mspyrrha: I'm glad that you like her interactions with the characters! :D The relationship with Laito is fun to write, cause it has it's up and down. :D I hope you enjoy the new game. ;D
Righel: :D I'm glad you're hooked! Thank you! :D I'm enjoying writing it, so it's great to know that you are enjoying it so much! :D
hellokitty70705: :D I love Shuu! I'm going to take your pairing consideration! :D Thank you! I hope that you enjoy this chapter! ;D
HoneyBlossom99: Thank you! :D I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Sorry it took so long to get up. ):
Kamisdaniti: Thank you! I'm glad that you like the main character. (: I'll take your opinion into consideration. :D I enjoy hearing feedback from readers, so don't worry to ask or let me know your thoughts! :D I promise it won't always be arguing with Ayato. (: No need to apologize about your grammar/spelling. :D You did great!
Guest: Thank you for reviewing! :D I'm glad that you enjoy my OC! Sorry it took so long to put up a new chapter. ):
Sorry it took so long to update! . I got sucked into a couple of new books, movies, and video games. . And lost track of the days. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading!
Another missed shot causes Mai to flinch. She had lost count of how many shots she had botched. With a sigh, she straightens up and glances in Latio's direction. She still hadn't figured out how she wanted to ask the questions that felt like they were plaguing her for months. She knew that she had to be careful about how she asked him. If she asked any questions carelessly, it would end badly for her. The last thing she needed was to give him a chance to give her an 'answer' without actually giving her any information she could put to use.
Her eyes follow his every movement, as if it would help her solve the dilemma laid out before her. It frustrated her that he didn't even seem consider his next shot. In fact, he made it look like he was shooting on a whim and making every shot. Despite the frustration, she couldn't quell the sense of relief that flows through her. If they were playing his warped game based on her performance at billiards, she would have already lost everything. Her gaze drops to watch the balls while he makes yet another seemingly complicated shot. She pulls her gaze back up from the balls to find amused green eyes staring at her from across the table. For a brief moment, she's positive that they start to glow a brighter green. It was like he was reminding her of their deal. A chill races down her spine, and it prompts her to take a step back. She grips the pool cue even tighter, like it would save her from her promise. He releases a chuckle and returns his gaze to the game. Finally, she decides how to ask her first question. She takes a moment to take a couple of deep breaths to help calm her nerves. Once she is ready, she softly says. "So, I know that Yui is special, since she was sent here. That much is obvious. She was also chosen as a bride, whatever that means. It seems that particular word has some sort of special meaning to you guys."
She flinches at the sound of the balls striking against each other. It seems to echo eerily throughout the room. She quickly licks her bottom lip and asks. "What does it mean to be a bride in Yui's position?"
He lets out an almost groaning sound as he straightens up. For a moment, she wonders if he is considering not answering. Her heart starts to race, but it stops when he looks up at her. He gives her an almost amused smirk. That simple action makes her immediately start to second guess her choice of words. He slowly starts to stalk around the table. His glowing, green eyes don't move from her. She's frozen for a moment, before panic sets in. Her heart felt like it was skipping more than it was actually beating, and she quickly makes her way to the opposite side of the table. There was no way that she would make it easy for him. His eyes narrow playfully, as if he were mocking her. Her humiliation mounts even more when she sees him leaning down to shoot again. A shudder runs down her spine. He hadn't taken his eyes off her during the whole shot. In fact, he hadn't even checked to see if he had even made it. Once again, she draws in a slow shuddering breath to try to steady her nerves. She watches him straighten up and finally turn his gaze back to the table. His silence unnerved her even more than his laughter. He had been so patient while she had been trying to figure out what to say.
He straightens after finishing the game yet again. His gaze lifts to lock with hers. She still had so many of her balls on the table that it was embarrassing. Without warning, he leans forward against the table and gives her a playful grin. "It's simple. She's suppose to pick one of us brothers to be with. Isn't that what all brides do?"
She flinches at the statement and settles a glare on him. It felt like he was intentionally skirting the real information. A sick feeling settles in the pit of her stomach when he holds up two fingers. She barely represses the urge to shiver at the sight. She quickly shakes her head and says. "The first question doesn't count. We didn't have the deal then."
