Hello guys!
Okay, from now on, I will not say that I will be updating the next day because I seem to jinx it everytime :'((((
Excuse the late update. This chapter is heavy with new confusing information that is needed for what is coming after.
It was fun seeing the guessing game you guys got into, however, it seems like none of you guessed it right. Some of you had an inkling suspicion though, but hey! That is what I seem to always do, surprise my readers, although this surprise might be a bit lame.
Did I warn about some lame moments before? Yeah I did! and it seemed they came earlier than expected.
Enjoy!
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Zero hissed
"I should say the same back at you" The guest gritted back.
Zero stared at the ceiling, conflicted about how to feel about the situation.
The mattress dipped as the unexpected guest sat at the edge.
"I thought I told you not to come until the day after tomorrow, Gin…" Zero finally closed his eyes, not bothering to struggle against the spell, "Where did you get that from anyways?"
The dark-blue haired man had his face cradled in his palms, calming his nerves while listening to the hunter. He felt his heart thrumming in his ears from the adrenaline rush. In a muffled voice he spoke, "Yuki…"
Zero gave a dry chuckle, "figures."
Dropping his hands on his thighs, Gin let his shoulders slump and glanced at the hunter who had an indifferent look on his face. The teacher's thoughts travelled back to the day after he left Zero and went back to the academy.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
As usual, when the weather seemed nice, Gin would make sure to take a refreshing walk around campus. He found himself unable to settle down ever since he saw the test. All he could think about was how the hunter intended to go through his pregnancy, or how it could be the reason for which Zero wanted to change. He had to admit that he found the last thought to be endearing and it motivated him to support the hunter the best he could, even if Zero was not thinking about committing to a relationship, he would still be by his side as a friend. Nodding to himself, "I guess I found a new resolution."
Grinning by himself while walking by the lake, he startled when a feminine voice reached his ear. Glancing over his shoulder, the usual friendly smile traced his lips as he turned to face the brunette, "Hey, Yuki-chan!"
"Good afternoon! Moriya-sensei." Yuki chirped with hands behind her back and tilting her head to the side.
"Seriously. Stop calling me that way, or I will never be able to treat you like an adult with that baby face of yours, I might confuse you with one of my students. Actually, I do at times." Gin teased, and Yuki puffed her cheek in annoyance.
"Did you get back today from Zero's place?" She asked curiously.
"Nope. Couple of days ago, actually. I have not been on campus that much because I had errands to run in town." Gin explained.
"Ah! No wonder I have not seen much of you lately."
"How is Ai-chan?"
"An angel, I just left her deep asleep to have some time for myself. She is growing so fast that I want to cherish every moment while it last. I understand father's obsession with his camera somehow." Yuki bragged and mused, making Gin chuckle at the proud mother, "I wish onii-sama was around more often, though."
There was a pause before Gin spoke, "Is he staying away for longer period?"
Yuki shook her head, "I have no idea. He is not sure himself and he gave me quite the complicated explanation about what is going on there that I forgot most of it."
"I hope she gets to have her father around soon then." Gin stretched his arms upward before placing his hands behind his neck trying to ease the stiffness. He winced slightly when he accidently pressed on the bite mark hidden under his clothes.
Due the blinking from the jolt, he missed the flickering redness that showed in Yuki's eyes. The pureblood startled at the faint scent of blood.
"Are you okay?"
Gin stiffened for a moment at the question, "Y…Yeah, I scratched my shoulder stumbling out of the bed this morning, I guess the cut was a little deeper than I expected."
Yuki giggled, "I thought I was the only clumsy one around here."
"You guessed wrong." Gin teased as he took off his jacket to ease the pressure on the wound, I should have covered it using a band aid, I hope it did not stain the shirt.
Sadly, he found two red dots on his light colored shirt. The teacher regretted taking off the garment when Yuki latched on his arm and pulled him down to her eye level. He never expected her to be that strong despite her small frame, but then again, she was not a pureblood in name only.
Yanking the collar, Yuki gasped when her suspicions were confirmed by seeing the punctured wound of vampire fangs. Her brain quickly went through the events of the last week, making sure that it was not his sister that bit him since the woman was glued to her side the whole time.
"Was this Zero's?" She asked, judging from the fact that the wound barely started healing.
Gin kept silent as red-brown eyes bored into his. Yuki finally let go of him, sighing in exasperation with her hands on her hips.
"Was it consensual?"
"…"
"Did he attack you?"
"…"
"Moriya-san, your silence will only bring more trouble to Zero if you are trying to protect him… Besides, it seems that you got it all wrong. Aren't you forgetting that he is my brother, even if adopted?" The concerned tone of the brunette wavered Gin.
"It was consensual. I asked him to bite me." He lied. Even if it was out of concern, he could not guarantee her sincerity. Biting a human is already a crime according to the new laws. What is worse is when done forcibly. Only registered couples are not persecuted for such offense.
"You are lying." Yuki deadpanned, making him jolt. "Even if you asked, Zero would never have done it."
"Yuki-"
"Was he injured?"
"No."
"Moriya-san, I really need to know because this could mean that he is falling and I might have to intervene."
"Falling?"
"Level E, I explained before, that no matter how stable a level D can get, if he does not drink from his master, they would end up falling into madness. That is why your sister has to regularly feed of Hina-chan's blood. In Zero's case, it is impossible because the one who turned him died. It is only a matter of time, however stretched it might be, and it is my duty to watch over him if it happens. It is an oath I swore to him."
Gin pondered for a while before answering, "I guess you can say that things escalated, one thing led to another and 'bam', it happened in the heat of the moment." He explained, scratching his head remembering the weird turn of their argument.
It took time for it to sink in Yuki's head as to what Gin was implying. He knew that she got it when her face flamed scarlet, "oh! I… I see"
Yuki looked anywhere but the ethic teacher, embarrassed and awkward, "I see that you did not give up in the end."
Gin frowned, remembering the time she picked him up at the station. It bugged him how the brunette went from pinning for him to get together with Zero to advising him on giving up the hope of getting together with the silverette, no matter how subtle she tried to be around the topic.
"Well… Maybe because it does not bother me that he is a vampire and I certainly don't care about how dangerous it might be to become his partner. If this is what you meant at that time" Gin answered pointing to the wound, "then, there is no other obstacle that will make me give up on him, because I have already overcome this boundary."
Yuki sighed in defeat as she reached for her wrist. She removed her bracelet and extended it to the man eying it with a confused look. "This is a taming bracelet. Father gave it to me after performing the ceremony by dropping Zero's blood on the seal here." She pointed to the engraved pattern that was identical to the tattoo on Zero's neck, "It incapacitates Zero temporarily by holding this part against his tattoo. It presents no harm for him. It was given to me when I was a human so that I use it in case Zero goes out of control while drinking my blood… No, actually it was to prevent him from biting me but…" She shrugged as she took Gin's hand with hers and lowered the bracelet in his palm.
