Thank you so much for the reviews! It amused me to see that someone thought I had abandoned the story having updated last five months ago. (No one tell her about the year-long breaks…) The next chapter won't take so long, though.

Stay safe, everyone.

Chapter 118: Freedom

by lightpathetic

"WHERE IS KING KANAME?"

The headline screamed from the chyron on the video as Kane watched the short clip. His mother was fielding questions from various delegates of the press as concerned dignitaries from across the globe looked on. It was a short press access before the meeting commenced, called to address the now conspicuous absence of the king, especially as the Vampire Hunters had again thrown down the gauntlet in the most spectacular way.

"I will say this one last time: I am the King. My authority is unquestionable. My husband will return from his leave when he is ready, not before. In the meantime, we must pull together now to address this ridiculous matter…"

"How can you treat this so cavalierly, my Queen? A declaration of war by the Vampire Hunters, an organisation we were told King Kaname had eradicated, given by your own son…!"

Kane had to admit he had had a good chuckle when he'd seen that. Who would have known that gigolo had it in him? So to speak. But he'd known, hadn't he, that he could be dangerous? He'd tried to warn them but they had been so enamoured with Kei's power and perfection, and so distrustful of him…. Now Kei was the Vampire Hunters' weapon. It was a spectacular and embarrassing coup to use the prince in this way. The Queen was on the spot.

"Why bore me with such details? Obviously, he is under a hostile influence. He was taken as a baby and was only just returned to us, clearly brainwashed or worse. This incident is without question an indication of the harm that has been inflicted upon us by these terrorists. My son is a Kuran, one born of the oldest clan of vampires that has given their lives in service to our kind. He deserves our respect and sympathy."

Kane bristled at this. He hadn't received any fucking "respect and sympathy"…

"But as a traitor to our kind, he will be exterminated with extreme prejudice with the rest of them. Now, excuse us, we have much to discuss…"

"My Queen, if the king is dead, it is your duty to inform us…!"

"That's enough!" shouted one of the Queen's security detail, instigated by a firm glance in his direction. "Leave. Now!"

The press was ushered away at this point and the video ended. Kane got to his feet and went to pace his cell again. He had to get out of here. If father was dead, there were too many implications, especially for him. Chiefly, his status within the Royal Family. Certainly, what his mother may decide with regard to his threat to them. But most importantly, to him at least, if his father was dead, it meant…

Kane went over to the corner of the cell again, the corner closest to the consciousness he could feel but not quite take. He was doubly worried about Zero. He was out there somewhere: alone, inconsolable and cursed with being unable to join his father in death. Kane's heart broke for him. He needed to be there. To comfort him, as he always had been for him. To assure him. To make him see he would always have someone to love him and take care of him as father had.

Especially, now...

Of course, it wasn't lost on Kane that not having his father overshadowing him may make him more… palatable in Zero's eyes. Especially, if he was a good, strong king as his father had been. Or one that could finally forge a truce with these Vampire Hunters, an organization to which Zero had devoted his life. It was all there, if he looked. All the ingredients to be happy for once in his life, with the person he'd always….

Kane closed his eyes and pressed himself into the corner, concentrating, his desperation, hope and exhilaration giving him wings he never thought he would feel, his mind reaching as far as he could to probe this wretched soul that wouldn't fucking come nearer…

"Come on! Just a little closer!" Kane shouted, his anxiety building. It seemed impossible. Why?

He slammed his head against the wall, bloodying it. He couldn't stand it if he stayed here uselessly while Zero…

Uselessly.

"You should die, you useless piece of shit…!"

"Shut up!"

"You couldn't even protect your own brother from those 'C's'…"

"Shut up! Shut up!"

Kane turned from the wall and covered his ears. Those voices. Why must they torment him? He wanted so much to shut them up, stop this pain. He'd been so close to doing so, when…

"Apple, it isn't true! You are powerful, you just have to look harder for it. As a Kuran, I had no doubt you are. The blood of the most powerful vampires on earth runs through your veins. I have no doubt you are filled with boundless potential and capacity to change the world. Even more so because you are you. And I love you for it. I love your kind heart, your calmness when those around you exploded in chaos. How you always try even when the others make you feel so small. Growing up and finding your way in the world is supposed to be hard but when you do, when you do find what and who you love, you'll have no regrets. Take it from an ex-human, vampire hunter who lives amongst the sons of princes.

