FMVampire Lover: haha I'm glad that's your favorite quote! XD I love using it. (: Your idea of having her search the internet was a great idea! :D I'm not quite through with it yet. :p hope you don't mind! :D I hope you like this chapter!
Seasons-in-DL: I hope that you like this chapter! :D Thank you for reviewing!
So, this chapter turned out way longer than I had originally intended. :/ It just took a life of its' own, and I found it hard to find a good place to stop. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it!
She had talked to her parents before they left about Laito's threat, and they had agreed to let her remain home while they figured something out. They would periodically call her to let her know that they were ok. It was nearing the end of the week, and, thankfully, only Yui had dropped by. In fact, Yui had stopped Mai's house for an hour or two every day. The two had enjoyed themselves doing various, normal human things like watching movies and gossiping about fellow students. Mai was finally starting to relax. Nothing had happened to her or her parents, which came as a huge relief. She was finally starting to sleep good again.
It was Friday and closing in on eight a.m. in the morning. Yui still hadn't shown up. Mai had said bye to her parents about an hour ago and was now stuck sitting alone. She was trying to fight the disappointment that was threatening to overtake her. Netflix didn't seem to have anything remotely interesting on it. She settles for just turning the tv off. She'd find a book to read instead. She hears a knock on the door and quickly jumps up. She still cautiously stared out the window for a few minutes before she would cautiously open the door. Yui smiles at her tiredly.
"I can't stay long. I had to give Ayato the slip." Her face was frighteningly pale. Mai opens the door all the way and gestures for Yui to enter, but her friend just tiredly shakes her head. "If Ayato shows up, he won't just kindly open the door. He's….."
"Yui, you need to sit down. You look like you are about to collapse!" Mai hates the desperation in her own voice. Yui stubbornly shakes her head. She gives Mai a frightened look that sets Mai's nerves on edge.
"Are your parents home?" Yui asks, sounding slightly frantic. Mai slowly shakes her head. Her heart was starting to beat wildly. She had gotten a new phone already, and she had told her parents most of what had happened with Laito. She was too embarrassed to tell them about the park though. Yui looks relieved for a moment, before she looks frantic all over again. "Mai, you have got to be careful! They aren't… Just….. You have to be careful. Laito is…"
She closes her eyes, and Mai reaches out again, in case she were to tip over. Luckily, she doesn't collapse. "I have to go. Please just… Be careful. You should try to get a hold of your parents and ask them to come home. I think he's planning to do something to you. He's been… so quiet."
She turns and starts to walk away. Mai stares at her back, completely dumbfounded. She takes a step out and calls out for Yui, but she doesn't look back. Instead, she seems to pick up her pace. Mai's heart is racing when she returns and locks the door to her house. She would have to go around the house and lock all of the windows. She pulls out her new phone to call her parents. Her hand reaches out to grab the bat she now kept by the door when her parents left.
Her phone rings and rings before going to voicemail for both of her parents. She closes her eyes, trying to tell herself that they had only been at work for an hour. There was no way they could check their phones that soon. Mai jumps when she hears a slight banging upstairs. Her eyes raise and remain locked with the ceiling in the direction of the banging, but she doesn't move from the door. Her heart stops with every single bang, then races with each wave of adrenaline. She presses against the door even harder. All of a sudden, everything goes eerily quiet. She swallows hard. She had to get out of the house. Nothing good happened when things got quiet, and there was no way in hell she was going to go investigate. Slowly, she opens the door. She was trying to be silent, so she didn't alert whatever was making the noise to her presence. She'd leave until her parents got off work. She could window shop until then.
She manages to slip out just as the banging starts up again. She quietly shuts the door before she uses her keys to lock the door knob and the dead bolt. She turns only to jump and let out a scream when Laito's flirtatious smirk seems to appear inches from her face. He straightens up to laugh. "Screaming for me already? I haven't even started yet."
She settles a glare on him and attempts to sidestep him, but he just moves his body until he's in her way once more. She lets out a frustrated sigh. She keeps her glare on him and asks, "What?"
He takes a step toward her, but she stubbornly holds her ground. He tilts his head and reaches up to grab the tip of his fedora. "You still owe me, Sweetheart. I won our game."
"I don't owe you anything," she practically growls at him. She considers glancing back at the door, but she didn't dare take her eyes off of the visible threat for an invisible one trapped behind a door. He simply gives her a playful smirk. She realizes that the sun was actually up, and he was outside. She lets out a slightly disappointed sigh. Her gaze drops to the ground between them. It looked like some of the information was in fact wrong. She flinches when something cold brushes her cheek. She quickly snaps her gaze back up to see him playfully narrowing his eyes. His hand was now pressed against the door next to her head. He leans in close to her. She reaches up to put her hand on his face, but he catches her wrist with a smirk. Without missing a beat, she says, "People will see you know."
"So? Let them watch. It's more fun with an audience anyway."
She can't help but stare at him in stunned silence for a moment. She was hoping that he'd back off if she used the fact that they were clearly in the public's eye. She uses her other arm to push on his chest. "You're sick."
He lets out a low chuckle and keeps his face inches from hers. She resists the urge to turn her face away. The last thing she wanted was him saying that she was offering her neck up for him to bite. He mutters softly. "They will just think we are teenagers in love. Isn't that great?"
"We're not. I don't even like you. You are a pest!" She snaps at him. She knew now from experience that he wouldn't give up even if she was hostile toward him.
"Well, I love you." He has a lustful hint to his words. Mai can't help but roll her eyes. She decides to try something different.
"Please give me my space." She watches his face for any evidence that it was working. Instead of being bewildered like she hoped, he looked even more amused. In fact, he leans a little closer. Mai clenches her teeth tightly, trying to control her panic.
"What do I get from doing as you ask?"
She feels her irritation mounting, almost over taking her panic. Without thinking it through, she snaps. "How about you don't get a knee to your balls?"
He clicks his tongue. "Now, now, sweetheart. That's not how you ask a favor! You say 'oh please, Lord Laito, give me my space'. Come on. Give it a try."
