Here is another chapter. I'm glad to see that many of you are still reading my story. Here is a quick update.

Un-betaed.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight.

Chapter 13

Zero was walking around the mansion, having just left Yuki's room. Bringing food to her had become a routine; he had Akira's permission to do it so he was glad that he didn't have to sneak around to see her because there was no way he was going to let the poor girl starve.

He wasn't looking ahead, eyes focusing on the floor as thousands of thoughts invaded his head. This caused him to bump into a maid. Strange, He has never seen her around before. She must be new.

"I apologize," the maid said as she bowed and left to resume her duties.

He kept staring at her. She wasn't the only new girl he had seen around, or person for that matter. Lately, new servants have been appearing in the mansion. They all claimed to be working for Akira so Zero brushed off the weird vibe he got from the new servants. But there were so many. The mansion was big and all but it didn't need this many servants.

Akira was going out a lot at night too. Ever since Yuki was brought here the pureblood left to who-knows-where every day at the same time. Zero confronted Akira about it too. He only smiled at him and told him not to worry. Of course, that phrase made him worry more.

Akira was up to something. That was something Zero was sure of. Whatever the raven was planning couldn't be good. Akira had many enemies and many ways to destroy them. Zero understood how Akira's mind mostly worked. He can be a good guy but mess with him and you got yourself a messed up enemy. In fact, Zero was sure that whatever Akira was planning involved Kuran Kaname. Akira seems to hate the pureblood prince with such a passion that it would be hard to believe that Akira is out to fight with someone else.

However, Zero wasn't sure if this was the case. Perhaps the raven is busy with business and not plotting the destruction of another. He hoped for the latter option. He knew that if Akira got into trouble then that would mean trouble for Zero as well, even if Akira tells him to stay out of it he knows well how stubborn Zero can be.

'Enough worrying,' Zero thought. Worrying seemed like the only thing he could do nowadays. 'I need some fresh air.'

He headed to the front door of the mansion, putting his hands on the door handle.

"Where does the young master is going?" The question came from one of the maids.

"I'm planning to take a stroll around town Katsuko." Zero replied.

"Akira-sama ordered not lot let you step out of the mansion grounds," Katsuko responded, her tone as cold as any other vampire working for his lover. He needed to be around people with free minds, not emotionless puppets he was forced to see every day.

"Like I care," scoffed the silverette.

A tiny frown threatened to cross Katsuko's features but she didn't let it show. Her face remained void of emotion.

"I'm sorry young master but Akira-sama's orders are absolute. You won't leave."

"Try and stop me then."

The maid did try to stop him, all attempts were futile. Zero was stronger and faster and –without breaking a sweat- got away from the house in an instant.

He made it into the city without any distractions, the noise of people's chatter were music to his ear. He was a person that loved silence but this was a nice change of atmosphere after being surrounded by nothing but silence. A tiny smile crept his lips. He forgot how refreshing it was to be surrounded by society.

He walked around, keeping a slow pace, enjoying the feeling of the rays from the afternoon sun that made contact with his skin. It felt nice. Relaxing. He hasn't been able to feel like this for a while. To his dismay, all good things in life never lasted long.

He reached an empty part of the city, where the poorest residents lived. He began feeling faint, his body trembling insanely, forcing the ex-human to fall to the floor.

"What's happening?" Zero asked to himself, alarmed by the sudden turn of events.

His vision was flashing, causing him a massive headache. He raised his hands to his head, clutching it in a poor effort of trying to stop what was happening. Thousands of pictures played in his mind, all blurry and unrecognizable, all wanting to get into Zero's mind at once. He wanted to know so badly what his mind was trying to tell him, he wanted it so bad that it almost hurt. Something inside him forbid him that.

Suddenly, the flashing stopped along with the pain, instead leaving Zero with an empty feeling. He was breathing fast, still nervous about what happened just now.

"Can you turn around for a minute?" The voice was unknown. Zero complied anyway. He turned his head, facing non-other than Kaname.

He gasped. Where did he come from?

"You!" Zero growled out, standing up cautiously without taking his eyes off the other vampire.

"Zero," the pureblood whispered relieved. He took tentative steps towards the ex-human, afraid of provoking a negative reaction but not being able to contain himself from wanting to embrace him.

"Stay away from me," the silverette shouted alarmed, backing away from the brunette approaching him.

The brunette looked pained when Zero said that but brushed it away, determination crossing his features.

"No," he firmly stated, embracing a surprised Zero and caressing his scalp in a soothing way. "I won't let

you go away again."

