Walking next to the dark stranger Tohru felt the strong desire and sensation to stretch out her fingers and caress his cheek, just to see if his skin was really as soft as it appeared. Like smooth marble stone. A blush graced her cheeks as he gave her a side glance, her azure gaze immediately dropping to the floor.
"Um…Shigure-san?" She whispered, breaking the silence that had enfolded them as they walked down the corridor of the club she had grown to fear…a terrible labyrinth of dark hallways that seemed to hold danger in every shadow. "Who is it that you're taking me to see?" She asked, her gaze finally trailing up to once again meet the man walking next to her.
"He is the first." The man murmured quietly with a level of reverence that Tohru found intoxicating. "He is the beginning…and the end." He continued, his soft brown gaze drifting over to Tohru. "You will address him as Akito-sama." And without the slightest thought Tohru simply nodded her concession, so wrapped up in his awe over the one whom he spoke of.
They came to an abrupt halt near a closed door. Tohru's expression contorted in confusion as she began to hear the faint sound of traditional Koto music through the other side of the door. Strange, considering the backdrop of energetic club music that constantly filled the building. She watched as Shigure gave a swift rap of his knuckles against the door before opening and stepping in, causing her to trail behind him.
The music only grew louder as she stepped through the threshold into the room. Her senses were immediately flooded with the smell of strong incense, instantly throwing her back to memories of her mother's funeral. Her skin quivered with the sensation and overwhelming feeling of death surrounding her. And as this feeling began to overwhelm her, she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, pulling her back into the present time and place. Her glance drifted to the one who had touched her, gentle soft brown eyes meeting hers as a smile spread across the lips of her escort.
"I will inform him that you are here. Wait for me." He murmured just above the music before dismissing himself…leaving her drowning in her own thoughts.
As the Koto music seeped into her skin, Tohru released a sigh, exhaling the incense that plagued and overwhelmed her senses. Just as she was beginning to completely lose herself in the physical sensation her escort returned, a gentle smile on his face.
"He will see you now." He whispered before turning away to lead her forward.
As she followed, the smell of death and incense only grew stronger. Her gaze burrowed into the back of the stranger leading her forward as they entered a more private area of the room. The area shown and flickered with the warmth and dim light of candles. As the man stepped to the side, her eyes took in and beheld the sigh before her.
Tohur gazed in awe at the man kneeling on the floor, the light of the candles dancing and playing across the pale skin of his back. Tohru gave a light blush in realizing that he was completely naked, though her gaze continued to be transfixed on his form. She watched as beads of water made their way down his spine and along his shoulder blades as he slowly and methodically squeezed a sponge along his shoulder. The light playing against the water and his pale skin was simply mesmerizing.
Her blush deepened has he slowly stood, his back still to her. She had only ever seen such bared beauty in history books, the most beautiful of Greek statues paling in comparison to what she beheld with her own eyes. Tohru watched as the water slowly trailed its way down his body, along his legs, down to the floor beneath him as he slowly drew up a black satin robe to finally cover himself. The color contrasting with the beauty of his luminescent skin and striking black hair.
The man before her slowly turned to face her as a small gasp slipped its way from her lips. It was him. The face that had haunted her dreams. Plagued her nights. Infiltrated her very core. Deep onyx eyes took in every minute expression of awe and fear as a slow smile graced the lips of her dark angel. The slightest tilt of his head caused her mind to swim with thoughts, desires, fear, and panic. Bared feet silently made their way towards her as her heart began to race erratically, her breath coming in short, pained gasps.
"Well done, Shigure." He finally whispered, making his way to Tohru's escort as she watched them share an embrace and tender kiss, her gaze falling to the floor at the intimate gesture. "You may leave us now." She heard the gentle voice murmur as her gaze trailed back up to watch her escort bow and dismiss himself, leaving her alone.
Tohru glanced back at her dark prince. Her angel. The face of her nightmares, and embodiment of all of her deepest fears. She could see the definition of his back clearly through his satin robe as the fabric shown beneath the flickering of the candlelight. Without turning towards her, she heard his soft gentle voice manifest just above the Koto music.
"It gives me no satisfaction to see you alive, child." His voice lulled tenderly, in complete contrast to the words he spoke as Tohru felt her heart continue to race. "Why?" He glanced over his shoulder, finally turning his gaze towards her once more. "Why do you still live and breathe?" He asked, turning the full weight of his dark gaze towards her as his expression came genuinely perplexed.
