Vampire Knight Fan Fiction ❯ Entwined ❯ Patience is Passion Tamed ( Chapter 9 )

Entwined

Patience is Passion Tamed

Disclaimer: I do not own nor profit from any of the ideas, characters, names, etc that I have used from Vampire Knight. Original characters are all mine of course.

A/N: Review responses for the last chapter are up on my forums. As you should know by now, you can access it from my profile page. *smiles*

Ah phew! The chapter is finally finished! Things have been so hectic recently. Recovered from the cold, got a new PC, so my writing had to be put on hold for a few days because of that, and then a metaphorical landmine exploded in ye olde real life which totally threw the idea of getting the chapter completed quickly out of the window. *sigh* So... sorry about all that!

The character in the last scene should, I hope, be recognisable. I apologise for any OOCness, as my knowledge and understanding of said character is pretty limited.

I chose the chapter title from a famous quote. Whoever figures out the origin will get a cookie from me! *grins*

----------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------

Zero was finding it difficult to breathe. The hand around his throat was getting tighter. Zero looked into Kaname's crimson filled eyes. What he saw there was not the pureblood that he had known up until now. What had happened to him? Why was he acting this way?

He swung at the brunette, his hand catching on the other vampire's shirt, tearing the material. His other hand clawed at the iron grip around his throat, trying to pry it loose.

“Ku-,” Zero tried to call out to the pureblood, but his windpipe was too crushed.

The half-gasped cry seemed to trigger something within Kaname and he dragged Zero to the floor, removing his hand from his throat and using it to pin him by his chest. The pureblood lowered his head to Zero's ear.

“Weren't you supposed to be standing up to me?” The words were a hissed whisper.

A feeling of dread crept up his spine as he sucked in a deep breath. Zero knew that Kaname could probably kill him with very little effort, but it didn't mean that he had to like it. He wouldn't just sit back and let the pureblood do as he wished.

Zero bent his leg suddenly and used his knee to push the brunette away from him forcefully. Kaname slipped to the side briefly before he regained his balance and grabbed at Zero's leg, halting the momentum. In one fluid motion, the ex-human surged forward, compensating for the inability to use one leg, he swivelled to his side and threw a punch at the pureblood's jaw.

Surprisingly, it connected, quite brutally and the brunette fell back onto the floor, a look of shock on his face. Zero paused momentarily, just as stunned. Why hadn't he tried to block or dodge it?

The tangy scent of blood hit his senses. Kaname's blood. He'd struck him that hard? Zero's chest tightened in the first throws of blood lust. It had been over a week since he had fed from the pureblood and his body was beginning to crave the intoxicating liquid.

Kaname had brought a hand up to his mouth and was touching the inside of his lip almost gingerly. He had donned the usual calm mask once more, but his eyes still smouldered with anger.

The two vampires sat splayed on the floor, opposite each other. Kaname's gaze was fixed on the floor while Zero watched him carefully, wondering if he would become violent again.

“You have a nasty right hook,” Kaname mumbled, distractedly.

The pureblood's gaze was still averted. Zero's eyes narrowed. Was he ashamed?

“What the hell's gotten into you, Kuran?” he spat at the other vampire. He wanted some answers.

Kaname remained silent for many moments before raising his head and meeting Zero's gaze. He heard a small sigh escape the pureblood's lips. The fire in the brunette's eyes had dulled and he seemed to have returned to his usual self.

“You shouldn't have come.”

Zero scowled at the other vampire, but any reply he was about to utter was promptly forgotten as Kaname smiled softly at him.

“But I'm glad you did.” The brunette chuckled. “Even if it did turn out this way.”

The pureblood abruptly stood and Zero tensed automatically in response. The smile faded from Kaname's lips as he stretched out a hand towards the ex-human.

“Don't worry. I won't attack you again.”