"And you are giving it me because?"
"If Zero chose to be with you, I am sure that he will be agonizing each time he loses control and drink from you. For his sake, use this to stop him, he will certainly be grateful for that." She took two steps back, turning around to leave but halted and glanced over her shoulder, "If you ever make my brother unhappy, you will have a rampant sister chasing you for a good beating."
"I will keep that in mind." Gin answered with a grin. That is if he does want to be with me that way…
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
"What brings you here?" Zero finally asked when the sitting man had no reaction for a while.
"My gut feeling." Gin answered in a strained voice, "And I read the note on the table if you are wondering why I snatched that drink."
Zero froze and his eyes widened when realizing that Gin knew about his predicament by then.
"I also knew that you were pregnant before I left." Gin added when noticing the panic in violet eyes.
"What?" Zero's head finally snapped sideway to look into dull grey eyes.
"I saw the test that you threw in the bin by accident… I thought that I should let you be comfortable enough to tell me yourself instead of getting it out of you, so I let it slide… While I was away, all my thoughts were about it. About how you were dealing with being pregnant. I was silly enough to think that you wanted to change for the sake of the life growing inside of you… However, our conversation over the phone this morning left me with a bad feeling… I should grateful to the fact that Ichiru pointed out that you had abortions before… It was at the back of my mind all the time as I was on my way here… Never expected to arrive in the nick of time though."
Zero scoffed, "So what now, you are going to keep restraining until I give birth or something. Oh! Did you think that perhaps you could change my mind about it? Spare me."
Gin brought one knee up on the bed to face the hunter properly as he was still pinned by the spell, "To be honest, I do not know what I was thinking of doing by coming here, or what I am going to do when I confront you about the pregnancy. All I wanted to do is to be there for you through whatever you have to go through."
"Your concern was seriously misplaced this time." Zero answered sarcastically, impatient for the spell to wear off.
"Maybe!" Gin shrugged, "Maybe I reacted fast without thinking. However, the one thing I realized after seeing that note was that I want to protect the life growing inside you, because it is yours, the child of the one I love." Gin tried to speak as softly as possible despite the frustration he was feeling.
"Hah? Seriously? That is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard." Zero laughed dryly, "You're not even the father."
"The father is not necessarily the one you conceived with." Gin shrugged.
"Do not bring your personal experience in this." Zero ordered.
"I am not."
"Oh really! So you are telling me that you want to raise this child even without knowing with whom I sired it with. You are telling me that you want to raise it together even though I have no such feelings towards you. What kind of nonsense is that?"
Gin sighed, "What about you? Do you really want this, the abortion?"
Zero was silent for a moment, the spell already worn out, but he had no desire to get up, "Of course I want to. I would not have been drinking that if I did not."
"Why?" Gin asked
Zero looked at him again before looking away, "Why you ask? It is obviously because I do not want to have kids. What good would come out of it anyways?"
"Many things actually," Gin pointed, "The least is that you will have someone to live for, to love and who will love you unconditionally. You will have a lifelong motivation to push yourself into becoming a better person because you want to have your flesh and blood proud of you."
Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Yeah right! I raise a child that I did not even want to begin with, then they grow up to realize that their 'mother' is a freak of nature who got knocked up from fucking around too much with random strangers to the point that they are unable to tell exactly who their father is. How proud will they be to know that they were nothing but a mistake? Can you even imagine me as a parent before spouting that sappy nonsense?" Zero gritted his teeth in frustration as he sat on the bed, clenching his fist.
"I do actually. I can see it in my head how great of a parent you would make." Gin smiled tenderly at the surprised look that Zero gave him, "I can see you cradling the newborn with so much care, looking at them like they are the most beautiful creation to ever exist, just like how you held your niece Ai-chan. although, your eyes will sparkle with more pride and happiness knowing that it is your own child you are holding. I can imagine you leaving your own bed and sleep in their room in fear that they get lonely, you will have a bedding there where you will snuggle with your toddler the way you always do when Rima leaves Kei-chan in your care. I just know that you are quite sensitive to their mood and will be the first one to notice if they were sad about anything, just like you noticed how Hina-chan was starting to get jealous that her mom gave too much attention to other kids during the Christmas dinner. It warmed my heart how you took her hand and guided to open her present together, that I forgot how bad I felt for not noticing her distress." Gin smiled wistfully at the pained look that Zero gave him.
"It is just easier to deal with other's kids. That does not mean that I want to have my own, not now or ever." the hunter answered.
"That is quite a shame, when I never saw a kid unhappy when they are around you." Gin trailed as he got up from the bed, "Just give me a second, I will be right back."
Zero's knuckles were white from how tight his fist were. His thoughts drifted to a red haired kid who grew exceptionally attached to him during his stay in Cross academy to the point that he refused his parents.
He did not bother looking up when Gin came back into the room, "I have no right to impose my choice on you." He talked as he stirred the spoon, "I put two doses just like the note said."
Zero lifted his eyes to the glass of water. "I am wondering though." Gin stopped stirring as he bumped against the edge of the bed, "From that note, it seemed to me that you had some suspicions about the father."
Zero swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he nodded, "Is he that awful of a man that you want to get rid of his seed?"
"he is-" Zero was about to retort but found no words. He wanted to say that Kaname was the worst of the worst. He wanted to say that he is a control-freak, possessive, arrogant jerk. He had so many nasty ways to describe him, but he could not utter any of them because they all related to the pureblood posing as the king of vampires. It was not the Kuran Kaname, who showered him with gentle touches, and the sweetest words. It was not the Kaname, who treated him as a precious gem before breaking him to piece after Zero pushed him to his limits.
"Do you really want his child to never see the light, to not have a part of him to yourself?" Gin whispered as his knee dipped in the mattress. He offered the glass to the hunter as he asked the question.
"Yes." Zero answered firmly with a hoarse voice as a shaky hand reached for the glass.
Gin let go of it as soon as the hunter had a firm grip over it, "Go ahead then…" he urged, watching as Zero brought the glass to his lips. He stopped him midway by covering it with his hand to get Zero to look up at him, "But before that… I want you to wipe your tears." Gin looked at him with the saddest eyes and an equally bitter smile.
Zero had a confused expression as he brought the free hand to his wet cheek, belatedly realizing that he was sniffling already. It was then that Gin retracted his hand and used it to push the glass closer to the hunter's lips.
As if a volcano erupted inside his ribcage, Zero let go of the glass as soon as the liquid hit his mouth for it to spill on the bed, and clutched his chest, bawling his eyes out as fat tears rolled down his face. He cried his eyes out until Gin placed one hand over the one clutching his shirt, Zero immediately latched on him, grabbing his neck and crying against his chest as he spoke in hoarse, shaky voice in between his sobs, "I am scared… I don't want to but I can't… I can't do it alone… I don't want *sob*… rid of it… I want to… but I can't…" He fisted the fabric of Gin's pullover as sobs wrecked his shaking body.
