Unexpectedly Close To The Edge

Set 3 years after Vampire Knight Guilty, however, certain enemies aren't as dead as they were thought to be.

~{}~ signifies a change in time or perspective

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, these awesome characters do not belong to me in any way. They belong to Matsuri Hino. I just stole them and put them to use for my own sick mind ;)

Summary: Yuki's death brings the two former enemies Zero and Kaname closer than they ever expected to be. As the two of them - both broken in their own way - struggle to pick up a life again, will they cope by putting each other together again?

Rated M: mature emotions, rape, violence, M/M lemon (seriously, rated M for good reason!)


AN: Hi guys - sorry, it's really been a while this time. I apologize. Do not worry though, I haven't abandoned the story, just have a lot to do at the moment. It will be better after Christmas. Thanks so much to you for your reviews and all of the favorites. I appreciate each one of them and I'll be sure to finish the story just for you ^^. But there are still a few chapters to go. Here's the next one.

I hope you enjoy.


Chapter 14: A Deadly Trigger

Kaname was suffering. He desperately required the physical closeness of his mate. Of course, he showed none of the pain he was feeling in his chest as he stepped from the elevator onto the top floor of his company building. His employees bowed respectfully as he passed them, their bustling activity increasing with his presence. The pureblood paid them no mind, he had other worries now. His entire body hummed in the discord the hunter was feeling, his pure blood making him exceptionally sensitive to his mate's needs. Zero wasn't sharing his thoughts, but ever since the encounter with his avatar, Kaname just knew his emotions. Like a knot that tightens itself with every movement, their every interaction left them both less and less capable of ignoring each other even if they were separated by distance. He couldn't stop his need, he couldn't ignore his thoughts and there was no way to block out the memory of his dreams. Even if he knew they would drive him mad.

He shuddered in the dim light as he lay naked in his bed – his entire body was on fire. A soft touch to his sensitive neck left a trail of shivers tingling across his skin. His breath hitched, as the fingers repeated their actions. The pureblood's hands clawed into the bed as he tried to fight the urge to moan. Soft lips teased his own with a gently brushing kiss. It made him desperately yearn for more. He was quickly falling prey to this addiction and he knew it. Never had he known this much pleasure in just the simple touch of another. His entire being longed to clutch the other body close to himself, but he dare not appear so wanton for fear of losing what little he had. Try as he might, he couldn't contain a soundless sigh. It was just too good.

Though his eyes trailed across the rows of desks and bustling activity, his mind was with Zero. The hunter had obviously left Kuran mansion after what had happened between them and had not returned the next morning. He had probably slept in his apartment and was now at the Hunter's Association working again. Once again, the pureblood found himself contemplating how easy it would be to just make a slave out of the hunter. Kaname could easily predict most of the hunter's moods by now. Yet again, the stubborn hunter appeared to be caught up in self-destructive brooding. Though a certain amount of disgruntlement was perhaps understandable, the hunter's constant moodiness was a nuisance, to put it mildly. He really should put the hunter to better uses.

As kisses trailed down his chest, there was nothing he could do to repress his ragged breath. The wonderfully warm lips slowed against his skin as the pert nub of his left nipple caught their attention. The moist tip of a languid tongue played around it, making the pureblood gasp. Kaname struggled not to lose himself – no pureblood could afford this much surrender. He needed to take control again… he needed to find something to distract himself from the fierce desire raging through his system. He needed to move his hands to claim that other body...

At times like this, Kaname's qualms melted. It was simply unheard of that a lower level mate should be so disregarding of their pureblood mate's needs. Kaname was being way too considerate in a way he found himself to be uncharacteristically weak. He still couldn't quite comprehend why. He had blamed murder on the hunter in earlier days, had used him ruthlessly to the completion of his goal. He had discarded all his followers the moment Yuki was safe and barely accepted their services once more when they refused to leave. Why was it so hard for him to allow himself to once again just take what he wanted? For Yuki? For the hunter saving his life? Really? Was that truly the reason?

It was not.

So, then... Why?

All his musings led to only one answer, but he wouldn't accept it. He could not.

He nodded toward the secretary before he entered his office and found Kain dutifully sitting at Takuma's desk. The noble quickly stood and bowed before continuing his work.

His phone rang and he answered it before he even seated himself at his desk. It was his secretary.

"Kuran-sama, there is a call for you on Line 2. Kaien Cross wishes to speak with you on matters concerning the new Peace Treaty negotiations. Would you like to have it transferred to your office?"

"Yes, thank you." he answered.

"Hello Kaname. I am sorry to disturb you, but there will be a meeting later on about the Peace Treaty. Perhaps you would like to attend? The Hunter's Association will be discussing the security measures during the treaty's festivities."

"I see." Of course they could have simply sent their plan and then asked for his signature. But Kaname suspected that they had other reasons for wanting to see him. He supposed that they wanted confirmation of his sanity before the planning began. Though they loathed his presence, he was their only powerful ally among the vampires. Inviting him to their headquarters was a calculated move. He couldn't really refuse if he wanted to prove his reliability and they felt safe in a building surrounded by hunter spells.

"I will be there with two nobles accompanying me."

"I am glad to hear that. It will begin at two this night."

"Then I will see you there, Cross."

"I am looking forward to it. Good evening, Kaname."

"Good evening to you."

Kaname hung up and spoke to Kain. "Kain, you and your cousin will be accompanying me to the Hunter's Association tonight at two. Please inform him to be ready at one thirty"

"Of course, Kaname-sama." the noble answered.

Kaname sighed. The arrangement with Takuma's desk in his office was not enjoyable to the pureblood, it was only a means to uphold the pretense of their bond publicly. Kaname wished that such close working arrangements could have been avoided, but luckily, a few minutes later, Kain was on his way out to a meeting, leaving the pureblood in solitude. Solitude that he desperately needed to think.

But as frantically as his mind worked, his body still refused to listen to reason. It didn't allow distraction from that pleasant sensation, it didn't allow him to think and so his hands remained uselessly passive as his body began to burn under those fingers. He focused entirely on the soft touches across his skin as they made him shudder with the need for more. Searching fingers travelled lower – he was way too sensitive there, he wouldn't hold out long if they reached their destination. With a mixture of shame and anticipation he followed their trail with his awareness even if he kept his eyes closed. All the while he held his breath and he heard his own heart thump loudly in his ears betraying his state to the owner of those skilled fingers. Just when an involuntary groan threatened to escape his lips, they stopped two inches below his naval.

