stared at him.
Yuki assumed that the answer to her question was positive judging from the actions of the noble vampire.
Zero sighed, glancing at his brother-in-law and then back at the lenses focused on him.
"This turned into quiet the mess…" the words elicited yet another wave of questions and loud comments.
Zero kept his cool as he tapped on the table. Once the room was quiet enough, he signaled to his adoptive daughter. "How about we broadcast this on a wider range? Once and for all."
Ren nodded and tapped a few lines on the device she was carrying. Suddenly, every electronic device capable of video streaming turned on or switched to show the current video, across the globe.
"Well… everyone… I have two messages. The first is an announcement that all of you will need to heed and abide by, be it human, hunters, vampire or any 'abomination' that may exist. The second will be for the residents of Cross City." Zero's eyes morphed gold, "First I will be introducing myself… the name is Kiryuu Zero, descendant of the Emperor, Kiryuu Akihito. By my lineage, birthright, and inherited power, I have been reinstated to the status that is rightfully mine. The King of supernatural species and protector of the human race. The decree has been issued and the monarchy has been established with unanimous approval of the three societies. This changes nothing to the current order of things for humans. However, there will be additional measures and further education about the existence of other species along with the publication of protocols put in place when it comes to interactions between the different societies. Unfortunately, I will not be as lenient as my ancestor. You simply have two choices hunters… Vampires… and particularly… Cyrus and co…" the eyes morphed red along with the fangs snarling, "Swear your allegiance… or die."
The words sent chills through every creature listening to it.
"Now then…" Zero reverted back to his human form, signaling Aido to get the camera zoomed out again. "to the next message. Resident of cross city, you are to follow the crew that was dispatched to ensure your protection for the next 48 hours. Please be careful of anyone knocking at your door. They must mention the name of everyone currently at your place along with one personal fact that no stranger would know about. Once those conditions are met, please cooperate without a fuss if you would like to live and tell your story for another day. Now then, back to the questions" he nudged the group of reporters for yet another uproar.
"King, you say! Quit fucking around, you lowlife level D!" the scream almost deafened the crowd as the source launched from the seats at the back, with blinding vampire speed, attacking Zero head on. The latter did not budge, going as far as signaling Kaname to do the same.
Kaname observed the fluid movement of the female human in between them. Ren was already jumping over the table, pulling at the scarf that she was wearing as she charged towards the vampire. That was the cue for Hanabusa to cut off the broadcast.
In the blink of an eye, the witnesses watched in horror as the vampire split in two at the midsection and then pulverized in dust. Looking at the killer, the eyes bulged when the once silky scarf hardened into the sharpest blade.
Kaname smiled at the display of power, "Not bad… she is fast on her feet. It was brief but she managed to dodge the claws in the nick of time. Her movement caused the noble vampire to delay his attack judging from how his aura dissipated. Still… to be able to move in that specific split second and deal the final blow without having the keen sense of hunters is commendable. Zero is on a league of his own, Cross Kaien is quiet the special case. If we were to rank her on the hunter scale, she can be classified on par with Takamiya Kaito."
"And that is what he said." Ren pointed to Zero with her thumb after taking off the jacket that her victim ripped, "obey or die… no in-between here folks."
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the beginning of the evacuation task _ TV stations ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Things heated up very quickly as Zero, Kaname and their companions moved down the corridors. They were walking at a steady speed, thwarting minor attacks from left and right.
Zero was tightly guarded while Kaname kept walking by his side, hands in pockets and eyes glowing the brightest red. The experienced eyes of the hunter could notice the wind slashing down on the incoming attacks at distance away, the screams were faint, but Zero could also pick up on the agony of vampires dying a floor below them.
Distracted by the vibration of his phone, he picked up the call "Yes, everything is under control here…"
The voice on the other end of the call let out a sigh of relief, "I can't get used to this no matter how many time she pulls those stunts… I felt my heart leap into my throat when that broadcast stopped." Ren's fiancé mumbled in a low voice.
