We're Not Meant to Be chp. 7

WARNING, CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE VAMPIRE KNIGHT FINALE

We're Not Meant to Be

Chapter 7

Bloody Horizon

Kain turned off the car engine.  The headlights faded away, leaving him in darkness.  The trees seemed to close in around him, their black limbs reaching for the car, like they were puppets of Kuran Kaname there to finish off his cousin and himself along with him.  Gritting his teeth, Kain opened the door, pushing his fear out of the way firmly.

He’d barely closed the door when he heard the click of a familiar gun.

“If you kill me, the Chairman will be angry.”

“You reek of blood.  What happened, Akatsuki?”

Kain remained silent for a moment, staring undaunted down the barrel of Bloody Rose, studying the vampire holding it.  He wasn’t about to open the door to the backseat where his bleeding cousin lay helpless if Zero Kiryuu were even the slightest bit hungry.  He was still feeling weak after Aidou had nearly drained him, and probably wouldn’t be able to hold off a hungry human-turned-vampire.  Even though he knew it would piss Zero off, he asked,

“When did you feed last?”

Zero’s pale lavender eyes narrowed, but he answered bitterly, “I took some blood tablets a few hours ago.”  He didn’t say whether he was able to keep them down or not, but Kain figured that Zero would mention it if he hadn't.  Slowly, he opened the back door of the car.  Zero’s eyes widened in shock.

“Is that… Aidou Hanabusa??” He demanded, lowering his gun and clamping his free hand over his nose and mouth to ward off the metallic scent.  “What happened?  Where’s Yuuki?”

“I’ll explain later,” Kain replied, beginning to carefully slide Aidou out of the backseat.  “Right now I need to get him to the Chairman.  He’ll know what to do.”

Zero kept his distance, his hand still clamped over his face, as Kain carried Aidou through the trees to Cross Academy.  It wasn’t long until they reached the door to Chairman Cross’s office.  Thankfully, the light was still on inside.  Zero reached to open the door, but his hand hadn’t touched the knob before Kain felt a presence behind them.

“Hanabusa looks really beat up,” Rima remarked.  Kain looked at her, into her eyes, and saw that the concern that was void from her voice filled her eyes instead.  Shiki was in front of him in that second, and he stared at Hanabusa with that same look in his eye, but he didn’t say anything.  Ichijo, too, was there, though he was more outspoken than Shiki.

“Aidou-kun!  What happened to him?!” he cried, his green eyes wide.  Shiki eyed him exasperatedly, then just opened the door.



Yuuki stared out the window into the moonlit, snow covered trees beyond, taking one, deep, shaky breath after another.  In through the nose, out through the nose, with her teeth gritted behind her quivering lips.  She dared not blink, for fear it would bring the tears again.  She dared not let her mind wander, for fear that same scene would play in her mind for the thousandth time.  She was so tired of crying.

And yet, she still wanted to.

It was like her own masochistic punishment.  She dwelt on it, and tried to avoid it at all costs.  She kept the pain locked inside her heart, smothering, suffocating, and she wanted so badly to release it that it ached every time she breathed.  Ruka was kind to her, always caring for her and staying by her side, silent and watchful, but never crowding.  Yuuki knew she could see how she punished herself, and the vampire princess was grateful that she remained silent on the subject.  This was something personal that Ruka could not help her with.

Suddenly, Yuuki saw a shadow shoot through the trees.  Squinting, she stood from her chair by the window and moved closer, waiting for whatever it was to come into the light.  The shadow darted through the woods again, closer to the house, fast as a bullet.  If Yuuki’s vision weren’t enhanced by her pure vampire blood, she never would have seen it.  But even with her pure vampire blood, she couldn’t make out who it was – who was making their way closer to the house with each swooping, shadowed movement.

“What…?”

All of a sudden, the black shape reared up in front of the window.  Startled, Yuuki fell back just as the window burst open and the figure shot through.  It landed on the floor before her on one knee, head bowed, right hand over its heart.  Immediately, Yuuki knew who it was.

The door flew open behind her and Ruka rushed in.  “Yuuki-sama, what- Seiren!!”

The violet-haired vampire raised her head.  “Kuran Yuuki-sama, I have come here to pledge my loyalty to you… and you alone.”



“Aidou-kun!!” Cross exclaimed, shooting up from his desk.  “Kain-kun, what’s happened?!”

“I’ll explain everything,” Kain promised, “but first Aidou needs immediate attention.  I bandaged his wounds as best as I could, but-”

“Yes, of course,” the Chairman interrupted, waving his hand.  “I’ll call the nurse’s office so she’s ready for you.  I wish I could send him to the hospital, but being an injured vampire, he could attack someone at any time.  In our offices it’s much easier to keep an eye on him, and to erase any memories if something goes wrong.  Hopefully it will be enough…  Go on, I’ll be right behind you.”  He was already dialing the number when he finished speaking.  Kain lost no time in rushing through the building to the nurse’s office, Zero, Ichijo, Shiki, and Rima right behind him.

