Title: Offerings

Summary: Kaname gets more than he bargained for when he tries to make Zero drink his blood.

Pairings: Kaname x Zero

Rating: Rated M for a sexual situations and language.

Disclaimer: Vampire Knight does not and will never belong to me.

A/N: While this chapter isn't a full lemon, it is filled with sexually charged situations between two men. Consider yourself warned since later chapters will become more graphic.

Chapter 01: Willingly Unwilling

Mentally swearing when he felt Kuran Kaname's presence, Zero tried to mask his presence as he snuck into his room in the Cross estate. He had been hunting in the city and fired more rounds than expected, depleting his supply of bullets. His room in the mansion was closer than the dorms, so Zero had decided to stock up on his spare ammunition so he wouldn't be left vulnerable to attack.

Sneering to himself at the idea of being vulnerable, Zero pushed the thought aside as he entered his room and shut the door. His goal was to get in, get what he needed, and get out without having to interact with anyone—not even Yuuki and especially not Kaname.

Of course, nothing else had gone his way that night, so why should now be any different? He tensed as he felt Kaname approaching, glaring hatefully at the bullets he was loading into his Bloody Rose. Just once, Zero wanted to even the playing field between them, to knock Kaname down a few pegs and get back at the pureblood for forcing him to endure the ultimate shame—needing him.

No matter how much Zero reminded himself that it was for Yuuki's sake that he endured the situation, it didn't take away the burn of humiliation every time he was forced to drink from Kaname. He missed the sweetness of Yuuki's blood, of the small comfort he found while embracing her, even as he hated himself for doing such horrible things to her. Instead he was left with Kaname's and even that bastard's blood tasted superior, which thoroughly pissed off Zero. Why couldn't it taste horrible or be as disgustingly vile as the vampire himself? Why did it have to taste so damn good? Just thinking about it made Zero swallow hard and he pushed the thought away just as Kaname quietly knocked on the door.

Having drank more than his fill the previous night, Zero did not need Kaname's blood or his smug attitude, so he ignored the vampire. Zero was aware of the fact that Kaname could sense him inside, but he remained silent in the hopes that the pureblood would lose interest and leave.

Much to Zero's dismay, Kaname disregarded the silent rejection and entered anyway. Habit forced Zero to his feet as he aimed his gun at the unwanted intruder, who didn't even blink. Kaname sighed almost imperceptibly as he asked in a bored tone, "Aren't we past this point, Kiryuu-kun?"

Disengaging the safety, Zero's voice was as lethal as his glare as he ordered, "Leave."

Completely unperturbed by the display of bravado, Kaname shut the door in response and it infuriated Zero further. His personal space was being invaded by the person he wanted the least and Zero hated it. "What part of, 'Leave,' did you not understand, Kuran?" Zero demanded, his finger tensing on the trigger.

"I had merely assumed that you were too weak from hunger to answer," Kaname stated as he slowly started to approach Zero. The gun posed no real threat to him and Kaname maintained eye contact and an expressionless face as he neared.

Growling at the insult, Zero seethed in rage and self-loathing over the reminder of his weakness, of the numerous times Kaname had witnessed and saved him from that crushing moment of agony. Although as much as he hated being in that situation, some twisted part of Zero's mind enjoyed the fact that he could get Kaname on his knees, could have that proud pureblood kneeling in front of him even in such a pathetic state.

Moving with a speed and grace lent to him by his vampiric nature, Kaname captured Zero's thin wrist and forced him to drop his weapon. The gun clattered to the ground and Zero instantly started to struggle against Kaname's grip. Blood red eyes regarded Zero with projected apathy, assessing the situation. Kaname knew that Zero should be fine for a few more days before another feeding, but the hunter was behaving like a petulant, hungry child. Pulling the struggling teen close with resignation, Kaname wasn't surprised when Zero pushed him away.

"What the hell is your problem?" Zero exclaimed as he took a step back, refusing to massage the soreness from his wrist. "Answer me, damn it!"

"As always, your language is foul," Kaname reprimanded the agitated hunter while loosening his tie.

"Your point?"

Shrugging and ridding himself of his school uniform jacket and vest, Kaname draped them on Zero's desk chair before replying, "It is merely an observation."

When Kaname began to unbutton his shirt, Zero's eyes went wide as he demanded, "Why the hell are you undressing?"

Kaname could smell the rush of blood that colored Zero's cheeks and it intrigued the pureblood. "Because you always make such a mess," Kaname responded with a mild look of disdain on his face that was quickly replaced by a mask of passive blankness once more.

Even though the vampire inside of Zero admonished him for being so wasteful, half the reason he was so messy was precisely because he knew that it bothered Kaname; it was one of the few ways that the hunter could successfully sully the pristine pureblood. "Put your clothes back on and get the fuck out," Zero told Kaname, needing to be rid of the vampire before the display made him hungry again.

Removing the shirt and neatly placing it with the rest of his things, Kaname said, "I will when this is over. Come."

"Like hell!" Zero shouted as loud as he dared to without alerting Yuuki and the chairman. "I'm not one of your subservient bastard lackeys!"

