Kuro glared at the sandy blond man staring down at him as Taka curled into a small ball behind him, looking anywhere but. The man just stared at them, amused, with a glint in his black eyes that Kuro couldn't identify, but it made his fur stand on end.
"They were right, blood red eyes is a very uncommon trait for cats and that strange tail makes you look more exotic" he muttered with a grin as he pulled out a camera and took a quick picture.
Kuro yowled at the sudden flash and shut his eyes. Once his eyes adjusted he opened them, they sting, but still glared holes at the back of the man's head who was already starting to upload the image in a balky computer. He could hear Taka's low sigh
of relief at the increased distance between them an the man, like she was holding her breath the whole time. he turned to her as she uncurled.
"This is the fastest that man has put someone up for sale…" she said quietly then shuddered, "usually they'd be conditioned first"
The older cat nodded knowing what she meant by the way she acted and spoke. In his long life he knew that encounters like this almost always had pain and extreme discipline. This kid looked like she endured both for a long time.
"I've been with Mahiru for way too long if I'm starting to care for others outside my family" at the thought of his Eve he frowned, "I can't stay here, Mahiru's life will be on danger."
His thoughts were cut off at the sound of footsteps closing in and Taka going back to her hiding place behind him. The feeling of eyes on him made a growl want to form in his throat. Kuro met the man's stare with a defiant scowl that said, 'I won't play
along with your game'. This has just made the man grin more.
"I've never seen the bidding go up so fast for an animal, you must be special" he said as he returned the scowl with a glare that demanded submission. Kuro hissed in reply and Taka pressed herself closer to him. The man inched closer, gloved hands ready
to open the cage and reach in.
"Looks like I have to break you before you go to your new owner" the man said with disgusting glee.
One gloved hand swung open the cage door while the other went to grab the black cat quickly. The act wasn't fast enough. Kuro bit down on the thick glove, the sharp fangs digging into flesh. With it also came blood.
A sudden wave of dizziness and nausea came over the Servamp, making him too unfocused to notice the other hand grab him painfully by the scruff and being lifted. He heard a mumble of 'claws' and 'American shipment' but the mental exhaustion wouldn't allow
him to pay attention, he can almost hear his inner demon laughing at how pathetic he was being.
Soon he felt ice cold metal nip at his paws as well as a tight collar was placed around his neck. Something akin to dread dawned him when he finally noticed that something important to him is not with him.
"My bell…"
Red eyes scanned the room for any sign of it, but couldn't locate it, eventually they set on the man sorting through various objects on a table a bit away from the one he's on. Kuro's eyes widened when he saw the man walk back with some tools. The vampire
cat knew what they were but what they would be used for made anxiety rise. He tried to tug at the leases which kept him tethered to the middle.
"Well kitty let's begin shall we?" the man said, testing a pair of pliers. The metal claws clacking with promise and smeared, crusty blood.
The limousine ride was fairly quiet with the occasional background noise of other cars driving by. Dodo was driving to the destination he provided while Misono and Lily were going over the information on the laptop and Mahiru was absently looking out
the tinted windows.
"If we don't find Nii-san soon then there's a possibility that he will be lost forever" Lily's words echoed in the brown haired boys head as he thought about the explanation he was given about C3's American branch.
Flashback
"C3? But I thought they made a truce with Servamps, so why would they want Kuro?..." Mahiru asked fervently. Misono too was confused as he gave his Servamp a look for him to continue.
Lily cleared his throat before continuing. "True we are at peace with C3's Asian branch and are in tense agreements with others, but… the American branch is the most aggressive with us vampires, we even warn our subclass' of the dangers." He explained
then his eyes narrowed, "if they succeed in obtaining Sleepy Ash, not only would it be a declaration of war against all vampires, but there's a possibility -despite our immortality- we will never see Nii-san again."
The news hit the young Eves like bricks, they were shocked by how much was depending on this rescue mission, it lasted for a moment before Misono coughed into his hand to gain their attention.
"All we have to do is find Sloth before he is shipped off right?" he asked, smirking confidently, "Well what are we waiting for let's get moving?! Time is of the essence! Dodo start the car!"