Gin felt his eyes sting as tears of relief threatened to fall while he squeezed the trembling hunter in his embrace.
They remained that way for a while until Zero finally calmed down and started getting bugged by the wet sheet under him. He moved awkwardly to remove the protection he laid out and lay new sheets before crawling in bed again while gin took care of the shattered glass of the first cup and placing the second one back after washing it.
Back in the room, he smiled at the sight of Zero laying on his side, one hand clutching the pillow under his head while the other rubbed his belly. Gin joined him, spooning the smaller man from behind as his hand joined the one over his belly.
Zero glanced over his shoulder with a worried look on his face, "Do you think it is going to be okay."
"I promise to be there with you, I told you…"
"No not that." Zero dismissed, making Gin frowned. The hunter elaborated, "I drank a little of the glass earlier."
Gin's mouth formed an 'oh' shape before wincing at the onslaught of the hunter as he spoke, "That was just water."
"WHAT?" Zero flipped instantly to face him, he was about to blow his top but the apologetic look on the man who just saved his unborn child made him swallow his words, so he just mumbled, "Who is the trickster now?" and hid his face with a pillow.
Gin smirked victoriously while sliding a hand to lift Zero's shirt as he scooted down the mattress. Zero removed the pillow to lift his head and glance at what the man was doing. He flinched for a moment when Gin pressed his lips against his taut belly but relaxed soon after while listening to him cooing.
"Hey you! Are you comfortable there? Guess what, I will be looking forward to meeting you when you pop out of mommy's belly. You are probably asking who is this silly man talking in this weird voice… Well…" Gin trailed as he glanced up to the hunter and back at the stomach, "That depends on mommy's mood by the time you are born. If it was up to me, I would want you to call me daddy, because I am sure as hell going to love you as my precious little-" Gin halted when hearing sniffles coming from the hunter followed by a hand tracing his cheek, he slowly crawled up to the hunter who hugged him while mumbling, "Thank you" repeatedly.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞A week later: in Cross Academy, in Kaito's room ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
"Okay… I will inform the driver to come pick you up at that time. We have the meeting at the association headquarter that day so you will probably go straight there, as tiring as it might be." Takuma informed over the phone.
"I will be fine. Do you have any idea about the purpose of the meeting, for me to be summoned as well?" Kaname asked, intrigued by the urgency of it.
"I will have the details tomorrow, I think. On second thought, I believe that it is better for me to come pick you up so that I can brief you about the details on the way to the association, we will do it that way." The noble nodded to himself, blushing when hazel eyes twinkled at the action.
Takuma hung up after getting the confirmation from Kaname about his flight back to the country that was scheduled in a haste due to the urgent summon of the association. The green-eyed vampire sighed as lips left a trail of kisses down his naked spine. He glanced over his shoulder as Kaito crawled up to claim his lips in a bruising kiss.
"Mmmngh… You are never sated, are you?" Takuma whispered against the lips of his lover.
"No good?" Kaito asked with a pout as he gave a teasing squeeze to the towel-clad bum.
Takuma bit back a moan, as he was still sensitive from the make out session they had before he took a shower. Letting an exasperated sigh, he whispered, "Not like you are going to stop if I say otherwise."
To his surprise, Kaito flopped beside him on the bed, crossing his hands behind his head as a pillow and looking at him with a shrug, "I don't feel like it anymore."
"That's new!" Takuma teased as he leaned for another peck before adopting his favorite position by resting his head on the thrumming chest of his lover.
"What is even more new is that you have been too distracted lately. I can blame it on the increased workload since that prick left, but I will get annoyed if the reason is something else you are not telling me about." Kaito explained with an annoyed tone. He had been putting up with seeing little of his lover because he was juggling both his duties and Kaname's. However, he could not shake the feeling that Takuma had something weighing on him so much that he wanted to tell him but holding back for some reason.
On the other hand, Takuma hugged the muscled torso, and mumbled, "Sorry, I am just overwhelmed with too many tasks, that's it." It pained the noble to be lying to his lover so blatantly, but he could not afford telling him about his worries because it would open the door to more trouble and possibly put a strain on their budding relationship. He knew that it was selfish of him not to tell Kaito about the predicament that his best friend was going through, but he was not ready to risk losing the hazel-eyed hunter because of the recklessness of someone else.
His thoughts drifted back to the events of that cursed night,
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Flashback: The night of the ball ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Takuma made sure that no one followed him up the stairs before hurrying into the master bedroom where Kaname had an identical outfit for emergency cases. Without bothering to knock, he opened the oak door and slammed it closed before stomping and grabbing the pureblood by the collar.
"What in the world were you thinking?" The blazing fury in his green eyes could freeze hell over.
The look in Kaname's eyes was so dull that Takuma wondered if the brunet was even conscious. However, the trembling of his hands when he was trying to button the sleeve of his shirt told the noble that the gravity of his actions was crashing down on him.
He stepped back and observed the pureblood for a moment, before speaking his mind, "Do you realize what you have done? Kaname?"
The halt of movement made him tense up even more as red-brown eyes met his, "I snapped."
If he were to see his reflection, Takuma would see a comically dumbfounded expression. "Snapped? That is all that you have to say. Kaname you just raped the person you said you were falling in love with. You raped Kiryuu-kun. Do you really realize what you just did?"
Kaname ran a shaky hand across his face before running his fingers through his hair in frustration, pacing the room back and forth.
"I need to go back!" He announced as he grabbed his tailcoat. He let out a guttural sound of extreme frustration when Takuma grabbed his arm.
"You are going nowhere." Takuma grounded.
"I need to see him, I hurt him… He needs help." The panicky voice of the pureblood made Takuma assume that Kaname was not even aware that Aido was with them earlier.
"I already took care of it; he is probably on his way back home as we speak." Takuma deadpanned, not expecting the surprised expression of the petrified brunet.
"This is why I told you to respect his wishes about ending the deal. It was never meant to be from the start." He felt the need to say the words even knowing how much they would hurt Kaname's feelings.
As a response, the pureblood stood like a status with clenched fists on his sides, looking at the closed door.
"I lost him, didn't I?" Kaname finally mumbled,
"You basically betrayed his trust and hurt him in the worst way possible. If he forgives you for this, I would start doubting my own sanity." Takuma crossed his arms across his chest.
"But he pushed me too far, on purpose."
