I forgot to mention few details that seemed to get few readers confused.
In this story, similar to the original, there are human laws and vampire laws
The hunter society abides by the human laws whereas the vampire society is slightly different.
Vampires do not really care about gender when it comes to partners, sibling marriage is allowed.
Vampire males can get females of any species pregnant, vampire, human or hunter, but only purebloods can impregnate males of different species.
Hunters rarely impregnate female Vampires because of the incompatibility of their blood.
Humans are less likely to impregnate vampires.
To put it bluntly, A male vampire can get pregnant only by an upper level vampire (inspired by the A/B/O dynamic). Except for Zero who is a special case of course (anybody can knock him up if he is not careful *snicker*)
Enjoy
Love you all
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.
In the quiet dimly lit bedroom, Zero was sleeping comfortably under the warm covers of his bed. Long eyelashes fluttered slightly indicating that he was starting to wake up. A pale arm stretched to the side of the bed unconsciously searching for something, someone's warmth. Silver eyebrows knitted then relaxed. A soft sigh escaped kiss-swollen lips as amethyst eyes opened lazily. Zero have not felt so comfortable and serene in such a long time. I finally managed to get some decent sleep, no dreams! No nightmares!
The hunter rolled to lay on his back, glanced at the empty side of the bed, and then concentrated his senses to scan his surroundings for any presence in his dwelling. Nothing! No one was there except for himself.
He looked around the room, not missing the fact that the bedsheets were replaced, his body wiped and that there was no littering anywhere, as if the happenings of last night were an illusion. Zero did not bother to get up from bed because he knew he would not be able to anytime soon. Lesson learned the hard way! The hunter smirked to himself
When his gaze landed on the water bottle, empty glass and container of blood pills conveniently placed on the nightstand, He slowly propped himself into a sitting position, leaning on the headboard.
Zero grabbed the plastic bottle, opening it slowly, and then grabbed few pills that he popped into his mouth and chugged the water down his throat to get rid of the nasty taste he expected, out of habit. However, the bitterness never came; nothing came to upset his taste buds at all. The surprised hunter grabbed the container to check if he actually took the wrong pills, and was relieved to know it was really blood pills. Seeing the package, Zero remembered what Aido said at the bar about the newly developed blood pills they are testing at Cross Academy. Kaname must have left his own stash because he could not find Zero's, which is understandable because the hunter kept his at the office area along with his hunting gear where no one could enter without his permission. Zero made a note to give a positive feedback to Hanabusa about the new product before his thoughts drifted back to the brown-haired man. Zero pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin on folded knees while absentmindedly playing with the pills container in between his fingers, musing about last night's events.
Zero was used to being used. It comes with picking up random guys to sleep with. Most partners for a one-night stand would be looking for their own sexual gratification. Sure enough, there is foreplay, flirting and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, his partner is there to fuck, climax and leave, and Zero would make sure of that. Most of them don't care too much about the other's pleasure… In fact, Zero never bothered to please his partner more than necessary and did not expect them to do otherwise. He would not say no if they offered though. There were occurrence of jackass who let him do all the preps by himself or did not even let him get in the mood before shoving in….
However, Kaname was different, he knew there was nothing more than lust and desire between them, a chemistry so good it brought him to the highest peak, but that is not all. Kaname did not look for his own gratification alone. He shared the pleasure and the passion… Heck, he gave more than he took… He melted Zero with gentle touch, with needy kisses. He made a mess out of him without being brutal or rough… He took him slowly, leaving him sobbing from the intense sensation of having every nerve of his body on edge and not being able to do anything but cry out for more, begging for more… Sure enough, Zero never had anyone like Kaname… He never knew of such pleasure…
However, he also did not know if Kaname slept with him again because he truly desired him or for another reason. For all he knows, this could be a devious scheme of the pureblood to have him under his spell as a pawn again, or it could be his way of taking revenge for all the shit Zero had made him go through the week after their first time…
The truths and lies in his words could be the exact opposite of what he said. Kaname might actually be seeing Zero as nothing more than a cheap slut, a puppet of lust whom he can easily get into their pants whenever he could not do anything with Yuki.