"As you've made abundantly clear," Kaname agreed, his patience starting to wear thin. Taking a few steps closer to Zero, Kaname evenly met the hateful lilac glare, trying to discern the undercurrent of the other lurking emotion. "Now drink."

The darkness inside that Zero hated so much started to move with the command, but he ignored it. "No," Zero refused, "now get out!"

"Must you always be this difficult?" Kaname questioned in exasperation as he bared his throat.

Swallowing hard at the image of a shirtless Kaname tilting his head so submissively, Zero reminded himself not to give in to the vampire. But seeing Kaname in such a position while completely rational made Zero realize something strange. Kaname was willingly offering himself, but to what end? "Must you always be such an arrogant bastard?" Zero retorted, trying hard to maintain an unaffected façade.

Tiring of the game, Kaname reached out and pulled Zero to him in an awkward embrace that the hunter immediately started to struggle against. Tightening his hold, Kaname warned, "I'm not going to say it again."

Finding himself pressed against a half naked Kaname was less than comforting and Zero needed distance; things were becoming too muddled in his mind. It was harder to suppress the urge when he was this close, so close that he could almost taste that delicious heat coursing through those pureblood veins. "Get it through your damn head! I'm not interested!"

Realizing that this stalemate wasn't going to end any time soon, Kaname used his claws to slice his own neck. He didn't want to injure Zero to the point where feeding was required as he had done in the past, so this was the only alternative, distasteful as it was to him. "Kiryuu-kun," Kaname said in warning, the name filled with reprimanded.

It was almost too tempting, but Zero was good at denying himself; he was not so weak that he couldn't resist. "What the hell did you do that for?" Zero angrily demanded, forcing himself to stare at Kaname's eyes instead of the blood that was welling up from the superficial wound.

Raising an eyebrow at the fact that Zero hadn't begun zealously attacking him, Kaname explained, "To encourage you. I'd rather not stay here the whole night."

"Then leave!" Zero told him as he tried to push away, ignoring the bare chest beneath his hands and the way that the blood was starting to drip from the small wound.

"After you're done," Kaname replied, refusing to allow himself to be rejected.

It didn't make sense to Zero why Kaname was being so stubborn on the point. Sure, the pureblood was stubborn about everything, but this felt different to Zero for some reason. "I'm not hungry," Zero insisted, doing his best to avoid looking at the sumptuous trail of blood that was slowly making its way down Kaname's neck.

"That doesn't mean that you don't want it," Kaname countered.

"I haven't fallen that low!" Zero angrily protested.

"Because of me," Kaname reminded him, subtly tightening his hold on the teen, "because of my blood."

So Kaname was trying to find a new way to control him? Zero refused to do as Kaname expected and he had an almost perverse desire to turn the situation around on the vampire somehow. "Because of Yuuki," Zero contradicted, trying to formulate a plan in his mind.

"Then drink for her," Kaname suggested, not caring about the reason so long as Zero quickly finished; his pride wouldn't let him leave until it was done.

That decided it for Zero; it might embarrass the hell out of him, but if it caused that expressionless bastard to crack, it would be worth it. Licking up the rivulet of blood that had been taunting him, Zero kept his eyes trained on Kaname. It filled him with a warmth that he hated, a desire he would never be comfortable with, but he persevered without losing himself to the monster. "There, happy?" Zero snapped, looking for any excuse to back out of the awkward situation before committing himself to further actions.

"Don't be obtuse," Kaname told him, resisting the urge to force the teen to drink.

Lightly running his tongue over the smeared blood, Zero slowly lapped it up, smirking when he heard the slightest hitch in Kaname's breathing. It still wasn't enough, so Zero continued with his plan since it seemed Kaname wouldn't leave until he had gotten his way.

Tracing the small slash wound with his tongue, Zero could feel his fangs lengthening and he lightly drug them along Kaname's skin, never breaking it. Instead, Zero closed his mouth over the cut and sucked hard, causing a small hickey to form around it with all of the blood gathered and waiting just below that beautifully pale skin.

Kaname was used to being attacked by Zero and he had been expecting all four of those sharp fangs to pierce him painfully, but this was new and completely unexpected. It confused Kaname and he had to repress a shiver at the way Zero had to press against him to reach that spot on his neck. "What are you doing?" Kaname asked, although his voice had deepened considerably as his hormones started to respond.

"What you wanted," Zero replied with a harsh laugh, his breath causing Kaname to shudder. "Isn't that enough?"

"Stop playing."

"Stop being such a demanding bastard," Zero growled, letting his fangs make a superficial scratch into the mark he had made. Instead of hungrily devouring every drop like normal, Zero savored the taste, suckling it out slowly before stopping himself. He didn't want to lose himself to the darkness inside that was whispering for him to take more, to give in to that hideous beast that was driving him to his disgusting base instincts. It was why he refused to tap into Kaname's vein; he didn't want to have to take any more than he had to in order to satisfy the vampire and get him to leave.

