Frosty blue eyes met her own. Her whole body tenses as her blood runs cold. Her muscles tense in preparation to run. She never gets the chance though. Something presses against her back as a hand rests on her shoulder. She jumps and tears her gaze from the cold blue eyes to see who was touching her. Despite being beside Mika moments before, Ferid is now standing behind her. He was blocking her only retreat. She was trapped.

Trapped between two very dangerous, blood sucking vampires.

She knew it was a bad idea to come here. Now the orphans wouldn't have anyone. Her body starts to shake without her even noticing. Ferid does. His face lights up in pleasure as he looks down at her with a smile. He looks back up at the sound of a growl. "Now, now, Mika, you know you need to make friends. She's perfect!"

The hand moves from the top of her shoulder to between her shoulder blades. She didn't have time to really think about what that meant for her. Ferid steps back as he gently pushes her forward. Her balance is lost as she falls toward the blond vampire. Her face slams into his lower chest as Ferid laughs. Her hands grab his forearms to brace herself.

"Enjoy your new friend, Mika! Play nice! Don't do something I wouldn't!"

Atsuko feels completely mortified as she realizes that she is clinging to a vampire. She leaps back slipping as she lands on her behind. Her eyes close in pain. She keeps them closed waiting for the vampire to do something. Pounce on her, strike here or even say something, but he doesn't. Silence reigns through the room. Slowly, her curiosity gets the better of her, and she slowly opens one eye to look at his legs. She's not sure she's brave enough to look up into those soulless, cold eyes.

She hears a grunt, and his legs turn away. She slowly scoots herself back against the door letting her eyes travel up his back to his head. He was facing away from her looking out a window.

It drags on like this for what feels like ever. She is trying to work her way up to actually saying something to break the oppressive silence. She pulls her knees up and hugs them. Her gaze drifts from the back of his head to the connection between the wall and the floor. It was so uncomfortable that she prayed it'd be over soon. She couldn't hear any noise on the other side of the door.

'I am not coming back tomorrow. Screw this.' She angrily thinks to herself. This was not what she was expecting. The vampire was around her age. He was beautiful in a way she couldn't describe, but he seemed….off somehow.

Her eyes close as she hugs her knees closer and forces her mind to think about something other than the suffocating atmosphere. The orphans would have eaten by now. She hoped it was something other than just rice. She'd left all the money she had collected on the table as she escaped. A smile comes to her face without her even realizing it as she pictures Sora dressed up. His hair was likely sticking out in multiple places being tied together sloppily with little hair ties. Something would likely be applied to face, and it would be next to impossible to wash off. It was amazing what those kids could find.

She lets out an amused breath. She tenses when she feels cold again. He must be looking at her once again. She slowly opens her eyes and looks up at him. He was staring at her with that same look he seems to always wear. Way to kill what little mood she had. She hugs her knees tighter.

"I don't want my blo-"

"I'm not interested," he interrupts turning to look out the window. She had no idea what was so interesting out there. Maybe the grounds were pretty?

"You seemed pretty interested the other day when I scrapped my hand," Atsuko mutters under her breath. She immediately regrets it as his eyes snap back to hers with a look of anger. So he did have a different look other than just cold. She tries to be defiant and stare into his eyes, but she fails. Her eyes snap back to the wall. She hated that she wasn't very brave.

"I have no reason to explain myself to a human," he states. The coldness was creeping back into his words.

She feels lost at his words. She decides to remain quiet again. It starts to suffocate again. She tries to think of the orphans again, but she's not able to. "Your eyes aren't red. Why not?"

She was stuck here till Ferid saw fit to let her out. Why not at least try to talk to the vampre? She forces herself to look up at him. He was leaning against the wall, eyes closed and arms crossed. He slowly opens one eye to look at her. It's silent for a moment, and she grips the fabric around her legs tightly. Her nails scrape the skin lightly through the clothes as she does. What should she say? What should she do?

She blurts out, "Well, not many have blond hair, but it's not completely unusual. It's just that I know vampires by red eyes. I didn't know they had a preference, but I guess that makes sense. Ferid did say I wasn't his type, and he just wanted me to keep his servant company."

She hears a noise and refocuses on him. What was it that she heard? His eye was closed again. She wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.

"Humans are stupid and pathetic. Completely untrustworthy. They claim to be loyal, but their greed blinds them to what true loyalty is."

