Saya could not help, but smile at Haji's embarrassed blush. They had been on a stroll through Paris when a group of teenage girls began whispering and whistling whilst pointing directly at Haji. Haji was handsome, although he had no clue, everyone around him noticed. Saya could not help, but tease him about the affectionate stares, the envious glares, and the incredulous gawks he would receive when they went out.
"Haji I think those girls want your number." Saya laughed.
"That is unfortunate seeing as I do not own a phone." Haji ever the practical one explained, a blush still painted on his ivory cheeks.
"Haji, you are handsome even if you do not believe it." Saya continued to walk forward ignoring Haji's confused stare.
"Saya, you should not say such things." At this Saya turned and glared at Haji's downcast forlorn look.
"Why ever should I not call you handsome when you clearly are?" Saya yelled, frustrated at Haji's disregard for her compliment.
"…Because Saya lying does not befit you."
"Saya…Saya…we must go." Haji gently knocked on Saya's door, hearing a groan and a thud as a response.
"Ouch…I'll be right out." Haji leaned on the opposite wall; brushing aside the wet strands of hair that framed his face. The air was heavy in the hotel and not from the humidity.
"Sorry…I guess I overslept." Saya stumbled out of her room her hair rumpled from sleep.
"It's quite alright, Saya. You need your sleep." Haji replied to which Saya smiled humbly.
"What is the return address of this letter?" Saya questioned. Over 28 hours ago the Red Shield retrieved a letter from an elderly woman, by the name of Patricia Callahan, whom feared for both her life as well as her granddaughters. Chiropteran had been circling her house for nearly three days leaving them no chance to get food or water from their village.
"The village, Chantal, is 6 hours from Paris. Did you eat breakfast, yet?"
"No, but I am not hungry in the least. We have a long journey so let us begin."
"Is this it, the village?" Village did not describe the ramshackle of buildings that lay before Haji and Saya. It was clear that this village had not been occupied in over a decade. Vines decorated a once popular store that now lay in rubble. The road could not be seen as grass and weeds overtook the gravel, claiming it as their own.
"It appears to be deserted." Haji concluded, before cautiously glancing around.
"I suppose we should go and explore. Hopefully we are not too late for Mrs. Callahan and her granddaughters."
Few houses were standing, but only one fit the description in the letter. It may have been the most luxurious of all the surrounding houses, at one point in time. Now it would be lucky to have a pack of wild dogs occupying the place.
Haji opened the door for Saya only to have it collapse, allowing dust and dirt to filter out of the home. Saya walked in along with Haji behind her, both weary of any Chiropteran that may have been lingering about.
"I will check the upstairs why don't you check the basement." Saya ordered already easing her way up the grand staircase. Haji frowned not wanting to leave in case of an attack, however it was what Saya asked of him and that he could not deny.
A thin coat of dust layered the floor and furnishings; the floral wallpaper was stained and ripped. Haji unlocked the basement door and gracefully walked down the stairs ignoring the rats that squeaked at his feet. There was a stream of light cascading from one of the doorways accompanied by classical music. Haji poised the dagger by his side, ready to strike as the door creaked open. The room was once white; however the blood splattering the walls and carpet was clearly not part of the décor.
As he took a step forward on to the shaggy white carpet, blood rose to the surface coating his shoes. The only furniture was one single reclining chair positioned in the middle of the room. A book of Dante's Inferno lay on the seat with a glass of red wine positioned on top. The realization came too late once Haji recognized the white overcoat hung to his right. Warm breath tickled his ear and an arm possessively encircled his waist.
"How are you, my love?" In response Haji jammed the dagger in his hand straight through Solomon's shoulder. He relinquished his hold giving Haji enough time to throw Solomon through the concrete wall with his cello case.
Solomon stood nonchalantly brushing the dirt from his still white suit, "I must say Haji…I do enjoy these games, however I am not here for Saya if that is what you are thinking." Solomon wore a perfect charming smile that did nothing to calm Haji's rapid heartbeat.
"What are you here for, then?" Impatience quickly settled in Haji's tone of voice; Solomon laughed softly and disappeared. Haji swirled around looking to both his left and right distrustful of where the man was.