Uncharacteristically flustered, Kaname rubbed his temples and tried to focus. His fine pureblood hearing could discern all the activity around him through the walls. The well-ordered bustle of activity gave him a sense of normalicy. He calmed himself. It would do him no good to remain upset. With a glance at the chessboard, he let his mind occupy itself with something other than his mate. Luckily, he had a mind that greatly enjoyed logic, that indulged itself freely with complex matters. The gift of a quick mind was given to many purebloods, yet his had always enjoyed shaping itself around odd complexities that interested few. His own affairs should be trifles compared to that.

His current problem was not in itself highly complex, yet the combination with other, smaller problems created a certain amount complexity. Rido's death would surely simplify matters - but that was not easily achieved. Direct confrontation was not advisable, more allies were needed - and less enemies. However, vampires didn't make good allies, only more or less reliable opponents...

With his heightened senses he felt the air move around his cheek as a warm breath ghosted across his face and he knew those soft lips where close again. Close enough to kiss him, to grant him the warmth he had never known he needed so badly until now. It was a mystery to him that he was so vulnerable to this, that he was entirely incapable of taking back control.

His body was in a state of wantonness that reminded him more of a fever. Purebloods were highly sensual creatures, yes - still, he should be struggling. But he felt entirely safe. He knew if he opened his eyes he would see the depth of a gaze he couldn't quite comprehend and yet he would be lost inside it – even more helpless than now, when he chose to remain blind to it. But no harm would come of it, he was sure of this. Still, he kept his eyes closed. He shuddered as the air of another warm breath twirled across the sensitive skin of his left ear.

It was only his pride that stood in his way.

No, allies were few. And opponents were many.

Allowing the nobles to once more form a council of sniveling little schemers after he had destroyed the former council provided the illusion of fair power distribution, but Kaname knew that it was only that - an illusion. It was never meant to be an indefinite arrangement. Kaname had never intended them to truly have power. He had simply planned to ease their society into a new form of government. Though he cared little for ruling, it was the only option left if he wanted to cement his efforts in human-vampire relations.

Vampires were not like humans. Their social rules changed little over time, their laws remained valid not for mere decades or centuries - no, vampires thought in millenia. Therefore changes in policy happened only once every century or so. But vampires didn't merely differ in their concept of time. Humans cherished freedom and consensus. But vampires were different altogether. They needed no democracy. Choice was not given to them, their blood made choices for them. The evidence of that truth lay before him, spread out in marble and obsidian pieces on a distinguished geometrical pattern.

One of his white pieces lay at the side of the board. Shiki's death had been inevitable to a certain extent. Rido would never have let him escape from his grasp a second time. The quiet and even-tempered noble had become a victim of his heritage. It was now Kaname's responsibility to care for his cousin's mother in his stead. What a troublesome necessity... But not nearly as troublesome as a rampant Rido. And by what he had seen, it was even more troublesome that there appeared to be a certain connection between him and the council - but it contained a missing link that Kaname wasn't seeing.

He didn't need to see. His senses could almost touch the person above him. A soft breath brushed by his sensitive hearing and instantly everything burned in anticipation.

"Say it… Tell me what you want me to do…" He knew who that voice belonged to. And briefly he wondered how he had ever gotten into this position. A part of him somehow realized this was not possible. The person that voice belonged to would never do this, he knew it. But that rational part of him was being drowned out by a much deeper longing. Something he had never allowed himself to even think before.

Getting Rido out of the way was of course a top priority. Why Rido hadn't attacked him yet, still eluded Kaname. Naturally he was bent on remaining hidden from the public - but even then Kaname's death could be arranged by a powerful pureblood such as Rido, or... perhaps he was waiting for something...? Of course, Rido would want to witness the pureblood's death in person...

Kaname leaned forward, staring at the checkered board intently. Perhaps he'd been going about this all wrong. Perhaps Rido was bent on more than just simply killing him. His thoughts hurried through a series of musings as he wondered about additional goals the other pureblood might be having. Simply killing Kaname might give him satisfaction, but his revenge would be better if Kaname lost all he loved first... all the things he worked hard for, all the things that made him... vulnerable.

Something unheard of, something that no pureblood should want. But he did. Kaname's entire being ached for it.

He wanted to be vulnerable.

He wanted to give himself away, all of himself.

The pureblood had never been caught this unawares by his own psyche. His mind reeled with the realization that he – a pureblood, a born leader, trained and instinctually guided to command anyone he chose – wanted to give in to someone, wanted to surrender entirely. Perhaps he sensed a freedom in such a surrender that he would never be able to obtain, because it was in his nature to command. Still, a part of him longed for it and the freedom it provided. Not having to be in control and knowing it would be alright anyway, not having to think, but being able to purely enjoy, giving in to his most carefully guarded desires... yes... it was coursing through his veins right now.

He was on the verge of surrender. He wanted to know what it felt like to be safe in someone else's arms... to give in - and get immeasurable bliss in return.

And with those fingers taunting his abdomen, ghosting across his slacks - his body made the decision for him as to whom he would give himself. All his muscles quivered in anticipation. He was aching for release, but he knew he wasn't going to have that wish granted until he begged. It was now truly only his pride that stood in his way.

He couldn't… He shouldn't…

A frown crossed his lips as he explored the possibilites of his vulnerability. In essence, his vulnerabilities were his mate, his diplomacy project and his sanity. All other things could be obtained easily - even money and power could be obtained over time, if only those three things were given. If Rido wanted to truly destroy him, then he would sabotage those three things. He had already gone for what he perceived to be both his mate and sanity - but he hadn't killed Takuma. He had tormented him, and through him he had of course hoped to torment Kaname. If he was correct in his assumptions that Rido was enacting some form of revenge, then there was some diplomatic problem heading his way as well, which would make his project very difficult.

It would be easy to confirm Rido's involvement then, because that would be precisely the moment when the arrogant and self-absorbed pureblood would call him to gloat... If he was correct. However, that also meant that Yuki must have been his target as well. And that led to very uncomfortable conclusions... Assuming, Yuki's death was indeed not a form of accidental suicide... he clenched his teeth against the stab in his chest at that thought...

