Ch. 12

(Ayato's POV)

I thought I was hearing things at first.

I just dropped by their place to check even though I was beyond sure that they couldn't have welcomed something that reeked of our very own smell to their house.

Or maybe, if they were to actually come across her, they would've killed her just to make us suffer.

"Damn…"

I didn't know how I ended up in front of their house, and I seriously considered going back or looking elsewhere, that was until I heard screams that couldn't have belonged to any of the four males.

It was coming from a room in the 2nd floor…

I didn't waste any seconds and I leapt up for me to be teleported inside that room.

I followed the source of the noise and I heard the sound of flowing water. As I was about to open the door, I was surprised when it got pulled open on its own…

The next thing I knew was, me standing face to face with…

"Chichinashi?!"

She really was…

No,

Something was off…

She's not…

Unlike her lively self, she now looks as good as… dead

"Chichinashi…?"

I reached my hand to touch her and to make sure that I wasn't seeing things. However, she shook her head and backed-off, leaving me in an utter loss of words, only that I couldn't bring my sight to leave her profile.

"T-They'll k-kill me…" she stuttered, her lips shaking as her eyes locked with mine. "Y-Y-You're j-just like t-them!" she added, her face reflecting pure terror.

Them?

Does she mean, the Mukami brothers?

"W-What have they done to you?!"

The very thought of turning her into her current dead-looking self, made every nerve in my head pop.

She gripped her head and squeezed her hair in her fists that shook as well.

"Y-You're just like them… d-don't fool me."

Her tears streamed down her face.

Something within me, was growing in a way that I couldn't describe, seeing her like that.

I gripped my shirt, feeling some kind of pain that I never felt before…

I found myself walking towards her slowly, her taking a step back with me edging closer. My eyes widened when she slipped and was about to fall back into the empty bathtub, but I managed to pull her by the arm and pulled her towards me.

My arms wrapped around her and my face was buried in her exposed neck. I inhaled her scent, and felt reassured that she wasn't an illusion.

"Why did you leave you idiot?!" I tightened my arms around her, "I told you that you belonged to Yours Truly."

She sure will be getting her punishment and scolding but for now…

"I'm taking you back with me!"

I pulled her together with me, the two of us now in the bathtub, I turned its faucet on and water started to flow in.

"But first, I need to wash away every trace of the Mukami brothers." I started to unbutton her shirt and exposed her collar.

She had no biting marks and I was relieved and partly surprised.

Her hands caught my wrists, their touch so hot and I looked up to see her face glowing.

"You didn't give them your blood at least." I hugged her. "I'm glad."

But to my surprise, she had her clenched fists on my chest, and pushed me away.

She was panting, her face as red as before. She braced herself and yelled:

"W-What do you think you're doing?!" Her question had an accusing tone to it. "And who are you to begin with?!"

Who… am… I?

"J-Just… for God's sake…h-how many of you are still out there for me… to meet?!"

She started to look around.

I couldn't believe it.

"Chichi…nashi…"

(Yui's POV)

I thought I already met the whole pack, but it seems like I was wrong.

I might as well lose my mind if more of them were to appear every time.

But for some reason, I had a distant feeling that it's not my first time meeting this red-haired guy…

"How come… you don't know who I am?!" he didn't yell back, he phrased his question in a calm tone.

My heartbeat quickened seeing his face expression growing distorted.

It had always been like this, they all give me a misleading expression at first, before they make their true wicked move on me.

I needed to prepare myself for what was to come.

He lifted his face, his eyes now holding mine, his eyebrows knitted:

"Don't you really…"

He reached his hand to my cheek, but stopped midway to lower his head and pull his hand back.

"Don't give me… that cold look."

He then gripped the edges of the tub and lifted himself up, water splashing out in every direction.

What is he…?

"I made a mistake… but I promise" he was walking away, but then stopped to say in a muffled voice, "I'll be taking you back."

He then disappeared.

"Just you wait."

My heartbeat never settled, not for a second and now, I felt a sharp pain in my chest and I groaned.

"It hurts"

The pain was growing sharper and sharper, that I could no longer take it.

I squeezed my eyes shut before I started to feel my consciousness drift away from me.

…

I found myself stading in the middle of a green field, the one I saw that time in my dream.

This place is so beautiful and peaceful… I wish I never get to wake up and leave it.

"Eve."

I recognized that voice.

I looked back to see the elegant looking man, standing in his same position in front of that big tree.

"It's you again…" I began.

"Yes, my dear Eve." He started to inch closer to me, while sniffling some red rose.

He looked like someone out of a fairy tale.

"I'm flattered you feel that way about me."

Wait, did he say…

"Yes, I can read your thoughts, my dear."

He was speaking in a calm tone.

"That's rude!"

He stopped, a few steps away from me and he bowed before me, extending his arm and offering me the rose.

I blushed slightly.

"My apologies."

He looked up at me, his golden eyes sucking my gaze into them.

Something about him, was familiar, very familiar.

"Are you not going to accept this humble gift of mine?"

He meant the rose.

I rolled my eyes.

"I-I can't… accept gifts from… strangers."

He was still gazing at me, and it was enough to make me self-conscious.

"You, my dear, are the first woman ever to look away from me, and even refuse a gift I was sincerely willing to give her."

He straightened his posture, the rose in his hand burnt into ashes that he blew away.

"Y-You're…" I brought my hand to my chest, "A vampire too, r-right?"

He nodded, smiling in amusement as he bowed again:

"My name is Karlheinz and I am… the current vampire king."

He said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"T-Their K-King?!"

I instinctively found myself taking cautious steps backward. Even though my mind knew all too well that with a man emitting such a majestic aura, escaping would take more than just a few steps.

"Don't be scared, I'm your ally, my dear."

I shook my head, a sarcastic smile crept onto my lips:

"No thank YOU…"

The last time I believed he was an ally, helping me escape the castle full of bloodthirsty beasts, he dropped me in a forest and I was almost devoured by wolves so,

"I cannot trust you anymore!"

He chuckled.

"Well allow me, to apologize for last time."

"Ok… I accept your apology, just disappear and let me enjoy this peaceful dream as long as I can."

He shook his head slowly, still grinning.

"My dear, are you sure you want me to disappear?" he shrugged, "I mean, don't you have any questions to ask or some things that you are curious about and want to know?"

Why can't I walk away?!

It's as if some force is preventing me from moving.

"Hehe, trust me, you won't be going anywhere."

Oh please tell me he isn't hungry or anything.

"I can't get enough of your humor. You are indeed…" he took my hand in his and planted a soft kiss on my knuckles, heating my face up. "Fit to become the queen of the new world."

"E-Eh?" I gasped.

Did he just say… queen?!

"Yes, he did." He replied, holding his jaw.

I blinked.

"Well, you ARE Eve, and Eve is the one who shall choose the new King who is to inherit my position and rule in my stead… not only the vampire's realm… but the mortals' as well."

Choose...?

King...?

Rule…?!

I gripped my head in disbelief as I fell to my knees.

++To Be Continued++