Chapter 9: Truth

by lightpathetic

"DADDY! What a surprise! Is anything wrong?"

Sara took an unconscious step back as she saw the look on her father's face. Rage. That was the word for it. Pure rage. She supposed it was over her intervention in Zero's murder. She had explained to him over the telephone, not being able to face him. He hadn't said anything in response, which Sara had thought was a good thing. Maybe he had understood her position, what she was trying to accomplish with Kaname. She had been wrong. Apparently he had been too speechless with anger to make a response.

Sara watched as her father came in, avoiding her eyes, and headed for the small salon where they always visited together. It was located on the ground floor to the north of the house and overlooked the lake. But they really liked it for its seclusion; away from the servants and most eyes where they could talk about anything. If fact the rooftop of one of their most popular topics could be seen, a few miles to the north-west. Sara guessed what her father wanted to say to her was definitely not for other ears.

"Sara," her father began, as soon as she had closed the door, not even turning around from the view of the lake through the patio doors, "you have always been a disappointment to me. From the day you were born until now. I am sure if you had been a son you would not have been half the excruciating trouble to me to raise, you stupid, weak girl…"

"Daddy!" Sara gasped. She had expected yelling and some cursing, anything but the cold, deliberate way he had set about killing her spirit. "I thought you understood. It would have only hurt Kaname! I had to…"

"Don't interrupt me, you ungrateful girl. I am not interested in anymore of your silly, whiny, excuses. You have never had the backbone to do what was needed. Never. I have had to go forward on you behalf. Always. You don't have the killer instinct where it truly matters. You think I wanted to make a fool of myself in front of the Council those years ago? I told you we should have killed him then for the shame he had brought to our house but you just stood there, refusing, like some scared bunny."

"Daddy! You knew Kaname would have…"

"I SAID I AM SPEAKING!" Shirabuki whirled around from the window, growling, his clenched fists and glowing red eyes showing how close he came to physically attacking her. Sara's eyes widened at the venom that almost literally flowed form her father. She took a step back, suddenly afraid, suddenly terrified…

"I have never recovered you know that? I HAVE NEVER RECOVERED! Besides the loss of stature at the Council do you know why I have struggled financially since then? Kaname thinks he is so smart. He thinks I don't know that he has been sabotaging my efforts to build back up my companies since that time. All these numerous corporations that you can't find a real person behind that had just suddenly developed an interest in buying out my stock from under me, and my suppliers' stock and my competitors'… I have been struggling to save face with loan after loan, fighting tooth and nail that vulture so I can keep a roof over our heads and all you can do if tell me, when I finally could have gotten some revenge, some small compensation, is 'Kaname would have been hurt'… Screw Kaname! And most of all screw you! I don't want to lay eyes on you ever again you hear me? You are dead to me!"

Shirabuki-san finally closed his mouth, pulling halting breaths into his lungs. Sara's wide eyes still registered her shock at what she had heard. She'd had no idea… She suddenly felt unsteady on her feet, moving carefully to a nearby sofa, sitting heavily. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't…

Shirabuki-san sneered at the typical response he thought he could expect from his daughter. Scared rabbit. She was lucky Kaname Kuran went through with their arrangement. He didn't know who else would have looked at her. He certainly didn't want his son tied to her for an eternity. His disgust pushed him into action. Without looking back he stalked to the door…

"Daddy I... I am not finished with you..." Despite her shock, Sara felt something stir inside her. She wouldn't take this. Not from him. All her life she had been set these standards. She knew she disappointed him. She had grown up with this knowledge like an old hat; uncomfortable but more familiar than anything else. She had learned to live with "that look" ever since she had been old enough to feel the shame of it. Oh yes. She had gone through the inevitable. She had tried to remove that look. She had tried to be the best she could be at everything. She had tried to be ruthless and hard and cruel. She had been demanding and cunning and falsely charming. She has had so many people in her thrall. And she had killed so many as well. But he saw none of this. Just the son that should have been. Just the result that he never was. Sara was always being blamed for his own failures. And frankly, Sara thought, getting to her feet, she'd had enough.