If... and assuming... Kaname furrowed his brow slightly. Neither of those words really sat right with him. He would probably only have to wait a few days to see his diplomatic efforts crumble around him. If he was right about this. But first he needed proof that Yuki's death was not what it appeared to be. At least for himself.

We all have our talents, nephew. They appear to run in the family. Kaname's mind still shuddered at Rido's words. He knew what they meant, the Kuran bloodline was the most powerful of all. A Kuran's power increased with every generation and showed itself differently in each of its descendants. This bloodline, unknown to most other vampires, had powers that did not merely rule elements, or chain servants to their needs - no, this bloodline could take part in creation itself. The Kurans were the Ancestor's direct descendants and that made them the most powerful of all.

Only because of her bloodline had Yuri Kuran been able to transform her daughter into a human at the cost of her own life. Only because she was a Kuran had Yuki been able to weild the Artemis, a weapon made to completely reject the touch of a vampire. And only because he was a Kuran had Rido come back from the dead. Of this, Kaname was certain.

We all have our talents, nephew...

Indeed... But such powers always came at a price. The long history of the Kuran's was a bloody and gruesome one unlike that of any other pureblood family. A painful death was the mildest of terrifying prices to pay for using their power. Rido must have paid a price as well, but as of yet, Kaname wasn't even sure what exactly he had achieved. A vampire's death was usually marked by ashes. And there was no returning from the ashes for a vampire. Rido's body had definitely desintegrated to ashes, Kaname had seen it for himself. However, his essence had still been there, Zero said. Kuran blood and ashes. Zero's blood... What if... Kaname mentally went through Aido's report on his findings about Yuki's earrings again. It was all too interwoven to be a coincidence. He was lacking one crucial puzzle piece that needed to be collected before he could be entirely certain.

Everything became clouded in his mind. Only one thing stood out in brilliant clarity.

He wanted more. But he shouldn't want this.

His pride was supposed to save him here, was not supposed to allow it. He moaned softly as the conflict went through him and he squirmed between the silky sheets, but to no avail. Strong hands roamed his body everywhere… everywhere but the one place he needed them to be. He was shaking with need now, but he just couldn't give in. He was a pureblood. He was supposed to take control, this had gone too far already, but he needed release. He was about to move his hands when a voice slithered into his ear seductively.

"You wouldn't want to trouble your own fingers with something that my mouth could do so much better... "
Kaname couldn't help but moan loudly at that. "I want to hear your voice saying it. Just tell me, what it is that you need... Kaname."

What he needed most was information. Kaname shivered under the impressions of his dream. He could not allow himself to remember the rest of it. Not now. He needed to act. And before that, he needed to clarify his goals. He needed information. And time. The latter allowed more leeway for the assembly of the former. So how did one buy time...?

Supposing Rido hadn't yet found out about him and Zero and still suspected Takuma to be his mate, then the noble needed protection. He was currently in Sara's hands. The female pureblood was known for extravagant taste and her hedonistic life style. No one would expect Takuma there, and she wouldn't dare to make their little agreement public. If only to have another chance at re-inviting the noble. She wasn't really a problem, she was far more predictable than she assumed. No one was without a flaw or without a vulnerability. That didn't only apply to Kaname...

No, she wasn't a problem. Rather, she was a solution. A dark gleam lit in the depth of Kaname's eyes. Rido himself had a weakness that would make his endeavors very difficult... The one thing Rido seemed to currently avoid at all costs was being seen in public. With the atrocities he had committed he would be on everybody's list when it became publicly known that he was still, in fact, alive. Both the hunters and vampires had legitimate reason to execute him. If it became known that he was not dead...

At this Kaname allowed himself a cruel smirk ... public proof of his being alive just might buy him the time he needed...

His smirk faded as he realized his need. He may have been able to focus on his plans for a a few moments, but now it all came back in vivid detail.

"I want to hear your voice saying it. Just tell me, what it is that you need... Kaname."

When the pureblood refused to answer, kissing lips went down on him, trailing softly down his skin southwards. The pureblood's body trembled uncontrollably - but again, there was no relief as the teasing kisses stopped before they reached their destination. Kaname groaned in frustration. Drenched in amusement, the silky voice spoke again.

Kaname was hard as a rock between his legs as he remembered the rest of his dream. It was bad enought that the dreams he had been having every single night had him waking up sweating and gasping, sometimes painfully hard, sometimes coated in a sticky puddle of his own semen with the sensations of Zero's imaginary touch and the sight of those lilac eyes burning through him. He wanted him. No. He needed him. He needed to posess that body, to claim it... But now it wouldn't stop following him through his day. It was humiliating - he was at work at his own company, but he needed to find a restroom.

~{}~

Seiren watched the two figures through her binoculars. They had chosen a very noisy place to meet, intending to make being overheard almost impossible. Silverware and dishes clashed noisily as hundreds of humans crowded into the establishment to get some lunch before they had to return to their work. No one would expect those two around at such a time, but Seiren had known that they would be meeting here.

She was Kaname-sama's eyes and ears - who knew, perhaps he might need the information? From her current vantage point, just below the ceiling, she had disguised herself as a plasterer, working below the roof of the building. The real plasterer was asleep in his bed and would notice he'd overslept in roughly two hours with a severe headache. She would be long gone by the time he arrived.

She had made sure she was far away enough to not be noticeable by her vampire aura. Her protective plasterer's goggles were actually binoculars with an ear-piece that had a headset embedded into it. Behind the pots of mortar and plaster utensils, her entire equipment was up and running. Pretending to be stirring more plaster, she crouched down and watched the scene below. A woman with long black hair and cold eyes sat down at one of the tables in a corner opposite of a man who seemed entirely too nervous to be unobtrusive.

The Preatorian had already been following the woman's activities off and on - simply because she kept getting in the way of her information gathering. Her security measures were way more sophisticated than those of her targets and Seiren had recognized her signature on a small file extension in the hunter's database when working through Zero Kiryu's files. It was a valid conclusion that she might be researching the hunter, meaning she might be a threat to him and therefore Kaname-sama as well. It could, however, also only be coincidence. Though she had very capable staff - handpicked and personally trained - with this woman in particular, she trusted no one but herself to obtain information securely. So she took it upon herself to tape the upcoming conversation.