He makes a grunting noise in the back of throat that sounded vaguely like he was disagreeing with her. She gives him the sternest look she can muster. After a few minutes tick by, she realizes that he didn't intend to play again, nor did it look like he was planning to put the equipment away. Mai shoves those thoughts from her mind and levels the best determined look she can at him. "What is going to happen to Yui? You took me to that room with all the dolls for a reason, so I don't think it's anything positive."
He lets out a dark sounding chuckle. His gaze remains locked on her. The more she defiantly holds his gaze, the more she notices that his eyes have an almost hungry look. Her entire body tenses the moment he seems to disappear in front of her eyes. She attempts to spin around, since she was positive that he would reappear behind her. Unfortunately, she's not able to turn even a little bit. His body presses against hers from behind, causing a shiver to race down her spine. His hips press hers against the table, making it dig uncomfortably into her lower body. She closes her eyes in an attempt to try to calm her racing heart. Her attempts fail when his cold hands cover hers. It's unnerving to find his touch suddenly feeling gentle. Slowly, he guides her hands to aim at one of the balls, but she finds herself unable to focus on anything other than where his body is touching hers. He uses her hands to slowly knock all the other balls into the pockets on the far side of the table.
Suddenly, she finds herself unable to breath, let alone try to pull away. She couldn't even form her racing thoughts into anything remotely useful. She had been close to him before, but she hadn't really paid much attention to feel of his body. She had been focused on other things, like the fact that she wanted to get as far away as possible from him. This time felt different. She felt strangely aware of where his body was touching hers, yet she couldn't think of anything that had changed other than the fact that he was suddenly being gentle with her. She sternly reminds herself that this was likely some sort of ploy.
Unfortunately, that didn't do anything to stop her from actually taking in the feel of his body against hers. She knew that his body was cooler than hers, but, for the first time, it struck her as bizarre to feel no heat pressing into her back. She can't stop her body from starting to shake. It felt like his ice cold body was leeching the warmth from hers. He was thinner than his clothes let on, and she didn't think that he really had that much muscle, but it didn't stop her from feeling like she stood no chance in a contest of pure strength.
"It depends on the Little Bitch," he practically breathes into her ear. She unconsciously jumps a little at how deep his voice had become. A light chuckle in her ear sends shivers racing up and down her spine. She was in danger, and she was trapped. There was no way out. He had her pinned, likely right where he wanted her. She opens her mouth, but pure fear closes off her throat. She makes a croaking noise and abruptly slams her jaw shut. His breath causes her hair to shift a little as he chuckles. It felt like she was suffocating. Her eyes flick around around desperately; she needed something to defend herself with.
To her absolute horror, she realizes that all the pool balls were in pockets out of her reach. The one directly in front of her was completely empty. It feels like a cold sweat breaks out over her skin, which just seems to leech the last bit of warmth from her. She suddenly feels insanely cold, and her mouth and throat go dry. She couldn't use the pool cue either. His hands had started to grip hers tighter, like he knew what she was thinking. With a jolt, she realizes that she had been so focused on how she planned to ask her questions that she hadn't paid attention to what he was doing. She mentally curses herself for being so naive that she walked right into his trap. His chuckle grows even darker, and she feels him blow a puff of air against the skin of her neck. She stares at the green top of the pool table and forces herself to focus on it in an attempt to try to calm down. If she let panic overtake her, like it threatened to do, he would win. She would make a very costly mistake, and he'd get what he wanted. She forces herself to swallow, which is painful due to the dry nature of her mouth and throat. She finally closes her eyes and pictures her parents in her mind. That helps to calm her racing thoughts. Gaining strength from that, she softly says. "You didn't actually answer my question."
He lets out an almost pleased moan against her neck, which is followed by the feeling of him pressing his cold face against her skin. His now husky voice asks softly, "Why do try so hard for her?"
"You didn't answer the question," Mai stubbornly reminds him. She can't repress the flinch when he lightly scrapes his fangs slowly along her skin. She tries to keep thinking about her parents, but it was getting harder and harder to focus on anything, but the mounting terror in the pit of her stomach.
"Do you think that Little Bitch would do the same for you?"
That question throws her thought process for a moment. Her eyes snap open, and her thoughts race. The question felt so sudden, but she manages to not over think the answer. It wouldn't matter what he said; she didn't feel any doubt about her friendship with Yui. Stubbornly, Mai says in a soft voice. "She already has helped me on several occasions. We are friends, and that's what friends do."