Mai finds herself speechless. The only thing she could do was stare at him. He seemed to be waiting patiently. There was no way that she was ever going to say that, especially not to Laito. She tries to not give any indication of what she was going to do. She slowly moves her leg to knee him between the legs. In doing so, she had moved her body a few inches from the door. A frown flashes over his face. Her heart skips a beat when a cold look enters his eyes. He suddenly shoves his body against hers. His shoulder catches her chin just right, snapping her head back. She is faintly aware of the sickening noise her head makes when it hits the door. She instantly feels sick to her stomach. Her body feels weak, and she involuntarily sags against Laito. She knows that losing consciousness isn't an option, so she fights her hardest to keep her thoughts coherent, but it was getting harder and harder.
She vaguely aware of the fact that she is leaning into him. Her hands are gripping the front of his uniform, and her forehead was resting against his collarbone. His hands were on her hips, seeming to easily support her weight. She was faintly aware of him practically cooing. "Oh, you stupid human. Look what you've done to yourself. Don't worry, though. I've got you."
She closes her eyes and instantly regrets it. She could feel the bile rising up her throat. Her head was throbbing painfully. She feels her body dry heave before she finally throws up. She hears an irritated sigh. She forces her eyes open. The smell was overpowering, and the only thing she could see was her own half digested breakfast and his uniform. She releases a groan. She was about to lose her struggle with consciousness.
She had never been so comfortable. She didn't dare open her eyes to see where she was though. She was worried that if she did open her eyes she'd feel sick again. She could clearly remember had happened that morning, and her head was aching horribly. She decides to take a chance and roll onto her side, but the simple movement causes the pain to erupt throughout her skull. She sucks in a breath, trying to fight the nausea. She feels a hand touch her and involuntarily flinches away. Her eyes snap open. She presses a hand to mouth to keep from throwing up. She was in a place she didn't recognize. It had an overwhelming amount of pink and purple. Aside from the pink, the first thing she sees is Yui's worried face. She leans closer Mai, who relaxes back against the bed.
Despite being so pink, the bed was insanely huge compared to her full sized bed. It was also the most comfortable bed Mai ever had the pleasure of sitting on. It felt like she was lying on a bed of feathers. It almost lulls her back to sleep. Yui seems intent on keeping her awake though. "Hey, you need to take something to help with your pain."
Mai flinches. It felt like Yui had basically yelled right in her ear. Yui gives her an apologetic look, but she insistently holds out a glass of water and some sort of medicine. Mai eyes it warily. It wasn't that she didn't trust Yui, she just had no idea where she was. It didn't feel right to take whatever medicine was offered to her. Yui simply moves her hands closer to Mai. She mutters softly. "It's just aspirin."
Mai could see a slightly hurt look on her face, so she reluctantly takes the medicine. She manages to somehow finish the water. That's when she realizes that her hair was slightly damp and her clothes had changed. Instead of a pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt, she was in loose, black shorts and a loose, cream colored tank top. She sits up abruptly. Panic wells up in her chest. The last thing she remembered was Laito's voice promising that he had her. The thought of him bathing and changing her made her shudder. She wraps her arms around her body feeling incredibly violated.
The whole room spins violently, causing her to sway. She somehow manages to stay sat up. She mutters softly. "What… happened?"
Yui tries to gently push her backward, but Mai resists. Yui finally gives up. Her voice is really low when she says, "well, Laito brought you home. All he said was that you had hit the back of your head hard. You were both covered in…. Well….. It looked like you had vomited on him."
Despite the situation, both girls end up snickering about that detail. Laughing makes her head throb, so hers is short lived. Yui continues once hers has died down. "Well, luckily Reiji was there. He called for a doctor to come look at you. It looked like Laito was going to cart you off to his room, but I managed to get the doctor to bring you here. We ended up having to bath you. Don't worry though. I was there to make sure nothing happened."
Mai didn't have the heart to tell Yui that her statement didn't make her feel any better. Her skin still felt like it was crawling. Who knew what Laito had done to her after she had passed out. Besides, she had never seen this doctor, but he had seen more of her than anyone had a right to. She swallows hard and manages to hoarsely ask. "I.. um…. Why didn't I get taken to the hospital? What about my parents? Do they know where I am?"
Yui flinches. She slowly shrugs and says, "I'm not sure, but the doctor said that you'd be ok. You probably have a concussion. I called your parents and told them that you were at a friend's house. I didn't get to talk to them long. I'm sorry."
"Yui, I want to go home." Mai says softly. She wanted to believe that her parents were ok because Yui had talked to them, but it wasn't the same as talking to them herself. She reluctantly pushes the worry out of her mind. She had enough to worry about right now. It would just cause her problems to focus on that. Yui didn't have a reason to lie to her, after all.
"Ok. But first, I think you should eat something," Yui says gently. Mai starts to shake her head, but it sends a wave of nausea crashing over her. She leans forward. She honestly didn't think that she could stomach anything, and Laito was much closer than she was comfortable with him being. She grits her teeth. How had he gotten what he wanted?
It takes a while, but the aspirin finally starts working. She's able to stand on her own and walk around Yui's room, which she found overly huge. It had a balcony and a fireplace. In fact, she was sure that half of her house could fit inside that single room. The pain was still bouncing off her skull, but she hadn't felt any cuts or anything when she had reached back there to gently probe at the sore spot. Yui hadn't approved of Mai doing it, and she had continuously asked Mai not to harm herself further. Finally, Mai gives into Yui's harassment and promises to eat. She follows her out into a lavishly decorated hallway. A creepy feeling settles over her body. She felt like she was being watch, but it didn't matter where she glanced, she couldn't see anything.
Whatever was watching her could probably see her slowly turning her head, since it still made her sick to move too quickly. They seem to pass door after door. They finally arrive at a large staircase that wraps around into what appears to be a living room. It was just as lavishly decorated with fancy, antique looking couches. From her vantage point, she could see Shuu laying on his back on one of the couches. He was wearing a blue sweater instead of the school uniform, but his pants were dark. His arm was laid across his face, hiding it from view. Her body stiffens, despite the fact that she had never actually talked to him. He hadn't done anything to her, but it didn't mean that he wouldn't. She feels Yui touch her forearm.
