Chapter 1: ~The Beginning of Vampires~
Zelda Marie Kuran was born as the middle child, with two older siblings— Toshiro the eldest, followed by Akira— and Kaname, the youngest. The parents of these four were long dead by the time Zelda could walk on her own, and so as the eldest brother Toshiro took responsibility for the younger three. With their inheritancemoney their parents had left, in addition to all the staff of the castle the four orphans were more well off than most children would be at the time. When Zelda began to enter her early twenties, she fell ill with cancer— nothing could be done for her, but her sister Akira insisted in finding a cure. A woman of science in that day would be labeled as a witch, so she did well to keep her tinkering and experiments to herself, conducting such things in a hidden room beneath the stairs in the basement. Masao Kiryu, a young man who grew up with Zelda would visit often— the two were supposed to be married when Zelda fell ill, so it was postponed, but with things not looking good for her Zelda's one wish was to marry the love of her life before she died.
"How is she doing today? Would it be alright if I went up to see her?" Masao asked, standing in the doorway.
"Yes, of course- please come in. She- isn't having a great day but I'm sure she'll love to see you." Toshiro said to him, letting him inside. "You know where her room is." He smiled slightly and went back to his office.
Masao went right up to Zelda's room, and knocked before entering. "Zelda?"
"Masao? Oh, how nice of you to come by..." she coughs a little, wiping her mouth with a nearby rag after. "I'm- sorry... Its not a good day, but I really am happy to see you."
"Yes, Toshi said you might like a visitor today, despite the circumstance." He said, going over to sit on her bed with her.
"I've missed you, Masao... but- you know you... don't have to keep doing this-" she looked at him sadly. "I'm sick and dying... there's no hope for me, you could easily find someone else-"
"Zelda, you- do this every time I come by... and I always tell you the same thing. You're the love of my life, I couldn't possibly love anyone else. I don't care if you are sick and dying, I've already vowed to love you forever, and that's exactly what I'm going to do." He replied. "Right now, you are still here, so please, please stop being negative."
Zelda looks at him as if she is going to cry. "Masao I- I'm sorry..."
"I know you are, love. You're having a bad day. But I'm here now. I'll always be here for you, good days and bad. Thats what we agreed to, remember?" He said, smiling. "I- know we never officially got married, but- we did make those vows."
"R-right I remember..." she replies, "I'm so lucky to have you, Masao." And she smiles at him, taking her hand in his.
"Zelda-" he holds her hands. "I love you, so much. I'll never let you go."
Just then her door opens, and Akira walks in with a small glass. "Don't worry, with this you won't have to!" She exclaims. "I think I finally did it, sis. The cure you've been waiting for."
"Oh, Akira... I... really wish you wouldn't spend all your time on this- Its... time you let me go." Zelda said, still holding Masao's hand weakly.
"But sis, really I think I did it this time. Just- try? And... if it really doesn't work this time I'll give up. Okay?"
"Alright.. fine, but this is the last time..." she replied. "Masao, will you help me sit up?"
"Yes of course love-" he said helping her sit up.
Akira helped Zelda drink whatever mixture was in the glass.
"It might take a while to work, but you should be better in a couple days." She smiled brightly "I'll leave you two alone and come back to check on you later." She said, leaving the room.
Masao helped Zelda lay back down. "She's- still so full of hope..." Zelda sighed. "I- wish I could believe that this will work but... I just don't think that its possible... I'm sorry, Masao... If only- you fell in love with someone else... someone who's healthy-" she looks away. "But- you've given me some of the greatest memories of my life and I'll never forget that."
"Zelda-" he sighs and kisses her lightly on the cheek. "Please my love, don't say such things- I'm happy, with you... and, I know if something happens we'll be together again someday."
-A Few Days Later-
Zelda was sitting up in bed looking better than she had in a long time.
"I- cant believe it, Zelda- how are you feeling?" Asked Masao as he walked in for another visit.
"I feel great, better than I have in a long time... I want to try to get up today." She replied, smiling.
"Are you sure? You haven't walked in a while- I'll help you of course, but are you sure?"
"I know, I want to see if I remember how" she laughed a little and started to get out of bed.
"Ah- hey hang on-" he went over to help her get up.
Zelda hung onto Masao as she got up out of bed, and held his arm as she walked out of her room and down to see her siblings.
Once in the parlor, Toshiro, Akira and Kaname turned to look at her. "Zelda?" They gasped.