"Would you do something like that for me if the occasion called for it?" She feels him press his hips harder against her. His hands slowly leave hers to rest lightly on her hips, much lower than she feels comfortable with. Mai can practically feel the blood draining from her face. This was getting too far off topic. In fact, it was entering very dangerous territory. A sense of caution spreads throughout her body. She was positive that there was something off about him since the beginning. He had suddenly became so patient and gentle, but she couldn't figure out exactly what he was trying to do. His voice suddenly softens, making him almost sound like a child. "Are you denying that we are friends?"
She bites her lip and slowly shakes her head. She figured that was the answer he was looking for. It's silent for a few minutes, and her heart feels like it's slowing to a stop. Had she made a mistake? The longer the silence drags on, the more her heart hammers wildly against her chest. She didn't dare look over her shoulder to gauge his reaction, though she wasn't sure why.
"Do you know what the worst type of people are?" His voice is devoid of any sort of emotion. It sounded just as cold as his skin. She swallows hard and gives a small shake of her head. She didn't trust her voice at that moment. She found herself missing the feigned warmth in his voice. His lips brush the skin just behind the back of her ear. She's unable to jerk her head away, though. "If Little Bitch is strong, she will survive the awakening."
His voice was still cold. Mai's hands grip the pool cue until her knuckles turn white. He had changed the subject yet again. She was already feeling disoriented by his behavior. This was just making it harder to keep up with him. She narrows her eyes at the table top, as if everything was it's fault. She had a feeling that he was trying to force her make a mistake, but it seemed like it wasn't going the way he wanted it to. His fingers were beginning to dig painfully into her hips. She takes a few seconds to consider her next question. Finally, she softly asks. "What is the awakening? What is going to happen to her?"
He lets out a sigh that sounded like he was starting to get irritated. She doesn't have a chance to prepare for the sickening jerk of motion as he spins and lifts her onto the table in what felt like one fluid motion. Out of pure instinct, she thrusts the cue straight out in an effort to prevent him from getting closer than she wanted him to, but he catches it in the space between her hands. Thankfully, it does what it is supposed to and keeps him at a distance. Now that she is facing him, the mounting terror in the pit of her stomach erupts. His face matched the cold tone of his voice. He seems to be waiting patiently for her to ask even more questions. Terror causes her to erupt into a spout of questions without a second thought. "Is there a way that I can help her? Is there a way to stop what is happening? Does Ayato hurt her? Why was she chosen? Who were those women? How long does Yui have?"
Amusement returns to his face, and Mai's heart soars for a moment. It came as more of a relief than she wanted to admit to not see the cold look. The excitement melts away after only seconds, and her heart suddenly feels incredibly heavy. In fact, she was sure that it just sunk to the bottom of her stomach. She had spewed so many questions in such a short amount of time that she had lost track of how many had been asked. The smile on his face lets her know that he had gotten exactly what he wanted. She had stupidly walked right into his trap. He pulls away from her completely, even releasing the cue, and begins to pick up the balls. "Be sure to get off the table, or Reiji will get mad. Trust me, he has little birds all over the house. He knows everything."
She finds herself unable to move. She says so softly that she's not sure that he can even hear her. "It doesn't count. Not if you don't answer."
He makes a playful humming noise, sending a chill down her body. She slowly eases herself off the table. The second that her feet touch the floor, he starts talking. "Her scent is changing. I suspect that she will have anywhere from four months to a year. It just depends on how much she allows Ayato to drink her blood. Those women that I showed you before were women that had failed to finish the awakening. Failure means death, as you can see. Now, they are nothing more than pretty little dolls for Kanato. As for why Little Bitch was chosen, we don't know why he chooses the ones that he sends here, but he seems to have a method of sorts. Ayato is rough with all of his toys, but I think you know the answer to whether he hurts her or not. You can help her, but you can't stop what is happening to her. It was already decided the moment she chose Ayato."
"What is the Awakening?" Mai asks. She had lost track of how many questions she had asked. One more couldn't hurt. His amused green eyes meet hers after a few seconds. She feels a shiver run down her spine, though she's not sure why this time. He had put away everything, but the stick she was holding in a white knuckled grip. He takes a few steps toward her, and, for a brief moment, she's afraid that he plans to take away the only thing that she can use to defend herself with. A cruel smile flickers over his face, letting her know that he was enjoying it. Stubbornly, Mai tries to wipe any trace of fear off of her face. To her displeasure, this only serves to amuse him even more.
