Whitney: Hey! Thank you for the review! :D I'm glad to accept any sort of help to improve my writing. (: I'm glad that you took the time to write your thoughts! :D To be honest, I meant to have Mai developing a little better than I have been. . I've gotten a little sidetracked! :/ I had her seem like nothing special so that she had room to grow without stalling prematurely! I have quite a bit of growth planned for her. :D I'm glad to know that you still enjoy the story and have faith in me! :D I hope that you will continue to enjoy it! :D

I got busy over the weekend and didn't get a chance to put the final touches on this chapter until today. (: I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading!


Time feels like it has been flying by. She had spent the first week of her currently Laito free month hoping that Yui would show up, but that hope had slowly started to drift away as the days drifted lazily by without any sign of her friend. She tried to not let it bother her, but she found herself unable to think any positive thoughts, while she could easily imagine the worst case scenario was happening. She tried to use her negative thoughts to help her feel determined to look into the issues at hand. After all, she had plenty of things that she could look into, but she didn't have any sort of motivation. A few days into her free month, her parents had informed her that they had set enough into savings that they would be alright for at least a few months. It came as a relief when her father found a part time job to help with some of the bills. Her mother decided to stay home for the time being to motivate Mai to do online school work. At least, that's what they told Mai. She suspected that her mom stayed, so she could keep a close eye on Mai. Slowly, Mai was adapting to being back in the daylight.

The more she looked back at what had been happening for months; the more it seemed like just a simple nightmare. She hadn't seen the women in white since the last time she had seen Laito. It helped her feel like she could almost forget about it, but she found herself unable to simply ignore Yui. After what had happened with her parent's jobs, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Maybe Yui was in serious trouble due to Mai's interference. She finds herself slowly running fingers over her forearms. She was grateful that the marks had healed without leaving any scars, though she felt like they might have healed a lot quicker than they should have. She quickly pushes that thought out of her head.

Mai leans back against the couch with a sigh. Her mother was in the kitchen humming softly, and the smell of cooked food was drifting throughout the house. Mai's stomach growls loudly. Lately, the portions had been getting smaller and smaller, but Mai wasn't about to complain. The food was still amazingly good, and she at least had food to eat. She glances at the laptop her parents had told her to use for school work. It was only a year old, and they had gotten it for their last job. Mai winces at the thought. She had finished all the homework she had for the day, and she found herself feeling cramped up in the house. The month had slipped by without her truly noticing it, and she had spent most of that time cooped up in her house.

She closes her eyes and lets her head fall back onto the cushion behind her. Maybe she should look into what a 'sacrificial bride' was. She could always look more into the vampire's history. Maybe she will actually find something useful. She flinches at all the ways to kill vampires that she had found before. It had been a broad hurried search. She hadn't looked that deep to see how much was modern fiction and how much was actual fact. The thought caused her to slowly open her eyes to stare up at the ceiling.

Should she look into the Sakamaki lineage first? It would be better if she knew more about the enemy than just the history of their species. Their family tree might be public record since their father was a politician. Usually, they weren't allowed many secrets. At least, she didn't think they were. With a sigh, she pulls herself back up into a sitting position. She stares at the tv screen in front of her. It was playing a romantic comedy that she had forgotten the name of the moment she started it. She had no idea what was going on, since it hadn't been able to hold her interest either. Her eyes watch the main character making a fool of himself with a frown. Her thoughts weren't on what he was doing.

Should she go to see if she can catch Yui before school? She immediately flinches at the thought. That would be asking for trouble. Yui lived with the brothers, so it was only reasonable that she went to school with them. Mai's eyes drift back to the closed laptop sitting only a few feet away on an end table. If they hadn't harassed Mai by now, then maybe they wouldn't bother her if she went to see Yui? Maybe Laito hadn't shown up because he was bored with her? She had actually agreed to be friends with him. That sounded too good to be true. After all, his threat of making her fall for him still hung in the air. She needed to be prepared for the worst case scenario anyway. Slowly, she turns her back to the laptop and closes her eyes once again. She tries to listen to the laughter on the tv and the sound of her mom cooking in the other room, but her thoughts didn't seem to want to quiet down. With a frustrated sigh, she abruptly sits up and snatches the laptop off the end table. She sets it in her lap before opening it and proceeding to boot it back up. It was time that she actually start her search.

After an hour of searching, she had found out things about vampires she hadn't even thought of. There was a lot more history to them than she thought, though she was really only familiar with the more modern vampires. A thrill of excitement rushes through her body at each piece of new information she came across. She found that even if it didn't help her in the long run, it was still interesting to her. She jumps when she feels someone tap her on the shoulder. She looks up to see a tired smile on her dad's face. Her heart suddenly feels heavy. He gently coaxes her into the kitchen, so they can eat as a family. The talk around the table is minimum, and her dad goes straight to bed. Mai's mother looked worried, so Mai gently convinced her to head to bed as well.

