Once Upon a Vampire's Dream

Chapter Eight - Rock Boxes

(A/N - Wow! Two chapters in one day! Anyhoo, anyone wondering about the title, I realized that a synonym for sarcophagus is stone coffin and a synonym for stone coffin is rock box.)

Takuma was waiting for him when Kaname opened the door to his office. Kaname took off his greatcoat and hung it on the coat rack by the door, water still dripping onto Cross's expensive carpet.

Takuma bowed when Kaname entered. "Lord Kaname."

Kaname acknowledged the bow with a barely perceptible incline of his chin. He walked over to the window behind his desk and moved the curtain aside. The rain showed no sign of slowing. He turned back to Takuma.

"You were right, Lord Kaname," Takuma began, "My grandfather is up to something. I'm not completely certain what his end goal is, but I did come across plans to reanimate a member of the Kato family of Purebloods."

"Did you find out which member?" Kaname asked, his voice even.

"No, Lord Kaname. I don't believe my grandfather knows the location of the Kato family tomb," Takuma answered.

Kaname nodded. "Good work, Takuma. Continue keeping an eye on Ichijo for me."

"Yes, Lord Kaname," Takuma answered, bowing. He left Kaname in silence, closing the door gently behind him.

Kaname turned and stared out the window for a long moment before standing. He walked over and opened the door, grabbing his coat as he did so. It seemed his work for the night wasn't over yet.

Kaname didn't notice the pair of magenta eyes watching him from the forest as he left the Academy.

~

The Kato family bloodline was an old and powerful bloodline, older than even Kaname's. They had been the leading developers of weapons for the vampire society and were very secretive. Knowledge of the Kato family wasn't common knowledge; the family headquarters, the weapons lab and even their tomb was known to few vampires outside the family. So it stood to reason that Kaname would be a surprised to find the Kato family tomb destroyed.

He stood in front of the gaping hole in the ground, the enchanted rock doors that sealed the tomb were blown to pieces and lay scattered around him. The wind gusted around him and the rain fell sideways as Kaname clenched his jaw and stepped into the remains of the Kato family tomb.

The rain poured into the tomb, dripping down the steps and making them slippery. The enchantment that had been placed over the doors to the tomb was one that preserved the contents, so the tomb should have been relatively the same as it had been hundreds of years ago, when the last member of the Kato family died. Judging by the ankle-deep water that covered the floor and the overall decayed state of the tomb, it hadn't been desecrated recently.

Kaname walked farther into the tomb. There were only five sarcophagi present; that of Shun Kato, the founder of the Kato bloodline, his wife Yumi, their son Hiroshi and his wife, Kimiko, and their son, Hachirou. The Kato family had been brutally murdered in a fire that destroyed their mansion, as well as the weapons laboratory. Everyone in the mansion perished.

All five sarcophagi had been demolished. Obviously Ichijo hadn't been aware that the tomb was empty. Kaname stood, staring at the rubble of the sarcophagi. His outward appearance was calm, motionless, but his mind was whirring a mile a minute.

And then it stopped.

And Kaname ran.

~

The heavy mahogany doors banged against the frame in the storm. Kaname stood in front of the Kuran family mausoleum, fearing what he would find inside and his anger was growing by the second. Every muscle in his body was taught as he walked inside.

In the center of the mausoleum rested two ornate sarcophagi on a raised dais. He ignored the one inscribed Kaname Kuran, founder of the Kuran family. His full attention was on the sarcophagus next to it.

The lid had been smashed open, debris littering the floor around it and inside...inside it was empty.

Rage filled Kaname, rage he'd only felt once.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the inscription that was scattered in pieces.

Akira Kato Kuran.