Yuki! Yeah, he said that he did not sleep with her at all since his awakening, is that even possible, for a horny man like that to abstain… That is certainly the most obvious lie. Maybe lately, he could not sleep with her seeing, as she is getting heavier and more prone to exhaustion, which could be the reason he gave in to the temptation of Zero's invitation…
Nonetheless, even after convincing himself with all these arguments, Zero simply did not care… he still slept with him again. The murky swamp he tried to stir away from, Zero ended up diving right in…
In the back of his mind, the hunter might have thought that it will help him get over the infatuation he had with the man and stop those wet dreams from occurring, but now, he knew he made a very wrong choice. Instead of being satisfied, Zero was feeling more ravenous… he wanted more of the man… he is addicted.
Coming to his conclusion, the ex-human dropped the pill's container and hugged his body tightly while inhaling a shaky breathe. "Sorry Yuki, just a little, let me borrow him just for little while; I promise I won't take him away from you or Ai. I will just borrow him for a little longer…"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SUNDAY MORNING AT CROSS ACADEMY xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Zero went back to Cross's place as soon as he was able to move, which did not take too long this time. He made a sumptuous dinner and spent the night with Ichiru and co. as an apology for his abrupt take off from the bar. The next day, Zero decided to take his late morning coffee outside in the porch. Kaien always kept the built outdoor lounging area tidy and clean to enjoy it anytime the weather looks nice, like today. Even if the breeze was a bit chilly, the thin blanket Zero threw on his shoulder was enough to keep the cold at bay. He placed a sitting cushion on one of the seats and placed his breakfast on the marble tabletop along with his laptop. The hunter realized that this was the first time he was enjoying a peaceful lazy morning in this house ever since he took on the substitute headmaster duty. Either I would be back at my place or here battling with work and chores! I cannot wait for this 'house arrest' to end. I might ask Ichijou to spar with me later today if he has time, I cannot afford to go rusty and individual workout will not cut it.
When he remembered the reason for taking the task, a memory of his recent visit to his mentor popped in his mind. Zero suddenly felt on edge thinking about the news of Yagari's hospital transfer being almost done, which means that anytime in the near future, he would be receiving the details of his departure. Knowing that gave Zero a mix of emotion. The hunter hated the fact that he could never keep his composure whenever his family was concerned, and by family, he meant primarily his twin, mentor, adoptive father, and childhood friend. They are his pillar of support as well as his greatest weakness. The thought of losing anyone of them would be devastating and unbearable.
His phone rang at the right time to prevent him from diving further into his dark thoughts. Zero was grateful for that, and even more when he found that Kaito was the one calling.
"Good morning! Master Kaito" Zero greeted with an amused sarcastic tone
"Morning my ass! It is already 11 a.m. Are you trying to piss me off by saying that you just woke up?" huffed the older hunter over the phone
"Aren't you too grumpy?" Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"I would like to see how you would be if you had to wake up at 5 am on a freaking Sunday to train a bunch of losers." Kaito bit back with a sour tone
"That sucks! Which means you have no time for fun. I would say that I am in a much better situation than you are. Although I do miss the action," the silver hunter answered with sincere empathy.
"It is not like there is anything to look forward to out here in the boonies. Well… Unless you are a pedophile, there is no cuties out there to have good time. Only gruff, old wrinkled hunters around me and practically no women."
"Is it really okay for you to say that?" Zero talked with a warning hint in his voice
"Come on! I am a hot-blooded male in the prime of his youth. Do you expect me to become a monk for two freaking months?" Kaito whined
"So you did fool around after all. You never learn, do you?" deadpanned Zero
"Did not." Kaito mumbled hoping that his friend did not catch it after it slipped out of his mouth
Zero's eyes widened in surprise and a grin showed on his face because he recognized that way of speaking, when Kaito's ego is too big to admit anything. " Oh boy!"
"Do not say a word Zero!"
"It is not that you are out there in the boonies…. It is not like…"
"Zero! I swear I will make you regret it!"