"Let's get a few things straight. This is my house. You will not speak to me that way under this roof, ever again. Or so help me I will toast you where you stand. Also whatever I decide to do in my own marriage is law. I will ask your opinion. I may seek your advice or your help, no matter how misguided I may be in that regard, but the decision on what to do is ultimately mine. Don't ever think you can rule me.

"And lastly, we both know who the real disappointment is here. You want to blame me for your own failures, your own fears. You thought you wanted a son because he could be a more competent and fearless than you. And you could live through him, hoping he could salvage what was left of your miserable existence. I am sure Kaname wouldn't have been able to buy your companies out from under you if you had been half way decent in how you ran them. And don't make me laugh. If you really wanted to kill Zero you could have. You just wanted me to decide so you could escape unscathed when the shit hit the fan; so I could reap the consequences. The irony there daddy is that means you have even less of a backbone than I do, hiding behind the 'useless girl' you keep referring to me as…"

"How dare you…!"

"Oh I dare. I dare. Now get out of here. I am through with you. Completely. Don't darken my doorstep ever again."

Shirabuki-san stood with his mouth open for a few more moments then turned on his heel and left, crossing quickly to the front door, almost knocking over a maid in his blind anger. He didn't even hesitate as he turned the door-knob and left. Good riddance, thought Sara, she regretted nothing, as she sank to the floor and noisily dissolved into tears.

THIS IS the life. Soaking for an hour in a warm tub after a hard day trailing vampires. Zero didn't think anything, outside of making love to Kaname, could top this, as he sank back against the ergonomic rubber grip back support of the tub – yes, occasionally Kaname did concede that Zero's body did need a little, um, pampering – and sighed as his aching back molded to the custom design and instantly relaxed. He could stay here the rest of his life, which was conceivable as it had the means of keeping the water at the right temperature the entire time. Zero had been a little nonplussed at the aspect that you wouldn't just get out of the tub when the water got too cold anymore. But then you grow to not miss it at all. The things people put up with when they can do no better. Zero sighed and drifted into a doze. He really was very tired…

HE WAS drowning? Wait, this wasn't right. His lungs were in pain. It wasn't a dream! Zero scrambled to right himself. He reached up and tugged on the sides of the tub. No. There was something heavy on his chest… A hand. Zero pulled one hand under and felt it. It was small and soft like…

His eyes flew open and what he saw confirmed it, as a blond framed face peered down at his through the water. He pulled at the fingers desperately but knowing it would be of no use. He threw his hands up and grabbed her throat. He had to get her to stop. She fought him almost absently, uncaring as Zero ripped her shirt in his desperation. The water was getting hot. It was starting to bubble. Zero gritted his teeth and collected himself, closing his eyes as the pain became too much. Focus. He couldn't chant but if he got the design right… He quickly drew a pattern on Sara's chest and slammed his hand against it, praying this was it, gratified as Sara flew backward to slam into the wall, losing consciousness…

SARA opened her eyes and blinked. The room failed to come into focus. She blinked again, this time squeezing her lids shut before opening them. Eventually they focused on the sky blue arched ceiling that she recognized was Zero's bedroom. How…? She lowered her gaze and focused on the shape of a man with an almost white mop sitting next to her. She moaned as her eyes ached from the effort.

"What did you hit me with?"

"Just a very strong repelling spell. The wall did the rest. You should see the wall. It fared much worse that you did."

Sara moved to sit up, but her world rocked and she fell back. Shouldn't she have healed by now?

"I also gave you a mild sedative. You seemed a… little upset."

"Why didn't you kill me? I mean I was about to drown you and make soup. I wouldn't have stopped. You shouldn't have let me live. That is reckless."

"I don't want to kill you Sara. You saved my life, plus…"

"You don't want to hurt Kaname. Yeah, what a mess I have made of things."

"No. Plus I know that female pure-bloods are subject to severe mood swings during pregnancy…"

"All part of your training as a hunter no doubt. You learn about us to find out how better to kill us…"

"I figured," Zero continued, pointedly ignoring Sara's attempts to provoke him, "if you went to so much trouble to save me before, then today must have been difficult for you. Do you want to talk about it?"