"Whatever you say runt," he deadpanned as he shut the laptop and handed it over to Lily. Misono sent a warning glare, bit didn't protest while they all entered the limo.
(End Flashback)
Mahiru played the conversation over and over in his mind. He knows what separation would mean for him and as much as death scared him, he couldn't bring himself to think selfishly, not when Kuro and his siblings are the ones who will be suffering the
most. The thought of Kuro being taken away from his siblings was too much. Especially when the lazy vampire was starting to take responsibility and be there for them like he should as the eldest, even Tsubaki developed a brother complex for Kuro.
No doubt the Servamps would start war against C3 to rescue him and with the Servamp of Melancholy as an ally now bloodshed is a guarantee.
"-hiru…"
"No! We have to find Kuro before it comes to that. I have to apologize and make thinks right with him!" he clenched his fist and tried to expel the negative thoughts from his head.
"Mahiru."
"Oi bastard!"
His head snapped to the side to look at Misono and Lily who had concern in their eyes. "O-oh, sorry guys I was spacing out. " Mahiru rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "you were saying."
"I wanted to ask how often does brother drink blood," Lily spoke, concern still evident in his orbs. This backtracked Mahiru a bit, trying to remember the last time; since Kuro avoids blood like the plague.
"um… two months ago, I think. Every time I offer him blood, Kuro would often deny it and insist that he doesn't want any."
"I see… well that would explain why he was easily taken…" his eyes narrowed, "you see blood is like our energy that we need to replenish regularly and for a Servamp who spent so long without blood..." He cut himself off, but Mahiru knew what he wanted
to say.
"That explains why Kuro was taking in so much junk food and sleeping more lately..." his eyebrow twitched at his partner's lack of care to tell him anything important. It pissed the Eve off that Kuro wouldn't tell him anything concerning his health. "I'm
going to give that cat a stern talking to when he comes back!"
"Yes your not going to be the only one!~" Lily laughed hopefully.
"Looks like that lecture will come sooner than expected," Misono added while reading the drivers silent nod, "according to Dodo were about ten minutes away." This earned a joyous laugh from Lilly and a confused stare from Mahiru, but he paid no head as
he smirked he typical high and mighty smirk.
"Kuro we're coming! Just hang on a bit longer."
Kuro's entire body felt numb and pained, most of it coming from his paws. He can't count how long that horrid human took ripping out his claws, furthering his pain every time he resisted or tried to bite. The bastard didn't even bother to clean the blood
when finished and left him still leashed to the metal table. For a while Kuro tried to transform into human form but couldn't, so he gave up on that thought and redirected what's left of his energy to regenerate his claws.
"Almost there… one more…" he winced a little at the last claw's painful comeback. After all his claws came back he forced himself up and experimentally tugged on the leashes that tethered him to the table. "no good…" both ends were tied
to either sides of the table so it was impossible to get to either of them. In cat form he doesn't have as much strength as his human form so he cant just rip them off. He was utterly powerless like this.
"Kuro, Kuro! Are you o-okay?!" A fearful voice called out to him.
He almost forgot about Taka. Kuro turned to the cage that she was in. His eyes widened slightly at finding that the door was left open.
"she could of gotten away." He would of said something about it, if he hadn't seen the fear in her eyes, and the way she stayed curled up in the corner. It was almost heartbreaking, bye even so he had to get out of here and back to Mahiru. "I've
been better… listen Taka can you help me take off this leash?" he asked gently, watching as she trembled more and near hyperventilating.
"B-but I… I can't! If I-I do that man will p-punish me again… I don't want t-that! Please don't make me!?" she whimpered, curling into herself tighter.
"Is staying here better than trying to gain freedom? I promised I would get you out of here with me and will, but I can't do that if you don't help me…" Kuro said softly. He pitied that someone so young would have to go through terrible things and felt
more resent towards humans. This is another example of their cruelty and why he prefers to be a cat.