Kaname was puzzled by the strangely intimate act, trying not to get aroused by the sensuous way Zero was moving his tongue and the unintentional sway of those lithe hips. Only when a soft moan inadvertently escaped from Zero as he lapped at Kaname's neck to make it spotless once more did the vampire realize what the hunter was doing. Grabbing Zero by the throat and forcibly disengaging him, Kaname's eyes flashed with anger, causing the teen to laugh in response. "That's what you used to do to her?" Kaname accused, his rage starting to simmer under the surface at the thought of Zero doing such things to Yuuki.

"What? Did you think I ripped into her the same way I do to you?" Zero taunted, his voice strained because of Kaname's tight grip.

Pressing his claws hard enough to create divots without puncturing Zero's skin, Kaname didn't answer immediately. He knew that Zero had never been brutal with Yuuki, had never left a mark that couldn't easily be covered with a small bandage or choker collar, but Kaname had never expected the hunter to be so…gentle. Was this why Yuuki had always defended Zero's actions? The thought angered Kaname greatly and it passed through his eyes before hiding behind his façade again.

The fact that he had managed to successfully get under Kaname's skin made Zero feel immensely powerful and he started to provoke the pureblood for a better reaction. "Or are you just jealous that I treated her better than you?" Zero goaded, not sure if he actually wanted to know the answer.

Digging his claws deep into Zero's throat, Kaname pulled the teen closer, his eyes starting to tint with power at the scent of fresh blood in the air. "Learn your place, Kiryuu-kun," Kaname warned, resisting the urge to slam the infuriating teen into the nearest wall to try and knock some of that cockiness out of him. "Never forget that it is I who allow you to continue to live and breathe."

"This is not living!" Zero hissed, clawing at Kaname's hand in a bid for release. He knew that it was a mistake the instant he sliced into the unmarred skin and his senses were overwhelmed by the scent of Kaname's blood.

For the briefest second, Kaname's lips twisted into a devious smirk and Zero felt his heart rate spike at what it could mean for him. The expression quickly disappeared, but Zero's uneasiness continued to linger, mixing with his restlessness over the smell of intoxicating blood that he had to convince himself that he didn't want. Zero wasn't hungry, but it was just so damn delicious he couldn't help but want a taste, even though the thought nauseated and disgusted him. Just that little bit had made him want more, but Zero would never admit such a terrible thing—especially not to Kaname himself.

"Then what is it?" Kaname questioned, his eyes bright in the darkness.

Zero wanted to tell him that it was a torturous hell, but he didn't want Kaname to know what kind of power he had over him. He refused to give up that much control to the vampire noble and his spirit raged as he glared at Kaname, unable to answer. It wasn't even existing—it was just continuing on in the hopes of another peaceful moment that only a girl he should never want could give him. He didn't even deserve that much, but making Yuuki cry was unforgivable, so he endured the misery for her sake. It was presumptuous of him to assume that he meant enough to Yuuki for her to care if he was gone, but she insisted and he had no choice but to believe her; Zero had nothing else.

That fight to live, that refusal to surrender himself to his baser instincts, was what drew Kaname to Zero. It was the only reason he allowed Zero to subsist on his blood; otherwise he would have rid himself of the hunter long ago and prevented him from ever hurting Yuuki in the first place. Zero may have had a role to play in Kaname's game, but that didn't mean the pawn wasn't replaceable if he misbehaved. "Is she the only reason you fight?" Kaname persisted, relishing the small gasp of pain he received for tightening his grip further.

"No," Zero breathily denied, his airflow starting to get dangerously low. Zero could feel Kaname's blood dripping down his arms, flowing from the gashes he had made, and it made Zero want to gasp for an entirely different reason; he was too busy focusing on staying conscious to stop himself from wanting to lick himself clean, to indulge in that sinful crimson.

Kaname could feel the shift in Zero, could feel the beast inside of the hunter start awakening because of the danger posed to his life. It made Kaname want to antagonize Zero further, to remind him of just where he would be if it weren't for the pureblood's self-serving generosity. By nature Kaname was a hunter and Zero had pushed him to the point of wanting to teach his prey a lesson.

Deliberately leaning forward, Kaname pressed his lips to Zero's fingers that were still holding his wrist in a death grip. When Zero tried to pull away, Kaname used his free hand to hold the hunter in place, refusing to allow the teen to escape. He languidly lavished his tongue over Zero's slender fingers, careful not to nick the hunter with his teeth as he cleaned his own blood, never taking his eyes off of the borderline panicked lilac.

Zero's entire body went rigid as he gasped and tried to pull away from the sensation. Kaname had never done more than support his weight previously; this sort of contact was new and entirely unwelcome. Although that wasn't true, since the monster lurking inside of him was almost purring with a desire to lash out against Kaname for the transgression. Something darker still was below the surface, but Zero didn't dare spare it a thought because Kaname finally pulled away.

Kaname's full lips were stained crimson and a strangled keen accidentally escaped from Zero at the sight. He hated that smug satisfaction, that aristocratic dignity, that beautiful arrogance that Kaname possessed, but something inside of Zero was stirring in response. "What…?" Zero whispered, shocked when he felt Kaname let go of his wrist. Jerking his hand away as if he had been burned, Zero was about to continue speaking, but his words died in his throat when Kaname leaned closer.