Zero eyed the offered hand briefly before grasping it with his own and allowing the pureblood to help him to his feet. His pride usually wouldn't allow for such assistance, but he had found himself sacrificing a lot of his usual habits and tendencies lately. To achieve his goals, he reminded himself firmly.

As he straightened up he felt Kaname tug at his arm and he stumbled towards the other vampire. The pureblood steadied him with his free hand, resting it lightly against his shoulder.

Zero was uncomfortably close to the brunette and he had the urge to pull away, but he wasn't sure how that act would be interpreted. Instead he set his jaw and glanced into Kaname's eyes.

“So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?”

The pureblood let out another sigh. “Seiren is missing.”

Zero frowned. “Who?”

The brunette's eyebrows rose briefly. “Oh, of course, you don't know her. She is essentially my eyes and ears, obtaining information for me when I ask of it, and researching various business related matters. She doesn't return here very often.”

Zero stared blankly at Kaname, but he seemed to think that brief explanation was sufficient as he wasn't forthcoming with any more information. His frown deepened.

“You don't seem the sort to get flustered over the disappearance of one person.”

Still, there was no response from the pureblood and he noticed he was no longer meeting his gaze, his eyes having slid lower. Kaname was deliberately avoiding the subject, he realised.

Zero tensed once more as he felt the hand that was resting lightly on his shoulder slip slowly up to his neck. A gentle tug on his arm pulled him closer to the brunette, their bodies touching ever so slightly. Zero's mind was reeling. He was torn between pushing the other vampire away and just letting him do as he wished. It wasn't simply a logical decision. His body was reacting quite distinctly to Kaname's close proximity. Instead, he simply focused on controlling his breathing, pushing any other sensations to the back of his mind, refusing to deal with them at this time.

The pureblood had leant his head forward and Zero could feel his warm breath brushing across his cheek, causing him to unwillingly abandon his thoughts of concentrating on his breathing. He was so close, and the faint scent of the other vampire's blood was making his thought processes extremely sluggish.

“May I?” Kaname's voice was surprisingly husky.

It took a moment for Zero to decipher the words and even longer to understand their meaning. Kaname's gaze was firmly locked onto his mouth. He wanted to kiss him, he realised. If he denied him now, after allowing him to touch him and pull him close, he was sure the pureblood would take offense. However, the words of consent simply refused to leave his lips. That rational part of his brain wouldn't allow it, or perhaps it was irrational, things seemed to be so much more complicated recently.

A sigh escaped the brunette's lips and he abruptly stepped away from Zero, releasing him. He turned away.

“Perhaps this isn't a good idea.”

Crap... I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm pushing him away. Crap!

As Kaname had turned, he was sure he had seen sadness in his eyes. It was a brief glimpse, but Zero found that he distinctly hated the fact that he had been the one to cause it. What the hell was he thinking? Who cares if a vampire feels sad? He was so utterly confused. The thought hadn't crossed his mind that vampires, especially purebloods, were even capable of feeling such emotions. If he were thinking rationally, it would be obvious that would be the case, he still felt such things after all. Then again, he had been human at one point and he desperately clung onto that humanity as if it were a life-line. For vampires who had never known what it was like to be human, were they just mimicking what they saw from those around them? Or were they truly capable of those emotions?

Zero gritted his teeth. Over-analysing it at this point would do him no good. He watched Kaname walk slowly towards the desk, his back still turned towards him. Actions speak louder than words, right?

Before he could talk himself out of it, he closed the short distance Kaname had made between them, and grasped the pureblood by the arm. He pulled on him roughly, turning him around forcefully. The brunette was apparently startled and brought a hand up to remove Zero's tight grip. Expecting such an act, he pre-emptively leant against Kaname, pushing them both towards the desk. Their motion was abruptly stopped when the pureblood's legs came into contact with the wooden surface and he had to swing his arm behind him to stop them crashing onto the desktop.

“What-?” Kaname began, but the words died in his throat as Zero slid a hand up to the nape of his neck, tangling in his long hair, and pulled his head roughly towards his own.

