Maya pulled up to the Kuran Manor and exited her car, casually walking up to the front door. It opened before she could knock, revealing Kaname.
"Kuran." She greeted.
"Takamiya. Follow me." He said. They went to a private study, where she saw him sit down behind a dark mahogany desk. "Have you done what I've instructed?"
She nodded. "I am now at the Tanaka's disposal. Once they get comfortable with me, I'll do as you've instructed."
"How long until that happens?"
"Not long," Maya replied, staying standing. She hoped that this was a quick visit, not wanting to stay too long. She was supposed to visit the Tanaka's again, this time for dinner.
"I have another job for you?"
"What exactly would that be?" She asked, furrowing her brow. "I'm already trying to not raise suspicion by constantly showing up here, the Tanaka's, and my lack of time at the Association."
"This isn't an immediate request, but I want you to draw Sara Shirabuka to the Association when possible. She's already under suspicion for conspiring to start problems between purebloods."
Maya nodded. "I know about her, the Association isn't too happy about it either. They have Aidou trapped there for questioning. The last thing Hunters want is for this to turn into another war. What do you want me to do with her once I get her inside the Association?"
"You let me deal with that. I'm afraid that war has already begun, and it will only escalate until the furnace is finished."
Maya snorted, lips adorned with a humorless smile. "I doubt that. What one person starts can affect hundreds of others for a long time."
The door to the study burst opened without any warning.
"Yuuki!" Kaname said, angry.
"I'm...I'm sorry, Kaname onii-sama, I just smelled..." She said. Maya turned slightly. She was in a pale blue dress, wearing white pin-heels.
"Hello, Yuuki," Maya said with a small smile. She'd honestly missed her adoptive sister, and hadn't seen her in several months. Whenever Kaname had told Maya to come over, Yuuki was busy with her studies or kept in her room. She hadn't been introduced to society yet, but Maya was sure that she would be at the upcoming Social Ball this Winter.
"Maya!" exclaimed Yuuki. She ran up and hugged her. Maya rubbed the top of her head, then separated herself from the younger girl.
"I'll be going now," Maya said.
"Remember what we discussed," Kaname said. Maya nodded, giving a goodbye wave to Yuuki before leaving.
Maya drove to the end of the drive and turned onto the main road that led away from their house, but was stopped by a prison van who swerved to her side of the road, causing her tires to smoke as she braked, having been going over the speed limit. She stared at the van with wide eyes and then bit her lip when she saw the person behind the wheel and knew she was in for a world of hurt.
___________________________________________________________________________
She stood in the Association President's office in front of the large desk which Kaien was sitting. Yagari was leaning against the edge of the desk, cigarette burning and his one blue eye blazing with anger. Maya's head was slightly bowed, her bangs covering her eyes to avoid looking at either of her caretakers in the eye.
"Maya...would you care to tell us about the phone call I received yesterday? It was from a Jurou Tanaka. He told me that he was grateful to have a Hunter working for him to further co-existence and peace. Apparently, you've been working with him for several weeks without the Association's consent, or mine for that matter. He also mentioned that you saved his life from someone who tried to kill him, which led to this agreement between the two of you. Is this true?"
"Yes, sir." There was no point in lying because Jurou had called Kaien.
"Well, runt? What are you doing?" asked Yagari.
"Nothing..."
"I don't think that it's nothing. We've been monitoring you ever since your repeated absences at the Association. It appears you've been visiting the Kuran's home often for short periods of time. What business do you have with Kaname-kun?"
Maya wasted no time in response. "It's none of your business!" She snipped.
"Like hell," said Yagari. Maya lifted her gaze just slightly to look at him. "It is our business whether you like it or not."
Maya glared but kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to drag them into her personal affairs, they were already involved in the big picture.
"Maya, please tell us."
"No."
"Maya..."
"NO!" She shouted, eyes shining gold. She stared at her adoptive father with a set expression of unyielding stubbornness.
"Then you leave me no choice. Your access to missions will be taken away, you cannot come to the Association and you will be monitored and under house arrest until further notice."
Her eyes widened. "You can't do that!"
"You will be set free when you explain what's going on. In the meantime, that is the punishment."
"If you keep me under house arrest, my brother will die!" The words hadn't meant to escape her mouth, but in the heat of the moment, desperation had taken over. Maya physically took a step back, looking like a deer caught in the headlights as she admitted something she had wanted to keep a secret. They hadn't needed to know this.
"Kaito? Maya what is the meaning of this. What is going on? Who is going to kill your brother?"
Maya lowered her head to hide her face, shaking her head. She didn't want to say anything more, even though she was ready to spill every little detail of her troubles to Kaien, now wasn't the right time. In her mind, she was already formulating ways for the Tanaka's and her to meet, but first, she'd have to call them and tell them what happened.
"Yagari...take her home."
"I can go home by myself." She replied sourly.
"And you'll go and do whatever you please as soon as you're out of my sight," Kaien said. "As I said, constant monitoring."
_____________________________________________________________________________
Her back was beginning to ache, but she didn't seem to notice. Maya's knees were pulled up to her chest, head buried in her crossed arms as she sat on the floor against the drawers in the kitchen. In her hand she clutched the thorny stem of a pure, white rose that had not wilted for over a week, feeling the sharp thorns prick her skin and drawing blood that dripped through her fingers. From anyone's perspective, it would have been leaning towards some sort of self-abuse. It was, and it was out of guilt.