"I'm here for you, darling." Haji felt the sting of a needle pierce his neck and immediately seized Solomon's unoccupied arm jerking the man over his shoulder. Solomon prepared for the attack landed on his feet and a 'pop' was heard from the action. Solomon gave Haji a flirtatious smile over his shoulder, ignorant of his dislocated arm or he chose to disregard it. The young brunette released his hold on Solomon, aware that whatever drug Solomon injected in him with was beginning to take effect. His eye lids were so heavy and an overwhelming sense of dizziness washed throughout his body.
Solomon twisted his shoulder back into place and snatched Haji's wrist pulling the man's body flush against his own. Haji squirmed and fought, which proved futile as all his strength dissipated. His weak efforts at escape ceased when his legs could no longer hold his weight. Solomon brushed a silky black lock to the side and ever so gently traced Haji's peach tinted lips.
"Saya…Saya…run…" Haji whispered falling unconscious.
"Hmm, I wonder what Haji is doing?" Saya commented to herself as she searched the house for the man's whereabouts.
"Haji, are you down here?" Silence was her only retort. Saya sighed and stepped down the stairs, acutely aware of the smell of blood in the air. She gasped as she took in the crumbled concrete wall, the blood splatters along the white carpet and wallpaper, and a single blue ribbon lying next to a reclining chair.
"Oh… who could have done this?" Saya kneeled next to the ribbon belonging to her faithful companion before clutching the silky thread to her chest. A glimmer of green caught her eye and she turned to the side noticing a wine bottle.
"Solomon…" The brand of the bottle sparked a memory of Diva's chevalier. Why would he have taken Haji, though? 'Think, Saya…think what would he want with Haji?' It hit her then like a ton of bricks…at the zoo when Solomon and Haji fought…the look he gave Haji when her chevalier had protected her. It was longing…mixed with brief remorse, anger, and…lust.
"No it can't be…no…Haji!" Saya screamed.
Emerald eyes flickered open and narrowed at the remembrance of what happened no more than a few hours prior. Haji groaned softly as he sat up from his position in a king sized feather bed. The silky sheets slid from his bare torso to pool in his lap; a rattling of chains alarmed him as he stretched his arms.
His limbs had been loosely chained to the four-corner posts of the bed. The shackles were heavy, tight around his wrists and ankles; pulling at the constricting chains earned a shock of electricity so powerful blood leaked from the side of his mouth dripping down his chest. Haji panted as the waves of pain faded to a dull throb. Glancing upwards, Haji took note of the mirror encompassing the ceiling. His hair was released from its confines and the blood that dribbled from his mouth to his naked chest tickled his pale flesh. Haji blushed when he felt not a stitch of clothing underneath the sheets; he was naked, confined, and drugged quite a lethal combination.
The grand oak door to his right creaked open showering the dark room with bright light; Solomon stood smiling compassionately at Haji, whom shifted uncomfortably on the bed wanting to cover himself from the man's gaze.
"Good morning, Haji. How are you feeling?" Solomon frowned at the trail of blood on Haji's chest. He knew the electro-shot chains were potent, Amshel had enforced them. Walking towards the bed, Solomon chuckled at the blush on Haji's cheek undoubtedly from his state of undress. His guest was clearly perturbed by the fact that he was naked underneath the sheets in front of Solomon.
"No need to feel embarrassed, Haji. I must say that I do enjoy the view, though." Solomon's teasing was awarded a heated glare. Unbeknownst to Haji, Solomon's intentions with the other man were anything but teasing.
"What do you want with me? Where is Saya?" Haji demanded. Solomon rolled his eyes at the mention of the man's queen. Upon reaching the bed, Solomon sat down now eye-to-eye with his prisoner; placing his hands on either side of the brunette's body he leaned forward no more than a hair's breath away from those tempting lips.
"She is fine… you have my word that she is not hurt." Haji's tensed shoulder's relaxed and Solomon could not hold back his rage for the other girl.
"Do you love her?" Eyes narrowed awaiting the answer,
"Yes, I would do anything for-. " Haji's sentence was cut-off with a harsh backhand that made his teeth rattle.
"You would even put yourself in the line of fire for her wouldn't you?" Haji knew it was a trick question, yet he nodded nonetheless. He waited for the blow that would surely come, a few seconds ticked by and Haji felt a soft hand tilt his head towards Diva's chevalier. The other's man's saddened eyes radiated a sharp azure that contrasted against his face.