She listens to her mother's steps moving slowly up the stairs. Once it sounds like she's made it all the way up, Mai starts to clean up and put the leftover food in tupperware to put in the refrigerator. Once again, her mind wanders to Yui. Mai desperately tries to convince herself that her friend was alright, but she couldn't stop the bad feeling, which been hanging over her for the last few weeks, from taking over. A knock on her front door causes her to jump yet again. She twists her body to face the direction of the door, and every muscle in her body tenses. She had been slowly cleaning, so it was already dark outside. For a hope filled moment, Mai desperately hopes that it's Yui. She tries to crush that hope. It was unlikely that her friend would come to visit after a month. Still, she quickly bolts to the door and reaches out to open it. The moment her hand touches the cool metal door handle, it feels like someone threw ice cold water over her head. She jerks her hand back to her chest. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She had almost made another mistake. What if it was Laito or Kanato? It could even be a dangerous human. She jumps when a soft knock echoes through the door again. Mai reaches down to scoop up the bat that had taken up permanent residence by the door. She quickly goes to the living room to cautiously peek out the window. The street lights help her to see a petite blonde slowly making her way down the stairs. Hope fills Mai's chest at the sight.

She quickly bolts to the door and pulls it open. She couldn't believe her luck! She could finally ask Yui about some of the things that had been floating around her mind. She wouldn't make the mistake of not consulting Yui this time. She planned to include Yui in her plans from now on, and, together, they would be able to defeat Laito and the others. Mai drops the bat beside the door before pulling it open. By that time, Yui had made it halfway across the small yard. Mai quickly says "Yui!"

She flinches at how loud her voice had sounded. She glances over her shoulder to listen for any sound that would come from having alerted her parents. Her mother had a low opinion of Yui, since she blamed Mai's friend for everything that had happened. She breathes a sigh of relief when she doesn't hear her parents moving around, and she turns her attention back to her friend, who was now facing her with a slightly stunned look. Without a second thought, Mai bolts out and lunges at Yui. She wraps the petite blonde up in a tight hug, while Yui awkwardly attempts to hug her back. Mai quickly pulls away and gives her friend an excited smile. "I thought you'd never come!"

Yui gives her a sheepish look. "I had a lot of tests going on at school."

Mai flinches at the thought of tests, but she gestures back toward her house. "Come in! I've still got some dishes and stuff to do. Are you hungry? We just finished eating, but I can warm it back up. It can't be that cold yet."

Yui offers a weak smile, but she shakes her head. "I'm not hungry, but I'd like to be able to talk to you."

Once they make it back inside where it is brighter, Mai tries to discreetly glance over Yui. She couldn't see any visible wounds, but that just made Mai worry more about what the uniform was covering up. Yui flinches at the bright light in the kitchen, but she insists on helping Mai with the dishes and general cleaning. They finish up in silence before Mai gets both of them something to drink. Yui takes a cup of water, while Mai had gotten a soda pop. They settle across the table from each other, and Mai finds herself eager to talk to Yui about future plans. First though, they had to figure out their current situation. She takes a moment to try to decide what to ask first, but Yui seems to want to talk first. She had only let the silence stretch for a few seconds before she says softly. "Thank you for trying to help me. I'm sorry about what happened with your family."

Mai grimaces at both the painful memories and the painful look on Yui's face. Dread builds in Mai's chest. Something bad must have happened to Yui, and it was all Mai's fault for acting without thinking things through. Guilt mixes with the dread, making Mai start to feel sick to her stomach. She needed to think things through to their consequences a lot better than she had been doing. She tries to force the sick feeling away by focusing on her friend's downturned face. Yui's eyes were locked with the table top. She was wearing a frown that sent a jolt of worry through the already horrible mixture of emotions roiling in Mai's stomach, giving it a sour feel. It was then that Mai decided what she wanted to ask first. Her voice comes out a lot weaker than she had intended it to sound, but she manages to ask. "Did Ayato hurt you?"

A sad smile spreads over Yui's face, and her sad crimson eyes lift to meet Mai's worried brown ones. It looked like she was about to start tearing up. Mai grips the soda can tightly, causing it to make a loud noise. The sound seems to spur Yui into talking. "No. Well, I mean, not more than he has done before. He's just been….. Overprotective."

Mai has to resist the urge to roll her eyes at Yui's choice of words. She closes her eyes and lets her head fall down onto her arms on the table. "What has he done?"

