A/N: It's been so many years and finally I've written the newest chapter of this story. Thank you for all the support you guys have shown for this work! (^-^) To all the readers old and new, I hope you guys will enjoy this update.

Immortal Guardian

08

Dangerous Horizons

"If there is nothing left of you but darkness and hatred, how can you not become a monster?"

Shizuka Hiou

"Still not on speaking terms with each other?"

"Your ability to state the obvious remains unparalleled, Kaito."

"No wonder you're in such a grouchy mood lately, Zero. So what happened this time with you two?"

"None of your business."

"Oh come on, tell me. I might be able to help. After all, the sooner you guys make up, the sooner this heavy mood will lighten. Working with her lately has been a real hell. She switches from depressed to angry to depressed again all in a matter of moments that it's giving me a whiplash. Not to mention, her glaring at me like it was somehow my fault."

"…"

"Zero…"

"…"

"I'm not dropping this topic, you know. Spill it out already or you'll see which of us the more stubborn one is."

"…Her feelings for me."

"Oh, wow. Damn. She just had to tread on a dangerous landmine there. Are you still not going to return it?"

"I can't, Kaito. You know more than anyone else the reason why I can't love her the way she wants me too."

"It's been years since she died. I know for certain that she would've wanted you to find someone else to love. She was kind that way and she would've wanted you to be happy. Given that, isn't it time for you to move on?"

"It's hard enough that I lost her. After that first betrayal from someone who I thought loved me, she was the one who mended my heart. She gave me my humanity back. She was everything to me and losing her almost killed me. I won't survive loving and losing someone like that again. It's far better this way, Kaito. It's selfish of me but I don't want to get hurt like that ever again. Besides, Sara is a pureblood queen. Her people would want her to be with someone better."

"I doubt there is someone out there better than the infamous Silver King."

"Kaito…"

"What? I was just stating facts. I don't think there's anyone in this world better than you."

"Do you want her to spend the rest of her life with a man who built his rule by killing others, who manipulated and used others to achieve his goal, who didn't hesitate to strike down those who opposed him? I'm a ruthless king in the eyes of others. If there is one good thing that came out of your sister's death, it's this. I'm glad she never got to see the monster that I have become."

"You're wrong on that account. My sister would've loved you regardless of what person you turned out to be. Her feelings for you were stronger than that, Zero. She would've followed you anywhere even to the depths of darkness just to be with you. And besides, it isn't like Sara is a saint either. She's a pureblood vampire. Blood and death is a part of her life. And if you take into account her nature as a vampire, she's much worse than you are."

"Why do I feel as if you're trying to match me up with her?"

"I promised my sister that I would make sure you find your happiness. She definitely knew you better than anyone else to have this much foresight. She knew you'd wallow in despair as soon as she disappeared."

"And you think that I being with Sara would give me that closure and happiness?"

"What's wrong with trying? Don't shut yourself off from opportunities, Zero. My sister believed before she died that you would find love again."

"So…"

"Yes, Kaito?" Zero inquired patiently as he crossed the street and made his way towards a jewelry shop. He had spotted something rather interesting in the shop's window.

"What are you doing now?" Kaito asked with a raised brow as his new employer dragged him all over town looking for something. They had been acquainted for more than a week now and Zero still confused him to no end.

Zero gave him a bland look and stated, "I did tell you before that Ichijou-san invited us for his upcoming birthday party. It would be terribly rude of us to show up without bearing a gift so now we're looking for something to give him."

Kaito sighed in exasperation as he tried to decipher what on earth Kiryuu Zero was thinking. He really didn't know the man's twisted thought process. One minute he was some evil mastermind out to destroy his enemies and the next he was this nice guy who made it his goal to make friends with the people inside Cross Academy. Now he could understand why Ichiru looked like he wanted to kill everything in sight. It must've been terrible to see his older brother being friendly towards those vampires especially that pureblooded Kuran Kaname.

"What do you think?"

The hunter was drawn out of his musings as he was presented with a gold chain bracelet decorated with a small pendant shaped like a dog.

"I don't know about Ichijou-san's tastes but I'm sure he'll like it with his character. First time I met him I thought he was a weird one. A cheerful and outgoing vampire. Never seen one of those types before. Thought they were all dark and broody in general." He raised a brow as he thought back on his meeting with the vice president of the night class. "Anyway, what made you choose that of all things?"