"It is not that there are no cuties to your taste around… All those excuses are bullshit! You just could not do it, did you?"
"You little shit!"
"Sorry, I made it sound like you were impotent. Let me rephrase! You did not have it in you to look for someone else even if it means dying of frustration because you do not want
to hurt or lose your sweetheart. Ugh! I feel nauseous just saying that sappy line!" Zero drawled, having the fun of his life teasing his bully of a childhood friend. "You finally lost in your own game."
"You ass! So what?" Kaito spat over the phone
"Now… Now… I am not saying it is a bad thing… Even if I do not understand this, need of commitment and stuff… In fact, I admire your loyalty and self-control knowing how much of a player you were in the past… it is too bad that I officially lost my one and only partner in celibacy… I will give you my blessing for a happy long married life… pfff" Zero started off with a serious tone but could not keep himself from laughing by the end which ticked Kaito even more as he could never have predicted that he would fall so hard either.
"Anyways, I just called to check on you as usual and to tell you that my stay here will probably be cut short." Kaito grinned when he heard the other hunter gasp and curse over the phone.
On his side, Zero perked and straightened in his seat "Fuck you! Why did not tell me such a good news sooner! Wait… Does this mean you will bring the brat with you as well? I forgot to ask about him." The ex-human paused waiting for Kaito to finish chuckling and answer his questions.
"Well… The hunter in charge will come in about ten days, so my stay will be cut short of two weeks. As of Sachi, he is being a stubborn little one."
"What? You still did not manage to put him in his right place. Cross was right. You really do not qualify as a guardian." Zero spoke with a bored voice
"Shut up already! I would like to see you in the same situation."
"As much as I hate it, kids tend to like me, a lot! So I probably would not have too much trouble taming a troublesome one."
"That is the issue, Zero. All those reports are exaggerated. The kid is not that much of a troublemaker. We were more mischievous than he is when we were his age. If I have to describe him briefly, I would say that he is too mature for his age with a good head over his shoulders. In fact, he did not show much resistance after he lost thirty seconds in the fight against me. He accepted the fact that I am to become his mentor and guardian and welcomed the idea of enrolling in Cross Academy."
"Where is the problem then?"
Kaito sighed and cleared his throat "Well, he was dead set against transferring in the middle of school term at first. When I allowed him to finish his fourth grade here and transfer for his fifth, he came up with the request of finishing his elementary education then come the Cross Academy. How the fuck am I supposed to train him and be his guardian during the two years left until he becomes a junior high student."
"hahahahah!... Maybe you should transfer there permanently"
"Over my dead body!"
"Well, he is just a kid. It might be hard for him to separate from his hometown and such, but once he does, he will quickly get used to it. You might have to force him at first, but he will be grateful few years down the lane," Zero explained, hinting to the fact that he was talking from experience.
Kaito nodded even if he knows no one was looking "That is what I am planning to do. I will let him finish this term here though. Even if he is shunned and bullied by his fellow hunters, I noticed that the kid has few friends at school, from the same orphanage. He probably does not want to separate with them so soon."
Zero felt bad for the kid and his friend as well but did not want to discuss parenting any further "Well I am sure you will make the right decisions for him until he is old enough to make his own. Now, I need your advice on something."
That successfully got the attention of the older hunter "What is it?"
"I slept with this guy and…" Zero pondered for a moment on how to discuss the matter without giving away identities. He would have a heart attack if he knew! Maybe kill me even!
Kaito huffed and urged him to speak "Nothing new about you sleeping with a guy, and?"
"That is not the issue here"
"Then what is it?"
"I liked it…"
"The guy or the sex?"
"Not the guy"
"So! You want to brag about an awesome one-night stand you had" Kaito snickered. It was rare but not unusual for the two to share some of their torrid adventures.
"It was not just a one-night stand…" Zero murmured and winced, expecting an outburst at his insinuation
"…"
"Kaito?"
"Did I hear you correctly just now?"
"Do you need me to repeat?"
"Did you sleep with the same guy more than once? You?" asked Kaito, disbelief apparent in his voice
"Yes! That is the problem…"
"Huh?"