"I don't understand what you mean." She whispered in response, her own expression filling with fear and confusion…why shouldn't she be alive?
Her body began to tremble as she watched him approach her, slowly, like a lethal predator stalking prey they knew was at their complete mercy. Their gaze never separated as he closed the distance, Tohru becoming completely helpless in his dark gaze as he stretched out his slender fingers to gently caress her cheek. A light blush graced her cheeks as she felt an unexplained ache begin to work its way through every muscle of her body. She watched helplessly as his expression shifted in amusement, a devastatingly beautiful smile graced his lips. Chime-like laughter worked its way through his body as he move closer to her. Coming chest to chest, cheek to cheek as he whispered lightly in her ear.
"My my, Tohru." Warm breath caressed her skin as an uncontrollable shudder worked its way through her body. "Such erotic dreams, child…" Another chuckle worked its way through his lips as he began grazing them against her skin. "I'm flattered that I have made such an impression on you…but…I have to wonder. Is that what you would like me to do with your body?" She felt an arm gently encircle her waist, drawing her hips into his as cool lips continued to nip at her exposed skin as he spoke again. "Because if that is what you desire…then all you have to do is give yourself to me." And these words triggered the deeply buried nightmare she had worked so hard to suppress as a tear trailed down her cheek, wondering in horror how it was that he even knew about her dreams.
"Please…" She gasped, her chest heaving erratically against his body. "…don't…"
"Still so full of fear, Tohru?" He whispered gently, sensing the deepest fears and desires of her heart as he finally separated himself from her to gaze into her eyes.
"Shigure tells me you came in search of answers." He whispered as his fingers continued to trail along her skin, the dull ache intensified and radiated through her body…and as her lips parted to speak spender fingers tenderly caressed her lips, silencing her words. "What I can tell you is that your so called 'savoir' had claimed you for death, child." And at these words Tohru's expression paled in complete horror and fear as fragmented memories flooded her mind.
"Why?" She whimpered out, her voice coming so fragile…on the verge of breaking as she watched the expression of her dark angel shift to one of tender empathy.
"Because…" He whispered, gazing into her very soul. "…that is your lot in life…"
"But what I don't understand is why he chose to defy me by leaving you alive…" His expression furrowed in confusion as he continued to stare at her, tilting his head to the side. "Though…my children always seem to surprise me with their…tenacity." And at this a fond smile graced his lips as he crossed the room, and Tohru watches as his slender fingers began ghosting over the collection of music along one of the shelves lining the wall of the surrounding area.
"Take Hatsuharu, for example…" He continued to prattle on, his back turned to her as his fingers continued their search with purpose. "…your 'savior's' companion…" He scoffed, clarifying his words as the image of the white haired gentleman crossed Tohru's mind, her expression furrowing in confusion as to how he knew she had even met him.
"His taste in music leaves something to be desired." He murmured, seeming so transfixed on his task. "I myself take pride in having a level of sophistication. But…I confess that his appreciation of American rap is slowly rubbing off on me… His latest fascination actually has me quite…amused." Tohru watched silently from the corner of the room where she had been left as the man shook his head lightly.
"Honestly, only he could find a group of human beings that parade around in masks calling themselves the undead army…" A light chuckle passed his lips as he said this before continuing again. "…though…Haru has himself thoroughly convinced that we are the original undead army." And with this the haunting melodic tones of classical Koto music were abruptly halted as he had finally found what he was searching for.
The small area was immediately filled with the sound of synthetic, dramatically gothic organ music paired with heavy oppressive bass…completely changing the atmosphere of the room. Tohru watched with a renewed level of awe as the angel before her slowly turned on his bared feet to face her, the expression on his face unreadably serene…taking her very breath away. His slender figure flowed with grace and beauty in time with the music as he drifted towards her, finally taking her in his arms once more as he gazed into her eyes. The old familiar ache returned to her body, and Tohru winced against the pain of his touch as offensive screaming shattered her senses. A light blush graced her cheeks as she felt his lips move to her ear and he whispered just loud enough to be heard over the music filling the area.
