Chapter 1
As I laid on the cold basement floor, drenched in my own blood with fresh blood forming around me that covered this ground that had seen so many stains before, I thought back. It didn't used to be this way… I looked up into my father's mad eyes that I'd grown so accustomed to. They were seemingly dead behind all of the insanity.
"It's your fault. It's all your fault! So stand up and take it! You don't deserve to rest!" He screamed as a foot impacted my stomach, causing me to cough out another stream of velvety-red fluid.
My vision faded as I felt a familiar embrace filled with warmth and my loving father's scent.
"I'm so proud of my beautiful baby. You do everything perfectly! Are you ready to go visit mommy in the hospital? She's been waiting for you all day." He smiled as his arms brought me to look into his eyes, so filled with love and happiness. Those were the eyes that had raised me to love everyone and everything. I showed everyone kindness regardless of who they were all thanks to this man; my father. With a nod and a grin, I was whisked off to the car on his shoulders. I loved my father and my mother with my entire heart.
I slowly blinked my eyes open, finding it hard for them to adjust. "Don't tell me I've gone blind this time…" I murmured quietly under my breath.
"Are you alright?" A deep female voice nonchalantly echoed through my head. My eyes followed the voice to my left. I saw a blurred array of black and blonde-yellow with some purple specs where eyes would be. My eyes simply would not focus.
"And what would you mean by this time?" A deep male voice that seemed a little more curious than concerned echoed from the right. My eyes followed.
A blur of blue and black was all I could make out until, suddenly, my vision became extremely crisp and clear. I was breath-taken. This man was gorgeous. His eyes were like drops of sapphire framed by stray blue locks that met between; which would probably look very messy and unattractive on anyone else. My eyes bounced back and forth while I attempted to completely absorb his features of awe. I was speechless, unable to fumble out even a natural reaction such as, 'Who are you guys?' Or, 'What am I doing here?'
He seemed amused at my reaction as a cat-like grin slipped onto his face. "You look like your vision is fine now."
Still choked up, I just nodded.
"The question is are you ok? I mean you were all bloody when we came to get you." His mischievous expression faded into seriousness.
I took a gulp, trying to force all of the anxiousness I felt down with it. Voice; please don't fail me now… I cleared my throat. "Don't mind me. Where am I and why?" My tone came out demanding and it allowed confidence to build up.
"Well," The female voice started and I turned back to her to see that she was slightly annoyed. "To put it bluntly, your father sold you to Easter. He works for them. So now you'll be living with us…" She sighed, obviously irritated. "Just don't get in the way, alright?"
I felt water creep to the edge of my eyes as a lump formed in the back of my throat. Sure; he abuses me, but he's my father. He's my dad! I don't want to be separated from my dad… Doesn't he remember the good times? I can't just forget that I love my dad. He helped create me… I swallowed the lump and laughed gently. "Oh; so that's how it is." It was all I couldn't manage without crying.
I looked at the car's black fuzzy carpets. When I was little, he taught me not to cry. 'Don't focus on yourself,' he said. 'Instead, focus on spreading kindness to others. Don't allow yourself to be crushed by anyone. You're better than that. Always remember this.' He always said things like that. I'll focus on those good memories where he acted like a father. I nodded. I didn't allow the tears to spill out. That was when I noticed them staring at me. "Well if we're gonna' be living together; what are your names?" I smiled and held my head up high.
The blonde raised a brow and smiled. "I'm Hoshina Utau."
"Ikuto! Introduce yourself!" My eyes bolted above his head. I thought I heard a voice. He didn't react at all. "If you don't, I will, Nya~" Weird. I know I heard that. Ikuto's eye twitched. "I'm Ikuto Tsukiyomi."
"You two…Are you a couple?" I asked curiously.
"Yes." "No." I heard 2 different responses.
The blonde puffed her cheeks up. "Yes; we are a couple."
"No; we're not." He shrugged.
"Are too." She pounced.
"No; we're not." He sighed.
"Don't listen to him. We really are a couple." She smiled gently at me.
"Oh really? How long?" I smiled back.
"Our whole life." She answered.
"Right; even while you were in mom's belly during the first year of my life?" He raised a brow at her. She hesitantly nodded, cheeks puffed again. "You're so stubborn." He sighed again. "We're siblings." He stared straight at me, as if looking for a reaction.
I shrugged. "What you do in your time doesn't faze me." I stared him straight in the eyes. Something triggered within him.
"Don't pretend you're not jumping for joy inside. You know you're like all those other girls." He grinned knowingly.
