Yui ran with all her might. She had tried to diplomatically reach a resolution to the cruel offer she had been presented. However, her attempts ended in failures and she didn't know what to do other than running away from the place. It had all begun that evening at the dinner table, when Reiji, the second oldest in the Sakamaki family had made an announcement, directed specifically at Yui:

'' As you all know,'' he began, looking up from his plate to meet the stares from his five brothers, plus the apprehensive stare from a young fifteen-year-old girl, ''Yui has been with us for four years now, and, as tradition dictates, she is already in the age of deciding which one of us six brothers she will be betrothed to.'' He paused, and all eyes were set on Yui, who fearfully realized that it was now her turn to manage an adequate response to the challenge. She knew she would get punished if she didn't come up with a precise, graceful, and satisfying answer that would calm each of the brother's nerves. But as she pondered about what she would reply, Ayato stepped in.

'' There's no need to ponder your answer so meticulously, pancake,'' the redhead said with a devilish, sadistic smile. '' After all, it is Yours Truly who will take your every first experience, marriage included.''

''Eh? Not fair! Teddy wants Yui to augment the number of dolls in his collection by adding Yui to the set of brides!'' Kanato cried, and then looked over at Yui who shivered at the mention of Kanato's dolls, all originally human, until Kanato petrified them and added them to his growing collection.

'' Aw… Kanato and Ayato are fighting over Yui, how cute!'' The other redhead, Laito, who was wearing a hat, said.'' No need to worry, I will take Yui as my bride and we will have so many heirs!'' Laito purred, and then slowly approached Yui as a grin spread across his face.

'' And why should a pervert like you take her!'' Yelled Subaru, who instinctively pulled Yui into an embrace when he understood of his brother's intentions with her.'' Never will I let that happen!'' He then acknowledged the girl in his arms, and blushed fiercely while he whispered into her ear:'' Never will I leave you in despair, Yui, remember how much you mean to me. No matter what you decide, I will always support you and….'' He hesitated at the next words that were yet to exit his lips. Yui immediately caught the message, and she too blushed, but with more peace than embarrassment, knowing how much Subaru secretly loved her. Knowing that there was one Sakamaki who was willing to defend her was sufficient to calm her nerves down.

''I think that it is me who should make Yui a bride, since I'm the oldest.'' Said lethargic Shuu, who was, as usual, listening to his music while he rested on the couch. He suddenly reached for Yui's wrist and pulled her on the couch, taking a lock of her hair while mumbling,'' You belong to all of us temporarily but you know they've all mistreated you, don't you? I, however, shall make sure you at least keep away from them, and I will not push you like Subaru, for I seek not your love but your blood.''

'' How romantic, Shuu, but now let me have a turn holding Neko-chan will you?'' Said Kou as he pulled Yui and sniffed her hair.'' You know, kitty, that out of all of us, I have always treated your wounds after I've caused them. I have treated you like the cute, irresistible girl you are, so why not choose someone who will never leave your side?'' he said seductively as he licked Yui's cheek and giggled innocently. ''Neko-chan, may I please quickly drink your blood?'' It was that sentence that awakened every vampire's thirst, and as each set of eyes gained a red glow Yui realized the obvious. She was in danger. ''Actually…''she began.'' I don't think I'm really in a good state to drink from since…Well, since I-I hav-haven't been e-eating properly,'' she gently pushed Kou's arms away from her waist and continued, though with difficulty,'' I-I think it will be best to feed you all later so that I can be ready and-''

''Hush, pancake. Kou has awakened Ore-sama's thirst for you and so he shall take a bite from you first as you belong to me.''

''Correction, she belongs to Teddy, too!'' said an excited Kanato who was already slowly approaching Yui while she trembled and shivered in fear. She regressed in Reiji's direction, figuring out this one would demand an answer to the proposal before her blood, but even he had lost control at the mention of Yui's blood. Yui's scent drived the brother's insane, but it was worse under the full moon and yes, that night there was a luminous, round, conspicuous moon lighting up the sky. Yui was then proposed a ''deal'' by the eldest of the brothers, Shuu:

''Yui, you will soon be betrothed to one of us so you might as well choose before all of us-''

Too late. Yui knew what the offer had been right then: choose the vampire who will drink your blood and submit to that demon so that, in exchange for her blood and service she will get murdered by the one she's chosen, thus escaping the torturous fate-one she didn't know about yet- every sacrificed bride had to face. But by choosing one of the vampires she would have to forever be the servant of the one she chose, and do everything she's told, even if that meant losing her purity. But she couldn't choose right then, not without sorting out her feelings for each of them. Not without carefully weighing the consequences of her choice and the opportunities each of them offered. Not without knowing who she was willing to submit to because of love. And so, as each vampire's eyes' glow augmented with the crimson color of blood, she understood her only hope was to escape, and to do so alive.

