Chapter 10
Zero return to Cross Academy on a Saturday unnoticed. He went to find Kaien in his office wearing a dark cloak, concealing his figure, blending with the shadows.
The ex-hunter glance up at the opening of his door and sees an unknown individual, who then close the door behind making him wary.
"Its me, they release their aura while lowering the hood, I'm back"
Kaien brightens at seeing his adopted son. Rushing forward he crush the teen in a tight hug.
The dragon in disguise didn't evade.
"You had me so worried, Kaien wails, you didn't keep your promise Zero-chan"
"I'm sorry" Zero insincerely apologize in a deadpan tone.
"Where did you go, Kaien release his hold to inspect him, are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine, I just came to tell you I'm back and will be resuming classes and prefect duties, Zero turns to leave, I'll be in my room."
"Wait, Kaien tone turn serious, we really need to talk" he move back to his desk.
"About?" Zero turn crossing his arms.
"This needs your permission, Kaien hands the teen a folder, he can't enter the school otherwise"
The silverette smirk slightly at seeing Ichiru's picture on school transfer documents, 'right on schedule' "approve it" Zero hands it back without question.
"Really, you're ok with this?" he sound skeptical.
"Should I not be?"
"Well, given past circumstance-"
"Is that all?" Zero interrupts.
"About the barrier protecting the school, did you tamper with it?" Kaien ask careful.
"You noticed, he mutters, 'something must have happen', don't worry I didn't override it, the silverette reason at the male's frown, I only tweaked it a bit to eliminate hostile intruders, its perfectly safe otherwise, he smile slyly, are we done now?"
"One last thing, Kaien sits behind his desk, about your thirst, are you ok?"
"The blood tablets are still fine, Zero lie easily, and perfectly stable, I'm leaving"
"Zero" Kaien call again when the teen's halfway out the door.
"What now?" Zero sighs annoyed, pausing.
"Welcome home" the ex-hunter smiles gently.
'Home huh..' the silverette close the door without a word.
The following morning Zero made breakfast.
Yuki was stun at seeing him back, hair a inch from shoulders, and in the kitchen.
They eat in silence, well, Kaien chat enough for them. Throughout the day the two teens didn't exchange a single sentence. Anytime she attempt to strike up a conversation he left the area immediately. The silverette have seen that the seal on Yuki has began to unravel.
Zero attend class like usual on Monday to most surprise and joy, having missed the prefect.
Yuki sits on her bed in the Sun Dorm alone preparing for night patrol.
'A rose that blooms once every ten years, she muse staring at Kaname's gift in adoration, ten years ago, that night he saved me, a image of the pureblood cutting down her attacker cross her mind, but why was he there and why can't I remember anything before that' the brunette stand shaking her head slipping on her prefect band.
'No, lets not think too much about it, Yuki reach for the door knob, huh?'
At the wet sensation Yuki glance down only to recoil, eyes widen with fear at seeing blood staining her hand and the door, gone after a blink.
At change-over the surprise continue with the night class at seeing the hunter back after a long absent.
Kaname pause, on his way from the classroom, at seeing Yuki standing by a window, staring at her palm with a blank stare.
The image of a silver hair woman overlay, wearing a flowing sapphire dress, back to him.
Without thought the pureblood appears behind her reaching out, only for the image to gasp then whip around startle, revealing a frighten Yuki swinging Artemis.
"Yuki" the weapon spark on contact with his palm, her chest heaving.
The image reform, this time familiar sapphire slit eyes stare up at him with a sly smirk, wearing a red and black robe.
Kaname instantly pull her into his embrace dropping Artemis, "Lilith" slip pass his lips in a whisper like prayer. He takes a deep breath of her scent, only for the illusion to fall away completely at Yuki's scent coat in fear.
"I'm sorry, so sorry" her crying apology ground him to the present.
"Its ok, Kaname reassure, pushing her gently to arms length, calm down Yuki, he takes a inaudible deep breath centering himself, what did you want to talk to me about?" he ask in diversion to mask disappointment.
"Are you the one who erased my memories ten years ago, Yuki lowers her gaze, that night what were you doing there?" despite the situation she's glad to be embraced by her beloved.
"Yuki, Kaname pat her head, there's no need to rush, no matter the outcome, I won't think of you differently, so don't worry"
Zero watch their interaction with displeasure, presence masked, hovering outside the window. The dragon follow the pureblood back to his room when he leaves after a while. Landing on Kaname's balcony Zero enters, after hiding his wings, revealing himself to the brooding pureblood.
"You don't look so well, Kuran, Zero state moving to stand before the brunette who's gaze follow his form, what could be troubling you?" his tone mocking.
"You've return, Kaname sit up, how was your trip, Rosalg?"
"Oh, Zero cross his arms, inwards hopeful at hearing his former name, you've started remembering, he moves closer maintaining eye contact, how much have you recalled?"
"I know what you are, we met in another life and were lovers until I met Lilith" Kaname answer in confidence.
The vampire blink in surprise at the silverette's sudden laughter.
"Did I say something amusing?" Kaname ask annoyed at being laugh at.
"Yes, extremely so, Zero wipe tears calming down, but I can't blame you, your memories aren't whole yet, a familiar mana crystal appear in his palm, bigger and crimson, refined, this should help" 'The seal has crumbled almost half way, though I fear this crystal won't be enough' he press the crystal onto Kaname's chest before the brunette could react.
On contact it glow then shatter, releasing a lot of mana, absorb by the pureblood.
