Preview Line: Finally, Aido understood how selfish he'd been, wanting Kaname all to himself.

The Stained Marble

Chapter Thirteen

Crossroads

Aido's eyes burst open. His heart thudded against his chest with dread, but his dream was quickly forgotten as his body shuddered from the cold. In a haze, he looked down at his body and realized he was totally naked, exposed, and Zero was nowhere in sight.

The blond vampire bolted up in bed, alarmed. Why had Zero left him alone in his room?

But at that exact moment, a very distinct and familiar scent wafted past Aido's nose. A tremor of fear traveled down his spine as he recognized his master's blood. Someone had dared to spill the blood of a pureblood.

Zero was forgotten as Aido scrambled out of bed, grabbed his scattered clothes, and fumbled to put them on as he hurried out the door. He didn't even bother with buttoning up his shirt or putting on his shoes. He only put on his pants, and he vaguely noticed the sun had just set as he rushed past some dazed Day Class students.

Aido managed to hold back using his vampiric speed in front of the students, but as soon as his feet hit the dirt of the Academy's grounds and he felt he was safe from prying eyes, he let his vampire senses take over. He rushed through the woods with blinding speed and trailed the scent of blood.

Kaname's scent was everywhere, as if his blood had zigged and zagged all over the wooded area. The noble vampire was having a difficult time narrowing and zoning in on Kaname's exact location, and he had to slow down his pace in order to track more efficiently. But as he did, he heard a voice call out to him from behind.

"Aido! Aido! Oh thank goodness!"

The voice was small and weak and it undoubtedly belonged to a girl. Aido slowly turned around and faced the changed Yuuki. Her outward appearance had changed drastically, but inwardly, she acted much the same.

Yuuki still approached Aido at the mere pace of a human, and her big brown eyes looked as frightened as a little mouse. Yet, as he sniffed the air about this peculiar Yuuki whose strange chestnut hair had grown all the way down her back, he could clearly smell the familiar scent of Kaname's blood flowing within her veins. It was the same exact blood, or at least, it smelled the same.

What exactly did that mean? What was happening? His aristocratic blue eyes widened as she stepped closer and touched his arm.

"Aido, thank goodness you are here," she said, and her voice sounded a bit panicked.

Her eyes turned away and scanned the trees in the distance as if searching for something. Involuntarily, Aido searched too, but he couldn't see anything. When she didn't find what she was looking for, she turned back and looked into his eyes.

"It's Zero. H-he saw. He saw everything and he attacked Kaname. He's so upset. It's all my fault!" she said and tears welled up in her brown eyes.

Aido wanted to sympathize with her, but he wasn't even sure what she was talking about or why she wanted him to help. What did she think he could possibly do?

"What are you talking about Yuuki? What did Zero see?" he asked and tried to stroke her hand soothingly.

The girl's tears amazingly ceased and she calmed down, as if she'd turned off a switch. Aido blinked twice, not quite believing what he was seeing. He certainly wasn't looking at the same Yuuki. Something was different about her, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She smelled like Kaname, but at the same time, her scent also smelled of... Zero.

What the hell was going on?

Luckily, Aido didn't have to agonize over it for long because Yuuki looked up at him and said, "Kaname's my brother. I'm a pureblood vampire and the sole daughter of Haruka and Juri Kuran."

She looked a bit sad as she said it, but her eyes never left Aido's, as if she knew she could not deny her own existence any longer. The noble vampire felt his jaw drop. Did she say brother? What did that mean? How could they be brother and sister? But Yuuki didn't go on to explain any more than that.

Now that Aido thought about it, Haruka and Juri had also been brother and sister. It was probably only logically that their children had fallen in love as well.

But still, he had never known that Juri and Haruka had even had a daughter. All this time... all this time... Kaname had known. That damn elite vampire had kept this secret, this burden. But why?

Aido looked at the changed Yuuki, at her flowing chestnut hair and her big oval eyes. The girl stood a bit straighter than before, but he could tell she was still unsure what all this meant. She may have just become a pureblood vampire, but inside, she had not yet transitioned. She had not fully given herself over to the blood flowing within her veins. That would take time, and... Kaname's guidance.

