smileyface209: thank you! Ferid always seems to have a hand in everything. :p He's practically the source of all her pain!
Thank you for reading! Enjoy!
The swelling goes down a few days later. They return to the same routine as if nothing happened. She kept looking over her shoulder fearing that the punishment was waiting just around the next corner. Ferid hadn't called on her despite what Mika had said. Mika also hadn't been around. It made her heart ache.
She still slept with his cloak beside her bed ready to give it back to him. She still saw him around the city performing different duties. His eyes would meet hers with their cold look, but he would be pulled away. She was confident that he was still around more she just didn't see him. Sora seemed to think so too. He told her about catching glimpse of Mika before the escape. She wasn't sure what to think of that. She wondered how often he had kept her out of trouble. The kids would sometimes mention him.
They would flail their arms and hop around excitedly telling her different stories that just got more and more fantastical. She highly doubted that Mika had sat down and told them stories for hours while she slept. Izumo would just chuckle and shake his head, so she knew they couldn't be true. Izumo never said a word about Mika. She didn't know if he liked the vampire or not. Sora hated when Mika was brought up. He still didn't like the vampire, though he would grudgingly admit that he had saved them. She hadn't been making the extra money, but Sora was working as well, so they still ate good food.
Each of the children were almost a healthy weight. It made her happy. She found out that the girl had been ripped from Sora's arms by the hooded vampire. He had tried to drink from her, but Sora had thrown himself at her. The vampire didn't care about Sora though. Sora had managed to sink the kitchen knife into the vampire's side pissing it off. The vampire had thrown her carelessly in order to teach the human a lesson. Sora wouldn't say anything about it. The girl had hit her head on the floor when she had landed and lost consciousness.
She wondered what Mika had done. He had claimed to kill the vampires, but Sora wouldn't say if he did or didn't. Atsuko could remember the smell of burnt flesh and fighting.
It didn't matter now, though. They were all together. They were safe. That was all that mattered. They had food.
It was a long day at the lines. Sora had waited for her. Her muscles hurt from carrying so many boxes. She could see Sora waiting impatiently near the entrance to the streets. She picks up her pace coming to a stop beside him. She stretches and yawns.
"What is for dinner?"
He scoffs at her. "Like I know. Izumo did the shopping and cooking today. Let's go."
She smiles at him, and they head home side by side. It's comfortable once again between them. They are almost home when someone grabs the back of Sora's shirt lifting him off the ground. She spins around ready to fight when her blood runs cold. Rene has a flailing Sora in his grip. He holds him out. The material of Sora's shirt strains against his weight. Sora lands a kick, but it glances off Rene's side without any actual damage done. He lets out a frustrated cry switching to Rene's wrist and arm. Atsuko steps toward Rene ready to attack him as well.
"Oops," a voice sings, and she is lifted off the ground. Two arms are wrapped around her waist. A face snuggles into her back. "I missed your scent, kitten!"
She lets out a strangled cry and flails around. He had her at an awkward angle though. Her waste was level with his chest. She tried to get momentum to kick his stomach, but her legs couldn't seem to get far enough away to actually do any damage. His head is in middle of her back out of reach of her elbows or her head. She can feel him nuzzling her back, and it makes her sick to her stomach. She tries to swing at his head with her hands, but the awkward angle doesn't help that either. She puts her hands on his forearms and frantically tries to pull herself out of his grip. His laughter makes her panic even more.
There is a choking noise, and she freezes. Rene's hand is tightly wound around Sora's throat cutting off his air. He makes the horrible choking noise.
"No! Please don't, Rene! Please let him go!" She pleads with the vampire. His cruel red eyes focus on her face.
"Ah, Rene. You are a mood killer," Lacus says with a pout as he peeks around Atsuko's body. She renews her flailing, but Lacus doesn't seem to really care anymore. Rene tightens his grip on Sora's throat so he can't even make a choking noise. His face is turning red. His nails claw at the flesh of Rene's hand, though the vampire doesn't even react. Atsuko can only watch in horror as she starts to beat on Lacus' arms.
"Stop," Rene orders coldly. She immediately stops moving. Her eyes are watching as Sora's face is turning a different color. His attempts are getting weaker and weaker. His eyes were rolling back in his head.
"Please, Rene." Her voice sounded pathetic. "Please."
He observes her silently. "You are to come with us without a fight, understood?"
She nods quickly not once hesitating. Rene's hand opens, and Sora's body falls to the ground. Lacus loosens his grip, and she slides down to her feet. Her back scrapes painfully against various things on Lacus' uniform, but she barely registers the pain. She tries to lunge at Sora, but Lacus draws her back against him and leans down to put a chin on her shoulder with a fanged grin.