"It's exactly what it sounds like, Sweetheart. She'll 'wake' up." Her heart slowly picks up speed when he stops just short of touching her with his body. She stubbornly stares into his eyes, though she figured he could still see how terrified she was. He releases a chuckle and says in a playful voice. "This little game has me feeling hungry. You promised. I held up my end of our little deal. It's your turn to do the same."
"You still have a part to keep up," Mai forces as much strength as she can into that one statement. There was no way that she was going to let him forget about the entire deal. A sick feeling mixes unpleasantly with a nervous one in the pit of her stomach. She keeps her gaze locked with his in order to not dwell on the roiling mass of nerves that was threatening to take over her body. He lets out a sigh and rolls his eyes, but it looked like he was doing it more for show than actual irritation. The moment his gaze returns to her face, she regrets every single question that she asked. She should have gone to someone else. She had not won a single thing against him.
"I know, Sweetheart." He leans his face closer to hers. His voice is so low that she can barely hear it. "But I never promised that I would be gentle or make it painless. I just promised not to bite you in sexual areas."
She doesn't get a chance to say anything else to him, nor does he give her a chance to fully regret her choice of words when making the deal. His lips collide hard with hers. She thrusts the cue against his chest in an effort to shove him away, but it doesn't seem to even affect him. She uses it to push harder, earning a growl from him. Thankfully, he pulls back with a brief look of irritation. She lets out a soft gasp and says, "I didn't say you could ki-"
She doesn't get a chance to finish her sentence. His hand latches onto the cue and seems to easily rip it from her grip. Without looking to see where it was going, he tosses it away. She flinches when she hears it collide with something. It sounded almost like the cue may have broken, but she doesn't get a chance to look. He had once again pressed his lips against hers. She jerks her head back to get away from the kiss, but his hand appears behind her head, effectively preventing her from pulling away. His fingers tangle into her hair, and a sharp, rough jerk brings tears to her eyes. Her lips open in a gasp that swallowed by his mouth. Her mind races with a million ways to try to get away, but it goes blank the second he takes this chance to sink his teeth into her bottom lip. It felt like he had bitten through it. Mind numbing pain races throughout her body. Once more, she jerks her head backward, but his hand prevents it. His tongue runs along her lip the second he pulls his teeth out of her flesh. Her heart stops when his tongue pushes its' way into her mouth only seconds later, tainting her taste buds with the horrible metallic taste of her own blood. She wants to gag, but she's not able to as he slowly runs his tongue over what felt like every inch of her mouth.
Unfortunately, it also spreads the taste of her blood, though she was sure that it was his way of torturing her. He lets out a deep moaning noise, which causes a tendril of disgust to coil through her pain. He was enjoying this. Just as she is about to bit his tongue in retaliation, he pulls it back, but he doesn't release her hair, nor does he pull back from the kiss. Mai is forced to try to breath through her nose, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. Her eyes had remained open during the entire encounter, but he had closed his.
Just as dark spots are invading her vision, he pulls away from her completely. It was so sudden that she feels herself sinking to the floor. Her breaths come in deep, ragged gasps, but that's not what bothered her. He had managed to bite the inside of her lip, so her mouth was filling with blood every time she closed her mouth. She flinches as some the nasty tasting liquid trickles down her throat, making her feel even sicker. She reaches up and grabs the neck of her bowrrowed shirt and pulls it up to press it against the wound. Warm blood slowly slides down her chin. She hears him make a cooing sound as he kneels down in front of her. She glares at him the best she can, though she's sure that having a shirt pressed against the lower part of her face dampens the strength of it. He tilts his head and asks in an almost gentle tone. "Do you know how many questions you asked?"
Mai just glares at him, though her mind was frantically trying to remember the questions and count them. He rocks up to his feet with a pleased expression. Chills raise goose bumps on her skin. He slowly licks his lips, making it feel like she was some kind of prey. A jolt through her body makes her realize that's exactly what she was. She had been so thrown off by him being gentle and patient that she had focused on the wrong thing. It was his plan all along. A hollow feeling settles in the pit of her stomach at those thoughts. Defiantly, she pushes them from her mind and tries to focus on the throbbing of her lip. He seems to know that she wasn't going to answer. He says in a soft voice. "You asked twelve. I've used one, so be ready for the other eleven. There isn't a time limit on how long I can keep them in reserve, so don't try to get out of it. Also, it won't count if you fight me, though I'll be kind and let it go this time."