The nurse met them outside the door, her face white as a sheet.  She hurried them to a bed, where Kain laid his cousin.  The nurse began pulling off his bloody bandages, going more and more pale until she was nearly translucent.

“He must be taken to the hospital,” she finally said.  “His wounds are too serious to be treated here.  His chest has been punctured, and there could be internal damage to his lungs and maybe his spinal cord and-”  She reached for the phone, but Kain’s hand snatched her wrist away before she could even touch it.  He looked her right in the eye, and she flinched away.

“He must stay here.  He can’t go to the hospital.  Do everything you can do, and I’ll do the rest,” he ordered gravely, his voice so firm that the nurse couldn’t argue.  She even forgot to breath for a few seconds.  Finally, she swallowed and nodded.

“I’ll do everything possible,” she promised.  “You’ll all have to leave, though.”

“I’m staying,” Kain said.  Again, the poor nurse couldn’t argue with him.

“Get better, Hanabusa,” Rima said quietly as she followed Shiki out the door.  Ichijo hesitated after them, then left as well.  Zero remained where he was, his eyes fixed suspiciously on Kain.

“Akatsuki…” he warned.

“I’ll explain everything as soon as he’s stable.”

“Where’s Yuuki?”

“…She’s… This has nothing to do with her,” he answered reluctantly.  He had been about to say, “She’s safe,” but he wasn’t so sure about that.  He knew could take care of herself, and Yuuki would be in good hands under her watchful eye, but he knew that she was still no match for a pureblood.  Better to lie and get Zero off his back then to explain everything and have Bloody Rose pointed at his head.  He’d have to get the Chairman in private to explain matters.

Zero’s eyes narrowed to icy slits, but Kain held his glare steadily.  Finally, the silver-haired vampire turned and stalked out of the room.  Kain turned back to his cousin, watching grimly as each of his injuries were revealed again as the nurse replaced his old bandaged for fresh ones.

“He needs a blood transplant…” the nurse murmured to no one in particular.

Leave that to me, Kain thought.  Still, he worried that even with the nurse and himself doing all they could, it might be too late for Aidou.



“What did you say?” Yuuki breathed, shocked.  Seiren was Kaname’s unofficial body guard!  She was more loyal than even Ruka, and had nearly killed Zero for pulling Bloody Rose on him.  How could she turn away from him?

“I saw what Kuran Kaname-sama did to Hanabusa Aidou, and I believe he acted wrongly…”  Seiren paused when she noticed Ruka’s incredulous glare.  “Very wrongly, towards Kuran Yuuki-sama.  After much debate, I am here to pledge my services to you.  Use me as you will.”  She bowed her head again, awaiting Yuuki’s orders.  The vampire princess just stared at her.

“You could be a spy for Kaname-sama,” Ruka accused, placing her hands protectively on Yuuki’s shoulders.  “How do we know-”

“N-no, Ruka-senpai,” Yuuki protested.  “I don’t think she would do that.”

Seiren nodded, keeping her head bowed.  “Thank you for your confidence, Kuran Yuuki-sama.  I am not a spy.  My skills lie in combat, not in deception.  And I would never attempt to deceive a pureblood.  In truth, I am here to protect you, should something else happen, and I am here to help you escape.”

“Escape?!” Yuuki and Ruka repeated in unison.

“What else were you planning to do?” Seiren demanded of Ruka, giving her an incredulous look.

“Well…” Ruka hesitated.  “Kain-senpai… he…  I’m not sure what he was planning to do after the, um…”  She glanced at Yuuki, and decided not to finish the sentence.  “What if he comes back for Yuuki and I, and we’re not here?  And what will Kaname do if he catches us trying to leave?”

“He won’t,” Seiren replied firmly.  “If we leave this minute and keep moving at a steady pace, we might have a chance to make it to a safe place.  Kuran Yuuki-sama, do you have someplace in mind?”

Yuuki knew immediately where she wanted to go.  It was safe for Ruka and Seiren… and there was someone there who could help her.  He wouldn’t hesitate to do it either.  Smiling gravely, she nodded.  “We should go to Cross Academy.  It’s close by, and the Chairman will gladly take us in.”

“But Kiryuu Zero is there,” Ruka hissed at the name.  “He swore he would kill you if he ever saw you again!”

“Yes…” Yuuki whispered to herself.  “I know…”



Deep crimson eyes watched the three sleek shadows disappear into the trees, into the blackness of night.  His heart ached, but he ignored it.  This was the right thing.  This was his plan.

“You have three days, Hanabusa Aidou,” Kaname murmured to himself, his eyes following the path he knew the three young women were taking through the forest.  “…Use them wisely.”

To Be Continued...