FMVampire Lover: Haha, I'm glad that it was everything you wanted! I truly appreciate that you are my loyal follower! (It didn't sound creepy to me at all! XD) I hope that this chapter is just as enjoyable as the last one! :D
Guest: Thank you so much for leaving a review! :D I'm glad that you are enjoying the story so far! I try my hardest to keep them as in character as possible, so I'm glad that you think I am! :D I'm happy that you like my character. (: I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible by making her win sometimes and lose others. (: Thanks! :D
mspyrrha: I'm glad that you liked the twist and comment! :D Thank you so much for the compliment! (: I'm glad to know that it's working out as a good horror story! :D
hellokitty70705: I appreciate reviews, and I'd like to let them know that they are read and greatly appreciated, so I try to reply to them. (: Haha, I had to get Kanato to appear. He's one of my favorite characters, so it was kind of a selfish wish of mine haha. I fell in love with the characters the way they were, so I'm trying to do them justice by keeping them as in character as possible. (: I'm glad to know that you think that I'm doing a good job! :D Haha the music room incident was fun to write, because I wanted people to think that she was going to go in there, but I couldn't imagine just blindly going to find out who is playing when she's already being tormented. (: I'm so glad that you enjoyed chapter 5! (: That was a lot of fun for me to write! Thank you for your input on who you'd like to see her with! Haha both are great characters! As far as the Mukamis and Tsukinamis, I haven't decided if I'll put them in or not. (: I'll seriously consider it though! :D I don't mind your opinons, so no worries! (: I hope that I continue to keep you interested! :D
This chapter turned out a lot longer than I thought it would! I hope that you guys enjoy it! (: Thank you for all the support this has gotten so far! Thank you for reading!
Slowly, her senses were coming back. She couldn't feel the strange pinching sensation, but his face was still buried in her neck. This causes a warning bell to go off in her hazy mind. She could feel when Laito pulled away due to the fact that his hair tickles her face as he does. Her body felt oddly cold, but she forces her mind to focus. The moment he releases her chin, she quickly turns her head back to try to prevent him from getting the idea of biting her again. She flinches when pain races up and down her body at such a simple action. It felt almost like she had been shocked. She reaches an unsteady hand out to put on his chest and try to shove him away. He releases a chuckle, looking excited once more. His face slowly morphs into a loving look. He continues to hold her wrist over her head. His other hand reaches out to lightly trace along her jaw. She jerks her face away. She's careful to try not to turn her head enough to expose her neck to him.
"Next time, I….." His voice sounded mockingly gentle to her ears.
"There won't be a next time!" Mai states. She flinches when her voice comes out sounding weaker than she wanted it to. He leans away from her until he's sitting straight up. She was relieved that he had finally released her wrist. She quickly pulls her hand to her chest. She could see a bruise already forming over her wrist, but she didn't dwell on it for the moment. She couldn't afford to get distracted by anything when Laito still had her pinned to the stairs.
"Next time, I promise to be gentle. I'll make you beg me for more." A shiver runs down her spine. She didn't want to think about how his voice sounded lustful. She mentally takes in her injuries to try to distract herself from the look of mock adoration on his face. Her foot was still throbbing, but she found that it had lessened after he had drank from her. Her chin was throbbing, and she was sure that it was going to bruise. There were several places where the carpet had scrapped at the skin on her legs and arms, but it didn't look like she was bleeding anywhere. That's when she noticed that he had lessened the amount of weight he was using to keep her down. Maybe she would be able throw him off this time? She just needed to wait for him to drop his guard a little more. For now, she'd just lay limply beneath him.
He slowly leans back down. She tenses when she notices his face approaching hers. Was he going to bite her again? The thought sent a jolt of fear through her body. She clenches one of her hands into a fist. She wanted to close her eyes, but she didn't dare lose sight of him. It was never good to lose sight of the bad guy. His hair brushes along her cheek, and his lips brush the side of her jaw. She wanted to recoil in disgust, but she wanted him to let his guard down even more. The more he underestimated her, the better her chances of getting him off of her. He was leaving butterfly kisses along the side of her jaw heading. He first heads toward her chin then backtracks toward her ear. His hands settle on the stairs on either side of her head.
She barely represses the shudder when she hears him groan against her skin. For a moment, she considers aiming her fist for the side of his head, but she worried he might see it coming. Instead, she decides to aim for the area of his ribs just below his armpit. He pulls back to give her yet another loving look. It struck her as an odd time for her to notice that he didn't have his fedora on. He must have lost it at some point, but she wasn't sure when. His eyes are slowly becoming half lidded, and she sees her chance. She couldn't stand the thought of him kissing her anymore than he already had. Her fist collides with his ribs, though she was lower than she wanted to hit. He lets out a grunt which is followed by a bone chilling chuckle. He leans down to press another kiss to her jaw. He suddenly rolls to the side to sit on one of the stairs. His thigh is lightly pressing against her side.
