In their way back to the Twilight mansion, Yuki looked out of the window, trying to hide his sadness and loneliness, while Luka looked at him with a worrying look, Sodumo was sleeping and Toko and Tsukomo were talking about all that is about to happen.
After they arrived, before Toko or Tsukumo could say anything, Luka took Yuki's hand.
"Yuki, I want to talk to you." He said while grabbing him away.
He took him few meters away, and stopped under a tree. He looked to see if the two siblings are gone. When he saw them entering the mansion as they carrying Sodomu in, he looked at the one who stood before him, and tried to wear a warm expression.
"What happened? You look so sad." Luka said while putting his beloved one's hair behind his ear.
"It's nothing, Luka, I'm really fin-" Yuki started to say.
"You can't lie to me." Luka used his finger to raise Yuki's head " I know you too well."
"All this talk about splited creatures reminded me of Kanata-san's story..." Yuki said sadly.
"But you looked sad even before that." Luka did not give up.
"Well, when you said you identified with the guy you met... I felt so lonely."
"Why is that?" Luka asked with confused look.
"I feared that you won't need me soon. Even though I..." It seemed as Yuki is about to cry.
Luka hugged him tightly.
"It won't happen." Luka said as he petted his head "I won't betray you."
Luka looked into Yuki's eyes with one of his rare warm smiles.
"Even if the whole world is against you, I'll still be by your side."
"And now that we heard about the Duras we're looking for..." There was panic in Yuki's voice.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Yuki let himself be embraced, and forgetting about all his worries. Well, most of them, anyhow.
Takashiro sat in his office, drinking tea. A knock was heard
"Come in." He said.
Into the room entered Toko.
"Takashiro-sama..." she said "We have news about the mysterious Duras."
"Finally."
"It seems... He's just half a Duras."
"Lika Reiga?"
"Not exactly... half Duras, and half..."
"Well?"
"I'm not sure if you'd believe me."
"Toko, we have no time for hesitations!"
"Vampire..."
"Said what?" He did looked surprised, but still was composed.
"I know it's hard to believe..."
"Toko. If you think about not taking it seriously..."
"If Duras exit, why can't vampires?!"
"It's ridiculous."
"Please, I beg you... You can ask Luka."
"Zess?"
"Yes, he talked with one. I mean, we also did but, we didn't get much information from them..."
"It's impossible, Luka would never talk to a stranger..."
"But he talked to Yuki-chan once, didn't he?!"
Well, Takashiro couldn't answer to that. It was true. It happened once before, didn't it?
"The vampire girl gave us her phone number." Toko added "I can call so you'll be to talk to..."
"Who?"
"President of... something."
"Well, I need to think about it. You can go"
Takashiro looked at Toko while she went out of the room and wondered if another legend is true.
"Well, what did Takashiro-san said?" Tsukumo asked as Toko went out of the room.
"That he needs to think about it."
"Think about what?" Hotsuma, who passed by, asked.
"It's almost certain we found why the Duras we found feels different from the others."
"And the reason is?"
"I think you'll be more doubtful than Takashiro-sama was."
"Why do you think that..."
"Because you are doubtful, Hotsuma." Shusei said as he couldn't but reply after he heard their conversation (cause Hotsuma was too loud).
"Cheesh, you're such meddlesome person."
"Well. You're too loud."
"What?!"
"Anyway, what did you find out?" Shusei turned his head to Tsukumo.
"We suspect that he's only half Duras."
"As if one Reiga isn't enough." Hotsuma said with irritated voice.
"Not exactly." Toko tried divert the attention to herself "The other half is not human, it's probably... a vampire."
"Nonsense!" scornfully.
"If Duras exit, doesn't it mean that other existence other than humans, is not questionable?"
"Maybe." Hotsuma sighed in reply.
"Anyway, we must wait for his reply." Toko said.
"Kaname-sama! Where have you been?!" Hanabusa said as he saw Yuuki and Kaname entering the house.
"I told you I'd gone for a walk with Yuuki." Kaname replied indifferently.
"But you said few minutes walk!"
"Well, things happened."
"Things?! What kind of things?!"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does... I'm worried! With the vampire we're looking for..."
"We found a clue about his identity." Yuuki interrupted.
"These are great news! What's the next step?"
"Convincing the Chairman. I mean, the president."
"What did you find out?"
"It's complicated." Yuuki said.
"We need to have a meeting with him urgently. Will you help me with this, Aidou?" Asked Kaname.
"Of course!"He said and ran out of the house in a dash.
"Onii-sama, we have phone at home, why don't you use it?" Yuuki asked.
"I tend to forget one being here."
"You're too old-fashioned. Anyway, how can I help?"Yuuki asked Kaname.
"You should stay out of this."
"But...!"
"You hardly know how to use your powers, and you can't use Artemis anymore."
"But it was said he has power that was never seen before!"
"And that's exactly the reason..."
"You mustn't do anything stupid, onii-sama!"