Quirking his mouth into a smirk, Kaname didn't hesitate before capturing Zero's lips, loosening his grip on the hunter's neck at the same time. It caused Zero to gasp for air and in that moment, Kaname slipped his tongue in with a victorious noise, forcing the teen to taste his essence.

The ambrosia of pureblood washed over Zero and he was momentarily caught up in it, instinctively sucking greedily on the invading tongue as his vampiric instincts were overwhelmed. All he could taste was Kaname and it was almost dizzying, pushing thoughts of retribution out of his mind to be replaced with a lust that couldn't be allowed. Zero's common sense kicked in too late and he started struggling against what was happening, refusing to give in to what Kaname wanted.

Snarling a warning at the hunter, Kaname pulled Zero closer and continued ravishing his mouth. His own primal nature was taking over and demanding rather loudly that the teen submit to him, so Kaname was less than pleased by Zero's continuous attempts to free himself. He had humored the insolence thus far, but Kaname would not allow further insubordination from someone so far beneath him.

Zero had intended to use Kaname's chest as leverage to push off of, but the instant his hand came into contact with the warm flesh, it rebelled and remained. He was mentally screaming at himself to do something—anything—to get away, but that hateful darkness was trumping his sensibility. The more he wanted to pull away, the closer his body traitorously pushed against Kaname's. Zero hated the pleased sigh that escaped Kaname over the action, but some twisted part of him wanted to force the pureblood to make such a sensuous sound again. He hated that the only way he could cause Kaname to lose his composure was in such a shameful manner, but even worse was the fact that Zero wanted to push the boundaries farther still—anything to make the pureblood lose that annoyingly confident demeanor.

Getting caught up in his own sensations, Kaname released Zero's neck and wrapped his arm around the hunter's waist, seductively grinding against the teen. The whimper it rung out of Zero was delicious and Kaname paused in his vicious kiss to breathe and cast an appreciative look at the sumptuous sight before him. Zero's face was flushed with heat, his pulse thrumming almost frantically from his emotions, but his purple eyes were rimmed with red, proving that some part of the teen was still holding back against the vampire inside that was just aching to reveal its true nature.

Running his fingers through Zero's silver hair, Kaname's eyes narrowed when the simple touch caused the teen to flinch. "You should have listened," Kaname quietly admonished Zero, causing the hunter to stare up at him incredulously before the rage quickly took over.

"I should have listened?" Zero repeated, his voice rising in his anger as he slapped the offending hand away. "No, you should have fucking listened and left when I told you to, you sick, perverted bastard!"

"What part of this is sick or perverted?" Kaname questioned as he slipped his free hand under Zero's shirt to lightly caress the soft skin underneath it.

Inhaling a sharp breath, Zero wanted away from the torturous touches before they muddled his mind any further. "What the hell is wrong with you, Kuran?" Zero demanded, forcing the straying hand away from his sensitive skin. Kaname's behavior was beyond abnormal and Zero was sick of being subjected to the vampire's whims.

"I am growing tired of your disrespect," Kaname informed Zero, sounding haughty and bored all at once, even as his hand started to slowly slide up and under the hunter's shirt again.

"There's more wrong with you than just that!" Zero spat as he forced the wandering hand away, failing to repress a shiver.

Slowly running his fingers along Zero's neck and forcing the teen to meet his gaze, Kaname said, "I can give you more than hell."

"I don't want anything from you!" Zero snapped, his mortification intensifying as he responded to the slightest of touches from Kaname. "Now get out of my room!"

Ignoring the order and pressing his lips close to Zero's ear, Kaname murmured, "I can give you release."

The warm breath against his ear combined with the proximity to his neck caused Zero to shudder against his will, inadvertently causing his body to press closer to Kaname's. "I don't need your help," Zero refused, stunned by the sound of his own voice. He had intended for his words to come out as a harsh exclamation of defiance, but instead they had been spoken with a deeper timber and sensual edge.

"So you would prefer to do it on your own?" Kaname questioned, taking Zero's earlobe into his mouth to toy with gently. His tongue played with the silver piercings and Kaname could have smirked when he felt Zero's grip on his hip tighten to an almost painful point. "How…typical."

Zero wanted to make an angry retort or accusation, but it was so hard to think with those warm lips on his ear and the way Kaname's tongue was stroking him in a mockery of something more intimate. He tried to take a moment to compose himself, to gather his wits about him, but it was all for nothing when he felt those fangs lightly press against him.

Kaname knew better than to bite Zero, but the spike of fear left a terrible taste in his mouth. Zero froze against Kaname, his breath coming out in shaking pants as his memory flashed terrible images and feelings from the night his life was ruined forever. He wanted to pull away, to force the vampire away from him and out of the room, but Zero knew that he couldn't push him without posing a serious risk to himself if those fangs cut him, if Kaname tasted his tainted blood.

"I am not a beast!" Zero protested, refusing to sigh in relief when Kaname released his ear.

"No, you're not," Kaname agreed, still refusing to relinquish his hold on Zero. "But even humans have needs, wants, desires."

It was so hard to think with their warm bodies pressed so close, with the lingering scent of blood in the air clouding his senses, that tempting trail of blood remaining on Kaname's neck. "What's your point?" Zero asked, since his pride refused to beg for release.