"Kaname! JUST STOP IT!" the noble finally snapped, "All this time you were together, he allowed himself to be in his most vulnerable state around you, trusting you with his body and soul in the least guarded state. The person I am talking about now is Kiryuu Zero, the same Kiryuu Zero who had his life turned upside down because of the rash behavior of one pureblooded vampire named Shizuka Hio. The Kiryuu Zero, who lived his life so far hating our existence to the core. By some miracle, that person actually fell into your arms and allowed you to do whatever you did with him and, if what you told me holds any truth, started to accept and appreciate you as a person. What did you do to that person? You blew the trust he held toward you to nothing. Therefore, NO! You will go nowhere near him; neither will you try to 'make it up' to him any time soon. I am sure that the last thing he wants right now is seeing you." Takuma was huffing by the time he finished his ranting. His own experience fueled his emotional roller coaster to the point that he wanted to rip the man in front of him to shreds had he not been his lifelong friend.
"Come down after you cooled your head. You still have a duty to perform." Takuma spoke in a flat tone as he let go of the pureblood's arm. It took him some time to compose himself enough to join the party again. By the time he went down, Kaname was already in the hall chatting with the guest and playing his best poker face. Takuma felt a painful pang in his chest upon remembering how much pain the pureblood had hidden in the past in order not to show weakness during such official functions.
The following couple of days were straight out of hell for the blond noble. As the personal assistant and right hand man of the king, he had to see Kaname walking as the shell of the man he was, uncharacteristically making mistakes in his work, absentminded and hollow.
It was after coming back from a meeting that the pureblood botched up royally that Takuma took matters in his hands. Since he met with the incensed ice-wielder noble the next day, he knew that the situation on Zero's side was too tense to allow the two to meet anytime soon.
"Kaname…" Takuma spoke without looking at the brunet in the passenger seat.
"Hmm…" Kaname hummed, a hand covering his eyes as he laid in the seat that he pushed down.
"Today, I received a notice from the Chinese branch of the Kuran financial group saying that the trial of the CEO will be held in three days from now. Since the matter concerns some major offenses towards the company and its employees, they are asking for the biggest shareholder to be present, namely the president. I know that, as your representative, I can go by myself. However, I think it is a good chance for you to have some time off since there won't be much to do there. I already have the hotel and driver booked." Takuma explained as formally as possible and made sure to soften his voice by the end, not wanting to sound as harsh as he had been for the past few days.
"If you say so…" The noble heart sank even more at the meek answer he received.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah… I am only making things harder for you by moping around here, might as well do it somewhere else." Kaname spoke with a lifeless voice, not bothering to move his hand away.
"I did not mean it that way… It-"
"For my own good. I know… I really do, and I appreciate it, Takuma. I do need some time off to get back on my feet, hopefully. I feel like I am going insane the more I stay here." Kaname explained calmly as he sat upright and patted on the shoulder of his most trusted friend, "I appreciate your support. What was the accusation again?" He asked as a way to lighten the mood or change the topic.
"Oh! The embezzlement and…" Takuma clammed up, tightening his lips in a way that told Kaname how uncomfortable the noble was with finishing the sentence.
"And?"
"I am not sure, you will know when I send you the report." Takuma answered so fast he almost bit his tongue.
"Why do I feel like that it not true?" Kaname nudged him playfully.
Takuma sighed, knowing that the lie was too obvious, "Embezzlement, money laundering, and sexual assault on three female subordinates." Takuma winced as he dropped the bomb. Glancing at Kaname, he could easily see the way that the pureblood tensed at the last prosecution, "You know what? I guess I should be the one going after all. You don't need to push yourself. If you want some time off, I can arrange a better relaxing trip."
"No." The curt interruption halted the ranting of the green-eyed vampire, "This is quite fitting for me actually." Kaname deadpanned as he resumed the initial lying position, "Arrange the flight for tonight and leave the return date open." The order was absolute.
"Roger…" Takuma trailed, regretting the not so brilliant suggestion.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of Flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
The steady breathing indicated that Kaito was fast asleep. Smiling wistfully, Takuma got up carefully as not to wake him up. He startled when a grip caged his hand and lazy hazel eyes looked at him, "When will you be back?" Kaito asked sluggishly.
"I won't take long." Takuma ruffled his hair and caressed his eyelid as if lulling him to sleep before leaving after dressing up. I have my own demons to slay now.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Another week later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
The meeting room at the top floor of the Association had a minimalist feel to it. With only a 'U' shaped table along the comfortable chairs that allowed a good number of people to gather while facing a white panel to project the data to be discussed if there was any.
Today would mark the first time Kaname ever entered the room after the establishment have been rebuilt and his reawakening. It was ironic that, in the last time he attended a meeting at the association, he was not in the most stable state of mind either.
Thanks to the impeccable timing of the ash-blond noble, they managed to arrive on time for the meeting, cutting it close, as everyone was already seated and ready to start. Cross nodded to them as they took their seats.
Kaname extended one hand on the wooden furniture, twirling his fountain pen as he listened to Cross's explanation to the reason of the confidential meeting and the discreet summoning he used to gather the influencing figures in the three societies, vampires, hunter and human. He tuned out most of the formal rambling in favor of letting his red-brown eyes wander towards the silver haired hunter sitting right across from him due to their seating arrangements. Zero had Sayori Wakaba on his left and an empty chair on his right where Cross Kaien was sitting at the far corner, closest to the computer needed for the presentation.
Kaito sat next to Wakaba. Usually, the hazel-eyed hunter would not be entitled to attend such meeting; however, his expertise was highly needed. Next to Kaito sat the pureblood Isaya Shouto, intently following every word Cross was saying. After that, there is Hanabusa Aido who was fumbling with the papers in front of him and arranging them. Akatsuki Kain sat next to his cousin, jotting down notes. There was four other people amongst them that Kaname remembered, the forensics specialist, the mediator with the government, the chief of the metropolitan police department, and lastly the secretary of the association president.
The brunet pureblood already scanned the room in a matter of seconds upon entering, his breath caught when he saw the silverette present, but he felt the cold chill when Zero purposely averted his gaze and started a conversation with Sayori as if nobody entered through the door. Kaname might have hoped for the usual harsh reaction such as the trademark glare, seething aura, or maybe a troubled expression because of seeing the last person that Zero wanted to meet. However, the relaxed attitude and cold indifference shook the pureblood to no end. It was as if he did not exist in the hunter's field of vision.
Kaname's attention snapped back to Kaien's speech when Takuma snatched the pen from his hand, alerting him that he was staring at Zero for a bit too long. He immediately straightened his posture and gaze as not to raise any suspicions.
"In short, thanks to the investigations' reports as well as the forensics results, we were able to build few theories that pointed to a strong correlation between the ice box case, the suicide of the ex-human turned by the fugitive Hanadagi, and the newly spreading illegal pills based on vampire blood in the black market…" Cross announced, raising a soft murmur, once he got the attention again, he cleared his throat, "First of all, I would like to point a case that was transferred to us from the police department."