Right now the microphone signal was terribly skewed but she worked the software of her laptop, recalibrating them to the exact frequency of the harmonic overtones of their voices which carried through the air with a lot less interference. It was not for nothing that she kept a database on all these things. The signal was a lot clearer now and she let the headset transform the output signal to a more pleasant frequency as she listened.

"... don't like this, Miyazaki. We should have met somewhere else." the male voice said.

"Don't be a fool, Ojima. No one would expect us here at noon with all the humans." the woman interjected with disdain. "Now what is it that is so important we must meet among all this filthy cattle?"

"We're being played." the man adressed as Ojima said simply.

"Really." Miyazaki sneered without sounding convinced or surprised.

"Care to explain in more detail?" she asked in a bored tone.

Ojima looked cornered. He seemed to be deciding whether to answer or not. Hesitantly, he began speaking.

"A part of my facility was locked off - even from me. I didn't give it much thought... I, uhm... I didn't even want to know what was going on."

"So?" Miyazaki shrugged after his speech trailed off.

Ojima scowled. "You aren't taking this seriously."

An icy look crossed her face. She leaned in.

"I am taking this very seriously, Ojima. You think I don't know you're Rido Kuran's little slut? You think I don't know that he has you by the balls? Now tell me what it is that you want and stop wasting my time."

Ojima swallowed visibly. "How do you...?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "You seriously think I'd tell you of all people how I obtain information...? she mocked incredoulously.

Ojima licked his lips nervously and then shook his head.

"Fine. I know what he's planning. And if you want to know, then I will tell you. But I want to know something in return."

She smiled. There was nothing warm about her smile, it was about as cold as antarctica's frost after half a year of night.

"Finally, we're getting to the point. What do you want to know?" she said, a spark of interest in her eyes.

Ojima obviously tried hard not to squirm, but failed.

"He told me..." he bit his lip. Then he continued. "He told me my daughter wasn't really my daughter."

That didn't seem to faze the woman at all. She said nothing. Nervously, he continued.

"I want to know... who is the father?"

A knowing smile crawled across Miyazaki's features.

"Knowledge for knowledge... That is a good deal, I suppose - unless of course one knows more than the other..." at this she looked at him hard.

"You're informed about the underground facilities?" he asked sceptically.

A sly grin twisted her lips into an unpleasant smile. "Informed?" She leaned in closely and Seiren had to turn up the volume to hear what she was saying.

"Informed? They were my idea."

Ojima clearly didn't understand how he'd been outmanouvered so quickly, as the implications of the noble woman's words flitted through his mind exhibiting an interesting array of expressions on his face. Then he seemed to conclude that it made no more difference.

"Fine. What is it you want?" he asked in a fatalistic tone.

"Simple. The blueprint for our endeavors." she half-sneered, half-smirked.

Ojima furrowed his brow. "You mean..."

"Yes... I mean Zero Kiryu. Alive."

~{}~

"It's quiet today." Kaito remarked on their patrol, his voice slightly suspicious.

"Yeah. Too quiet." Zero agreed, his eyes sweeping the darkness with a piercing glare.

"You're starting to sound like our sensei even more than me." Kaito scoffed.

"Doesn't mean he wouldn't be right." Zero countered.

They continued to walk in silence. It was just a routine patrol and those weren't known for spectacular events, but it didn't sit right with either of the two hunters that there was absolutely no vampire activity at all. It wasn't normal. Not for this area.

That, of course, was not the only thing that didn't sit well with Zero. His thoughts kept circling around his last encounter with the pureblood with whom he was now on first name basis. Uneasily, he fingered his Bloody Rose. She was safety, a constant that he knew and the one thing never deserted him. Perhaps a bit of conversation would soothe his mind, but Kaito appeared to be a bit moody lately, his tongue not nearly as sharp as usual and Zero wasn't one for overly much communication. So they continued their patrol in silence.

Much to Zero's disgust, his revolving thoughts wouldn't leave him alone.

He was going soft - obviously. He was letting Kuran get under his skin. His voice of reason kept bugging him about that without a moment's pause. It angered him and it wasn't helping to have so little to do on a patrol. He was going soft... he should never have made himself that vulnerable. He should have known it would only end badly. He should have known that the pureblood was...

Was what?

A monster?

Like hell he hadn't known. Of course he'd known that. He'd known all along.

Though for a few moments it had seemed like it could be different...

But a monster was a monster, no matter how you looked at it.

He tried to tell this to himself over and over again, but now it didn't work anymore. His mind kept pulling out the one image that had burned itself into his mind. The one thing that haunted him the entire day and night since their last encounter.

Kuran's eyes.

"Please, Zero... It's Kaname." The words echoed through his mind with those eyes in endless cycles, repeating that look, repeating those words.

Of course Zero knew that purebloods were excellent deceivers. But that look could not be faked. That look was not part of being a pureblood. That look was hurt and weary and pleading. A pureblood didn't plead. Ever. Even when deceiving, their pride was too great for that. Zero was absolutely certain that the depth of that gaze was not fake. Just like the joy in those eyes at hearing his first name fall from the hunter's lips could not be fake.

Zero gritted his teeth. He had acted upon that feeling, had acted upon the hope that it was not a mistake to believe a pureblood vampire.

Believe a pureblood vampire...

Willingly offer his blood and then succumb to the bite of a pureblood vampire...

How foolish.

How utterly foolish.

How stupid and idiotic and how unbelievably, terrifyingly... good.

The hunter shivered at the memory of Kuran's bite. He should be feeling humiliated that Kuran was capable of doing that to him. He should be feeling angry at himself for allowing the pleasure to haze his mind. He should be hating the other for abusing his trust, but he couldn't. Zero wanted to curse out loud, wanted to vent his frustration, but with Kaito next to him that wasn't such a good idea.

He had made up his mind. He had already considered the possibility of becoming the pureblood's toy. Even though he rebuked himself for it, he couldn't undo the change of perspective it had brought. He had tried to see Kuran differently. He couldn't deny now that the pureblood was alluring and beautiful. He couldn't deny that for a second - just a second - he had pictured himself submitting his body and mind to the dark and intriguingly deceptive pureblood vampire. But he could imagine way too clearly for his liking how he would be nothing but a pet.