"Do humans not hunger?" Kaname continued, sounding somewhat patronizing. "Would you refuse to eat to the point of near starvation every time you got hungry?"

"That's different," Zero argued, refusing to concede the point, "and involves actual food."

Reaching up with his free hand and wiping away some of his own blood, Kaname held his finger up for Zero's inspection. "Is this not a meal?"

"No, it's blood," Zero refuted in disgust, desperately trying to clamp down on the urge to lick it off of Kaname's finger.

So stubborn, Kaname couldn't help but think. "It serve the same purpose—keeping you alive," Kaname pointed out, holding his finger mere inches away from Zero's lips in temptation. "Consider it water, then."

"What?" Zero asked, having missed the leap in logic due to the offering that was so close.

"Humans require water to live," Kaname began, earning him an impatient huff from his captive. "It's easy enough to ignore the thirst at first, but if denied water for too long, humans become ill from dehydration. Blood is no different for us."

Zero hated the word, "us," hated the entire concept; there was only, "himself," and, "everyone else." He didn't want to be grouped together with the vampires, but even he couldn't pretend he was entirely human anymore. More than that, Zero hated that Kaname had made a logical argument that was almost impossible to refute. "Shut up," Zero dangerously growled, licking his lips nervously as he continued ignoring the blood. He would not give in!

Chuckling at the insolence, Kaname brushed it aside as he continued. "What do you think constantly denying it does to you?" Kaname challenged, bringing his finger to his own lips to clean it in a deliberate display.

The sight of Kaname sucking the blood off of his own finger made it hard for Zero to answer immediately and he hated himself for it. Finally he recovered enough to exclaim, "I'm stronger than this!"

"By denying yourself, it starts to feed off of your strength," Kaname explained. "Eventually it ends up controlling you, does it not? Makes you fall into a savage, uncontrollable bloodlust."

It angered Zero that there was truth in Kaname's words, not to mention the fact that the pureblood had been on the receiving end of that lapse on more than one occasion. No matter how much he fought against it, Zero always ended up snapping and messily feeding from Kaname in a blind, mindless frenzy, desperately trying to make up all of the weeks of denial. It was only once his mind calmed that he realized what a monster he was turning into, what a pathetic creature he had become.

"Isn't it better for you to control it?" Kaname gently asked, wondering if any of it was getting through to Zero. Kaname was tired of being ruthlessly ravaged and if he could make Zero understand, perhaps it would not be so odious of a task to keep the hunter alive. "To not be reduced to such a state?"

Hanging his head in shame, Zero couldn't bear to look at Kaname. Why did the annoying bastard have to be so frustratingly right? But what was Zero supposed to do? Just show up to Kaname every time he got hungry? His dignity wouldn't allow it.

Kaname could see that he was making progress with the hunter and it was for that reason that he tilted his head to bare his neck as he offered, "Here."

Looking up in confusion, Zero couldn't stop the shiver that ran through him at the sight of Kaname looking so submissive once more. "But I already—" Zero started to protest, even as he wet his lips once more.

"Kiryuu-kun."

"And yesterday, I—"

"Kiryuu-kun."

The slight edge of irritation was what silenced Zero temporarily. All of the points had been undeniably logical, but something still didn't add up for Zero. "Why?" he finally asked, needing some sort of a reason. The pep talk was seemingly random and confused Zero, almost as much as the fact that they were still in close enough proximity to each other to be touching.

"So that you will understand," Kaname replied, although that didn't help Zero.

Zero didn't want to obey, but he tried to consider his options. If he capitulated, Kaname would leave, and then Zero wouldn't have to deal with him for quite some time again. Telling himself that he was purely motivated to get Kaname out of his room as quickly as possible, Zero hesitantly leaned forward.

Without the mindless hunger torturing him, the intimacy of the act started to bother Zero. He was pressed so close to Kaname's bare chest, his fingers digging into those delicate hips as the vampire's strong arms embraced him; it felt so good, but so wrong. It was easy to get distracted by it, but Zero steeled himself against it. Kaname had challenged him and Zero refused to back down.

Finally cleaning the smear of blood that had been tormenting him, Zero was almost disappointed in the lack of reaction from Kaname. When Zero had been antagonizing the vampire earlier, Kaname had made such interesting and embarrassing sounds that the hunter almost wanted to make him do it again. Zero shouldn't be the only one suffering from the humiliation of the situation and he debated whether or not to try and do it again in order to make Kaname's obnoxious composure falter.

Licking his way up to a suitable place on Kaname's neck, Zero lightly trailed his fangs against the sensitive skin, smirking when he felt the vampire's breath quicken in response. It brought up a question and Zero licked his way up to Kaname's ear to huskily ask, "What's in it for you?"

Kaname answered without hesitation, "Yuuki's safety."

"We both know that I would rather die than hurt her," Zero reminded Kaname. "So what's your real reason?"

"You are still useful to me," Kaname answered honestly, "and therefore I will not forgive or allow you to descend to a Level E."

Frowning at the reply, Zero muttered, "I will never be your pawn, Kuran."

