Gulp
Gulp
Gulp
The addictive crimson liquid swam down the young girls throat so elegantly, as if it was preforming a dance of sorts. No matter how hard she tried to resist the liquid her urge to feed was far too overwhelming for her to deny it, especially when her father was so encouraging of her feeding habits.
Kira wiped her mouth clean of any residue that may be lurking on the edges of her mouth before facing her father directly. Her father was an odd man, she'd come to realise that the more she was around him. She noticed the way her maids and butlers cowered in fear whenever he'd appear, the way they all became so submissive to his commands whenever he ordered for something, they all feared him yet they all were so devoted to his needs. It was baffling to say the least, Kira never understood how anyone could appear so pathetic.
Yes, they were pathetic. That's what her father had told her at least. Anyone who wasn't them was inferior, because as pureblood vampires they stood at the top of the food chain whilst everyone else were stepping stools for them to use and discard as they wished.
"Now it's my turn, my precious Kira."
Kira angled her neck further towards her father as he enthusiastically divulged in her blood, he drank and drank and drank and even as the dainty child in his arms was swept up in unconsciousness he didn't stop. Well why would he? Kira Kuran belonged to him, she was his flesh and blood and as a result her blood was also his.
"Clean her up and take her to her room." After releasing his possessive grip on the child he finally gave in and requested for her to be taken care of, with a wave of his hand he had a swarm of eager low level vampires at his service ready to do his bidding.
"Of course Lord Rido, as you wish."
This was the life of a pureblood, some could even say that the life of a pureblood was equivalent to that of a God at least in the eyes of the vampire society it was, their very existence gave them authority over every other lower living being. Yes, in the eyes of everyone else Rido Kuran was a God.
Kira awoke with a slight throbbing pain that was emitting from her neck, she didn't need to look to see what had caused it. Her father had once again overfed but it wasn't as though she minded, she was use to his hunger. At the tender age of 5 she had grew so accustomed to Rido's behaviour that it no longer fazed her in the slightest, it was normal.
Living the life of a pureblood was something everyone who wasn't a pureblood craved for. But for those who were knew that it was nowhere near as glamorous as some may expect. Kira had everything, she had wealth, beauty and a powerful status, she had everything but a companion. She spent her days in solitude for the most part, most were afraid to come near her as a result of her father being notorious for slaughtering those who had attempted to in the past.
The life of a pureblood was lonely. To everyone else she was merely something to be gawked at from afar, no one ever daring to come close to her, Kira often compared her existence to that of a painting at a museum, she was only to be admired and that was it.
The only thing that would always stay by her side however was her unquenchable thirst.
Her father had once again left her without any warning, he did this quite often. He'd leave for weeks at a time and return as though nothing had happened. But Kira couldn't help but feel slightly relieved, she felt a crushing weight lift off her shoulders at the thought of being able to explore the outside world without the fear of any repercussions.
Kira took every opportunity she could steal to leave her accursed room when given the chance, it wasn't much freedom but being able to venture the gardens that taunted her through the gaze of her window was such an enticing prospect. So she didn't waste anytime before launching herself into the bed of roses that decorated the gardens outskirts, head first and with a big grin playing on her childish face.
Kira loved the scent, the colour, and the feel of them under her pale skin. Roses were her favourite, her father always made sure to gift her a bunch whenever he'd return from his endeavours, it was the one thing she believed he did purely out of love.
The earthy smell had encased her senses to the point where Kira was blissfully unaware of the new presence that had been curiously gazing at her from afar.
Kira never had the opportunity to talk to anyone else besides her father, so when the stoic Senri Shiki appeared before her with a piece of chocolate outstretched in his hand, offering it to her, Kira hurled herself back in fear. Her hair was coated with red petals and her lavender silk dress was muddied with dirt. This truly was an unruly sight, to see a pureblood princess cower in fear at a lower level vampire whilst looking like a mere commoner.
"S-Sorry." The mahogany haired child quickly retreated his hand back to his side, his sky blue eyes wide in a mixture of shock and fear.