That stuns her. She wasn't sure what he meant by that. She had babbled some, but she didn't remember mentioning loyalty. Slowly, her anger builds up. How dare he assume he knew what humans were like! It wasn't as if he could possibly know what it was like to be held a prisoner. He got to live in a mansion! The children scrapped by with barely enough to eat!

"Vampires are the ones who don't know what loyalty is. What are they loyal to? The strongest person in power," she scoffs as she tightens her grip on the fabric. "Vampires are just as greedy as they view humans to be! They have us held captive here and the only way to get anything is to sell some part of yourself. Otherwise you starve! Yet the vampires still demand blood. What happens if a person doesn't produce blood anymore? Surely you wouldn't keep your….your…useless livestock," she spits the word like its poison. "around if they weren't of any use!"

He stares at her coldly and says softly, "Yet none of you are brave enough to fight back."

She jerks in surprise and then looks back at the wall with a glare. She didn't know what to say to that. He had a point to some degree, but she wasn't willing to admit that he did. She closes her eyes again. Silence reigns through the room once again. She's not planning to break it this time. She didn't want to know more about the arrogant, selfish vampire in front of her.

She amuses herself by thinking of excuses as to why she wasn't at work or dinner. Excuses as to where she was for most of the night. Guilt gnaws at her stomach, and she sighs softly resting a cheek on her knees. She hated to lie to those she held close, but she didn't need Sora or Izumo doing something stupid. Stupid like trying to attack a noble. There were plenty of children in the city, and they seemed to find more if they needed to.

Her eyes open just a fraction at the thought. Tomorrow was her turn to have her blood drawn again. She'd have the day off from work. Izumo would be going as well along with a couple of the younger ones. She dreaded those days. She always felt weak. It was a disgusting process. Luckily it was only a couple times a week or they risked the children becoming anemic.

There is a soft shuffle which draws her attention back to the vampire before her. She gives him her best cold look. He wasn't watching her; he just seemed to be adjusting to a more comfortable position on the wall. It was getting darker outside the window signaling that it was close to curfew. She observes him again feeling her anger start to burn again.

"Why are you here? Why did you come to Ferid?" He asks softly. His eyes are distant as he stares at the floor. He didn't actually seem interested. She didn't want to answer. Why should she? He didn't care as to why she was there or if she was selling her blood. She lays her head back on her knee intent not to answer.

She closes his eyes as he shifts again. He must have been doing it on purpose. Most vampires were silent when they did such simple things. Irritation bubbles up again, and she releases it in the form of a sigh. "I met him in an alleyway after a long day of work. He trapped me there and insisted that I meet him at his mansion. I assumed he wanted blood and told him it wasn't for sale."

It's silent. She grits her teeth. He wasn't interested. He wasn't even acknowledging that she had spoken. She lets out a sigh and thinks over his question. Did she not answer it the way he wanted?

"I have a family," she says softly. She stares at her knees. One arm releases her knees to trace shapes on the floor near her feet as she thinks about why she was doing this. "I don't want to sell my blood, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to spend some time at a noble mansion if it meant they could have food."

He's still silent. She lifts her eyes to meet his. His gaze is still cold and guarded. She has no idea what he is thinking, but she's sure he is thinking. He is looking at her, but he's not seeing her. She stills as she watches him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to come back. It wasn't like she was actually giving her blood to them. This one hadn't even approached her.

She shifts a little feeling sore from sitting in the same position for so long. Her arm drops, and she stretches out her legs. She tries not to make any noise, but a soft groan still finds its' way out of her mouth. Mika had turned his attention from her face to her shifting body parts.

"Why did you attack me that night? You didn't drink my blood though. Why?" Atsuko watches him as he looks from her feet to her face again. He just observes her silently for a few moments. Just as she thinks he's not going to say something he opens his mouth.

A morbid form of excitement bubbles up at the thought of why she wasn't actually attacked. She'd finally have her answer.

"Ferid's back."

All that climax for nothing. That's not what she wanted to hear. She scrambles up away from the door and into the center of the room as the door swings open. For a moment, irritation spreads over Ferid's face. He quickly hides the expression as he smiles.

"See, my dear. Nothing to worry about," he coos at her. He moves too fast for her to flinch. He brushes his knuckles along the upper part of her cheek causing her face to flush. She shakes her head to shake the hand away, but he had already pulled it back. "Mika was a gentleman I assume?"