"In the meantime, I can teach you a skin peeling spell to use on these bullies at school. They'll soon learn not to mess with any more Kurans…"

Kane's hands lowered from his ears as he thought of that moment. He'd been so low when Zero had found him but he cherished leaning against his chest as Zero cleaned his blood and spoke soothingly to him, his voice low, carefully controlling the tremors of his panic. He'd been sleepy, almost unconscious, numb. No strength to fight, so it was almost relaxing. Then Zero offered his neck… He'd drank, listening to him, his heart, his essence. Feeling his warmth and care.

He'd felt such… love.

He wanted that for himself. So much…

Now he could have it.

Kane walked over to the corner again and cleared his mind, focusing all he had on that single consciousness. He had found what and who he loved. He was an Arch-Pureblood, dammit. Embrace it. Stop feeling ashamed of it. Reach out and take what was yours!

Kane screamed again as he felt it, as he felt himself begin to meld…

BANG, BANG, BANG!

"Shut up in there! No rations today if you don't shut up!"

Kane turned away from the wall dropped to the floor, his eyes sightlessly staring ahead. It was gone. Fuck…

Kane eyes wildly scanned the room. It had to work or…

It had been a moment. A brief moment. But it had been enough to find out everything about them and their location, and to scent fresh air in his nostrils for the first time in years… He'd also planted in their mind the suggestion to explore their current location, breaching any barriers as necessary.

Kane's eyes closed as he leaned back against the wall, his chest heaving from his exertions.

Soon.

"LOOK, YOU DON'T WANT IT! LET IT GO!"

Kaname was deeply, deeply ashamed of himself. He felt his cheeks warm tellingly as he used both hands to keep the biggest, hottest, steamiest, most aromatic bowl of chicken and vegetable stew on a bed of mashed potatoes he'd ever seen, the first real meal he'd seen in weeks, with crusty bread on the side, in front of him. This after stoically trying not to react to Donovan scarfing down his own portion of this meal, all while Kaname's stomach betrayed him, growling lustily as the scent tortured his senses. He'd dealt them both from the same pot, but that was no guarantee...

He hadn't wanted to be manipulated or bribed. Or poisoned. He'd wanted to be strong. He'd wanted him to get to the point and just tell him why he'd been let out of the cage – he was now in his third day of cage-free existence, save for the proof-of-life pictures. Instead, Donovan'd rolled his eyes, ignored his questions and eaten, moaning as he bit the crusty bread and dipped it again in the sauce, Kaname blinking rapidly to clear his watering eyes.

"I guess you like those sandwiches better. Don't worry, I'll finish that…" he'd said, reaching for Kaname's bowl…

This was when Kaname had snapped and… - so help him, may this man die before repeating it to a soul- he was now fighting over food. It was his weak body, he told himself. It was being human and likely pregnant as well. That was it. Zero's kid was just like his father; making him… crazy…!

"Ow! You fucking…!"

Donovan examined his arm and the reddened line of distinctive quadruple marks, two almost breaking his skin, as the odd girl opposite pulled the freed bowl to him and began to shovel the stew into her mouth, just before inhaling in anguish and reaching for the lemonade.

Donovan had met her eyes in anger, wanting to decide on a punitive course of action, but thought better of it when she coughed on the stray droplets of the fizzy beverage she'd inhaled carelessly. He laughed instead, thinking karma had done enough on his behalf, enjoying the cool stare he received as he took his bowl and stood going over to place it in the sink. He soon turned back to find her cleaning the bowl with the bread. This before the most comical expression hit her face. She then covered her mouth quickly, fighting to keep control before…

BARP!

She seemed so stunned by the issue of wind from her mouth, Donovan's laugh became uncontrolled, he doubling over as a glare pinned him that could have killed him if it had been a bit sharper.

"I can't figure you out. Really! Usually, I can get a good handle on a person. You look like my kid sister but your eyes seem so mature… Then you react to stuff like you're from the cast of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'…"

"I too am trying to accomplish a similar goal but not something as trivial as figuring you out. Why I am here?"

"You see! You don't even speak like a girl…!"

"I'm not a girl!" Kaname responded testily but Donovan waved away his admission impatiently.

"Fine. Woman? 'A being worthy of respect'? Geez. You have that in common with Baby-Sis at least. One Gender Studies class and…"

"Look," Kaname demanded, losing his temper. His ill-advised admission was dismissed just because of how he looked. It was both fortunate and infuriating. Still, he'd lost patience with this buffoon. "Just tell me what you want! Why am I here?"