She'd tried to leave her apartment a few times over the past week, but it had turned out to be futile. There were Hunters watching her every move, and if she set more than two feet out of her front door, they would corner her and make her go back inside. It was a bit ridiculous. She could easily escape, but part of her didn't even try. Once Kaname knew that she was stuck, surely he would find a way to get her out of here so that she could do what she promised, right?
Maya sniffed, eyes smarting. These past few weeks, she had gotten to know the Tanaka family better. And then it happened, she'd developed a soft spot for them, she cared for them. The family was anything but greedy, arrogant and selfish and manipulative. They were nice, caring, and thoughtful, and took up their time with helping others. It sucked her in, and she couldn't help but fall for one pureblood in particular. What was she getting herself into?
Jurou Tanaka was the owner of several hospitals, and his sons, excluding Heisuke, were all doctors looking to fill his position one day. His wife had turned their only daughter human, who was long dead, having grown to old age and having a family of her own. Heisuke was one of the more gentle and freelance of the group. He had a love for flowers and owned a large company who sold them at decent prices or give them away out of the good of his heart.
Two weeks prior-
Maya had been on her way to spend some time at the cemetery at her brother's grave and had stopped at a flower store called the Tanaka Flower Company. The name had caught her attention, as did the extreme array of flowers that lined the shelves, all pristine and well-nourished. She couldn't see a dull petal anywhere in sight.
The ratio of women to men was noticeable. Typical flower shop, she thought to herself with a smirk and gazed at some red and yellow chrysanthemums on one of the middle stands. The shop itself was one floor, but it was covered from head to toe in colorful flowers.
A gaggle of laughter caused her to look over near the checkout counter. A group of women were making a conversation with a ginger-haired man who wore black slacks and a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He seemed to be acting nice to them but was not at all interested in their flirtatious nature.
"Heisuke?"
Blue eyes looked past the group of women to her, they lit up and he grinned. Heisuke excused himself from the women and walked over.
"Maya!" He leaned on one foot, running a hand through his hair. "What brings you here?"
"I'm picking flowers for my brother's grave." She replied, lowering her voice. "What are you doing here? You're the CEO are you not?"Her voice must not have been low enough, because the group of women began whispering excitedly to themselves.
Heisuke smiled. "I am, but I can do what I please, besides, I like being around people."
"Sure...you're getting swarmed." She said, giving a slight nod of her head towards the women.
He leaned down so he was inches from her face. "I have no interest in simple humans, you on the other hand..." He raised a hand between them and a rose bloomed out of nowhere in his palm. No one could see from this angle that it had come out of nowhere. She could not suppress a true blush that filled her cheeks and she took it from his hand.
"How did you do that?"
"Chlorokinesis." He whispered.
She smiled at the flower as she raised it to her nose, loving the perfume of the flower. "Thank you."
"What would it take for you to go out to dinner with me?"
Maya smiled, lowering the flower. "A kiss." It was a brave statement, especially between her and the pureblood vampire. Her and Heisuke had spent a lot of time together since she and Jurou had made the agreement and she grew to really like him. She'd expected a kiss on the mouth but what had surprised her was what he did instead.
He raised a hand, gently brushing her hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.
Maya flinched when she heard a fist bang on her front door that was around the corner from the brightly lit kitchen, but she didn't get up to answer. It came again, then again.
"Maya!" Zero's voice was muffled. She heard the handle turn, along with a surprised noise that came from her best friend as he slammed the door shut and quickly walked into the kitchen. Maya knew that he probably smelled the scent of her blood from outside. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," She said, not bothering to lift her head. She heard him sit down in front of her, and pry the rose from her grasp. His fingers were callused but warm as they gently unfolded her fingers. She raised her head ever-so-slightly, seeing that his eyes were not red, but their beautiful lilac color. She wanted to ask about it but decided not to. Maya watched him place the rose on the floor and grab the dishtowel that hung on the oven handle, pressing it against her bleeding palm. It was a futile move, knowing that her cuts would heal in a matter of seconds, but she knew Zero was now set in caring mode and let him do what he wanted. "What are you doing here?"
"I came back from a few hours ago and heard from Yagari about what happened to you...I came to see if you were okay..." He said. Maya shook her head, putting her head back on one arm, watching Zero wipe away the blood.
"Since when am I ever okay?" She said sadly. Zero let go of her hand and she tucked it between her legs and stomach, wanting to melt into nothing and disappear into the floor. "I'm a screw-up."
"Why is that?" Zero asked, leaning back on his hands on the cheap linoleum floor. "You're the greatest Hunter I know. I don't think that's a screw-up."
Maya wanted a smile, but she couldn't. "I...I mean that I'm a screw up because of what I did...I agreed to something terrible...and I don't...I don't..." She buried her face in her arm and sobbed softly. Zero scooted closer, taking her small frame in his arms and held her close, one hand on her head to hold it to his chest. Maya clung to Zero, happy to cling onto something, anything, physical or mental that calmed her down.
"You don't have to tell me, Maya. But just know that I'm here for you." He said softly. She felt his warm breath brush across her hair, his cheek resting on her head.
Author's Note: Zero's back! Haha. I've missed him, to be honest, and was glad to write him back in this chapter. There will be more interaction with Heisuke and Maya in the near future, I'm sorry I've been a bit vague, but I will definitely be doing some flashbacks and interactions with them in later chapters. Can't rush the juicy stuff, am I right?
Kind of a filler chapter, so nothing incredibly exciting happens, I'm sorry about that.
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There is a big announcement that I want to share with you guys, but maybe I'll just want and leave you in suspense because I am just that evil, and it's about this book. Hehehehe!