A/N: Well, last chapter on this one. Hope you all enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the awesome reviews! Individual review responses can now be found in my ffnet forum – check my bio page for more details.

Chapter Two: "Want Back Home"

Zero felt numb and sick by the time the two aristocrats yanked their fangs free from his neck and threw him to the ground. He smelt the scent of moist, freshly mowed grass as his face was shoved roughly into the turf.

"This is where you belong," Alexander hissed darkly in his ear as he climbed over Zero's back, straddling him. He gave the ex-human's head another vicious shove into the earth. "Groveling before your superiors and waiting to be used, like a good little bitch. Your master should have taught you that."

Fingernails raked sharply down Zero's back and two mouths roughly lapped and traced the welling lines of blood. Unforgiving hands jerked the boy up to his hands and knees. Zero was too weak, had lost too much blood to support himself, and he crumpled back to the grass. That didn't please his assailants who dragged him back up again.

"Stay there!" Alexander ordered, but Zero was dizzy, in pain and he sure as hell wasn't very motivated to obey. He sagged back to the ground again.

Masaki reached over and picked up Zero's belt from the discarded pile of clothing. He grasped the buckle and wrapped the strap once around his fist before whipping the long tail viciously across the boy's unprotected back.

The leather stung and bit like a line of fire across his naked skin. Zero jerked and choked back a cry. This amused his sadistic captors and Masaki struck again, and again. He laid into Zero cruelly, whipping his back, shoulders, buttocks, and thighs – anything in reach as they held the struggling hunter down. The vicious blows raised dark welts and bruises on the pale skin and as they landed repeatedly across the gaping wound to the back of his shoulder, they soon had Zero shrieking helplessly in pain.

"When we give you an order, you do it!" Masaki growled, finally stopping but still keeping the buckle end of the belt curled threateningly around his fist as Alexander dragged Zero up to hands and knees again. "Now you stay there, or I'll take the hide off you, got it?"

Zero's body was trembling from pain and blood loss. The anti-vampire wound he'd taken had stripped away the advantage of his vampire healing and he was starting to go into shock. But yes, he understood, and he was too weak and in too much pain to bring any more hurt down on himself just out of spite and stubbornness. He forced his shaking arms to support him, head hanging down in pain and shame, his ragged breaths shuddering in his chest. Please... please don't let this really be happening...

Alexander knelt behind him, Masaki near his head, and Zero heard them both unzipping. He pressed his eyes shut, desperately wishing he were somewhere else. Kaname... where are you? Something raw and vulnerable deep inside his soul cried out for the pureblood. It was a weak, childish instinct perhaps, but he couldn't help it.

Zero knew where pureblood was though. He was back at the party, far away from Zero, just like Zero had told him he wanted. Zero had burned that bridge. Kaname wasn't going to be looking for him. No one was. He was in this hell alone. And he'd probably die that way.

Alexander knocked Zero's knees further apart and grabbed his hips, jerking him back roughly. Zero's fingers dug into the earth and he groaned sharply through desperately grit teeth. The brunette vampire hissed in pleasure and his fingers dug harshly into the soft flesh of the hunter's hips.

Masaki tangled a fist in Zero's hair and dragged his head up. "This is what you're good for, 'D. Don't you ever forget it," he hissed. "You bite me, and I will cut yours off," he warned. He jerked Zero's face to his groin and Zero desperately screwed his eyes shut again, wishing he were already dead.

Suddenly a bitter, frozen chill descended like a falling curtain – so cold it almost seemed to make the grass crack and the trees shudder. The light of the stars seemed to blot out entirely under a veil of unnatural darkness and every hair on the back of the three vampires' necks raised. Stark, unreasoning fear permeated the darkened glen like a malevolent physical presence.

Zero recognized the sensation a moment before the others and ironically, though his weakened body shivered like the other two did... it wasn't fear he felt, but a sharp, almost painful little flare of hope, even though it mingled with a deep, burning spike of shame.

Masaki was thrown onto his back by an invisible punch of kinetic energy slamming into his chest and a swift moving dark blur tore Alexander off of Zero and threw him down on the grass beside his accomplice.

Kaname's eyes were wild and feral as he stood over them, gaze shooting between where Zero had collapsed in a bloody curl on the grass and where the two objects of his extreme wrath now cowered. The pureblood looked taller than usual, wrapped in a stormy dark aura like a flowing cape of night, eyes burning like red coals in the darkness.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?!" the enraged pureblood's voice was a lethal, animal snarl. "How dare you?!" Kaname was so angry he was almost unrecognizable. "How dare you?!"