"Hi, everyone-" she said, smiling as Masao helped her sit on the couch. "I thought I could come down to see you for a change today. Good news, I remember how to walk" she giggled a little.
"See, what did I tell you? I knew it would work!" Akira jumped up and hugged her sister lightly. "You feel great right?"
"I'm definitely getting there, I- I'm really surprised that this worked, Aki- I really owe you one..." she smiles and looks at Masao "Maybe we can start planning our wedding after all."
"Wedding?" Toshiro asked.
"Ah... yes, we were actually talking about getting married before she... um but, now that she seems to be getting better, we can have an actual wedding." Masao explained.
"You can say 'before she dies'..." Zelda looks at Toshiro. "I wanted to have a priest marry us before I died, that way I could have at least married the love of my life. But, yeah, since I'm getting better now and can actually walk- we can have a wedding ceremony and invite everyone."
"Well- I wasn't asked for your hand." Toshiro said.
"Ah, I- had planned to ask you first sir... I didn't know she would bring it up now-" Masao replied.
Toshiro laughs a little. "I was only teasing, I approve of your marriage."
"Oh- Ah, thank you sir-" Masao replied.
"Well of course he approves, I wouldn't be happy otherwise." Zelda says smiling. "And big brother has to keep the princess happy"
-Two Days Later-
"Sister, what's happened to me? I— feel hungry but nothing is satisfying. I can hear Masao's blood pumping and it's driving me crazy…" Zelda sighed, complaining to her sister.
"Oh no— I was hoping that side effect wouldn't get to you…" Akira sighed and went over to the small refrigerator in her secret room. "Here… you're going to want to drink this. It's not fantastic when it's cold, but it should hold you over."
"What? Are you crazy? That's blood isn't it?"
"Well, yes… I'm not sure why but, the cure I made… the side effect is craving blood— and potential immortality."
"Akira you sound crazy— what do you mean crave blood?Potentialimmortality? What does this mean, dear sister please explain." Zelda became increasingly concerned.
"Alright, okay— but you have to stay calm and don't shout at me."
"Just… Explain before I get more upset…"
"Right um… so, before I gave you the cure— I tested it on myself and gave it like a month to kick in. During that month, I noticed a change within me. Normal food wasn't enough anymore, and I started to hear people's heartbeats when I got too hungry. At first I thought it was weird and tried to have a regular snack but when that didn't work, I figured out the hard way what it meant. I— accidentally killed a man, Zelda. I drank him completely dry and devoured him until there was nothing left. So, to avoid this I started taking blood packs from the hospital. They're cold and gross but it sustains the hunger… and that's what happened to you. This cure— it cures all diseases, and you'll never get sick again but we now need blood to survive or we'll end up going insane."
Zelda blinks, taking in the explanation and is silent for a while, fidgeting with her dress looking at the blood pack in her sisters hand before snatching it and drinking all of it in a matter of seconds.
"It already sounds insane but, I've never known you to lie— This… whatever we are now, we can't let anyone else know. We have to act as normal as possible—"
"Well, Yeah, of course. That's the plan right now. Until I can find a cure for this cure… I have more of the serum, just in case— but I don't think another dose of it will reverse the effects. I'm working on mixing it with some other remedies… I'll let you know if i make any developments."
"Alright then… are there any other side effects that you've noticed?"
"Well, yeah— there's light sensitivity and aversion to pumpkin and garlic-based foods. Other than that I haven't noticed anything else."
"Wonderful— I can no longer eat my favorite dishes… and I have to drink cold blood to survive."
"Well, you can drink from people, but you have to be careful— it's an all or nothing kind of deal. I tried to just take a little from someone already, and they ended up turning into a monster— so I had to kill him anyway."
"Christ almighty, Akira…"
"I know, I know, but look— It's an ongoing experiment Zelda." Akira explained. "I just need more time to research, that's all."
"Akira, my sister… Please… Just be careful with this research— I know we're better off than most and can get out of trouble if we need to, but you know what I'm trying to say, right?"
"Yes, sister I understand. You don't have to worry. We'll keep this a secret just you and I. I'll provide you with what you need."
Zelda sighs and hugs her sister, coming to terms with the new life that's been thrusted upon her. Not knowing what to tell Masao, the love of her life what she's become…
"Masao, my love… I have to tell you something…" Zelda sighed. "I really don't know how to start so I'm just going to say it—"
"Hm? Of course my love, whatever you have to say, I'll still love you all the same."