The lights of the room dimmed and the projector turned on the flash a picture of a foreigner on the screen. Zero tensed at the familiar face, but composed himself in favor of listening to what Cross had to say. He was already having a tough time keeping himself in check while feeling the gaze of the red-brown orbs on him, seeing the face of his deceased ex-boyfriend did nothing to help his stressed out state.
Clenching his fist under the table he looked as Cross used the remote to flip the pictures and explain, "This is the victim for whom the ex-human in question came to investigate their murder under the guise of being a detective. The first issue here is that this person actually passed the border as a human, which is illegal. Secondly, he lost his badge as a detective back in US after conducting an unauthorized investigation five years ago. The last issue but not least, two drained bodies were found buried in the backyard of the place he was renting under a fake ID. The victim, named Marco was murdered in his hotel room. The investigation hit a dead end as to who was the culprit, however, it is the circumstance of his death that pushed them to send the case to our forensics. Marco's body was atrociously mutilated as if mauled by a beast. There was claw marks on the walls, ripped sheets and everything indicated that whatever attacked him was non-human and most probably a vampire. After few more test, we matched the DNA of the culprit to that of the fake investigator. This led us to assume that the murder of Marco was staged skillfully, and the framing of one of Academy's teachers was on purpose. The goal from it is either to lure me out, or Kiryuu Zero in order to dare us to find the mastermind who is suspected to be Lady Hanadagi."
Zero scoffed at the mention of the pureblood who was still on the loose. However, he could not help but feel agitated as those events brought back memories of what happened afterwards, after he was almost killed in a trap mission. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second to chase away the thoughts before the nostalgia overwhelmed him.
He straightened his back, grateful to have drunk from Gin before coming to the meeting as the itch in the back of his throat dulled out compared to the past few days. He unconsciously kept a protective hand over his stomach as he asked his next question, "I would say that the theory is based on solid facts, especially since the victim and the suspected teacher were both acquaintance of mine that met on campus few days before the assassination. However, I do not see how this incident relates to the two other cases."
Cross nodded, "I will leave the explanation of that part the Aido-kun." he announced in time with Hanabusa gathering his papers as he stood and nodded to the old ex-hunter who went back to his seat.
After a brief greeting, he switched the screen to what seemed like a DNA sequence, "As Cross-san explained, the suspected mastermind behind the murder and suicide is highly likely to be Lady Hanadagi who is still on the run to this day, unfortunately. On that note, I would like to explain the formula behind the illegal pills spreading in the market. The research team came up with the intriguing results that the pureblood used to make the pills does not come from one vampire alone but from several of them."
Zero's eyes widened at the unexpected discovery that caused a louder murmur to erupt.
"The reason for that is," Aido raised his voice slightly to quiet down the crowd, "the reason is that the DNA sequence was different in some pills. We managed to categorize them and narrow the number of purebloods involved to this much. We have one pureblood used for the pills marketed for their healing ability, a cure for all. We have another pureblood used for the pills marketed as performance enhancer, and finally we have one last pureblood used for the most potent one that have the highest rate of casualties and that are marketed for giving heightened sense and physical powers, these are apparently the most expensive ones and rarely seen even in the black market. We luckily managed to get our hands on the confiscated stash of the rogue hunters that were arrested recently. Now, this is where the relation between the pills and the other two cases come into light."
The noble flipped the picture to show a schematic that earned gasps from few of the people present, "The DNA extracted from the most potent illegal pills is without as single doubt identical to the DNA extracted from the box made by ice-wielder responsible of killing a number of brave and honorable hunters." He took a moment of silent before switching to the next panel.
"While we got an instant hit with the first one that allowed us to establish the first relation, the other two categories were hard to match with any of the data in our international directory. Thus, instead of looking for a direct DNA match, we opted to look for a lineage match, sort of like verifying the paternity. This approach gave us an instant hit with the second category, the performance enhancer. Thanks to the collaboration of the father of Lady Hanadagi, we found a paternity match narrowing the results to the only child he had ever sired." An appreciative round of exclamation resounded when the second enigma was resolved.
"Did we have any luck with the last category?" It was now the extremely curious Ichijou who could not wait to ask.
There was a moment of pregnant silence before Aido spoke. Zero frowned slightly when the noble left the screen on the previous finding,
"The healing category was the toughest to figure out. However, the result itself is enigmatic. Therefore, we were debating about whether to divulge this information or not."
The confused expression were even more confused when Cross Kaien took off his glasses and rested his chin on interlaced hands before speaking, "This would be the main reason for the confidentiality of this meeting."
Everyone in the room felt themselves tense in anticipation of the upcoming revelation as Aido exhaled loudly,
"No hit came back from direct DNA comparison, as I stated earlier. The parental verification did not return anything either. Thus, a research team was formed recently and focused on a new algorithm to detect the ancestry from the DNA sequence. It is quite known in the vampire's history that after the Great War, the crystals of the purebloods ancestor who perished were kept in the dwellings of their descendants. We went to the extra miles of asking for the permission of extracting the DNA from said crystals to test our new tool, and it proved to be highly accurate. Therefore we decided to use it in order to narrow the suspect of the healing pills as well as the identity of the Ice-wielder suspect. The first discovery defied all logic and science to the point that we dismissed it categorically. The second discovery left us puzzled to no end."
Aido whispered the last part hesitantly as he glanced at Zero. The hunter caught the flicker, leading to the deepening of his frown. He could feel the anxiety oozing of his brother in law and it made him more anxious in return.
"As you all know, we received an admirable cooperation from both vampires and hunters while collecting the DNA samples to build our remarkable directory that we are working with." he paused, and then resumed after receiving a few nods.
"Running the algorithm on the DNA of the pureblood responsible for the healing pill returned an extremely intriguing result, which was simplified by the picture showing on the screen."
Amongst the gasp and exclamation, Zero felt a jolt shake his body as his eyes bulged out, his eyes suddenly flying to the pureblood sitting across from him at the end of the table, finding him equally dumbfounded.
"What kind of joke is this?" Kaito's harsh tone successfully hushed all unnecessary chatter.
Aido looked at the diagram flashing on the screen; he expected no less of a reaction when he put up the picture of the suspect as a hollow shape of a profile with a question mark on it. That was not the alarming factor, the cause of the uproar was the two matching arrows that went from the picture upward with the word ancestor next to it and the other went downwards with the word descendant written next to it. The two pictures that anyone would recognize were the epitome of the confusion when the faces of Kaname Kuran and Zero Kiryuu stared back at them.
"As you can see, the test returned this result."
"It does not make sense. What does this mean anyways?" Takuma asked, bewildered.