The two nobles were completely and justly terrified. They didn't know Kaname personally, but everyone knew of him, and of course they were immediately aware that he was a pureblood.

"K-Ku-Kuran-sama... we-we were just t-teaching this 'D his place..." Masaki babbled in terror, apparently not realizing that he was simply digging his grave even deeper.

If looks could kill, Masaki would have become a smoking crater on the spot. Kaname's eyes bored into him with violent disgust and hate.

"His place?" Kaname's voice was quiet now. Oh so quiet. Somehow that was even more frightening than him shouting.

Kaname reached down and grabbed a fist full of Masaki's hair, fingers curling harshly at the base of his neck as he jerked him up to his knees. "His place is at my side, you miserable, bigoted, maggot excuse for a vampire!" Kaname backhanded Masaki sharply across the face with each word, fracturing cheekbones and jaw.

The noble grunted and whimpered in pain, but didn't try to get away. He didn't dare try to run from a pureblood.

Kaname dropped him and turned his glare upon Alexander who cringed visibly. "This boy is mine, do you hear me?" Kaname seethed, grabbing the brunette's chin tightly. The fingers of the pureblood's other hand extended to long, wicked razor claws and they tore a sharp, jagged line through Alexander's shirt and flesh to emphasize his point. "MINE. Do you understand what that means?" He demanded.

The abjectly terrified look in the two vampire's eyes said that they did.

Zero was too weak and dizzy to do much more than lay where he had fallen, but a small finger of warmth ran through him at the pureblood's words. It was weird... he'd been so mad at Kaname for saying that exact same thing earlier, but just at the moment... the possessive protectiveness in pureblood's voice warmed him.

"Good, then stay there!" Kaname snapped, stalking away from the two aristocrats and making his way over to Zero. His fingers returned to normal and his face gentled completely as he knelt by the hunter, abject sorrow and horror threading through his dark eyes as he took in the state of his lover's body. He touched the hunter's shoulder with utmost, aching tenderness. Quickly, Kaname shrugged out of his jacket and tugged off his shirt, using both to cover Zero's naked body and wrap him against the chilly night air.

Zero curled into the protection of the fabric, still warm from Kaname's body and rich with his scent. He would never have admitted it in a million years, but it made him feel very safe.

Kaname touched the silver hair gently, his eyes aching with things he had no idea how to say. The pureblood rose, turning back towards the other two vampires, and there was no hint of gentleness in his eyes now.

"Get up," Kaname snapped the order in a completely disgusted tone of voice and the two nobles scrambled to obey. They started to do up their pants, but Kaname shot them a dark look. "I didn't say you could do that. Leave it." There was murder in his eyes when he looked at them and they could see it.

"Scratch yourselves. Both of you. Use your claws," Kaname ordered. As one, Masaki and Alexander obeyed with trembling fingers, hesitantly drawing their own claw-like nails across chest and arm respectively and wincing in pain. They had no choice. The compulsion for complete obedience was hard-wired into their beings. If a pureblood commanded, they had to obey, no matter what he told them to do.

Kaname's face was hard as stone. "Again. Deeper," he ordered. "Faster. All over your bodies. Don't stop."

The vampires looked at him in horror, but they were already obeying, claws ripping and tearing at their own flesh everywhere as they shredded skin and clothing with howls of pain and pleas for mercy.

Kaname watched them, completely unmoved. They wanted mercy, but they had given Zero none. They had... oh god... it made him almost physically ill thinking what they had been doing. They were miserable blots on the face of vampire existence and he felt absolutely no sympathy for them at all.

"Kaname..." the weak sound of Zero's voice quickly drew the pureblood's attention. Zero pushed up on his elbow with difficulty, hugging Kaname's coat to him. The pureblood was kneeling by him in an instant, arm sliding around the ex-human's shoulders to support him.

Zero was looking at Alexander and Masaki with wide-eyed, fascinated horror. Their clothing was shredded and stained completely crimson; their bodies and faces were swiftly turning into a bloody mess. They shrieked as they fell on the ground, still clawing themselves compulsively. Zero had never before realized just how deep the power of the purebloods really went. No wonder Kaname had been confused as heck in the early days, wondering how Zero could find the chutzpa to bare his fangs at the pureblood and defy him.

"Kaname, please..." Zero murmured, glancing towards the two vampires with a compassionate cringe. He hated them for what they'd done, but he couldn't stand to watch this. Surely they had suffered enough. "Stop them."

Kaname frowned slightly as he glanced back towards the two aristocrats. He didn't feel they'd suffered near enough for what they had done. They didn't deserve to live.

"Kaname..." Zero repeated, realizing with a shiver that Kaname fully intended to let the two vampires kill themselves. That, he couldn't abide. Not on his account.