"It reminded me of him," Zero replied in his usual neutral tone of voice. "Aren't dogs supposed to symbolize friendship and loyalty?" An indescribable look flitted across his face. "But that loyalty would also be his biggest downfall. He gave his loyalty to two people with differing paths. The time would come where he'll have to decide whether he'll follow his leader or his grandfather. He can't go both ways, after all. Once he chooses, he can never go back again. He'll have to live with the consequences of either choice."

A smile tugged at the edges of Kaito's lips. "You know a lot more than you let on. No wonder you have those purebloods on edge. You're scary good at this kind of business. I definitely don't want you as my enemy."

"It's a good thing then that you chose my side," Zero said as he gazed at the hunter fondly.

"As if you didn't expect me to say yes. You knew from the get go that I'll join your side after that meeting."

Zero's fond expression dropped instantly and the look on his face made Kaito shiver in fear. There was something primal and dangerous in those eyes.

"Level E's," the man stated.

Zero stalked away from the hunter, heading towards the alley and to the vampires waiting to ambush him.

Despite his confusion, Kaito followed the silver-haired immortal.

"To think that his servants would follow me all the way here. He must be getting desperate to get me out of the picture," Zero said, his voice coldly calculating and perfectly calm.

Kaito frowned and gave the man a dead-pan look. "You have too many enemies, Zero."

"That's why I asked you to join me to even the odds a bit. Besides, I don't remember making war with this pureblood."

"Hiou Shizuka?"

"Not her. Kuran Rido."

The hunter sighed, running a hand through his hair and tilting his head to the side as he looked at his companion.

"You left a lot of details when we talked last time."

Zero's face was almost expressionless, but the corners of his mouth twitched. "I did, didn't I? Don't worry you'll learn everything in due time. For now, I need to dispatch these rogue vampires before innocents get drawn into it."

"I can't believe I signed up for this," Kaito stated in exasperation as he eyed the approaching level ends. There were only two of them this time.

"Complain all you like, Kaito. But I can see clearly that you're enjoying this."

One of the vampires suddenly lunged at Zero but he was ready. He reared back and kicked the enemy hard, sending him smashing into one of the walls.

The second vampire didn't waste any time as he swung out at Zero and missed. The silver-haired man, while dodging, tilted his torso and snagged his hidden knife from the folds of his coat. He swung his arm up, slashing a gash across the vampire's neck. Blood arched in the air in a long chain and splattered the walls. A few seconds later, the being turned to dust.

Zero approached the winded vampire and pinned him down with a foot on the chest. His eyes were cold as he brought out a silver handgun and aimed it below him with no hesitation.

"I'm sure that you're watching, Kuran-san, so let me give you this message." The immortal's voice changed from slightly bored to low and intense. "I accept your declaration of war."

As soon as those words were said, Zero fired his gun and all that remained were the ashes of his would be attackers.

"That was interesting in its own way."

Kaito's expression was drier than desert sand as he said, "I still don't understand how your mind works, Zero. What's so interesting about someone wanting to kill you?"

"It takes my boredom away and it gives me an excuse to use my abilities. I can only stand acting normal when these things happen once in a while. It's the only reason why I accepted Kaien's proposal. He knows how restless I become cooped up with nothing to do."

"Killing vampires is your hobby?"

"Vampires. Humans. Some otherworldly creatures. As long as the job requires it of me."

"Zero…"

The immortal blinked, his face twisting into something like hurt and then quickly back into impassiveness as he said, "I told you didn't I? I might be fighting for the good of others. I might be fighting to protect those important to me. But it doesn't change the fact that I kill. At the heart of it all, I'm still a killer, Kaito. It's the one thing I'm good at and the one thing that has never changed all these years."

And I believe it won't change any time soon…

-xXx-

The party was in full swing when Zero and Kaito arrived. After he offered his greetings to the celebrant, he made a beeline to the empty tables while his companion excused himself and disappeared to who knows where.

"Zero-san."

He smiled as he turned his gaze towards Yuuki who wore an aggrieved expression. "Let me guess, Ichiru skipped out and left you to deal with this."

Her silence was enough confirmation.

His eyes softened as he reached out a hand and ruffled her hair. "I'm sorry about my brother. He can be a bit stubborn at times. I'm glad you keep an effort on making sure he's all right. He might not show it but I'm sure he appreciates your gestures."

