Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past
Balam-sensei was waiting for Kalego in the teacher's lounge, but he was late. It wasn't like him. Another ten minutes went by and Balam started to fret. Some other staff members were talking as they passed by.
"Lucky dog. Did you see that woman that asked for him?", said one. "Yeah, she was a looker! She could definitely give Raim-sensei a run for her money", replied the other. Noticing Balam, the first asked, "Looking for Kalego? He got called to a meeting", he offered. "She could call me to meet any time", joked the second. Balam thought it over. He had plans with his friend. Even if something had come up, Kalego-kun would tell him.
"Do you know his friend? Could you introduce us?", asked the first, hopeful. "Victoria, such a pretty name", uttered the second, dreamy eyed. Balam froze at that name. He surprised them by grabbing their shoulders with an intense look. "Did you say Victoria?", he asked, seriously concerned. "Eep!", they thought. Trying to play it cool, one replied. "Yeah. She said it was important. She didn't want to wait for him, though." The other thought it over. "Now that you mention it, she was really mysterious about the whole thing. Made me promise not to tell Kalego her name...but that wink was too powerful. I had to oblige!", he said, panicked by Balam's stare.
"Where are they?", he asked stiffly. Everyone nearby watched in shock. The usually gentle Balam was scaring them. "Uuhhhhh", trailed the man in his grasp. "I can take you!", volunteered a cheerful voice. Balam glanced toward the source to see Robin cheerfully offering his help. Releasing the two other staff members, Balam apologized for his actions, then headed off with Robin in a barely suppressed hurry.
Elsewhere, a few minutes earlier, Kalego grumbled to himself as he headed for this sudden meeting he'd been requested to attend. It was in a room far away from most of the school's usual bustle. "What a pain", he thought. He was looking forward to the weekend, some peace and quiet away from the students he begrudgingly cared for.
As he entered the room, it looked like no one was there. Then a sudden 'click' of the lock behind him drew his attention. He knew something was off, but he wasn't expecting this. A shadowy figure suddenly sat on a desk several feet in front of him. He grit his teeth as she came into focus. "Kalego-kun, it's been a while", she grinned. Stiffly turning around, he stated, "I'm leaving."
She was upon him quickly, her arms wrapped loosely around his body from behind. "My sweet Naberius, is that any way to greet an old friend?", she taunted. Fighting off an eye twitch, he grumbled, "We aren't friends." She grinned wickedly to herself. "Then consider it a favor for your lovely senpai", she said sweetly, almost mocking the tense aura surrounding them.
Playing with the buttons on his uniform, she said, "I came all this way just to see you and this is the reception I get?". He swatted her hand away. "What do you want, Victoria?", he asked with restraint. Playfully licking his ear, she flirted, "Don't you mean Ai-senpai?".
He wanted to leave this room, to summon his familiar, anything to crush this overwhelming presence that was toying with him, but he was glued to that spot whether he liked it or not. He gripped his book tightly as her perfume swirled around them. "This is why I like you, Kalego-kun. You always try to resist", she said, sensually pressing her body against his back. Tugging his high collar loose, a mark appeared was revealed. It pulsed with a dark power at her touch.
"It always comes to this. You're so stubborn", she chided, acting annoyed, but actually enjoying herself way too much. Standing on her toes, she sank her fangs into the mark. Kalego stiffened at the unpleasant sensation. Visibly seething, he was irritated with himself for falling into her trap so easily. "Mmm", she hummed, overjoyed at the taste of his blood. As she released her prey, a dark mist drifted from the open wound toward her, which she inhaled sharply. Kallego shuddered at his faltering posture.
Giggling, she hugged him tightly. "Oh, sweet Naberius, the taste of your resistance is so wonderful", she said, licking her lips and blushing with deranged pleasure. Coming around to face him, she ignored the hatred pouring from his eyes, instead playfully tracing his face with her finger. "Your strength is draining. Should I take your willpower next? Perhaps your stamina?", she grinned.
He truly hated this woman from the very first day he'd met her in their school days. Victoria Ai, a vampiric demon with a strong bloodline trait: Drain. She was beautiful and had honed her feminine wiles. Whoever resisted, merely had their willpower sapped by her magic. If that didn't work, she had mastered several forbidden curses. Either way, she always made sure that she got whatever she wanted and he hated that about her. No one's feelings mattered to her. She had always acted like a spoiled child, taking anything that amused her and she had taken an interest in him right away. She knew he would be difficult to obtain and she loved watching him writhe. Over the years, she had placed her sights on him several times. The spreading fame of the misfits class merely brought him back into focus.