"It is not in my interest to control you," Kaname stated, wishing that Zero would hurry up and drink. The delay made Kaname's hands want to wander, but it would be a mistake to do so while Zero was so aware of himself and the situation.

Although the answer was far from satisfying, Zero said nothing further on the subject. Instead, Zero began tracing Kaname's main artery, the blood tempting him with every beat of the vampire's heart. It seemed pointless to waste that much blood when he wasn't actually hungry, so Zero navigated toward a smaller vein that was easier to reach; he didn't want to lean against Kaname any more than he had to.

Letting his fangs lightly puncture Kaname's skin, Zero closed his eyes as a soft sound of pleasure accidentally escaped from him. Even though he hadn't been hungry, it was still immensely satisfying to feel that liquid warmth filling him. He probed the shallow wound with his tongue, the exquisite flavor that was Kaname filling his mouth and overwhelming his every sense. Zero unknowingly pressed himself closer as his instincts started to demand more.

Even though the functioning part of Zero's mind that was controlled by his humanity was pleading with him to stop, he ignored it. He was already too lost in Kaname to listen and Zero sank his fangs in deeper when the blood flow started to slow due to clotting. The action caused Kaname to tilt his head back with a sigh as he tightened his grip, trying not to respond to the way it made Zero move against him in his efforts to reach.

As Zero began drinking in earnest, he wrapped his arms around Kaname out of habit to support himself. The feeling of that smooth skin under his fingers gave Zero the uncontrollable urge to touch and he barely noticed the way his traitorous hands began slowly exploring. They worked their way down the vampire's back, Zero's fingertips marveling at the smooth expanse as his claws lightly scratched without drawing blood. It made Kaname's hips buck into Zero, earning him a disapproving growl from the hunter.

Zero's displeasure quickly faded when he noticed a change of taste in Kaname's blood. It was subtle at first, but Zero found himself quickly addicted to the new, richer flavor; he didn't understand why Kaname's blood had suddenly become sweeter, but the hunter wasn't complaining. He felt almost intoxicated by the taste as he continued to indulge himself, despite knowing that he should stop soon.

Kaname would have sworn if it weren't so undignified; he couldn't believe how quickly he had let his control slip. His hormones had started to respond to Zero's ministrations and Kaname knew that the hunter would be able to taste the difference, even if the teen wouldn't understand it. "Kiryuu-kun," Kaname said, shaking Zero slightly to get his attention. The last thing Kaname needed was for Zero to be affected by the hormones in his blood that acted like an aphrodisiac, even if some small part of the pureblood was tempted.

Zero was past the point of caring; he was feeling almost heady now and he wanted more, if only so that he could understand what had changed. His current state of mind made it almost impossible to think, which was the only thing that allowed him to dig his fangs in deeper without reservation when Kaname tried to push him away.

Kaname had been in the middle of repeating Zero's name when he felt those sharp fangs penetrate him further. It caused Kaname to break off with a gasp as he arched into the sensation, groaning when he heard the pleased noise from Zero over the reaction. This is decidedly not good, Kaname realized and he knew that he had to get things back under his control before he lost the will to do so.

The flavor had spiked when Zero dug in further and he was almost tempted to bite all the way down to see if it would make a difference. Although it was by far the sweetest thing he had ever tasted—even more so than Yuuki's—now there was almost an undercurrent of spice that made Zero hunger for something else entirely. The powerful blood was flowing through him, stroking him from the inside, and Zero could only moan as he began grinding against Kaname for relief from the pressure building up within himself. In the back of his mind, Zero was vaguely questioning what the hell was going on, but everything important was feeling and sensations, so his inner vampire focused on that instead as forbidden urges began to dominate his control.

Kaname recognized that they were starting down a very dangerous path and he had to fight against his instincts that were responding to the corresponding release of pheromones from Zero. Reaching up with a trembling hand, Kaname lightly stroked Zero's throat, encouraging the hunter to release him. Zero groaned in protest and sank his fangs in further, causing them both to react vocally to the sensation.

As Zero was captivated by the ever changing flavor, Kaname was forced to take drastic measures. Hoping that he wasn't miscalculating the situation, Kaname sensuously let both of his hands trail down to Zero's ass before groping the hunter hard. Zero finally released Kaname's neck with a sharp gasp as the sensation both startled and aroused him. He was almost panting from the experience and Zero licked his lips to make sure that he didn't waste a single drop of that intoxicating crimson. Zero looked at Kaname with unspoken questions, still painfully aware of the hands on his ass that were only serving to confuse him further as his body rocked against them, needing more. There were so many things that Zero wanted to ask, but his voice refused to cooperate with him.

Even though Kaname was looking right at him, Zero's curiosity got the best of him. Zero brought his arm closer to inspect the drying blood from when he scratched Kaname earlier. Tentatively flicking his tongue out to sample it, he was shocked at the difference; what had once been good was now almost bitter in comparison. It made him clean up the remaining trickle of blood from Kaname's neck to rid himself of the unpleasant aftertaste, shocking himself at his own behavior. "Why?" Zero finally asked, even as he savored the little bit of hormonally laced blood that had successfully eradicated the traces of that unpleasant taste.