It's quiet for so long that Mai slowly opens her eyes and lifts her head to find Yui's face had turned a deep red color. Confused, Mai straightens her posture back up and finds herself only staring at Yui, who wouldn't meet Mai's gaze. Slowly, Mai reaches out to awkwardly pat Yui on the forearm. The girl flinches beneath Mai's touch, so Mai quickly pulls her hand back. Mai softly asks, "Are you….ok?"

Yui's face only seems to go a startlingly deeper red. Worry begins to eat away at Mai's chest and stomach. Had something unspeakable happened to Yui? She watches as Yui's head drops so close to the table that it looked like she was about to hit her forehead off the hard surface. Luckily, she doesn't. Her blonde hair was now covering her face from Mai's view. Mai can only stare at Yui, completely unsure on what she should do. Slowly, she asks. "Yui?"

She can hear Yui muttering something, but Mai can barely hear her. Mai leans a little closer and catches the last few words. "...with me."

"What?" Mai asks softly. Yui flinches like Mai had yelled at her, which makes Mai jerk away completely. Her chair makes a loud scraping noise, which sets her heart racing. "I didn't mean… I'm sorry!"

Mai flinches at how loud her voice sounded. It was like it was echoing off the walls. She sees Yui quickly shaking her head. The blonde finally looks up at Mai and waves her hand. "No, no! It has nothing to do with you."

They both tense when a worried voice calls down the stairs. "Mai?"

Mai gestures for Yui to be quiet, quickly hurries to her feet and rushes to the stairs to look up at her mother. She gives her an awkward smile and says, "Sorry, mom! A friend from school drop by to tell me how things are going."

Mai's eyes were still used to the light from the kitchen, so it made it hard to tell what expression her mother was wearing. She could only hope that her mother was too tired to care that it was Yui. She watches her mother's dark silhouette shift a little. Dread fills Mai's chest. Was her mother going to ask if it was Yui? Her mother finally starts to talk again in a clearly worried tone. "Is it.. Are you ok?"

Mai gives her mother an awkward smile and nods her head. "I'm fine, mom. We will try to be quieter. Sorry."

The dark shape of her mother seems to hesitate leaving. Finally, she hears a soft sigh, and her mother mutters a strained good night. Mai releases a breath she didn't even know that she had been holding. Her mother knew it was Yui, but she hadn't shooed Mai's friend out. Mai was worried about her mother overhearing the conversation that she planned to have with Yui. It wouldn't bode well for the two girls, and she was positive that it would only turn into a huge mess. Mai quickly returns to the kitchen to see that Yui's face was no longer a deep red. Mai sits across the table from Yui and awkwardly tries to smile. Yui doesn't return it, which quickly melts Mai's away. An awkward silence quickly settles between the two of them before Yui suddenly blurts out. "Ayato and I had… had…. You know…"

Mai simply stares at Yui not catching on right away. Yui blushes once again and clears her throat. She was behaving the same way Mai had done when she had told Yui not to sleep with Ayato at school. Understanding comes slowly to Mai. "Oh…. Oh!"

A blush creeps over Mai's face. Mai clears her throat and looks down at her hands, which she was fiddling with her fingers on the table. Another awkward silence settles over the two of them. Mai wasn't sure what she should say after that seemingly huge reveal. That just complicated things beyond what Mai ever imagined happening. Mai tries to fight the feeling of dread from overwhelming her. Finally, she manages to say. "So, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

Yui simply nods, but she doesn't look up at Mai. Mai takes a deep breath and slowly releases it. There was so much that she wanted to ask Yui, but she was worried about time. She glances at the clock on the oven over Yui's shoulder to see that it was close to when school would be starting. She turns her attention back to Yui and says the first thing that she can think of. "Since you've been with them, have you seen…. Weird things?"

Yui's eyes snap up to meet with Mai. Her eyes were wide and hopeful. Yui suddenly leaps to her feet. Mai flinches at the loud scraping noise the chair makes. "You've seen the woman in the purple dress, too?"

Mai's heart starts to sink. That wasn't the answer that she had been hoping for. Mai slowly shakes her head. Yui's face flushes a light pink color. She sinks back into the chair and hangs her head once again. Guilt fills Mai's chest at the look of complete despair on Yui's face. She hears Yui softly ask, "am I going crazy, Mai? That woman isn't actually there. She disappears moments after I look at her. No one but I can see her. I don't think she's an angel or anything either. I'm afraid to ask Ayato about her."

Sympathy for Yui fills Mai's chest. She knew how Yui felt right then. Mai softly describes the women in white that she had seen. It seemed like the more she told Yui about the woment; the more the girl looked relieved that she wasn't the only one seeing things. Mai carefully describes what she can remember of the women she had seen. Finally, she ends with. "Have you heard anything about something like this?"