"What about my request." Zero answered in an equally low voice,
"Ah… I faked a power outage, and brought it back when the broadcast ended. I also made sure Allen was kept away from any electronics for the next couple of hours. Although it did not require that much of an effort. He took his belongings and left for the hospital as soon as the power was back. I am sitting outside the hospital room right now, and they had a policy of keeping all electronics away from the patient due to the nature of her treatment."
"TV?" Zero tensed.
"Nope… for the next two hours or so, they will have nothing but books and magazines." The young man reassured.
After some more idle chitchat, Zero hung up the phone, heart heavy with guilt but relieved, nonetheless. He deemed it best to explain the situation to Allen in person rather than have him learn about it in such a sudden and awkward way.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At Ichiru's old place ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
The younger twin busied himself stacking papers and files into the briefcase. It did not help that the place was dusty and murky, he ended up coughing his lungs out collecting what he came looking for.
"Ugh! I should just break the lease and let go of this place." He sighed, looking around as memories of the past few years flooded him, mainly the sweet moments he spent with his beloved husband, the drunken nights with friends. His lips tightened when he remembered the loneliness he felt at times when he had no one around, the darkness of his past would creep up on him, pushing him to entertain thoughts that his present self would deem scandalous.
His eyes flicked in the direction of the lamp that burst suddenly, sinking the room in complete darkness. He calmly closed the briefcase, locked it, and gripped the handle as he walked around the desk in the direction of the exit. Moments later, the glass of the window nearby shattered and Ichiru was body slammed against the desk.
"Now… Now… where do you think you are going… so called King copycat." The snickering of the male towering above him was not surprising, and Ichiru smirked at that, shocking their attacker.
"What are you smiling for you piece of shit." The vampire turned him around and punched him square on the jawline, a punch that sent Ichiru flying away, back slamming against the chest of another vampire who grabbed him by the neck, acting disgusted.
"Oi… tone it down a bit… this one is a weakling of a human… we need to get the information we need before he kicks the bucket." The seemingly older vampire stated as he grabbed the collar instead of the flesh this time.
"Hmm…" a third vampire walked out of the dark corner, "With that said… I would rather partake in the delicacy before we get started… perhaps we can use it as a questioning method."
"Your lust for blood knows no limit… How crass." The hot headed one commented while staring at the blood trickling from the corner of Ichiru's mouth, "Though I have to agree that the scent on this one is quiet tempting." He approached him, snickering as the older vampire grabbed Ichiru's shoulder and pinned him on a chair when the younger twin started to fight against the restraining.
"Now… Now… How about you take it easy there…" the older vampire whispered against his ear, "We might consider leaving you on the brink of death instead of ending you once and for all… it depends how you plan on 'servicing' your guests here" he dragged a talon slowly across his collarbone lapping on the red liquid that flowed ever so slowly… "Exquisite indeed."
As soon as the second vampire was close enough, Ichiru spat the blood pooling in his mouth right across his face, "Go ahead… take as much as you want… ignorant fools…" He whispered, keeping his head down, "As if you will be able to enjoy another drop for the rest of your miserable lives."
"hahahahaah…." The third vampire, still keeping a distance away, let out a hysterical laugh, "Don't tell me that you believed the myth. Do you really think that you have the ability to tame vampires?... Foolish boy." The words made Ichiru snap his head up, gritting his teeth in anger…
"Now… Now… don't be upset… child of the Kiryuu clan… while it may be true that your blood is special… but it is nothing more than a potent drug and source of great power when consumed regularly… Any drug would leave withdrawal symptoms once you stop consuming it… It is nothing a powerful vampire cannot overcome though… even that pitiful husband of yours… if he does not end up dying of heartbreak or killed when seeking revenge for your unfortunate death."
"and to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, oh Mr. Knowledgeable bloodsucker?" Ichiru spat venomously.
"Oh my! A Copycat down to the way you talk when angry." The noble vampire stepped closer and lowered his gaze to be on the same eye level as Ichiru, "We can end this boring chitchat if you hand over the scroll of the prophecy."
"That is it? All this fuss for that piece of scrap paper?" Ichiru mocked.
"Well… if you see that it has no value for you… you can obediently hand it over. I personally hate getting my hands dirty." The laid back vampire whispered the words, as if trying to hypnotize his victim into obeying him.