Dread fills her entire being, and she wants to argue, but she represses the words. The last thing she needed was him saying that she fought this time, so she'd have to tack on another feeding. He tilts his head with an almost thoughtful look. "Did you know that human blood is toxic to humans when ingested? You could die from drinking too much. Isn't that just ironic? What keeps you alive and warm is also what can kill you."
Mai had a feeling that he wasn't just babbling, but she couldn't figure out why he was saying what he was saying. Could he be silently threatening her? She didn't think so, but, to be honest, she felt like she didn't know anything about Laito. He tilts his head to the side, and an almost cruel smile lights up his face. He says in a cruelly playful voice. "I asked you a question earlier, didn't I? What is the worst type of person in the world? Do you know the answer?"
The minutes tick by as Mai refuses to answer him, and he waits patiently. Finally, he lets out a chuckle, clearly not upset by her refusal to answer, and says, "Liars are the worst type of people, and, you, my dear, are nothing more than a foolish little liar. If you want to be able to fool me, you'll have to try harder than you have been."
He had just left her sitting on the floor of the game room. He was there one second and completely gone the next. Her lip seemed to be throbbing in time with her heart beat. She had moved to sit as comfortably as she can against the wall. Her mind runs the information over and over, but it keeps ending up at the last thing Laito had said before he had disappeared.
She had made a mistake in choosing him, and now she was now tied by her promise to let him drink her blood. She feels a shiver race down her spine. Her lip had finally stopped bleeding, so she let her shirt fall back into place. Her mouth still tasted like she had sucked on some sort of metal, but she tried to not let it bother her. Letting out a steady breath, Mai manages to calm her nerves for the first time in what felt like hours. She closes her eyes and uses the moment to considers her options with a clear head. She knew a little bit about Yui's situation, but she hadn't had a chance to ask Laito about her own. Wariness swells in her stomach. Somehow, she didn't want to ask Laito any more questions. He might twist it into something more perverted next time, or worse, he might add on to the amount of times he could drink her blood without her fighting.
She hears a door shut somewhere close, which causes her to jump. Even she could smell her own blood, so she had no doubts that the vampires could. Cautiously, Mai stands to her feet. She could hear voices, but couldn't make out the words being said. With a jolt, she realizes that the others must have returned from school. Excitement helps to chase away the depression that was looming over her. She could share her information with Yui, and they could decide what to do together.
After all, Mai knew that she was in over her head at this point. Yui might be able to provide some insight that would help the two of them get of their circumstances. Mai slowly opens the door and makes her way toward the voices. She peeks out into the foyer to see that all of the brother's had gathered together. They stood loosely around the edges of the room, though she noticed they all were a considerable distance from the door. Only one stood in the exact center of the room, and that person was Reiji. A tense atmosphere seemed to be coating the air, making the fine hairs stand on end along Mai's body. Something was coming, but she had no idea what it would be. Her eyes flicker over all of the brothers' faces. They all seemed to be either tense or outright angry, even Reiji. Yui seems to notice Mai and quickly motions her over. Without a second thought, Mai bolts across the room to stand beside Yui. Concern flashes over Yui' face, but it disappears when she presses closer to Mai. She says in a barely audible voice. "Their father is coming."
Those words should have been a relief, but the tense atmosphere was making Mai feel that this was anything but good. She feels a jolt when Ayato presses against Yui's other side, effectively sandwiching the girl between the two of them. Yui takes a step back, which places her behind him. He sends a glower in Mai's direction, but he doesn't shoo her away. A thought races through Mai's mind. It was almost as if Ayato was planning to shield Yui from his father's view. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. If Ayato felt that way, what type of person was their father?
"Human." A cold voice cuts into her thoughts before she has a chance to really think it over. Mai's dark gaze turns to meet Reiji's cold, red one. "You are to step back and remain silent. This doesn't concern you. I would send you to Yui's room, but I do not trust you to not lurk and eavesdrop. I'd rather you stay where I can keep an eye on you."