"Now, now, he isn't about to die. You did promise to come with us, didn't you?" He laughs coldly in her ear turning his head to run his nose up her cheek inhaling softly. She jerks roughly and tries to move away, but he prevents it when he grabs her chin. She doesn't look away from Sora. He was laying in the street looking dazed, but his color was returning.
Rene steps over him closing in on her and Lacus. She shivers at his cold look. She feared these two vampires more than anyone else. They knew where her family lived. Something cold and wet slides from the middle of her jaw to her ear. She flinches and slams her foot down on his. He growls angrily in her ear. She claws at the hand on her chin as he mutters, "Stupid human, know your place. Your guardian angel isn't here to protect you this time."
To her horror, she feels her shoulder being bared. She struggles as hard as she can trying to slip away from her, but his hand had moved from her chin to loop around her stomach while the other was pulling her shirt to the side. She swallows hard as she feels his breath seconds before pain rips through her shoulder. She lets out a scream of pain, but a hand overs her mouth. He had released her shirt as he draws out the blood in greedy gulps. She can feel tears running down her face as she stomps on his foot again. Her reward is him biting harder.
"Lacus." She is ripped from him just as her head starts to spin from blood loss. Lacus lets out a growl reaching for her. Rene reaches out and presses a hand into his partner's chest shoving him backward. "We can't kill her."
Lacus snarls once again and turns stomping off. Her shirt brushes over the bite wound making her wince. Rene throws her over his shoulder driving the air from her lungs when her stomach meets his shoulder. His arm loops around her butt holding her in place. She doesn't have the strength to even blush. Her whole body was in shock. She had never been drank from directly. It was worse than she ever thought possible. The feeling of losing her strength as something draws her blood. She has black spots dancing around the edges of her vision. She could see Sora trying to get up weakly. A bruise is already forming around his throat. She shakes her head tiredly, and he stares after her with tear filled eyes. Worry is all she can see before she just hangs limply over Rene's shoulder.
His bones dig painfully into her lower stomach, but she doesn't try to shift to get comfortable. She didn't think she could get comfortable anyway. She just watches the cloak move below her. There was flashes of a second grey one on occasion, but she didn't care. She hated Rene and Lacus, hated them with every fiber of her being.
She feels Rene stop and to her horror he drops his shoulder rolling her off. Her body tenses wondering if she was going to hit the ground. She doesn't though. For a moment, she feels relief at the thought of someone catching her. She looks up at her savior. Her mind snaps into focus as she stares up wide eyed.
Ferid Bathory had a hold of her. He was the one who caught her. She's still too stunned to even move. He just gives her a grin. He looks at her shoulder and looks up at Rene, who simply shrugs. Lacus is nowhere to be seen. Ferid drops her legs, but he keeps an arm around her. It seemed almost kind that he was supporting her, but she figured it was so he didn't have to drag her off the ground if she refused to stand. Ferid flicks a hand, and Rene leaves without a word. It surprises Atsuko, though she doesn't have time to ponder on it.
The material of Ferid's glove press on one of the puncture wounds and then pulls out his hand staring at her blood thoughtfully. He licks the blood on his glove, though he doesn't get it all the way off the white material. She stares at him in revulsion. He merely smiles at her.
"Lacus did this no? You are lucky Rene had orders to bring you in alive," he says. There is a teasing lilt to her voice. She swallows hard as she stares up at him. He winks at her and puts a hand in her back turning her to a giant unfamiliar place. The doors open enough for them to slip into. She doesn't even bother looking around. She just stares at her feet.
Was this it? Was this the end?
Ferid uses his hand to lead her through the halls. Every step makes her body feel heavier and heavier. They pause before a door, and Ferid knocks. Her body goes numb and into auto pilot.
Ferid must hear the ok to open the door, because he pushes it open. His arm snakes around her waist and pushes her forward. He walks side by side with her. She's in a throne room. It confuses her as to why.
The reason for that confusion? There is a little girl sitting on what appears to be a throne. Her outfit is black standing out against all the white. Her pink hair is pulled up into various pigtail styles. She has a look of irritation on her face. She is supporting her face on one hand slouched to one side. Her cold, red eyes sweep over Atsuko making her feel self-conscious. She could tell this person thought of herself as important.
"This is the queen. She rules over this whole country," Ferid whispers to her. For once, she is grateful to him. "She is going to decide the fate of your family and you after your little escape."