Kira stared quizzically at the boy in front of her, she knew he was the first born child of her father, she also knew he smelt like a combination of honey and peaches. She often sensed her half brothers presence outside her room, she caught his scent lurking their every now and then but he never dared to go any further, she could always feel his hesitance as well as his curiousity whenever he was near her.
She quickly stood up and brushed off the remnants of whatever stained her dress before trying to appear calm and collected, like she was taught to act by her father.
"...It's f-fine." Was she doing it right? Is this how she was supposed to talk to a child who was near her age? Was she supposed to reprimand him for coming close to her?
Kira's scarlet orbs were laced with a layer of blue she always received compliments from her father about them, but when her eyes finally met Senri's she couldn't help but envy how bright his orbs were in comparison to her own. And for a split second the two of them appeared to be in a trance, both too scared to move even the slightest. So they just stared, both trying to decipher the other.
"Forgive me for startling you lady Kuran." After a long pause Senri managed to regain his composure and gave a respectful bow to the pureblood in front of him, like he was taught to.
Kira continued to stare at him not making any effort to subdue the thick tension that had wrapped around the both of them. She had lived in the Shiki manor for as long as she could remember, she didn't know much about her life before being here, apart from some of the cruel rumours she had heard the maids gossip about when they thought she couldn't hear them. She had heard of the vicious things her father had done but it was hard to understand, she was still too young to comprehend a lot of it.
She had learnt that Juri Kuran was her mother but not by choice. Supposedly Kira had lived with her when she was barely an infant before her father had come and 'rescued' her. Her mother didn't want to bear the child of Rido Kuran, she was forced to, so Kira had always assumed her mother must of been elated when Rido had come to take her away. Regardless of that she couldn't imagine a life without her father so Kira always viewed Rido taking her away from her mother as a blessing, he was all she ever knew after all.
Despite living in the Shiki manor her father had forbade anyone else besides him from interacting with her. And whatever Rido wanted Rido would get.
But as Kira stood in front of the boy who she had watched through her window for years, the boy who was always so close to her yet still so far away, Kira felt a foreign emotion that she had never felt before. She felt, for the first time ever, excitement.
"Can I still have some chocolate?" She asked tilting her head to the side whilst her eyes gleamed with hope?
Senri Shiki couldn't help but allow a childish grin to form on his face as he looked down at his little sisters form, his usual stoic mask came undone as his eyes once again met hers.
"Senri please... do it for me." Kira pleaded to her big brother.
It had been 3 years since they had properly met, and since then they had been inseparable, of course Kira and Senri still had a difficult time escaping the eyes of the maids and the other occupants of the manor as they were still not meant to speak to one another. But they always found a way.
"Kira, I can't. What if I hurt you? I couldn't live with myself if I did anything that would cause you pain."
"Senri, you refusing me is what's causing me pain."
Senri stared back with his mouth agape, no words were coming out because he knew that it would be futile to argue with his little sister, he always thought Kira was far too quick witted for someone so young.
"Are you certain?"
Kira clutched her brothers soft cheek in the palm of her hand before giving him a reassuring smile, the smile itself wielded enough power to drive anyone to their knees, and Senri was no exception.
Without second guessing himself Senri plunged his fangs into Kira's soft flesh and began drinking as much as he could possibly consume. He could feel all her emotions pass through him as though they were becoming one with each other. He could feel all her love, her fears and worry. He felt it all.
Kira gently stroked the back of his neck as if encouraging him to dink to his fill, and he did. Senri had drank blood before but he soon realised the only blood that could truly satisfy him was his little sister's.
Senri reluctantly retracted his fangs from Kira, he knew if he continued he wouldn't be able to control himself for much longer.
Hesitantly Senri lifted up his head and faced Kira "Thank you, sister." Senri leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the corner of her lips, leaving a trail of blood behind.
However the sweet moment shared between the two was quickly interrupted by one of Kira's handmaidens. The look of pure terror was written all over the level C vampire's face as she quickly connected the dots on what had taken place.
"Lady Kira please get away from him!" The handmaiden rushed towards the two of them before attempting to push Senri away only for it to be in vain.
"Leave us be." Kira's eyes now shone red and her voice signified just how terrifying she could be.