She jumps at the touch and turns her attention to her friend, who gives her a small smile. Mai glances back to see that Shuu hadn't moved an inch. She decided that she would just stay away from him. She tries to remain silent while she walks down the stairs with Yui. It wouldn't be good to make a bunch of noise and alert him to her presence, though she was sure that he was already aware that she was in the house. She mentally berates herself for falling into such a stupid trap. She should have just gone back into her house to face whatever was making that banging noise.
Thankfully, they don't meet anyone else on their way to the kitchen. Slowly, she can smell something absolutely delicious. Despite feeling nauseous, her mouth waters, and her stomach growls. Yui's footsteps slow, which causes Mai to feel panic swelling. Yui gives her a nervous smile. "It's not the right time of month for the family dinner, so I don't know why he is cooking."
Mai slows to a stop. Yui takes a few more steps before she finally stops. She looks back at Mai curiously. Mai was trying to figure everything out. "What do you mean by family dinners?"
Yui offers her a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Once a month, the brothers gather together to eat dinner. It's required by their father."
Mai instantly feels bad for Yui. "Do you….?"
Yui nods. Mai's imagination runs wild with this information. Despite her knowing that it probably wasn't possible, she couldn't help but think that Yui was probably the 'meal' that they ate at dinner. It was more likely that it was some other poor innocent soul. "That sounds…. Horrible."
Yui flinches, which just further cements Mai's ideas in her mind. She tries to sound optimistic "It's not all bad. Reiji is actually a very good cook."
Mai flinches once more. That just made her thoughts worse. It was obviously some poor soul that was cooked for dinner. "That's…. Like…."
How was she supposed to ask Yui if she was a cannibal without insulting her? The mouthwatering smell wasn't so appetizing now. Yui seems to misunderstand why Mai is looking sick to her stomach. She reaches out to put a hand to Mai's forehead. Mai barely manages to not flinch away. She offers Yui a strained smile. "They don't like… I know that vampires drink blood, but they don't…. I mean I've seen Kanato and Laito eat food, but….."
Yui's eyes furrow for a moment. "They can eat normal human food. They just need blood to survive."
Relief rushes over Mai. "So, they eat like normal human food?"
Yui slowly nods, still regarding Mai curiously. "What did you think I meant?"
"Well….. I thought…." She couldn't find the words. She finally just lifts her hand as if to wave Yui's question away. "What I thought isn't important. I think I'll try eating now, so I can go home. This place is creepy."
Yui stands there for a moment, and Mai is worried that she will ask again. Thankfully, she doesn't; she just continues to lead the way to the kitchen. The closer they get, the better the air seems to smell. Yui finally stops and pokes her head around the corner. Mai feels warning bells going off. She slowly steps up to peek around Yui and the corner. The kitchen was huge, and the delicious smell of roasting meat mixes pleasantly with a variety of other smells. She could see a male moving with unnatural grace. Every single one of his movements looked natural and practiced. He had what looked like black hair. It wasn't overly long, but it wasn't short either. He was wearing what appeared to be a grey suit without the actual jacket. She couldn't figure out why he would cook in such nice clothes, though, from what she could see of the pots, everything look absurdly clean for someone who was cooking.
Yui pulls back, which prompts Mai to do the same thing. Yui whispers. "That's Reiji."
Mai peeks once more before she moves away from the corner. She found herself liking Reiji. It seemed like he was so much smarter than Laito, since he at least had the sense to call a doctor to have her head checked out. That was automatic points in her book, even though he was related to Laito. Something had been bothering her for a while. None of the brothers, aside from Laito and Ayato, looked very much alike. She pushes the thought from her mind. She didn't plan to spend much time around the Sakamakis, so she figured that she didn't need to know.
"It's rude to lurk."
Yui and Mai jump at the sound of the cold voice. It sounded familiar to Mai. It takes a moment to remember it, due to the pain still muddling her thoughts. It was the person who saved her from Laito when he was trying to shove her into the limo. Yui sheepishly steps around into the kitchen. Mai quickly follows suit. The dark haired vampire didn't turn around to even acknowledge them for a moment. When he finally turns, he is holding two plates. Mai's mouth waters at the sight of steak, glazed carrots, and a few other things that her eyes had simply glazed over the top of. The steak held most of her attention.
He doesn't say a word. Instead, he leads the way to a different room. It was just as big as all the other rooms that she had seen. It had a large, uncomfortable looking dining table set in the very center of the room. He sets the plates down across from each other. They were towards the middle of the table. Mai slowly makes her way toward the food.
"Thank you f-"
"You are not going to introduce yourself?" Reiji coldly asks. Mai jerks and turns her attention toward him. He was frowning coldly at her. It startles her to see that he has red eyes and glasses. She briefly wonders if he had bad eyesight. She licks her lips.
"Oh, sorry. My name is Mai. Thank you for calling for the doctor. Also, thank you for the food." His frown doesn't disappear, causing Mai to worry if she had said something wrong.
"Your thanks is not required. I was doing nothing more than what would be expected of this household. You are a guest here."
Mai opens her mouth, completely stunned by how cold he sounded. She stupidly says. "Oh."
He makes a scoffing sound. He gives her a slight bow and says. "You are welcome to remain in the Sakamaki house until the doctor releases you to return home."
Panic settles in the pit of her stomach at the thought of staying past the meal. She slowly starts to shake her head. "Oh, no. I can't stay. I plan to leave after eating."
His red gaze locks onto her, making her feel incredibly small. She has to remind herself not to cower down. She decided that Reiji was probably the scariest one she had met so far. His voice doesn't change, but she couldn't help but feel stupid when he says. "It is very rude to eat and leave immediately after, especially after we have expended money on your account and provided you with food without asking for anything in return."
"It was Laito's fault." She mutters under her breath. She flinches when she hears a sigh come from him.
"You certainly are mannerless. No wonder the two of you are friends. Despicable that we went to the trouble to help you."
She can only stare at him. She had no idea what to say to that. His cold, red eyes never leave hers. It was like he was daring her continue to defy him. She could almost see the family resemblance between him and Laito now. They were both cold, rude, and had a better than thou attitude. She licks her lips again. "My parents will be worried."
"Your parents have already been informed of your whereabouts."
That seems like news to Yui. She sucks in a surprised breath. Mai doesn't glance her way though. She remains focused on Reiji.