"NO! Why couldn't I have just gotten up, stretched, and decided to kill Kaname pet ex-human today? Why do you assume something happened? You think I don't make my own decisions?"

"Okay. Okay. Don't get excited. I was only trying to help. Here I brought you something to eat. I know you love lightly seasoned rare steak. Please try it and tell me what you think. I ruined two others pieces before I got the right texture. Here."

Before Zero waited for an answer he cut some off and popped it into her mouth. He knew Sara's weakness was black peppered, lightly seared steak. He looked at her expectantly for an answer, knowing that she would not be able to resist giving an answer. It was one topic that she went on about during those hours in the seedy Korean hotel they had retired to, as she tried to keep him awake as she mixed the ingredients and fed him, much like he was doing now. He didn't want to admit it, but he liked her. She had strength of spirit and a light that drew him when she was relaxed. She was also very witty and charming. A lot of what she had talked about was very inconsequential – to him anyway – but if he hadn't been near death he would have laughed aloud. He would always remember her confession at crying for an hour in a department store simply because they didn't have her favourite shade of lipstick. She had been adamant that she would never again get pregnant. Zero almost smiled at the memory. It was what had made him read up on pure-bloods and pregnancy. He couldn't explain it but something made him want to see if he could help her…

"It's… alright," Sara said grudgingly, "but it could use a squeeze of lemon and more garlic."

"Stay here. I'll be right back."

"No! It's fine. I can eat it like this. …Thank you."

"No problem. The least I could do."

Without hesitating Zero gave her the tray and cutlery and watched her get down to it. He surmised, correctly, that she hadn't eaten all day. Of course she was sleeping for much of it on his bed, but still he knew, somehow, that she had been too upset to eat. He decided to try again.

"Whom did you talk to last evening?"

Sara stopped half-way through the large steak, but continued to keep eating. He could see her mentally shrugging off the importance.

"My father. No-one important. May I go get some ketchup?"

"I have some right here. How did that go?"

"Oh the usual father/daughter stuff. '"I wish you were never born!" "Screw you!"' sort of thing. We are not speaking at the moment."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Well I am not. It was about time I grew up and stopped waiting for my father to love me. You are so lucky to not have any parents."

Sara continued eating, so wrapped up in her own issues she didn't notice the ghosts of Zero's show in his face. He got up and walked over to the window looking over the valley below him trying not to hold her crass remark against her. She didn't know the circumstances. How could she? It was so long ago. The faces had faded but the pain remained. Sometimes he would torture himself and look at his ten-year-old self through his own standards and wonder why he hadn't done more. If only he had been more interested in his lessons. Some simple spell he could have used. But it was futile. They were dead and he was here, in love with a pure-blood and comforting another. They were dead and long gone…

"Zero! Did you hear what I said?"

"Sorry? My mind must have wandered."

Sara nodded knowingly, acknowledging what she assumed were the challenges of being a lesser vampire and old, and repeated what she had asked.

"I had asked if you were okay."

"Yes," Zero smiled and thumped his chest, "still here. I am fine. Don't worry." Zero didn't bother to seek an apology. He knew she was sorry from the time she woke up and wondered why he hadn't killed her. The relieved smile confirmed it. Sara went back to the scraping the plate clean. Zero was flattered.

"We have to chat about that though. How will I know you won't change your mind again? I have grown accustomed to not sleeping with my gun under my pillow."

"I won't. It was just… a bad day. Then I saw your house in the distance and the next thing I knew I was holding you under the water in the tub. I just wanted to see you suffer. I just wanted to hurt you. That was all I was thinking. If I had wanted you dead…"

"Of course we can agree the method was still good enough to bring about the same result."

"Yes. I won't do it again. I promise. I'll go now. I hope you can forgive me. I guess you will tell Kaname this time. I don't blame you."

Sara rose to go but Zero stopped her. That pitiful face…

"I'll tell you something. A secret. Just so we are even."

