SM22: " Ok reader, I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. These are technically two chapters in one. The next chapter will be a lot longer. Also, I've been winging these chapter names for a while now so... yeah... if they start sounding weird, that's why. "

Chpt 24 - Gather the Knights

Back at the Hunter's Association

"I told you, for the last time, I don't know what happened! You're just wasting your time, asking me the same damned questions over and over again!" The blonde male cried out as he slammed his shackled fists on the table.

The two hunters and Toga Yagari exchanged a glance before the one-eyed male took another drag of his cigarette. One of the hunters was wondering if Yagari would implement the lit bud into his interrogation, but the man merely wanted something to calm him down.

"Just tell us something that you do know. You were there with Yuuki Kuran when Tenma attacked... a young human girl was there too-"

"She wanted to see her mother," Aidou said nonchalantly, trying to regain his composure. Toga knew the girl well enough to know that this statement was true, but why would Hanabusa escort her, the vampire wasn't exactly a charitable person.

"Why... what compelled you to help the girl?" The Huntress assisting Yagari in the interrogation, checked the tape on the recorder. They had an hour or two of whining, yelling, and silence. She'd have to change the tape out soon.

"Yuuki-sama felt sorry for her... she wanted to help her because unlike some people, she's actually a nice person... naive but nice... "

He chooses his words carefully. Unafraid of how the hunters would interpret his words, and more fearful of Kaname suddenly sprouting out of nowhere, to punish him for lightly slandering Yuuki-sama.

"Reports also states that Yuuki Kuran had contact with one of Hisoka's Blood-Collectors outside of our Headquarters. She dispatched it but was overcome by Tenma's powers... why did she choose to confront him... did she have any reason to intervene in his activities?" Toga read out a report, placing his cigarette down in an ashtray to rub his side with a groan.

He and Takamiya might have suffered the least damage and were required to continuing working, but they still suffered injuries none the less.

"Yuuki-sama heard about some strange activity going on in this town. People and feral vampires going missing, and these weird monsters appearing seemed to be connected to it too. We were walking her dog and one of those abominations... attacked it."

"She was walking her dog?" The other hunter questioned. The human-like behavior was unorthodox for a vampire, let alone a Pure-Blood.

"And where were they walking during the attack-" Aidou interrupted his past teacher, once again stalling his interrogation. The blonde, ice vampire hated being treated like a criminal, despite doing nothing wrong.

"I am not at liberty to tell you that and there is no reason for you to know the location of Yuuki-sama's favorite dog walking route." Hanabusa pouted, sassing their attempt to make him slip up, and devolve crucial information about his mistress. Their main focus should be Tenma-sama only, but he knew that they still viewed Kaname as a criminal, for killing off the Senate and a dormant Pureblood.

"Fine, just tell us one thing, then you will be free to go-"

"Yagari-san, what are you saying, we can't just let Kuran's lackey go!" The woman pleaded in astonishment. Toga reached into his pocket, dangling the keys in front of Aidou.

"After what you've recently seen... from both the Tenma male and your Pure-Blood prince and princess... in your opinion, did the Kurans allow Hisoka Tenma to escape... or did they get outwitted by a more powerful foe-"

"With all due respect, your question doesn't make sense to me... are you insinuation that there is a vampire, albeit a Pure-Blood, more powerful than the Kurans?!"

"Well, you've seen both of them up close... so you tell me?" Toga clenched the keys in his fist, observing the possibilities in his head.

"Not a chance! Kaname-sama is strong, smart and fearless, he would never run... he escaped to save his fiance's life. Also, Yuuki-sama's behavior indicates that her actions had been tethered to Tenma-sama, through means that I have no knowledge of!"

"So, why didn't Kuran just kill Tenma in a way that didn't harm his fiance. Maybe Hisoka was too much for them to handle, ever think of that?"

He just couldn't think of such things, it wasn't possible for Kaname to be overwhelmed by some sociopath, Yuuki, sure, but never Kaname. Hanabusa shook his head, uncomfortable that he had actually degraded a Pureblood. Hisoka Tenma was blunt, apathetic and seemed virtually clueless on how the world worked, but he was still a Pureblood nonetheless and deserved the vampire's reverence.

After deep contemplation by Toga Yagari, Hanabusa was released under the one condition.

Aidou would not have to disclose information regarding the Kuran family. In exchange, any and all information regarding the Tenma family he gathered, and his full cooperation, if called upon by the Hunter's Association, was demanded of him.

"What you're asking of me, to undermine a Pureblood, you are aware that it goes against my principles. I will not confront Tenma-sama directly of course, but I will try to disclose any information that could help in your pursuits." Aiduo raised his shackles with a grim look on his face, unhappy about having to assist the hunters in exchange for his freedom.

In any other normal circumstances, he would have stubbornly held his tongue until they'd let him go, on Cross's orders, but this situation was dire. Hisoka Tenma both terrified and intrigued Aidou, and he wanted to research the vampire's lineage anyway... this temporary alliance would allow him to scrummage through their records, under their close supervision of course.

Any information he found could be also useful to Yuuki-sama and help her capture Hisoka. The young vampire held back a grin, knowing that he now could have full access to the investigation and would probably run into that human girl again.

