Chapter 5

Shizuka tied her hair up in a ponytail. She was still wearing her white kimono as she sat upon the sofa by the fireplace. Her husband slept soundly upstairs, oblivious to the fact that she even left him alone for a moment. Shizuka felt guilt burn in her veins. There were so many secrets she was keeping from her human husband, the major secret being that she was a succubus and that each time they kissed, touched, or even made love…she slowly drained him of his life source.

They spent thirty wonderful years together. Memories Shizuka would cherish forever. Yet soon the time would come when she would have to disappear. He was a mortal and she wasn't. Born an immortal that never aged as years went on.

Her husband and the world would soon become suspicious in the fact that she never aged. Shizuka didn't want to have to go through the pain that will surely come when the day her beloved husband would grow old and die. It was a truth that was hard to live with, but that was the price to pay for loving a mortal.

Shizuka leaned her back against the couch. Her eyes wondered to the silver band around her left hand's ring finger, the symbol of her marriage to Daisuke. After just a moment of staring at the ring, she removed it and saw a dark silhouette come alive as it wrapped around that same ring finger. No mortal's eyes could see it, but embedded in that place was a shadow ring that symbolized her engagement to Rido.

It wasn't unheard of for demon's to be married to human spouses while they were engaged to other demons. It was mainly done to acquire an abundant amount of life sources without having to seek out individual preys. That's how it was at first for Shizuka, nothing but acquiring food to keep her fruitful and satisfied. However, it became more than that when emotions became involved. Never would she have thought she would fall for a human male, but she did.

Children born from a human parent and an incubus/succubus were also unheard of but rarely done. Ninety-nine percent of the children born from such a combination were born as regular humans with a one percent chance of a child being born as a half demon.

Luckily all of her children were born human; at least she was sure they were. Nevertheless Shizuka never regretted falling in love and baring children, yet the weight of her engagement with Rido weighed on her mind.

It was, as all engagements are amongst demons, arranged from birth. Marriages among demons were absolute and unbreakable, Shizuka had no way out of hers and it frustrated her to no end. She didn't love Rido and Rido didn't love her, but it was expected of them to marry eventually. Shizuka had lost count of how many times she prayed for some source that could free her from this bind she had with Rido. And it would seem her moment has come as the prized jewel all demons have been waiting for has finally shown its sparkle. Shizuka could use the boy's powerful soul to finally get rid of Rido once and for all.

The thought made her smile. A world without Rido was one she could see herself living happily in and soon she could rest easy with what remained of her human husband and children's lives. The promise of peace consumed her the more she imagined such an idea, but reality was cruel as she remembered the demon she would have to conquer in order to get the boy she desired.

Kaname Kuran was an incubus well known among the demon world. He was exceptionally powerful since birth. Born and bred to be a king who will no doubt one day succeed his grandfather of the same name. It wasn't secret among the demons that knew of Rido's jealousy towards his nephew. It was also likely that Rido would have no qualms in using the boy Kuran was hiding to end his nephews and the rest of his family so he could succeed the throne he thought was rightfully his.

Bloodlust was all Rido knew. Power and control ignited his inner flame for world conquest. There was no doubt that Rido would betray the others if they decided to assist him in whatever he was planning. Shizuka was no fool though, she seen the darkness in his soul. Felt it even, and that was why his very existence needed to be erased before it tainted anything any further.

Shizuka felt content in a way as she thought that she would be the one to rid the world of such evil. And as her mood began to heighten at the idea, Shizuka stood from the couch.

Morning was approaching and Shizuka needed to hurry fast so that she could be beside her husband when he woke. Demons couldn't sleep but being beside the man she loved still filled her up with bliss. Shizuka ascended the stairs to the second floor with a smile. Tomorrow she will begin making her plans and then the hunt for the forbidden fruit shall commence.

Yet little did Shizuka know that she would be in for a great surprise when the day comes when a great evil would be revealed to have been living in her very home and how they eluded her for all these years.

A shadowy figure waited for Shizuka to enter her room upstairs before appearing from out of the darkness. The figure walked over to the still lit fireplace and peered at the mantel above the fireplace where pictures stood along the mantel.

The figure picked up a family picture of Daisuke, Shizuka, Zero, Ichiru, and Maria during Christmas several years ago and grinned.