Mai bites back a retort, but she tries to slink back out of clear sight. She knew that Reiji wasn't trying to actually helpful, but she was still thankful for his advice; no matter how cruel it came across. She jumps when she feels an arm drop around her shoulders. Her gaze snaps up to meet Laito's amused one. She barely manages to not snarl at him. There was no way that she could remain out of sight with him leaning on her the way he was. She doesn't get a chance to shove him away though, since a soft voice cuts through the silence of the room.
"It is good to see you again, my dear sons."
Though it spoken with apparent love, those words seem to cause the tension to rise. She could feel Laito tensing beside her. He pulls her closer to his side, though it felt more like he was holding onto her than trying to protect her the way that Ayato had for Yui. For a brief moment, she's sure that she could feel his hand shaking with a repressed emotion, but she isn't sure what it is since it's gone. In fact, his entire body seems to relax. The only indication that he wasn't happy was the fact that he kept her held tightly against him. It made her feel almost bad for him. It was like a child holding onto a favorite toy when faced with something scary. The thought makes her wrinkle her nose and decide that she was overthinking Laito's actions. Her eyes turn from the red head beside her to the man standing just within reach of Reiji.
He's dressed in a suit. His short, blonde hair is neatly combed. His golden eyes show wisdom far beyond his visible age behind a set of dark framed glasses. He looked to be only in his late twenties or early thirties, far too young to have grown children. His charming smile is cast around the room, seemingly oblivious to the tension or hatred. His eyes linger in Ayato and Yui's direction for a moment, and they linger on Mai. An uncomfortable feeling settles over Mai. She's faintly aware of the fact that Laito was gripping her shoulder tighter than before. Mai unconsciously leans into Laito's side. Tougo offers Mai a disarming smile, that she can't help but nervously return.
Thankfully, he turns his attention back to Reij, who gives him a professional bow. Reiji's face doesn't move from the usual disinterested look he always wears, though Mai isn't sure when the look of tension had melted away. He greets his father and offers several different things to eat or drink that are turned down. Finally, he asks in a polite tone. "To what do we owe the honor of your visit, father?"
Tougo's gaze turns to Yui, who was hiding behind Ayato. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Ayato visibly tensing up, but she can't see his face from where she is standing behind him. She can see that Yui is pressed against Ayato's back, and it looked like she was shaking. Tougo says in an incredibly gentle voice, "Come now, little one. I'm not going to hurt you. Why don't you step out so I can see you properly?"
Ayato seems to release an almost inhuman growl that causes Mai's body to jerk. That simple movement draws unwanted attention to herself. Before she has a chance to mimic Yui's behavior and hide behind Laito, Tougo seems to materialize before her. His finger runs along her now swollen bottom lip. She jerks back as a shock of cold rushes through her face. His eyes show clear apology. She is now vividly aware that Laito's grip had disappeared. In fact, he was no longer standing beside her, but he seemed to be hovering near by. Tougo offers her a charming smile.
He was more terrifying than anything she had faced in the house so far. Mai retreats another step, which causes her back to press against the wall behind her. His voice comes out as a coo, like he was trying to calm a frightened animal. "You are Mai?"
A lump forms in her throat. Something was terribly off about him. There had to be if the brothers behaved the way they did. It didn't matter how nice he was to her, and it didn't matter how sweet his words were. His children were warped, and there had to be a reason for that. She kept repeating those words in her mind and forces herself to nod slowly. He releases a soft breath and turns his gaze to Laito, who seems to be offering a calm smile, despite the clear burning hatred in his eyes.
She could see the semblance now, which just frightened her even more. They were both excellent actors. His golden eyes turn to focus on Mai once more before she can dwell on her thoughts any further. She finds herself frozen, despite the warm look he is giving her. "I apologize for my son's behavior. I assume he is the one who has hurt your lip? Rest assured that he will be punished properly. I am aware of all the misfortune he has caused you and your family."
She's not sure why she does it, but she shakes her head. "That's not necessary."
He gives her a mildly curious look that has her clamping her jaw shut. He offers her that charming smile once more, but it does nothing to reassure her. She didn't think he was angry, but she didn't want him being interested in her either. That felt almost worse than Kanato's tantrums. "Thank you for trying to protect him, but he knew that his punishment was coming. As for amending his mistakes, I have offered your parents a job directly below me."