"I suppose that alone will make this easier for me." Solomon entangled his fingers through Haji's raven locks and pressed his lips against the man's neck. A brief kiss was the only warning before Solomon sunk his fangs deeply into the milky flesh. Sweet blood erupted into his mouth and he drank greedily, paying no heed to the other man's yelp of pain or the way he strained his arms against the chains. Shocks of pain from both the electricity and the venom flowing into his body had Haji's eyes rolling in the back of his head. The sheets barely concealed the man's lower regions as he twisted trying to resist the man's fangs.
"Ah…No…Stop…uh…" Haji murmured as Solomon's grip tightened in his hair and he sunk his fangs even deeper. Haji's trembling body had a faint pinkish hue and once Solomon retracted his fangs, he lowered the brunette's limp body to the bed. The pain was extraordinary even for a chevalier, Solomon knew…yet all the same Haji could no longer belong to Saya after he inflicted the mark. It was a rarity being passed from one queen alone to her chevaliers, the queen being Diva.
Its purpose was for a chevalier to obey their master…a brutal punishment based solely on the pain alone. Fortunately Diva did not inflict it upon himself or his brethren, merely passing the trait along. It served as a mark to any third party whom the chevalier belonged to, as well as having a sense of control over the inflicted chevalier.
"You gave me no other option, Haji. Forgive me, darling." Solomon pulled the sheets over the man and licked at the dry blood concealing Haji's lips.
"You are sure that Solomon was the one whom took Haji, correct?" David inquired upon receiving Saya's outburst of what happened on her mission.
"Yes, I am positive! There was no Patricia Callahan, it was a trap to lure us there…Solomon knows Haji goes nowhere without me. We have to do something! It is my fault…I made us split up, I'm the one who endangered Haji!" Saya sobbed collapsing on the hotel's lavish couch.
"I see. Can you think of anywhere Solomon may have taken Haji?" Kai and Riku sat alongside Saya, trying to console and assure her Haji would be fine to no avail.
"No…he would not take him somewhere where we would be sure to find him." Lewis sat leaning against the door a soda can in one hand bewildered by Solomon capturing Haji.
"Wait…hold on a second…Solomon hates Haji, no?" Lewis asked not believing that Solomon would want Haji other than for the purpose of killing him.
"You don't understand…Solomon does not just want Haji…he…he-. " Saya blubbered still in shock of what happened.
"Don't worry Saya…if I know Haji I'm sure he is unharmed and kicking Solomon's ass right now." Kai guaranteed.
"It's all my fault…why did I do that…we have to find him…Diva has 5 chevaliers that being so…I am sure Haji is with them making escape not an option." Saya rubbed her temples guilt evident on her face.
"Alright, I'll have Julia track the satellites for the whereabouts of Haji's location. Meanwhile Lewis and I will strategize a plan for attack when the coordinates do come through. Kai, Riku, Saya I want you three to see a woman by the name of Yolanda Garcia…she will be able to help in more ways than one. We will find Haji and we will get him back; he is a member of Red Shield and more importantly Saya's chevalier." David spoke receiving affirmative nods in response.
"Saya…what does Solomon want with Haji?" Riku piped up.
"I can't answer that Riku…all I know is that if we do not find Haji soon he may be in a worse state than even death."
"My…oh my…he is cute. I don't suppose you would share Solomon? He is too delicious to pass up, right James?" Nathan's flamboyant voice echoed through the mansion. James shook his head in a sign that said, 'I am surrounded by morons.'
"I'm afraid not, Nathan." Solomon replied his eyes not straying from the brunette, who stood outside jerking at the collar Solomon, had "gifted" him. The sight aroused him beyond belief; Haji among the roses in the garden a look of clear concentration as he tugged at the black collar that allowed him to be only 100 meters from Solomon. It was an exquisite sight to behold.
"So, is the mark working as you thought? I have never seen it done before and I am quite curious to see how this little experiment plays out." Nathan drawled filing his nails, sitting down on the patio furniture next to Solomon.
"Yes, Solomon…from the commotion I heard earlier I would say that you are having difficulties." James retorted referring to Solomon and Haji's fight when coming down the staircase.
