Yui wasn't sure if having Lexa over the manor was going to end well.

Lexa Crane was an exchange student who had taken instantly to Yui, who had been assigned to show her around school and help her acclimate. Unfortunately Lexa was very behind in their calculus unit, thrown into the thick of the school year a month before exams without any real preparation. This assigned arrangement led to Lexa sheepishly asking Yui for extra help on a subject that Yui wasn't particularly great at herself.

Still, Yui couldn't bring herself to deny a person in need- and so she reluctantly agreed to give Lexa the extra tutoring she needed.

Yui had been living with the Sakamaki brothers for a year, and not once had she had a friend over. She had been a little surprised that they'd agreed to allow Lexa over- and even more surprised when they promised to behave themselves….

And so, everything was set for Lexa to come over that fateful Wednesday night.

Arriving at the Sakamaki's manor was like a dream. Yui and I had walked home after school, and I'd been completely floored when she told me she lived in this house, here. At first I had thought it was a joke.

"Hey, Lexa….." Yui said as we approached the front door. She seemed lost in thought, and I wondered what was on her mind. As far as I'd known her, she'd been nothing but a cheerful, happy-go-lucky girl…if not a bit of an airhead.

"Nn?"

"You might want to stay away from the guys here. They can be…." She trailed of. "Just ignore them, okay? They're a little strange!"

"Oh, your brothers?"

Yui let out a small laugh, "Oh! No, the Sakamakis aren't my brothers! They're my housemates, that's all. My father is away…on missionary work… so I've been staying here." She looked suddenly exhausted. As she opened the front door, a shiver ran down my spine.

What was Yui hiding…?

"Ugh! I'm never going to pass," I groaned, laying my head down on my textbook. We'd been studying for hours, but Yui had been strangely quiet and rather unhelpful. It was around 3AM now. We hadn't moved from our chairs at the dining room table for the entire duration of time, and my legs were beginning to protest. I wasn't used to studying for things. In my previous school I'd been the perfect student- perfect attendance, perfect grades, perfect attitude- all without putting in much effort at all. But ending up here, in another country so suddenly….I hadn't learned the material up until this point. I was hopelessly lost. I wasn't used to being the dumb one in the room.

Yui gave me a small smile. I could tell that she too, was a bit in over her head. "I could…see if maybe Reiji would be willing to help us…but he's usually rather busy…."

I must have given Yui a look mixed with despair and desperation- because she rose from her chair reluctantly. "Okay…I'll see what he's up to…I can't promise anything…wait here, okay?" and with that she left me alone in the dining room.

"Well, well well! Who do we have here~?" A lilting voice came from the doorway behind me, and I looked to face Laito and Ayato.

"Someone's come over for dinner!" Ayato gave a devilish smirk, and the pair began walking towards me.

"H-hi… Maybe Yui told you, but I'm Lexa. I know it's a little strange, but I already know your names although we haven't ever been formally introduced. Thank you all very much for having me in your home. Say- are your parents home? I'd like very much to thank them too…"

Laito burst into musical laughter. "Parents! You're cute – eh- Yui didn't tell you much, did she?"

I was caught off guard. "Er- no…. don't you have parents…?"

Surely no one was insane enough to leave seven high school students alone in a mansion. Surely seven high school students couldn't afford a mansion on their own.

Ayato suddenly plopped a hand down on my shoulder. "Our father…is a busy man. He's never home. Our mother passed away when we were children. It's just us here as your hosts- so respect us, eh?"

I suddenly felt awkward as both brothers had come a bit too close to me for comfort. I was still sitting in my chair, and Ayato hadn't moved his hands from my shoulders. He was hunched over, and I could feel his breath on my ear. Laito had approached and was standing at my other side.

"Say, you're so different from bit- uh, Yui. I didn't think it was possible for her to have beautiful friends- she's so plain," Laito lamented.

Embarrassed and a little angry, I shot up from my chair, sending it back into them and allowing me to escape Ayato's grasp. "That's enough!" I could feel the blood rising underneath my cheeks. "She went to find Reiji…do you know where they'd be? She's been gone for a while and I think I need a break from this studying thing anyway!"

"Oh….well, Reiji's study is down the hall to the right- it's across from one of the bathrooms. I think he's in there. Do you want me to escort you?" Ayato asked, still with that same stupid smirk on his lips.

"Ooh, I'll come too~" Laito chimed in, "It would be my pleasure."

"N-no! That's okay, I think I'll manage. Thank you for your help!" I shot out of the dining room as fast as my feet would carry me. There was something unsettling about those two, although I couldn't figure out if it was the normal hormones of teenage boys, or something…greater. Something didn't feel right about this entire household, which explained a lot about Yui's behavior.

As I meandered down the hallway alone, I tried to listen for voices that would give away their location. None of the doors were open, and I couldn't hear anyone speaking…

It felt intrusive, but I began peeking inside of unlocked doors, hoping not to run into any of the other brothers in the process.

When I finally found the right door, I immediately wished that I hadn't.

I should have closed the door quietly and returned to the dining room with haste. I should have stayed quiet. I should have knocked. Should have, should have, should have.

Didn't.

When I opened the door to Reiji's study, I let out a choked gasp, which immediately alerted both him and Yui to my presence. Reiji was holding Yui to his body….with his…fangs….embedded in her neck. I didn't know what to do. I froze, panicked, brain unable to process what I was seeing.

When Reiji saw me, he threw Yui away. She stumbled and reached her hands to her neck, but I could see the blood running through her fingertips. "L-Lexa!" she exclaimed softly.

Reiji's eyes had locked onto me. His glare was cold, calculating, intimidating. "Why are you here?!" He yelled, "You stupidly impolite girl! Don't you know to knock?" He approached me with only three long strides.

