A/N: I'm not back to writing right now because I'm dealing with a lot of personal upheaval stuff, but here is the next chapter of Yugen as requested. Please VOTE if you enjoy and BOOKMARK if you wish to continue. COMMENT your opinions/ideas/predictions. Thank you for the patience! :)
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They had all been walking to class the next night when Zero came across Maria Kurenai for the first time.
She had skipped from an off path onto the main path to join them and he couldn't help but analyze her with a critical eyes. He knew her, he had seen her in one of his dreams, when though, he didn't know.
"I know her." He stated softly to Kaname who was beside him, the brown haired pureblood's bodyguard standing protectively behind the two.
"From where?" Kaname mused, but Zero could sense his mild shock via the bond.
"A vision. She's sick. A Pureblood is using her as a host, aren't they?"
Kaname nodded and they continued on into class, the silver haired Pureblood alarmed when he found himself surrounded on two sides by a few of the young Nobles who he had healed after the fight. Kaname appeared amused at his surprise and Zero sent him a look to the equivalent of 'har, har, har'.
A few of them introduced themselves; Tsuya, Aimi, and Koto.
Tsuya was a petite blonde with big green eyes and a large nervous smile and when he gave her one back in reply she appeared relieved. Aimi, beside her, had shoulder-length pale pink hair and near white grey eyes and a genuine grin to greet him with. Koto, the only boy in the small group was probably a freshman and was most likely a relation to Tsuya with the same nervous smile but with ginger orange hair and the same big green eyes.
He smiled at the three of them and talked with them amicably for a while before class began and by the time the final bell let out the three of them seemed almost enamoured with him, hanging onto his every word like he was some long lost god. It was a bit annoying, but when he urged them to speak up themselves, he found Koto and Aimi to be bright and talkative while Tsuya would slowly drop some things into the conversation with cutting remarks.
He laughed.
He stuck close to Kaname as they made their way back to the Dorms.
As they drew closer to the Dorms, he glanced at Yuki to find Maria whispering in her ear. Whatever it was that she told Yuki, it appeared to shock her to the bone, a dark look over sweeping her face briefly- sad and disappointed and a bit angry. She looked at Zero then, her eyes glancing at Kaname briefly. Whatever was in them, he couldn't quite decipher but he had a bad feeling about it all.
Maria had disappeared back down the path leading away from the main path and the Moon Dorms, back down the path that led to the decrepit old Dorms that Aido had mentioned were from when the school had just began and there were only a few dozen vampires to occupy it. Now there were a few dozen more, but still, their numbers were below a hundred and Zero could suppose that was part of the draw of the Night Class- it made it seem like it was some foreign, exclusive class. It was, but he digressed.
"Yuki?" He called out to her and she pasted a smile on her features.
They both knew it was fake, meant to save face as she came to terms with whatever it was that Maria had whispered to her. Kaname's words from the night before last struck him- she'd be hurt when she found out about them. Was that what Maria had whispered to her?
She shook her head, "I'm fine, Zero."
They both knew she wasn't fine.
It was the night of the Winter Ball where both classes merged together to well, the Day Class would go unchecked as they swamped the vampires in the Night Class.
Zero was surrounded by Day Class girls, all of them complimenting him on his change in character- a turn for the better one of them said. He did his best, thinking back to the few times Lilly had taken him with her to vampire events in that past life of his, trying to emulate the charming purebloods from then that could sell snake oil to the cleverest of townsfolk.
They giggled and talked and talked and talked with seemingly no real point to any of their words. Zero would give a soft smile and the girls would sigh and one even made a show of fainting.
Eventually, Aido took pity on him (or simply craved more attention) and appeared at his side, stealing the unsuspecting girls away and giving the Pureblood some much needed relief.
He could feel his mate's amusement through the bond and he sent his best glare at the brown haired Pureblood as he approached him.
They were quiet for a few minutes when Yuki finally showed herself at the entrance. Both of their eyes were trained on her as she flitted into the room, smartly avoiding the edges lest being pulled to help clean and organize.