"You… might not, and that's okay— but I can't hide this anymore, not… knowing what I know" Zelda started. "The cure my sister gave me… turned me into some creature of the night. We've been trying to keep it a secret…"
"Creature of the night? Zelda what are you talking about?"
"Let me finish- Masao, please… I— we— Akira and I have been drinking blood packs taken from the hospital… The cure Akira made came with a hell of a side effect… I'll never get sick, I'll never grow old, I'll never die— I have to drink blood to satisfy my hunger. I'm a monster, Masao…"
"I… thought there was something off about you lately being so sensitive to light, but— Zelda…"
"I know, this is crazy, Masao— saying it out loud makes me feel so insane." She sighs, looking at him, into his eyes. "If you— don't want to be with me anymore, I understand…"
"Zelda, quite the opposite— I love you, and I want to be with you, even if someday I'll be gone and you'll live forever, I'd want to spend every last moment with you."
"Masao… that— no way, you sound insane now, too."
"But it's true, you're my one true love— I'd keep coming back to fall in love with you all over again."
"Masao—"
-The Incident-
"My love, I have no idea if this will work— Akira has been testing theories but, there's no guarantee you'll end up like me…"
"Well, there's only one way to find out, right? Just— try it." Masao continued to ask Zelda to turn him, "You've been— drinking from me for a few weeks and nothing has happened."
"If— you were to drink my blood after that, Masao I really don't know what will become of you. Please— you can't ask this of me… I can't make you like me. Let me ask my sister if she can give you what she made."
"She told you not to let anyone know and you told me, don't you think she'd be upset and say no?'
"Masao I— Please… you can't ask me to turn you into what I've become…"
And yet, Masao manages to convince Zelda to turn him anyway— she feeds on him to nearly the point of death and offers her wrist to him—
Within minutes, Masao begins to groan and gasp in pain, rejecting the change.
"No-" Zelda said to herself as she watched Masao struggle with the change. "No, no, no- Masao... I'm so so sorry... It wasn't supposed to go like this..."
"It's... not your fault, Zelda— I'm the one who asked you to try..." he said, fighting for his sanity. "So now, you have to let me go..."
"You.. cant be serious- Masao, do you know what you're asking me to do? I love you, I could never..." she said, staring into his eyes as they turned blood red.
"Zelda, please- you have to-"
"Masao-"
"If I wont be like you, and I'm turning into a monster Zelda— please…"
With tears forming in her eyes, Zelda used her new vampire powers to rip Masao's heart from his chest. She fell to her knees as Masao also dropped to the floor, she sobbed with his heart in her hands.
"What the hell happened in here!?" Toshiro yelled in surprise as he came into the room.
Zelda looked at him, still crying, unable to form words. There was so much blood on her, and on the floor.
"Oh my god-" Akira said as she also arrived. "Zelda- what- did you do?"
"I- didn't know it wasn't going to work..." she finally managed to say, "I wanted to live with him forever... When you said that the side effect of that cure was immortality, I couldn't go on living without him- but i sure screwed that up, huh?"
"Zelda... you tried to turn him...? Without knowing if it would work or not?" Akira said.
"Of course! Because why wouldn't I, right? This, this is your fault, Akira. You made me what I am!" Zelda yelled, looking at the two of them, her eyes turning blood red. She looked back to the heart in her hands, and devoured it without a second thought.
"He and I- will be together for eternity after all-" she said to herself, moving on to devour Masao's body.
"Zelda- my god-" Toshiro said, looking at Akira. "What have you done?
"I- thought I saved her... I- really did-" she replied.
When Zelda was finished she got up, covered in blood.
"You- are going to regret saving me, my sister."
Zelda flashed her red eyes towards her sister Akira as she finished devouring Masao's body until there was nothing left of him…
A/N: Welcome to my oldest new obsession; finally getting my Vampire Knight story down into words. This is based on an ongoing RP that I've had with my best friend Julia for a little over ten years now. We dug deep for this one and created ancestors for our OC's— Karlee and Ayaka (Zelda and Akira respectively) and I decided to start telling the story from the very beginning, how Vampires came to be in the universe at least the way we imagined it while incorporating our characters to make some sense. Please let me know how you liked this chapter! It might have been a little longer than anticipated. But I had most of the middle written out for years! Thanks for reading