"Why would I care?' I asked bluntly. "I just met you so why would it honestly matter to me what you do with your sister?"
He hesitated, taken aback. "I mean about me being single."
"Why would I care about that either?" I felt the thought he was implying trickle into my mind, but I forced it out.
His eyes widened and he just stared at me. I shifted my eyes, not really enjoying the intensity. I looked back when I noticed another grin slowly creep to his face. "This might be fun." He chuckled and dismissed himself, staring out the window.
I looked back over to Utau to see her boring a death glare into my soul.
I felt a drop of sweat trickle down my forehead as I faked the grin on my face. "Yeah um…That's your brother/boyfriend/plaything. Not mine. I do not want him. He's all yours." I said though I felt deep down a small hint of the feeling that I was lying.
"You better remember that too." She spat and her face softened. "We're here."
As we got out of the car, we headed to the back. There were 2 suit cases. I grabbed them and we slowly started walking towards the mansion. I took only one step for every 2 steps they took and trailed behind. Once I was a safe distance away, I made a break for it. I ran as fast as I could with the 2 bags in my hands. I ran. And by ran…I mean I ran. Anywhere but there was what I had in mind. I was SOLD to them for a reason; a reason that I was not going to stay around to find out. My heart was beating faster than it ever had before and all that kept me going was adrenaline. Everything around me was beating and speeding by. Please god…If you really are out there; I need you now. I want to be free I want to escape. I want to be happy and energetic unlike how my life is now. I want to focus on the simpler things in life like creativity and kindness and maybe even love. I felt something inside of me fill a space. Suddenly I rammed into something, crashing to the ground-or so I thought. Instead, I was slammed against a tree. I let out a slight whimper.
"Listen now. You live here now. You do what we say. If you escape, I pay the consequences. And if I pay, you pay. Do you hear me?" Ikuto threatened as I felt my face flush.
"How did you catch up and why the hell do you have cat ears?" I ignored his threat and felt the ears. "They're real."
He sighed. "Are you serious? You don't do threats well. You do know that, right?"
"Are you honestly surprised? You found me in a puddle of my own blood, no?" I shifted my eyes.
"How often does that happen?" He moved his eyes in front of mine.
I looked him straight and considered telling him the genuine truth. I grinned and decided against it. "Usually people don't find me. That's a silly question."
He hesitated. "Fine; I get it. When you are ready to talk, I'm here. I know a little thing about being trapped in a situation you cannot escape." He picked me up bridal style and carried me seemingly warp-speed to the mansion. I simply stared at him the whole way there. I was honestly surprised. He cared. There honestly weren't that many people out there that really cared about what happens to a complete stranger. I felt a light pink form across my face. Ikuto Tsukiyomi…What exactly are you to me? Are you a friend or a foe? For my own survival, I must assume you are a foe who is trying to break down my defenses. I took his appearance in again. Why do you have to be such an attractive enemy though? Ugh; I'm sure that's just part of the strategy. I must keep my guard up. I have no clue what I'm about to be getting into. I took on deep breath, slowly exhaling. I found myself standing in front of an adult at a desk, Ikuto and Utau on either side of me to prevent my escape.
"Kokoro, Amora; let's get things straight here and now." He opened his eyes, piercing mine. "You now belong to Easter. You don't have freedom anymore. You also aren't of any use to us yet, so don't think of pulling anything dumb. We will hurt you if needed. If you attempt escape, I assure you that you will regret it for the rest of your life. Do I make myself quite clear?"
Both Utau and Ikuto's eyes shifted to me, obviously curious as to my expression. I did not flinch nor did I let any fear show. "I believe that you'll hurt me if you catch me when I do run away." Sure I was afraid, but if I showed it to this man, he would win. And I did not enjoy other people winning against me.
He narrowed his eyes and stood up. "You will not run! Do I make myself clear?!" He slammed his hands down on the desk.
I felt my stubbornness pushing through. Their eyes widened as I stood my ground, refusing to show any fear to him. "I didn't quite hear you. Could you be a little louder please?" I heard both of the others snicker lightly.
His eyes almost seemed to fill with fire. He charged over to me and I felt his hand whip across my face. I felt a trickle run down. I was positive it wasn't tears, so it had to be blood. "You little brat; I should have you locked up for the way you treat your elders."
I grinned, loving the confidence I'd shown. I wouldn't talk to my father this way because I still loved him. This man, however, was not my father. I had no such obligations. "Aww you're warming up to me already; giving me gentle love taps."