She wore a pretty pale pink dress that he could guess with pretty good chances that Kaname had given her. She smiled at them and they laughed and joked around (Kaname trying to keep up, joking really was not his thing unless it was featuring someone else), Zero chuckled as Yuki let out a sigh, Kaname disappearing to refill his drink.
Yuki pulled him aside, her face sobering quickly as the last of her giggles disappeared.
"Is there anything you need to tell me, Zero? I know Kaname keeps things from me, but you would never do that."
Zero shook his head, his thoughts far from what she was picking at. He had almost forgotten the scene with Maria a week ago, too caught up in visions or learning to live with the bond to realize just how badly he might have been hurting her.
She sighed then, disappearing into the crowd as Kaname appeared back at his side.
They both sipped their drinks silently until Aimi with her pale pink hair and white grey eyes walked up in a crimson tailored tux and whispered in his ear.
"Zero-sama?"
"Yes, Aimi-san?"
She blushed for a moment, "You told me to tell you when Cross-san left? She left a moment ago with Kurenai-san."
Zero's eyes flew to Kaname's and he thanked Aimi before they left, having failed to notice Aido and Kain's own departure.
"It seems that Zero no longer requires my blood." Shizuka stated, firmly within her body as Ichiru gently carried Maria away only to come back to immerse himself in shadows once more.
"But Yuki-chan, I can offer you something in return for your own."
Yuki stared at her in expectation, swallowing thickly.
"I will reveal to you the truth of what I have already alluded- that your dear Kaname-sempai and Zero are mated and have left you alone. I will show you where this leaves you."
Yuki released a cough of a breath, her voice harsh, "Do you have Zero's gift? Is that how you know?"
Shizuka nodded, a smile playing on her lips and Yuki stepped forward, hypnotized by the Pureblood's beauty until she was standing right before the white haired woman.
Shizuka struck like a viper, her fangs suddenly in Yuki's throat and devouring her blood moment by moment. Yuki released a scream and suddenly feels familiar arms rip her free from the Pureblood vampiress. Zero.
She blinked and suddenly was sunk under a wave of exhaustion, leaving Zero alone with Shizuka.
She stood from the chaise lounge and he held Yuki tightly in his arms.
Shizuka let out a breath, "Have you forgotten me so easily, Zero? Your master?"
Distantly, he could feel her attempt to use her sire bond and with a strike of power, she was ridden from his mind and snapped back into her own. She let out a hiss, her head aching at the rebound.
"Something tells me you fail to realize the position you're in." Zero remarked and Shizuka was swept behind her protector- this life of his' twin.
He pulled off his mask to reveal features identical to Zero's own, hair hanging slightly longer than the silver haired Pureblood.
"Come on, Nii-san. Going to end this so soon?" Ichiru chortled and Zero smirked.
"That won't be me doing the ending."
A scream of surprise turned to pain and blood spattered the wall behind Ichiru as Kaname ended the Madly Blooming Princess' life.
That left Ichiru with the two Purebloods and unconscious human.
"I must admit," Kaname began, "I am curious as to why you aren't a Pureblood too- are you not supposed to be two parts to a whole?"
Ichiru made to rush out the window and it slammed shut just as he leapt for it. He rebounded onto the hardwood floors with a crunch.
"Kaname." Zero breathed and Ichiru found himself cornered by them.
At least his brother seemed to be concerned, even if he had no memory of him.
"Relax," Zero urged, "We're not going to hurt you."
"Do you really not remember me?" Ichiru asked, and he couldn't help feeling like a small child facing the lack of love given by family.
Zero nodded, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you get hurt. Come with us, you can stay with me or Chairman Cross-wherever you want to stay. I know you can see just like I can see. You know I won't hurt you."
Ichiru nodded.
Yuki lay on the Chairman's couch later in the evening, Kaname and Zero speaking quietly above her sleeping form.
"Do you think she'll wake up as an ex-human?" Zero asked and Kaname shook his head.
"She was bitten by a Pureblood- her seal should be broken and she should be awakening, but she doesn't appear to be."
"No, but she is sleeping rather deeply." Zero stated and Kaname nodded.
"It seems we'll just have to wait."