Kaname sighed. He didn't know what to say. It was true. The rumors had said that even purebloods who tried to face him, were injured. He wasn't sure he wouldn't be hurt himself. So letting Yuuki to handle this was out of the question.
"Let's talk about the matter later." Kaname tried to avoid keeping talking on the subject. "There is a meeting I should attend soon."
"As you wish."
Yuuki looked at her brother walking away. For now, she didn't mind to let him think she won't do anything, but she knew she'd act no mater what.
"Yuuki-sama." Ruka's voice was heard from behind "It's time for your lessons. Seems Hanabusa isn't here right now, so I'll take his place."
Even though Yuuki was always near vampires, there were still many things she didn't about them. And to make things worse, she's not an ordinary vampire but a pureblood who are known as class A. Not to mention that Kuran family was once the royal family of the vampires' society. What a headache. While Hanabusa most of the time is responsible for history and build of society, Ruka taught her manners. She was glad Ruka took his place as she was calmer and never yelled at her unlike the hot-tempered Hanabusa.
They both went to library. They sat next to a table for two people. Kaname once told Yuuki that he himself spent his studying time next to this very table. But the chair he was sitting is no more, as it was replaced since Yuuki's body is bigger than Kaname's as a child.
"Tell me, Ruka," Yuuki asked as she brought her notebook and a pen "Do you know other creatures who look like humans except vampires?"
"What a weird question." Ruka didn't stop to search the book she needed "Why do you ask?"
"While I went to a walk with Kaname onii-sama, we met a group of four people. One of them may have looked like a vampire, but he had the presence of the one both vampires' society and hunters' association are after."
"Well, it may be a new kind of vampire."
"He said, this guy was... What was it called again? Turas may-"
"Duras!" Ruka said in a panicked voice. "I thought they won't show again!"
"You know of them?"
"There was a big war where they were against vampires and humans 5,000 years ago."
"What happened then?"
"Well, the vampires and a clan of humans cooperated and made a barrier which didn't allow them to return to this world."
"What do you mean by 'this world'? Another domination?"
"Kind of."
"Were they also born as humans?"
"No, they may have humans' form, depending on their level."
"Well, this Duras maybe didn't seem friendly, but it didn't seem as he's going to hurt anyone."
"There are two options: He's going to betray them or he'd betray his own kind."
Yuuki thought about it. She learned about humans and vampires who betrayed their own kind, all meant harm. Even her own uncle was one of them. What devilish wills this Duras has? At least she hoped he won't end up in his kind's side.
"You look disturbed." Yagiri said as he saw his young ex-discipline coming to the building of the hunters' association
"I'm fine." Zero didn't even bother to look at him. "Just annoyed I went to dorm and just them recalled I should have headed here..."
"You're already eighteen. Why won't you try to behave like an adult?"
"Until this old man would behave like one, you don't have the right to complain."
"If you're talking about the president, he is mature. Though he has childish behavior from time to time, when necessary, he acts like an adult. And even more, as a leader."
"Unfortunately, this 'time to time' happens most of the time. Sorry, I still think he's a loud idiot."
"Well, this loud idiot scheduled a meeting about the mysterious vampire we're after in..."
"Stop! I'm harmless!" A shout was heard.
"Aidou-senpai?" Zero said as he couldn't believe his own ears.
"Let's see what this stupid guy wants." Yagiri went out to the gates' direction.
When Yagiri went out, he saw Hanabusa trapped in a rope made of the material which is used for anti-vampires weapons.
"Hey, you! Help me!" Hanabusa, shouted to Yagiri when he saw him coming.
"Did you really think a bloody vampire like you would be able to enter as he pleases?"
"Who are you calling bloody?! Let me out of here"
"What did you come for?"
"An urgent massage from Kaname-sama!"
"It will have to wait. We have a discussion about the mysterious vampire in 15 minutes."
"It's about him! You must delay it! Kaname-sama and Yuuki-sama have an important piece of information about him!"
"I'll call the president. He'll decide." Yagiri said and went away.
"Well, what did he want?" Zero asked as he saw Yagiri coming back.
"He said he has new information related to the meeting." he said without even looking at him "I'm going to the president."
Kaien sat in the meeting room, readying last time all the things he wanted to discuss. Suddenly, the door opened.
"Can you come later, please? I need few minutes before I'm ready."
"One of the ex-students of your night class is outside."
"Let him in." he said as he sighed "But he'll have to wait."
"He said the kuran siblings found something about the very topic we're about to discuss."
"I'll hear him out." Kaien said as he stood up.
"Aidou-kun."
"Chairman! I mean..."
"Let's skip formalities. Get to business. What did Kaname-kun and Yuuki discovered?"
"I... I don't know. They didn't say anything."
"There's no choice." Kaien sighed "Tell Kaname-kun to be here right after dusk."
"I will! Just tell them to let me go!"
"Release him." Kaien said to the guards.
It seemed that the meeting between Kaname and the Chairman will have to wait one day more. No one knew it will take ever more time.