I backed out of the doorframe into the hallway, but his hand gripped my arm and squeezed. I flinched.

"What in the hell am I supposed to do with you now?" He squeezed my arm harder, and I tried not to yelp in pain.

He turned to Yui. "You brought her here- look what you've done. You know what this means- we can't let her go."

"B-but Reiji! Lexa's a good friend, she won't tell anyone. You won't tell anyone, will you?" She turned to me, her eyes pleading with me to say the right thing.

I couldn't oblige her. "N-no. Yui, this isn't right…you can't, you can't let this man do that to you! Is that why you're always tired? Is that why you fainted the other day?" I didn't understand what was happening very well, and although I couldn't believe it- Reiji was a real, actual, vampire. "Yui, we have to get you out of here!"

"N-no, Lexa…please don't panic like this, you don't understand. Reiji agreed to help us study, so I was just repaying him…"

I balked. "Yui, that's not…that's not normal!" I tried again to shake Reiji off, but his hand was like icy iron.

Yui's face blanched. She looked to the ground, suddenly uncertain. "Lexa…I can't let you tell anyone….These people are precious to me, although I can't explain it myself."

"It's a bite from a vampire- they're addictive," Ayato and Laito appeared again in the hallway behind me, this time trailed by Kanato. Kanato always made me a little nervous just passing him in the school hallways, although I could never quite explain why. Maybe it was the teddy bear, or maybe it was the vacant expression behind his eyes.

"Say, Lexa…" Laito was suddenly whispering into my ear, his hand grabbing the arm opposite Reiji, "How would you like to be bitten~?"

"Laito!" Reiji snapped. "Stop this nonsense. Perhaps I'll allow you to drain her body entirely, but first we need to come to a conclusion on what to do with her."

"Isn't it obvious?" Ayato asked, "We get to feast on her until she takes her last breath. We can't risk the exposure."

"Mmmm~ the idea…..all of us, taking her at once. She wouldn't survive more than a few minutes." He turned to me, "Don't worry, you'll die in absolute ecstasy!"

"She's quite pretty….say….can I turn her into one of my dolls after?" Kanato piped in. I didn't know what he meant by that, but I suddenly felt worse. I kept trying to wriggle free, but what was hopeless under Reiji's grip was now doubly hopeless with Ayato holding on.

"N-no, stop! Please stop!" Yui cried, "You can't kill her! She's my only friend and….people will notice if the exchange student disappears."

Her words weren't very comforting. I was trying to be brave but my heart was beating faster and faster in my chest, and I could feel the hot sensation of tears building behind my eyes. I was terrified.

"Shut up, you have no say in this. Haven't you learned your place? You don't get a vote. You're merely our prey," Reiji snapped.

My legs began to tremble.

"Hnnnn….well, do you suppose she tastes any good then? We could keep her as a second pet," Laito cooed. "Maybe she takes pain better than bitch-chan~"

"What a nuisance," Reiji loosened his grip ever so slightly. "I won't be responsible for her care, but I will be responsible for her punishment if she misbehaves. Unfortunately….Yui is correct. We cannot kill her. She must continue to go to school….and yet she must keep our secret."

"Fresh blood….should I be your first, like I was Yui's first?" Ayato whispered in my ear. I didn't think anyone else heard him.

"Oh fine~. I'm a little disappointed we won't get to suck her dry….but I suppose this just means we can draw out the playtime," Laito said, running one of his fingers along my cheek. I instinctively pulled away from him.

"She can't be trusted. For now, she has minimal privilege. Put her in the dungeon for the day while we rest."

"B-but Reiji…" Yui started, "She couldn't escape even if she got out of the front door so why put her in the dung-"

"Punishment. She must absolutely understand the consequences of her situation right now. She has to realize that should she think of running or telling someone- the remainder of her life could be spent in that place."

Laito brought his hand to his face, "Ah, Reiji. So cruel. Say, she could stay in my room and I'll keep a special eye on her~"

The dungeon suddenly sounded preferable. Although all of the brothers made me nervous, Laito seemed shameless, and that terrified me the most.

"It would seem I can't trust any of you. Someone get Subaru or Shu- have one of them bring her to the dungeon. I don't trust either of you without….incident. I'd do it myself but I can't stand to put my eyes upon such a rude girl. If I brought her I don't know what I might do…" Reiji wiped a spot of blood from his chin after letting go of my arm.

"Nn, Reiji- always so selfish after misbehaving yourself. What's the harm in sucking her just a little? I'm sure her blood is no match for Yui's, but it might be good for her, having a second blood source around. It'd give her a break. But I want a sample now…" Ayato whined.

My throat felt tight. "W-wait….you're all…and all of you have….Yui…." I looked at Ayato slowly, who was smirking. I'd figured it out minutes ago- but my brain was only catching up just now. "Vampires…aren't…"

He tightened his grip on my bicep and pulled me towards him. "Real? Want me to prove it to you?" He leaned down and pulled back my shirt. I could feel his breath against my neck and I tried to recoil but he pulled me closer. "Just a little pinch…heh…this time."

The tears wouldn't stop anymore- two hot drops trailed down my cheeks. I was afraid. I needed to escape.

"Ayato, no!" Yui cried, rushing forward. "Leave her alone. If you're thirsty….drink me instead."

"Pancake…" Ayato pulled away from me, "That's awfully bold of you. You'd really do that?"

Yui flung herself at Ayato, and he let me go in his surprise. I squirmed away. Before I could even process what was happening, I started running down the hallway. Maybe it wasn't the right choice- but it was instinctive. I wouldn't subject myself to this. I had to get out of the house.