Kaname is then overwhelm by even more memories, completing some, leaving him lightheaded.
Glowing slit eyes watch the seal crumble further, holding his breath in anticipation only to be disappointed when a fragment remain, 'So three purebloods really weren't enough to break it completely, Zero's gaze shift to the slump vampire in a daze, no matter, there's still Rido Kuran.'
Zero lean closer, resting one knee on the couch, between Kaname's thighs then palm the pureblood's cheeks, "can you hear me, Kaname?" he whisper softly.
Zero feels a hand slip around his waist then pulls him closer causing him to fall, caught off guard. He ends up straddling Kaname, their face inches apart, "Have you come to your senses?" he ask tenderly.
Kaname stare at him then palm Zero's cheek, "Rosalg why can't I feel you anymore?" the pureblood ask instead.
A elated smile slowly brightens Zero's face that turn teary when the words registered.
"Kaname you finally remember me, unshed tears stings Lavender eyes that bleeds into sapphire, I'm so happy" he leans into the touch.
"I'm sorry for causing you pain" the brunette leans forwards.
Zero's eyes open in shock, not knowing when he'd closed them, then close again in bliss, melting into the kiss.
Meanwhile at the Academy's gate, Ichiru is being drop off by a member of the Vampire Senate.
The following morning Ichiru is introduce as a new student in Zero's class, who's absent. Before moving to his seat Ichiru pause beside a seated Yuki.
"Zero use to have good taste, he look down his nose at her, I can't believe he actually cares for you" he insult then continue on his way.
Yuki feeling offended glare at his back, 'speaking of Zero, he still hadn't said a word to me since he came back, she turn her gaze back to the teacher, seriously what's his problem anyway, treating me like this suddenly, even after I forgave him for crushing on my Kaname, aren't I benevolent, she rest a cheek in her palm with a sigh, does he really not love me anymore or did he really saw through me, Yuki feels unease of either thoughts being true, no way, Zero's deeply in love with me, he can't live without me, it's probably a phase of rebellion, I molded him to be my ideal dog since we were kids, and now he's trying-thinks he has broken from his leash, she scoffs, I'm overthinking the situation, Zero is mine to control, forever' a please smirk curl soft lips.
Ichiru stare at the back of her head with a dark expression.
Zero blink awake staring at unfamiliar walls then the last hours came flooding back.
"Who said you could cum without permission?"
Kaname had purred into his ear, Zero blush feeling overjoy at having his mate back but sigh at being unable to fully restore their bond yet because of the remaining fragment. At least he can feel Kaname again though not completely but its enough for now.
"What's troubling my precious flower?" Kaname tease pulling his mate closer, chest to back.
"The seal fragment on your soul, prevent us from completing our bond, he turn in the brunette's hold to face him, but it won't be a problem for long" Zero snuggle closer, resting silver head under Kaname's chin.
"How did the seal get there to begin with and I thought you said soul arts was your weakest magic?" a hand lightly runs up and down Zero's naked back, tone confuse.
"Could you not bring that up, he grumbles, from what I've observed, when that thing, Rido Kuran, he grit out, used that cursed ritual to force you awake, it branded a stigma on your soul, and when you'd regress-force your being to de-age, the stigma took advantage of your weaken state, sealing a portion of your soul, affecting current and past memories while you remain unaware, Zero draws circles on his mate's naked chest while explaining, blissful, since I wasn't born yet our bond didn't react to the seal, overtime it got stronger then when we met again, I also had a seal and stigma, plus my current self circumstances wasn't ideal, then I drank Yuki Cross blood, it with the seal and Shizuka Hio's stigma forced a crucial part of my soul to awakened"
"Our current life sure is complicated, couldn't you have broken my seal the moment you awaken, even so weaken, I may not remember everything but I know what you're capable of, Rosalg" Kaname state.
"Were you listening to me, fool, he pinch Kaname's cheeks, your soul was in too fragile a state, he stretch them, I couldn't risk destroying it, so I search for other methods, safe methods, he sighs releasing the his mate cheeks with a pout, so I infiltrated the hunter's and vampire's archives and found what I need, sacrificing beings with a lot of mana in their body, purebloods, Shizuka Hio, Sara Shirabuki and her fiancé the Ori family head still weren't enough to destroy the seal completely but enough to strengthen your body and soul."
Kaname pause for a moment, massaging his cheeks with his free hand, in thought at his mate's words, "You treated three important figures of Vampire Society as mere ingredients, he chuckles amuse, as cruel as ever my dear."
"Poor quality ingredients, he huffs, despite being higher up on the food chain, their mana was too weak, now I'll have to use another pureblood"
"The Senate are going to be pestering me soon about their disappearance, and will be more of a nuisance with three pureblood's sudden demise, Kaname sigh wistful tightening his hold on Zero, things are going to get more problematic henceforth, Rido's awaken, Yuki's seal is deteriorating and Cross Academy will become a battle ground, I'll need you by my side more than ever, Rosalg"
"Just use my current name, Zero mumbles, and why even ask haven't we always been by each others side" the silverette shift to gaze into his precious treasure's eyes.
"Yes, we have, Kaname caress Zero's bottom lip with a thumb, once everything's over we can travel the world like we used to"
"Of course, Zero half-lid his gaze, peering through thick lashes, I'll accompany you wherever as long as my soul remains, and later we can reestablish our Empire" he purrs.
Their lips meet in a soft caress that escalate into carnal pleasure.
To be continue…