"Y-You're welcome, Zero-san," she stammered as she turned bright red in response. The heat flooding her cheeks were unbearable.

The silver-haired man laughed. Oh, wow. Yuuki couldn't help her stray thought that he looked so amazingly handsome when he laughed.

She couldn't deny it any longer as she blushed even harder. She was starting to have a crush on Ichiru's older brother. She loved her Kaname-senpai but there was a distance between them that she felt was growing larger. And their interactions were strained nowadays. Always tense and a little bit cold. It made her feel like a complete stranger in his presence.

Meanwhile, the man in front of her was the exact opposite. His presence always felt warm and welcoming. He was also very kind. His soft expression, his rare smiles, his gentle hands that usually ruffled her hair. Everything about him was something she could grow to love. He was someone she could love.

"Are you feeling quite well, Yuuki?" He commented as he watched the faraway look in her eyes.

"I-I'm fine, Zero-san," she answered nervously, hoping that he couldn't read her thoughts. Her father always told her that she tended to wear her heart on her sleeve.

Zero was about to reply when he felt it.

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

The silver-haired young man left the party as soon as he felt the disturbance in the air. There was someone leaking dangerous intent here at the academy grounds.

He narrowed his eyes in concentration as he tried to pinpoint the location of the unwelcome guest.

Where is he hiding?

"Zero-san! Watch out!"

Zero finally felt the presence acutely and he was prepared to act when all of a sudden Yuuki tackled him away. The young girl must've misjudged her trajectory and as a result, the both of them ended up splashing into the lake. As soon as they resurfaced, the presence had vanished.

"Are you alright, Yuuki?" Zero asked as he pushed back his sopping wet locks.

"I'm fine. I should be asking you that, Zero-san," Yuuki said as her gaze was drawn to the silver tipped arrow sticking out of the ground they were in before.

Footsteps moved towards them and they both tensed as a man in a trench coat appeared in view.

"Made some powerful enemies have you, Kiryuu?"

Zero's expression turned thoughtful as he stated, "Probably. But then again, I've been dispatching vampires as per Kaien's orders. So there's bound to be someone out there who feels threatened by my continued existence. What does the famous Yagari Touga doing in these parts?"

Touga was met with a severe case of déjà vu as he gazed at the young man. The resemblance to his deceased friend was too uncanny. It was like looking at the Kiryuu Shirou of his younger years. By appearance alone, no one would deny the fact that this young man carried the Kiryuu blood.

"Kaien's request and honestly, I was curious about you. Didn't expect to find you swimming in the lake though," he said gruffly.

Zero sighed as he pulled himself out of the lake, waving off Yuuki's apologies for causing this mess.

"Yeah, well. Same goes for me." He turned to his side and addressed Yuuki. "We should head back and change. You might catch a cold this way. If you'll excuse us then," he stated softly.

"Sure thing, kid. We'll talk later."

"Of course," he stated politely as he walked away with Yuuki in tow.

-xXx-

Kiryuu Zero sighed as he lounged on his bed, his thoughts running back to the events last evening. He didn't expect that his enemy would be so bold as to attack him inside Cross Academy of all places. It was certainly a surprise but nothing he couldn't handle, of course. He just needed to tweak his plans a bit and everything would fall into place soon enough. The main problem now was his future meeting with Yagari Touga. He was toying with the idea of telling the man the truth or keeping him in the dark. As of the moment, only three people knew the truth and one only partially. It would be beneficial since Touga was high up in the Hunter Association but it was also a huge risk. There was no reason for the man to trust him and the only thing that bound them together was his relationship with the Kiryuu family.

A gamble, huh? He thought with amusement. He had his fair share of gambles in the past and risks made things much more interesting for him.

The silver-haired immortal was broken out of his thoughts and cranked his head toward the window to give a withering look as he muttered, "As if being a pureblood prince and inconsiderate prick isn't enough, you had to be a stalker too." Ignoring the feigned look of hurt caused by his statement, he went straight to the point. "What are you doing here, Kaname? Considering how early it is in the morning, I doubt it's just for a social visit."

The pureblood strode away from the window and sat on the side of the bed. He gazed at the silver-haired human and couldn't deny that the man was beautiful. Of course, it wasn't just the looks that attracted the brunette. It was also Zero's personality and the way he made the vampire feel normal. The man's company was a welcome change and he always anticipated those times all too eagerly. It was dangerous that he was placing importance on Zero when he still didn't know whose side the man was on. Zero could be so confusing most of the time. It was making his head hurt trying to figure out what the man was planning or thinking.