"What's that?" Sara was intrigued despite herself. She paused on her way to the window and turned around looking at Zero curiously. Zero wondered what it was about the door pure-bloods found so repulsive.

"You had asked in Korea if I had never before seen a woman naked. Well aside from brief glimpses of… of a dear friend when we shared a bathroom as kids, I have never actually seen one… um…" Zero coloured painfully.

Sara's mouth dropped open.

"What? Never! You are kidding me? You've never had…" Sara paused looking at the very embarrassed ex-human before her, noting how his ears were turning almost crimson, and burst out laughing. Pretty soon she found that she couldn't quite stand and dropped to the floor, eyes streaming, nose leaking, stomach hurting. She was at it for a good few minutes before Zero decided that is was enough and walked over to her reaching out his hand to pull her up, irritation marring his features. Sure he had wanted to lighten the mood but not to the extent that he was a laughingstock. It didn't help that Sara opened her eyes, looked at him and burst out laughing again, totally ignoring the hand. Zero got a bit angrier.

"Sara. It's not to be ashamed of. Kaname was my first and last. I am very happy."

"The hundred and sixty-year old virgin. God, even Kaname has waaay more experienced than that and not just with me…"

"I said I am very happy!" Zero almost shouted leaning over again to pointedly offer his hand, "Now get out my house!"

"I mean I just can't see it." Sara said, totally ignoring him. "You have never seen breasts or… even my brother and I…"

"Too much information, Sara." Knowing how vampires' moral compasses could be totally skewed but still choosing to be blissfully ignorant of the details. "Here let me help you up." Never again, thought Zero. She could drown in her own depression next time.

"No. Let me help you down."

"Wha…?"

Zero wasn't sure how but he ended up under Sara on the carpet, her knee pressing between his thighs and her hands on either side of his face. He tried to get up but she "held" him down easily. He wasn't afraid more than concerned. She had a mischievous glint to her eyes, which increased as she removed one hand to unbutton her shirt.

"I bet you haven't even touched a woman's breasts either. I can't leave you in this state. I wouldn't be able to sleep…"

Sara shrugged off her shirt easily, enjoying the response she was getting against her thigh. Zero tried to struggle. She was "holding" him. He couldn't escape. He had opted not to put on any sort of anti-vampire measures simply because he didn't think she was a threat anymore. He regretted his mistake.

"Sara let me up. If Kaname finds out our lives won't be worth living."

"Hmmmm. So hard to find virgins nowaways. Vampires grow up so fast." Sara said ignoring him. She lowered her head and kissed him on the lips, teasing them with her teeth and tongue. She didn't have to ask if he liked it. She moved to his neck, nibbling and sucking. He smelt good. Tasty. There was also the thrill of forbidden territory. Kaname's territory. He could bully the lesser vampires but her… well things were getting urgent between her legs. She lifted her head though.

"Zero. Don't be so prudish. Touch them. Here let me show you…"

"Get off of him."

Both Sara and Zero's eyes widened as they heard the voice, then they turned to look at the door. Kaname stood there, an inscrutable expression on his face but Zero could hear his breathing. Kaname was furious.

Sara stood in front of Zero and looked at Kaname, trying to gauge how dangerous he was. She scrutinized him closely as he ran his eyes over Sara's state of undress and the swollen lips and open shirt of Zero Kiriyuu. His swollen lips…

"Sara downstairs. Now!" Kaname snarled. He could kill her. She knew! She knew he would never have allowed this…!

"Kaname. It wasn't what you think. Well, okay, it was. But what is the big deal? You keep such a tight rein on your pet."

"Sara I will not repeat myself."

Sara closed her mouth and moved to go. She paused by Kaname who still held Zero's gaze as she was passing.

"It was my entire fault. I forced him. What are you going to do?"

Kaname ignored her, "pushing" her outside and closing the door. He waited until she had moved down the steps, and away and even then he stood still staring at her marks on Zero. Kaname started to tremble. He could barely contain the urge to harm the both of them. The house started to echo Kaname's emotions as it too shook. Still Zero waited. He didn't want to do or say anything to provoke him. It was best to stand still. But as Kaname's aura grew worst and his body reacted, he found it hard to even stand.