Their lips met forcefully and Zero felt Kaname relax under his touch. He ignored any of his inner thoughts, letting his instincts guide him. Again, his body was reacting to the other vampire's close proximity and the feeling of his lips against his own, but he refused to be repulsed by the sensation. He released his grip on the pureblood's arm and slipped it around his waist, pulling him even closer, their bodies tight against one another. A quiet groan slipped past the brunette's lips, and he felt it vibrate against his own. Kaname had partially opened his mouth, and Zero took advantage of that, slipping his tongue inside. The moist warmth was welcoming and he explored more eagerly than he would care to admit.

He felt the pureblood's hands sliding around his waist and up his back and he shivered in response. Intimate touch was something he was not used to, it felt somehow alien to him. He pushed the thoughts away and continued his exploration of Kaname's mouth. A tangy, metallic taste assaulted his taste buds as he ran his tongue along the inside of the pureblood's lip. In his haste to resolve the `misunderstanding' he had completely forgotten that Kaname had been bleeding from his punch. Although the cut would have healed already, there were obviously still traces of blood inside his mouth. His body reacted immediately. He could feel his fangs extending as the all too familiar tightening sensation in his chest began. Abruptly, he pulled away, bringing one of his hands up to cover his mouth and turning to face away from Kaname. He hated this. He didn't want to be seen like this.

He felt a hand tentatively brush his shoulder. He shrugged it off.

“Don't.” His voice sounded harsher than he had intended it to.

“Kiryu...” Kaname's voice held neither the icy nor angry tone that Zero had expected. It was soft, almost coaxing.

The pureblood walked slowly around him until he was standing directly in front of him. Gently, he reached out and pried Zero's hand away from his mouth.

“It is nothing to be ashamed of. You may not like who or what you are now, but you need to come to terms with your body's needs and desires.”

Zero couldn't help but snarl in response to those words. He didn't want to accept the fact that he would be like this for the rest of his life, even though he knew it to be painfully true.

The corner of Kaname's mouth twitched in the semblance of a sardonic smile. “Believe it or not, I do not enjoy the overwhelming craving of blood. I like to be in full control of myself. Yet, when my body needs sustenance, I cannot quash those urges. It... irritates me.”

Zero looked away from the brunette. Was he just saying these things to try and make him feel better? Or was there some truth behind it? Even though he had known Kaname for only a short while, his efforts to hide his inner thoughts and emotions proved how much he disliked losing control. So then, it would be no surprise he would also dislike that particular aspect of his vampire nature as well.

“Would I be right in assuming that's the real cause of your crap mood then?”

The pureblood's expression did not reveal any surprise at Zero's question.

“Partly, yes. You were right earlier when you said that I'm not usually the sort to be flustered over the disappearance of one person, even if that person is as close to me as Seiren.” Kaname paused, letting out a sigh. “But my usual self-control tends to be slightly lacking when I'm... hungry.”

Zero frowned at the slight change of tone when the word `hungry' was uttered. Still, what the pureblood had just said would explain his strange behaviour.

“Why don't you just feed then?” The question was innocent enough, but at the thought of the implications, he regretted asking it. If it were any other vampire, he would just assume he would suck on some unsuspecting stranger's neck. Yet, he found himself truly wishing that was not the case.

Kaname smiled at him briefly. “I only feed from willing donors and I do not touch human blood at all. Usually a pureblood would feed, and share in turn, with his or her partner. As I have none, that is not possible, but I am reluctant to take from just anyone.” The pureblood chuckled slightly. “I have been told that I am fussy in that regard.

“You have fed only once, as far as I am aware, so you probably don't know, but the taking of blood from another vampire can involve more than just nutritional value. Feelings and emotions can be transferred, especially if the two concerned are close. This becomes more likely the purer the vampire's blood. So, in essence, I would be most affected by it, hence the reason I am reluctant to take from those around me, and also why I subject myself to this... irritation.”

