Sacrifice {Vampire Knight ~ A Kaname Kuran FanFiction}

Part Three

Word Count: 1110

Part Three

When I came to, the first thing my ears picked up on were voices.

"...better be awake, Kuran. Or else, I'll kill you," a voice that was unmistakably Zero's threatened.

"Don't make the mistake that you are the only one who cares for Jade, Kiryu."

What did Kaname mean by that? Kaname didn't care. It was only in my dreams where Kaname loved me.

"Do you really believe she'd ever care for you? Jade despises Purebloods," Zero retorted.

"You sound jealous, Kiryu," Kaname commented calmly, seeming to be amused.

"I just want what's best for her, that's all. And you're obviously not it, so get over yourself, Kuran."

I had been moving my limbs ever so slightly throughout their argument and by that point, my body had loosened up enough. I groaned as I stretched, preventing Kaname from responding as I interrupted them. As I slowly blinked my eyes open, both Kaname and Zero turned to face me, relief evident on their faces.

When I attempted to push myself up into a sitting position, however, Zero ran to my side and stopped me. "No, Jade, you can't! Your body is still too weak. You need to be very careful, okay?"

I nodded to show I understood, then opened my mouth to ask the question that I had been dying to know the answer to. "H-how..." I licked my dry lips, struggling to get the words out.

"You were unconscious for a week, Jade." Kaname seemed to realise that was my unspoken question.

I gasped. How could that be?

"I found you passed out in the forest and brought you here right away," Kaname continued, gesturing to the room we were in. It was only after he made that remark that I noticed we weren't in the Moon dorm.

I took a glance around to figure out where I was brought when I was unconscious. Everything was white. The walls, the floor, even the bed I was lying on. A white so pristine that could exist in one place: the school's infirmary.

"Jade..." Kaname trailed off softly, giving me a glass of water. I tensed as I steadily brought the glass to my lips and gulped, bracing myself, as I had a feeling what question was to come.

"Where the hell did you go!" Zero bellowed in my face, his words less of a question and more of an accusation.

"Kiryu!" Kaname snapped, glaring at Zero. Zero, however, just kept his glare on me.

I sighed, causing Kaname's gaze to flicker toward me. "I went..." I paused, searching for the right wording. "On a quest."

"A quest? Why?" Kaname questioned, his eyes desperately searching my face for any hints at answers.

"Because..." I trailed off. I was going to have to get everything out into the open, wasn't I? From the beginning. Stroking the glass to avoid looking at either of them in the eyes, I started to explain. "Well, a week ago, I had this strange dream. In it, there was a woman. She was of average height, I'd say around 5' 6". She had long brown hair and eyes like yours, Kaname."

"Juri Kuran," Kaname confirmed her name. I could feel his eyes on me.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Anyway, she told me of a way to help... to help Zero."

"Help me?" Zero sounded confused.

"Well, yeah. You're falling to Level E, fast, and there's not a way to stop it. I can't let my little brother lose his humanity." I looked up, finally, to see Zero's small smile. I took another swallow of water and cleared my throat, looking down at the glass again. "Juri said there was a stone circle somewhere, as black as night, with a blood-red rose blooming in the centre that would lead me on a quest to find a cure."

"So you went on this quest..." Kaname remarked rather calmly.

Zero, on the other hand, wasn't so calm. "And you just decided to trust this... this dream woman?" His question was accusatory like I had done something wrong.

"She had a solution, Zero! One that could save you. Besides, she guided me in the right general direction. She helped me as much as she could." My words seemed to confuse Kaname, but Zero was too livid to pay attention to clarity.

Zero, still maddened, made another move to protest again, but an arm blocking his stomach held him back as Kaname halted his attempt.

"What do you mean as much as she could, Jade?" Kaname's question wasn't accusatory but rather gentle and curious.

I sighed softly. "Juri explained that there would be a point where she couldn't help me anymore. From that moment on, it would be up to me and me alone. The quest, she clarified, was a test of my worth, to see if the cure was deserved."

I must have had some sort of pained expression on my face because Kaname said something. "It was that bad, huh?" His tone was soft, soothing. My eyes snapped up to his. Kaname gave me a breath-taking, reassuring smile, and I knew I could confide in him with what happened. Partially, at least.

"So..." Zero was the one to break the silence. Awkward for him, comfortable for me and Kaname. "What is this cure?" He seemed to have calmed down reasonably.

"I... don't know," I admitted shamefully. "There were these visions... and they spiralled out of control. Next thing I knew, I was somewhere else, and then here." Kaname, sensing my self-disgrace, moved closer to my bed to console me.

"Oh, that's okay." Zero didn't sound that disappointed. "What about the quest, then? Did you pass or whatnot?"

I couldn't even speak my answer. I shook my head sheepishly as I covered my mouth with my hand, silent tears that shook my body now rolling down my face. I failed. How could I have failed?

"Zero," Kaname scolded sternly. He commanded power with just one word. I could feel the heat of the glare he was directing at Zero, who assumedly left based on the lack of retort.

I felt the warmth of a pair of arms around my shoulders, felt the weight of a body next to me on the bed and the body heat it gave off. The person was snug and warm and everything I needed. Kaname.

"Don't worry, Jade. I'm here to protect you, my love." Kaname's words made my heart swell, and the vibration of his voice was incredibly relaxing. I would have swooned if in the right frame of mind. My heart soaring, I drifted off in the arms of the love of my life.