Once she is free, she rolls to her stomach and attempts to half crawl, half run up the stairs. An arm loops around her waist, and she finds herself facing the front door. Her face flushes a deep red when she feels him pull her back against his chest. She wanted to find some comfort in the fact that she wasn't actually sitting on his lap, but she was still in between his legs on a stair lower than him. A thought occurs to her that makes her heart race. Was her back also pressed against his…. his…?
She wiggles in an attempt to get free from him. She didn't want to think about what she was involuntarily touching with her back. Everything seems to freeze when there is a loud pounding noise on the door. A voice full of authority could be heard. "Police!"
Relief washes over her body. Yui had pulled through! She opens her mouth to scream for help. She fully expects Laito to cover her mouth and threaten her, but it never happens. She's able to actually call for them. The door handle rattles a few times. She could hear the police talking amongst themselves. Mai glances over her shoulder to give Laito a smug look, only to realize that he was gone. Her heart skips a beat. She hadn't even felt him move! A cracking noise brings her attention back to the door. She had never been so happy to see police in her life.
Everything seems to happen so fast. She tells them everything that had happened, but it seemed like they didn't believe her about Laito biting her neck. They ask how to reach her parents, and they ask what the attackers name was. Their bodies stiffen when she tells them his last name, and they share a glance. They finally allow Yui into the house to comfort Mai. It's not long before the paramedics arrive. They talk to the police then approach to treat her wounds. She couldn't help but notice that they were also stiff while talking to her. It made her feel uncomfortable. She felt stupid and was starting to doubt herself. It comes as a great relief to know that her foot wasn't actually broken. It had just lost a fair amount of skin and would hurt badly for a few days due to a severe bruise.
Yui mutters an apology and leaves after a short while. She had said that she would get in trouble if she didn't return home soon. She leaves before Mai gets a chance to talk to her alone and actually thank her. The remaining adults give Mai strange looks while they talk amongst themselves just outside the door. It just makes Mai feel more isolated. She desperately wishes she hadn't mentioned the part about him biting her neck. She was still sitting on the stairs, but she was on the last stair instead of toward the top. It had been easier for the paramedics to move around her that way. Movement draws her gaze upward. One of the paramedics was starting to squat down in front of her. He pats her knee awkwardly and offers her a smile. "You hit your head pretty hard, when you fell down the stairs."
She tries to tell him that she didn't really fall down the stairs, but he just continues talking. "Try not to worry about it too much. You probably passed out. It's hard to distinguish between dreams and reality when your mind is trying to wake up. The police are calling your parents now."
Disbelief fills her, and it feels like the only thing she can do is stare blankly at the paramedic. He tells her to take some over the counter pain medications. If she was still in unbearable pain, she was to go to the hospital. He rattles off a few more things she should go to the hospital for, but she didn't hear any of them. He offers a goodbye, and she's suddenly left alone in her house. She stares numbly at the door. The police had shut it on their way out, but it was clear that it wasn't latching properly. She swallows hard to try to combat the tears that were swelling up. She felt incredibly stupid. She lifts her hands up to cover her face and just sits there for a while.
It felt like hours had passed, but she was sure that it was only a handful of minutes. With a sigh, she drags herself to a standing position and limps up the stairs. She wanted a shower before her parents got home. It'd make her feel a little better to have his salvia washed off her face and neck. She pauses in front of the mirror in the bathroom. She had been so numb and distracted by thoughts of what had happened that she hadn't noticed that the paramedics had cleaned the shallow cut on her chin. She must have split the skin when she hit the stairs. Her eyes move down to her throat. She turns her head and leans in to inspect the wound. Her face flushes when she realizes why the paramedics wouldn't have seen the puncture marks. They were covered by a large bruise. With a jolt, she realizes that's what Laito had been doing right before he had pulled away. Her heart sinks the longer she looks at the hickey. She couldn't even see the puncture marks. Hesitantly, she reaches up to touch the spot just to make sure that they were real. A shock of pain runs through her body, making her flinch hard. She hears a slamming noise downstairs.
Her body tenses, and she listens silently. Panic races through her body. She turns to look at the bathroom door. Was he back? Her thoughts race. If he was, what would she do? Should she creep to her room and look for her phone and call the police again? She flinches at that thought. She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves. She just had to calm down and think through her options. She jumps when hears someone making a thumping noise down stairs. Her breath hitches, and she rushes for the door. She reaches out and locks it just as a frantic call of her name causes every muscle in her body to freeze. She leans against the door, breathing a sigh of relief. It wasn't Laito or some person breaking into their house. It sounded like her mother. Another frantic call makes her quickly try to open the door. She could hear her father calling her name as well, but he was more muffled. Her shaking hands finally gets the door open, and she rushes to the staircase as fast as she can. Tears well up when she sees that her mother is already halfway up the stairs. She wants to rush down, but she finds herself rooted.