He had so much he wanted to talk about with him. So many things he wanted resolved. This was his chance. The long-awaited opportunity.

Zero cursed under his breath.

'Where is Akira when you need him?," he thought.

"What do you want with me anyway?"

"I'm not sure myself," replied Kaname, slightly confused but determined as ever. "But I hope to find out. Once you come home with me, that is."

"That's not good enough of a reason," stated Zero.

"It's my fault you're this way." Kaname said, making Zero looked weirdly at him. "I should've fought harder when I had the time."

"Here I thought Akira was the insane pureblood," muttered Zero. "Stop talking nonsense. You are trying to confuse me."

"I'm confused as well. But at least I got one thing clear. We have a bond stronger than any other and, while I didn't welcome it at first, I'm more than ready to accept it now."

Kaname moved closer to Zero, who couldn't escape due to the wall behind him that was blocking away his only chance of escaping. Zero's heart was beating faster, more than it did when he was with Akira.

"Don't get any closer," the silverette tried to sound threatening, even when he knew that he had no chance against Kaname.

The pureblood chuckled, placing his hand over the stone that bonded Zero with Akira. "You feel it, don't you? The stone is what keeps you tied to Akira, yet you're yearning for something else. For me. Our bond is fighting against it, and it won't stop until you are free from your imprisonment."

Zero shook his head.

"I'm no prisoner."

"You are bound to say that. The stone hides what Akira doesn't want you to know."

"Then tell me!" Zero exclaimed. He didn't want to listen to the pureblood. However, he felt that if he did then he will fill the holes in his memory. "Tell me what both you and Yuki want me to remember. This is your chance. Stop the damn riddles already."

"I want to tell you. My mind is screaming at me to do so. But I can't." Again, Kaname embraced Zero, his chin resting on top of Zero's head. "If I tell you then you might not believe me and will deny the memories once you remember them. You have to remember on your own."

"How do you know?" Zero mumbled.

"I do my research."

"Smartass."

"Your personality is the same as ever. I'm glad that hasn't changed. I would be disappointed if it did," said Kaname, squeezing the ex-human a bit.

Zero closed his eyes. This warmth…It wasn't familiar. Actually, it was far from it. But it felt good. He didn't want to pull away from this man, the one that was supposed to be his enemy. Akira made him sound so bad but there he was, embracing him, and Zero couldn't feel safer.

"I want to remember," Zero suddenly said. "I…I've been feeling hollow for a while now. It's bothering me, because I try to brush off the sensation but it is always there. I know I'm missing something, even if Yuki or you didn't tell me. I want to remember everything, good or bad, I just want this hollow feeling to go away."

"You'll remember. I'll find a way to help you."

"That doesn't mean I'll go back to you. I love Akira. You say that he's tricking me, but it could be you the one who's doing the tricking," said Zero.

Kaname tensed, breaking the embrace at last. It sickened him to hear Zero say that. The silverette didn't belong with Akira. He refused to accept it.

"I'll prove to you that I'm right," Kaname promised. "All I need is more time."

"Do what you want."

"Master Zero!" Zero heard someone screaming. Katsuko finally caught up to him.

"Seems like I have to leave," Kaname told Zero sadly. "But not before I give you something."

Zero frowned.

"This better not be a trap."

"Consider this the seal to my promise. I will save you." Kaname stated.

"This topic about me needing to be saved is starting to get old."

Kaname said nothing, cupping Zero's face with both hands and kissing him softly. Zero's eyes widened, his cheeks felt hot as a tint of red.

This was wrong. He had to pull away. But it felt so good. Damn all purebloods for messing with his feelings.

The feeling of Kaname's lips against his vanished, the pureblood fading away as if he were a spirit. No one, not even a pureblood, could run away so fast. He left no trace behind, the warmth of his tough long gone. Katsuko walked up to him.

"Who was Master Zero talking to?," asked the young maid. She didn't see Kaname.

Zero brushed her off.

"No one you should worry about. Let's get back home." Zero said, then added, "Akira won't know about me leaving. Keep quiet about it."

Katsuko nodded.

"As you wish Master Zero."

Kaname shot right up from bed. The dream he had felt so vivid, he felt that Zero was really there.

He remembered it all. He found Zero alone, his whereabouts indescribable because of the shadows covering them up. As soon as he saw the ex-human he had to run towards him. He seemed to be in pain, his hands were clutching his hair like his life depended on it. He was shocked to see Kaname but his personality remained the same as ever. And the kiss, the last thing he remembered. How he wished that it was as real as it felt.

