The Vampire Who Thirsted for a Wolf (5 page)

go out during the daylight earlier, the sunlight’s rays timid as they

breached the threatening smog. It also meant that Kaname’s coven

had grown even more, expanding to include people who hadn’t grown

accustomed to Kaname’s ways of running things.

While Kaname had authority over all the covens in the world, he

didn’t interfere in the rulings of their leaders unless something truly

severe happened. Since there were so many of their kind around,

sometimes they only saw Kaname at official gatherings. As the older

generations were used to the dealings of Kaname’s parents, the

current functioning of the vampire nation also meant that a great

number of people disagreed with Kaname’s policies.

Kaname chuckled under his breath. Well, he couldn’t care less

about that. He had too many reasons to pursue his current path, and

one of them would be soon arriving in Tokyo.

At last, the building housing the coven was in sight. The

helicopter landed on the roof, and Kaname was not surprised when he

saw his secretary, Mizuki, already waiting for him. While he couldn’t

say he trusted her with his personal business, she was very efficient in

managing the coven, which allowed him to leave from time to time or

take a break if absolutely necessary. Naturally, Kaname would have

preferred to have his brother doing this job, but for now, Yakumo was

far too young and impulsive.

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29

The thought reminded Kaname of Yakumo’s latest stunt, and his

good humor began to dissipate. He shook himself and hopped out of

the helicopter. Mizuki bowed, although not as lowly as the humans

had. “Yamamoto-sama, it is nice to see you back.”

“Thank you very much, Mizuki-san,” Kaname replied. “Anything

new here?”

She kept him posted with everything important that happened in

his absence, but he still wasn’t fully comfortable with allowing

someone else to be in charge of the coven. “Your brother has obeyed

your instructions to the letter,” she told him. “The Oshiro family has

been attempting to secure a meeting with him, but he has refused.”

Kaname acknowledged her words with a nod. He was not

surprised at her reports, as the Oshiros were among those who had

been trying to influence Yakumo’s behavior. Alas, they hadn’t done

anything so serious as to warrant Kaname banishing them from the

coven. Still, this behavior could not continue, and Kaname had a

couple of ideas about how he could stop it.

They went inside, taking the elevator to the underground of the

building, where the main coven was actually located. Kaname listened

with half an ear to the rest of Mizuki’s report. He eventually

interrupted her with his own news. “Derek and Melanie Wade are

coming to visit again,” he said. “I’d like none of this unpleasantness

to reach them.”

Mizuki blinked, and for a brief second, Kaname saw clear

skepticism on her face. Nevertheless, as was her wont, she nodded

briskly. “It will be as you say, Yamamoto-sama.”

As they stepped out of the elevator, Kaname dismissed her and

went on his way, heading toward his brother’s quarters. Several

vampires gave him openly startled looks, having not expected his

return, but Kaname ignored them beyond offering a couple of

perfunctory nods in answer to their rushed greetings.

When he reached his brother’s room, he noticed with displeasure

there was only one guard at the door. Yakumo knew better than to be

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so lax. The fact that Tyrell Hall had been defeated didn’t mean there

were no threats just waiting to emerge from the shadows.

The guard bowed to him, and Kaname acknowledged him briefly

before turning to his task. He knocked at Yakumo’s door, all the while

considering what possible reactions his brother would have to Derek’s

visit.

There was no reply, but Kaname couldn’t sense anyone else in the

room beyond except his brother, so he wasn’t too concerned. While

he’d have preferred not to intrude on his sibling’s privacy, he truly did

have to talk to Yakumo, so he opened the door and slipped inside.

Yakumo didn’t seem to have heard him or sensed him. He was

lying on the couch, a still-open book resting on his lap as he absently

stared at the ceiling. Kaname cleared his throat, and Yakumo jumped,

startled. Glee illuminated his face for a few moments before it quickly

vanished. He shot to his feet and lowered his gaze, greeting Kaname

in the most formal way possible. “Yamamoto-sama, I apologize. I

didn’t hear you knock. Welcome home.”

“Thank you, brother,” Kaname replied. He crossed the space

between them and lifted Yakumo’s chin, forcing the younger vampire

to meet his eyes. “And how have you been?”

Nervousness irradiated from Yakumo as he replied, “Very well,

Yamamoto-sama. I have attempted to pursue my studies as you

instructed.”

Kaname hated the coldness that had fallen between them. He

could still remember their last conversation, and it bothered him

greatly that it a formed a rift he seemed unable to bridge. He had been

so very angry that Yakumo had deliberately hidden the arrival of the

second group of shifters from him. It was as if Yakumo had glaringly

pointed out that vampires weren’t as united as Kaname wanted them

to appear. He’d been forced to expose sides of himself to the shifters

that he’d have much preferred to be private.

The younger vampire had claimed then that he’d intended to make

Kaname push the new group away upon their unannounced arrival.

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31

Kaname still couldn’t believe his brother had come up with such a

silly, childish stunt, which made them all seem foolish and

unorganized.

“How could you do this to me?” Kaname had asked Yakumo at

that time. “How could you be so foolish?”

“I only wanted them to leave us alone,” Yakumo had replied. “Do

you think I didn’t notice how they were looking at you? Everyone

did.”

That comment had shocked Kaname, since he hadn’t pursued the

shifters in any way, and neither had they pursued him. “And who

exactly is everyone?” he’d asked.