He knew deep down in his desperate heart that it was inevitable. With dread he anticipated the day he would be nothing but dependent on that vampire, when he would be entirely under Kuran's power - his to command. He dreaded the day he would no longer be a hunter. But there was nothing he would be able to do against it. One day, even if the pureblood didn't claim his mind first, he would fall prey to the pureblood's lures. No one else's blood would satisfy him, perhaps he would also become addicted to the pleasure Kuran could provide. And the price for that dependence would be his body and soul.

He had seen it before. A pureblood could ensnare your will and bribe your emotions until you forgot everything else. Zero was determined to cage his heart against that lure. He had believed that Yuki had taken his heart away but now he found that it had awakened. His heart was still beating in a steady rhythm of loneliness. Still stubbornly hurting in his chest where he had last left it. And it was way too susceptible to a caring touch. He could surrender his body, he may not be able to defend his mind - but he could not, he simply could not give away his heart...

"So tell me," Kaito began, startling Zero out of his thoughts. A distraction way too late.

"Hm." Zero grunted in response.

"What happened to the Cross girl's photo in your room. It's gone." Kaito gave him a sidelong glance.

Observant as ever... Zero had to admit. Kaito had been to his apartment like maybe three times or so.

He snorted. "Dead." he said shortly ending their conversation before it started.

"Oh." Kaito answered. "Sorry to hear."

Really, what a topic of evasive conversation, Zero thought to himself. Perhaps his thoughts were better company...

Dammit, he needed something to do. He needed to somehow work off some energy. Their patrol was almost over for the night and still nothing at all had happened. He needed a workout, something to take his mind off everything. The ache in his chest would not allow him to spend another day away from Kuran mansion. He needed to work off his anger before returning.

~{}~

Kaname knew he was walking a dangerous line. If someone caught him, it would be difficult to explain why he was crouching up on the roof of the Hunter's Association's building. But he yearned for a glimpse of his mate. Knowing the bond would tell on him whenever they were close, he used the meeting with the Hunter Association as an excuse to follow Zero carefully with muted aura. He hadn't planned on it, but when he felt somewhere halfway through the meeting that Zero was close, he couldn't resist.

After finishing his meeting, he instructed Aido and Kain to leave without him. They needed to be elsewhere soon anyway. Then, he dimmed his aura completely and slipped onto the roof of one of the many buildings that made up the Hunter Association's headquarters. Zero would know that he was close through their bond, but he had had a meeting in the main hunter building, so he hoped the hunter would not become suspicious. Keeping close to the roof, he peered around and spotted a courtyard with two figures in it. Perching on the roof five stories above them, he had a better view of the two of them while he watched the training session between Zero and Yagari in the courtyard behind the building.

Kaname didn't know what to expect, but he had never really seen Zero train as a hunter. He'd only felt the punches and kicks on his body - wether Zero dealt or received them. Still, the last time he had actually seen him fight was when he defended Yuki against Rido. That was long ago and he wasn't even really a fully trained hunter then. Other than that, he had only been in his thoughts - but that was not the same than watching him fight.

It was breathtaking to watch. Yagari was wearing his usual attire, heavy, high-laced boots, hat and coat over black, heavy pants and a white shirt, carelessly half-buttoned. He didn't even seem to sweat as he went through training moves with Zero. But Zero had no lack of endurance himself, he was quite calmly going through a series of kicks and punches - his white long-sleeved shirt showing no sign of perspiration. Nor did his jeans hinder him in any way. They both showed no sign of weariness as they slowly began to move faster, now rapidly throwing punches and catching or evading them.

Kaname was impressed with how the hunter trained and fought, how precise his movements were, how elegant and on-target every hit seemed to meet an equal strength of his sensei. If he hadn't already been attracted to the hunter, he would be now. Both Yagari and he were not holding back, except perhaps on the deadliest of moves. The punches that connected really hurt and in the way they did, Kaname had learned easily to judge Zero's moods. With enough training sessions for comparison, he couldn't help but notice that right now, the hunter was in a very dismal mood - his punches hurt himself (and therefore Kaname as well) more than was necessary. Kaname winced internally, but the two sparring partners in front of him hardly made a sound. It was like they were improvising the steps to a tune only they could hear.

Slowly, their breaths became louder. Yagari was known as the best hunter in the Association and the pureblood could see why. He was agile, smoothly attacking and defending and unwavering. But Kaname could easily see that Zero surpassed his mentor in speed, agility and strength. The only thing that let Yagari hold up against him, were his years of experience. He seemed to know his pupil better than he did himself. The older hunter anticipated most of his moves in advance. But as Kaname watched, Zero never made the same move twice.

Kaname had known Zero was good, he just hadn't known how good he really was. All he knew about hunters in general was what he deduced about them from meetings with them on the topic of co-existence and what he knew about Cross and Zero. All he had seen about them he'd seen through Zero's eyes when it leaked into their bond. But to Zero, Yagari's opinion was all that mattered to him from anyone at the Hunter's Association and the gruff mentor surely did not dish out compliments at his pupil's progress. So probably Zero had never seen himself in the right light.

But Kaname could see it now. The hunter was exceptionally talented and incredibly quick to learn. To his growing amazement, Zero didn't even rely on his vampire instincts or his vampire abilities. Naturally, his sensory perception must surpass Yagari's – but other than that he accessed no other vampire advantage. He used no vampire speed, his eyes remained lilac the entire time - he showed no giving in to the thrill of a fight, as a vampire would, thereby gaining unpredictability and strength through the desire to kill. Zero obviously blocked all of that out – even though it must come as naturally to him as his hunter abilities. The control it took to do that, would be difficult to maintain. Kaname couldn't take his eyes off the silver-haired hunter as he dodged and struck in rapid succession.

Then they stepped it up - Yagari drew two knives, one in each hand, while Zero remained weaponless. Zero didn't lose a beat in his step as he jumped and dodged, feigning his way through the expertly whirling knives to reach his opponent. He caught one knife and threw it far out of Yagari's reach. The silver metal clattered to the floor as Zero continued to attempt to disarm his sensei. Why hadn't he taken it for himself?