"Feeling alright?" Takuma asked his friend. Kaname forgot that he was sharing a room with the blonde.

"Yes."

"You don't look alright." Takuma said, taking a good look at his friend. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"I wouldn't call it a nightmare," considered Kaname. "More like a dream I wish it were real."

"About Zero," concluded Takuma. It was obvious, the silverette was occupying Kaname's mind 24/7.

"I was with him in a dark place. He was still under Akira's control but he admitted that something didn't feel right," the pureblood explained. "No dream has ever felt this real. I felt like it was really him I was talking to."

Takuma listened carefully. The book they found information about the soul bound didn't say anything about this, neither the one about the stone. It could be merely a dream but if it felt as real as Kaname said it was then it couldn't be normal. He has thought before about the subject of the soul bound, trying to find a way to use it to their advantage.

"There is a possibility that you communicated with Zero, like you used to do before."

Kaname raised an eyebrow.

"How? We could communicate before because Zero was trapped inside the stone and he was calling out to me. He doesn't remember me now. How can I communicate if this time he doesn't reach for me?" Kaname asked.

"Think about it," started Takuma. "You said you could communicate with Zero when he was trapped and calling out to you. Basically, Zero is still trapped. Remember that the stone absorbed Zero's memories, which are a part of Zero. Maybe that part is calling out to you just like before. Therefore, as soon as you fell asleep the trapped part of Zero, the one that contains the soul bond, wanted you to be there and free him."

"But in the past I talked to him inside his soul in the stone."

"The stone has more power now. There is a possibility that you were making your way inside the stone but it deflected you, making you talk to the Zero Akira wanted. Although that's just a theory."

Kaname considered this. It made sense. His hopes to save Zero grew stronger. He thanked the bond they had, the reason he could see the silverette once more. The soul bond had always been the key to save Zero and now that he could still use it to communicate with the ex-human, Kaname felt more confident than ever.

"Wake up the others," ordered Kaname. "I'll meet with you outside as soon as I get ready."

"They are all awake. They're having breakfast now. Want anything?"

"A cup of coffee will do."

"Alright."

The blonde left in an instant, leaving Kaname alone. As he got ready, he couldn't help thinking about the kiss. If what Takuma said was true that meant he truly kissed Zero. The smile that crossed his face when he realized that couldn't be stopped.

He finished getting ready and met up with the others. Takuma handed him his drink.

"Where to now?" Shiki asked.

"North," responded Kaname. He could feel a pull towards that direction that belonged to the bond. "Everything ready?"

"Yes," they all responded.

"Let's leave then." Kaname said.

As they took off, Kaname felt the bond's reaction growing stronger. They were closer to their target.

'Don't worry Zero,' he thought. 'I do not intent to break my promise.'

When Zero arrived to the mansion, with Katsuko at tow, he did not expect to see Akira waiting for him. The raven was angry, his eyes flashing into a dangerous red.

Zero cursed under his breath, dismissing Katsuko to leave the maid out of trouble.

"Where were you?" Akira asked.

"Outside."

"Didn't I tell you that going alone was dangerous!," yelled the pureblood, making Zero flinch a little. That didn't mean Zero was going to let Akira yell at him. He didn't do anything bad.

"I can take care of myself Akira. Me being here if proof enough," countered Zero. He hated Akira's overprotectiveness sometimes. "If it were too dangerous for me I would probably be dead."

"What if Kuran found you, eh? He would've killed you without any second though." Zero wanted to laugh. If only Akira knew…

"I'm not a kid that needs someone to follow him around all day. Stop treating me like one." Zero told Akira.

Akira was fuming. Why couldn't Zero understand?

"You live in my home. You follow my rules!" Akira shouted, taking Zero by the arm. The grip was strong; it would probably leave a mark later considering Zero's pale skin. "If I say that you stay here, you stay here."

"What's gotten into you?" asked Zero. "You're overreacting."

"Don't you get it?" growled out Akira, "Keep acting carelessly and you'll be taken away from me in no time."

"Akira," cautiously started Zero, not wanting to anger the pureblood any further. He had seen the pureblood mad before, not at him but at an unfortunate subordinate, and it was not a happy memory. "Calm down. Yelling at me won't accomplish anything."

"You're right," Akira said. He dragged Zero to their bedroom and tossed him to the bed. He wasn't wearing his trademark grin, making Zero realize that he should feel worried for himself. "If this is the only way for you to learn, then I shall do it."

