Nightwalker Fan Fiction ❯ The Bells ❯ For Whom The Bell Tolls ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Cain and Shido or any of the other characters from Nightwalker, no matter how much the voice in my head sounds like Guni…

Warning: As in just about all the fan fiction I write, this fic contains YAOI, or Male/Male relationships that are, as always, incredibly graphic. To me, it's art, and therefore restricting it would be not only stupid, but futile as my muse would beat me into submission and scream for me to write it anyway…

Chapter 8: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Shido looked out over the expanse of lush garden that lay just behind Cain's castle. The balcony creaked just a little bit with the passing of a cold wind that bit at Shido's skin, and for a moment, the vampire contemplated the old wrought iron actually giving way beneath him and sending him plummeting to…

Shido smacked a hand to his forehead and held it there. He pushed back his long purple locks and tears welled in his eyes. Why? Why does it hurt now? He thought. I can't let it get to me now, not when I have to protect Ken'ichi. He had no one else in his life that he could cling to anymore, and Ken…it was almost as if the boy was his child, his creation, like Riho had been. He couldn't let Cain and his court spoil another innocent life. Soon Ken would be disillusioned of the vampire life and follow him to a place far away from here.

Ken was the only reason that the vampire was even staying at Cain's castle, after all. At least, he'd kept telling himself that over the past few days. Shido couldn't help but start wavering in his perceptions of humans, especially after his days trapped within the very grasp of the organization that he had spent his unnatural life to protect, that Riho and Yayoi had given their lives for…needlessly. That was what had hurt the most. Their deaths had been the only thing the NOS needed to take him. It wouldn't have surprised Shido in the least if the organization had somehow known that the arsonist would strike the theatre.

The entire event had put humans on almost the same level that Shido held his own race, leaving Shido adrift in an ocean of confusion, knowing that Ken'ichi could help him…and praying silently that Cain would.

Shido fell to his knees…and cried.

***

Ken'ichi sat in the Coven's common room with Cain, frustratingly massaging his temple as a headache threatened to frustrate him ever more. He stared down at the pieces left to him on the chess board, then back up to his master.

"This really isn't fair, you know. 'With age comes wisdom' and all that," Ken'ichi groaned.

"And whatever happened to 'with youth comes vitality,' Ken'ichi?" The words slipped off of Cain's tongue as he rolled a white pawn between his fingers, the latest conquest added to the sizeable row of pieces he'd captured.

"Vitality is hardly something one needs in chess," Ken'ichi moved, and frowned as his knight was captured in turn, "it is more like one needs endurance." He sighed and sought refuse for his overworked brain in surveying the other vampires that talked or congregated about the main hall. For the most part, they were all lounging about, as if no other existed beyond that particular vampire and the one they engaged in pleasant conversation. They had all adapted rather well to the return of Tatsuhiko and the addition of himself to the Coven. Well, most of them. There had still been Eric, and his follows, but none of them seemed present. No all were either lounging about, sipping away at blood served like wine or indulging in more…risqué acts. Ken'ichi blushed and turned away from a particularly disturbing image involving two of his fellow vampires and a position that he didn't think the human (or vampire) body could be contorted into. He hurriedly moved another finely crafted marble piece, and instantly cut his forefinger on one of the queens needle-like crown points. "Ouch!"

"See something usual, my Little One?" Cain said, taking his fledglings hand in his own.

"I--n--no. No, father," Ken'ichi stuttered.

"You've yet to shed your mortal views on passion and attachment, Ken'ichi," Cain said, bringing the younger vampire's cut to his lips and lapping at the blood spilt. Instantly, the cut closed." As humans, the complexity of vampire relationships is seen as base, and vulgar. Simply a harem to a single vampire leader, but this is not true. When I welcomed you to our family, I meant it."

"I take it the vampiric definition of a family, is different than a humans?" Ken'ichi gulped.

"Of course," Cain replied, massaging the digit softly. "Several vampires that are bonded closely together create a Family. They, in turn are members of the Coven. Each Family has a recognized leader, as does the Coven, whom they recognize as the main leader. The only difference is that vampires within a Coven are comrades, friends bonded together for the main purpose of protection in numbers and power in groups. A family is a close knit cluster of vampires, all of which love each other, and may or may not be mated to one or more within the family. Some family members may not even sleep together, but they may if they wish, without any repercussion."

"So, what you're saying is that, while you and Tatsuhiko are mated, other members of your family can have a relationship with him. Like, polygamy?"

"You see what I mean by reducing it to something vulgar? No Ken'ichi, not polygamy. Vampires simply have much longer lives than human, and we realize that one may be in love or fall in love with several people over the centuries. Love isn't limited to one person in a human lifetime, so it is next to impossible for it to be so in a vampiric lifetime."

"I think I understand now," Ken'ichi said, some of the confusion in his eyes dissipating. He picked up his drink and began to sip it.

"Good," Cain responded as he leaned forward on his elbows and placed his chin on an open palm, "now let's get to the part where you fuck Shido."

Ken'ichi began to choke on his drink…

***

Some time later, Shido had slipped on a heavy sweater before venturing out into the rose garden. Even with protection of the high foliage "maze," the winter wind would have cut into his skin…but Shido wouldn't have noticed. To many thoughts, too many memories were assaulting him. Too many memories of Guni's harping that secretly brightened his evenings alone, too many memories of Yayoi's covert worry for him, too many memories of Riho's bright smile. Too many memories of people that he loved, now dust on the floor of a burned down theatre. Murdered, and never given even a proper burial, thanks to Akazawa Kaitou, and Shido's kidnapping. Murdered, and never mourned in Shido's captivity and rescue. Shido hugged the cable knit sweater to his form as a particular gust passed and chilled his already frosty skin…then stopped.

He lifted the too-long sleeve to his nose and sniffed, smelling a sweet, almost cinnamon scent that he at once recognized as Ken'ichi's. He smiled as bittersweet tears threatened his vision. He had to admit, that the only things keeping him going now were Ken and Cain, and only Ken'ichi was making him stay at the Coven…

Shido's thoughts were interrupted as he spotted movement between the leaves of the rose walls, then heard a shout that was so painfully, obviously Ken'ichi's…

***

Ken'ichi sighed as he walked through he rose garden and bits and pieces of his conversation with his dark father filtered back to him. It was no secret, by now, his wanting Tatsuhiko. No secret by far, if Cain had seen it in his eyes…and certainly not a threat if he had encouraged it. But it was still tentative ground for Ken, if not only because of the relationship that he now shared with Tatsuhiko, then for the relationships he had lost in the past months. The doctor in him told him that Tatsuhiko hadn't had time to properly mourn his lost loved ones, and here Ken'ichi was going to pressure him into a new relationship? But the vampire in him told him that the feelings Ken had couldn't be ignored forever.

A sudden pain flashed through Ken'ichi's mind as something tore into his back, and the flaxen' haired vampire twirled, only to be greeted by a dark blur backhanding him to the ground. By the time his vision cleared, it was all Ken could do to scream as the talloned hand of a Nightbreed came slashing towards his face…