"But Lady Ki-"
"You are not to speak about this to anyone, especially not my father. Understood?" Despite it being posed as a question everyone knew the handmaiden had no power to overrule anything the young pureblood wanted.
"Y-Yes. of course Lady Kira." And just like that she had left, only a tense silence remaining in her place.
It was in moments like these where the two of them realised just how different they really were from one another, even though they never said it out loud they knew they were not the same. In the eyes of the vampire society an aristocrat such as Senri should've been prosecuted for even daring to drink from a pureblood. In the eyes of the vampire society they were not and never would be considered equals. It was a stark reality that the two of them had to face especially at such a young age, but they couldn't deny their status.
They may share the same blood but that meant nothing in their reality.
"I'm sorry Senri, I'm sorry that woman even tried to lay her hands on you." Kira captured Senri's hands in her own and began rubbing his palms with her thumbs in hopes of soothing him.
"Kira it wasn't your fault, I'm the one who's in the wron-"
"No. Senri you're my brother, you're the only person in this world who I can truly trust. I trust you enough to feed from me and that is a privilege only you will ever have." Senri however looked down, too ashamed to meet her gaze fully.
Kira released her hold of his hands and instead wrapped her arms around his slightly bigger frame, Senri immediately replicated her actions. The two of them stayed like that for awhile, simply enjoying the others presence and basking in each others warmth.
It was moments like these that reminded Kira why she would do whatever it took to keep Senri safe, she knew she would do anything for her big brother.
Rido was returning today. He had been gone for over a month this time, Kira never asked what he was up to because she doubted she would receive an honest answer.
"Lady Kira you'd look absolutely magnificent in this dress, would you like to wear this one for when Lord Rido returns?" Rido loved Kira she never doubted that, but it was more of a possessive love then a caring and familial one. Rido often regarded Kira as his doll, and no one besides Rido was allowed to play with what was his.
"I think my father would prefer the red one." Whenever Rido returned he loved to be greeted to the sight of his precious daughter in the finest attire, so Kira made an extra special effort to make sure he wouldn't be disappointed.
"Yes of course, I'll set it on your bed Lady Kira."
"Thank you, you're dismissed." With a low bow the young maid made her exit, Kira never bothered to learn her name or any of the other staff members for that matter.
She stared back at her reflection in the mirror with dull eyes. She noted that her hair had gotten longer as well as curlier since her father had left, she couldn't help but notice how much she was beginning to resemble him as she got older. Clasping a small strand of her hair between her fingers Kira began twirling it absentmindedly.
"I wonder how Senri is feeling about our father's return." She pondered out loud. She knew her father held no love for her older brother, she knew he didn't view Senri as a son. It pained her to see how much colder Senri had become over the years and she knew it was all due to her father's constant belittling of him, but when Rido wasn't hurting Senri with his words he was completely ignoring his existence which in her mind was far worse.
Kira wondered if Senri ever resented her for claiming all of their father's attention.
'Senri loves me too much to hold something like that against me, surely he wouldn't hate me. Right?' A multitude of thoughts began plaguing her mind causing her to lose sight of her surroundings.
"Miss me?" Kira hurled herself around towards the direction of the voice only to be greeted by the sight of her father, his hands clutching a bouquet of roses, behind him were her handmaidens who were now staring at her in fear as she was still dressed in her nightgown.
"father!" Kira flung herself forward and captured her father in a hug that he eagerly reciprocated. They stood like that for a short while before Rido pulled away.
"Are you hungry Kira?" It wasn't much of a question but rather an invitation. Kira new what her father was proposing and who was she to deny him of what he wanted.
"Yes father." She wasn't.
Rido crouched down until he was slightly closer to her height, his intimidating presence still looming over her as he did.
"Then lets eat."
Kira stood on her tiptoes as she made her way towards her fathers neck, but as soon as she revealed her fangs her father had grabbed her hand in a vicious manner whilst his usual smirk was now replaced with something far more deadly. He swiped her hair to the side revealing her elongated pale neck, his slender fingers trailed alongside her collarbone as he continued to inspect her skin.