Yakumo hadn’t replied, but Kaname had known even without his

brother telling him who the culprits were. “I have coddled you for too

long,” he’d eventually said to Yakumo. “You will start learning

everything there is to know about vampires and shifters, as you must

fully understand your position and responsibilities. As you are now,

Mizuki is more worthy of the Yamamoto name than you.”

It had been a far too harsh thing to say, and Kaname regretted the

words even then, but he hadn’t been able to take them back.

Afterward, Kaname had left to cool his head, and that probably

worsened things.

“I see,” he told his brother. “Well, that’s very good. I hope you’ve

made progress, because soon, I’d like you to replace Mizuki as my

right hand.”

“But I…You said that I wasn’t worthy…”

Yakumo’s voice cracked, and Kaname couldn’t hold back

anymore. The hell with propriety. Yes, Yakumo had made a serious

mistake, but so had Kaname in berating his sibling with such cruelty.

In a few moments, he was by the younger vampire’s side and hugged

his brother tightly. “Oh, Yakumo. I should never have said that. I

apologize. Don’t ever call me Yamamoto-sama in private again. It’s

like a dagger to my heart.”

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After a few moments, Yakumo melted in his embrace. “I don’t

deserve this,” he whispered. “You were right. I disappointed you and

the family.”

“Whatever the case, I shouldn’t have said what I did.” Kaname

released his brother and kissed his cheek. “Now listen closely. I want

to be able to trust you again, so I’m going to tell you something that

very few people know. Melanie and Derek Wade are coming to the

coven.”

“The shifters?” Yakumo tensed. “Why? Is there another problem

with the warlocks?”

“No.” Kaname shook his head. “It is more like a visit to further

pursue the cooperation between our nations.” He paused and

wondered about his earlier decision. Could he really keep his

attraction to Derek from him brother? Should he even do so?

In the end, he surmised that if he wanted to breach the gap

between him and Yakumo, he had to give the younger vampire the

benefit of the doubt. For crying out loud, he’d confessed his feelings

for Derek to Takaba. While Kaname held a great deal of appreciation

for the butler, it was nothing compared with how much he loved his

brother. “But there’s more to it than that,” he added, realizing he

couldn’t keep such an important secret from Yakumo. “When we had

that argument, you were right about one thing. Derek Wade and I are

very attracted to each other. We haven’t explored that yet, but I will

do so now. I don’t want you making anymore rushed judgments on

account of believing the shifters have some evil plan. It’s just sex,

okay?”

Yakumo seemed surprised, but Kaname suspected it wasn’t the

actual provided information that had caused this. “I suppose I can

understand the appeal,” Yakumo said. “Don’t worry. I know I fucked

up in the past, but I appreciate you giving me a second chance.”

Kaname kissed Yakumo’s forehead. “You’re my little brother.

How could I not? Now come, we must have dinner together and

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33

you’ll tell me all about what you’ve learned.” He grinned. “And I’ll

tell you everything I’m going to do to Derek once he comes here.”

Much to his delight, Yakumo burst into laughter. “Sounds like a

plan. Oh, that poor little shifter. He has no idea what he’s getting

himself into.”

As they left Yakumo’s room, it occurred to Kaname that his

brother was probably right. The shifter most likely didn’t realize just

how far Kaname’s sensual nature could take him. Well, that was no

problem. Kaname looked forward to teaching Derek everything there

was to know, in the most delightful way possible.

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Scarlet Hyacinth

A few days after Derek’s conversation with his father, he and

Melanie reached Tokyo and the Yamamoto coven. Both of them had

been thoroughly instructed as to what they could and could not say.

Melanie was predictably very excited, but Derek couldn’t exactly

berate her for it. He himself was an emotional wreck. He kept asking

himself if he’d done the right thing in coming here. What would he

say to Kaname? His excuse that he wanted to thank the vampire in

person sounded so weak now. Kaname would surely see right through

it.

Derek took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He

leaned against the leather seat of the limo, remembering Kaname’s

gorgeous face and elegant features. And those eyes…God, those eyes

haunted Derek’s dreams to this day. Yes, he had done the right thing.

He couldn’t have acted in any other way. He needed to get the

vampire out of his system, lest he lose his mind. Besides, it wouldn’t

do to show his anxiousness in front of Kaname’s envoy.

The woman, a delicate-looking vampire named Mizuki Watanabe,

was Kaname’s secretary and right hand. She had come to greet them

at the airport in an elegant, black limousine. Derek had met her during

his previous visit, but while he’d noticed her competence even then,

the only thing he could truly think about was her loveliness and how

close she must always be to Kaname. His wolf rebelled at the thought

of her in bed with the elder vampire, and he buried his fingers in his

palms so as to prevent himself from growling.

Melanie knew him well enough to see through his attempts to

remain calm. She distracted Mizuki with random chatter, all the while

The Vampire Who Thirsted for a Wolf

35

managing to sound both cultured and modest. “Your city is very

beautiful,” she told Mizuki. “I understand that the vampires’ influence

has made it develop even more in the past decade.”

“Indeed,” Mizuki replied, a hint of pride in her voice.

“Yamamoto-sama is, in that sense, a visionary. He has supported

many businesses that had gone disregarded in the past and encourages