He chuckles, which draws the girl's attention. Her eyes narrow in clear distain for the vampire at Atsuko's side. She sits herself up a little more as she watches Atsuko. Ferid makes an exaggerated bowing gesture clearly mocking the girl. He sweeps Atsuko's knees out making her collapse onto her hands and knees. She doesn't rise her head. She just stares at the floor.
She was doomed. This was it. She hears a noise and sees black shoes appear before her. A cold hand seizes her chin lifting her head. Her eyes meet the cold red of the vampire queen's.
"She's bleeding, Ferid." The girl looks up at the still standing man. He shrugs slightly.
"It wasn't me who fed off her," he says with a smirk. The queen narrows her eyes in irritation before she looks back at Atsuko.
"And you don't know who did correct? Who is this human? Why are you bothering me with her?" The queen lets Atsuko go as she practically sneers at Ferid. Atsuko had never heard so much hate in one voice. Not even Sora had accomplished that level of hate.
"She is a human I decided to have a pet," Ferid explains. It sounds so sick when put that way. Atsuko looks up at Ferid as the queen lifts from her crouch and crosses her arms.
"And you see it fit to waste my time? Why cause one of the guards fed off her? Keep better track of your toys," the girl snaps coldly. She watches Ferid for a minute. "Are you drinking from her?"
Ferid waves his hand with a cruel laugh. "My dear queen, would anyone admit that to a figure of authority?"
The girl scoffs and snaps angrily, "I'm busy, stop wasting my time. If she is such a bother to you that you brought her before me, kill her."
Atusko's heart stops. She was going to be killed? Ferid lets out a laugh, "Is that your order, most beautiful highness?"
The tension skyrockets as she glares at Ferid angrily. He is looking back at her with an amused look that is bordering on disrespectful. Atsuko wants nothing more than to just crawl away from the two, but she figures a slight bit of movement on her part will draw their attention.
She didn't want that, so she sat back to watch them. Ferid shrugs, "I'll kill her then."
"What aren't you telling me, Bathory?" The girl snarls. "What are you hiding?"
"Why not ask the human?" Ferid challenges. Atsuko sees the girl tense and without warning swings at Ferid. He seems to expect it as he moves several feet away with a mocking smirk on his face. "Now, now, remember what happens if you kill me."
Red eyes snap down to Atsuko. She scoots back a little as the queen squats before her. The queen allows her to move, though Atsuko isn't sure why. An impatient look spreads over the queen's face. "Answer, livestock. What is he hiding?"
She can't find her voice right away. This girl in front of her scared her beyond belief, yet the girl hadn't even lifted a hand to her. The most she had done was touch Atsuko's chin. Finally, she finds her voice, though it's barely a whisper.
"I…we….my family and I tried to escape." It sounded so lame. It sounded so stupid. She wanted nothing more than to just shrink away into the floor and disappear into nothing. Her nerves made her feel sick to her stomach. Should she add something? The girl squats in front of Atsuko again giving her a thoughtful look.
"Well, you aren't falling apart, so I assumed everyone survived?" A smile graces the girl's lip, and it sends a jolt of pure terror straight through Atsuko's body. "It's a crime to try and leave without permission, you know."
Atsuko can't move. She just stares at the girl in complete horror. Her muscles won't react at all. She wants to run, but she can't. She's not even sure she is breathing any more.
"Whose idea was it?" the girl asks softly tilting her head. She looks almost innocent, but Atsuko knows better. This creature squatting in front of her is the furthest thing from innocent. Her body starts to shake without her even knowing it. It delights the vampire queen. She smiles as she reaches out and gently touches Atsuko's cheek. She says softly, "Shhhhh, child. Just tell me whose idea it was to leave. You have other orphans who live with you right? I promise to only punish one of you. The rest will live on like nothing happened. I won't bring the full extent of the law down on him."
Atsuko's throat tightens as she stares at queen. Just one would get punished. Her mind flashes through their faces. Just one.
"Give me a name." The demand is spoken softly almost like the girl is trying to comfort Atsuko.
"I….. I…. It…." The girl pulls her cold hand away and smiles at her gently. She simply nods. This couldn't be real. The queen of vampires couldn't be so kind. She had to be lying.
But as hard as Atsuko tried to tell herself that, a part of her still had a sliver of hope. She could protect everyone.
"I…..I did," she whispers. A lump forms in her throat as the queen watches her thoughtfully and then looks up at Ferid. The cold look of absolute hatred falls over her face.
"How is it your pets are always trying to escape?" Ferid simply laughs and shrugs. The girl's eyes narrow angrily at him, but she doesn't say anything more to him. She lets out a sigh and stands staring down at Atsuko. She turns on her heel heading for the throne. "Cast her outside the walls. If she wanted to leave so badly, let her."
