A/N: Thank you for the lovely review/favs/alerts. It has brightened my dreary day more than you can imagine. ^_^ For full disclaimers and summary see first chapter. This chappy is part of the explanation for how dolls come to life. I hope you enjoy the story!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Vampire Knight Anything, I only lay claim to my original characters, plot bunnies and such. Beware that it is Puppetland/Dollworld, adjustments had to be made. Most VK characters will make an appearance. ~_^
The conference room was tastefully lit with a soft amber glow from the overhead lights. The white lights had been switched off and from the two bottles of blood wine on the oval conference table, Kaname knew the daily meeting had already begun. It wouldn't be the first time he'd arrived late to something like this.
Half of the reason would be Joren's fault and the other half would be someone else's as far as Kaname was concerned. He simply couldn't be bothered in the midst of all of what was going on to take the time to deal with someone like Asato Ichijo.
The elderly vampire oozed of things unpleasant, powerful and dangerous all in the same breath. Kaname had found little reason to keep up appearances after his parent's deaths several years ago. Asato Ichijo had taken him in as an unofficial sponsor, expecting his attempt at artificial kindness to earn him some measure of something in the young pureblood's eyes.
As far as Kaname cared to see it, the old man was foolish, selfish and nightmarish. He was also a chief benefactor as far as Clocktower funding was concerned. He'd claimed it had only been because he was worried that the tower might take advantage of a young pureblood when no one was watching.
Kaname had secretly purchased the second half of the company and done his best to be sure that it could not be traced back to him. He had his father's business sense to thank for that and his mother's intuition where the elder Ichijo was concerned. Currently, both had served him well in their absence due to death.
Asato never came to see him when things were good.
Something must've been wrong.
The tinted glass doors slid open and Kaname stepped inside.
Chairman (and CEO) Kaien Cross turned to see him at once, his face lighting up several watts brighter. "Ah, Kaname, I'm glad you could make it!"
Kaname smiled for him, as was expected, his dark eyes fixed on the older vampire standing on the opposite end of the room. They locked gazes for one silent moment, until the Chairman's smile literally interrupted the moment. "Chairman, Asato." He acknowledged, taking a seat to the right of the head of the table. "I was informed of a sponsorship proposal?"
"There is no need for such formalities, Kaname." Asato smiled, charmingly. "We've known each other quite well now. Why, I just heard that you had finally decided to start your own collection and naturally, I couldn't waste a moment in coming over to verify that at once."
"Of course." Kaname said, smoothly.
"I dropped everything and came straight here." A faint gleam shone in Asato's eyes. "Surely you didn't mean to begin an original without a sponsor or the council's permission?"
"It is hardly what you are making it out to be." Kaname's gaze flickered to the empty glasses on the table, then the half-empty bottle of wine just out of his reach, ending the visual circle with the very slightest of pouts in the Chairman's direction.
The reaction was almost instantaneous. "Ohh, Kaname-kun." The endearment slipped out, drawing a profuse blush. "Ah, Kaname-sama, I mean-" the nervous man hurriedly poured a full, swirling glass of the rich, dark wine and set it before the princely figure. "I-Ichijo has a point. I hadn't realized that you were starting on originals, you didn't say a word!" He accused. "That's not part of company policy. You're supposed to tell me when you feel like doing these sorts of things or it can cause all kinds of trouble! You're lucky I could find such a willing sponsor in such a short time."
"A willing sponsor?" Kaname perked a brow, sliding one slender, pale hand forward, cradling the glass in the palm of his hand. Wickedly dark eyes drilled straight into the smirking ones across the conference table. "Then I am correct in assuming you wish to be a blood sponsor as well?"
Both men gave a start, but Asato recovered quickly, even if his pale face did betray him by paling several shades lighter. "Of course, anything you need." But the hitch in his voice had been his loss.
"I need your blood." Kaname deadpanned. "Yours, not some poor unfortunate soul. This is my first doll as you have noted and only strong blood will do."
"Ah, Kaname….Kaname-sama." Kaien shifted uncomfortably. "We will be grateful for whatever concessions that Mr. Ichijo is willing to give us at this time and-"
"It's quite all right, Cross." Asato's smile was strained and it didn't touch the dark eyes that seemed to be saying more than his mouth possibly ever could have. He'd dug his own well here. "Well played, Kaname." He allowed. "I shall stop tomorrow and you can have-"
"Now is fine." There was no way Kaname would give him time to weaken the blood in his body or otherwise taint it. He wanted it now-where the proof of its strength and clarity could be trusted completely.
"Kaname-!" Kaien protested, looking frantically from one vampire to the next. He was human enough to know that what was happening in the conference room right then was way over his head for common comprehension. He'd have to ask someone about it later. His dusty hunter senses protested as he tried to settle the feeling of discomfort creeping through him. Kaname had come in with the kind of wounded air that literally made people want to flock to him, giving presents and promises of all kinds—no matter the price. The aura hovering around him at the moment was vaguely seductive, charming almost as the devious young pureblood made his request. Kaien knew if those russet eyes were turned to him he had no hope of refusing. The ponytailed man swallowed hard.
Asato had visited in a half-fit and temper of sorts, demanding to see Kaname at once until he'd learned that the precious pureblood prince had locked himself in his workshop for nearly a month—well, a half month at least—he'd then taken care to add daily, morning meetings to his schedule, ending with a plea for the Chairman to force the door and drag the rebellious youth out. Of course, such realities and such fantasies were worlds apart and right now, the reality was staring him down with equal, if not challenge, in the steady dark eyes. Eyes that promised all sorts of things that would never be said aloud. The older vampire swallowed. He'd walked right into this one and the exit was now out of reach. He would have to see this through or feign weakness-and that, he would never do. "Now it is, then."
As if he'd planned it, Kaname calmly reached inside his jacket and drew out a small, peach-colored velvet bundle. He set it on the glossy conference table and unrolled it with the practiced ease that showed he'd done this before.
"No lovely assistants?" Asato watched as he straightened a selection of empty vials and needles. This was progressing much faster than he had expected.
Kaname's lovely head of chocolate hair shook ever so slightly, to answer the question in the negative. The faintest trace of lightness was visible in his dark eyes as he locked gazes once more, this time, a command was clearly visible in them. He wasn't going to move, the other man would have to come forward.
If the Chairman wasn't in the room, Asato never would have turned away from the award cabinet display embedded in the wall and approached the conference table with a dignified air of grace that spoke volumes of the importance of the act about to take place.
"Ah…Kaname,….Ichijo….Kaname!" The flustered Chairman tried and failed to stop the drama that played out before him. He resolved to speak privately to Kaname later.
Asato smiled tightly, the expression never wavering as Kaname inserted the needle in his arm. He wouldn't give in and neither would Kaname. Curse you, Kuran…
~*~*~Thanks for reading!~*~*~*