Her mother's not. She rushes up the stairs to give Mai a hug. Pain rushes throughout her body, making her flinch. Her mother pulls back just as her father arrives at the bottom of the stairs. He remains at the bottom looking up at the two. Mai just leans into her mother. She couldn't stop the tears anymore. She tells her mother what had happened, though it takes longer than normal to do so. Her voice was choked and watery. Her mother just shakes her head, eyes also full of tears. Mai finally pulls away and mutters about a shower.
She quickly returns to the bathroom. She's careful to not look in the mirror this time. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and not leave again. Her shower is short lived. Her body was throbbing painfully, and the warm water seemed to exaggerate the problems. She gets out and takes some medicine to help with the pain. Wrapped in her towel, she slowly makes her way out into the hallway. She faintly hears her father almost yelling downstairs. She pauses in the hallway to listen. He was muffled, and she couldn't hear many coherent words. She figured he was probably in the kitchen. He pauses then snaps something. It made her wonder if he was on the phone. She decides to not give it much thought and limps her way to her room. She slowly opens the door, half expecting Laito to jump out at her from somewhere, but it's empty.
She flinches when she sees her phone sitting on the nightstand where her alarm clock usually was. Her pepper spray was sitting beside her phone. She slowly finds her some clothes, which turns out to be a pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt. She proceeds to flop over onto her bed and closes her eyes. She suddenly felt so drained. She lets out a soft sigh. She wanted to believe that this was a dream. Her reality couldn't get broken so easily, but it was. She shudders when she remembers hearing him swallow and presses her hands over her ears, though she knows it won't help. The sound was coming from her memories.
Finally, she drifts off into an uneasy sleep.
She jerks away from the hand that touches her shoulder. Her mind was telling her that Laito was back, despite the fact that the hand was warm. With her eyes still closed, she frantically reaches around for the pepper spray to defend herself with, but she stops when her mother says her name. Her eyes actually snap open, and she can barely see her mother through the dying light that was filtering into her windows. Her mother looked troubled, which makes Mai's heart sinks. Something couldn't be wrong could it?
Her mother quietly asks her to go downstairs. She nods and drags herself up. Every movement sent a painful jolt through her body. She represses the wince, because she didn't want to worry her mother anymore than necessary. She slowly follows her mother down the stairs. Halfway down the stairs, she realizes that she could hear her father and another man talking. The two females step into the kitchen. A strange man with peppered black hair and deep brown eyes was sitting at their table. He was wearing a navy blue suit and tie with black dress shoes. Mai and her mother both stop just inside the doorway, but it's enough to get the two men's attention. The man abruptly stands and turns to give the two a small bow. "My boss sends his deepest apology for what his son has done. He wanted you to know that he is greatly upset at his son's despicable behavior, and he will see to it that Mr. Laito gets punished properly. He would like to make it up to your family."
Mai wasn't sure how to respond. She glances at her father, who had a sour look on his face. Mai's gaze snaps back to the man when he moves. He was turning to face her father.
"I know you spoke to him on the phone. He would like to once again tell you that he would regret you taking your daughter out of Ryoutei Academy. As you know, it will provide a great future for her."
"Like hell she is going back!" Mai's father snarls at the man. He abruptly stands up. The man nods as though he agrees. He looked completely unfazed by her father's obvious anger.
"Mr. Sakamaki would feel greatly apologetic if his family was the cause of her not living her life to the fullest potential. He informed me to offer you a gift."
Mai's father's hand slams on the table. Mai and her mother both flinch. Mai's father was usually easy going, so it wasn't often they saw him this upset. Her father was shouting. "His son has done nothing but make my daughter's life a living hell! We will not be bribed to stay silent! I am going to inform the press about the monster that he is raising!"
The man dips his head a little. It struck Mai as strange that the man wasn't even trying to argue back. He continues on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "He offered to pay for her fees to remain at that school. Your boss will be reimbursed for this year, and Mr. Sakamaki will pay for her senior year. He will pay for her college, regardless of length and subject, and any fees associated with obtaining the degree. He will pay off your family's current debts. Now, should she chose to go to a different school, he will only pay the fees that she would need to go to school for this year. Nothing else."