“I... see.” He felt somewhat relieved that Kaname didn't feed from innocent human beings. Purebloods were the only type of vampires who could turn humans, so feeding on them would be an even more horrific fate than if he were a noble or below, as he knew from first-hand experience.

He hadn't been aware feelings could also be transferred along with blood. He would have to make sure Kaname never drank from him, or else his ulterior motives for getting close to the pureblood could be discovered. Not that he had any intention of letting him take his blood anyway. He still remembered distinctly the feeling of fangs penetrating his skin when he was turned. It was not a pleasant memory, and one he did not wish to repeat.

Zero looked up as he realised Kaname was studying him quite intently. “What?”

“I won't ask you, so you may relax. I realise your distaste for such things.”

Zero frowned. Was the pureblood a mind reader as well?

Kaname chuckled again. “Your expression gave away your thoughts quite blatantly. Like an open book.”

Zero's frown only deepened. If the brunette could read him so easily, that wasn't a good sign.

The pureblood let out a small sigh and turned towards the desk. Taking a seat on the edge of the desktop he looked once more at Zero.

“Even though I would really like to continue from where we left off, you are obviously in need of blood yourself.”

Kaname slipped a hand up to the collar of his shirt, loosening the material away from his neck. The top two buttons had already been ripped off from where Zero had grabbed at him previously.

“I can only offer a little, as I require blood myself, and I'm not sure if I could contain myself if you took too much.”

Zero could imagine a feral grin would be an appropriate expression right now, if Kaname were the sort to express himself that way.

“No. I'm fine.”

“There's no need to be stubborn.”

“I said I'm fine,” Zero growled.

Kaname simply stared at him for a moment before closing his shirt over once more. “Very well. Do as you please. You won't be able to refuse forever, and if you are doing so now out of spite, that would be disappointing.”

Zero crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at the pureblood. Kaname shook his head slightly and pushed himself to a standing position.

“I have things I must attend to, so if you could leave now?”

Zero grunted in response and turned to leave, his mood utterly fouled for some reason that was absolutely elusive to him at that moment.

* * *

Takuma watched Aidou sitting languidly on the sofa in front of him, a smug grin plastered across his face. He had been doing so for many minutes now, and had yet to figure out just what had made the other vampire so happy.

“Are you going to tell me?” He finally gave in, and decided to just ask.

Aidou turned his blue eyes on Takuma. “Tell you?”

The noble's innocent act wasn't going to fly with him. “You know what I'm referring to. Why are you in such a good mood?”

“Oh that! Well, I'm just filled with such good will. I put aside all those negative thoughts and acted kindly.” He nodded to emphasise his point. “I escorted our `guest' up to Kaname's room earlier.” His grin widened.

“Aidou...” There was a warning tone in Takuma's voice.

“Mmm?” he replied nonchalantly.

“You know Kaname is in need of blood, don't you? He requested not to be disturbed.”

“Oh, really? No, I didn't know.” Again, Aidou sounded completely indifferent.

Takuma raised a hand to rub at a temple. “Are you that jealous?”

“Huh? What?”

“Zero couldn't have known what he was walking into, yet you took him anyway. That's not very becoming of you, Aidou.”

The other noble crossed his legs and looked away from Takuma. “He's a big boy, he can take care of himself.”

“That's not the point.” He let out an exasperated sigh. “I'll just have to go up there and see if I can clean up the mess you made.”

“That won't be necessary.”

The two nobles turned to look at the doorway, startled at the unexpected voice. Zero stood there, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed, looking none the worse for wear.

Aidou paled visibly, suddenly looking extremely guilty.

“Zero! Are you... alright?” Relief flooded Takuma, even as the ex-human flinched slightly at the use of his first name. I suppose he isn't used to people being familiar with him...

“Yes.” Zero stared intently at Aidou as he replied.