Kaname couldn't answer him immediately, having been distracted by the unintentionally sensual scene Zero had just subjected him to. "It happens sometimes," Kaname stated as he subtly moved his hands up to Zero's hips, away from the temptation and to safer territory.

"When?" Zero persisted, needing to understand. As much as he hated being a vampire and the fact that he had to rely on Kaname, some part of Zero's mind was whispering that it might not be so terrible if it always tasted like that. It scared him that he could come to crave not just the blood, but the taste of it, the way it made him feel. Zero wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that he wasn't drinking out of blind desperation, but he waited for Kaname to go into details before verbalizing any theories that were probably wrong.

It would be easy to lie, but Kaname's honor wouldn't allow him to fabricate false reasons for the hunter. "When certain emotions are…involved," Kaname tactfully replied, not interested in delving into the specifics.

"Like hate?" Zero asked, still finding their current position to be strange. Why was Kaname still holding onto him? More importantly: why was he still holding onto Kaname?

"Sometimes," Kaname confirmed.

"Anger?"

They would be there all night if Zero was going to name every emotion, so Kaname said, "If an emotion is strong, it can sometimes affect the…flavor."

Letting the information sink in, Zero was then left to ponder what emotion had drastically impacted Kaname's taste. "I don't get it," Zero finally admitted, having failed to find a suitable explanation over what had changed in Kaname. Hatred or anger couldn't be that amazingly delicious, so it had to be something else.

Deciding to take a more scientific route to spare himself any further embarrassment, Kaname began, "Chemicals that are released in response to certain things can alter—"

"I meant just now," Zero interrupted to clarify.

It was a question that Kaname didn't want to answer, so he simply stated, "That was the explanation," as he detangled himself from Zero. With the small amount of distance, it suddenly became a little easier to think, although the lingering scent of blood and Zero called to Kaname's predatory nature.

When Kaname walked over to his clothes, Zero became almost irrationally incensed. Angrily stalking after the pureblood, Zero spun Kaname to face him as he demanded, "What was it?"

Arching an eyebrow at the audacity of Zero's actions, Kaname only answered with a monotone, "An emotion."

The answer was an infuriating one and it pissed off Zero that Kaname wasn't taking him seriously now. Using the element of surprise to his advantage, Zero slammed Kaname against the wall hard enough for the plaster to fracture slightly. "Which?" Zero asked, not even sure why he was so hell bent and determined to find out the answer. The more Kaname tried to hide the truth, the more it made Zero want to drag it out of him.

Effortlessly reversing their positions and pinning Zero to the wall, Kaname warned, "Do not ask questions when you cannot handle the answer."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zero almost yelled out of frustration.

"You are unprepared for the truth and I have no desire to…force it upon you," Kaname replied, even as he warned himself of the consequences of giving into his darker instincts.

"Who the hell are you to decide whether or not I can handle it?" Zero spat in disgust. "Answer my damn question!"

Narrowing his eyes at the blatant disrespect, Kaname shrugged and briefly considered a demonstration. He had no doubt that it would be effective, but the potential for things to get out of control was extremely high. Figuring that Zero would throw him out before things got that far and counting on his own impeccable self-control to keep him in line, Kaname proceeded with minimal reservations.

Relinquishing his grip on Zero, Kaname leaned forward and pressed his lips to the hunter's neck. "What will you do when you discover that you don't like the answer?" Kaname murmured, sending a shiver through the teen at the feeling of those warm words so close to his neck.

"Deal with it," Zero tersely answered, trying not to tremble when he felt Kaname kiss him on the throat. "Did you just…?!"

Smirking wickedly, Kaname slipped his hands under Zero's shirt once more to let his claws move torturously slow over sensitized skin. The shiver and accidental noise thrilled Kaname's inner beast and he could smell a hint of those tempting pheromones that were starting to make themselves known once more. Just a little more and then I'll stop, Kaname warned himself, trying not to lose sight of his purpose, even as his tongue darted out for a quick taste.

A shudder ran through Zero at the sensation and his body was starting to awaken in disturbing ways. "What are you doing?" Zero icily demanded, his claws digging into the wall and damaging it further as he tried to repress whatever was stirring deep inside of himself.

"Showing you," Kaname told him as he lightly raked his nails down Zero's back. It made Zero arch against him and his hands instinctively reached out to Kaname before the teen could stop himself. Kaname could sense Zero's desire and it made the vampire take things a step further.

A pureblood's pheromones were a powerful tool of seduction and for that reason, Kaname kept tight control over that particular power; he had enough people throwing themselves at him as it was. Making an exception and hoping he wouldn't come to regret it, Kaname allowed the slightest release of his pheromones. The reaction was almost instantaneous as Zero's eyes glowed bright red, the vampire inside fighting for complete control over him. Zero instinctively thrust against Kaname's thigh that was between his legs, groaning at the friction as he was overcome with a near blinding need for the pureblood.

If Zero had thought his senses were overwhelmed before, it was nothing in comparison to the way they were being invaded now. He ached with a want he didn't even know how to verbalize since all rational thoughts had been decimated by the sensations and desires that were pounding through his body.