Silence descends on the room. The man dips his head once more lays a card on the table, turns and abruptly leaves. Mai's eyes follow him out the door, which looked like it had been replaced while she was sleeping. She glances back at her father. He seems to snap out of his stupor when he feels her stare. He starts to shake his head. Her mother moves over to the table and slowly sits down. Mai stares at her parents. It felt like a weight was crashing down on her. This felt so surreal. She was positive that she was dreaming, because this just felt too cliche for her. Her father lets out a sigh and says, "Mai, disregard what he had said. We are not taking the money. We are going to find you a different school to go to. Your mother and I don't need the help, and we will not be bribed. You are more important than anything else."
He gives her a hug as he passes her by. He presses a kiss to the top of her head. Mai just numbly nods. This was nothing more than a bribe to keep quiet about Laito was doing to her at school. It would hurt his father's image if other people were aware of the fact that his child was bullying a fellow classmate. She feels a shudder run through her body at a horrible thought. The father must know that his son is a vampire. Her body suddenly feels incredibly cold. So much had been going on that she hadn't thought about how Laito had been turned into a vampire. Would she turn into one? There were so many legends surrounding vampires that she didn't know what was true and what was just Hollywood taking liberties. She quickly pushes the disturbing thoughts away. It wouldn't do any good to panic. Besides, she hadn't turned into one yet, so she figured that she probably wouldn't be turning into one any time soon.
She turns her head to look over her shoulder at her father, when she hears the stairs creak. She turns to look back at the her mother. Her hands were covering her face. Mai slowly makes her way over to give her mother a hug. They sit at the table in silence. Mai wasn't sure what she should say. There was no way she was going to accept a gift from Laito's family, regardless as to what it was. It would put her in debt to them, and being indebt to big influential family was never a good thing. She flinches at the thought. It'd be like getting a favor from the mafia.
She was glaring at the kitchen table silently cursing Laito. She had called every school in the city and even some in the surrounding cities, within reasonable distance. None would take her. In fact, the minute they heard her name, they would simply hang up on her. She lets her head fall to the table. It makes a loud thunking noise, causing her to flinch. Her mother and father had reluctantly gone back to work. It was Monday, and her body wasn't nearly as sore.
She slowly lifts her head to stare at the phone. The card laid untouched in the center of the table. Anger swells in her chest, and she reaches out to grab it. All it had was the name Sakamaki Tougo and a phone number. She immediately tears up the paper and promptly throws it away before she slowly makes her way up the stairs. Her foot was nothing more than a dull ache now. It hurt when she first put shoes on, but she could easily walk on it again. She flops onto her bed and stairs at the wall. So, her choices were going to school at Ryoutei Academy or be a high school dropout. Her parents were too busy to help her with homeschooling, and she didn't really have the motivation to keep on top of her school work without prompting from teachers. She closes her eyes tightly. Why did it have to turn out like this? She was seriously considering dropping out.
The thought made her wince. She wouldn't get very far in life, but it was almost preferable to facing Laito again. She closes her eyes. He knew where she lived, so she didn't think he would simply stop if she didn't go to school. She takes a deep breath and releases it.
Time seems to fly by, and she finds herself in the bathroom dressed in her uniform. She flinches at the sight of the hickey on her neck. She quickly opens the neck of her uniform and frantically looks for something to hide it with. Of course Laito had to put it in a spot that everyone could see and was hard to cover up. She finally settles for leaving her hair down and simply using it to try to cover the area. Bandages would just draw attention to the spot and prompt people to ask what happened, and she had no idea what to tell them. The hickey was dark, so she didn't think that make-up would fully cover it, besides it still hurt to touch it. Luckily, the rest of the bruises were easy to hide. She takes a deep breath to steady her nerves and returns to her room to gather up her book bag and makes her way to school.
She keeps her head down and hurries toward her class once she is in the school. Her heart was racing, and she found herself jumping at every sound. Her heart stops once she makes it to her homeroom without an incident. Something was bound to happen. Nothing ever goes this smoothly. Her eyes glance around the room, and it feels like someone has knocked the air out of her lungs. Ayato was there, sprawled out on his desk. He seemed to be asleep though. Kanato was at the back of the classroom. He was holding his teddy bear tightly and looking out the window. She decides it's best to just leave and wait for the warning bell to ring. It'd be better if there were witnesses. Mai turns to leave, but her body collides with another's. She flinches back, but she feels a sense of relief when she sees it's only Yui. Yui leaps at her, startling Mai. It felt like she hit every single bruise on Mai's body. She lets out a low hissing noise. Yui pulls away with an apologetic look. She quickly and quietly asks. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to bring him to your house! I didn't know!"
Mai can't help but smile. She lifts a hand to push Yui a little bit further away and says, "it's fine. I know you didn't do it on purpose. You helped me by getting the police. I never got to thank you for doing that."