"This demon", he seethed in his mind. She had 'returned to origin' quite sometime ago and took great pleasure in tormenting him. "Normally I would tell my target to just give in, but that doesn't suit you all, now does it?", she taunted. Licking up the blood trickling from her bite, she was enjoying herself. A sharp inhale pulled more mist from the mark. Kallego's legs were weakening. She was slowly stealing his strength. "Damnit!", he shouted in his mind.
"What do you want?", he asked stiffly. She grinned at his palpable hatred. Had it been any other situation, his opponent would have been crushed instantly. If not by his own hand, then by the paws of his familiar. However, part of her curse magic gave her some measure of control over those bearing her mark...and Kalego had been marked twice.
Draping her hands around his neck, she hovered close to his face. Her eyes shone with anticipation. "You, of course. You always try so hard to break free", she teased. Unable to move, he simply glared at her. "That look of hate", she began, followed by a taunting kiss, "simply delicious." His anger nearly gained physical form at that point and she laughed at his frustration as she lingered near his strained lips. "You're so cute when you hate me", she flirted. Digging her nail into the bleeding mark on his neck, she directly drew out his strength.
Collapsing to one knee, he stared at the floor, unable to fight back and not willing to give her the pleasure of seeing his expression. She chuckled to herself, pressing her other hand over his heart. "You know it only makes me want you more when you look like that", she whispered near his ear. Her forked tongue flickered across his cartilage. Her nails shifted to sharp talons as she drove them into his chest without restraint.
Blood began soaking his clothing as she leaned his head into her neck in a twisted hug. "Give me everything", she said, darkness pulsing over her bloodied fingers. The mist seemed to sink directly into her veins. Kalego shivered as his will was being drained away. "Stop this", he managed, grasping her intruding wrist. That only egged her on. He coughed as both blood and vigor were pulled from the mark over his heart. Glaring up at her, blood trickled from his lips.
"How did you escape?", he asked weakly, keeping his anger apparent. "No prison can keep me from you, my love", she replied, blushing at his torment. She was still sapping his willpower and strength. His grasp on her wrist loosened and his hand fell to the ground. Pulling her talons free, she licked the blood from them. She grinned evilly as she noticed the pallor of his face.
"There now. See? You want me to be here, don't you?", she whispered as she leaned closer, tilting up his chin. "Like Hell I do!", screamed in his mind, but what fell from his lips was a reluctant, "Yes." He was shaking now, desperately trying to use his rage as fuel to break free, but with two marks on his body, she held too much power over him. "You won't get away from me this time, Naberius. In fact, I think I'll add your final leash", she grinned.
Kalego couldn't breathe. If she managed to get a third mark on him, it would all be over. The Victoria clan controlled several powerful demons as slaves this way, some as guards, others as lovers, and all in complete misery. She giggled at his pale face. "Giving up so soon? What's the fun in that?", she asked with a dark tone. "It isn't like you. Go ahead and fight back. It's what makes you so desirable", she teased, creeping in for another kiss.
Behind them, the door handle rattled, then a clawed foot kicked the door in. "Kalego-kun!", called Balam. Robin peeked in behind him, shocked at the sight of his weakened senpai. Victoria pouted playfully. "Oh, boo. It was just starting to get good", she complained. The chilling look she got from Balam did nothing to rattle her nerves, but Robin had never seen such hate on his face before. Sighing, she stood and shrugged. "Fine. You can have him back for now", she ceded. Glancing across her shoulder, she stroked Kalego's cheek with her tail. "I'll see you again soon enough", she grinned.
Balam's swift vines weren't enough to catch the intruder. She vanished without a trace as he tried to grab her. "Close the door", said Kalego, annoyed. He seemed near gasping for breath. Robin obeyed quickly, knowing his senpai's pride was on the line. Balam knelt in front of his friend and looked him over. "Both marks have been hit", he uttered grimly. Helping Kalego onto the desk, Balam grimaced at what he found. Robin fretted nearby.
"What can I do to help?", he asked, eagerly. "Find something we can use to stop the bleeding", ordered Balam, as he tugged Kalego's clothing loose. Robin stared, transfixed at the amount of blood that had seeped into his senpai's clothing. "Now!", demanded Balam. Shaking his thoughts, Robin jumped to attention, searching the room for bandages or cloth. When he glanced back, Kalego's chest had been bared. A dark mark pulsed within his pale skin with blood escaping from several holes within it.
Balam was wadding up the sleeve from Kalego's coat to stem the flow. Robin was starting to panic. "I don't see anything useful!", he called. Balam sighed deeply. "Go to my study. Bring me this herb", he instructed, quickly sketching a plant. "Right!", nodded Robin, hurrying off. He paused at the door. "Robin", said Kalego softly. Meeting his eyes, Robin swallowed hard. "Speak to no one", stated his injured senpai. Robin nodded again, making sure to close the door behind himself.