"I would like for you to explain the reason for such a result, if you have any." Kaname's order was curt but grave, showing how agitated he was to the point of being unable to keep his voice even. Zero could not say a word and just swallowed the lump in his throat from the shock.
"After running the test multiple times, verifying again and again. We narrowed it down to the highest compatibility. The interpretation of this diagram shows that the person X whose blood was found in the healing pills is a pureblood first of all, due to the particular sequence that identifies them. Secondly, X is a direct descendant of the Kuran's ancestor here present." Aido looked at the stunned Kaname, "and the third point is that X is in turn an ancestor of Zero Kiryuu… From this explanation, most of you must be concluding that this leads to Zero Kiryuu being a descendant of Kaname Kuran, but no. We verified that they held no such a relation through separate tests."
Kaname pondered for a while after regaining his composure, "Did you run a compatibility test with Yuki's?"
Aido nodded and switched to the next panel that had more explanation. It showed two rows of pictures and arrows with either a check sign or a red cross between them.
"As you can see, there is no ancestry relationship between Yuki and X." the glaring red cross sent another wave of confusion.
"How can a hunter be a descendant from a pureblood?" The exasperated Isaya Shouto finally voiced the obvious problem.
"Could it be related to the fact that Kiryuu-kun was turned by the Hio princess who is from a branch family of the Kuran?" Takuma suggested.
"I see… That is a solid assumption." Akatsuki nodded, extremely intrigued by the twist.
Aido sighed, "An assumption can only be solid and reliable if there is nothing that refute It." he announced as he pressed for the next page to show on the screen, earning scandalized gasps this time.
"The DNA of an ex-human is indeed altered by the DNA of the pureblood who turned them, and Zero Kiryuu does have a fragment of the DNA from his maker, Shizuka Hio which lead me to the same assumption. However, his twin, who is my husband possess an intact DNA of a Kiryuu descendant. It was not altered in any way, making him entirely human with hunter lineage. As you can see, the diagram shows that, just like Kiryuu Zero, Kiryuu Ichiru is also a descendant of the suspect X."
The sound of hands slamming on wound drifted all attention to the peeved silver hunter, who stood up in irritation, "What the fuck is this nonsense? Are you saying that we are descendants of a pureblood? How can that even be possible?"
"It is not possible." Aido stated, "Purebloods, or vampires for that matter can never give birth to humans. However, if a pureblood is turned human…"
Zero's eyes widened at the realization, "Their children would be human, but still carry their genes." he trailed as he sank in his seat.
"Wait… What?" Kaito was confused.
"As he said," Aido took the lead again, "If a pureblood is turned human and sired children while human, those offspring would be in turn human but still carry their genes. This lead us to the only explanation possible; X was a pureblood descendent of the Kuran's ancestor. However, they are not necessarily registered as a Kuran which is why we could not find them in the register. At some point, X was turned human, they led a human life and mated with a hunter of the Kiryuu bloodline. In order for us to make sense of the current situation, we can assume that, like Yuki-sama, X reawakened to her true nature after siring the offspring and lived until today. I am saying ancestor for a while now, but that also does not mean that X is the one who started the bloodline, it could have mixed somewhere in the recent millennia as well." Aido finished his part and walked back to his seat.
"Thank you Aido-kun." Cross nodded as he stood again to wrap up the meeting, "I understand that this is a lot to take in and many pieces of information do not make sense yet, that is why I am asking for all of your cooperation to get a clear view of the situation." He started iterating with his finger, "The good news is that we have identified one suspect out of three now. As of the ice-wielder, we are still ignorant about his identity, however, Aido-kun failed to mention that he, himself, is a descendant of this pureblood." All eyes turned to the golden haired vampire who apologized for forgetting to mention the detail.
"The problem is that we could not find the crystals of that ancestor anywhere, so we can assume that he is out and about as well. Therefore, if we step back and have a global look at the situation; we have a pureblood who is few centuries old and openly rebelling against the peace treaty. Lady Hanadagi is currently acting hand in hand with two other purebloods who are possibly few thousands of years older, which make them even more vicious than their ally. In addition to that, this trio is working alongside scientists to make the blood pills. These scientist can be humans, and can be hunter or a mix of both. We also found out that the arrested rogue hunters were working with a noble class vampire that perished during that mission. That noble was working directly under the Hanadagi." Cross took a deep breath before shutting down the projecting screen.
"To summarize today's findings, we can safely assume that we are going against a criminal organization which structure strangely mirrors that of the new order association, where vampires, hunters and humans are working together to achieve a goal. A goal that is quite different from ours, which is to create chaos and possibly rise for supremacy. In short, we are currently engaging in a cold war with a well camouflaged enemy that we need to suppress as soon as possible before it erupts in another bloody war that we never wish for. On another note, we have some good news to share. President Toga Yagari had made full recovery and will be joining the front line soon, his arrival will mark the moment that the counterattack plan will be set in motion. Meanwhile, we need to dig into our archive and look for any relevant information to give us an upper hand over the unknown enemy."
The dimmed light shone bright again and the chatter got louder as each person present received a copy of the meeting's summary in a sealed envelope after signing a non-disclosure agreement. Cross asked both Zero and Kaname to stay behind, waiting for the others to leave including Hanabusa and Takuma.
"I know that the findings must be shocking to the both of you. However, we needed to put everyone on the same page so that we put our guard up even more than before." The old ex-hunter explained.
"I would have appreciated a heads up though." Zero grunted, running fingers through his hair in frustration, "Is it even possible?" He asked pointing at the now blank screen.
"Aido's theory does hold some truth to it if the pureblood went through the same predicament as Yuki." Kaname pondered, not missing the flinch of the hunter at the sound of his voice, but he tried to keep his composure during this official debate.
Cross sighed and nodded, "The old records stated that the Kiryuu bloodline stemmed from the Cross's family, but then acquired the power they hold now because of how they kept their hunter blood pure throughout the generations. However, this revelation throw off that record way too much. I asked Aido-kun to trace my DNA in relation with the suspect X." he exhaled in exasperation while Kaname and Zero waited impatiently for the rest, "It returned a very low compatibility, which means that they have no ancestry to the cross bloodline. Thus, we can safely assume that they are not the true ancestor, but they managed to mix with the Kiryuu sometime after they became a hunter clan. I am suspecting that it might have been around the time that your clan had risen in power." He emphasized looking at Zero.
The hunter squinted and scoffed, "If what you are saying appears to be true, then we would be talking about a pureblood who is at least five thousand years old. Apart from this one here," Zero pointed to Kaname, "The oldest active pureblood alive that we know about would be Isaya Shouto."
Cross leaned on the table and nodded, "Exactly, that is why I had to hold this meeting. I am suspecting that this particular vampire is the mastermind behind the trouble rising. What is more troublesome is their ability to gather so many influencing people to carry out their work for them. What is more intriguing is that they are always one step ahead of us, as if they are reading our moves and acting accordingly."