"And they are ok with it?" Mai couldn't believe that her parents would just let her stay at a stranger's house after everything that had happened recently.
"It doesn't matter whether they approve or not. The doctor said that you needed rest."
He bows, turns and leaves without waiting for another response. Mai lets out a soft breath of disbelief. She glances at Yui, who offers a small, sad smile. Frustration builds in Mai's chest, and she says, "I'm not staying here!"
Yui flinches. "Let's at least eat a little bit. The last thing you want to do is upset Reiji by not eating his food. I don't think he's very happy with you, anyway."
"Well, he can go…" She stops her rant when she sees the pleading look on Yui's face. Her eyes move to look at the food. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to eat a little bit. The food did look and smell delicious. Her stomach growls again. She cautiously asks. "Do you think it's poisoned?"
Yui lets out a sad chuckle and moves to sit down. She immediately starts eating. With a sigh, Mai joins her.
It was even better than it looked. In fact, it was the best food that Mai had ever eaten. It surprised her that a vampire knew how to cook so good. She ends up eating it all. Yui laughs at how eager about the food that Mai had become. "I told you that he cooked good."
Mai casts her a playful glare. She sits back in the uncomfortable chair. "Oh my god, if he had a better attitude, he'd be the perfect man. He's not bad looking, and he can cook."
Yui has to stifle a laugh behind her hand. Mai lets out a chuckle. It surprisingly felt good to eat, and it felt like her nausea was slowly ebbing away. The pain was still there, and she couldn't make fast movements. Yui says, "he doesn't cook everyday."
Mai groans. "I'd pay top dollar to eat his cooking every day."
"Ahhhhh, are you trying to make me jealous, sweetheart?"
Mai's good mood drops immediately, and she leaps to her feet. Laito had seemed to appear in the chair next to her. He was propping his chin up with his hand. He gives her a flirtatious smirk. This was the first time that she hadn't seen him in his school uniform. He was wearing a striped shirt with a blue hoodie. He still had his hat on. Mai backs up so that her chair is between herself and Laito. Her head gives a painful throb at all the movements she was doing. The food sits heavy for a moment, but it finally settles. She wants to yell at him, or do anything really, but she finds herself simple staring at him in silent anger.
"Ah, don't look at me like that. I helped you." He playfully says.
"You caused it," Mai says softly. She tried to put as much anger in her words as she could. He gives her a feigned look of shock which is followed by a hurt look. Her stomach twists in disgust.
"I would never hurt someone I loved," Laito says. His voice had a hurt edge to it, but Mai wasn't going to let him fool her. She knew that he wasn't hurt at all. This was just a game to him. She decides to not answer; she settles for glaring instead. He lets out a sigh. "And here you threw up on me. I thought that brought us closer."
"That's disgusting." Mai seeths. She was clenching her fists so hard that she could feel her nails digging into the skin of her palms. He gives her a playful smirk. He turns his gaze toward Yui, who flinches. Mai's heart skips a beat. He wouldn't hurt Yui, would he? A distrubing thought suddenly occurs to her. He hadn't hurt Yui before, had he? It made her feel sick. She had known where Yui was staying, but it was different to see the very house she shared with six boys. She glances at Yui, who was poking at her food. Had she been hurt in more ways than what was visible? There was so much that they could do to her without adult supervision.
She feels herself being watched and turns her furious gaze back on Laito. She wouldn't put it past him to hurt Yui. He gives her a suggestive smirk. It was like he knew what she was thinking.
"You know it gets awful lonely here with just men to hang around with," Laito says. His voice is full of suggestion. Mai reaches out to steady herself on the table. She turns her attention to Yui, who gives Mai a nervous look. This was all too much. Feigned concern fills Laito's voice. "Sweetheart, you look like you are going to be sick."
Yui abruptly stands up and starts around the table. "Mai, do you want to go lay down?"
Mai desperately shakes her head. Bile raises in her throat at the action. She tries to settle a glare on Laito, but he was watching her with a smug look on his face. A jolt of fear runs through her body. It was like he was getting exactly what he wanted. She didn't want to lay down in their house at all. She didn't feel safe. This was his territory. She had no idea of the lay out, or even how to leave. The place was overly large from what she could tell. She feels Yui's hands coming out to seize her arm. She wants nothing more than to shake her off, but she refrains from doing so. Yui was her only friend in this place. "I want to go home, Yui."
Laito makes a humming noise in the back of his throat. A cruel smile had taken over his face. His eyes never once leave Mai.
Yui gives her an understanding look. She nods. "Come on, Mai. You need to go lay down. I'll use the phone in the foyer to call you a cab."
"You mean the phone that doesn't work?" Laito says. He was feigning an uninterested tone. Mai can only stare at him. Her head gives a painful throb. She would use her phone to call her parents.
With a cold feeling, she realizes that she had no idea where the house was located. She could feel Yui stepping closer to her. Mai found comfort in the heat that Yui produced. It struck her hard that she now understood why Yui didn't seem to want her to leave. She'd be alone with these boys all over again. She'd be at their mercy. She almost glances in Yui's direction, but Laito was moving, so she remains focused on him.
His eyes seem to glow for a moment. He opens his mouth a little, showing her the tips of his fangs when he makes a show of exhaling. A shiver runs down her spine. He gives her a cruelly playful smile. She couldn't tear her eyes from his. She whispers softly. "Hey, Yui. Can you walk me home?"
Laito doesn't give Yui a chance to say anything. "You know, Ayato's a possessive person. I'm not sure why he's tolerated you as long as he has. Normally, he'd have already run off any friends the bride could make."
Mai flinches. She had heard that term before, but she hadn't thought to ask Yui about it. Honestly, she had forgotten about it. "What do you mean by bride?"
He chuckles and gives Mai a wink. "Oh, it appears I said too much. The rest is a secret. Right, Little Bitch?"
Mai could feel Yui twitch against her. It made her feel sick all over again. Something was very wrong with what was happening in the house. She could just feel it. She presses back against Yui, trying to silently tell her to move, but the girl stubbornly just leans into Mai. Maybe she had misread Mai's silent gesture. Laito's voice is low and playful when he says. "You aren't a bride though, so I'd be a little more careful around the house, Sweetheart. Only Reiji will treat you with hospitality, and even he will only extend it so far."