"Kaname…" Zero finally spoke desperate for some relief. Kaname was just staring at him. "Nothing much happened. She was just toying with me. You are blowing this out of proportion."

"You shouldn't have let her…"

"She caught me off guard. And I didn't really want to hurt her. She is just capricious. She would have released me eventually. What would she have wanted with an old ex-human? Don't do anything you will regret. I love you Kaname. Please stop this. You are hurting me."

"You shouldn't have let her touch you. Now you stink of her. Our bed stinks of her."

"Kaname. Think. If I had wanted to do as you say, would I do it here where you could find me? Where it would most hurt you? She was upset and fell ill. I let her lie down. I had given her something to relax. It could be influencing her now."

"I don't believe you."

"Look around you, Kaname. The bottle is on the table and there is a tray I brought her dinner in on the floor. One plate. The scent of her tears are still on the pillow. Listen to me Kaname. I am sorry you found me like this. I know how it must hurt you. But nothing happened…"

Zero was cut off by the sudden need to sleep. He passed out where he stood and fell to the floor.

"I will deal with you later."

Kaname then turned and left the room.

SARA TURNED toward the staircase as she heard Kaname's last words to Zero. She had been poised to… she wasn't even sure. Would she have saved him if Kaname had tried to hurt him? Why should she? Kaname would definitely think that was untoward and done something worse to her. She didn't owe Zero anything. He shouldn't even exist. But… She found she was ready to do something. Even subconsciously. Zero wasn't what she had expected. He was fun and easy to be with. And far too kind to her. She would have told Kaname everything by now if she were in his shoes. Kaname wouldn't have hesitated to punish her. Zero was far too weak. Far too kind. She wanted to protect him. Dammit. She couldn't wait to have this baby…

Kaname tried to read Sara as he descended the stars slowly. She wasn't afraid. Merely determined and concerned. For Zero? Kaname gritted his teeth. He had let this go too far. It was time to end it.

"Kaname. I was just playing with him. He is so uptight I couldn't resist. And so adorable. I don't see what the big deal is..."

"You have just caused Samura-san her life."

Sara's eyes flew open. She stared at Kaname. Was he insane? He would kill a prestigious noble over a bit of fondling?

"No! What the hell is wrong with you? There is no reason to do that! We didn't even do anything! You do anything to Di-chan and I will…"

"Then stay away from Zero. Do not return here. Do not speak to him. Do not invite him over. Have nothing to do with him. This," Kaname widened his arms gesturing to the house and everything in it; everyone in it, "is mine. If you know what is best for you forget you even know about it. Do you understand?"

Her day was going so well. First her father, now Kaname, berating her over nothing. Her anger rose. Before she could stop herself she spat back.

"You damned hypocrite! You say one thing and mean another. You never wanted us to get along. 'Treat him like family' you'd said. But only because you were counting on my never in a millions years condescending to doing so. You were counting on my keeping my antagonistic view of Zero. So you can keep us separate. So you can pretend I don't exist when you are here in his arms. You are slime Kaname. You knew what this was doing to us and liked it. You liked our being at odds. Only making the right noises when it suited you. But it is too late, Kaname. I like him and I know he likes me. I like talking to him and I like teasing him. So now you will always wonder when you go to work and leave me. What are we doing? Will Zero finally see there is a world out there besides you and run off towards it? I hope he does. I hope he finds something else besides the frightened pure-blood he is involved with."

Sara stopped as a hand came up and cupped her cheek. The gentleness of the caress threw her. She forgot what she was saying and stared into the brown gaze that held hers easily. Confidently.

"You had better hope that never happens, Sara." Kaname finally began, all the while looking deep into her eyes, "I will have lost everything then. Do you want to know me without my anchor Sara? Do you know what will happen to you and your family then? Shut up and leave. Is he really worth all of that to you?"

Kaname dropped his hand and turned to go back up the stairs, knowing his point was made when he heard the satisfying click of the front door.

to be continued

lightpathetic wrote this but these are not my characters. I am grateful to Vampire Knight.