“Good, I hope nothing happened that, uh, shouldn't have. You should have been told that Kaname didn't wish to be disturbed. I apologise.” Takuma could tell that the ex-human was only half-listening to his words. His attention was fully on the other noble in the room.

He looked between Zero and Aidou, trying to gauge the atmosphere. “I'm not going to have to break up another fight, am I?”

“No.” Zero replied, almost too quickly. “After all, I'm a `big boy'. Isn't that right `Aidou'?” He spoke the blonde's name in a forceful, mocking manner.

The other noble had been conspicuously silent throughout the exchange but Takuma could see the anger building behind the quiet demeanour. Before he could reply, Zero had turned and left though, for which Takuma was glad. He was sure any words out of Aidou's mouth at that moment would have been inflammatory.

“I guess he heard us.” Aidou spoke finally after several moments of silence.

“Next time think before you act. Not only could Zero have been injured, which in itself is bad enough, but who do you think would have been the most angry over that?” Takuma paused to let the question sink in a little before continuing. “For some reason we are not aware of, Kaname has taken a liking to Zero, so he would have been affected the most if he had indeed ended up hurting him.”

Aidou didn't reply. He knew the other vampire was as stubborn as the next person, but he also knew that he was highly intelligent. Jealousy may have blinded his judgement for a moment, but if something could hurt Kaname, he was confident he would be more careful the next time, and hopefully more sensible.

“Well, I'll leave you to mull that over,” Takuma stated as he stood.

* * *

The sun was just dipping below the horizon, flooding the landscape in hues of orange and pink. At the edge of a shadowy copse of trees, hidden amongst the foliage of a rather large oak, crouched a lone figure. It was wrapped in dark clothing that enabled it to blend in well with its surroundings. The clothing, although quite loose, did nothing to hide the subtle curves of the female form within them.

The female pulled the piece of cloth down that was wrapped around the lower portion of her face and inhaled deeply. Grey eyes scanned the landscape before her, taking in every minute detail with practiced ease.

Half a mile away, down the side of a gently rolling hill stood an old looking building. It was fairly large, in this country's standards but above all else, it was secluded. No other structures were in view, just fields and trees.

The female had been crouched in this spot for many hours, the shadow of the trees a welcome reprieve from the sun. She had finally discovered the location of this building, but not without a sacrifice or two. She was on the run now. Her identity had been discovered by those she had been secretly investigating. She had reluctantly cut herself off from all forms of communication and had resorted to more `traditional' methods of tracking and investigation. By doing this she had managed to evade her pursuers and had found her way to this place, the supposed home of one of the most powerful and dangerous vampires alive, even if it was only covertly.

She only hoped that her master was not too perturbed by her sudden communication blackout. Although she didn't return to his side very often, she had never been totally cut off from him. She relied on him as much as he relied on her abilities. He was a constant source of comfort, not in the traditional sense, but he gave her a feeling of belonging to something. In her world of constant solitude, it was important to feel there was always something to return to, even if it was just fleetingly.

Movement in the distance shook her from her reverie. A vehicle was trundling slowly up the long dirt track that led to the lone building. With her enhanced eyesight, she could tell the vehicle was a van of some sorts, but other than that she couldn't pick out any details.

At least she knew the place wasn't abandoned. When night came and with it the cover of darkness, she would move closer for further inspection. If this supposed powerful vampire lived here, she could not sense it. If they were that strong, surely she would feel some kind of presence at this range?

The van stopped at the front of the building and she saw the driver side door open. A single person exited the vehicle. She focused her eyes, trying to pick up any detail that would allow her to identify the figure. She let out a frustrated grunt. It was impossible, she was too far away.

She watched sullenly as the figure walked to the building and up the steps to the front door. The person didn't wait long to enter, and she didn't see a second figure inside, so that was some kind of information at least. Either the door had been unlocked, or this person had a key to the place. The owner or someone close to them?

Her eyes narrowed slightly as the door closed. Was that a glint of silver she saw as the person had disappeared into the house? Silver hair? How unusual.