Zero gritted his teeth, "Toying with us."
"No." Kaname interjected, "Not toying with us. They are manipulating our moves to carry out their plans."
Both hunters looked at the pureblood. "After listening to all you had to say, I am afraid that nothing comes to mind from the time before I went into slumber. Also, if what Kiryuu-kun said can be taken as a fact, this person was born while I was slumbering, which explain my first statement. However, the reason that we have no record of such pureblood existing might be lack of resources, or the fact that this vampire went into slumber right after they reawakened."
"That makes sense, thus there is no introduction to the society or any registered record of them." Cross clapped his hands and Kaname nodded.
"Now, the reason I used the word manipulating instead of toying is as follows. The first action they took was targeting the hunters whose mission was to capture the rogue vampires and level E's. Those captured vampires are not sentenced to death, but their punishment is to be subjects for the experiment to make the cure for vampirism. By targeting those hunters, they are indirectly hampering the research."
Zero and Cross nodded in agreement.
"Secondly, the blood pills. I would personally see that as a decoy, a distraction."
"For what?" Zero asked.
"To make us believe that the rogue pureblood who escaped the previous war were the masterminds behind all this. It might not make sense unless we take into consideration the incidents that followed." Kaname paused.
"What do you mean, Kaname-kun?" Cross Kaien asked.
"Framing Aido and luring me into a trap mission." Zero whispered,
Kaname nodded, "Exactly. The one assigned to perform the killing of the hunters was an ice-wielder. The timing of their attack was tailored around Aido's schedule so that he has no alibi to escape the death sentence. However, they did not trust the mole they planted to monitor him, so they took extra precautions to make sure that Aido, the key element to finding the cure, is eliminated successfully. Thus, they tapped into the wounded pride of some hunters and scientist who loathed working under vampires and associating with them in order for them to infuse Aido with the fatal venom. "Kill the original families and your wish shall come true" was a promise of power. It is some sort of reverse psychology mimicking the one that started the Great War. The words I said back then, "Eliminate the masters to stop the epidemic from festering." What I meant is that the hunters should kill the purebloods with their newly acquired powers to stop them from turning more humans into slaves at the time. In our present time, the original hunter families are carrying out that duty better than before, and with our help, are about to wipe out the existence of vampires with the cure. Since it was hard for the opposing parties to believe that vampires are making a cure to let go of their nature, those wavering chose to believe in a non-existing conspiracy between the hunters and vampires to manipulate the world to their own personal gain. That is what I gathered after looking into the heads of the prisoners."
Zero wiped his face in frustration, "What about the bogus mission that almost got me killed?" The hunter asked without looking in the red-brown eyes that flickered at the memory of that night. Kaname missed the way Zero's hands slid over his stomach before the hunter realized and quickly placed them on his hips.
It was Cross who answered that question, "Targeting the founder of the new system would shake the core of it and allow for a rise of angered followers who might not care about anything but annihilate the organization behind the assassination."
A chill ran down their spines at the thought of the wave of fury that might have erupted, had Zero been killed during that mission.
"I do not think they were about to kill me right away back then." The hunter pointed, "They were talking about collecting a prize and dispose of me when the time comes."
"They were probably going to hand you over to the mastermind for them to extract confidential information that will allow them to destroy our organization." Cross suggested the sound argument.
"I share the same assumptions as well." Kaname nodded, "However, their goal is not just to destroy the current peace-treaty. The actions and distractions seemed to be weaved by one person. A wicked mind who is used to playing mind games and strategies."
"Someone like you." Zero bit sarcastically.
"Zero." Cross grounded.
"He is actually right, Cross-san. The mindset of this person is extremely similar to how I used to act. While surrounding myself with pawns," Kaname explained with a bitterness in his tone a he glanced at the hunter, "I would make them do the dirty work while patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike my victory. The same pattern can be perceived when most of those suspected to know the identity of the mastermind ended up dying or committing suicide before we get the chance to question them. Those spared have had no contact with the person. While it appear to be the work of a well-established criminal organization. The attacks launched and the plan to annihilate the peace treaty are actually weaved by one person, who is obviously aiming for the rise to supremacy. As gruesome as it may sound."
"What is the plan now?" Zero got right to the point, looking at Cross.
The old hunter took two papers that he placed on the table next to each one of them. "This is a written permission for me to be allowed to look into your families' record. By that, I meant the heirloom of the Kurans and the Kiryuus. I have no problem with you looking into it and gather any relevant information; this is just to allow me the speeding up of the research. To put your mind at ease, only trusted individuals will be allowed to look into them."
"I would rather handle the task personally." Kaname stated, not comfortable with the thought of their castle invaded by possible spies.
"Okay!" Cross nodded, "Zero?"
The silver hunter eyed the agreement and did not hesitate to sign it in a heartbeat. Cross had a sad smile looking at the back of his adoptive son as he left afterwards, knowing that he signed the paper because of his inability to go through his parents belongings yet. He expected as much when Ichiru had the exact same reaction as well.
"All right, back to work." The wheat-haired male rolled up his sleeves and gathered the document before prancing back to his office.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
The hunter was walking fast and thinking about doing a mad dash. Only the stares of the people greeting him and looking at him as he walked down the hallway of the association prevented him from doing just that. His fist clenched as he felt the pureblood following not far behind him. He felt as if the exit was miles away through his straining nerves.
Kaname, on the other hand, was calmly but steadily walking behind him, waiting for the opportunity to stop the hunter without raising suspicions. The chance came sooner than expected when the hallway cleared out, leaving the both of them alone with the echo of their footsteps. Hurrying a bit he extended a hand and grabbed Zero's arm, "Zero…" Kaname whispered as softly as possible.
*smack*
Kaname was not surprised by the stinging sensation on his cheek, neither by the disgusted look in violet orbs glaring at him while Zero squeezed his own arm that he yanked from Kaname's grip, as if it might have been contaminated.
"Don't you ever touch me, call my name or come anywhere near me." Zero hissed before stomping as fast as he could in direction of the exit gate.
Kaname stared the palm that held the hunter's arm seconds ago. With a heart bleeding at the realization of how much fear his reckless actions infused in the hunter, he walked with heavy feet towards the exit.
The trembling of Zero's body and the erratic beating of his heart started subsiding only by the time he found himself outside with his Jeep parked in front of him, where Gin waved from the driver seat for him to notice. Letting out a sigh of relief, he wasted no time climbing in the vehicle and sinking in the seat, unaware of the gaze following him.
Grey eyes met red-brown ones for a moment before Gin looked to his side after a huffing Zero put on his seatbelt.
"Rough day?" he asked.
"Tell me about it." Zero groaned, closing his eyes for a second while Gin rubbed his lower belly. It was awkward at first, but Zero got used to the need of bonding that made Gin latch on his stomach every chance he got.