Yui's crimson eyes fall to the ground, still looking guilty. Mai flinches when she can feel eyes on the two of them. She glances to see that Ayato was awake now, and he was looking amused at the two. Kanato was wearing a frown that made her nervous. She could still remember his tantrum and tears the last few times she had interacted with him. She quickly grabs Yui's arm intent on leaving. The door had shut at some point, so Mai reaches out to open it. It only opens a few inches before its slammed shut. Irritation swells in her stomach. Yui had pulled away from her. Mai turns her head to look over her shoulder. Ayato was leaning over her keeping the door shut. He sneers at her. "Don't take yours truly's food."
Mai wants to childishly stick her tongue out at him, but she refrains from doing so. Instead, she says as calmly as she can. "You sound stupid saying that. Also, Yui is a person, and she is my friend. She's not food. Now, I'd like to be able to talk to her, and I don't need your permission."
He scoffs coldly at her and moves his hand from the door. A warning bell starts to ring in her mind. He had given in much too easily. She didn't know Ayato that well, but she had seen how pushy he was with Yui. Mai doesn't turn her eyes from his face. She was trying to discreetly peer into his mouth to see if she could see fangs. She slowly opens the door. He doesn't move to shut it again. Instead, his hands are folded over his chest, and he seems to be watching Mai's every move. She blindly reaches out for Yui. Just as her fingers brush Yui, a smile breaks out on Ayato's face. He reaches out and pushes her like always. She scrambles backward, out the open doorway. She catches her balance just as he mockingly waves at her. She rushes forward to try to stop the door from closing. Ayato's mocking laughter echoes through the hallway, but he doesn't actually stop Mai from shoving the door open. She storms into the classroom, ready to give her a piece of her mind. A foot appears between hers, and her body pitches forward. Yui lets out a gasp of Ayato's name.
Mai hits the floor hard. Pain fueled anger surges through her. He didn't just look like Laito; it seemed like he acted like him, too. Mai slowly pushes herself up. She could hear Yui starting to lecture Ayato, though he clearly didn't seem to care. Kanato's laughter mixes with Ayato's. Mai closes her eyes in humiliation. Once she is standing, she acts without thinking. She spins to face Ayato, who seems to laugh harder at her cold glare. Her hand raises, and she proceeds to slap him hard. For a moment, Ayato seems startled by her actions. Mai is just as startled. She was just going to give him a piece of her mind, but she took her anger at Laito out on Ayato. Kanato only seems to laugh harder. Yui is the first to react. She reaches out grabbing Mai's arm and proceeds to drag her out of the classroom.
Mai's heart starts to pound when she hears Ayato snap loudly. "You stupid bitch! I'll teach you to never lay a hand on Yours Truly!"
She glances back, but it causes her to stumble. Yui's grip just tightens even more. Mai had no idea where the two of them were headed, but Yui seemed to have a destination in mind. Mai glances back once more to see if Ayato was following them. The hallway seemed eerily empty. A door opening in front of her catches her attention. She only has enough time to look forward when Yui shoves her into the room. She has to awkwardly dodge the body of an upperclassman that was stretched out on the floor close to the door.
Yui doesn't manage to step over him as easy. In fact, her foot collides with his side, and she ends up tumbling over him. He makes a grunting noise before stating something under his breath. Yui's face turns a bright red. Mai stares at him completely bewildered by his lack of response. What bewilders her even more is the fact that Yui didn't seem overly surprised by his presence. She just scrambles up, somehow managing to knee him. All it grants is a soft insult of "clumsy woman" before he rolls onto his side. Yui awkwardly leans over him and shuts the door.
Mai covers her mouth trying to keep from laughing. It looked like Yui was once again going to kick or step on him. Somehow, she manages to keep from doing so. Yui quickly gestures for Mai to follow and makes her way across the room toward the closets. Mai glances back at the upperclassman before she follows. She was sure that she had seen him before, but she couldn't remember where. Both girls end up sitting on the floor across the room from him. Mai was still trying to remember where she had seen him. Yui seems to catch onto her thoughts since she says. "That's Sakamaki Shuu."
Mai's body tenses, and she gives him a more critical once over. He seemed to be asleep, but Mai couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen. Every Sakamaki she had met had ended with her getting some sort of new bruise.
A chuckle erupts from Yui. Reluctantly, Mai turns her attention to the petite blonde. She says softly. "Don't worry. He isn't going to do anything. He's actually kind of lazy. I figured we could hide in here until Ayato calms down. Most people don't come in here because of Shuu. I don't think Ayato will think to come here either."