She managed to avoid Reiji as she ran in his direction, heading for the dining room. She ran through the dining room, the kitchen, the library. She headed upstairs and hastily wandered around the hallways, occasionally stopping to hide when she thought someone was coming. She then kept running towards one of the empty rooms, the one she wasn't allowed to go into for some unknown reason, figuring Reiji wouldn't expect her to disobey when she knew he would personally chastise her, and condemn her to realize some task that would very likely get her killed. Last time, her punishment for not coming down to dinner had been to go to the forest alone and come back with a dozen crimson Ivies that were necessary for Reiji to perform one of his experiments. The thing was not the gathering of the flowers, but the trespassing of some unknown property where there was said a demon lived. One who would curse you if you invaded his home. Yui had managed to cross through the garden that was said to be owned by him and successfully gathered the dozen of poisonous flowers without getting the venom the petals radiated on herself. However when she turned, a ten-feet tall creature with ripped torn dark flesh and huge claws stared down at her. She almost got killed but Reiji, realizing he had gone too far, teletransported her back home. Of course, she wasn't exempted from being punished since she had not brought the flowers as she had been instructed. That night, she was whipped repeatedly until the torn flesh in her back began to pour red, and it was that red liquid that circulated through every vampire's prey that Reiji consumed. The scars on her back served to remind her of the horrible punishments that would be inflicted on her for every transgression she would dare commit.

Yui shivered as she remembered that night, when she had not only been whipped but kissed too by Reiji himself. This had perplexed her, why would he kiss her after causing her anguish? He had then apologized to her for giving her such a difficult time and after he had licked her wounds to heal them, he took her to her room, where he gave her a blue liquid that made her sleep soundly and placidly, as if that was her reward for not complaining to him. That night, she was sure someone slept beside her, probably Reiji, but when she woke up in the morning, it had been Ayato who laid behind her, his arms holding her waist tightly and both his hands centered on her stomach. His chin rested on Yui's neck and he inhaled deeply and soundly. See why she was so mystified by the vampires' treatment? One minute they acted nicely, the other one they tortured her.

Yui stood in the doorway of the forbidden room, while she looked around and saw a closet. Probably the best hiding place, she figured. As she approached the closet, a screeching sound came from behind her and she winced harshly, turning around abruptly. She saw a woman with blond hair that was up in a ponytail smile back at her. Yui closed her eyes tightly and rubbed them, but when she opened them again, the woman was gone. She had been wearing a black, strapless dress that reached the woman's knees with black heels that gave her a sophisticated look. Yui thought she had seen the woman before-she was almost certain she had….but where?

''YUI! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!'' there came the voices of the vampires in unison. Yui could hear footsteps, then they stopped. Yui saw a shadow grow across the hallway, but she didn't have time to look at the person who cast it. Instead, she took a nearby knife and cut herself through her right knee. She let the knee bleed on purpose so that the vampires would smell her scent and follow it. No, she wasn't committing suicide, she was actually saving her life. She ran to the nearest bathroom and let the blood pour onto the floor, forming red drops. She made a trail form the bathtub to the bathroom window, and then hastily and deftly opened the window, where the blood trail ended. She let some blood pour onto the windowsill. She then took the knife with which she had injured herself and placed it at the foot of the bathtub. After Yui had finished, she treated her wounds, wrapping them in cloth she teared off her long skirt. She took some aspirins and fled from the bathroom to her room, where she opened her nightstand desk and took out a bottle with white vanilla liquid. Remembering a gift Subaru had lent her, she went to her closet and there it was: a shiny, silver bracelet with sapphires and diamonds that hid her scent from vampires and other demonic creatures. She wore the bracelet on her left wrist, and after she had gathered some clothes, money, water bottles, and passport in a light pink backpack she did what she thought she would never have the courage to do: she screamed. Loud and clear, now with the sensitive ears vampires posses they all certainly heard her, and they of course ran towards the source of the distressed voice.

Yui waited a while until she heard sounds that were unmistakable to her: footsteps. It was her signal to run down the staircase opposite the hallway that lead to her room. She skipped and jogged and tripped over and over again. Her cheeks were flustered, her eyed dilated with tears, her knees hurt, her breath accelerated while adrenaline pumped through her veins. But if there was anything that inspired her to flee that place it was the memory of her dad. He would have wanted her to do what she thought would make her happy. And surely successfully escaping the Sakamaki mansion would bring Yui not only happiness, but ecstasy and delight.

Her heart surged with hope when she reached the kitchen and there it was, tall and old but stood there as if with its arms wide opened, the back door that lead to Reiji's room. And Reiji's room was connected to the library, where there stood a huge bookcase that held the most precious treasure: an entrance to a secret tunnel that lead to someplace in the city, Yui was sure, though she had never dared cross the tunnel once she had accidentally touched a golden book with embossed letters that said Cornelia which seemed to have opened the entrance.

Yui did not hesitate to open the door and run up the flight of stairs. When she reached the dormitory she could have stabbed herself right then for not expecting someone to wait for her arrival. '' I have been waiting for you, Yui Mukami,'' said a soft, high-pitched voice.

Whoever it was that had smiled down at her she did not know, for everything surrounding her blurred and the ground rushed up to meet her very suddenly. After that, everything went black. Including her memory.