Now Aido understood why Kaname had acted the way he had. He understood why the older vampire had suffered in silence. And as a pureblood, Kaname Kuran had sacrificed his own health in order to prolong Yuuki's transition into a vampire and in order to protect her identity. Kaname hadn't trusted anyone, not even Aido who he'd been so intimate with. Yuuki Kuran was just that valuable. And now that she had changed, the nobles and enemies of the purebloods would come after her and her blood.

Finally, Aido understood how selfish he'd been, wanting Kaname all to himself. But he still wondered why Yuuki smelled like Zero. Why did her scent remind him of Kaname and Zero? Was it just because she was always around Zero? Had Zero's scent rubbed off on her? Yuuki hadn't offered to explain that.

The tiny girl was shaking her head and trembling again. Aido had been so lost in his own thoughts and trying to work out the information she'd just shared that he'd forgotten to ask her what she wanted him to do about the current situation.

But Yuuki spoke up first. "Zero must feel so hurt and betrayed to learn his friend is now the one thing he's always hated: a pureblood vampire," she whimpered.

Aido narrowed his eyes at her. Did she really expect him to buy that? Did she take him for a fool, or was Yuuki really just that dense? And before he knew it, he blurted out the words he'd just been thinking.

"Is that how you really think Zero sees you? As a friend?" he asked.

Her eyes locked with his ocean colored ones and a pinkish tint colored her cheeks. She was evidently aware of Zero's true feelings for her. Aido didn't push her on the subject anymore, but instead, he said, "So, what will you do now, Yuuki? This isn't about me; it's about you. Will you continue to let them fight over you, or will you finally choose?"

The brunette opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She looked stunned and scared all at the same time. And finally, he realized why neither Zero nor Kaname could commit to just Aido. Yuuki couldn't make up her mind either. It seemed she couldn't choose between the two, or she just didn't want to let either of them go.

But before Aido snap at her and tell her off, a thunderous boom echoed just ten feet from them, causing twigs to snap and fly up around their faces. Instinctively, Aido grabbed Yuuki and shielded her from the flying debris.

Once the dust, leaves, and twigs settled, he slowly released her and saw Kaname squatting over a wounded Zero. The stunning pureblood had the vampire hunter's back pushed into the bark of a tree trunk, and he was holding Zero by the throat, digging his nails into his flesh. Rivulets of blood dripped from the silver-haired beauty's neck, and a large circle of blood seeped from the side of his chest. He panted, bared his fangs, and tried to fight the obvious thirst that ripped at his vampire body.

"T-thank you, Aido," Yuuki said as she moved to the side of Aido's body to see what had caused such a huge uproar. "Zero! Kaname!"

Yuuki tried to take a step closer, but Aido easily snatched her by the wrist. Neither of the vampires even looked up from their intense, snarling battle. The poor girl couldn't stop them now, and if she went up to them and told them she chose one over the other that would definitely make it worse. Whichever one she didn't choose, that one would try to kill the other one.

Kaname chuckled at Zero, showing his own extended fangs. "What's this Zero? Giving up already? You really are an eyesore. You have no chance of winning against me, not when your own body constantly betrays you," he said and bent down next to the hunter's face.

Zero, who sat on the hard ground, tried to struggle against the strong pureblood's grasp and even gripped Kaname's wrist, clawing his own nails into Kaname's flesh. Aido could only assume Zero had dropped his Bloody Rose at some point, or Kaname had managed to disarm him. Otherwise, the vampire hunter would have undoubtedly pointed it at Kaname and shot it by now.

But the elite pureblood looked unharmed. There were no bloody gashes or even a single drop of blood on him. Aido wondered why he'd smelled his blood earlier, but then he immediately remembered what Yuuki had said. She had become a pureblood, which meant Kaname must have bitten her and fed her his blood. So, Aido must have smelled his blood then and Zero must have seen everything.

Zero's nails dug into Kaname's flesh and dark blood welled up, trickling down his wrist. Instantly, the vampire hunter's eyes burned crimson red and his breathing increased. He bit down on his lip, his fangs going in deep. He was visibly trying to fight the hunger, but he was losing. He was in so much pain, and Aido's heart ached for him.