Ichiru stared at the red glowing eyes of the vampire for a while, passively, then smiled revealing the full set of his white teeth that confused his captors, "Don't wanna…" came the answer in a childish tone followed by the statement that left them speechless, "I am also on a clock here, so if you do not have anything interesting to say… I say we call it a night."
"WHY YOU LITTLE SHIT!" the hot-headed vampire lunged for another punch only to feel his guts almost spilling out of his mouth when Ichiru slid under him and jabbed him with a high kick. A kick strong enough to sent him flying against the older vampire.
The third attacker tried to grab him as the silver head collected the briefcase, but Ichiru tackled him and swiftly jumped out of the broken window. "See ya in hell!" he saluted them mid-air with glowing eyes as the vampire slammed into the invisible barrier trying to chase him.
Ichiru floated down and climbed into the passenger seat of the Jeep waiting for him exactly where he needed it. "I see that you got my text."
Ryou put out the last of his cigarette and ended the Tetris game he was playing. "What now?"
"Burn the place down." Ichiru ordered as his bartender switched on the engine.
"You are sure?" Ryo quirked an eyebrow.
"I got a good insurance; they will cover the damage for the landlord and I will lend a hand if they wish to renovate… the place was a dump to begin with." Ichiru shrugged, enjoying the breeze as the car moved down the main street. The explosion resonated like fireworks. He turned around to see the top floor of the closed restaurant under his former dwelling lit on fire. "That is three noble vampires down… now then…"
"It seems that the count keeps increasing." Ryo tightened the grip on the wheel while his eyes glowed red, the fiery brick colored hair swaying with the wind made him look like he was on fire.
"How many…" Ichiru looked back to count the cars following them, "I see about five cars, big ones…"
"I can count at least thirty of them…" Ryo stepped on it like his life was on the line.
"Well… we will be on the highway soon." Ichiru sat back and crossed his legs on the dashboard.
"Aren't you too relaxed?" Ryo was starting to freak out.
"I would start to worry once the big fish comes around." Ichiru shrugged, keeping his emotions and energy in check while replaying the words Kaname said before they parted ways.
[Kaname] : The first rule is not to waste your magic unnecessarily. You will only resort to using it outside of what was planned if your life is at risk. Leave the defense to Ryoutarou and just make sure that you reach the meeting point at the assigned time. Meanwhile, keep a close watch for any unexpected movement.
"Everything is going according to plan so far… It is really as if he was reading their patterns like an open book." Ichiru felt a chill run down his spine.
Once on the highway, the car pursuit continued for about ten more minutes with Ryo thwarting, physical and supernatural attacks with his flames and the skilled swerving of the powerful car that he was driving.
Ichiru let out a whistle of amazement, "Zero was not taking chances when he entrusted you with his car. You have always been a race fanatic, but seeing it first hand is exciting."
"I swear that your laid back attitude will get me killed one of these days… and yes… thanks for the compliment but I did help Zero customize this monster and it is probably the only reason we are still alive and discussing it." Ryo barked in frustration, "Are they supposed to be this many to begin with?"
"Relax… You are doing great." Ichiru grinned and tapped his shoulder, not allowing his own suspicions to affect his tone. The cars increased and the hostility is far greater than what we anticipated… it Zero's car was not fast enough, we would have had engaged in a battle where I may not be able to ensure Ryo's safety… It would be worse if a high ranking vampire were to make an appearance now…
Just as he was considering the worst, purple eyes widened in shock when seeing a horde… no… a sea of level E waiting for them as they blocked the highway completely. "SHIT!" Ichiru finally snapped, "What the fuck is that?"
"You tell me!" Ryo shouted louder as he closed the roof of the car.
"You can't be serious?" Ichiru was scandalized as soon as he caught the drift of his partner. "Just plowing through them?"
"We need to get to the meeting point at the assigned time or deal with them and find refuge… what do you suggest? Didn't you say that all this crap rested on both yours and your brother's shoulder?" Ryo challenged him to deny the limitation of options.
"Even still… there are too many… the car will not hold out…" Ichiru was frightened at this point… this was not something the enemy could have planned in the spur of the moment… looking back at the cars following them, a realization struck him like a lightning bolt. "It's a trap."