The pureblood's breath caught as the knife connected to Zero's throat, a protective surge struggling to force its way through to allow Kaname to protect his bond mate, but the knife had already been stopped. Panting, Zero was gripping his mentor's wrist, straining to prevent the blade from moving. Runes on the blade glinted with a pale blue light as the hunter knife burned the vampire in Zero's body. But Zero didn't make a sound. Kaname felt an echo of that tingle and could easily imagine how it felt to Zero. He knew well how his own body roared at a hunter weapon when it touched his skin. It had taken all his self-control to not so much as twitch when in earlier days, the rash hunter had pressed the Bloody Rose to his skin.

Zero was obviously strong-minded on denying everything vampire-like his body showed. Perhaps he was used to it when sparring with his mentor. He didn't even flinch when the hunter blade nicked the skin and drew blood. Kaname clenched his teeth against the tempting scent of Zero's life essence. A second later, the two had jumped apart and were circling each other. Nothing changed in the way Zero fought, even though his blood was now battling hunter poison. He was almost just as quick, just as strong and just as concentrated as beforehand.

Kaname couldn't believe it. So much control. The same control that had him fight the thirst for blood for so long, the same control that allowed him to clear his mind to keep himself out of their bond. Zero was amazing. Kaname smiled as the silver hair moved and glinted only to reveal that he had caught Yagari's wrist with his hand again and went for the older hunter's throat with the other. Yagari used his legs to trip his student, but Zero's feet had already left the floor as he flipped the older hunter on his back, pinning him to the concrete floor in the small courtyard. But Yagari still had the use of his knife and positioned the point of the blade at Zero's heart.

Kaname stared at the two even as he felt the burn of the blade on his own skin. Yagari's gruff voice rumbled at his student.

"You move and you're dead, kid. Where's your head? You're not concentrating. I could easily have killed you."

Kaname scowled. Zero had the use of one hand at least to free himself of Yagari's blade, but he didn't move. He strained to hear what Zero had to say. It was so quiet that he almost missed the hoarse whisper.

"I'm counting on it, sensei. One day, when I lose it, I'm counting on just that."

Kaname shuddered at those words, hearing his mate speak so calculating about his own death. Of course he would expect the least of himself, of course he would expect to fail someday. Of course he expected his mentor to be the one to allegedly save him by killing him. Kaname shook his head. It was not an option. Not for Kaname's mate it wasn't. Zero would not fall.

"Stop the nonsense, kid. It's not lack of control that's your weakness." Yagari growled.

He pushed his student up with the blunt side of the blade's handle. Kaname clenched his teeth in pain. But he agreed with Yagari.

Yagari got up, facing Zero and putting a fist to his chest. "It's the heart that has to fight, kid - the body just goes through the moves. As long as you fight against yourself, you sabotage your own strength. You're a born hunter - you were made to fight. Doubt will only slow your mind."

"I was made to fight vampires." Zero said quietly. Then, with a look of utter revulsion on his face, Zero watched as his hands turned into claws and his teeth elongated into fangs.

"Sensei, look at me. Look at what I am." he whispered.

Yagari shrugged.

"So you have claws and fangs... nice accessory, kid. But your heart's a hunter. I know it. If you really were a vampire I'd have shot you long ago. You wanna scare me? Show me what you look like when you're a vampire. A real one. Put those claws to use and show me what they can do. You're standing here and talking about being a vampire but you're holding back on it. You're not even half as strong as you could be."

Zero stood there, his claws reverting back into calloused, pale hands as he stared at his sensei in bewilderment.

"Sensei you told me to fight it..."

Yagari growled and glared at him. Indeed, Kaname thought, he looked a lot more fearsome than the clawed and fanged Zero had.

"I wanted you to fight the madness inside you. The falling to Level E. I never said that you shouldn't use what you've been given."

"I... sensei..." Zero started. Kaname resisted the urge to swoop down and just hug the desolate figure. But this was important for Zero. He needed to learn acceptance. Maybe he'd listen to his mentor.

"Stop being a coward, Zero and fight. Fight with everything you are, with every cell of your body, no matter if they make up your claws or hands. You are what you are, it doesn't matter that a stupid vampire bit you - you are a hunter. A Kiryu. The Kiryus never fit in with any of the other hunters. Neither your parents nor your grandparents, nor you or your brother. Your family members were always different, stubborn and powerful. You're a Kiryu. Start behaving like one."

Footsteps echoed along the hall. Then a young hunter came to a halt in the courtyard.

"Yagari-sensei?" he said hesitantly, panting slightly.

"What is it?" the senior hunter growled back. The kid was no older than maybe fourteen. Yagari's growl scared the hell out of grown vampires - of course his student wouldn't be unaffected. Kaname smiled at how he didn't look quite as scared as his racing heartbeat and elevated body heat indicated he felt.

"There is an emergency meeting in five minutes, sensei."

Instantly, Yagari pulled his famous shotgun and pointed it at his young student. The boy dodged - but not quickly enough. With a flick of his hand, the one-eyed hunter nudged his pupil with the gun making him lose his balance and the boy fell to the ground. Yagari scowled.

"You're not alert. You're too slow. Rule number one: Never get caught unawares. Get up." He laid the shotgun over his shoulder, seemingly relaxed. Trembling, the kid got up, his eyes not leaving his mentor.

Without looking, the one-eyed hunter thrust the shotgun into Zero's direction in a sudden movement, pointing it straight at his heart. But with the same stoic calm he had showed during their training, Zero effortlessly caught the weapon, turning the point out of harm's way. The unexpected shot missed Zero by a few inches, its crack echoing from the walls startling the young boy enough to leave him trembling. Yagari didn't even look at the silver-haired student as he nodded toward the boy. "See? Never get caught unawares."

The kid nodded fervently, eyes large and a bit scared. Man, Yagari sure was one hell of a mentor, Kaname thought.

Eyeing the gun warily and stepping out of range, the kid bowed. "Yes, sensei. Uuuhm, the meeting..."

"The meeting can wait." Yagari said indifferently, returning the gun to the accustomed place on his shoulder.

"But they explicitly said..." he argued nervously, clearly unhappy at having to speak against his mentor.