Atsuko's whole world drops. She would be cast out of the city without anyone? She'd be alone on the other side. The side with monsters that hunted humans. Her vision swims with tears that fall onto the ground beneath as her arms shake so badly that she almost collapses. She knew it was too good to be true. She wanted to ask about her family, but she could find her voice. Her body wouldn't follow any commands at all. She felt like curling up and just disappearing. Where had her life gone so wrong?
A laugh and a voice cuts through her memory, "Is that your final decision?"
"Ferid." The way his name is said is more a threat than anything else. Her arms give out, and she pitches forward. He simply laughs in response. Atsuko rolls to her side and pulls her knees up as she silently continues to cry. She didn't want to listen, but she didn't have much of a choice. She hugs herself tightly and closes her eyes tightly in pain. Her chest felt so hollow now. She'd never see her family again; she'd never see Mika again.
"It's nothing important."
"You wouldn't have brought it up otherwise." She feels something brush past her, but she doesn't open her eyes to even look. She doesn't care. Everything around her is falling apart slipping through her fingers like water.
"She's just become important to someone," Ferid says softly.
"Who?"
It's silent as Ferid apparently decides not to answer. She can hear a warning growl from the girl. It's terrifying, like facing a vicious wild animal that has been taunted one to many times. There is a scrape of door, and she can hear footsteps. There is a halt. Tension spikes in the air and suddenly she's being pulled into a sitting position. She opens her eyes but all she can see is white. The arms around her pulls her to a body.
"Him." Ferid sounds amused. He was enjoying this completely. It's silent as she is shifted away from the body. Mika pulls on her shirt. She shrinks away trying to push his hand away. His eyes narrows as anger flickers deep in his blue eyes at the sight of the torn flesh. She tugs on the shirt trying to hide it. She felt exposed with her shoulder showing. She tries to pull away from Mika's grip, but he doesn't let her move more than a few inches.
His face becomes tense, and he looks away from her to Ferid. Ferid laughs once again leaning down, "What's with that look, Mika?"
His fingers tighten around her arms. She can see the girl giving Mika a thoughtful look. She unconsciously scoots closer to Mika. He doesn't even look at her as he watches Ferid and the queen over his shoulder.
"Now, now, don't look at me. I didn't bite her," Ferid waves his hand, though he is still wearing a smirk. "Besides, that is the least of her worries. After all, she's an outcast now."
Mika releases her and is on his feet in seconds. He's standing between the two vampires and her. His voice is cold as he focuses on the queen. "What do you mean?"
"She broke the law, Mika," the queen says. Her thoughtful red eyes look down toward Atsuko. Atsuko shies away from the look shrinking back. "She needs to be punished."
"Krul," Mika starts, but he pauses. Atsuko slowly stands up behind him. She could feel Krul's eyes watching her the entire time. It was like being stalked. It sent chills down her spine.
"Ahhhh, you can't break up friends, your highness!" Ferid says suddenly behind her. He lunges forward smashing her into Mika's back as he wraps his arms around both of them. She feels the air leave her lungs as she is practically crushed between the two. She can't see over Mika's shoulder to even see what expression Krul was wearing. She wiggles trying to get free, but it just makes Ferid rub his nose against hers. She lets out a soft startled noise and decides to bury her face in Mika's back. Mika's muscles are tense.
Atsuko hears a sigh, "Bathory, get off Mika. You are making him uncomfortable. The human can't even breathe."
Ferid lets out a playful whine and hugs them tighter. "But they are like precious children to me! I don't want to let them go!"
The thought of being Ferid's child makes Atsuko actually gag. Mika lets out a noise of irritation at the comment as well.
"Your children hate you," Krul says bluntly. Ferid lets out a sigh and finally lets them go. Atsuko leans away from Mika bumping into Ferid. She immediately leans back into Mika looking over her shoulder at the creepy vampire. He has a hand on his hip the other is spread out to his side.
"They just don't know what I do for them. What sacrifices I have made," Ferid's voice comes out dramatic sounding.
"You would let them die just to see their expressions twisted in horror. You already did it to Mika before. I'm sure you had a hand in almost bringing the girl to her death," Krul's voice sounds bored with the conversation now. "If it weren't for me, Mika wouldn't even be here, Bathory. So don't claim to even have fatherly feelings for him."
Her head spins as she hears that. What did they mean by that? Ferid had almost killed Mika? But then why did Mika spend time with Ferid? It didn't make sense, but there wasn't much that did make sense at this point in time.