"You did not give mommy too much trouble, did you, little one?" Gin cooed before ruffling Zero's hair.
"Nah~ no weird incident, thankfully, but I am super hungry." Zero announced.
"Hungry as in?" Gin frowned,
Rolling his eyes Zero answered, "Hungry as in hungry for food, not thirsty. The bite might still be stinging from this morning; I would not crave blood that fast."
The teacher smiled brightly, "Cool! What is on your mind?"
"Jumbo pickles to dip in peanut butter, the crunchy one." Zero chirped, eyes closed as if reveling about the feast he was about to have.
Grey eyes widened in horror, "Another new craving?"
"Better not comment on it." Zero warned,
"I won't" Gin raised both hands, "At least it is better than munching on soap bars."
Zero chuckled, "Oh by the way! Yagari-sensei will be back in about ten days."
"That is great news! And… Did you talk with your brother and Hanabusa about the pregnancy?" Gin asked, impatient to know if he was allowed to reveal the secret that Zero made him swear not to. His shoulder slumped in dejection when Zero shook his head.
"No… Ichiru was not there and I don't want to explain it over the phone. Hanabusa, on the other hand, seemed to do his best to avoid me."
"Why is that?"
"Complicated."
"Okay… I won't ask… However, you will not be hiding it forever, you know that?"
"I know! I know!" Zero groaned, "Let us go back to the hotel and eat already."
"Got it! Are you sure you want to stay at the hotel and not go back to the campus."
"Gin! You are giving me a headache with your questions." Zero snapped.
"I know but I can't help it." Gin retorted as gently as possible, The struggle is too real with his mood swings.
"I told them that I am going back to my place. I don't feel like going there. Beside, we have the appointment with that doctor tomorrow, right?" Zero explained.
Gin giggled at the memory of them stopping at the gas station and Zero scaring him by coming back from the restrooms wearing a black wig and black contact lenses. He had to stifle a chuckle when the doctor called him by the name of Mamiya, but he behaved himself after that, happy that the hunter allowed him to be there for anything related to his pregnancy.
He started the car and drove in a happy mood, "I can't wait for the appointment of the ultrasound. Why do we have to wait so long for it?"
"Because I already had my first one, and you already have that picture in your wallet." Zero complained.
"I know~ but I was not there when it happened." Gin whined
"Ugh! I got it. Just make sure not to embarrass me by crying like last time when you heard the heartbeat." Zero teased the teacher about the time when the doctor slid a wand over his belly and increased the volume for Gin to hear the heartbeat. He smiled looking at his stomach when remembering the words of the noble vampire saying that the baby sounded healthier than the last time. Glancing sideway at the grey eyed man humming happily while driving, Zero could not help but tilt sideway and rest his head on Gin's shoulder. His lips curled up when the bigger hand held his.
"I did not cry by the way." Gin interrupted the pleasant silence.
"You did."
"Did not"
"Your eyes were glistening." Zero teased, taking his head away as not to hinder the driver.
"That is called being emotional, I could not help it, it was beautiful to hear the sound, the proof of the little one inside you that I have been chatting with practically every night."
"That is still crying."
"You certainly do not want to see me cry for real." Gin warned.
Zero quirked an eyebrow, "Why do I feel like you might have a disgusting snotty look if you do?"
"That's mean!" Gin cried out at the horrible sarcasm, sending Zero in a fit of laughter.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back at the front gate of the association ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Kaname reached the car next to which Takuma and Aido were chatting.
Aido's expression hardened as soon as he sensed the pureblood approaching.
"Well then, that should be everything for today. I will inform you if there is anything new. Welcome back, Kaname-sama." Aido talked in an overly formal and strict way that made Kaname raise an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Thank you, Aido." he answered, "Shall we leave?"
Hanabusa straightened from his bowing position, allowing Kaname to meet his cold gaze, "I assigned a driver that I trust personally to cater for your trips. He will be available around the clock. You will excuse my absence because I will be getting busier with the upcoming investigations and will have no time to assist you when Ichijou-san is unable to. My research reports and new findings will also be handled by email. Have a good day, Kaname-sama" Aido bowed again before turning to leave without waiting for an answer.
Takuma looked at the confused expression of his king while opening the door for him to get in the car. He sighed after sitting behind the driving wheel.
"Was that Aido blowing me off?" Kaname asked in a baffled tone
"It cannot be any more obvious." Takuma trailed, "He informed me that he does not want to have any personal interaction with you for a while because you caused a lot of trouble in his family. I think that he meant the in-laws." Takuma explained, omitting the harsh way that Aido formulated it.
My loyalty never wavered all these years despite witnessing countless sins that Kaname-sama committed. I always find myself looking for an excuse to justify his actions. However, this time, I cannot bother looking for excuses because there is none. Kaname-sama almost broke a person dear to me; he almost destroyed my family even if it was not solely his fault. This time, I cannot bring myself to forgive his actions and I found myself unable to feel anything but disdain towards the man I once respected as my leader.
"I guess he made the right choice then. It will not be that much of an inconvenience since Seiran will be back soon. Make sure to dismiss the driver that he appointed. The last thing I need is a potential mole eavesdropping on my talk." Kaname trailed as well after Takuma drove towards the Academy.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
No evil cliffy this time. phew
To answer few question I was asked about last chapter.
No Zero did not sleep with Gin, they were about to but ended up just cuddling later. The reason for that would be a spoiler so I won't say it.
The bracelet is a taming gadget for a vampire that anyone could carry because it only needed Zero's blood to perform the ceremony and the contact with the tattoo to react regardless of the person using it.
This is a KaZe fiction and I am a sucker for happy ending. Do not be fooled by the angst and twists in it because the annoying couple (kidding I love them to bits) will have they fluffy sickeningly sweet happy ending that will stretch for at least four chapters of pure bliss XD but before that, Kaname will have to go to hell and back for what he did to poor little Zero while the hunter actually struggle with the pregnancy and the realization of the depth of his feeling towards the father of his child.
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, see you on the next one.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
A MASSIVE SHOUTOUT
AND
BUCKETS OF LOVE AND KISSES FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWERS OF CHAPTER 40:
zutaralover4ever
YaoiLoverPrincess
GOE : Sorry for how frustrating Zero will get, but he is struggling because of internal conflict between what he really wants and what he should do.
hotxhotguy
Miyako Shirayuki Phantomhive
aya121192
mi5tan : sorry wrong person :p
Guest: Sorry for the late update, I hope you enjoyed the read. I put a less evil cliffy this time XD
kmbanas
eboneykg
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irmina
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Miss spontaneousx
XtAG: Oh yeah! your heart is still my hostage :p
My Devil Butler
ben4kevin
LOVE YOU ALL GUYS,