Kaname was feeling concern. He'd had high hopes for the achievement of coming topside. First, obtaining a location but the windows were shuttered, the nailed in slats only allowing a glimpse of grass and stone on the outside. Second, he'd hoped to immobilize his captor but each plan seemed to be thwarted.

The first day, he'd thought of luring him into the bathroom and stabbing him with the toothbrush or making him fall onto the edge of the tub. However, Donovan had only looked in the deliberately opened bathroom door to make sure he wasn't escaping, hurried him up when he was taking too long and then made sure he concealed nothing upon leaving. He was given a large clean t-shirt to wear and then shown the small laundry machine. He'd first garnered a slap when he'd refused to use it, then a look of confusion, then pity when he seemed defeated by it. Kaname felt near tears at his shame as this oaf showed him how to load a fucking washing machine and turn it on. He'd accomplished many things in his life. He just never had to deal with laundry. He was never alone and the people around him thought he was beneath such things. Even Zero. Which he'd agreed with, really. He'd had a world of concerns. Literally! Fuck it. If he hadn't been kidnapped, he wouldn't have to care about suds and separating colours! Blasted fuckwit!

He'd managed, eventually, so he was now in clean clothes as Kaname watched the man like a vile insect, waiting for an answer. He'd also been made to clean out his cage, which he was indeed returned to for the "proof of life" that day. However, since then, Kaname had only been in the cage for the above reason. Donovan, it seemed, had decided he was harmless enough to keep upstairs – Kaname knew this from the tortuous length of time he'd scratched his chin and stared at him at the door to the basement when he'd emerged in his clean clothes from the bathroom, prepared to return to it. His dislike of the isolation probably had no small role in it. Since then, however, when he was shown to a small bedroom and hand-cuffed to the heavy wooden bed, he'd been upstairs. He had been brought his "meals" there and allowed bathroom breaks. Kaname felt his terror when he had to return to the cage on those brief occasions, in case he were made to stay; his relief when he returned topside and his shame at being manipulated like this. Of course, he knew he was being worked upon. But it was so much better to being in the cage in the dark.

And Zero seemed fine if… unconscious…

Then Donovan had upped the stakes. With a lunch invite.

Kaname was angry but now full. He had the luxury given his satiety of regretting the fact he hadn't driven the fork into his captor's eyes instead. He told himself to calm his disgust that he needed to be as careful as Donovan was being. He didn't let his guard down. Kaname's hands had been free for the above mischief but his foot was hand-cuffed to the heavy table-leg.

Now Donovan, for his part, simply looked away, ignoring the question as he'd done before, and looked at his watch.

"It's almost time for 'Justice Jeopardy'. You can watch it with me, if you like, before we go down for the photo."

Kaname clenched his fists and took a deep breath. The last thing he wanted was to watch television. But it was preferable to going back to his room. Donovan was already over at the small living area, using the remote to switch the channel and raise the volume. The tail end of another court-proceedings-for-entertainment program was coming to a close. Kaname deduced that the following program was his favourite.

"Look, Donovan. Why don't you come out with it? It's obvious we are hostages. It's obvious you are leveraging this fact. Whatever is being paid to you, think of it being doubled…"

Kaname noticed the frown as Donovan tried to listen to the summary of the case. Kaname began to wonder if he was at a disadvantage merely because of his appearance. Kaname took his glass and banged it repeatedly on the table. The man groaned as he divorced his gaze from a ludicrously coifed blonde lady in a pink judge's robe with gold trim.

"Girl…"

"Triple. I can triple what you are being paid…"

"It's not about money…! Dammit! She does this thing with her eyes I like to see…" Donovan was distracted. He reached for the remote and raised the volume more. This was when Kaname raised his glass and threw it at the screen. It broke on the surface and liquid began to run down it towards the ancient wirework. Donovan cried out and ran forward, removing his t-shirt.

"You cunt…!" he thundered, pulling the plugs from the wall and carefully drying around everything. Kaname got the impression the mechanism was very important indeed.

Donovan was soon on his feet, though, moving with urgency. He returned the plugs and the screen lit up again. He sighed in relief when the screen finally loaded with the image of the "judge" with foot-high straw-coloured tresses who was waving animatedly to the "court".

"God-dammit! I missed her snide questioning of the Defendant!"

