"And Now We're Here"

Black.

That was all her emerald eyes could see.

No matter how many times she closed her eyes and opened them, they wouldn't adjust to the darkness. With her eyes closed, the darkness behind her lids couldn't even compare to the darkness in this place she somehow found herself imprisoned.

Where am I?

Everything was heavy. It almost felt like a ton of bricks on every part of her body, weighing her down.

She flexed her muscles, but they didn't move one bit. She tried again and again, but nothing budged.

She was stuck.

Her breathing started to come in uneven pants, and then the struggling began as the thing every person didn't want to feel crept in.

Claustrophobia.

She attempted to yell out his name, but found that her lips couldn't move, or make a solid sound.

She tried again, and the noise her ears registered was a muffling sound. Once more, she tried to yell his name, but stopped when she heard a low, cackling sound. It sent unpleasant chills down her body as she looked in the direction of the cackling sound.

And then, a bright, white light burned her eyes when the darkness disappeared. Immediately, she closed her eyes tightly, hoping to receive that darkness again.

"Bravo, my Xiao Lang," a voice said darkly. Slow claps followed the statement.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, looking in the direction of the voice. Her eyes widened, seeing the man she had put her trust in over the last few months. He didn't even look in her direction, holding his head down low so she couldn't see his face.

Her eyes shifted to the other man's who had been talking.

He had black hair that flowed gracefully down his back and grey, piercing eyes that had a few specks of red in them. He was tall, lean, and a bit slim. In other words, he looked like a god that didn't belong on this Earth.

Slowly, he walked towards her.

She began to panic when she didn't see Syaoran stop him. And then, she looked down, finally understanding why she couldn't move. Her entire body was locked down against a standing table in black leather.

She began to tremble in fear the closer the man got to her. She didn't have to know much about him to know that he was dangerous. The unpleasant chills running down her body told her so.

She looked in Syaoran's direction one last time, seeing him in the same position, before she looked at the approaching man again.

When he stood in front of her, he lifted a hand towards her face, grazing her cheek with his ice, cold fingers. "We finally meet," he said quietly.

When her eyes locked with his, they widened as everything came flooding down on her.

Her childhood, her parents, her brother, the shooting, the fire, the meetings with Syaoran—everything.

The pain of it all hit her just as hard, causing her to cry out in the object covering her mouth. It felt like her insides were tearing apart agonizingly slow.

The man dropped his hand, chuckling. "I know you're glad to get that out," he said darkly.

"Lord Nakata, you said that she wouldn't get hurt," she faintly heard Syaoran say coldly.

"Calm down. She needs to feel this and remember everything. The poor girl has been suffering for years," Nakata said with a smile on his face as he stared at her exhausted form.

Sakura took a deep breath, trying to get her breathing under control as her body's instinct trembled, but it couldn't. Whatever they had holding her down, stopped all of that. She looked in Syaoran's direction, feeling angry tears burn the back of her eyes.

Syaoran had told her that she could trust him, and he would make sure nothing happened to her; that her parents would be here.

Where are they?

"Look at me," Nakata demanded.

Instantly, her eyes landed on him uncontrollably.

"When I take this off your mouth, I expect you to cooperate with me, lest you feel worse than you did a few seconds ago. Understood?"

She nodded her head vigorously as the tears continued to pour down her cheeks at the after effect of the pain.

"Close your eyes," he instructed.

She closed her eyes tightly, and then felt his hand on her cheek again, but pulling the object off her mouth carefully.

A loud sob escaped her mouth as she tried to catch her breath.

"Shut it."

She tried to stop the sobs, but they wouldn't. It was almost uncontrollable while the pain continued to ripple through her body at all the memories and emotions mixed together.

Nakata sighed. "I'm giving you three seconds to close that hole in your face, or you'll really feel pain."

Her breath hitched, and her mouth closed tightly, lips trembling a little.

"Thank you. Now, let me introduce myself properly," he said, clearing his throat. "My name is Nakata Yosuki, leader of our universe."

Sakura stared at him with wide-eyes, knowing exactly what he meant. She didn't say anything, though.

"I know exactly why you decided to come here," he said. "But, do you know why you're truly here?"

Her lower lip trembled while her mouth opened slightly. Her eyes shifted to Syaoran's, who was staring at her sadly.

What...

"Where are they? You said they'd be here," she said weakly to him.

The reminder and the pain of losing them caused a distraction to the man standing in front of her.

Nakata grabbed her face, yanking her head in his direction roughly. "Answer me when I speak to you," he said tightly.

She could feel her entire body trembling on the inside, though it didn't physically.

Nakata's eyes closed as he inhaled deeply. "You smell so good," he said, moving closer to rub his nose against her neck.

Her eyes closed as she mentally prepared herself for the pleasurable pain she had become used to when these creatures pierced their teeth through her skin. Or, the one creature she allowed to, at least.

"I could drink you dry right now and end your life if I wanted to," he said.