"Duh!" Ryo was outraged, even for the high-level noble rank he was, there was no way he could handle hundreds of level E and what he estimated as dozens of Level B and about twenty level C.
Ichiru set up a protective barrier around the car and braced himself for the impact as they drew closer to the maddened vampires running their way. An impact that never came.
Seconds before making contact, a blasting sound reverberated behind them. Looking at the rear view mirror, Ryo froze and slowed down the speed.
Ichiru screamed his lung out, "What the fuck are you doing?" he grabbed his shoulder and realized that the noble vampire was drenched in sweat all of a sudden, his body trembling.
"Ryou! Ryou-san! talk to me." Ichiru tried to calm himself and focused his senses.
*Roar of a loud engine*
Golder eyes turned around to check the source of the sound, blinded by the strong light Ichiru squinted… what looked like a race car came charging their way, slicing though the flames of the blasted vehicles that were chasing them…
it looked as if would collide with them any second only for it to swerve and glide through the foot of the mountain cliff. Ichiru watched as everything unveiled in slow motion. On the passenger seat, he recognized Rosa who smiled at him for a split second, next to her was the hooded woman responsible of the mess during his wedding. Sepideh
Gliding down the mountain and onto the road again, the car sliced through the level E's crushing some while the other lit up in flames. It took a minute for everything to quiet down, leaving two level B at the end of the road, standing still, and stunned. They found themselves standing in the middle between the sport car that stopped at a distance from the jeep.
"Phoenix…" Ryo stuttered. Ichiru thought that he was talking about the drawing on the car hood.
"What about it?"
Ryo shook his head… "That car is one of its kind… it probably costs more than the net worth of an entire country. It also belongs to one famous female car racer back in the days… that female was nicknamed phoenix and… I just found out now… that she is a fucking vampire?" Ryo gritted his teeth, "Ichiru… No matter what happens, you are not to engage in a fight with her… as a matter of fact…" Ryo put the gear on reverse and started driving back… "We need to get as far away as possible." His voice trembled.
Ichiru was faster and changed the gear to neutral while raising the handbrake… "What the fuck are you doing" Ryo's panic soared more…
"Explain the situation." Ichiru was calm. Being less susceptible to the auras of vampires, he was able to grasp the situation faster than his companion, Sepideh was not a threat… at least not at the moment.
The panicked eyes of the noble vampire met the calm purple irises and he started talking as if hypnotized, "Ichiru… As a former heir of my clan… I interacted with almost every influencing family in the vampire world, locally and abroad… almost all of them… that…" he pointed towards Sepideh, "That is not a normal vampire…"
"A pureblood." Ichiru confirmed.
"No…" Ryo panicked more… "Pureblood are a joke compared to that… I Froze! I fucking froze and she did not anything yet at that moment! Ichiru… I could not move… that thing is far more than a pureblood, it annihilated them all… is that even a fucking vampire? I don't know! I … I…" Ryo was shaking in fear at this point, a rare sight for the usually calm and composed vampire.
However, there was no time to waste dwelling on their predicament, Ichiru exited the car and walked towards the two noble vampires that Sepideh spared. A smile of relief traced his lips when he noticed the butterfly wings flapping upward from the cliff behind the sport car. Yuki hovered with Hanabusa and Kain in hand while Isaya Shouto materialized right behind the frightened enemy vampires. Hanabusa and Sepideh exchanged a glance before she maneuvered her car and drove away as fast as she came.
"That is quite the spectacle. Glad to see that you still had it in you." Rosa clapped in awe. She fixed her hair once the car stopped at a distance away. Though she faked a cheerful tone, it did not escape her that the older female was breathing heavily at this point, she could notice the beads of sweat trickling down the long bridged nose as Sepideh leaned against the steering wheel, panting hard but smiling nonetheless.
"That blondie seems about ready to receive the poison." She breathed out.
"Now, why would you go and say something so mean." Rosa whined as she managed to fix her own hair clip.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Chapter's end ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Next chapter might take a bit longer to finish because I am starting a new project soon. Wish me luck for both!
Don't forget to drop the comments and let me know how you have been doing lately! I am curious about how long you have been reading/following this story ;)