Kaname, who while this was going on, had been trying to delicately lift the table and to push the cuff over the bottom of the leg with his toe to no success, was suddenly pinned with Donovan's furious gaze. He flinched away as the man bounded forward and grabbed him, yanking him painfully by the arm. "Listen, Girl! If you won't behave, you'll have to go back to the cage!"

"I was just trying to get your attention. I need to know why I'm here. Just tell me!"

Donovan released him in disgust and returned to the sofa, clearly intent on finishing the episode before acting upon his threat. Kaname stayed silent as he watched, hoping to be forgiven. Hoping to stay to get answers. He tried again, at the advertising break, while Donovan reeled visibly at the teaser clip of the Defendant cursing the judge's provenance.

"Tell me. What do you mean by, 'It's not about money'…?" Kaname asked. "What do you want?"

"Shh. It's going to come back early…"

"Tell me or I start singing, you bastard!"

Donovan sighed, rubbed his head in equal parts frustration and thought and looked over at Kaname impatiently.

"It's about eradication, Girl. Extermination. Saving the world from an evil that has plagued us for centuries and robbed me of my family. No amount of money is worth my giving up on that! And we're close. Damned close! Now, shut up and be quiet! She's about to tear these people a new one in the name of justice!"

"MY QUEEN, the European Council's Head is asking for an audience."

Sara sighed and put down her e-pad, rubbing her temples to stay calm. No doubt she hadn't been so politely requested it of her assistant. She'd been putting her off for weeks.

That stupid story. They had no proof the king was dead and yet they were making her life quite miserable.

"She said her members were pushing for a resolution and she can't delay it any further…"

"Alright. Put her through."

Sara straightened herself, checked her hair in the windows' reflection and turned to the screen. She was tired of this. The fighting. The arguing. And she was no closer to finding her mate. It would take its toll on anybody, she counselled herself, as her fingers shook taking up the epad to resume her reading.

"My Queen…"

"Helga. How are the wife and kids?"

"Fine. Thank you for asking. Can you say the same about your husband…?"

"Yes. He's close to returning to…"

"Cut the crap, my Queen. This story is wreaking havoc with all of our Alliances. I have known the king to call me personally for much less…"

"Helga, do you forget to whom you speak?"

"If the king is dead, you are no more Queen than I. The line of succession is writ in blood…"

"You try my patience, Helga…"

"I am delivering a message, my Queen. I have been one of the King's staunchest allies. I helped him to consolidate his power in the West. I have tried to deal fairly with you both but I am facing a revolt and accusations of protecting you. I cannot go down with… whatever stratagem you have no doubt devised to take power for yourself…"

"You bitch! Do you think I want this for myself? To be ridiculed in the press…?"

"Then produce the King! Show us he lives!"

"He will not be bothered. You'll have to accept that…"

"No, my Queen. We have waited long enough. Unless you produce the king in three days, the Heads will vote to convene the Council our King had abolished. They will also vote on the appropriate measures to be taken to avenge him. You will have the formal notarized document by the morning."

Sara stayed quiet at this as Helga bowed and took her leave, followed closely by Sara's e-pad by way of the window.

"YOU MIGHT AS WELL TAKE THE MONEY."

Donovan gestured for "the Girl" to raise the epad with the news video higher and returned his gaze to the screen to centre the picture. He seemed willing to ignore her but she persisted.

"Your objective is both unoriginal and impossible. It is a conflict almost as old as civilization. Humans are no match for vampires, one and two, we are everywhere, even in the most inhospitable regions, well hidden by millennia of endeavour. Focus on what you can do now to save yourself and make yourself rich beyond your wildest dreams…"

"Shelagh's right. You are brainwashed. You do think you are a vampire."

Kaname stretched his neck carefully and closed his eyes to try to stay calm. Here he was bargaining with this idiot when before he could have… God, he hated this body! The things he did for love…!

Come on, Kuran. Concentrate.

"The fact still stands. This is hardly a novel proposition…"

"It will work this time. We have our weapon."

"Really? One weapon? Name your account and give me an epad. I can have two billion …"

"You just need the right one, Girl. One with the powers of his father and mother, whose upbringing makes him sympathetic to our cause and whose time with his family made him able to access the latest census information held by the vampire Royal Family."

Kaname's jaw slackened at this. No. He wouldn't…

"You're lying."

Donovan seemed annoyed at himself. He shouldn't have said that much, but he didn't see why he shouldn't just so as to shut her up. The condescending tone would get on anyone's nerves and, he didn't think they would let her go alive. Shelagh barely cared if she lived. Still, if they found out he'd spoken to her like this…

"If you say so. Look, we're done here. Time to go back to your room."