"Please..." she whispered shakily. "You can do that after I see them," she said desperately.

Nakata pulled back from her neck and a smirk slowly crept to his pale lips. "I have a proposition," he said suddenly. "I'll announce it after I have a taste of you, though."

Her eyes widened when his mouth opened, revealing his sharp fangs.

"Stop it!" Syaoran yelled, at his side in mere seconds with his arms locked around the man's neck tightly. "You touch her, or even think about putting your mouth on her, I will snap your neck like a popsicle stick," he threatened.

Nakata chuckled darkly, resting his hand on Syaoran's arms to stop him. "Okay."

Syaoran held him for a moment before he released his head from the headlock, moving back.

"Go to the other side of the room," Nakata said, pointing to the direction he wanted Syaoran in.

Slowly, Syaoran walked towards the area, but kept his eyes on them.

Nakata turned to Sakura. "Your heart's beating fast," he announced. "Tell me, why's your heart beating fast?" he asked mockingly.

Sakura could feel her face growing hot at being put on the spot.

Syaoran had been her protector since he brought her into this world of magic, so she could never stop herself from feeling this way about him.

"Is it that you think you're special to him? So special that he would stop me from piercing my teeth into this pretty little neck of yours?"

She shivered when he ran a finger up the length of her neck, tracing the vein. She could hear Syaoran let out a low growl from across the room.

"Behave yourself, Xiao Lang, or you'll be put out of the room, leaving me with no choice but to torture the poor girl."

Sakura tried to calm her racing heart down, hoping to find a way out of this mess. Her eyes looked in Syaoran's direction, praying that he could get her out of this like he always found a way.

She was never one to depend on others, but this is a world she wasn't familiar with. A world where mythical creatures existed and lusted after her kind's blood.

"The same applies for you, now keep your eyes away from him."

She closed her eyes tightly, ready for this all to end.

"Good. Now, you want to see your family again, correct?" he asked.

She nodded, opening her eyes to look at him pleadingly.

"I know it's been hard for you for the last eleven years, but we had to have them," he said sympathetically.

"W-what?" she said, confused by that statement.

"The fire and shooting was just for show, to cover up their disappearance. They are still alive, as you've assumed for years now."

"W-where are they?" she asked hesitantly.

Nakata snapped his fingers three times.

Slowly, four glass scanners began to rise from the floor before her until she realized that people were in it.

Her eyes widened, seeing a woman with long, disarrayed, grey hair and tired emerald eyes.

"Okaa...san..." she whispered.

Her eyes looked to the next person to see a man with dark, chocolate hair, and brown eyes.

"Onii...chan..."

There was a man who looked similar to Touya, except he looked older.

"Otou...san..."

When she looked at the fourth glass, she saw a little boy who looked unfamiliar. He had brown and grey streaked hair, and emerald eyes.

Everyone in the glass stared at her with emotionless expressions on their face, which only made her struggle to get free from the restraints.

Something was wrong.

"Please! What do you want?" Sakura exclaimed, looking at Nakata with fear in her eyes.

He turned to her with a smirk on his face. "Exactly what I expected to hear from you," he said, walking closer to her.

Her lips began to tremble as she stared at her family. Her family that had been missing for the last eleven years of her life.

"What I want, is your blood," he said.

"W-what?" she asked, looking at him wide-eyed.

Syaoran had asked for the same thing, in return of him returning her family to her, and now this man was asking the same thing.

"Let me explain." He stopped.

She nodded for him to continue.

"Your family has the blood that I need," he said.

"W-what?" she stuttered.

"It's pure, innocent, and sweet. Just what we need."

She swallowed, feeling an uncomfortable feeling settle in the bottom of her stomach. Why did she suddenly feel like this conversation was headed in the wrong direction?

"Why do you need that?" she asked.

He chuckled darkly, walking even closer to her restrained body.

"Don't hurt her, please!" she heard her mother yelling through the glass as she beat her fists against it.

Nakata sighed. "See? This is why I didn't want to do this. Get rid of them." He waved his hand, and the glasses began to slowly slide down into the floor again.

Sakura's eyes watered at the sight of the little boy crying and her mom's yelling for him to wait and stop.

Her father and Touya had been so emotionless and out of it, that she wondered if that were truly them.

"Please! Don't do this, Nakata-san. Take my blood, do whatever you want with it. Just..." She struggled weakly, though she couldn't move. "Don't hurt them. Let them go!" she yelled, feeling the tears spill from her eyes uncontrollably.

Syaoran was at Nakata's side in seconds with his hand on the restraints on Sakura's body. "You heard her, now release her," he said coldly.

"Xiao Lang, you don't want to play with fire, now step back," Nakata said tightly.

Syaoran hesitated for a moment before he released his hold on the restraints. He moved back a little, but not far.

Nakata shoved him further back, so he could step closer to Sakura. He reached his hand up to her face, so he could run his fingers down her face to her lips.