Yui shakes her head. Mai resists the urge to sigh yet again. She had been doing a lot of that already. She had been hanging so much on Yui knowing something. Still, there were other things that Mai wanted to know, and she was sure that Yui had the answers to these questions. She settles a look on Yui and takes a deep breath. She felt like she would be able to handle Laito better if she knew about him a bit better. She didn't really believe that Laito had told the truth during their game. She decides to start with something simple, so it didn't look like she was only interested in Laito. "Hey, Yui. I have some questions about the Sakamaki's."

Yui gives her an unsure look, but she nods her head. Mai hesitates for a moment and then proceeds to ask Yui about each of the brothers starting with Ayato.

Her eyes were starting to hurt, and her head felt heavy. Mai's mother had dropped by a few times to check on them. The first time she saw Yui, she had a look of disapproval on her face, but she hadn't said anything. Mai had a feeling that her mother would be lecturing her in the morning. Mai brings her attention back to her friend. It was nearing two a.m., and Mai found it harder and harder to stay awake. In fact, she found it even hard to focus on their conversation. Yui gives her an unsure smile. It had been silent between them for the last few minutes. Mai had learned a lot about the family that she didn't know. Laito hadn't actually lied. Subaru was the youngest. It came as a surprise to Mai that Shuu was the oldest and not Reiji. She didn't know much about the two, and Yui didn't seem to know much about any of the brothers other than Ayato. She had interacted with them, but Ayato seemed to be more possessive than Mai had thought. Yui had explained how the brothers all had poor relationships with each other. It disappointed her that Yui didn't know how to best handle Laito, but she just brushed it off. Yui had helped Mai understand something that had been bothering her for a while. She was told that Ayato, Laito, and Kanato were triplets, like Reiji had mentioned. Yui had explained that they all looked different because there were three different mothers, though she couldn't tell Mai the names of their mothers.

That dropped Mai off to the next point. She gives Yui a serious look. "Yui, do you really want to get away from them? If you do, I think we can come up with a plan to get free of them."

Yui doesn't answer. Her crimson eyes drop back to the table. The longer the silence stretches on, the more Mai's stomach twists painfully. She wanted to tell Yui that this type of relationship wasn't healthy. She wanted to tell Yui that she had to leave as soon as she could, but Mai knew that she couldn't force the blonde to leave. Unintentionally, Mai asks in a soft voice. "Do you love Ayato?"

Yui nods once. Mai releases a slow sigh. She closes her eyes and decides to just continue on with her final question. "What is a sacrificial bride?"

It seems almost like Mai had struck Yui. She flinches hard, which causes Mai to open her eyes. She finds Yui staring intently at the table. It seemed like she found the table more interesting than the conversation. Mai decides to sit patiently and wait for Yui to be ready to tell her what she knew, despite the desperate need to know. Yui finally starts to shake her head. "I don't really know. I'm afraid to ask Ayato. He's called me that a couple of times, so I know it has to do with me."

Mai couldn't shake the feeling that Yui knew more than she was letting on. Worry and sympathy mix in her stomach. The forlorn look on Yui's face was absolutely heartbreaking. Silence settles over them again. Mai finally closes her eyes and says slowly. "I don't know why you'd want to stay. I guess I don't share your feelings toward them."

Yui giggles softly and says. "Has Laito been to visit you lately?"

Mai wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. "Thank god."

She glances at Yui with a sudden thought. Yui had lived with them for quite a while now. She couldn't help but wonder if Yui had figured out the best way to defend herself against them. Mai barely represses the flinch. The thought of Yui trying to defend herself was almost comical. It didn't seem possible that Yui would even try. She quickly asks. "So, does the religious thing really work?"

Yui flinches and shakes her head. She digs around in one of her pockets and pulls out a silver rosary, which she sets on the table. Mai can't stop herself from reaching out to gently pick it up like it was made of glass. "Wow, Yui. This is beautiful!"

She smiles sadly. "My father gave me that."

Mai glances up and back down to the rosary she was cradling in her hands. Yui sounded so sad when she said that. Mai slowly returns it back to Yui, who says. "All it seems to do is irritate Ayato. He said that there are very few things that could hurt him, but he wouldn't tell me what they were."

They lapse back into silence. A bout of tiredness washes over Mai. She tries to repress the yawn, but it manages to escape. She gives Yui a tiredly apologetic smile. "Thank you, Yui. You've given me a lot to think about."

She stands up, but she's startled when Yui reaches across the table to grab a tight grip on Mai's forearm. She says softly. "Wait, about those women. Maybe we can ask Ayato."