Kaname pushed the door to the cage – which Donovan kept unlocked during the above to gain his easy cooperation – and exited gratefully, only stealing a brief, wistful glance of Zero before heading past Donovan to the stairs. He hated being down here. If only he could…

"Wait!" Donovan yelled as Kaname bolted for the stairs. "Stay where I can see you!"

Kaname didn't. He was halfway up when his left foot was grabbed.

"Stop it, Girl! You're no match for…!"

Kaname fell onto the steps but he rolled, waited for Donovan to stand up and kicked out. Hard. The large man fell backwards on the rail-less stone steps.

"Motherfu…!"

Kaname didn't stay for the rest. He bolted up the steps and through to the kitchen to arm himself with one of the largest knives. Then he headed through the living room to the passageway. He saw the door, turned the lock and tried it. It didn't budge. He needed a key! Kaname shoved the knife in the crevice and tried to pry it open but it bent precariously before the tip snapped off. He growled in frustration and searched the table beside the door then headed back towards the kitchen… to where Donavan sat at the table shaking a bunch of keys on his belt as he held a damp towel to his elbow. It came away bloody. Kaname licked his lips in satisfaction.

"You do know this means you'll have to stay in the cage from now on."

"Fuck you. Don't you dare come near me!"

Kaname held up the rest of the knife.

"Don't make me laugh, Girl…"

"Stay where you are!" Kaname screamed again, going over to the window. It was nailed shut! This bloody place…!

"What is this?! What the fuck is going on here?!"

Donovan's mouth dropped open in horror as Kaname spun to face the arrival at the doorway. They'd heard nothing of their approach!

Shelagh drew her gun and pointed it at Kaname. He rounded on her at this but the choice of actions was soon taken away as someone came up behind him and covered his face with a cloth…

"SHUT UP! YOU WILL ROT HERE! You will never be free!"

Kane moaned, rolled and woke up upon landing on the cement floor. He sat up quickly, clearly disoriented, but soon recognized his surroundings.

And the girl with the long black hair that sat on the chair in the corner, still wearing her soiled lab coat.

Kane quickly removed his eyes from hers. He must have been exhausted. He'd fallen asleep without putting her to sleep first. She would be exhausted now as well when he needed her.

She was a young pureblood, only twenty-six. She had just moved to this remote village in … after the latest outbreak of swine fever to help. A recent university graduate, she was filled with all the usual ideals of youth and poised to change society for the better with her human friends, her predilection for the night-shift a small price to pay for her skill and volunteerism.

Which had been lucky for him.

Kane looked around the small but neat apartment she maintained in the nearby village. Her family was indeed wealthy as pureblood families went but she, the youngest of five children, decided she had no patience for the inevitable competition for her parents' and society's affection. She became enamoured with the sciences and worked diligently for progress in her own sphere, her unique attributes as a pureblood making her excel when others failed.

Not that she was like him. No. Far from it. She wasn't as powerful as his family or even hers but… she did have a gift which had come in handy. That and a pureblood's usual proficiency with killing.

Kane stood and sat back on the bed as he reached out and took the proffered glass of water and knocked it back. He replaced the glass in her waiting hand and lay back down expecting breakfast to be ready in a few minutes. He didn't have to say anything. He knew what she had in her apartment, decided what he wanted and gave her the instructions like they were one entity. Like she was his right arm. Easy. It left him to think on his next moves.

They hadn't left anyone alive in the jail break. Her attack had been swift and efficient. She absorbed their life energy en mass and left them all dead. The "Touch of Death", it was called. Made her stronger. Faster.

She rarely used it.

However, under his influence she'd scaled the mountain to the concealed prison and killed everyone. Except the guards he'd… wanted for himself. She'd brought them to him, opened the door and he'd… done the rest.

Kane smiled as he thought of their screams, his satiated body. If was how her coat had gotten soiled.

Now what?

He had to get to his mother. See what she knew about his father's disappearance. And Zero's. He thought of what to do to her and sighed. First things first. Find Zero and then… claim what was his.

Kane finally stood to leave the bedroom, walking out in his semi-nudity to sit at the small table in the kitchenette. The plate of eggs, toast and sausage was soon before him with fresh coffee. Kane inhaled deeply of it as tears came to his eyes. He'd despaired of so many things while he'd been in there. Certain his anguish would only end with death.