She shivered, closing her eyes as a wave of disgust glided down her body.

"How have you resisted this creature for so long, Xiao Lang?" Nakata asked, caressing her lip.

Another growl came from Syaoran and he slammed his fist against the white wall, breaking it.

"I know it's hard to control your strength, but you must control your temper," Nakata said.

"Hands off her, then," Syaoran said tightly. "You said that we'd just take her blood, and nothing else."

"Are you by any chance trying to command me to do something?"

"She's my mate," Syaoran said tightly.

"What's yours, is mine. Remember that?" Nakata dropped his hand lower down, to her chin, and then the pulsing vein on her neck.

"Nakata!" Syaoran yelled through clenched teeth.

Nakata chuckled, removing his hand from Sakura, who had been attempting to shrivel back from his touch, and making whimpering noises. "We're getting off topic. So, Sakura—it is okay to call you that, right?"

Without thinking, Sakura glared at him and spat in his face at the mockery in his tone.

He sighed, wiping the fluid from his face with the back of his hand. "I tried to play it cool, pretty one," he said, moving over to grab the tape and place it back over her mouth. "But, you just had to be difficult. So, here's the deal. You blink once for yes, and squeeze your eyes shut tightly for no. Understood?"

Sakura's eyes shifted over to Syaoran's, seeing that he had his eyes shut tightly with his fists clenching just as tight.

"Eyes on me, or he gets punished, along with you," Nakata said.

Her eyes widened and turned to Nakata immediately.

"I need the blood of a pure family, which is yours. You guys have the purest blood around, which will mix well with the others. I need the mother, father, and brother for ten years to prepare them for the procedure. The daughter has to be a twenty-one-year old virgin, which you are." Nakata gave her a glance over, licking his lips.

Her cheeks warmed, and she closed her eyes tightly.

Nakata grabbed her face tightly, digging his nails into her skin as he forced her to look him in the eyes. "Don't lie to me, wench," he said tightly.

She opened her eyes, looking at him shocked. She hadn't meant for that to be a response.

When his nails dug deeper into her skin, she inhaled a sharp breath, and tears welled in her eyes.

"She is, damn it! You're hurting her!" Syaoran yelled, grabbing Nakata's wrist tightly.

Nakata looked at Syaoran, glaring hard. "Who the hell do you think you are? You don't want me to put you underground again, do you?"

Syaoran's eyes widened, and he backed away from Nakata immediately.

He huffed, turning back to Sakura. "So, we need the blood of a pure family, a family who has the history of murderers, a family full of thieves, and a family cursed with sickness."

Sakura stared at him, confused as to what he is trying to get at.

"We want to rule the world," he said, as if he could read her mind. "I want to rule the world. But, how am I to do that when we are the minority? Almost extinct?"

Sakura's brows scrunched in confusion, resisting the urge to look in Syaoran's direction again.

"A virus. That's what we are doing. We are trying to create a virus, where everyone can become infected by it. So, no one dies anymore. When you die, you get the second chance to live an immortal life as a bloodsucker."

Her eyes widened, understanding what he meant now.

"I wouldn't dare take your blood against your will because that's just not fair, now is it? That's why I'm giving you the option to choose, whether you want to do this or not." He sounded so confident and sure of himself. "Are you listening and comprehending?"

She blinked once, answering him.

"We use you and your family's blood, and all the other family's blood, and spread this virus, then, we let you and your family go to live your lives freely, as if none of this even happened."

But?

"But, you say no to this, I release you, but keep your parents until they can produce another girl. Then, we'd have to wait another twenty-one years."

She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

Nakata chuckled. "So, you'll give me your blood, so we could create a new world."

She squeezed her eyes again tightly.

Nakata sighed, snatching the tape off her mouth.

"Itai..."

"I need one solid answer."

"That's not fair, though! How could you make a deal like that?!" she exclaimed, glaring at him.

"Not fair was forcing that poor little brother of yours into this world when we didn't need him."

Sakura gasped, eyes widening.

"So, Sakura, what's it going to be?"

"I..."

She stopped, feeling more tears slide down her cheeks.

It's not fair...

"I can't destroy the world like that, and I can't leave my parents behind like this."

"Choose, or the choice will be made for you," he said.

"I..."

What was she to do?

A/N: Finally found the time to post this chapter, which should give an insight(hopefully) on what's going to happen in the story. The chapters posted before didn't really give the reader an idea of the plot (also, I felt very uncomfortable with the story). I have a brief idea on what is going to happen here, but let's see where my mind takes me, as it does for every story I write :).

Still up for debate whether or not this will remain T rated, or changed to M. I tend to get a little out of hand when I start writing, so I don't want to break any rules here lol. If majority of you root for T, I promise to try my best in keeping it T rated :).

P.S. Thank you all for the reviews! I'm really happy that you guys liked the story before, but I also wanted to feel confident in the work that I'm showing others.