"Fuck you, Kaito! Do you have turn into an airhead when I don't feel like explaining too much?" Zero screamed in frustration
"Dude! How do you expect me to not get surprised when I know it is your golden moto not to bed the same guy twice?"
"Well! There you have it! I slept with him twice and it is not nearly enough… What do I do now?"
"What?... Wait… Wait… calm down and explain from the start, I still don't see where is the problem. So you slept with a guy who rocked your world once and then you did it with him again. Let me guess! You slept with him again because you could not forget about him and wanted to get over the infatuation. However, it only made you crave him more. So what? It just means you found a partner with awesome compatibility in bed. Why not go ahead and date him if he is that good? Maybe it will finally put a stop to your promiscuous lifestyle."
"Sorry to disappoint you but I have no intention of changing my 'promiscuous lifestyle' anytime soon. Sheesh Kaito, just because you hit your head and got in a relationship does not mean I should follow suit. Anyways… the issue here is that apart from our compatibility in bed, there is nothing else and I do not want to meet him again, but I can't stop thinking about it."
"I will pretend I did not hear that sarcastic remark about me… What do you mean by nothing else…"
"Our personalities are not compatible. He is an arrogant prick" Zero mumbled, starting to regret having this conversation because he could not get to the point he wanted Kaito's advice on.
"Well that would make him very similar to you"
"Fuck you!"
"Seriously Zero… get to the point already. Do you know this guy from before to judge him like that?"
"Well… to put it bluntly, yes!... He is an arrogant manipulative piece of shit that irritates me just by being around… I also know that he is committed to someone already, not that I care much about that person. The first time was an accident but consensual…. The second time… was not an accident…. Anyways, my question here, How is it possible to crave a man so badly when you would normally loath his very presence."
Kaito paused for a moment before speaking "Zero, you are not fucking a vampire are you?"
Zero jolted in his seat but relaxed when Kaito continued speaking without waiting for his reply.
"As if that was possible with all the hate you harbor towards them. Nonetheless, I hope you are aware that you are playing a risky game. Affairs can turn out ugly if exposed"
"I know that."
"Okay then, answer these few questions first!"
"What?" Zero asked, puzzled as to where this conversation is going
"Is he hot?"
Zero rolled his eyes and decided to go along with his friend: "He is …Um… good-looking, yeah." Try drop dead gorgeous!
"From what you said, he is good at fucking. Does he turn clingy afterwards? I know you hate that."
"No, he does not."
"Well… if you want me to speak from past experience, I don't see any problem meeting up with him again. I had a few instance of partners that are good as long as they keep their mouth shut… Although, the fact that he is committed pushes the righteous me to tell you to drop it and not associate with him again because I, personally, would not appreciate the thought of my own partner cheating on me… "
"You're not being helpful here, Kaito…" Zero sighed in exasperation
"Fine! I am saying that it is perfectly normal to want to sleep with this guy again seeing that you had quite a good chemistry with him… My advice for you, if you are planning to see him more often… You better be the one in control and set some rules to protect yourself in case he turns clingy and too bothersome in the future. That is if you are not planning to snatch him away from his partner and make him yours… Are you?"
"No way in hell!"
"Thought so! Just make sure you don't fall for him and get left behind"
"You know I don't believe in love and all that crap"
"So you say."
"Do you think this obsession would fade away?"
"Not sure, but look at it from the bright side. You get to have great sex with no string attached. If you play it right, he can be on your disposal anytime you want. Plus, with both of you being guys, there is no chance of pregnancy that would make the situation risky and sticky." Kaito explained with amused tone, not knowing the fact that Zero can actually get pregnant.
Before Zero could speak again, a tap on his shoulder startled him. He craned his head to find Gin hovering over him with a wide toothed smile.
"Um… Okay, thanks for the advice buddy; I will keep it in mind. I have to go now! Have fun with your kids"
"They are not my kids, asshole! Say hello to whoever came to interrupt our deep and meaningful conversation" Kaito teased before bidding his friend goodbye and hanging up without giving Zero a chance to retort.