Yagari raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, alright - I'll be there. Now get the hell out of here." the one-eyed hunter said gruffly, but not without a certain fondness in his voice.

With a fleeting smile, but a wary look in his eyes, the young hunter left, turning more than once, remaining alert.

Yagari nodded to Zero.

"You heard the kid. I gotta go. I'll find you after the meeting." he said. To the watching pureblood's amazement, Zero bowed to his sensei without a word of protest and left. Kaname had never seen Zero bow to anyone. But he supposed his sensei was the only one he'd respect that way. Yagari certainly wielded authority worthy of it.

Right before he wanted to leave he heard Yagari mutter after his student.

"Dammit, kid. You're much stronger and faster than I've ever been. You could be the greatest hunter there ever was, but for your weakness of that broken heart. And I can't help you with that. I'm only here for the fighting skill."

~{}~

Very pleased with the sight in front of her, Sara Shirabuki sipped a glass of blood wine, her eyes not leaving her doll. It had taken a while, but finally both her toys were becoming interesting and enjoyable. With delight that almost made her giggle most unbefittingly for her status, she registered that her little doll had finally become bold enough to touch the incapacitated noble. And finally the Ichijo kid was looking more like himself. The pretty blond noble had had a most dusturbingly vacant gaze when he appeared at her door.

He seemed to remember little of his previous stay at her home and Sara had been slightly disgruntled at the fact that Kaname had sent his mate to her in such an unpresentable state. But her little doll had made things better almost instantly. The little girl had made him smile - faintly, but visibly nonetheless. Sara smirked - how practical that she could use both pets to coax each other into a more pleasurable mood. All she had to do was watch.

She leaned back enjoying the show, the unpleasant thoughts of meetings and obligations fading. Ichijo had followed her orders to the mark, had sat down beside her and sipped a drink with her. When Sara was certain that the concoction had taken effect she had him undress slowly and then lay down on her bed. Now the pretty boy lay stretched out on her luxurious covers - she had slipped rather strong aphrodosiac into his drink. She fingered the metal restraints on her table and then chose to leave them on the table. Perhaps she might need him to have the use of his hands... Hand cuffs weren't needed she decided - he was flushed and moaning on her bed already and Sara found it to be a very pleasant sight.

But what made it even better was that her usually timid doll seemed to have no fear of the noble. Without reservations she had crawled onto him and let her innocent fingertips glide across his overly sensitized skin. Then her little doll had found out that when she touched him on certain body parts it would make him moan ever so much more. The little girl was enjoying it immensely now and Sara had to smile at her dolls quick learning. With great curiosity, she was currently rubbing the noble's no doubt throbbing member, but he couldn't come, because she had slipped a ring over him. Tears were beginning to pour down his face...

Hm... had she overdone it on the potion?

Why was she worrying? He was surely crying tears of pleasure if the sounds he was making were anything to go by. The reaction of her own body was delightful - his moans were making her hot. It was only too well - she hadn't had some decent cock in her for a while she decided.

Finishing her wine, she undressed gracefully and moved over to her bed where the little girl was making the noble's tip leak and his eyes roll back from the combined sensations of her curious fingers and the strong aphrodisiac.

Teasing Ichijo, she let her hands run across his thighs earning beautiful shudders.

"Do you like him?" she asked her doll with a sidelong glance. The little girl nodded fervently. Sara smiled at her and moved on top of the noble.

"I'll show you, what will really make him squirm." she whispered into her dolls ear. Then she slid onto Ichijo's cock, impaling herself deeply. She just hoped that Kaname was feeling the same pleasure as well. Keeping in mind that this was his mate she moved sinuously, cherishing every moan the blonde had to offer. True to her promise, he was squirming under her, his flushed face bearing testament to how intoxicated he was.

Sara rode him slowly, enjoing herself immensely - but something was missing. She wanted to see her doll just as flushed as Ichijo was. With sure moves, she stripped her und pulled her toward herself onto Ichijo. Kissing her deeply, she slid her toward the noble's head.

"Spread you legs," she whispered to the child. She obeyed. Her thin legs parted across the noble's lips.

"Lick her." she commanded the noble.

As soon as his tongue slid between the small legs, the girl shuddered intensely. Satisfied with her new arrangements, Sara worked her hips harder to the rhythm of their combined moaning. This was good, really good.

It was in the moment when the small girl cried out her climax that the door shattered with a loud crash.

Sara was so close, so unbelieveably close to coming - but she never did.

All feeling left her body. Her mind was slow to register that someone must have severed her nervous sytem below the neck. She didn't feel the pair of fangs dig greedily into her skin, but she knew what bloodloss did to the body. She couldn't turn to face the attacker, she could not move at all. She was entirely helpless and the only reason she was still upright, was because her attacker was holding her to feed on her blood. She had too much time to become terrified, to become overwhelmed with panic as all she could do was watch. It was perhaps half a minute that she remained like that, slowly being drained, her gaze fixed on the blissful face of her unsuspecting doll, who was still shuddering through her orgasm.

Before her vision hazed to gray, she saw her doll look up to her, the large eyes mirroring in shock and incomprehension a familiar face behind her own. The last thing Sara saw was the reflection of a pair of cold and calculating mismatched eyes in her doll's shocked irises. She barely registered how the little girl opened her mouth to scream, but she knew she would never hear it leave her lips.

~{}~

"Hey kid."

Zero turned from where he'd just finished cleaning his weapons and had stowed them into a locker. One look at Yagari's face, however, told him all he needed to know. Wordlessly, he opened the locker again and took out his knives and extra bullets, sorting the array of weapons into the loops of his gear.

"How many?" he asked a grim expression on his face.

His mentor grimaced. "Unknown. It's an emergency. Two humans dead. The person calling the police died while speaking. The terrain's unpredictable. We're meeting Kaito there."

"I knew it was too quiet on our patrol." Zero growled. "I'm ready. Let's go."

~{}~

Kaname left Sara's house in a hurry. He was certain that his disguise had worked. But if he wasn't fast, his aura would betray him. He could only vary it to a certain degree. He had made sure to arouse all suspicion that he was in fact Rido Kuran. He had worn nothing you could mistake for one of his own business suits, he had strode into the place with the confidence and arrogance only his so-called uncle ever showed. Sara's security was a joke. Bare-chested and ferral-looking he had gone to great lengths pretending to be Rido. He even slammed a few servants across the room without reason or purpose to make it more credible.