"...Who? Who fed from you Kira?" Kira remembered instantly what he was referring to. The bite marks Senri had left hadn't healed fully yet, she knew what her father would do if he was made aware of the fact that she allowed anyone besides him from feeding from her.
"Father, I don't know what you're talking about." A lie. A very obvious lie that would most certainly not fool Rido Kuran.
His grip on her wrist tightened whilst his other hand had now forcefully grabbed her chin in a bone crushing grip, Kira swallowed down her urge to scream knowing it wouldn't do her any favours. She could feel Rido's aura grow darker as it began to suffocate her, she felt how his cold breath landed harshly onto her cheek and how his sharp nails began digging into her skin. From her peripheral vision Kira could see that her handmaiden, the one who had previously been made aware of her and her brothers relationship, seemed almost anxious to say something.
It was then that Kira knew what had to be done. She knew her father held no love for Senri and that their blood ties wouldn't be enough to save Senri from his father's wrath. Kira knew what she needed to do.
With reluctance she brought her shaking arm up and pointed her finger towards her handmaiden, silently answering Rido's question.
It was sudden, in a flash the blonde beauty had been reduced to dust, and it was Rido who had been the cause of her undoing. But Kira for whatever reason felt little to no remorse, she knew it was wrong but she promised herself a long time ago she would do whatever she had to in order to protect Senri and this was a result of that promise.
Rido's glowing crimson eyes stared straight through her as if he was assessing how well she responded to seeing him kill someone in such a cruel manner. But she didn't react, she didn't know how to. But it was at this moment Kira finally understood just how much of a monster her father was.
But she also realised just how similar Rido and her truly were.
The news of Rido's death had spread like wildfire throughout the vampire society, well that was to be expected as the death of a pureblood was regarded very severely.
Kira had been told the news yesterday and she was still processing it, despite appearing nonchalant about the whole situation there was still a small part of her that felt something akin to sadness, she knew her father was a greedy man who was never content until he had everything he desired and in the end that was the cause of his downfall. However it wasn't just her father who had died that night for her mother had too. She didn't know Juri Kuran personally but they still shared the same blood and the reality had just sunk in that she'd never get to meet the woman if she so desired to in the future.
However there was a survivor. Her half brother Kaname Kuran. She heard rumours that he was now under the care of Asato Ichijo, he was also due to arrive at the Shiki manor any minute now to formally introduce himself to one of the last living members of his family.
Knock Knock
The sudden noise startled Kira out of her thoughts, she could already recognise who it was, his scent was one of her favourites after all.
"Come in, Senri."
Senri slowly peered through the wooden oak door as if he was waiting for some sort of conformation that he was needed. Kira in return gestured for him to come closer with a flick of her wrist.
Without even saying anything Senri leaped forward and embraced Kira into a hug which she returned instantly, no words were exchanged just the sound of their hearts beating in sync was enough to fill the silence in the room.
Senri was the first to pull away, his innocent blue eyes were shrouded in a mixture of emotions that Kira didn't have the strength to identify. He softly began stroking her dark locks of hair as he leaned his face forward until the two of their foreheads were touching.
"Have you slept yet?" His words came out in a hushed whisper.
"Mhmm. A little." Kira closed her eyes in content as she leaned in slightly closer until their noses where brushing lightly against each other.
"Are you lying?" He knew her too well.
"Yeah." Kira allowed a small chuckle to escape from her lips. He ruffled her hair affectionately at the sound of her laugh.
"Lady Kira, Lord Kaname has arrived." She hadn't heard anyone enter her room, and it seemed Senri hadn't either. With a tired sigh Kira stood up from the edge of her bed with Senri following right behind her.
"I understand." Kira grabbed Senri's hand much to the surprise of him and the maid but without another word she began making her way towards her guest.
Soon as the two of them reached the top of the grand staircase they were immediately greeted by the sight of the Kuran boy, next to him stood Senri's uncle who Kira had only met on a few occasions.
Kira saw Kaname slowly lift up his head and face her, both their scarlet eyes locked together and it was then that Kira thought of what her father had done to his family. Rido had taken away his entire family, and now Kaname had to meet the daughter of the man who ruined his life.
'Wow, he must really hate me.' Was all Kira could think in that moment.