"Good morning, I hope I am not interrupting anything?" Gin asked hesitantly.
"Mornin'… No don't worry, that was just Kaito being a smartass… he sent his regards by the way" Zero answered, reciprocating the smile while following Gin as he turned around the face him. "So, what have you been up to? I figured you would spend the day with a bad case of hangover seeing how much you drank with Ichiru."
The dark blue haired man smirked, as he answered, "Just because I am not a vampire does not mean I cannot have high alcohol tolerance. That amount of booze would not give me a migraine let alone a hangover"
"Lucky you! Want some coffee" Zero started to get up to go serve the coffee, but Gin pushed on his shoulder to force him back on his seat.
"I will get it myself."
"You know you should stop spoiling me so much, Gin!" Zero whined
"Why is that?" Gin asked softly
"Because… I feel weird about it"
"Weird?"
"I feel bad! As if I am taking advantage of your kindness and I hate it," Zero declared shooting Gin a determined look that had the opposite effect on the tall man.
"You don't have to feel bad. I am just being nice, and enjoying it. This is not even close to me spoiling you." Gin stated smoothly as he leaned his face closer to Zero's who snorted, not bothered by the proximity.
"I shudder just thinking of your way of spoiling others, but since you put it that way, I will take advantage of you being 'nice' and ask you for a refill" he handed Gin his empty coffee mug.
"Do you want to try me?" this time Gin whispered into Zero's ear in a low rich voice that made the hunter a bit uncomfortable to the point of stuttering while pulling his face away and covering his ear.
"eh…uhm… no thanks" he hesitantly answered
"Too bad" Gin leaned back up while taking the mug from Zero's extended hand. He made his way inside the house leaving Zero dumbstruck with his hands still in the same position holding an imaginary mug. What the heck was that about? Zero wondered for a moment before dismissing it as Gin's way of teasing or joking around. He shook his head in exasperation as he flipped open his laptop to start checking his mails. I had better stop being self-conscious or I might turn into a narcissist.
In the kitchen, Gin was refilling Zero's mug after getting one for himself. Unlike the cheerful façade he showed the silver hunter, Gin's face looked grim and his facial muscles tight. He let out a long sigh and relaxed his tense shoulders. He could not help the irritation he felt when he unintentionally eavesdropped on Zero's conversation. Even if he caught snippets of it, he could make out the topic and was greatly displeased to know that Zero was interested in another man. Gin sighed again, pinched his nose and tried to calm himself. I can't believe that I got that jealous. It should not come as a surprise that he would be sleeping with another man. I already know what kind of life he is leading outside the academy and work. There is no point in being worked up and screw things over when I am trying to win him over. Damnit!
When he regained his composure, Gin picked the coffee mugs and went back outside. He placed Zero's mug next to him, earning a murmured thanks while the hunter concentrated on typing. He sat opposite to Zero, with the screen separating them, and picked the papers he brought with him. Gin was initially taking a stroll outside looking for a good spot to grade the papers because he was bored and did not want to spend his time cooped inside when the weather was so nice outside. He swung by the chairman's house hoping for a sign that Zero would be awake for a chance to spend some time with him. His wish came true at the cost of his previously good mood.
"So how is Takamiya doing?" Gin spoke while scribbling and grading.
"Same old… Oh! Apart from the fact that he will be back in the next couple of week. His mission will finish sooner than expected." Zero talked absentmindedly while scanning the content of his mail.
"Oh!" Gin let out a surprised sound that caught Zero's attention. The hunter quickly lowered the laptop screen to look at Gin who was still facing down grading.
"Shit! Doesn't that mean that your job here will be over! Sorry man!" Zero sounded sincerely apologetic, but Gin surprised him with a tight smile as he looked up.
"No worries Zero, I actually signed a year-long contract last week. The headmaster Cross asked me to do a trial run as a substitute and then decide if I am to get employed here for longer term. It seems the first week was a hit and the feedback from faculty and students was pretty good to make him send me the contract so soon." Gin grinned proudly by the end when he saw relief washing over Zero's face. At least now, I know that my stunt earlier did not make things awkward between us. Thank god! Gin sighed in relief inwardly
"That is great! I am glad you will still be able to stay here and see your sister and niece." Zero spoke cheerfully as he flipped the screen back up to resume his work, missing the blank expression on Gin's face. What? That was what he was worried about?