There is a grunt from the other side of the room, and Mai finds herself warily eyeing Shuu. Did he want something? Despite what Yui said, Mai wasn't going to let her guard down. Yui covers her mouth and continues to stifle her laughter. Mai turns her suspicious look on her friend. Yui proceeds to say between her laughs. "I can't believe you struck Ayato! I don't think anyone does that!"
Mai wasn't sure how to react to that. She hears a chuckle and quickly glances at Shuu's back. Once she's sure he's not going to make a move, she glances back at her giggling friend. "Why is that?"
Yui gains a thoughtful look, and her laughter fades away. It takes a moment for her to reply. "Well, I suppose it's because he is a handful. I mean it's easier to give him what he wants than to have him take it. He's not exactly gentle."
Mai frowns at her friend. "Why don't you fight against him?"
Her hand unconsciously lifts to touch her collarbone. The bite mark was still painful to touch, and she didn't want to jerk in front of Yui. It'd be embarrassing. She felt like being bitten was degrading, painful, and an overall horrible experience that she planned to never relive. Ayato was a vampire too according to Yui. That meant that Yui had probably been bitten countless times. The thought made Mai feel sick to her stomach. She had never seen Yui fight against Ayato once. Yui's face falls for a moment. She says softly, "He's got a different side to him. One he doesn't really show others. Sure he is rough, but he can be so sweet and caring too."
Mai can't help but roll her eyes. Yui sounded completely lovestruck and naive. Frustration at Yui's behavior gets the better of Mai. "He only shows that side to you, right? I think there is a reason for how you are feeling about him. It's called Stockholm Syndrome."
Yui casts a hurt look Mai's way, and she instantly regrets it. She turns her gaze to the floor. "Sorry, I just…. I didn't mean to say that."
Yui laughs, but it has a sad ring to it. That just makes Mai feel even worse. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She opens her mouth to try and change the subject, but she's stopped by the door slamming open. Her heart skips a beat to see a very irrite Ayato standing there. He takes a step in. His foot collides with Shuu. Mai feels like putting a hand to her forehead when all Shuu does is make a grunting noise.
"Move," Ayato practically snarls. Shuu's back was to the girls, so Mai wasn't sure if he opened his eyes or not.
"Go around," Shuu says. Ayato's face twists with anger. He aims a kick toward Shuu. To Mai's surprise, Shuu doesn't even try to dodge or block the kick. He just continues to lie there. Ayato kicks him a few more times. Each kick gets harder and harder. Yui scrambles up to stop Ayato. Mai remains rooted to the spot. She could only stare at the blonde boy in disbelief. Why didn't he try to defend himself against his younger brother? Yui scrambles over Shuu and was trying to push Ayato back.
Everything goes silent when Shuu finally stands up. Mai feels her breath hitch, wondering if the older Sakamaki had finally had enough. To her utter disbelief, he mutters something along the lines of them being too loud before he disappears out the door. Ayato makes a noise of disgust before his vivid green gaze lands on Mai. She scrambles to her feet and levels a glare at him. He confidently crosses the short distance between them. Mai determinedly remains in her spot. She wasn't about to cower to him. Her hands tighten into a fists. He reaches out and grabs a fist full of the front of her uniform and jerks her upward. Her heart was already racing. She just wanted to get away from him.
She fully intends to hit him until something brushes her side, just above her hip. She tries to flinch away but Ayato kept her in place. Her heart sinks when she hears a familiar voice playfully ask. "Can I join the fun? Are you going to bite her right in front of Little Bitch?"
Laito seems to appear from out of thin air right beside her. He gives her a flirtatious wink, which only serves to make her feel like her skin is crawling. She closes her eyes in frustration when she feels his arm snake around her waist. Without missing a beat, she puts a hand on his side to shove him away. It doesn't seem to affect him, much to her disappointment. She wasn't overly surprised though. He says. "Let's get closer!"
He uses his arm to forcibly shove Mai into Ayato, who grunts in irritation. Ayato violently shoves her away. She stumbles back, and, like all the times before, she ends up landing painfully on his butt. She glances up at the two brothers. Ayato wasn't even looking at her anymore; he was staring at Laito in disgust. Laito was looking at her with an amused look on his face. Ayato turns around and heads for the door. His voice is full of disgust when he says. "Not interested in playing your stupid game, pervert."
"Ah, Ayato. Don't be so shy! I promise you she'll be a lot of fun! Besides I could keep Little Bitch company. It'd be so fun to see her face twisted with jealousy at the fact that you are having such an experience with her friend!" Laito practically whines at him. Mai scrambles to her feet and proceeds to hurry after Ayato. There was no way that she was going to stay in the room with Laito. Worry feels her stomach when she sees him grab Yui's upper arm and violently drag her out the door. Yui casts a worried look back at Mai. Worry fills her friend's face. "Oops! Where are we going?"