Now… he was free.

KANAME CAME AROUND to the pain. To intense pain. Something was being driven… inside of him… He moaned and pushed but he was slapped, his hands grabbed as the grunting resumed…

The man on top of him groaned as he forced himself deeper and Kaname screamed, his insides, his stomach was burning.

"Shut up, you bitch!"

"You'll have to put her out again."

"I'm soon done with her."

A rag was found for his mouth and the torture resumed. Kaname cried and tried to kick but it was only when… When…

"Oh, fuck…!" the smothering foul sweating form above him shouted in exhilaration.

"Damn! Let me have a go again…"

"No. We've had our fun. We have to sell her, after all..."

"Why not just kill her?"

"She just wants us to get rid of her. Why not make a little more on the side? Being a drugged-up bitch in a station brothel is as good as dead, anyway."

The other man laughed and resumed smoking in the front seat as the other… withdrew. He thought they could get a few grand for her even after the "sampling" they'd done. Their profession had its perks. And they were good at it. The girl would stay gone. The place was discrete and once she was used up, she would be discarded. As they had been paid to do. You have to know how to work all the angles in this life.

"You've got talent, girl," the heavy-set man said, grabbing her bare behind. "I'll visit you again, if you live."

"Alright, let's go," came the voice from the front seat. "Being out here like this gives me the creeps."

The heavy-set man straightened and fixed himself, quite sure the girl had passed out again, she was so still. She'd rolled to her side on the back seat of the spacious sedan. Pathetic little thing. She should be out of her misery, really. They wouldn't even bother to tie her up she was so small and insignificant.

The man turned to open the back door to go back to the front seat. This was when he was surprised by a heel to his throat and, while he sat gasping, his eyes were shoved in by two small thumbs. The man in the front seat cried out and went for his gun but he was fell upon by the girl and the fleshy side of his neck bitten and torn out as she shoved her foot on his hand, using her weight to avoid being shot. She spat out the piece of flesh as blood shot onto everything in the car, before going for the gun from his weakening arm and heading back into the back seat and through the door to where the other man was staggering blindly away from the car, and by sheer luck, towards the road. The girl raised the gun and shot the other man in the front seat once in the head before heading after the other man and shooting until he fell over. She then went back to the car, popped the trunk and found a tire iron. She walked over to where the heavy-set man lay gasping on the ground from the trauma to his throat and the fresh wounds to his chest and shoved the end of the tire iron into a sightless eye socket before removing it and hammering him over the head repeatedly until he stopped moving.

She then lifted his legs under each of her arms and tried to drag him back near the car without much success. She soon gave up, dropped his legs and went back to the car instead. She pulled the other man out onto the ground and slammed the door on his caught right leg, breaking it, before removing it and closing the door properly. She went over to the driver's side and got in, realised belatedly there were no keys in the antiquated non-descript sedan, got back out, searched the man nearest the car for the keys, went back over to the heavy-set man, found the car keys on him, came back to the car, got in and closed the door.

The girl adjusted the seat and mirrors before turning the ignition. She pulled off a short distance until she saw both men in the rear-view mirror. She threw the car in reverse and backed up until the back right of the car lifted up. She then stopped and waited until the car dropped sickeningly upon a telling pop-crunch sound. She then reversed again, swerving until the left back of the car raised up then fell to a similar effect. She then threw the car in drive and drove forward to the road. It was then she realised she didn't know where she was. She checked the car for a phone or a directions computer. Nothing. She got out and went back to the bodies to search for a phone. Nothing. Such caution. Only to ruin it by… by…

It was then Kaname fell onto his knees and hands and retched and retched again. He grabbed some grass and wiped between his legs over and over again. He felt driven to get… them out of him. Then he touched his stomach. Why was his stomach hurting so badly? That was when he remembered…

Kaname staggered to his feet and walked out towards the road, his blood-soaked t-shirt with patches of its original blue colour barely skimming the tops of his nude hips. It was an isolated place. Even the distant treeline seemed to avoid it. This was good because it was likely that the tracks that led to where they had parked the car to… to do this to him… Anyway, they probably pointed to the direction they had come.

Kaname noted the tracks and came back to the car. He hesitated on a decision, then went back for the gun and searched the bodies for ammunition. His mission accomplished, he returned to the car, pulled onto the road and headed off down it to kill the bastards that still had Zero.

to be continued

lightpathetic wrote this but these are not my characters. They belong to Vampire Knight.