"What are you…ah," Zero's question was cut off when Akira ripped open Zero's shirt, mouth on the tender neck, sucking greedily on the pale skin that drove him insane.

His hands roamed Zero's smooth chest, stopping when his hands reached the nipples and gave the nub a slight tug. Zero shuddered, not used to the sensation. It's not like he has never been sexually involved with Akira before, because he has. They have had oral sex and steamy make out sessions. Still, Zero wasn't ready to go all the way.

He began struggling for his freedom, trying to push Akira off of him.

"Stop," begged Zero, hoping that his words would get to his lover.

"I have to teach you this lesson. You disobeyed me, now you face the consequences." Akira's hand moved lower, to the hem of Zero's pants.

Realizing that struggling was futile, Zero stopped. He closed his eyes, a single tear escaping from his eye. Akira promised not to hurt him ever. Doesn't he care for him?

His pants were lying on the floor by now, the only mess in the neat room. That's when Zero began panicking for real. He couldn't allow it. Using force won't help but maybe he can talk Akira out of this. He didn't want their first time to be like this.

"You're hurting me."

"This will only hurt a little. If Kuran, or any other vampire, had found you then you would've understood the true meaning of pain," was Akira's reply. "This is for your own good."

"You say that this is for my own good but…ah," Zero trailed off as Akira pressed wet kisses by his jaw. "By doing this, you're just like those who you say that want to hurt me."

That successfully stopped Akira. Zero didn't know if he should be happy or not, the anger in Akira grew larger.

"How dare you compare me with those vermin?" Akira shouted, not caring if his voice could be heard all over the mansion.

"You say you want to protect me. How is hurting me allowing you to do that?," question Zero. That seemed to hit a sore spot because Akira's anger was replaced with regret.

He got off from atop of Zero, sitting beside him in bed.

"You're right." Akira said. "Sorry for losing it."

Zero remained silent, knowing that Akira still had something to say. The pureblood had to let everything out or he would lose it just like seconds ago.

"I can't control my feelings when it comes to you. A moment I'm happy, the other I want to rip somebody's head off for looking at you the wrong way." Nuzzling his head on Zero's shoulder, Akira continued. "If people dare to approach you when you are with me, I don't even want to imagine what could happen if you are alone. I know you are stubborn and strong but remember, there are others that are even stronger. They could take you away in an instant. I want to prevent that."

"That doesn't mean you can keep me imprisoned here every time you leave the house." Zero told him. "I can't stand it."

"You'll have to stand it for a while. Until I make sure you are a hundred percent safe, you are not leaving alone." Akira made eye contact with Zero. "Understood?"

"No."

"Zero," Akira said as a warning, daring Zero to anger him.

"Fine," said Zero. "Now get out of the room"

Akira stared at Zero confusedly.

"Why do you want me to get out?"

"You almost took advantage of me," pointed out Zero. "I don't want you sleeping on the same bed as me for a while."

"Oh." Akira nodded in understandment and left the room.

Zero stood up and picked up the clothing that was on the floor, throwing them on a hamper in the corner. He put on some pajama pants and a black t-shirt, ready to go to bed.

He closed his eyes, the events of the day coming to his mind. He was still shaken up by what Akira almost did. He was glad that he stopped but, will their trust be the same? If he dared to try doing that once, he might try and do that again. Akira's temper was unpredictable; the man's mood swings were one of his faults.

He thought about Kaname, the image of the man relaxing him instantly. Akira said that Kaname wanted to hurt him, to take him away, but Kaname treated him well when they met, the kiss they shared put aside.

He laughed at the irony. The one that was supposed to hurt him was the one that treated him with care while the one that was supposed to protect him almost hurt him in one of the worst ways possible.

He didn't know what to make out of all this anymore. Everything was so puzzling.

Whatever. He would think about this tomorrow. His mind and body were tired and he wasn't ready to deal with these deep thoughts.

'What a day.'

And there is chapter 13. I hope it wasn't confusing.

Here is the preview:

~o~

He was not imagining things. Kaname appeared once again. Where does he come from anyway?

"You came here," he whispered, looking at the brunette. "Why?"

"Because."

"That's not an answer," Zero scowled at him.

Kaname wanted to laugh at Zero's comment but this was not the time. He needed an answer.

"There is something I must ask you," the brunette told Zero. "Answer me truthfully Zero. This is important to me."

"Depends on what it is." Zero said.

~o~

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