"I'm not sure…it may not even work on another chevalier…a chevalier of Saya's for that matter. I intend to tame him at all costs, nonetheless if the mark works or not. However I think it has as Haji is becoming…bearable." Solomon smiled as Haji gave up, instead choosing to focus on the flowers.
"The drug is still in his system, isn't it?" James asked. The drug was meant for their species created by the same scientists of Delta-67… it had a prolonged effect and the symptoms were delirium, nausea, dizziness, amnesia, drowsiness, and feverishness.
"I'm afraid so…this morning he had a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit and he asked if I was from the UPS delivery system."
"UPS…what the hell?"
"Yes, strange really and he asked if I could ship him to Alaska as he wanted to swim with the polar bears." Solomon chuckled at the memory, yet all the same remorseful that in less than a few hours Haji would return to wanting him dead and being by Saya's side.
"Ha ha…how charming; come Solomon can't you bend the rules a little, what I wouldn't give to have a few moments alone with that delectable chevalier." Nathan looked up, a serious expression masking his face not quite befitting his ostentatious personality.
"I don't share, Nathan." Solomon confirmed locking eyes challenging the man to make a move.
Nathan relented, "Aw, Solomon…you're no fun! Phooey, now what will I do?"
"What do you plan on doing once the drug wears off?" James casually sipped his tea glancing at Haji every now and again.
"I will make him mine…to the fullest degree." James spit his tea out on the patio table a look of either betrayal or bewilderment upon his face at what Solomon said.
"You don't mean…you can't possibly do an exchange!" James shouted standing abruptly knocking his chair over.
"Honestly, James…did you have to spit out your tea?" Nathan dabbed at the tea on his shirt with a handkerchief.
"I do mean and yes it is possible for an exchange…seeing as how the mark has fulfilled its purpose, it is now time to move on to stage 2." Solomon walked away from his brothers and to the man whom glared dejectedly at the roses.
Haji had learnt the footsteps of Solomon in the couple of days he had spent in the mansion and frowned when he heard the man approach. His shadow loomed over him, and Haji did not provide him the satisfaction of turning around. Fingering the red rose, he gasped when Solomon knelt next to him and covered Haji's hand with his own.
"Is there something troubling you, Haji?" Solomon whispered in the man's ear before licking lightly at the lobe, a hint of peppermint on his breath.
Haji jerked and tried to slide away from Solomon's hold over his hand, key word: tried. Solomon intertwined his fingers with Haji's and brought the man's hand to his lips, kissing each digit as if it was the last time he would see him. Haji wanted to snatch his hand away, but instead closed his eyes and enjoying the way the man's warm, soft tongue would lap at his knuckles.
"No…stop this!" Haji snapped his eyes open and tore himself away from the blonde, confusion marring his face he stalked into the mansion. The mark on his neck it was changing him…it was making him want Solomon…it was breaking the barricade around his heart, the heart he reserved for Saya.
"Well, that was a complete waste of time. Why the hell did David make us go see her anyway? I swear I am never going to be able to get this cat hair off my clothes." Kai complained shoving his hands in his pockets.
"I don't know, but wasn't she nice…I mean even if she had 20 cats, she was still helpful." Riku ever the innocent one had sat the entire time playing with the woman's felines.
"I agree with Riku…her thoughts on the chiropteran history were helpful, I mean…I think I understand a little bit more about my species and besides her cats were adorable." Saya clasped her hands together, ignorant of a fuming Kai by her side.
"Are you kidding? Those cats were the spawn of the devil…I know it! Did you see the way they looked at me? Hell, they used my leg as a scratch post and I think one of them shit in my backpack!" Kai pulled his pant-leg up to uncover the welts and scratches the cats left on him.
Saya unlocked their hotel door with her room card and greeted Lewis in the kitchen. Kai stomped through flopping down angrily on the couch, while Riku turned on the television to watch an episode of Tom & Jerry.
"What happened to you, Kai?" Lewis grinned. Kai slammed his book bag down on the coffee table before milling through the overstuffed thing.
"I got fucking mauled by a cat that's what happened! Oh my god…it did shit in my backpack!" Kai's disgusted face contorted into that of pure horror at the departing "gift" one of the cats left him.