The rage I saw in his eyes was almost unmatchable. He grabbed my hair, yanking me by it to his face. "You WILL obey me!" He spat.
I smiled pleasantly. "Say it; don't spray it." My smile dropped as I glared into his eyes. "Now; are we done here?"
He took a deep breath and let go, turning around. "No. I've put your school uniform in your room. You'll be going to Seiyo Academy into 6th grade."
I tilted my head. "Yeah; there's one problem. I'm supposed to be in the 8th grade. I'm 14 going on 15 very soon." I rolled my eyes back.
"You think I don't know that? Be happy you're short. If you hadn't been an alright size for elementary, you would be of no use to me. You would still be in a bloody pile of your own misery. I saved you from that wretched man. You should be grateful." He sneered.
I felt my eyes widen as I snapped, launching myself at him. "DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT!" I felt arms wrap around me, preventing me from getting any closer to him. "MY FATHER IS A GREAT MAN! BETTER A DEMENTED PIECE OF SCUM LIKE YOU! YOU'RE THE PIT OF THIS DISGUSTING SIDE OF OUR WORLD! YOU'RE THE REASON THAT GOOD MEN LIKE MY FATHER TURN BAD!" I screamed, tears spilling out.
"I'm sorry to say, sweetie, but your daddy was scum before I met him. The only thing that stopped him from being my good little slave was that controlling bitch. Your mother." He sighed. "She taught him some junk about love and kindness being so much more satisfying and gratifying than anything else. She always controlled him with rubbish like that. The both of them were such fools." He laughed.
I felt something else inside me snap. Hate. I've never felt this much hate before in my life. In fact; I've never hated anything before now. But I hate him. "TAKE IT BACK! MY PARENTS WERE AMAZING PEOPLE AND YOU RUINED THEM! YOU TAINED THEM! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU." I attempted to escape the clutches of the one holding me down when I was twisted around and brought to the amazing pure eyes that belonged to Ikuto Tsukiyomi.
"Listen." He whispered softly so that only I could hear. "It hurts. I know it hurts. But what you're doing now; getting all worked up, is only making him win. Do not let him win. That bastard does not deserve to win. Don't let him make you this person that is so filled with anger and pain." He gently caressed my face while wiping tears away.
I stared at him in awe and everything I'd just done seemed ridiculous. He opened my eyes and honestly opened my heart just a little. There was this feeling deep within me starting to rise that I'd never quite felt before. I slowly nodded, trying to regain my composure. He's my enemy. He's my enemy. I repeated over and over again in my head until is sickened me.
A look of distaste passed between the man and Ikuto as he barked out orders. "Take her to her room. I don't want to see that grotesque face right now."
Without a word, Ikuto grabbed my wrist and led me to my room. The walls were black, the bed was black, the ceiling was black, and just about everything else is black too. "Here you go." He turned to leave.
"Wait!" I called without thinking. He turned back around and looked at me expectantly. "Umm…" I hadn't anything to say. Truthfully, I did. I just didn't want to say it. I forced it out anyways. "Tsukiyomi…Thank you."
A smile tugged smoothly at the edges of his lips. "It's Ikuto. By the way, Kokoro, what is your first name?"
"Amora." I let out softly. If his plan really was to get close to me, it was working and I did not like it.
"Amora; it's a lovely name for a lovely girl. Don't mind that guy. You're not grotesque at all." He said, almost seemingly an attempt to assure me. I know it's cheesy, but I completely loved the sound of my name rolling off of his tongue. It was just about the best sound in the world. I decided that he was probably about the most attractive guy I'd ever met. Everything about him was very charming.
I narrowed my eyes. Too charming. He is being way too charming and caring. There are almost no flaws. And that is his flaw. I'm almost positive now that he's acting this way to get close to me to use me. I walked over to my bed and laid in it.
"What? Is something wrong?" He hesitated.
"You're nice. Too nice. So nice; I'm afraid I'm gonna have to tell you to leave." I stared him right in the eyes for his reaction.
He looked confused and almost unsettled. "I don't follow. What?"
"You're working for Easter and no matter how much I want to trust you, I won't trust you. I can't trust you or let you in. And you're too close already. So please stay away." I said as nonchalantly as I could, internally kicking myself especially after I saw his face.
His eyes revealed hurt with a mix of anger. His voice, betraying his look, sounded calm and uncaring. "Alright; if that's what you want." With that he disappeared. I shut my eyes and was glad for my lack of sleep because, even though I felt such emotions churning in my stomach, I quickly faded into the district of dreams.