"Zero must feel so hurt and betrayed to learn his friend is now the one thing he's always hated: a pureblood vampire."

Yuuki's words echoed in Aido's head as he watched Zero struggle endlessly with Kaname and to no avail. The hunter's body was betraying him, just like the girl he loved had also betrayed him.

In that moment, Aido couldn't stand to watch Zero's pain. He wanted to take it away and become Zero's strength. He'd hated both Yuuki and Kaname for causing Zero such sorrow.

And just like with Kaname, the blond Aristocrat could see himself stepping forward and offering himself to Zero. Even though he wasn't sure he was the answer to Zero's problems and he wasn't sure he could take away Zero's pain, Aido knew he had to at least try.

He stepped past Yuuki, ignoring her as she called out to him, and he walked up to stand beside Kaname. The pureblood still had a death grip on Zero, and he was practically teasing the other vampire with his powerful blood.

"Let him go, Kaname," Aido said, shocking both of the quarreling vampires.

The Dorm President glanced up at younger vampire, but he didn't release Zero. Aido figured it wouldn't be easy, so he continued. "You don't need me anymore, right? And Yuuki doesn't need him anymore. So I'll take responsibility for him," he said and looked down at the bloodthirsty vampire, who had finally released Kaname's wrist.

Zero continued to wheeze heavily, and it took all of his energy to keep his head from rolling to the side. He was in danger of passing out from blood loss.

Aido was probably lying about the part that Yuuki no longer needed Zero, and maybe even that Kaname no longer needed him, but at this point, he needed someone to make a decision. And he knew Yuuki was incapable of it. If that girl wasn't going to claim Zero and Kaname wasn't going to claim Aido, then Aido would claim Zero.

The pureblood waited until Aido's eyes met his. "You are sure this is what you want?" he asked, his voice was silky and almost sorrowful.

Aido wanted to scream at him and tell him, "No! Of course I'm not sure, but what choice do I have?" But Aido didn't say that. He couldn't. It would only cause more confusion, and Kaname had already caused enough confusion in his life.

So, he nodded and said, "I am."

He quickly turned his eyes from Kaname's. But Aido had already seen the disappointment forming in those chocolate eyes, the crystal clear hurt. Kaname's hand fell away from Zero's neck, and in a flash, Aido was next to Zero, catching him as his body slumped over.

Kaname stood up from his crouched position, and out of the corner of his eyes, Aido saw his head droop. However, once the Dorm President reached Yuuki, he wrapped his arm around her, and together, they started to walk away.

Yet, Kaname only took a few more steps before he stopped and said, "Yuuki and I are leaving the Academy first thing tomorrow, Hanabusa. We had hoped you would come with us. If you change your mind, you know where to find us."

Aido wanted to rush back to Kaname and grab him and plead with him to stay. How could Kaname just tell him he was leaving the Academy like that? The young noble could feel tears leaking down his face, but he held Zero in his arms. He'd made his choice, and so he let Kaname walk away from him... forever.

His heart squeezed painfully. He told himself it was better this way. He couldn't stay with Kaname and watch him be with Yuuki. He had to move on with his life, but now that Kaname was gone, he suddenly felt empty, like a big hole had been left in his heart.

Aido looked down at Zero and tried to fill that hole. He gently lifted Zero's silver head, and those crimson colored eyes fluttered opened.

He brought the hunter's white lips to his neck. "Drink, Zero," he whispered.

But surprisingly, Zero managed to weakly shove him away and turned his head to the side. Taken aback, he leaned back a few inches and noticed Zero squeezing his eyes shut and shaking visibly as he tried to restrain the hunger, which racked his body.

Aido tried to force his own neck down against the hunter's lips this time, but Zero's eyes burst open, and with uncanny speed, he flung himself up from the tree stump, away from Aido's tempting flesh. The hunter's eyes still glowed red, and he barely managed a few steps away from Aido's crouched position.

"Z-Zero! What's wrong with you? Why won't you drink my blood?" he asked and stood up, stepping towards him.