A numb feeling spreads over her body. This was why she hadn't wanted to go to his house. It was too dangerous to be there. She feels a tug on her arm. She turns her attention to Yui, who mutters. "I think you should go lay down."
Mai can't find it in herself to argue. She just numbly nods and allows Yui to quickly pull her from the dining room. Laito's eerie chuckle echos after them. She notices that Shuu was watching them when they pass through the living room, but it doesn't register in her mind. She just kept playing Laito's words over and over. Mai turns her attention to trying her hardest to figure a way out of this situation, but her thoughts turned to Yui. She hadn't seen anything strange about the girl, but the harder she thought, the more she realized that the girl had slowly started to lose her actual smile. She hadn't been as happy as she had been when Mai had first met her. Guilt swims over Mai, though she didn't think she could do anything to actually help Yui. They somehow make it back to her room. Mai numbly walks over to sit down on the bed. She stares at her feet. "I'm sorry."
Yui silently sits next to Mai. She slowly starts to shake her head and cheerfully says, "It's not that bad here. I get to eat good food, and the room is huge."
Mai flinches. That sounded so forced now that she thought about it. "Yui, you can come to my house. It'll be so much better and…"
She had looked up to see Yui shaking her head. She doesn't get a chance to ask why. Yui turns her attention to her hands that are balled in her lap. "I actually only really interact with Ayato. He chases Laito off, and I don't think the others are really interested in dealing with him."
"Yui, this…. This isn't normal. Ayato isn't protecting you!"
Yui just seems to ignore Mai. "I miss my dad, but he's busy, so I have to stay strong."
Mai can only stare at Yui. She felt so bad for her. "Yui, have they…. Like…."
Yui lifts her gaze off her lap to look at Mai curiously. "Have they what?"
Mai bites her bottom lip lightly. "Ummmm…. Well…"
She considers making a gesture to imply sex, but she didn't think that Yui would catch on to that. She didn't seem to really know a lot of things other than what she was taught in school and her religion. Mai flinches. It must have been a culture shock for Yui to end up in a place like this. Laito was hard enough to deal with on his own. Mai couldn't imagine dealing with all six. Yui claimed that Ayato protected her, but Mai had a sneaking doubt that he didn't do anything of the sort. Yui hops up and turns to smile at Mai. "How about you lay down?"
"I thought I wasn't supposed to sleep if I had a concussion," Mai says softly. She had to get out of here. She had to get home. She'd tell her parents about what was happening with Yui, and she'd see if they could help her get Yui out of the Sakamaki's grip. If they couldn't, Mai would figure something out on her own. Yui gives her a smile.
"Don't worry. I think you will be fine. They say that sleeping heals the body." Mai shakes her head at that statement.
It hadn't been long before the door is abruptly opened. "Hey, breastless, I'm h-"
Mai was sitting in the center of the bed reading a book that Yui had gotten from somewhere. Yui herself was sitting at the desk, working on homework. Ayato gives Mai a suspicious look, but he turns his gaze onto Yui. She gives him a frustrated look. "Can't you come back later? I'm trying to finish my homework."
He scoffs and shuts the door and makes his way toward Yui. He seemed to be ignoring the glare that Mai was giving him. She didn't trust the fact that he had shut the door. It struck her suddenly that it wouldn't matter if it was open or not. There were nothing but teenagers in the large house. There was no adult supervision, so nothing would stop Ayato from doing something to Yui. The thought sent a shiver down Mai's spine. Ayato makes a scoffing sound, which draws Mai's attention back to him.
"Get out," Ayato practically demands. She wasn't sure when he had turned his attention to her, but he was glaring coldly at her. Mai feels her anger spark, but she doesn't get a chance to say anything. Yui had turned around to give both of them a startling glare. She settles her red eyes on Ayato.
"Please be nice to Mai, Ayato. Mai, don't egg him on. I'm trying to study." She turns back to her school work in a fluster. Ayato scoffs once again as he turns his attention Yui. It's silent for a few minutes.
"Why are you bothering with studying? It's not like anything is going to stick inside that air headed brain of yours," Ayato says. Anger fills Mai's chest. It only grows as Yui distractedly replies.
"Yeah, yeah."
Mai glances between the two. Ayato was slowly creeping up on the unsuspecting Yui again. Panic starts to fills Mai's stomach. She wasn't about to watch her friend get bitten. Mai flinches at the thought of the pain she had gone through. She doesn't give herself a chance to think through the consequences of her actions. She simply draws her hand back and aims the book at his head. Unfortunately, her aim is off, so it bounces harmlessly off of his shoulder. Her heart stops when he turns furious green eyes on her. Yui had turned to watch the two of them. Ayato sneers at Mai. "You're a special kind of stupid, aren't you?"
Mai instantly regrets throwing the book at him, but she remains sitting in the center of the bed. She flinches when Ayato lunges at her. She rolls onto her back and aims a kick at him, but his cold hand wraps painfully around her ankle. "I'll teach you not throw things at yours truly!"
"Ayato!" Yui's voice was full of panic, but it didn't seem to faze Ayato's anger. Mai aims a kick with her other leg, but he once again catches her ankle. All she gets as a warning is a sadistic smile. She twists her body just before Ayato jerks on her legs. Her hands attempt to grab the edge of the bed, but all she gets is two fistfulls of plush blanets. She can feel her body slip off the bed and lets out a panicked breath to brace for impact.
She lands with a thump. She wasn't sure if she should be thankful that she landed on her stomach. Luckily, the plush blanket helped to soften her blow, but it still causes her nausea to swell up again. The blankets were half under her, half over her. Warning bells start to ring in her head. Ayato had let go of her ankles mid fall. She thrashes around to try to get the blanket off of her head. She is almost free when she gets a horrible weightless feeling, and everything goes dark.
To her horror, she could hear Ayato laughing. Her body was now crammed inside the blanket. It felt like he carrying her somewhere like one would a garbage bag. Mai wildy tries to strike out at him, but she doesn't feel anything. Her humiliation grows when she hears him saying. "Stay out, trash."