"Eh? AAh yeah! Of course, lucky for me!" Gin stuttered and resumed working, cursing inwardly at his overly optimistic personality.
They resumed their work in a more comfortable silence until a sleep deprived Ichiru joined them later for lunch.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday at the headmaster office of the main building xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Zero did not want to act conceited, but he did expect Kaname to at least contact him or visit him for the last couple of days after he finally gave in to his advances. However, the pureblood was no show; he did not bother contacting Zero even over the phone. The possibility of Kaname sleeping with him again out of revenge for rejecting him started to climb to the top of Zero's suspicions. A thought that irritated the hunter to no end. He decided to turn all his irritation into energy to finish his work as early as possible because he promised Gin that he would accompany him to a sushi bar downtown the day before.
Once done with the last paper, Zero looked at the time, half an hour to go before the meeting with Ichijou, he nodded to himself as he took a few strides to a far corner in the office area where the utensils and ingredients for refreshment were stored. He proceeded to make some rose jam flavored tea that the noble vampire liked. Zero might be rude with a blunt personality, but he valued good manners, especially on professional level. Besides, he could not help but think that Takuma was too unlike his kin, which might be why Zero felt more comfortable around him.
Zero took two cups out of the cupboard and started pouring the fragrant liquid. He paused for a second and put down the kettle to take out a third cup when he sensed another vampire coming with Ichijou, it was no one other than Kaname. Zero called for them to come in as soon as they knocked. He placed the teacups on the tray along with some cookies (after verifying that they were store bought, not handmade by Kaien) and placed them in front of his guests as the three of them sat on the opposite sofas around the low table to discuss the topic of their meeting.
Takuma was the first to talk while Kaname was lazily sipping on his drink.
"I hope you had an enjoyable weekend, Kiryuu-kun!" chirped the blond vampire
"Yes! Thank you for asking. I hope the same happened with you as well" Zero replied nonchalantly, letting a small smile slip from his lips
"The usual, I just made sure the kids in the moon dorms behaved before retiring to my comic's heaven." Takuma was famous since high school for his passion towards manga, a passion that did not subside even after joining the adult world and despite being swamped with a big load of work that Zero cannot begin to imagine. He felt more respect for the man who would find time to enjoy his hobby against all odds.
"That's great! Now, let us get started with our meeting because I have an appointment with some delicious sushi that I would hate to miss." Zero announce in a half-joking manner, occasionally glancing at the indifferent pureblood sitting in front of him besides Takuma. Kaname did not talk much or looked at Zero for that matter since he came into the office and greeted him as usual. The hunter was puzzled by the fact that he bothered to come in the first place. Most of his meeting are with Takuma as his representative, who would then relay the conclusion to Kaname for him to put the final seal on it. The only occasions where Kaname is present are those when Takuma could not make it to the meeting. Zero started to hope that the pureblood had ulterior motive for his visit but slapped himself internally when he realized the weird turn his thoughts were taking.
Takuma cleared his throat, "Lucky for you! Anyways, as I informed you earlier today, we came here to discuss the restocking of blood pills for the next trimester. Here are the papers containing the numerical details"
Zero took the papers extended to him and picked the ones he prepared beforehand to compare the numbers. A frown adorned his eyebrows, as he looked up to the noble "I see that there is a request to increase the usual quantity thrice?"
"Yes" Takuma confirmed
"May I know the reason? I mean… It will take a while to read through the report…So I would appreciate if you could brief me about this sudden increase." Zero inquired as he placed the papers on the table. He laced his fingers while leaning back on the couch to give his full attention to the green-eyed vampire, not missing the fact that Kaname was observing every gesture.