Kaname saw that in Zero's eyes, and relented. Carefully, he gathered up the remains of the hunter's clothing, as well as his gun, and then scooped Zero up in his arms, holding him gently as he turned back to the two writhing, screaming vampires bleeding all over the grass.

"All right, stop now," Kaname said coldly and their bodies slackened with pained relief, curling in agony on the gory lawn. Kaname hugged Zero to him protectively. "I want you to know it is only for his sake that I've spared you," he told them. "I think you're despicable worms who disgrace our entire race, but you're lucky that Kiriyu is more forgiving than I am. You owe him your lives, don't ever forget that."

Kaname started to move away. "And don't ever let me catch sight of either of you again," he added as he disappeared with Zero into the trees.

After that, Kaname thought no more about the two aristocrats, his attention focusing down onto Zero. The boy was trembling in his arms. The fact that Zero wasn't protesting being carried told how weak he was and how badly he was doing. Kaname bowed his head, letting his cheek rest lightly against the top of Zero's head.

"I'm sorry, Zero," he whispered quietly, his voice hoarse now. "I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have let you go... I should have gotten there sooner..." an agony of guilt was painted in his tone.

Zero shook his head weakly against Kaname's chest. He was too drained to try to pretend that he didn't feel the infinitely warm comfort of the arms holding him. "You came," he murmured faintly, an almost-smile touching his lips. His voice said that was enough. "I didn't think you'd come after me again. After... what I said..."

Thunder rumbled and a light patter of rain started to fall upon the rustling leaves and fresh cut grass.

Kaname's arms tightened around Zero, his chest aching so fiercely it was hard to breathe. He hunched over a little, shielding Zero from the weather with his body. "I'll always come after you," he promised softly. "Although I'm sure sometimes you'll probably hate me for it..." It was his turn to smile faintly. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"What about the party?" Zero murmured. "They'll talk."

Kaname snorted. "To hell with the party and those narrow-minded snobs. Let them talk all they want."

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

With vampire speed, Kaname had Zero out of the park before the rain really started to fall. He took him to a penthouse apartment that the pureblood owned nearby. He hadn't used it in a while, but it was good for when he had business that required him to stay in town, and it was closer than the school. Besides, they needed to be somewhere private right now.

Kaname filled the large Jacuzzi in the master bathroom with warm water and tenderly unwrapped Zero from his coat and shirt. The fabric had started to cling to the raw, bloody welts and the matted mess of his shoulder and Kaname stopped when Zero whimpered unintentionally through his teeth in pain.

Kicking off his shoes, Kaname climbed into the filling tub with Zero, clothes and all, still holding the hunter tenderly and letting the warm water loosen the sticky bond between fabric and wounds until he could ease the clothing away without causing Zero pain.

The warm water felt good on Zero's abused body, even though it stung and burned in his cuts and scrapes. His shoulder was an unholy mass of fire and he had hidden, inner injuries that were also making themselves known.

Zero resisted the sharp sting of tears as the pain of his wounds brought back those terrible minutes in the park. The cruel eyes and bodies of his assailants, the hopelessness and fear, the feeling of absolute worthlessness... The salty drops escaped silently from the corners of his eyes, sliding down the sides of his face. He kept his eyelids clenched tightly closed; as if he could deny that the tears were his.

Kaname's gentle hands moved along Zero's body under the water, soothing dried blood away from the cuts crisscrossing his chest and using whatever magic it was he possessed to try and dull some of Zero's pain. There was no physical ache that could match what he felt at the sight of the silent tears on the hunter's face. Kaname carefully cradled Zero's head to his shoulder, his cheek pressing softly against Zero's.

Zero felt the pureblood shudder, and felt a wet warmth that was not the rising bathwater fall upon his shoulder. Kaname was crying too.

Zero's hand slipped up weakly out of the water, cupping Kaname's cheek reassuringly. Kaname smiled faintly. Ironic, that Zero was trying to comfort him, but so typical of the boy's nature.

"Hey... you know... your clothes are never gonna be the same..." Zero murmured, deflecting hurt with sarcasm as he usually did.

Kaname reached up and squeezed Zero's hand. "I'll get new ones. Zero..." his throat was so painfully tight. Gently, he nudged Zero's face to the crook of his neck.

"Drink now..." Kaname murmured. "Everything'll be okay," he promised. Kaname knew Zero had been waiting, despite how he must be hurting for blood with the extent of his injuries. Waiting until they were somewhere safe. Somewhere where he wouldn't be putting the scent of Kaname's blood into the air while there were other vampires about.