It feels like he's thrown her, so she curls up to try to prevent her head from hitting something again. She feels her body collides something, but the blanket helps to cushion the landing. She hears Yui saying something, but it's cut off by a door slamming. Mai ends up just laying there for a moment before she starts to slowly wiggle her way out. She flinches when the light hits her eyes. It made her feel sick to her stomach. She presses a hand to her mouth. Why had she tried? She knew that she wouldn't have done any good. She reminds herself that she had to help her friend.
She slowly makes her way toward Yui's door, but it doesn't come as a surprise to find it locked. She glances up and down the hallway. It was time for her to leave. Yui wasn't here to prevent her from leaving. She would return home, or maybe go to the police station first, and do her best to get Yui out of this place. She didn't think that it could even be legal to keep Yui here."
She hesitates. She had no idea how to get out of the mansion, but she assumed that making her way to the living room would be the best course of action. Typically, living rooms were close to the exit, right? She'd just be cautious of Shuu, if he was still there.
Laito's words come back to her. Yui had some sort of special relationship, though it didn't save her from being hurt. If she was special, that would mean that Mai would have to be extra careful. It was painfully apparent that being special didn't mean that she was given a free ride. Mai cautiously sticks to the wall and makes her way down the hallway in what she hoped was the direction of the living room. She tried not to jump at every sound, but she pauses every few steps to cast a cautious look around her. Upon coming to any doors, she would try to leap past them as quietly as possible and then hurry away from them. The last thing she wanted was to have one unexpectedly open and drag her in. She had already fallen into enough cliches.
She had finally made it to the living room. She pauses to cast a look back down the long, silent hallway. She had somehow made it without any issues, but halfway down the hallway, she had gotten a creepy feeling. It was like she was being watched. She shudders at the thought of Laito being the one who was watching her. She hadn't been able to find any sign of the silent watcher though. She steps out onto the top of the stairs. Shuu looked like he hadn't moved an inch. Dread fills her stomach. She had been hoping he would have left by now.
Several doors lead off into different directions. She mentally marks off the door she thought Yui had lead her through before. Her eyes turn to inspect the other doors. There were only two other ones, but she didn't know if she wanted to wander aimlessly through the house and run into Laito or, worse yet, Kanato.
"It's the one on the right."
She jumps at the sound of his voice. Her attention turns toward Shuu, but he hadn't moved. She was starting to doubt that he even spoken. She tenses when he finally moves. He had turned his head just enough to reveal a tired, blue eye. His voice is muffled by his arm, but it was so quiet in the living room that she didn't have much problem hearing him. "You wanted to leave."
Despite it not being a question, Mai nods. She didn't want to get her hopes up. The last thing she would do is blindly trust someone in this household. He turns his head back. He releases what sounded like a sigh. "It's the one on the right."
"Why are you helping me?" Mai couldn't help but feel suspicious.
"It's hard to enjoy my music with you standing there staring stupidly at the doors." He practically sighs those words. Mai bites back a comment. If he was truly helping her, she didn't want to upset him. She turns her attention back to the door. It wouldn't hurt to make her way over and peek to see if he was indeed telling the truth. She's careful to keep glancing at him, but he never once moves during her trip.
To her surprise and relief, she finds that he had actually told her the truth. It looked just like most rich mansions in the movies. She could see a large double staircase that moved up to the next level. The room was large and relatively empty looking. It had various doors lining the sides, but she didn't pay much attention to those. Her eyes had caught sight of huge double doors. She had a feeling that they would be just as heavy as they looked. Dread fills her stomach. She turns her attention back to Shuu to find he still hadn't moved. She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or not. In all honesty, she felt even more suspicious of him. It felt like he was pretending to simply lay there, but he would pop up and attack her at any given moment. "How am I supposed to leave? Those doors look heavy."
He doesn't answer for a few minutes. Mai briefly wonders if he had either fallen asleep or was just ignoring her. Just as she gives up and turns to regard the doors again, he says almost so low that she can't hear him. "Not my problem."
Mai can't help but roll her eyes. Still, she held her comment back. He had helped her when he didn't have to. She didn't plan to thank him though. Reiji had coldly rejected her gratitude, and she wasn't about to go through that humiliation again. She quickly steps out of the living room into the foyer. She slowly looks around to make sure it was truly devoid of any vampires. There weren't many places to hide, but she still felt like she was being watched. She slowly makes her way toward the door. She quickly stifles the hope raising her in stomach. This was going too smoothly. Something was bound to happen. Her hand reaches out to touch the cool wooden door. She looks it over thoughtfully. How would she move it?
"Need some help?" She jumps and spins to face him. Her head spins, and she leans back against the door. She's careful to keep her head from touching the door, and she glares up at Laito to see that he was looking down at her with feigned concern. Mai gives him her best glare. Finally, the dizziness seems to settle down.
"I want to go home. I want to talk to my parents."
"Ah, come on! I haven't got to spend any time with you," Laito coos at her. She tenses when he leans toward her. His hand settles beside her head, like he had done earlier. She presses her entire body even harder against the door. Laito's body was lightly pressed to hers. She flinches when she remembers holding onto him just before passing out. He leans down, causing her entire body to feel stiff with fear. He moves his other hand to press against the door. It was just above her hip, so it felt like he was trying to cage her in. She presses her legs tightly together to prevent him from pressing his leg between hers. The second she does, she feels his knee pressing against her lower thighs, only a few inches above her knees. He chuckles softly. She flinches and leans away from his face. She could feel his breath on the skin of her cheek. She tries to wiggle away, but he doesn't even seem to notice. She presses her weight into his arm, hoping to shove it away from her. Her heart was racing, and panic was starting to make it hard to think clearly. She had to get away from him. His voice is low and husky. "Do you need me to kiss your bumps all better? I'm sure that you've got a few new ones. I don't mind. It doesn't matter where. Just show me."
His nose brushes along her jaw. She moves a hand up to try to push his face away. The second her hand nears his face, he moves his head. Before she can react, his teeth sinks into the skin of her hand between her thumb and index finger. Her body jerks in surprise. She pulls on her hand, and pain races up her arm. It reaches all the way up to her shoulder. She sucks in and holds her breath. He moans softly against her hand. His eyes drift closed, and she can see his face twisting in what looks like ecstasy.