"Ah, I know!" She hears Krul growl at being ignored. "We shouldn't cast her out. It'll just tear poor little Mika apart. He already misses his sweet little princess Yuu."
Mika turns enough to glare at Ferid. Atsuko was looking at him too. Was he trying to save her? Why? What game was he playing? Ferid looks down at her with a smile. He looks back at Krul.
"Think about it. Cast her out, she won't survive more than a day or two. Someone saved her. I had guards posted at the exits, but her family survived. How did they survive?"
"I saved them."
Ferid looks at Mika and grins.
"Mika, how did you save them?" Krul asks sternly. It's silent for a few minutes before she appears before Atsuko. Her hand reaches out grabbing Atsuko around the throat. Her hand is so small, but it holds more strength than Atsuko ever imagined possible. "How did he save your family?"
Atsuko's eyes well up with tears as she reaches up and grabs the wrist. A hand shoots out grabbing onto Krul's arm. Mika has his fangs bared at her. Krul's eyes turn to Mika with a look of anger. Her other hand covers his hand. Maybe Atsuko had missed something, but a look of pain flashes across Mika's face as he seems to lose the strength to stand. He sinks to his knees releasing her arm.
"Don't forget who your master is, Mika," she snarls softly and focuses back on Atsuko. "You killed the guards, didn't you Mika?"
She glances at him once again. Atsuko feels the hand around her throat release her. She sinks to her knees beside Mika coughing to get her breath back. A hand on her throat. Krul lets out a noise of irritation.
"That was stupid, Mika. Killing your own for a human. You are not human anymore, Mika. She's not like you. She has more in common with Yuu than she does you." Atsuko looks up at Krul, who is watching Mika with a thoughtful look. She finally tears her eyes away from Mika to look at Ferid. She waves a hand at him.
"You want to hear my idea now? How about we punish them both? I mean Mika did kill his comrades. She did try to escape." Dread fills her as she looks up at Ferid. "An experiment of sorts. See, I wanted her to get close to Mika. Maybe if he was close to a human again that he could touch, see, and smell, he might give into his urges, but he hasn't. Look at him. Even now, he is fighting the scent of her blood."
Ferid starts to circle them. All three are watching him now. "He would likely carry her off to the demon army's protection. Or at least as close to Yuu as he can get if you just banish her. He'll deal with the consequences of his actions, but…."
She feels the tension rising as he stops yet again. This was going to be horrible. She was almost considering the banishment as an alternative to whatever Ferid had planned. Mika had shifted his weight like he was about to stand.
"Bathory!" Krul snaps impatiently.
"I gave him an offer once, but he reacted violently to it," Ferid chuckles remembering. "I think it's something that he fears worse than anything else."
Mika slowly stands a murderous look in his eyes. He must know what is going to happen. Krul rolls her eyes. "You can't be serious, Bathory."
Ferid laughs and crosses his arms. "He is nearing the end of his line. He'll have to drink soon, or he will become a demon."
"No," Mika's tone is firm. Krul glances at him. Atsuko doesn't move. The tension weighs a ton. She's the only one out of the loop. It makes her feel stupid, but she didn't dare ask. She didn't want to know the answer either.
"We can give an option in his punishment," Ferid says with a cruel smile. He lifts a hand up. One finger is extended. "One, we cast her out, but he is to stay within the walls or I will hunt her and kill her myself."
He lifts a second finger looking sadistic. "He has to complete his transformation by drinking some of her blood."
Atsuko recoils away from them all. Mika looks down at her, but his eyes return to glaring at Ferid. He looked just as scary as Krul looks naturally. Ferid laughs off the look. Atsuko trusted Mika, but she didn't want her blood sucked. She'd focus on all that other stuff later. She was low from Lacus earlier. If Mika had to take some, she believes she will die. Even if it's Mika, the pain of being bitten scares her. The sound, the feeling, everything made her just want to run. She stands slowly and starts to back away. Krul gives her a thoughtful look.
She backs into a body. An arm wraps around her waist. A hand is extended over her shoulder showing three fingers. Her whole body stiffens. None of these were favorable to her. It didn't matter though. Her choice didn't matter. It would be up to Mika. Her eyes wander to him. The next words stop her heart.
"Three, we do an experiment of our own. We turn her. I wonder how long she will last without blood." His fingers run through her hair. She's positive she is not breathing. This can't be happening. "Would Mika hold out if someone he cared for couldn't? Would he stand by? Or would peer pressure of a friend help to teeter him over the end?"
This was not happening.