The maid stares at me with eyes like ice.
"My mistress would like to meet you." She says coldly. I sigh. This could only be bad news.
"I'm sorry," I say. "I'm going to have to decline. I have a kappa expecting my swift return, and if I'm late, I'll have more to fear than puncture marks." I smile and turn to leave. However, I appear to be sitting in a chair,indoors, and both my arms and legs are bound. I sigh. "Damn it." A soft chuckle comes from across the table I'm seated in front of. It doesn't take me two guesses to know who it belongs to. "I beg your pardon Remilia-sama, but I do have a curfew, and it would be bad if I missed it." Talking my way out of this mess is going to be like getting a balloon through a needle factory.
"Oh my," she taunts me, in a voice the sound of dread and lust combined. "That would be most unfortunate." Her teeth glint in the meager light afforded by the candle between us. I note the curtains drawn on all the windows. "However, I could not pass up the opportunity to meet the fourth human bold enough to enter the Mansion of their own free will, especially with how interesting the other three have been." I spy Sakuya behind the scarlet vampire, as she frowns at her mistress's proclaimed interest in me. My exasperation escapes my lips.
"I'm afraid I'm ordinary, much unlike the magician that claims the title." I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. "I can't use magic, nor exterminate youkai, I cannot stop time, and while I can throw knives, only one at a time and with mediocre accuracy." She smiles cruelly.
"You carry a sword. Surely you know how to use it. And you can withstand Sakuya's... fun." She smiles at the thought.
"The sword I found in a cave, and is the purpose for my visit to Patchouli-sama. Also, your maid is quite the sadist." I watch the candle flame dance lazily atop the wick. Remilia snaps her fingers. A blade embeds itself in my shoulder. I grip the chair tightly and my body strains against the straps holding me to the chair. "Ahhh... Fuck." I cuss hoarsely. Remilia frowns. Sakuya walks around to me, grabbing my chin and pulling me to face her while she pushes the knife deeper into my skin. I grit my teeth and groan. She grins viciously.
"You will watch your tongue in front of the mistress." She scolds me, before releasing my chin and slapping me across the face. Too bad I'm not a masochist. I might actually enjoy this.
"My sincerest apologies, Remilia-sama." My voice is dry with pain. The vampire shrugs.
"I'd like you to remain as civil as possible, if you could." She says dryly. "You are a guest in my home, and I'd appreciate if you remembered that." I nod painfully.
"It won't happen again." I say. Sakuya stands behind me. Remilia smiles, watching my facial expression. Snap. The echo of her fingers fills the room as an excruciating pain fills my senses. The sound of splattering follows, as a spray of red covers the table and runs off Remilia's face. I cough violently, and notice the hilt is missing from my view. I feel something hot drip down the back of my neck. Sakuya returns to her mistress's side, holding the blade stained with my blood. Remilia licks her lips, and Sakuya hands her the knife. I chuckle in between coughs. My vision swims, making the terrifying visage in front of me all the more evil. "You truly are the Scarlet Devil, Remilia-sama. Only in your terms could suffering be called civil." My voice doesn't want to address her. It wants to curl up and whimper. She laughs coldly and licks the painted blade.
"It's sweet." She says, savoring the red juice. "I haven't had a guest this delicious in quite some time." She smiles at me. "I am civil. I have not used Eirin's methods, correct?" She chuckles. "But, I'm curious. Tell me, where are you from? Your accent isn't from Gensokyo. You speak in a manner I haven't heard in over a hundred years. Where can I find others who taste like you?" She wipes the knife on the edge of her tea cup, my blood mixing with her drink. She stirs it in with the blade.
"What happens if I tell you?" I smile, stalling while trying to think my way out of this. The back of a hand meets my face, knuckles first. "Tenderizing the meat, Sakuya-san?" I taunt her, my cheek swelling already. "And if I don't tell you?" Sakuya's heel drives into my stomach, knocking me and the chair over backwards. I'm forced to swallow the vomit or else choke.
"Sakuya, that's enough. There's a proverb you should know. Waste not, want not. We don't , want to waste any more of this delicacy." She reprimands the maid, setting her cup down. I close my eyes against the pain. I hear the vampire walk over to me. "I am still waiting for the answer to my question." She says, kneeling beside me.
"Far to the west, Dear Scarlet. Even further than your old home." I finally tell her, my voice almost gone. I sigh.
"Why do you despair, Alarik?" She asks. I try to laugh, but it only comes out as a gurgling cough.
"I see you read my letter to Patchouli-sama." I open my eyes again and look at the vampire, with her guardian maid behind her. Remilia's pale-blue hair frames her face, and her red eyes glow as she gazes at me. She smiles and leans down. I feel her lips meet my neck. I wince as her teeth pierce my skin. Darkness meets me.