Blood Will Not Rule Me

Karyu's father showed up and made sure Karyu got the care he needed. He was very upset and yelled at Hizumi for letting him miss a dose of his medicine. But Karyu would make it. He was going to be alright.

Zero was pacing in an alleyway and a figure appeared behind him. A beautiful young girl of 15 or 16 smiled at him and bowed. "My prince. My name is Ariel and I come to speak to you on behalf of your father..."

She stood and seemed to be completely unafraid of him. "Your donor...Karyu...he didn't budge an inch. He fought back with ever ounce of strength he could muster, saying that he was only yours. Cassandra kept calling him a blood whore but the rest of us didn't see it. Some sided with her, others with your donor. How could he be a blood whore when he's only ever been bitten by you? I saw with my own eyes the pain he went through and how he still fought against those calling him a whore. I sped to your father and told him that the council was holding captive your donor. By the time we got there, he was gone. I feared the worst, but was told you rescued him. The other council members saw the love in your eyes for that man and your father heard all sides. Prince Zero...no one will try to take your donor from you again. Your father has had it written. For as long as that weak heart beats, he is your donor."

She bowed again and disappeared.

Karyu slept for over a day. But his heart started beating normally. Well, normal for him. His father was not pleased and wanted to keep his son in the hospital. He'd wait until he could talk to Karyu without upsetting him, though. Karyu stirred and rolled onto his side, muttering Zero's name. He felt so cold and scared.

Zero had calmed down enough that he simply looked like a frustrated scared teen. At least no one would come for him again. Karyu was his...forever.

"Zero? Karyu keeps muttering your name. Come on. It'll calm you down to see him." Hizumi had come and gotten him. Karyu was asleep but his heartbeat was erratic. Well that was normal for him anyway. Karyu's father seemed like a nice man. He was just worried for his son.

"So you must be the Zero I hear so much about. Hizumi and Karyu tell me good things about you. You're the one who got my son here? Thank you. He'd be dead if you hadn't found him when you did." Zero simply nodded and moved to sit next to his boyfriend.

"I wasn't going to let him die. He means so much to both me and Hizumi. I don't have many friends. It was just Hizumi until Karyu came. They're the only friends I have...I won't let him die. Not because some stupid animal decided he was worth attacking."

Just the sound of Zero's voice calmed Karyu down. His heart rate wasn't so erratic. Subconsciously, he knew Zero was there. Zero would protect him.

Karyu's father looked uneasy. "Listen, boys...I know Karyu has his troubles, but will you answer something honestly for me?"

This was hard for him to ask, but he needed to know. For the sake of his research. It could save his son.

"Has Karyu...done any drugs? Any sort of drug that's not already prescribed to him? I ask this not to pry but...something has been giving him the hormones his brain can't create. Some sort of endorphin that's somehow communicated to his brain how to create the hormones his heart has needed... It's odd. I know...but whatever he's been doing...it's healing him..."

He was baffled and didn't know how to respond to this. He didn't know what these three were up to, but he knew it wasn't the drugs Karyu normally took. He had no idea where the fix was coming from.

Endorphins!? No way...the only thing that Karyu had was Zero's vampire endorphins but...could they really be healing him?

"I don't know sir. He seems better after having his medicine though. Other then that I wouldn't know. He doesn't like us to see him take his medications." Zero could lie with the best of them and be believable. He was naturally born that way.

"If you'd like we could try to find out...but if he finds out we're snooping he might get mad."

"Well, if you see him take anything...just...keep an eye out for him, okay? I don't want him to overdo it...whatever it is." He sighed and scratched his head. "I'm going to go back to my research...but I want to speak with him. Let me know when he wakes up."

He left the room and not much later, Karyu started to stir again. He whimpered in his sleep and reached out his hand, his brow furrowing. He gasped and opened his eyes, finally regaining consciousness.

"Zero!" He called out. He was nearly hyperventilating but he started to look around. he wasn't in that awful dungeon anymore. He was in a hospital and he saw Hizumi and...Zero. Karyu sighed and relaxed back onto the bed. He was safe. He reached out his arms to Zero, wanting so much to be safe in his arms again. "Zero..."