His smirk is once again that cruel look. She cringes slightly. He must get off on misery or something. Maybe that's why he drug her here. She slowly nods her head. He at least didn't attack her. So she guessed that was a close to a gentleman as a vampire could get. The frown flashes over his face again before he appears beside her and puts a hand on her back pressing her forward out of the room. She didn't turn to tell Mika goodbye, nor did he try to tell her goodbye. Ferid silently leads her through the maze of hallways to the door. He leans down into her space again. "I hear your giving blood tomorrow."

She clenches her jaw a little. 'Giving' was a very loose term. They didn't have a choice. Still, she nods slowly. His hand finds its' way into her hair petting it softly from her forehead to her bun. It makes her shiver and try to lean away, though it doesn't deter his odd petting.

"Excellent! I'll have someone drop by to pick you up earlier than. Forgive little Mika. He doesn't have many manners. He only interacts with his partners. You'll help warm that cold little place right?" Ferid coos at her. She's so uncomfortable that she just wants out of the situation.

"I….I don't see how I can help. He wasn't interested in being friends. I think you chose the wrong person," Atusko says quietly. She tries to scoot away just a little, but his hand follows after as if she hadn't moved at all.

"Ah, I think you have something to offer him," he states confidently. His hand drops from her hair skimming the back of her ear and rests on her neck. Gloved fingers run over her collar. She shivers and jerks away, but he catches the collar and halts her attempt as he leans down to whisper in her ear. "You have something he needs, but he refuses to take. You will weasel your way into that cold heart of his and change his views."

His finger presses on her neck as her heart beat begins to race. She had feared this moment. He truly wanted her blood.

"You lied to me," she whimpers softly. She's not even sure he heard her till she feels him laugh against her hear.

"No, my dear. I did not lie. I don't want your blood. You truly aren't to my tastes, but I do need your blood for someone."

Her eyes squeeze shut as she feels sick to her stomach. How could she be so stupid to believe a vampire? His words were so twisted that she didn't know what to believe anymore. They all had double meanings. She can feel him shift and hears his voice in her other ear. She tries to jerk her head away but one of his hands catches her chin preventing any movement. His breath is on her neck as she starts to shake. His voice is low and threatening. He doesn't have the teasing tone she's heard so far. It sends fear straight to her heart.

"Remember, my little butterfly, if you fail to get him to drink at least a little than you will receive the full extent of my wrath. Trust me there are worse things than having your blood forcibly taken. I hear there is even something worse than death."

He chuckles again, though there is no humor in it. "They will be defenseless against me. I am a noble. No one will question me. Or care if there are a few less humans in the world."

And just like that he shoves her roughly out of the now open front door. She falls to her hands and knees staring at the ground in stunned silence as she tries to process what he had just told her. Another cruel laugh digs the pain deeper into her heart. "You cannot escape. I know everything about you. Try and I will kill one of them in front of you."

The door slams shut leaving her on the top of the steps in a stunned silence. She's not sure how long she sits there. Tears fall to the steps wetting the stone a little as she cries silently. It was dark now. She lets out a startled yelp as she feels a hand enclose around her arm. She's effortlessly drags her to her feet. She feels her cheek sting and a hiss of cold voice.

"Be silent, livestock."

She looks up. Her vision is blurred by tears, but she can see a vampire holding her up by her arm painfully. He has black hair and red eyes. He's dressed in the city guard uniform. He must be here for a reason. She hears a tsking noise and a second hand grabs her other arm taking some pressure off the other one. A playful voice says, "Now, now, Rene. We weren't told to hurt her. Look at that pitiful face though. Makes it a little hard doesn't it?"

She turns to look at the second one. He has purple hair that's pulled back. He seems faintly familiar, but she's too exhausted to even try to place his face. She lets them support her weight. This was all too much.

"Think Lord Ferid took too much? She's gonna die, isn't she?" The purple haired vampire says. His voice was fading though. She could feel her body giving out from the shock of everything. She faintly hears the one called Rene answering something about not smelling blood or seeing marks.

Their voices fade as they drag her along. Her eyes drift closed as her strength gives out. What had she done? She wanted her family safe, but she had put them in harm's way. They had no idea the dangers pointed at them should she fail to please some selfish noble. She didn't have a choice now. She had to do whatever she could to protect her orphans.

Just as she feels the last tendrils of consciousness slip away, she has one last thought.

Did she ever have a choice?

Thank you for reading!

Enjoy your day!