A/N: The scarf idea is something that I got from The Hollows series by Kim Harrison!

"Honestly…" He sighed as if he were talking to a child who refused to listen, "Have you no concept for rhythm?"

Ayame flushed hotly in anger, her left hand still on Reiji's shoulder, her right still held within his left. She was really starting to regret asking him for help with dancing but she didn't have a lot of options. She was being forced to attend a ball and she knew she would really get the whip if she made a fool of them with her atrocious dancing.

"I'm trying!" Ayame snapped back defensively.

"There is little effort to be made. If you would simply follow my lead then you would not be blundering about as you are. Can you not even manage to accept my direction?"

The young woman flushed even further when the arm about her waist tightened, bringing her in a bit closer. Was it getting hotter? Or was it just her? Ayame began to curse the scarf she was wearing since it made things a lot warmer than it should be. But she was not about to walk around the mansion with her neck being an easy target!

"I am trying! I am giving you the best I have!"

"Of what use is your best if it does not produce results?" was Reiji's crisp reply, "Again."

She scowled at his sharp order but adjusted her posture accordingly and settled once more into position to begin again. He began to move and she followed after him, trying her best to step in time with the music that Reiji had set in his mind. Ayame couldn't help but feel that she would do a lot better if she could actually hear some music but the bespectacled vampire had been adamant that his lead would be all that she would need.

Barely fifteen steps into the waltz and she felt a sharp sting on her thigh. She yelped in pain and jerked in surprise to see the hand that was meant to be on her waist was clutching his favorite crop. Ayame had no idea when he had the time to even grab it but she supposed that having vampire fast reflexes would be beyond her notice.

"Straighten your back." he ordered sharply, "Your posture is offensive to my eyes."

Ayame glowered but did as he instructed. She didn't have a lot of options if she didn't want to make a fool of herself at the ball. Reiji made a soft noise of approval in the back of his throat and took her waist again. Her pulse rate spiked when she noticed that he still kept his crop in hand, the handle pressing against her side. It was an unspoken threat, a reminder that he would not hesitate in striking her with it again. In fact she was quite irritated in the knowledge that he seemed to enjoy using his crop on her.

"Unacceptable."

She was met once again with a sharp sting that cut deep into her flesh when she stepped out of time with him. The way he was glaring down at her for her mistake, she couldn't help but shudder. Reiji could be extremely cruel and her mistakes seemed to be pressing his patience - dangerous thing. She tried to follow his steps again but she staggered trying to catch up, only to have his crop cruelly meet her flesh again.

"Ow!" She cried, "Ok, now you are just doing this on purpose!"

"Of course, punishments are deliberate actions."

"You know what I mean!"

A grin crossed his face as he stepped away from her then. Ayame was not at all amused with him intentionally making her mess up so he could take his crop to her. How does that help her learn?! Reiji chuckled, his rich voice teasing her ears and causing her breath to hitch in her throat.

"Have you reached your limit already? That won't do…"

His crop came out and rested under her chin, tilting her head up. Ayame blinked as she was forced to stare the vampire in the eyes. They reminded her of a rose wine almost, red but not deeply so. His gaze bore into her although he still had that smirk on his mouth.

"You won't even look at me properly when we dance." his grin widened and he drew closer to her, "Are you afraid of me?"

Ayame's voice was caught in her throat. She wasn't sure she should really answer that question. Telling him no would likely urge him to try harder, to inflict more punishment on her. But telling him yes would only encourage him. She swallowed gently and maintained her silence, shifting her eyes away from his gaze.

"Good…" he purred, "Fear me more."

He trailed the crop down her throat until it stopped at her scarf. With sure fingers, he reached up and pulled the winding cloth off of her. Reiji lifted it in his grasp and flicked his eyes over it for a moment before bringing his gaze back to Ayame.

"Unseemly…"

"What do you-"

"Since you were lewd enough to distract me so inappropriately, perhaps I should provide you with a distraction as well for this lesson…" He mused.

Ayame blinked bemusedly, very confused as to how she was being lewd or distracting. She never got the chance to ask either for the pureblood yanked her closer to him. The young woman squeaked in surprise.

"H-hey what are you-?"

"Be silent. Your voice is unnecessarily loud."

Reiji tied the scarf over her eyes.

"I won't be able to follow you if I can't see!" Ayame protested.

"It is your punishment…How brazen of you to enter my private study to ask for me to instruct you while wearing that."

The scarf? Was it really that much of a problem? And how on earth could that be considered brazen? She just wanted to keep herself from being bitten easily! Reiji's chuckle filled her ears and she felt him draw her closer.

"Truly? You do not understand your actions?" he murmured against her ear, a shiver rolling down her spine, "I should think it would be obvious. You are a tiresome woman, aren't you? I have to spell out everything for you."

Ayame tried to calm her wildly beating heart and breathing. Reiji was an intimidating presence already but now that she could not see anything…only feel his hand against her back, his other tracing her jawline feather light.

"Articles of clothing that hide your neck are….erotic to vampires. It teases us, peaks our thirst, our needs. Of course, I am not so crass as to fall to baser instincts so easily but my brothers, however…." he laughed sharply, "Are you really so blind that you did not notice the way they have been looking at you? You wanted to tempt them, didn't you?"

"I-I honestly did not know…" she stuttered, her cheeks flushing deeply.

"I don't wish to hear your excuses. Your actions still need to be punished."

With a soft growl, Ayame felt his fangs sink into her neck and she cried out. The pain was sharp but quick relatively quick and she quivered as he drank deeply from her. Ayame learned already not to fight hard after the bite has happened or it only causes more pain. She also knew that if she fought, Reiji could and would make it worse. She let out a soft whimper and clutched his shirt tightly as he growled again, the sounds of him drinking her blood filling her ears, her body growing unbearably hot.

When he had drank his fill, he pulled back about an inch. Normally his breath was so cold but after drinking from her, it pooled hotly against her neck. His tongue lapped up the blood smeared around the bite wound, eliciting a squeak from Ayame. Every touch, every movement, every sound was more intense because she couldn't see. And it was maddening feeling his gloved hand lightly trailing down the other side of her neck.

"It is unlady like to lose your composure like this." she could hear the pleased smirk in his voice, "Do you crave my fangs so much?"

"R-Reiji…"

"I suppose it is not entirely bad to see this side of you. You are mine so it is only natural that you desire my fangs."

His hand settled on her waist again, his other taking up her right hand. Ayame set her left hand on his shoulder, understanding his unspoken command. And yet he still did not take off the scarf. Her hand drifted back up to pull her scarf off of her eyes only to have him catch her wrist.

"Who said you could remove that?"

"Bu-but Reiji, how will I see to dance?!"

"If you follow my direction properly and stay close to me, it should not be a problem. If you fail, I will punish you. I am the one instructing you, so you should become a perfect dancer."

"But I couldn't even keep up when I could see!" Ayame pointed out in panic.

"Then I suppose you had better start paying proper attention." Reiji told her lowly in her ear, "You will not leave this room until you can complete this dance perfectly."

Something told her that she was going to be here until well after the sun rose.