"We never had the opportunity to finish our dance, did we, love? Before we were so rudely interrupted..." And fractured images and sensations flashed in her mind and she felt her dark angel's lips form in a smile against her skin before he gently slid his body behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "This song is particularly fascinating to me…though…you can't quite comprehend its meaning…can you." He murmured, a level of amusement laced in his tender words. "Allow me to translate for you so you can fully appreciate it." And Tohru's breath hitched in her throat as he began to whisper the lyrics into her ear, his voice coming so seductively enticing as he began to command her body into motion in time with the music.
Her body shuddered at the sensation and complete loss of control as she continued to helplessly listen to her dark angel's voice. Each word came more offensive than the next, but she was held in captivation by the sheer sound of his voice as it lulled the frightening melody in her ear. As his body molded more tightly to her back, Tohru felt herself become absolutely weightless in his hold, her body moving and swaying in time with his. Warm breath continued to caress her skin as she began to recognize some of the English words from her captor's translation. And the more she understood. The more frightened she became.
Undead!
…undead…
Undead!
…undead…
The unrelenting chorus was screamed over and over again until she could finally recognize it without the assistance of her dark angel.
"Do you understand, child?" His words broke free from the song, pulling her focus back to his body and his hold on her as he spun her free to face him, his expression inquisitive.
A gasp broke free from her lips as she felt his hand slowly slide underneath her blouse to gently rest on the skin just below her left collar bone. Her heartbeat came dangerously erratic underneath his touch as the fingers of his free hand tenderly encircled her wrist to place the palm of her hand against the skin of his own chest, holding it in place. The screams still crashed violently into the foreground as he continued to stare at her…his expression completely void.
Undead!
…undead…
Undead!
…undead…
"…do you finally understand?" His whispered again.
Her chest heaved violently underneath the palm of his hand as she continued to gaze into his onyx eyes. Overwhelming and uncontrollable terror gripped her as he simply tilted his head, his gaze peering into her soul. She felt so confused…and afraid. What was it that he wanted her to understand?
Attempting to control her breathing and heartbeat, Tohru focused on the dull ache radiating though her body, starting with the palm of her hand that still rested against the skin of her beautiful captor. They stood without speaking as she watched his gaze take in and absorb ever emotion that played across her face, her body still trembling against his touch. They stood palm to chest as his question repeated in her mind…'do you understand?'
Undead!
…undead…
Undead!
…undead…
Feeling her breathing finally normalize as her heart began to slow Tohru once again focused on the palm of her hand against his skin. Smooth and soft, just as she has imagined it might be. The calm stillness of his chest under the touch of her fingers almost felt…peaceful. Calm and still. …still… A mild look of confusion crossed her features as she realized his chest never moved against her hand as hers did against his. Focusing on how still he actually was as he stared at her, a violent shock of understanding washed over her body. He wasn't breathing. At all. And under the palm of her hand she felt nothing… Nothing! No rhythmic movement of life beneath flesh. Where was his heartbeat?
Undead!
…undead…
Undead!
…undead…
The voices screamed at her over and over again as a wave of horrified panic washed over her. She watched as he slowly tilted his head back, closing his eye to absorb her fear as heartbreakingly beautiful laughter rose up from his lips over the music. The whole room fell into deafening silence as his dark gaze trailed down to once again take in her horror stricken face.
"Blessed be…" He declared in the softest of whispers. "…she finally understands…"
He moved silently through the shadows as he reluctantly approached the club, knowing that if he didn't return soon Haru would come looking for him. And that was always an invitation for trouble. Having gained a moment of peace, Yuki desperately wished that he didn't have to plunge himself back into the darkness of their world. A world set apart from the living. …and the dead…
Still several feet away from the building, Yuki watched as the back door was violently pushed open, slamming itself up against the wall as a frenzied steely gaze met his own.
"Yuki! Where have you been?" Haru screamed at him as he continued his slowed approach.
"Out." He whispered, these words triggering deep memories that momentarily supplanted the time and place around him.
"She's here, Yuki!" Haru shouted frantically, attempting to pull his companion's attention to the situation. "She's here, and he knows!" And with these words Yuki stopped dead in his tracks as, one by one, they sank into his skin.
A/N: Musical reference in this chapter is to the song "Undead" by Hollywood Undead. I also highly recommend you google traditional Koto music. It is as beautiful as it is haunting!