Mai grimaces at the thought and shakes her head. "I'd rather not. The last thing I want to hear about is the fact that I'm losing my mind from an asshole."

Yui giggles once again, before she gives Mai a hopeful look. "Well, I do know someone who might answer us."

Hope fills Mai's chest. Yui slowly stands up and casts a glance at the clock then looks back at Mai. "In fact, he might be willing to give us all the answers we want to know right now. I'm sure that he will tell us about the brides! He might even know how to best handle your situation with Laito!"

Mai impatiently stands as well. She shifts her weight back and forth. This was the hope that she had been waiting for. She desperately tells herself it's a teacher. Those hopes are dashed when Yui leans forward and whispers. "Shuu."

Mai couldn't stop the bewildered look from taking over her face. Yui still looked excited. Mai finally releases a sigh and asks softly. "Yui, are you stupid?"

Yui looked offended for a moment, causing Mai to instantly regret her choice of words. Mai waves her hand dismissively and quickly says, "I'm sorry, Yui. I don't see how going to a vampire to ask about his brothers is a good idea."

Yui casts a glare in Mai's direction. "He would know them best, wouldn't he?"

Mai flinches at the offended tone Yui was using with her. She slowly sits back down. "Yui, if it's one thing I've learned from movies, never go with the obvious answer."

"This isn't a movie, Mai."

Mai slowly waves her hand again. "Yui, try to think this through. He may know quite a bit about his brothers, but what does he get from the deal? He'll want something, and I don't plan to feed him my blood like some…. Blood whore."

Yui huffs lightly. She drops back into her chair. She mutters softly. "He is lazy. He won't want anything in return."

Mai has to bite back a chuckle. It looked almost like Yui was pouting, though Mai didn't think she was. She still was desperate to stick to her word about not letting Yui drag her along for the ride. It falls silent for a few minutes before Yui stands up and says. "I'll be going. I've already missed most of school."

Mai leans forward and says with a serious tone. "Don't go see Shuu, Yui. It'll be bad for your health. If you are insistent on asking one of the brothers, why don't you ask Ayato? After all, you already know him, and he's Laito's triplet. He's less likely to lie to you than Shuu would be."

Yui tilts her head a little, then she starts smiling at Mai once more, which came as a relief. She didn't want to lose her only friend.

"Let's meet at the library on Saturday. We'll sit at the long tables on the second floor. I'll tell you what I find out." Yui says softly. Mai nods. A relieved look over takes her friend's face, and Yui simply gives her a wave and lets herself out. Mai releases a groan and cleans up their drinks before she drags herself up the stairs. She had thrown the box of cookies away without eating any of them, and she was grateful that she hadn't gotten any other things from Laito. Still, she dreaded going into her room every single time. She crawls into bed and is asleep before too long.

She knew this had to be a dream. She was walking down the hallway of the school. There were a lot more students than she remembered there being. The strangest thing was their faces were all blurred, and everything was eerily silent. Mai couldn't see if the students mouths were moving or not, but it felt like she was in a room with a muted tv. Every so often, Mai would see a grotesque monster out of the corner of her eye. Instead of disappearing when she turned to look at them, they seemed to be closing in on her. She would quickly back away into the students, only to get carried away by the crowd. It was horrifying to lose sight of the monster, but she didn't know what she could do to keep track of it. The crowd begins to grow thicker and thicker. A strange sense of claustrophobia sets in, making her heart race wildly in her chest. She spins around when she thinks that she hears Yui calling her name. Her heart stops upon seeing her friend slowly limping her way toward Mai. The crowd seems to easily part before her.

She had what appeared to be Mai's pocket knife just low enough that it looked like it might not have gotten the blonde's heart. Her face was bloody, and her hair was matted. Deep cuts lined her entire body, and the foot she was limping on was twisted at a disgusting angle. Mai rushes toward her, but she's hit hard from the side. She feels her feet getting swept out from beneath her, and her body collides painfully hard with the cold, hard floor. Yui's voice sounds like it's getting overlapped with another person's voice.

"Mai, I have to tell you something! Mai!"

Mai sits up abruptly, thankful to find herself in her room. It felt like the screamed words were still echoing in her ears. Her clothes was sticking to the thin film of cold sweat that coated her body. Her stomach hurt like someone had kicked her as hard as they could. She fumbles around the nightstand, until she finds her phone. She wakes it up only to discover that it had only been a few hours since she had fallen asleep. In fact, she was sure the sun was going to rise soon. She drops the phone face down onto the nightstand and rolls back onto her bed. Her hands raise to cover her face, and she closes her eyes tightly. She wishes that she could remember what her dream was about, but she could only remember the last moments before she woke up. She was sure that more had happened before she had ended up at the school. That's when she realizes something that has the fine hairs on her body standing on end. It sounded almost like her mother was calling her from downstairs, but she hadn't shut her door, so it shouldn't be that hard to hear her mother. Slowly, Mai's hands leave her face. She listens to hear her name being called once again. She quickly sits up to look toward the door to see if she did actually shut it.