His body presses against her a little harder. She feels like she's being crushed between him and the door. Her body still felt paralyzed and numb, but she didn't have the same overwhelming pain that had happened last time. It wasn't a great feeling. If she had to describe it, she say that she was pleasantly numb. He pulls away from her after what feels like hours. He makes a soft humming noise in the back of his throat. The feeling was returning to her body. Her hand starts to throb, which helps to chase the last bit of numbness away. His face is much closer to hers than she is comfortable with. She could see him slowly licking his lips. He was still wearing a look of ecstasy.
"It's not as good as a bride's blood, but it's still good enough. It certainly gets me going," he coos in a husky voice. She tries to stop the shudder from running down her spine. She presses her head back against the door to put some distance between their faces, but it sends a shock of pain through her skull. She ends up leaning as far back as she can without touching it with her head. He lets out another husky chuckle and narrows his eyes a little. Despite the sound of his voice, his eyes seemed oddly clear.
"Stupid, little human. We bite, you know. It might be better not to stick your body parts near our mouths." His eyes glow for a moment. A suggestive look slowly takes over his face. His voice is so low that Mai can barely hear it. "Unless you are wanting to be bitten. Tell me, Sweetheart. If you tell me where, I'll be happy to oblige. Come on, don't be shy. Or do you want me to show you the best places to drink blood from are.."
Her breath catches in her throat. He starts to leans in. She closes her eyes tightly. She had to clear her mind to think of a way to get free of him. She flinches when she feels his tongue touch the corner of her mouth. He slowly drags it across her face before he arrives just before her ear. He pulls away just enough to move, so he can lightly nip the bottom of her ear. It feels like her heart had stopped. She was sure that he was about to bite her again, and she didn't think she could mentally prepare herself fast enough.
"Enough."
The pent up air rushes from her lungs. She silently thanks Reiji for appearing to help her. She feels Laito sigh against her skin. His body straightens, and he looks over his shoulder at his brother. He adds a slightly disappointed undertone to his voice. "Ah, do you want to join?"
"This is not how you treat a guest, Laito," Reiji coldly states. Mai slowly opens her eyes to try to gauge Laito's expression. She was silently cheering Reiji on.
"She's my guest, though." Laito states. He sounded much too cheerful for Mai's liking. She pushes on him. Thankfully, she's able to move him away from her a couple of inches. It felt like she could breath again. He glances at her and winks before he turns his attention back to Reiji.
"Then properly entertain her. If you wish to do such detestable activities, then find a private place to do so. You are dirtying the door."
Mai flinches at those words. She had been hoping that he had been there to at least help her, but it seemed like she had been horribly wrong. Laito lets out a soft whine. "It's no fun in private. The biggest thrill comes from the chance of being caught!"
"Laito." She flinches at the cold, unspoken threat in Reiji's voice, though it clearly doesn't bother Laito. He simply lets out a sigh.
"If you weren't such an unlikable person, you might be able to release that pent up energy once in awhile," Laito states. Reiji's eyes narrow threateningly at his younger brother. Mai feels like she is missing some key point. Laito looks up toward the ceiling with an almost thoughtful look. "Look at Ayato. He's been so much happier since Little Bitch came along. I feel so much better when I manage to get a fun score."
Mai's face starts to burn when she catches on. She felt incredibly slow for not seeing it sooner. Reiji seems to regard his brother with a cold, calculating gaze. His tone is short when he states. "Do not lump me in with you."
Mai considers moving, due to the tension building in the area, but she didn't dare move. She was positive that doing so would alert the two vampires to her presence, especially Laito. His body was still lightly touching hers. She represses a flinch at the thought. Laito lets out a sigh. "When was the last time you let loose?"
"Laito, that is rude to discuss with others, especially in front of a guest." Reiji abruptly turns. "Subaru, enough with your lurking. Take her to the game room until the doctor arrives."
She hears a disembodied growl that sends a chill down her spine. Her shudder draws Laito's vivid green gaze back to her for a moment. An unfamiliar voice snaps. "Why do I have to entertain the pervert's whore?"
Offended, Mai clenches her fists. Without thinking it through, she snaps. "I'm not a whore, and I don't belong to… to…. Him!"
She tried to sound as insulting as she could, but it seemed she failed miserably. Laito was the only one who was paying attention, and he just gives her a suggestive smirk. She manages to scoot a little further away from him. He doesn't try to stop her from ducking under his arm and putting a good foot between the two.
"You seem to have nothing better to do. He's clearly unable to keep himself contained while in the common rooms. We will not tarnish the Sakamaki's reputation. The doctor has been called to check on her again." Reiji disappears into one of the doors. Mai glances toward Laito to see an amused smirk on his face while he stared after Reiji. An unfamiliar silver haired male seems to appear to Mai's right. His crimson eyes are full of fury. His hand lashes out grabbing a careless fistful of Mai's tank top near the collar. Without giving her time to even think, he jerks on her violently. The last thing she hears is Laito saying. "Subaru, I wouldn't do that."
Her world spins around her. She reaches out to grab the first thing she can touch. Her hand touches something soft. She can vaguely see that it's a couch. She scrambles onto it. She didn't know when Subaru had released her, nor did she remember a couch sitting in the foyer. She was positive that she was in a different room, but she didn't know how she had gotten there. She just knew that it had to do with Subaru. Her stomach gives an uncomfortable lurch; she still felt like she was moving. She feels something cold touch the back of her neck and jerks away. She doesn't have time to even look up. She scrambles to her feet, pressing a hand to her mouth. Her eyes flick around the room. She could see various types of games such as a pool table or darts, but she didn't see what she really needed at that moment.
"Hey, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" A rough voice snaps at her. She closes her eyes tightly. She was going to throw up. The room was still violently spinning, and it wasn't showing signs of slowing down. She sways, and she feels her leg bump the couch again. She plops down without a second thought. It looked like she might end up just throwing up where she was. "Hey!"
"I told you not to do that." She recognized that voice. She feels cold hands dragging her roughly up. She stumbles along with Laito. She feels him let go, and she opens her eyes. This was it. There was no holding it back. Thankfully, she's in a bathroom. Her body dry heaves, but she thankfully makes it to the toilet in time. She empties her stomach vaguely aware of the conversation taking place not far from her.