Out in the hall, Robin-sensei jolted in surprise at the sight of the student council. "Is everything all right? We got a report of a disturbance", said Amelie. Calming himself, Robin lied, "Yes, I just accidentally knocked over a ladder. It must have been louder than I realized", he said nervously, knowing it was the kicking in of the door that had been overheard. "I see. I'm glad no one is injured", said Amelie. "Yes, everything's fine", waved Robin, cheerfully. "Student council!", shouted the president. "Yes, sir!", they called in unison. "Continue patrol", she ordered. "Yes, sir!"
Robin watched them walk off and round the corner before breaking into a sprint in the opposite direction. He ran to Balam's study, avoiding as many student filled areas as possible. Bursting into the room, he frantically compared his scrawled note to hanging herbs nearby. "It's the purple one", said a sultry and familiar voice. He shivered, knowing that strange woman was behind him. Slowly turning to face her, he was surprised to see her so close to him already.
"You're the newbie", she grinned. "Awfully cute. Maybe I'll play with you, too", she flirted. Robin bent backward against the desk, trying to get away, but she leaned over him closely, thrusting her bosom into his red face. "Hmm, where should I put my mark? We don't want it anywhere too obvious. After all, you wouldn't want to worry your darling Kalego-senpai, now would you?", she said.
He watched breathlessly as a single finger reached for his face. She playfully tapped his nose. "I know just the spot", she said, stealing a kiss. Robin shivered as her magic invaded his body. Her finger turned sharper and she tapped his left eye with her talon as it was wide open in shock. "Here", she grinned. Stepping back, she gave him some air, which he was grateful for.
"You're still innocent, so I'll let you off easy today", she stated. Placing a purple vial in his hand, she said, "Hurry back now." Robin glanced at the object with worry. How could he trust that she wasn't handing him poison? "Relax", she smiled, "I want him alive." Robin nervously looked inside the vial. The herbs inside seemed to match Balam's sketch. "Why are you helping?", he asked cautiously.
The woman laughed. "Call me Victoria-sama", she said. His left eye burned as she said that. He didn't want to show her any respect, but he now had no choice. "Yes, Victoria-sama", he uttered. He quickly covered his mouth with surprise. He hadn't meant to say that. Twitching her tail, amused, she smiled at him. "I'm helping because it's no fun if Kalego-kun doesn't fight back. Now hurry along; He's still bleeding", she said with a wink before vanishing again.
Gathering his nerves, he shook her from his mind. Another glance at the vial showed no mark in his reflection. Either way, that didn't matter right now. He ran back the way he came with determination. Quickly arriving at his destination, he knocked loudly. "It's Robin!", he called before entering.
Inside, Kalego still didn't look so good. The bleeding was under control, but the two dark marks pulsated, seemingly causing pain. "Here!", said Robin handing off the vial. "What took you?", teased their pale patient with a faint smirk. He hated to be seen in his current state.. Robin apologized without explanation, something that Balam didn't miss, but he had more pressing concerns at the moment.
Preparing the medicine, Balam said, "Find something for him to bite on." Robin nodded, frantically looked around, and ended up finally handing over Kallego's discarded book. "Here", he offered. "I don't need it", grumbled his senpai. The first herbs hit his neck and he tightly clutched the desk in pain as a hissing sound emanated from the wound. Smoke rose as well, giving off a strange odor. Robin's eye began to itch, but he ignored it, concerned for Kalego.
Slowly pulling away the cloth clutched against his patient's chest, Balam said, "Don't be stubborn", and crammed the book's spine into Kalego's mouth. Pausing briefly to gather his nerves, he looked his friend in the eye. "Ready?", he asked. Kalego shied his gaze as if to say, "Get it over with". Balam placed the poultice against his chest, eliciting a muffled cry of anguish. Robin had never seen his senpai like this and the sound chilled his soul. Smoke poured from the mark as the wounds sealed.
Robin could see Kalego shivering, but knew he was restraining himself in front of his kouhai. This time, the itch in Robin's eye turned into pain. Unconsciously, he pressed his palm over it. Balam was watching his friend with concern, but noticed the motion in the side of his vision. Glancing up, he stared in horror at Robin. "What is it?", asked the archer, trying to keep them from worrying. Balam put Kalego's hand over the medicinal patch to hold it in place and stepped close to Robin, pulling his hand from his face.
Robin could feel the warmth of the blood dripping down his cheek. "Is it bad?", he asked innocently. "Kalego", uttered Balam softly. He looked over and made a face. "Damnit", he sighed. Clear as day was the same mark upon his skin now rested in Robin's eye.
To be continued...