Kaname could feel Zero's hard length pressing into him and he was momentarily swayed by his own weakness. It was almost too tempting, the way Zero's head was tossed back against the wall, baring his throat to Kaname with an aggressive growl that excited the pureblood. His personal darkness was urging for him to accept the offering, but when he looked into fiery red eyes that matched his own, Kaname backed off; there was no trace of violet, no trace of Zero—only the demon within remained. It wouldn't be right to take advantage of the teen when he was under the sway of such powerful influences and Kaname tried to create distance between them once more, having made his point.

Zero was too far gone to appreciate the restraint and he laced his fingers into soft brunette hair in order to pull Kaname closer for a brutal kiss. It was viciously passionate, a wild meeting of dark desires that was in serious danger of getting out of control. Their bodies instinctually began grinding against each other once more, causing Zero to moan sensuously as they continued. The sound was erotically enticing and Kaname was forced to remind himself why he couldn't give in to his urges to claim the surprisingly sensual being that was currently pinned beneath him. "Kiryuu-kun, stop," Kaname tried to command, but the breathless urgency of his tone lacked authority.

Instead of listening, Zero's hands sought out Kaname's belt buckle and started trying to undo it, anything to reduce the distance between them. It felt as if his entire essence was made of Kaname in that moment and it made Zero want more. Every frantic beat of his heart drove the vampire's pure blood through Zero's system and the teen burned with the need for more, the need to feel Kaname completely in every way imaginable.

Stopping Zero's overeager hands from completing their task, Kaname took a deep breath to try and calm himself, to allow the rational part of his mind to return. Zero took advantage of Kaname's distraction and lightly nicked the pureblood's shoulder with his fangs, sensuously drawing the blood out with teasing flicks of his tongue. It made Kaname shudder as a gasp caught in his throat, momentarily taken aback by the look of sheer ecstasy on Zero's face as he practically purred in pleasure, enthralled by the taste of the pureblood's arousal.

Forcing Zero away from his shoulder and back against the wall, Kaname growled, "Zero," as he asserted dominance over the situation. He was unprepared for the flicker of lilac in those bright crimson eyes, that flash of violet that was in control when Zero keened with needy desire. It was gone as quickly as it had happened, but Kaname's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, knowing that he had undoubtedly seen Zero's consciousness surface for a brief moment before being claimed by his inner demon once more.

"Kaname," Zero drawled in return, the single word dripping with sex. He smirked when he felt Kaname react physically, feeling immensely powerful at knowing he could have that affect on the proud pureblood.

"Calm yourself," Kaname ordered, trying his best to take his own advice, although it was increasingly difficult as he watched Zero's tongue dart out to lick the last remnants of blood from his lips.

"Why?" Zero questioned defiantly, deliberately toying with Kaname's patience and loving every moment of it. He wanted to make the pureblood crack, wanted to see that ridiculous composure fracture, wanted to prove once and for all that the vampire was truly nothing more than a beast disguised in human form.

Indulging in a final kiss against his better judgment, Kaname answered, "For your own sake," before finally separating with one last teasing flick of his tongue.

Before Zero could ask what that meant, Kaname and his clothes were already gone, leaving a very stunned and confused hunter alone in the dark bedroom. When Zero realized he couldn't even feel Kaname's intense aura, his knees finally gave out on him and he slid against the wall down to the floor in shock. "What the hell does that mean?" Zero angrily asked, receiving no response from the surrounding silence. He was almost tempted to chase after Kaname, to hunt him down to get some answers, but Zero didn't move; he wasn't even entirely sure if he was capable of it at the moment.

Pulling his knees to his chest and resting his arms against them, Zero banged his head back against the wall as he struggled against himself. His body felt almost painfully alive, not to mention embarrassingly aroused by what had just happened. Zero groaned in shame as he came back to himself, the red bloodlust fading from his eyes into disbelieving lilac. He blamed the pureblood for the disturbing lapse in judgment, hating himself for letting things get that far out of his control.

Zero swore to himself to make Kaname pay somehow for the affront to his dignity, but he wasn't quite sure how he was going to manage to do such a thing. He could already hear the pureblood taunting him over the fact that Zero had undeniably enjoyed it on some level and his ire was once again stirred by that fact. Zero hated his traitorous body for responding the way that it had, hated that it was still desperately calling out to Kaname for more. The hunter refused to bring himself to completion on principal, so Zero continued to remain unmoving on the floor, waiting for his body to calm itself. It was going to take awhile since Kaname's hormonally laced blood was still flowing through his system, but Zero accepted it as a punishment, gritting his teeth as he tried to ignore the fire inside that pleaded for release.

A/N: So this isn't my normal fandom, but these boys latched onto me and wouldn't quite let go. Hopefully my characterization wasn't too unforgivable…

I intend to continue this story to at least a second chapter where Zero confronts Kaname after a few days, but knowing me, it might spill into a third act. There will eventually be actual lemons, so that's always something to look forward to, ne?

For those of you who follow my other work, the next Anywhen, Anywhere update should go up on Sunday, May 24th.

Thank you to everyone for reading this and I look forward to hearing your reactions!