Her heart stops completely, and her breath hitches in her throat. Standing at the end of the bed was a woman in white. She looked like she was drunk, and her dark hair hung limply around her face. In fact, it completely shrouded it. She was swaying slowly back and forth, but the creepiest part was the fact that she was producing a slight glowing. Mai couldn't see through her, but she was faintly glowing. Mai wanted nothing more than to scream, but she couldn't feel her body. The woman jerks to the side in an awkward side step. Mai's heart starts to pick up the closer the woman draws to her. Mai can only watch the woman getting closer. It freed the end of her bed, but she found herself oddly fascinated by the woman's jerky movements. Finally, the woman stops beside Mai. Without warning, red starts to filter down the woman's right shoulder, staining her pure white dress. Her head slowly lifts to look through the hair. Instead of eyes, she had black holes. Her mouth was a bloody red color. A chill runs down Mai's spine at the sight. The woman looked like she was screaming in horror. Tears spring to Mai's eyes. She was dreaming, that was all. This was a dream.

She slowly shifts her weight to her knees. She couldn't just sit there and stare at this woman anymore. The red stain had slowly made it's way to her stomach. Mai turns her head enough to see the door to her room. It was open just like she had thought it was. A chill runs down her spine. She would have clearly heard her mother calling. So, who was calling her name? Mai quickly shoves the thoughts away. She could worry about that when she got away from the woman standing too close for comfort. Just as she throws her weight forward to dive off the foot of her bed, she sees the woman move out of the corner of her eye. A pale hand was reaching for Mai's throat. Once again, Mai's heart stops. She couldn't stop her momentum and change direction in time. It felt like time had slowed down. A cold feeling touches the front of her throat, and several things happen at once.

A cold shock rips through her body, leaving her feeling stiff and numb. She hears her body hit the floor with a loud thump, but, oddly, she doesn't feel the impact. She's sure that she rolls a few times, but she can't seem to keep track. All she can hear is a screaming that is echoing throughout the room. It sounded like a woman was being murdered. She kept pleading loudly for whoever was hurting her to stop. She kept begging and claiming to love whoever was hurting her. Mai's head felt like it was splitting from how loud it was. Her nails dig painfully into her scalp while she curls into a ball. She closes her eyes as tight as she can, as if it would help. She was certain her parents were about to burst into her room due to her room. Then everything goes completely silent.

The cold shock slowly edges away leaving her panting, sweating, and numb on her floor. Her heart was still racing, and she slowly opens her eyes. She could faintly make out the ceiling above her. Just as she pulls her hands from her hair, she hears a chilling sound. It sounded like someone was talking through an old radio. The words were slow, and she felt like she was missing vital parts.

"...fr…..he…i…...de…. Danger."

The last word was the only thing she could clearly make out. Mai was too afraid to look to her bed. She just stares at the ceiling waiting for her fear to disappear. Slowly, her heart starts to slow to an appropriate rate, and her breathing returns to normal. She turns her head slowly toward her bed just as her name fades away. She didn't believe in ghosts. There had been no evidence other than what horror movies displayed. She flinches. She had thought the same thing about vampires, but they were real. Much more real than she wanted them to be.

It came as a great relief to find nothing there. In fact, she didn't feel sore or anything. Still, she just laid there staring at her bed. Something struck her as odd. The woman had been screaming for help before everything went silent. Mai finally closes her eyes. The woman had reached out and touched her, but it felt almost like she was trying to warn Mai of something. Slowly, Mai drags herself to her bed and lays down. It made her feel better to try to rationalize what had happened then think about it as it was. Her eyes sweep over the room. There was no evidence of the woman's presence, and she considered turning on the light. She decided against it when she could see the faint traces of light creeping into her room. The sun was rising, so she didn't see a point.

She ended up just laying there for a while, staring at the wall. She had gotten up after the sun had fully risen and proceeded through her day. She had convinced herself that the was nothing more than a dream, and her subconscious calling out to her for some reason. She figured it'd be too cliche to have a bleeding woman show up to her and be asked to find the woman's murderer. She couldn't wait for Saturday to arrive. She could only hope that Yui had found out something useful. If not, Mai was afraid that she was going to slowly lose her mind.