"If only she knew, right Zero?" The figure spoke as they eyed the spot where Zero stood in the picture. "Don't worry, I won't let her harm you…I won't let anyone else do so either."

The figure's grin turned into a sinister smirk before they placed the picture back onto the mantel.

"Only I will get the privilege to kill you and eat your soul. No one else but me."

And with that, the figure was gone.

-0-

Kaname caught Zero as he collapsed into his arms. The boy was unconscious but breathing. Kaname hadn't wanted to take so much life source from Zero but with the amount he took from the other should hold him off for about a day or two and once morning came, Kaname would explain as much to the boy as he wanted. It was the least he could do for rendering the boy unconscious.

Kaname eased Zero onto the bed and pulled the covers over him before focusing his attention to the figure sitting on the windowsill a few paces from him.

"Never would've figured you for a demon." Kaname voiced out, eyeing the girl.

"That's because I rarely reveal myself as one. Plus I'm only half demon." The girl answered.

"Does Zero know?"

The girl looked at Zero then at Kaname. "No, he doesn't."

"Why are you here?"

"I came to talk."

"With whom?"

"With Zero…but you'll do."

"Then start talking."

"Not here…" The girl insisted. "I rather not risk disturbing Zero's sleep."

"Then where?"

"On the rooftop…I'll meet you there."

With a cat like leap, the girl began jumping from windowsill to windowsill before finally reaching the top.

Kaname was not far behind as he came up just a few seconds after her. Now face to face with only a few feet between them, Kaname focused his full attention on the girl whose name he still didn't know.

As if reading his mind, the girl spoke. "My name is Sayori Wakaba and I'm Zero's childhood friend."

"I'm Kaname Kuran."

"I know who you are. Your name happens to be quite famous both in the human world and in the demon world."

"Well thank you."

"That wasn't meant to be a compliment."

"Alright…now tell me what it is you wanted to speak to Zero about?"

"I wanted to tell him about the potential danger he was in, in being the forbidden fruit that grows once every thousand years. I also wanted to warn him about the succubus/incubus and demons that would come seeking his life, especially since his mother is a succubus."

Kaname seemed surprised by the last bit. "He doesn't know his mother is a succubus?"

"No, it seems Shizuka has kept it a secret from her family for whatever reason."

"Does she know that her son is 'special'?"

"I'm not sure…but I think not."

"How could she not know? Her own son is practically radiating off pheromones on a regular."

"It's been a while since Zero's been with his family. Not to mention that it could take years before a 'special' human like him could produce pheromones strong enough to enrapture an entire demon race." Sayori explained.

"Then how do you explain their meeting at the ball?" Kaname asked, puzzled.

"I don't know I wasn't there. But it's likely that someone there touched him and absorbed enough pheromones from him to keep any strong demon from noticing anything."

"That could explain it, I did sense a few demons at the ball." Kaname admitted as he thought back to the party.

"I also have a suspicion that one of Zero's siblings is a half demon like me but I don't know which one it could be?"

"Well that could get troublesome." Kaname uttered before looking over at Sayori just in time to see her glance at her phone when it chimed to indicate that she had a message.

Sayori let out a curse.

"You receive an urgent message?"

"No, just my manager asking me where I am. I told her I went out for a walk and now she is going nuts cause I haven't got back yet."

"I guess this ends our conversation."

"For now." Sayori replied. "There is still other important things I need to tell Zero but since it seems like you latched yourself onto him, I suppose you too need to hear what I have to say. Yet before that, allow me to give you a friendly warning. If you dare hurt Zero in any way, be sure that I will kill you if necessary."

"But you're only a half demon."

"You'll be surprised in the things I'm capable of doing."

Kaname smiled at that. If Sayori was brave enough to go against a pureblooded demon like him then she was most definitely someone Kaname could trust himself and Zero with. It was a good thing too, since Kaname was only moments away from killing her if she proved to be the bad guy.

"Alright, you have my word. I will not harm Zero."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me."

Kaname watched in silence as Sayori leaped from the edge of the roof to the deserted sidewalk below before disappearing into the night. Kaname could feel himself relax, because he knew that from now on things were only going to get more hectic.

TBC…