Zero held up his hands as if to ward him off, but with a raspy voice, he began to speak. "I'm s-sorry. I can't. I can't drink from you. Not after what happened last time, Hanabusa, and especially when I'm this weak. I don't want to risk harming you," he said, but his long fangs continued to protrude from his mouth.

His speech was unconvincing and Aido took another step forward, tilting his head to the side. "I trust you, Zero. I know you'll stop," he said.

"D-Don't. I won't do it. Just get me back to my place without being seen. I need blood tablets," he said and those dangerous eyes avoided Aido's neck.

The noble had to give it to Zero. He had a ton of self-control. He knew he wouldn't budge, and unless he was willing to split open his vein, Zero wouldn't bite him. It was quite disheartening, and he didn't understand why Zero wouldn't just give into temptation. Didn't Zero trust himself with him? Or did he really think he'd lose control and kill him? Did their relationship even have any trust?

He wanted to think more on it but Zero was suffering. "Why don't you just stay here and I'll run back to your room and get the tablets?" Aido suggested.

Zero's eyes didn't even look up as he nodded in agreement. The noble zipped through the Academy's grounds and made his way back to Zero's room. He found the blood tablets in Zero's desk dresser. He put them in the pocket of his pants and made his way back.

As he rushed back to Zero, his thoughts drifted and he wondered if he'd made a mistake in choosing Zero over Kaname. He wasn't sure exactly when he'd realized it, but he had fallen for Zero. In such a short amount of time, that damn hunter had actually managed to get him to fall for him, and yet, he already doubted what Zero felt towards him. Were their feelings really mutual? After just witnessing Zero risking his life against Kaname for Yuuki's sake, he was no longer sure about anything.

He approached the clearing again and found Zero leaning against a tree with his eyes closed. He cautiously came closer and said, "Here."

Zero's red eyes flicked open and saw Aido's arm outstretched with his square pillbox. He greedily grabbed it, opened it, and swallowed two blood tablets.

For several minutes, Zero's eyes remained closed while he waited for the effects of the tablets to kick in. Aido watched silently until finally the hunter's natural violet eyes opened.

"Thank you, Hanabusa," he said, but for some reason, his voice still sounded sad.

Aido was thoroughly confused because he was still upset about something.

He frowned and said, "What's wrong?"

Zero looked at him and shook his head. "It's nothing. Let's go back to my room."

He wasn't buying Zero's nonchalant way of avoiding his question. Something was wrong, but he bit his tongue and only nodded. He could tell Zero was in no mood to talk about it, and it seemed he really wanted to get back to his room. So together, they headed back to the Sun Dorms.

As they walked back in silence, he could feel his nerves tingling. He kept glancing over at Zero, and the more he did, the more he realized what a horrible mistake he'd made. He thought by offering himself to Zero he could make him happy, but Zero was far from happy. The other vampire didn't even see him anymore.

And as much as he hated to admit it to himself, he knew it was because Zero wished he was Yuuki. But he wasn't Yuuki and he never would be. He couldn't make Zero happy any more than he could make Kaname happy. iHa!/i He'd been a bigger idiot this time than the last time.

But as he eyed the silver-haired vampire, whom he'd actually grown to care for deeply, he knew how to fix it this time. This time—unlike with Kaname where he'd been so indecisive and had let Kaname drag him around for so long—he could at least set things right before he caused more grief between Zero and himself.

When the two of them reached Zero's room, he paused in front of the hunter's door. Zero turned back around and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Aren't you coming in?" Zero asked.

He could feel the emotions welling up inside of him. This was harder than he thought, but somehow, he forced his mouth to move. "No, I'm not coming in, Zero."

The next sentence didn't come so easily, and like a coward he avoided Zero's piercing gaze. His emotions were getting the best of him like they always did, and for a moment, he questioned whether or not what he was doing was the right thing. He thought about taking a step back and trying to figure out all of his mixed-up emotions. He thought about a million "what if" scenarios, but ultimately, he shut his eyes, counted to ten, and spat out the words he knew he'd later regret.

"Tomorrow, I'm leaving with Kaname."