She had used any free time she could find to look into ghosts, but it was as unfruitful as her search into vampires. Still, she found the history behind ghosts to be just interesting as the history behind vampires. Thankfully, Saturday had finally arrived. She didn't have an overabundance to share with Yui, but she felt like she had something. The dream kept replaying every night. Thankfully, she hadn't seen the woman since. She lets her parents know that she's heading to the library to find some leisurely books to read. They seemed weary, since it was late in the afternoon, but they still allowed her to go.

The library was a huge two story building. It was open until one in the morning due to the students that went to school at night. It would then open at seven a.m. for the other daytime students. Mai had been there plenty of times, though she hadn't found a lot of time to read lately. She quietly slips in and makes her way up to the second level. She doesn't see Yui anywhere, but it was only seven p.m., so she wasn't really worried. She browses till she finds a good fantasy books and settles at one of the long tables. She cracks open the book and allows herself to become immersed into the story.

She was already several chapters in when she hears the chair across from her scrape. She glances up just in time to see a sheepish looking Yui sitting down in it. Mai doesn't bother asking her why she looked that way. The reason flopped into a chair right next to her friend looking irritated. Mai flinches, but she choses to ignore Ayato's bored green gaze. She turns her attention to Yui and forces a smile. "Well?"

Yui frowns a little then slowly nods. "I did find out something."

Ayato leans forward over the table before either girl can say anything and sneers. "Why do you care what a sacrificial bride is? It has nothing to do with you."

Mai levels as cold of a glare as she can at him. "Yui is my friend. If it concerns her, than I would like to help her as much as possible."

He scoffs, but Mai doesn't give him a chance to reply. She turns her attention onto Yui. Yui glances between the two and releases a sigh. She says softly. "I'm not… quite sure on the women in white you had mentioned, but…"

"What?" Ayato interrupts. A look of pure amusement settles over his face. "You're seeing things? Boy, I didn't take you for the crazy type!"

Mai doesn't get a chance to deny it before Ayato starts to laugh. There are various shushing noises, but he doesn't seem to care. He just continues to laugh loudly. Embarrassment starts to build in Mai's chest, and she wants nothing more than to throw the book in her hands at him. She's distracted from her humiliation when an arm wraps around her shoulders.

"Ahhhh, Ayato. Didn't you now you aren't supposed to make fun of women? They are just hysterical and believe anything you tell them." Ayato's laughter abruptly dies, and Mai could feel a breath brushing her cheek. Without daring to turn her face, she lifts the book in her hands up to protect her face. The pages face outward toward the boy she childishly refused to name, even mentally. He lets out a whining sound.

"We haven't seen each other for a month!" Laito coos at her. She just keeps the book up between their faces, which causes Ayato to start to laugh once more. Mai could feel her irritation with the situation building. She turns her attention back to Yui, who looked like she was trying not to laugh either. Mai barely resists the urge to roll her eyes. She was half tempted to shove Laito's arm off of her body, but a sudden thought occurs to her. She would try an experiment of hers that she had been contemplating for the last few days. He always seemed to get a kick when she struggled against him. She had settled for deciding to ignore his complete existence.

Yui had finally lost her fight with the laughter and was giggling along side Ayato. Mai releases a sigh and waits patiently for them to quiet down. She could feel Laito's arm slowly traveling down her side. She closes her eyes to resist the urge to elbow him in the stomach. She had to keep reminding herself that she was trying something different. Thankfully, someone makes a loud enough shushing noise that both Ayato and Yui falls silent. Mai releases a slow breath and abruptly stands. She could feel Laito's arm falling from her body. She feels instantly grateful for the fact that he hadn't tried to grab her. Maybe this would work! She pulls the book away from his face and closes it before setting it on the table. She quickly steps out of Laito's reach and says softly. "Hey, I just noticed the time. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, Yui. I'll have to catch up some other time. Make sure to drop by!"

She spins on her heel to quickly walk away. She could hear someone scraping their chair and footsteps running after her. She just picks up her pace. She was sure that it was Yui who was pursuing her, so the further she got from the brothers; the easier it would be to talk to Yui privately. A small hand grabs the sleeve of her t-shirt from behind, and she turns to face Yui. She gives Mai an unsure look. Mai offers her a smile and makes a wide gesture back toward the Sakamaki brothers. "I figured that it might not be best to talk with them here."

Yui flinches and glances back. She turns to face Mai again with a desperate look. She says softly. "I got Ayato to tell me about the sacrificial bride, but I didn't tell him about the women. I wasn't sure how to bring it up without embarrassing you. I think you should really talk to Shuu or maybe Reiji about that. Anyway, Ayato said that there have been lots of brides, but none of them have survived."