An arm wraps around her waist, and she finds herself pulled back into Laito. She lifts her legs, but it doesn't seem to bother him. She slams her feet into the ground and slams her head back into his face. She hears a painful crack from behind her. Her head spins for a moment, but she notices that he loosened his grip on her. She throws her weight forward, and, to her surprise, he lets her go. She stumbles forward having to put a hand on the ground to steady herself. She rushes for the door. Just before she makes it, he seems to materialize before her. His nose was bleeding, and she could have sworn that she saw a livid look on his face. It disappears just as quickly, so she's not sure that she even seen it.
"Now, now. That's wasn't very nice. Maybe we need a lesson in manners?" He playfully lectures. Mai immediately reels back. This would be the last time she ever let Yui lead the way. He leans back against the door with his arms crossed. His green eyes never leave her body. The warning bell rings, making her heart sink. The music room likely wouldn't be used today, especially if what Yui said was true. She felt like it should bother her that she had been there longer than Yui, but Yui seemed to know more about the more social aspect of school. She found that it didn't though. She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved that Laito wasn't lunging after her or more afraid at the fact that he was staring at her so intently. He suddenly claps his hands, making her jump. "Let's play a game!"
"No," she bluntly answers.
"I see. You just want to make out. That's why you came here. Oh, you are such dirty girl! Don't worry I will oblige your every desire." He sounded much too cheerful. He begins to stalk toward her. He makes a show out of looking up and down her body. She makes sure to keep as much distance between them as possible, though it was difficult to do in a room with various musical instruments.
"You are a freak. Who would want to even touch you?"
He casually runs his fingers around the front rim of his fedora. He proudly says, "Oh, plenty of girls. Are you jealous?"
Mai doesn't mean to, but she makes a soft scoffing sound. Her eyes drift to the door then back to him. He had moved quite a distance away while he'd been talking. Maybe if she could keep him talking, she could get to it before he noticed. She focuses all of her attention on Laito, though she was casually trying to inch her way toward the door. "Why would I be jealous if you were with other girls?"
He gives her a mock hurt look. He softly clicks his tongue. "Now, now. Don't be so hostile. I have enough love to go around."
The thought makes Mai flinch. She couldn't believe he would so openly admit something like that. It made him sound like such a whore. She opens her mouth to retort when he says, "You won't escape from here. Not without playing my game first."
Mai feels irritation spreading throughout her body. There was no way that she wanted to play his game. Still, it might distract him if she pretended to go along with it. Slowly, she releases a sigh and says. "Fine. What kind of game is it?"
He gives her another flirtatious smile. "It's simple. I'll ask a question about myself, and you'll answer. If you answer wrong, you give me a piece of your clothing, then it's your turn. Same rule applies to me."
Disgust overwhelms Mai's irritation. "Hell no!"
He lets out an amused laugh. He lifts a finger to the side of his mouth with a thoughtful look. "We could just talk, but that isn't any fun."
Mai stubbornly shakes her head. She wasn't his friend, so there was no way that she was just going to casually talk to him. His vivid green eyes light up for a moment. Her entire body tenses, which seems to amuse him. Silence settles over the two of them. Mai's mind races for a moment. She could run for the door, but he made it already apparent that he knew she was planning to do that. She would need to inch her way over, and, to do that, she would have to distract him more. She didn't think playing his game would be a good idea. She observes him for a moment. He was casually playing with the rim of his hat while watching her.
"Ok, we can talk."
He releases a chuckle and starts to shake his head. "No way, sweetheart. You missed that chance. It's the game now, or something more… physical."
She flinches and releases a sigh. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, but she tried to keep herself from panicking. She didn't see anyway out other than playing his stupid game. There was no way she was going to let him touch her again. She levels a glare at him. "I'll play your game, but I won't take off my clothes, and there will be a limit to how many questions are asked. Once we are done, you'll let me out."
A mock look of disappointment settles over his face. He tilts his head, and a thoughtful look overtakes his face. For a heart stopping minute, Mai thinks he's going to decline her modifications to his game, but he levels a chilling smile at her. "I'll be kind and give you a choice!"
Dread fills her body. She had a feeling that she wasn't going to like any choice he gave her. He playfully runs his fingers along the rim of his fedora, putting a show into thinking it over carefully. Mai flinches. She was positive that he had already decided what the choices were going to be. He was just trying to torment her by letting her imagine what he was thinking. He finally casts a smug look her way. He steps between her and the door. She just watches him silently. She still had her pepper spray if he tried to get too touchy. She had made the mistake of leaving it out of reach once. She wouldn't do that again. She even slept with it within reach.