"Well! You are aware that the vampires residing on campus are a valuable study group to the improvement of the quality of the blood tablets that will be marketed to the public later. As you know, our research lab, supervised by Aido-kun, developed a new improved version of blood pills that was distributed on campus for the past month." Takuma explained and paused waiting for Zero to react.
"I am well aware of that."
"Good! Now the reason for the increase in quantity is that, the new formula of this pill requires the consumer to take three times the dose to have the desired effect compared to the old prototype."
Zero quirked an eyebrow "Doesn't that mean that it is a failure? Sorry if it sounds too rude, I mean no offense to your research team."
Takuma smiled, as he answered, "No don't worry about it! Yeah, we first thought it was a failed attempt as well. Including Aido-kun. However, the blood tests as well as the surveys result of the last month proved us wrong. The new product is definitely a hit and we need to carry on our observation to confirm the initial outcome before marketing it to the general public."
"Can you elaborate on the results?" Zero asked
"First, there is the problem of the previously awful taste resolved and-"Takuma was about to finish but Zero interrupted suddenly with an upbeat tone
"Oh yeah! I was surprised by that myself. I forgot to thank Aido for getting rid of that upsetting aftertaste." The interruption earned Zero a quizzical look from Takuma and a flinch from Kaname who was ready to jump the gun as soon as Takuma started speaking while fishing something from his pocket.
"That is weird! I visited Aido in the lab before coming here to ask if he wanted to join the meeting. That is when he gave me this packet of the new pills saying that he forgot to give you one to try them. It is unusual for him to forget about giving anything away, especially valuable samples"
"Oh! That's because…" Zero stuttered when he realized his blunder… baka! Baka! Baka! How can you forget that Aido never gave you a sample when he talked about them… how am I going to explain that Kaname gave them to me without rising any suspicion! Damn it! I should have kept my mouth shut!
"That is because I was the one who gave him some of mine to try when I visited during the last meeting. You had to go for an errand at the association that day, remember. Ichijou?" Kaname's silky voice added to the relief of the hunter when he saw that Ichijou related to Kaname's explanation and believed what he said. Safe! He shot Kaname a grateful look before focusing on what Ichijou was saying.
"Oh right! That is true. Nevertheless, taste is not the only benefit, Kiryuu-kun. It seems that ex-humans that are still in the danger of falling do not have a problem consuming them."
The statement caught Zero's attention "Do you mean that they do not show any sigh of rejecting them?"
"Exactly!" Takuma beamed when he saw the hopeful look of Zero. He was glad to get such a response because, more than himself, Zero can relate to the suffering of the level D because he went through the rejection of pills at some point. The only difference is that Zero managed to get over it without falling into madness thanks to his twin, which is impossible for other ex-humans.
On the other side of the table, Zero mind was picturing the positive outcome of such a discovery. Not only will the ex-humans be able to have a longer lifespan before falling into level E, this will reduce the crimes entailed by vampires going on rampage as well. In addition to that, it will allow them to save even more lives once the cure to vampirism is found, but that is a dream still far from coming true. Zero nodded to Takuma to continue. Kaname could not help but smile when he noticed that Zero was having hard time keeping a poker face. He looks like a child hiding his excitement and giddiness!
Once the conversation finished, Zero scheduled another meeting with Takuma so that they can put together a proposal to acquire more funds that will allow them to increase the stock without putting a dent in the school budget.
Zero could not help the twinge of disappointment when Kaname followed Takuma out of the door only to be surprised when the pureblood popped his head inside for a moment and mouthed 'you're welcome' to Zero before leaving. Zero could not help but shake his head at the unexpected childish action of the pureblood. His lips curled up in a smile as he picked the empty cups. I guess it is not over yet.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That night, Zero enjoyed Gin's treat to high-grade sushi meal. The restaurant was actually in a hotel that made Zero wonder about how they managed to keep their business running. The hotel was in a secluded area away from the bustling city and the location was downright shitty. The only redeeming attribute would be the food and probably the costs of the stay. An idea suddenly sparked in his mind. He excused himself saying that he needs to use the restroom while he actually headed to the reception desk.
What is Zero planning to do? I am sure you can guess what is going to happen in the next chapter *wink*