"please I-I…"
"If you don't, you and me might never see home again." His voice took a more big brother tone that he hasn't used in a while. That seemed to snap Taka out of her fear enough for her to snap her mouth shut and hesitantly nod. The kid swallowed heavily
and with her shaky legs she got up on a crouched stand as she crawled out of the cage and to the table. "That's it Taka… now jump." She did and almost panicked at the blood on the table. "Taka! Focus on my voice and don't think about your surroundings…"
Kuro instructed. His eyes softened encouragingly at her. The young kitten's breaths were still ragged, but her strides had more purpose to them when she got closer to the to the peg Holding the knotted end of one leashes. For a moment Taka took a
reluctant step back, seaming to rethink her actions.
Her terrified mismatched eyes searched for Kuro's for support, like a scared child looking for help. His comforting red orbs, although they still held pain, have unbreakable strength in them that gave Taka a feeling that she's safe with him. She doesn't
know from where this feeling is coming from, but somewhere inside her told here that she can trust Kuro and that he will get her out of this nightmare. Taking a deep breath and turned back to the knot. If she could do this then she could leave this
place. Her jaw clamped down on the sturdy leather knot and pulled.
"Ok Taka deep breaths, Kuro needs you to do this! You just have to pull a little more and…" she commanded herself, fighting the tension of the leather. With much effort the knot gave out eventually and fell limply on the table. "I-I did it…" Taka
stuttered in disbelief, "I broke a rule!" to the kitten's surprise that thought came out exited instead of fear like it would usually be.
"Taka!" Kuro yelled.
"Why you little! Get away from there!"
Kuro reacted quickly, clawing the hand that reached to hurt the kid. This made the man loose his balance and knock the table over, not only from the pain, but also the shock that can be seen in his eyes. Both cats soon found the cold metal being pulled
from under them. Red eyes were shut as his body met the brutally hard floor and a screeching clang of metal assaulted his ears, too close for comfort. He coughed at the air knocked out of his lungs and wearily opened his eyes.
"That would have been messy… and painful…."
Nearly at the tip of his black nose was the fallen table, a few crucial inches from undoubtedly crushing his small head. He knew he would live, but he rather not end up like a bloody puddle on the floor. One good thing from it was that the sharp edges
from the table fell on the leash and snapped the remaining leash off him, for that Kuro was grateful. A pained, angry groan snapped the Servamp's attention back to the matter at hand, mud brown eyes met his with a clear promise of punishment, to which
he shot back with equal spite. The only thing keeping the man from surging forward was the table barricade between them.
Red eyes lingered to the open basement door and the whimpering kid not far. Kuro was aware of the ache in his body and slight tremble in his legs as he tried to get up, but he still had enough adrenaline to dodge the hand coming at him and grab Taka by
the scruff with his teeth. She yelped in surprise but didn't complain.
"Get back here! Your not getting away!"
Furious yells and the crash of something heavy can be heard when the black cat burst out the door. For a moment he risked peeking over his shoulder In to see how close behind. Kuro lost sight of the rotten door frame when he rounded the corner to what
might be the living room. Loud footfalls still echoed from the lower stairs.
Taka whimpered and curled up more into herself by the second. "K-Kuro…?" she chocked.
"I know… "
They were trapped. There was no openings for them to escape through.
Welp my loyal readers here's my third chapter hope you enjoyed it, sorry I couldn't update sooner but test finals got me stressed and gave me almost no time to write (except for writing test) I feel like I'm surviving the war zone that's called highschool TT-TT.
Well enough of my sob story! Kuro was so close to escaping here but don't worry he won't be caught so easily. Now we find that his blood refusal made him weak and can't transform to human form because of the lack of energy, but there's another reason than that. Can you guess? Will Kuro find a way out of this? Can Mahiru get to him in time? And what does C3 want with Kuro? find out on the next chapter! Don't forget to review and follow! Seriously review please how am I supposed to know it's a good story if you don't give me you opinion on this!~ 3
Preview? Sorry for getting your hopes up for the last preview if you already read it, I tried to write it but a lotof things didn't make sense and I wasexperiencing a bit of a writers block. Don't worry I'll try to finish this chapter soon I'll just be changing some things and trying to make it work. One thing I will confirm you in is that I don't plan on giving up this story until Kuro is safely in Mahiru's arms again! Next chapter might be up tommarow if I'm lucky.
/