That thought reminded her that he still had her pocket knife. He holds up three fingers. They drop away as he names off her choices. "Choice one is if you get the answer wrong, you have to take off a piece of clothing. Choice two is if you get the answer wrong I get to kiss you on any part of your body, without you struggling against me."
Her stomach was feeling heavier and heavier with each passing choice. She slips her hand into her pocket to grip the pepper spray. His eyes glow with an eerie light that sends a chill down her spine. She watches with slight horror as the tip of his tongue sticks out to wet his lips. She tries her hardest to push the terror away. It would just cloud her judgement like last time, and that hadn't ended well. He continues on. "Choice three is we do a point system. No touching. The winner is the one with the most points! If you answer wrong, I get a point. If I answer wrong, you get a point. A correct answer rewards the person a point too. Simple, right?"
She couldn't help but feel like he was baiting her to take that one. Her hand grips the pepper spray tighter. "What does the winner get?"
He tilts his head. His eyes narrow playfully. He lifts a finger to his lips, giving her a suggestive wink as he presses his finger to his lips. "That's a secret. I promise it won't hurt though."
His voice had dropped to a huskier sound. Mai feels a chill run down her spine. She was certain that the last option wouldn't be pain free for her. Her mind races. She was frantically trying to find the hidden meaning in his words, but she could only pull up a blank. It was starting to frustrate her. He begins to stalk toward her. She stubbornly holds her ground. She wasn't about to retreat and give him the satisfaction of knowing that he did in fact intimidate her after their last encounter. Besides, she found it foolish to back herself up into a wall and offer herself up to his mercy. He says in a husky voice. "Aren't I just being so nice to you? So what's it going to be, sweetheart?"
She could feel dread threatening to overwhelm her. She couldn't make a rash choice, and she was sure that he was trying to make her do just that. He was closing in on her faster than she wanted him too. Frantically, she says. "Don't call me 'sweetheart'. It's rude. I have a name. It's Mai, and I'd like you to use it."
He chuckles deep in his throat. Mai barely represses the urge to flinch back. He coos softly. "I like the name sweetheart though. It fits you."
She gives him the coldest look she could manage at the moment. It felt like she had distracted him, so she just continues on. "How do you figure?"
He makes an arrogant chuckle. He says playfully. "It's a generic name, just like you."
She feels her jaw drop. Did he just insult her? She instantly feels stupid for wondering that. She levels a glare at him and says as cold as she can. "Well, if I am so generic, why are you trying so hard to torment me?"
He clicks his tongue softly. He had stopped just out of reach. She felt immensely grateful for that fact. She doesn't give him a chance to answer. She tries to add a mocking edge to her voice when she says, "is your answer going to be: 'because you are friends with Yui'?"
He stares at her silently for a moment and then leans his head back to laugh. It looked like true laughter. Worry fills Mai's chest. She realized that she was never sure how much of his actions were genuine and how much was an act. He levels a frighteningly amused look at her. He quietly says. "Oh, how adorable. You think you are so smart, don't you?"
She tries to hold back a snarl. She had never felt so offended in her life. He clearly notices, but he just seems to enjoy it even more. She tries to keep her anger in check when she says. "This is the cliche part where you tell me I know too much to even stop being friends with her, so I'm screwed either way right?"
He raises his eyebrows in clear amusement. "My, my."
She almost takes a threatening step toward him, but she halts her movements. There was no way that she was going to get closer to him than she needed to. She could feel her anger boiling beneath her skin. She just needed to get as far away from him as possible and stay away. Dropping out was looking better and better to her, regardless of the consequences. His voice is low, like he is talking to a child. "Who would believe the poor, crazy girl? You'd be put into an insane asylum if you went around telling people vampires were real, and that the big, bad vampires were the sons of a famous politician. You have no cards to play, but you are right about it not mattering if you are friends with Little Bitch or not. It won't matter if you stop being friends with her. I actually strongly advise you do, but it won't matter. You see, sweetheart, you are such a feisty little thing. It's been awhile since I've had a plaything like you. I'll enjoy breaking you until you beg me for more."
A cold sweat had broken out all over Mai's body. She wanted to be able to retort, but she found herself frozen for a few minutes. It felt like everything in her body had stopped working. Finally, she swallows hard and puts as much strength as she can into saying, "I'm not your toy, you sick bastard."
He makes a clicking noise with his tongue. "That's not very lady-like."
She takes an involuntary step back, but he hadn't moved an inch. He was still just out of reach. She wanted to spray him in the face and run like she's done before. Nothing was stopping her other than her own stupid fear. Just as gathers the courage to do so, he starts talking again.
"It's no fun if you break too easily, so don't worry. I'll take my time breaking you thoroughly. Now, which of the three choices is it going to be?"