Zero waited for no further invitation. He was starving and in a world of pain and he knew that what Kaname offered would help. Hungrily, but with about all the strength of a half-drown kitten, he bit down on Kaname's neck, drawing the much needed blood from his lover's veins.

Kaname sighed softly in contentment and pleasure at the sensation of Zero's mouth on his neck. He ached at feeling how weakly Zero was drawing, but he could tell it was already starting to help. His fingers combed softly through Zero's wet hair.

"How'd you find me?" Zero murmured finally against Kaname's neck, between slow draughts.

"I couldn't stand the party anymore. I went looking for you. I figured you were long gone, but I thought perhaps you might still be in the park. Then... I felt something, terribly wrong..." Kaname whispered back. His fingers ghosted to the side of his throat, and Zero knew he meant that he'd felt it in their bond. The pureblood shivered softly. There was no way to describe the horror and urgency that had flooded him as he searched the park frantically for Zero's trail and then... he'd smelled the blood and heard the horrible, heart stopping sound of distant screaming. The scene he had come upon... it would haunt his nightmares for years to come. So close. So close he'd come to losing Zero, and the hunter had suffered so much cruelty...

"I'm sorry..." he repeated again, bowing his head against Zero's.

"Wasn't your fault," Zero assured after a minute, taking a break and leaning his head against Kaname's shoulder. He didn't want to drain Kaname too much. He was starting to feel a little better. "I was the stupid one who let them get the drop on me. They were harassing a jogger. I told them to cut it out and they didn't take too kindly to that," he explained wearily.

Kaname leaned down, gently licking and kissing Zero's injured shoulder, urging the nasty wound to heal. It'd been made by the hunter's own anti-vampire gun and was no doubt going to take its own sweet time to mend, but at least Kaname could take the pain away for a while. "You should have let me kill them," Kaname muttered against Zero's skin. "They deserved it."

Zero gave a small smile, shifting with a wince to let Kaname get better access to his wound. The pureblood's touch was easing the pain immeasurably. His fingers threaded up into Kaname's thick, curly hair. He silently relished just being close to the pureblood and feeling the soothing, caring warmth of his touch, replacing the horrible memories of the past hour.

"Maybe," he whispered. "But I didn't want to see you do it, not for me," he admitted. "You're better than them." Zero's fingers wound tighter in Kaname's damp, dark locks.

"They said... that was all I was good for," he admitted faintly. He didn't know why he was confessing that, but the ache in his chest was too much to keep inside. Zero swallowed.

Kaname's head slid up so he could look at Zero, his eyes burning with just how much he begged to differ with that imbecilic opinion. "All the more reason you should have let me kill them," he rasped softly. "That's a horrible, horrible lie."

Zero nodded slowly. "I know." But it felt good to have Kaname say it. "I'm sorry I was a jerk earlier."

Kaname smiled and leaned down to give him a soft kiss. It was about as unusual to hear Zero apologizing as it was for him to do the same. The boy must be really be out of it still, but given the circumstances, Kaname was more than drawn to reciprocate.

"You weren't a jerk. Ryo was a jerk, and I was a jerk for not being more considerate. But Zero..." Kaname sighed. "I honestly didn't mean to make it sound like you were my slave when I was talking to Shoji. You have to understand, Shoji is an old letch and a leach with a fondness for pretty boys. He was looking you up. Those two worms in the park aren't the only one of their ilk. There are a lot of aristocrats who feel that it is their right," Kaname's voice tensed in controlled anger. "To take whatever they want from those of..." he stopped, suddenly not sure how to put it without insulting Zero.

"Lower station?" Zero supplied in a dry mumble. He was very, very aware of that sentiment right now.

Kaname nodded with a sad wince. "Yes. It's not right, but it's the way things are." He cupped Zero's cheek tenderly, an anguished protectiveness burning in his dark eyes. "I know you can look out for yourself, Zero. But I couldn't stand the thought of him trying to touch you. So... yes, I told him you were mine. Because I knew he wouldn't dare lay a hand on you if he knew you were under my protection," Kaname whispered softly. "I'm sorry if you thought I meant anything else."

Zero leaned up carefully to capture another soft, warm kiss by way of reply. Yeah, he understood now. That didn't mean he probably wouldn't bristle just as sharply again the next time Kaname referred to him that way, or especially if someone else did. But just at this moment... it didn't feel so bad to have Kaname call him his.

Kaname slipped his arm around Zero's shoulders, supporting him carefully, as he kissed the hunter back, caressing cut and swollen lips with the utmost tender care.

Outside, rain pattered on the windows, thunder rolled and lightening crashed as the storm lashed the city. But inside, it was comfortable and warm, and safe.

THE END