He needed to ask her a few questions of his own.

Meanwhile, in a private hospital used primarily by and for Vampire Hunters and Vampire related injuries...

He felt him everywhere.

Zero's skin was crawling, his blood was on fire and felt dirty.

Hisoka Tenma's control over him left him feeling drained both in body and soul. The Pureblood forced him to carelessly use the Bloody-Rose, ignorant of its tendency to suck Zero's blood in its more powerful form. Zero had nearly died out there, but his body being manipulated wasn't his breaking point, it was what he was forced to do to Ai that was tormenting him. He'd hurt her and he couldn't stop himself. He could feel her weightless body being torn away, by wild vines.

In his unconscious state, all he could do was replay what had happened in his head, each remembrance more vivid and gruesome than the last time.

Memories distorted into nightmares, as his Bloody-Rose coiled around Yuuki, strangling her to death, grinding her body to ash and paste. The vines then turned on his Yagari, Cross, and Takamiya. The tendrils slipping under their skin and tearing them apart from the inside. Last was Ai, as he tried to reach out and save the girl.

The weapon would wrap around him at this point of his nightmare, binding his limbs to his sides as he looked on, helpless. Her body sank beneath the vines before his weapon's cords went still. Ai's body seemed paralyzed within the coils before they slid and turned, her blood pumping up, then skin... then bone.

Zero's eyes glowed red as his sanity began to ebb away, the vines were now strangling him, but that didn't cool his anger.

"You killed her!?" Zero screamed, feeling himself falling again into a Level E. The Pureblood just looked on calmly, seeming unable to grasp the devastation he had just caused. Finally, Zero decided to fully give in, once again blinded by his hatred for vampires. Baring his fangs, he finally grabbed a hold of Hisoka, grinning madly, yearning to rip his throat open. He needed Tenma to die for what he'd done, even if it meant gnawing him apart like a crazed, feral vampire.

"Zero, wake up!" Kaito shoved the man off of him and back into his bed. Kaito backed away, grabbing his weapon but not yet drawing it. Zero's hands were still trying to grab at the other man, caught in a murderous haze. Zero's glowing crimson eyes rested on the disturbed face of his partner, finally losing their strength and falling limp to his sides.

Zero scanned the room, his nocturnal vision was still hazy from exhaustion and blood loss, but still able to see enough of his surrounds to piece together what was going on. He was in a hospital. A large bag of blood was being pumped into his arm through a tube, while an IV drip was also supplying him with liquids. Zero pale ivory skin felt clammy beneath his soft blue hospital gown, despite the thin cotton sheet covering his lower body.

"You were having a nightmare... again." He informed his partner, who was slowly still coming down from his blood lust. He flinched at a shadow being cast on the wall before he realized it was his own. The bright full moon was sending soft glow into the room, followed by the quiet breeze of the night through the slightly open window. He finally took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. His eyes lost their red luster and returned to its usual pale lavender, while his fangs retracted back into his mouth.

"Where is she?" Zero asked, dreading the answer. Through the jumbled mess of his overstressed memories, he could recall seeing Hisoka taking At into the hospital. He held back on using his Bloody-Rose to tear away at the crumbling structure to find her. After tearing a few weakened Blood Collectors, Zero felt his body go limp, his blood almost used up. Despite his body giving way, he knelt down on his knees to rest his body, still alert with Bloody-Rose in its wild state, draining him.

If Hisoka stepped out, he wanted to be the one to end him, even if he ended himself in the process. He needed to stop the madness, he needed to save Ai.

However, the hunters sensed that Hisoka had fled, his presence no longer in the area. Kaien, Kaito, and Toga ran in to retrieve Ai's unmoving body. Zero, seeing that she was finally back with the hunters, despite his best efforts, passed out from exhaustion.

"The Pureblood girl left with Kuran, and Cross's injuries looked a lot worse than they actually were. He got out a few days ago... Hayashi-San and our teacher are also fine... just a few cuts and bruises," Takamiya informed Zero who was waiting for him to finish.

"What happened to her, is Ai... did she make it?" Zero gripped his blanket with a hushed whisper, ashamed that he allowed her tormentor to take things this far.

"She's alive. I haven't seen her myself yet since I've been ordered to oversee your recovery," Kaito paused, looking at the door.

"So until then, how do you feel, are you okay?" He crosses his arms and looked down at Zero. Observing his usually hot-headed yet cool demeanor, replaced by a trembling mess, was quite unsettling.

"I'm fine, other than some blood loss and fatigue." The younger hunter lied. He wanted to be left alone, to tend to his mental and physical wounds.

"Zero, you were having a nightmare... you tried to attack me in your sleep. You almost died. Your weapon nearly drained you dry... even after Tenma's hold on you was severed, you refused to revert it back to its docile form. We had to pry it from what was left of your arm. You have to tell me the truth, are you sure you're okay?"

Zero clenched a clump of his hair in a tight grip with one hand, the other hand still healing in its casts. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his Bloody-Rose gun, lying dormant on the desk beside him.

"I'm fine Kaito... really."