"Humans are pathetic and disgusting."
She hears Laito chuckling. His voice is amused, but Mai couldn't find it in her body to really care. "Yes they are."
She sags against the toilet after flushing it. She crawls to her feet to rinse her mouth out. Another bout of dizziness hits her halfway through, so she returns to kneeling beside the toilet. The cool surface of both the toilet and the tile beneath her butt and legs was helping to steady the dizzy feeling. She closes her eyes again and just sits there. She felt completely gross. She flinches when a foot collides with her thigh. Pain races throughout her leg. She turns her brown glare up at the silver haired boy. She was now coherent enough to really take him in. He still looked older than Kanato, even though Laito had told her he was the youngest. Anger surges through Mai, and she turns her furious gaze to Laito. The anger helped to burn the rest of haziness away. He had lied to her! Thankful her nausea had eased away, she tries to scramble up and confront him, but he claps his hands. Startled, she ends up just staring at him, while he cheerfully says, "Subaru, let's play billiards! Sweetheart can be your opponent."
She settles a glare on Laito, who simply smiles innocently at her. She wanted to punch him in the face, but she flinches at the idea. Just the thought had brought up the memories of him biting her hand. She closes her eyes and tries to say calmly. "I don't know how to play billiards, so no I don't want to play. Besides, I won't ever play another game of yours, you filthy liar."
He seems to just ignore her. "Ok! She can be the prize!"
That simple statement stops her heart. Subaru doesn't seem to miss a beat. "I don't want your whore, pervert."
Mai turns her attention to the silver haired boy. "I'm not a whore, and I-"
"Shut up!" He snarls. His fist collides with the countertop. There is a resounding crack, driving Mai back a few steps. She was thankful that there was so much room in the bathroom. Her eyes lock with the broken countertop. Her heart was racing wildly. What had she gotten herself into?
"Subaru, you know that Reiji is going to be upset that you broke something outside your room again," Laito mockingly lectures. It just earns him a cold look from his brother.
"Don't pretend to be my older brother," He snarls. A smile spreads over Laito's face.
"Come on, Subaru. Do you think you'll lose to a girl? A human at that?"
Subaru scoffs and turns his furious glare on Mai. She involuntarily flinches away from him. She tries to offer him a smile, but it just serves to irritate him further. He turns and stalks out of the bathroom. She casts a glance at Laito, but he wasn't at the door anymore. She could fully understand why Yui behaved the way she did. Mai felt like she was going crazy, and it hadn't even been a whole day.
She considers staying in the bathroom, but she could hear a crashing from the game room. She flinches and decides maybe it was best not to aggravate the seemingly already upset vampire. She glances at the countertop nervously and makes her way out. She only makes it a step out when a cue stick is tossed her way. She scrambles to catch it, but it slips out of her grip. It loudly clatters to the ground. Subaru makes a noise of irritation. She reaches down to quickly scoop it up. Subaru says coldly. "I'm not interested in his whore, so you're playing. We'll do 8-ball. It's easiest for a beginner."
Laito clicks his tongue. "Ah, aren't you sweet? Are you planning to go easy on her, too?"
"Shut up, pervert!" Subaru snaps. Mai's positive that she saw a flash of red coloring his cheeks before he turns his back to grab the balls. She starts to doubt her state of mind. She didn't think it was possible for any of these people to feel humility.
She moves to the table. What was she doing? Why wasn't she running away? Laito was leaning against the table opposite her. He was watching Subaru set up the balls. Mai makes sure to pay attention when Subaru lines up to shoot first. She tries to observe everything in his posture. The sound of the balls hitting makes her head throb painfully. It felt like her medicine was wearing off. Once it's her turn to shoot, she tries to awkwardly mimic Subaru's posture. Her face starts to burn with humiliation when she hears Laito laughing. She straightens up unsure of what she had done wrong. She glances between the two of them. Subaru still looked annoyed, but she thought she saw faint traces of amusement in his eyes. She wasn't sure though. Anger mixes with her humiliation.
"Sweetheart, you are right handed." Laito's voice was grating on her nerves at that moment. She levels a glare at him. She wasn't going to ask him for help. It's silent for a moment. Finally, he starts to stalk around the table. "Subaru's left handed. It's easier to shoot with your dominant hand."
Mai steps away from him when he steps close. She moves the cue between them. She was trying to set the thicker part up so she could use it to hit him between the legs if he came any closer. She figured that would be easier than trying to hit him anywhere else on the body. If he notices, he doesn't give her any indication. Still, she decides to assume that he does. He gives her a playful smile. "I can help you."
"That's cheating. You are good at billiards," Subaru snarls. Laito simply ignores Subaru. Mai slowly shakes her head.
"If I lose, I don't care. I don't want you touching me."
"Looks like not even your whore likes you, pervert," Subaru seems to coldly mock. Mai casts a frustrated glare at Subaru, but she quickly turns her attention back to Laito. He was much too close for comfort, while Subaru was on the opposite side of the table. She figured it was best to not get distracted, regardless what Subaru called her. A livid look flickers over Laito's face, but, like all the times before, it's gone before she can be sure of its' existence. It's replaced by a coldly playful smirk.
"Fine." He had a dangerous undertone. She's a little suspicious that he had moved to sit on a couch not far from the table. She tries to shake off the feeling that something bad was about to happen and turns her attention back to the table. She once again tries to mimic Subaru's posture, only she did it on the opposite side. It still didn't feel right. She aims for the ball, hits, and misses terribly. She hears mocking laughter from Laito, and a scoff of amusement from Subaru.
This was going to be a long game. She desperately hoped that the doctor showed up soon. She'd beg him to take her out of that house. Her and Yui.
She doesn't get a chance to really worry about Yui. A cue stick painfully whacks her on her shoulder. She hisses in pain.
"Pay attention," Subaru snaps.
She gives him a frustrated glare, but she settles her mind on the game the best she could. She was still thinking about what she could tell the doctor to get him to help her. The truth wouldn't work. He was working under the Sakamaki's pay, so she had to consider that as well. She feels a surge of determination. She wasn't about to let Laito beat her down. She would figure out how to get free, and she would rub it in his face.