"Enemies, Zero?" Kaname inquired in his usual measured tone.

Zero smiled and there was something different about it, something…playful. "It's very obvious since I almost got shot. There's nothing about it that screams friendly to me. But it's really nothing new, Kaname. Don't tell me you're worried about my well-being. I didn't think you cared about me that much."

If only you knew how much I cared, Kaname thought ruefully.

"You're mistaken. I'm worried about the safety of the students in the academy. You're a teacher here and I don't think it's proper that you're bringing trouble to its doors," the pureblood stated evenly.

"I'm amazed that you're pointing fingers at me when you're in the same boat, Kaname. Don't think for a second that I'm naïve enough to believe that you're not waging a secret war against the other purebloods," Zero countered with a knowing glint in his eyes. "I had an unfortunate run in with one of your enemies. Your wise uncle seems to think that I'm working with you in bringing him down. He even sent a couple of rogue vampires to ambush me. Of course, it was fruitless endeavor since I dispatched them rather easily."

Kaname's dark gaze narrowed, turning ominous and threatening. The mere thought that Kuran Rido tried to kill Zero was enough to make his temper skyrocket. It wasn't enough that the man had designs on his sister, but now he had to involve the silver-haired hunter as well. He wouldn't let that pureblood get away with threatening the people important to him.

"If that fearsome expression you have there is because you still think that I'm involved with that man, I'll tell you again that you're wrong." Zero's tone was flat, deadpan. "I haven't even met that pureblood personally and the attack earlier should give you an idea of where I stand. If you still doubt me, remember the fact that despite everything else that I do, I owe a debt to Cross Kaien for helping me and Ichiru when he had no reason to. As long as he stands by your side, I won't be your enemy, Kuran Kaname."

The pureblood sighed wearily as he stated, "You're making everything so confusing, Zero. And please stop putting words in my mouth." The full, sensual lips twitched in amusement. "If I thought you were my enemy, I wouldn't be this close to you. I don't make it a habit to be friends with my enemies."

Zero sat up and cocked his head to the side, studying Kaname curiously. Now that he thought about it, why was the pureblood so relaxed around him? He doubted any of the vampire's followers ever saw Kaname like this. The pureblood was so strict and serious in other vampire's eyes. He held himself apart in a way that made him unapproachable. His aura practically screamed that he was a touch above everyone else. Now that Zero realized that change, he found it weird. It seemed that Kuran Kaname trusted him. But why did the pureblood trust him so? If anything, he was the most untrustworthy person in the whole academy.

He didn't take sides for the reason that he usually chose one that better served his purposes. He switched allegiances at the drop of a hat and he didn't care one jot for anyone he could betray. For all his life, survival and revenge was everything to him. His world was so brutal and uncaring and it tore his innocence apart. It did make him stronger but somehow, a small part of him, regretted that change.

"That's a bold statement coming from you considering you tried to kill me that first day," Zero replied with a smirk.

"I didn't try to kill you if you thought back on it. You might act like this but I know that you're an ally. I can understand you somewhat because I also have someone I want to protect. And I am angry before because you chose to hide the fact that my uncle is trying to dispose of you."

"Ah, so you really were worried. Don't worry, I'm not so careless as to let him get a hold of me."

"I know that you're strong but you have numerous enemies. Facing them alone is going to be too much. You're a part of this school and my friend as well. As a pureblood, my pride dictates that I be allowed to extend my protection to you as well."

"I never imagined you would ever consider me as someone worthy of your protection," Zero replied honestly.

The pureblood's eyes softened as he gazed at the hunter.

"Despite how everything started between us, Kiryuu Zero. You have become important to me as well."

As soon as he said those words, the pureblood left.

Zero flopped heavily on his bed. He made an odd noise, somewhere between a snort and a groan. He couldn't believe the pureblood said those things to him without getting embarrassed and worse was how it made him feel strangely happy. Kuran Kaname was a friend and nothing more. He shouldn't have such tender feelings for the man. Feelings that deep only serve to complicate things not only for him but for everyone else.

"You're so dangerous, Kaname. You remind me too much of her. If anything, you're the one who's making things more complicated by trying to make me fall in love you…"

-chapter 08 end-