Slowly, she nods her head. He tilts his head looking thoughtful. "There is also your education. I will inform the academy that you'll be returning on Monday."
Mai opens her mouth to argue, but she finds that the words die in her throat the second she finds his face inches from hers. His cologne washes over her, but she can't find words to discribe it. Her body feels rigid. She wants nothing more than to pull away from him, but she finds that she's unable to move. He gives her a questioning look. "Are you dissatisfied? I could off your family more. A larger house, newer cars. Just name your price, and it will be done."
He spoke with such finality that she found impossible to argue. She forces herself to swallow hard in an effort to get rid of the lump that felt like it was choking her. She says in a soft voice. "No, that…. We appreciate your attempts, but my parents don't wish to enter your employment."
He releases a sigh and pulls away from her. He offers her a kind smile that once again throws her defences. He says in a kind voice. "I understand your parents' feelings. It must have been terrible to see their daughter troubled so, but I wish to inform you that this is also a thank you gift."
Mai can't stop the bewildered feeling from taking over her body. He steps close once more and leans down to say softly to her, like he was sharing a secret. "You helped my charge feel comfortable in her new surroundings. It was such a drastic change from living in a church, and I was informed that she was feeling overwhelmed. I'm sure you can understand why. My sons are difficult to get along with during their good days, and they are impossible to be around on their bad days. You helped to make the transition easier for her, and that has helped me in more ways than you will ever know. Allow me reward you for doing that. Would that make this easier to accept?"
Mai finds herself nodding, though she's not sure why. A smile spreads over his face, once more pulling a smile from her. He pulls away so suddenly that it leaves her feeling anxious. Had she done something wrong? He turns on his heel and starts back toward the center of the room. His voice raises slightly. "How is Christina, Subaru?"
"Fuck you, bastard!" Subaru snarls from the opposite side of the room. Mai jumps when a cracking sound fills the room, followed by a sigh of clear disapproval from Tougo. Mai leans to try to see what Subaru was doing. A look of pure hatred coated his face and eyes. He was standing with his fists clenched at his sides. A large hole in the wall was beside him. The most terrifying part was the fact that he had his lips pulled back in a snarl, clearly showing his pointed teeth. The sight causes a shiver race down her spine, and she leans against the wall even tighter. She jumps when a soft sigh to her right alerts her to the fact that Shuu was standing against the wall not far from her. It felt like he was using Ayato to hide as well, since he was standing directly behind him, though not nearly as close as Yui was.
His eyes was closed, and his arms were loosely folded over his chest. His face was devoid of any emotion. In fact, it looked like he was sleeping standing up, which wouldn't surprise Mai. She turns her attention back in Subaru's direction when she hears him snap something rude to his father before he disappears. Tougo lets out an almost sad sounding sigh, making Mai feel bad for him. It must not be the greatest feeling in the world to have a child hate you the way that Subaru clearly does. Once more, he turns in Mai's direction, but, thankfully, it's not Mai who holds his attention this time. His golden eyes flick back toward Ayato and Yui. Mai couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at not being the center of attention.
"Hello, my dear. This is the first time we have met, is it not? I hope that you are being treated well by my sons? You can tell me if you are not. I'll see that they understand the proper way to treat a young woman."
Mai's thoughts turn to the women that Kanato had turned into dolls. She couldn't help but doubt the sincerity of his words. There was no way that he couldn't know about the dolls, is there? His golden gaze seem to lazily slide over Ayato, since he can't actually see Yui through his son's body. Mai can't see Ayato's face, but she wasn't sure she wanted to after hearing the cold voice coming from him. "What do you want, old man?"
Tougo doesn't seem fazed by the clear hostility shown to him. Instead, it seems almost like he is enjoying it, though his tone is kind when he says. "It is good to see you actual care for something, Ayato. I was beginning to think that you were a lost cause."
Those cold words comes as more of a shock than Mai would like to admit. He had said it in such a kind voice, that Mai was wondering if she had heard him wrong. Ayato makes a sound of irritation, but Tougo doesn't give him a chance to reply. He pulls back a sleeve to look at his watch with a thoughtful look. His gaze lifts in Reiji's direction. "When is the next family meal?"
Reiji doesn't miss a beat. He respectfully says. "Next friday."