Mai's heart skips a beat. She could see the pure terror on Yui's face. Mai wanted to reach out and comfort her friend, but she was speechless. She couldn't imagine how Yui must feel, and she didn't know what she could say to make Yui feel better. Slowly, Mai reaches out to grab a hold of Yui's hand. She gives it a tight squeeze. "We'll get you out of there."

Mai closes her eyes tightly. That sounded so lame. She opens her eyes to look at her friend. Yui just shakes her head. "You can't hope to fight them, Mai. They are too strong."

Mai could just barely hear Yui. Mai flinches at the thought. Yui was right. No amount of physical violence could possibly win against them. In fact, Laito had shown her small displays of just how strong he was. He hadn't forced anything, and Mai had an idea as to why he hadn't. She reaches out to pat Yui's shoulder. She says softly. "I'll see what I can do to help you, Yui. I promise. You aren't alone."

Yui's quickly adds. "Please don't tell anyone! Not even your parents!"

Mai gives her a sad smile, but she nods. She could feel Yui slowly letting her go. She glances over to see that Ayato was watching them intently, but he had a clearly bored look on his face. Her heart skips a beat. He was alone, and she hadn't seen Laito leave. Mai turns her attention back to Yui. She pats her shoulder once more. Yui attempts a smile, but the effect is ruined by the tears forming in her eyes. Mai wanted to comfort her, but she didn't know how this was going to turn out. She couldn't bring herself to lie to Yui. She gives her friend a small wave and turns to hurry down the stairs. She had even more to think about now. If what Yui had said was true, than Mai needed to think of a way to free Yui. It'd have to be sooner rather than later. Mai didn't know how much time Yui still had. It was clear that Yui was something special to the vampires, though she couldn't figure out what made Yui special. It seemed like Ayato stuck to her like glue. It didn't seem like just anyone could be special like Yui. Mai had been told by several vampires that she was average, and no one else at school seemed to peek any of the brother's interest. She pushes the doors to the library open.

She had to figure out what went on behind the scenes. If she could figure out how the sacrificial brides were chosen, she could figure out a plan. She flinches once more. Her thoughts turned back to how defeated and terrified Yui had looked. Mai's footsteps slow as she takes stock over the information she already had.

To make it easier, Mai starts at the beginning. Ever since her interactions with Yui and the Sakamaki's began, she had been seeing strange things. She wanted to discredit it to lack of sleep, but she didn't think it was. She didn't want to admit that her reality had been so disrupted that she was starting to doubt her own sanity. Still, she figured that the women in white had something to do with either Yui or the Sakamaki's. After all, she hadn't seen anything the entire month that she didn't talk to Yui or the brothers. Her footsteps stop completely. If this did have something to do with Yui or the brothers, perhaps it was a warning. Maybe that's what the woman had been screaming about. She was trying to warn about Yui's possible death. Mai quickly shakes her head. That would be too convenient.

This brought about another question. How could she even help Yui? She only had a few pieces to the puzzle, and she couldn't even make sense of the pieces she did have. Another problem presented itself. She wasn't strong enough to truly stand against the vampires. She flinches at the thought. Laito had said that he would break her slowly. It was startling to find that she had starting to think that she might stand a chance against him, and it came as a cold realization that this was likely part of his game. He was letting her struggle against him because it was fun. The thought made her sick to her stomach. She had been told that she was nothing special, so she wasn't sure where the arrogance had came from.

Her eyes widen when she realizes something that she felt like she had continually overlooked. She was nothing special. Her heart starts to race. She was just another silly human to Laito and his brothers. She could use that to her advantage. They would likely underestimate her. Laito wanted to play a game. How easy would it be to play his game with him? If she could play the game well, she would be able to wiggle her way closer to him. Hope fills her chest; she could possibly find out the best way to help Yui.

The next important question was: could she possibly trick the creepy vampire? He didn't look that old, but Kanato looked younger than Subaru. That just served to prove that looks can be deceiving. After all, her whole gamble rode on the fact that her simple human looks would deceive Laito and the others. She clenches her fists tightly. She just had to think positive thoughts, besides she wouldn't know if she could pull it off unless she tried. She takes a deep breath. If Laito could play a game, she could, too. She starts walking once again.

Her thoughts turn to the other brothers. Would one of them be easier for her to handle? Laito was a handful, and she had a nagging doubt that she could actually trick him. She shudders at the thought of trying to deal with Kanato. There was no way that she would willingly put herself in the erratic vampire's path. She had doubts that she could trick Reiji either. He just frightened her, and she had a feeling that she would back out before she even got anywhere.

She releases a sigh. She'd have to consider the other two brothers a little closer. It felt like the only one that she really knew as Latio.