He could have killed Sara swiftly, he could have snapped the life from her like a twig, turning her to ashes instantly without her even knowing what happened, but he wanted the blood. He wanted to see what she knew, he wanted to raid her memory for what he was searching for. And he had found... interesting information, to say the least. Her death had been worthwhile - if only to serve revenge to a woman who had held his friend hostage and to throw an obstacle into Rido's path.

With these new bits of information, however, he just might be able to assemble the puzzle pieces to a very unpleasant picture. But he could not dwell on that now.

When Kaname was far away enough from Sara's estate, he decided to guide his friend from her place. With a nudge of his will, Takuma rose from the bed and stumbled out of Shirabuki's mansion. Kaname felt a pang of guilt as he remembered the state of his friend, but he would make it up to him later. Now it was important for him to look helpless and innocent. Naked and disoriented did the job just fine. He would be found by Aido and Kain entirely by 'coincidence' on their way home from the meeting with the hunters. Kaname had already instructed his driver to take an alternative route, claiming to need a package delivered.

Briefly Kaname wondered if he should have killed the doll as well. Perhaps it would have been merciful. But she was the one who could 'confirm' without a doubt that it had indeed been Rido who had killed Sara. No one would think that she was lying. They might even search her memory - she was the perfect witness.

~{}~

They were everywhere. Zero heard Kaito curse violently as he watched how an army of Level E's swarmed into the clearing of the forest. The small cottage that had obviously only been a sort of decoy with a small band of E's tearing up a young pair of tourists. The hunters had made quick progress on three of them before they even noticed a hunter presence. Yagari and Kaito had helped with the other five. Now the three of them were cornered in the cottage with the dead pair, blood stains and pools everywhere, mixed with vampire ashes. Zero fought the lure of their blood. He still had to deal with the effects of his training. Traces of hunter poison were imparing his ability to focus - not the optimal state for a fight.

"Set a fire." Yagari said.

Zero nodded finding a canister of oil that was usually used to power a generator to ensure independent electricity in the cabin. In minutes they were standing with their backs toward the burning cottage, each of them facing a different side of the clearing and facing the same amount of swarming Level E's. It was a trap. It had to be - Level E's had a certain amount of mind left, but not enough to come up with this. This was an army. An army for the purpose of execution. And an army did not command itself.

The fire burned hot behind their backs, but at least the other two hunters would have no difficulty seeing the vampires. And Zero could feel his vampire side shy away from the brightness of the fire. Good - it would keep the Level E's at a distance for a while. He stood his ground. The light would be too bright to look at for their opponents and they had to use that to their advantage. Aiming and firing on pure instinct, Zero began killing them off in strategic patterns, decimating their advance as best he could. Zero made use of the knowledge that the bodies took a few seconds to turn to dust if not killed instantly and would block the others slightly if targeted correctly. But reloading the Bloody Rose was wasting precious time. He didn't dare to look over his back, hoping that the other two were dealing with their Level E's at least as efficiently.

The attack wasn't letting up. More were pouring in, wherever they came from, this was definitely coordinated somehow. This attack was meant to kill the hunter's involved. And Zero had the sinking feeling that whoever was behind this knew that he was here, meaning the attack was directed at himself.
Yagari - his shotgun pounding an unfailing rhythm into the night - seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"Hey Kid, what the hell did you do to open hell's gates? Your face that pretty?"

Only Yagari would say things like that when they were close to dying. Before he could give an adequate retort, though, Kaito tried to stifle a cry.
A Level E had crept up to him from behind the pile of firewood not far off to his right. Without thought Zero and Yagari both aimed and fired at him, hitting him simultaneously. But they were a tad too late - Kaito was already wounded.
"It's a scratch." he panted, lying. Zero didn't risk another glance but he knew from that short glimpse while aiming that the other hunter was torn up badly. The scent of his blood was unmistakable. This was impossible - they were not going to make it.

"Kaito, create a hunter circle. We need a shock wave." he yelled over the snarling and leering Level E's.
"It'll kill you, idiot." Kaito retorted breathlessly.
"We're all gonna die if you don't." Zero shot back.
"Do it." Yagari said gruffly.

Kaito's words were muffled against the fierce growling of vampires and the incessant shots of Yagari and Zero's weapons, but Zero knew them well enough himself to recognize how far along he was.
As the hunter circle came up like a glowing shield, Zero felt his remaining vampire strength leave instantly. Already weakened by his training with Yagari, there was no way he could compensate for the loss of his efficiency. He continued shooting at a slower pace, the Level E's coming closer and closer. The circle was draining him rapidly and he needed his strength for their sakes. With effort, he stepped outside it.

"Sensei, now!" he gasped, holding off Level E's as fast as he could, now with renewed strength of his vampire side. He hardly ever used it, knowing this side of his was something no hunter liked to see. But now that didn't matter - not between life and death. His sensei was right, a good soldier used all the strength he had to accomplish the mission. With Kaito wounded and Yagari working hunter magic, there was no one to hold the monsters off. Touching the hunter circle weakened them significantly, but it couldn't hold them all off.

His Bloody Rose spit out bullets, his hands changed into claws and he dealt painful gashes to all those who came near. Though he worked as efficiently as he could, they got to him anyway. He was too busy holding the masses off of Yagari and Kaito that it was almost too late. Claws tore through his chest, fangs sunk into him at his legs and throat. He needed to stay alive at least until Yagari finished the spell. Zero knew that it would kill him, but until then he needed to defend the hell out of them. With strength he didn't know he had, he tore back at them, shaking them off, hoping that Yagari would finish before he gave out.

The instant Yagari evoked his hunter's blast he cursed that he had lasted. The hunter shock wave was meant to tear up vampires instantly in a large radius. Zero was unprotected, a vampire himself. The wave of energy slammed blazing agony into him, searing his flesh, instantly drawing blood through the shredded skin. When he fell to the ground in seeming slow motion, he gazed one last time at the piles of ashes all around him. He registered that the Level E's all perished instantly as the shock wave spread into all directions, unleashing it's fury on all attacking vampires. Then he hit the ground, his sight gave out and all went black.