Tougo turns to offer a smile in Mai's direction, though her skin feels like it's crawling this time. He wasn't what he appeared to be. "You are a fascinating young lady, Miss Mai. Won't you join my foolish sons in a family dining? I believe it would certainly help out their manners."
She slowly starts to shake her head. There was no way that she was getting roped further into the Sakamaki household. She was already deeper than she ever wanted to be. In the blink of an eye, Tougo is standing before her, and he leans closer to her ear to mutter softly. "You want answers for what you have been seeing? I can tell you that you will find your answers here, in this household. What better way than to find every excuse to return here? One of my sons holds the answers, or perhaps they all hold a piece of the answer. What will it hurt to find out what you seek?"
It feels like everything around her freezes. She finds herself staring up into into his kind gaze with a look of shock. He reaches out to gently pat her cheek. Unsure of what to say, Mai remains silent and tries to keep her thoughts from running wild. The second his cold palm touches her cheek, a blast of cold chills her cheek. Tougo pulls away and turns his attention elsewhere. She's faintly aware of him saying something to her about informing her parents of what is going on, and she hears him asking either Reiji or Shuu to take care of all of the paperwork. He's gone before she can even get her thoughts in order. In fact, by the time she's aware of her surroundings again, she finds herself alone with Shuu, who has slid to the floor, and Reiji, who stood before her with a stern face.
Reiji coldly informs her of the time to show up for the monthly dinner. He also informs her that all of the paperwork to re-enter school would be taken care of along with the paperwork to employ her parents. Everything would return to normal the following week. He asks her if she has any questions, but she numbly shakes her head. This was all happening so fast that she couldn't think of any questions. Reiji releases a scoffing noise and holds out his hand. Mai stares at his outstretched hand without making a move. Finally, Reiji releases an irritated sigh.
"Give me your phone, human."
Mai quickly fishes out the object out of one of the pockets and hands it over to him. She wasn't sure how it had appeared in her pocket, but she decided not to dwell on it anymore. After a few minutes, he passes it back with a cold detached look on his face. She glances at it, but she doesn't bother trying to figure out what he did to it. He abruptly turns and leaves her alone with Shuu. She stares after him silently for a few minutes.
"You should probably head home now," a soft deep voice says, causing her to jump. She turns just in time for Shuu to brush past her. She turns to watch him disappear in the direction of the living room, likely to crash on one of the couches. He pauses just before he disappears from her view, and glances over his shoulder. Her dark eyes lock with his blue ones, and he says in a barely audible voice. "Be careful. He's more possessive than he lets on."
Mai opens her mouth to ask what he meant by that, but he's gone before she has a chance. She slams her mouth shut and glowers in the direction of the living room. After a few seconds, she releases a sigh, turns, and walks toward the door. Just as she reaches it, her thoughts finally seem to fall into order. She still needed to talk to Yui to at least warn her about what was happening. Mai turns backs to make her way to make her way toward Yui's room, but she freezes again. Her lip gives a painful throb, as if to remind her of the danger of lingering in the house for too long. Light was starting to filter through the windows, letting her know that the sun was coming up. A chill runs down her spine, and she stubbornly tells herself that it wouldn't matter where she went. If Laito was hungry, he'd just appear. She glances down at the clothes she was wearing. What would her parents think about her wearing a boy's clothing? The thought makes her flinch. They'd think that her hormones got the best of her, and they would jump into asking her uncomfortable questions. It'd only be made worse by the fact that her lip was swollen.
She wasn't sure she wanted to go home now without her own clothes, but she knew that she wanted to go talk to Yui. Feeling torn, Mai stands there for what feels like hours, though she knows that it is really just a few minutes. She glances over her shoulder at the door, and she releases a sigh. Despite the want to go home, she felt like she hadn't resolved anything, and she couldn't make herself leave yet. She at least had to warn Yui about what was going to happen to her. Slowly, Mai forces herself in the direction of Yui's room.
She's incredibly grateful that she makes it there without incident. Yui was standing outside her room, clearly fidgeting. Her face lights up the moment that she sees Mai approaching. Mai opens her mouth to call out to her, but the look of desperation on her friends face halts any words that Mai had planned to say. Yui's body collides with Mai's so suddenly that it ends up sending them both scrambling backwards. Thankfully, Mai is able to somehow manage to remain upright, but she feels like the breath is being crushed out of her lungs by the bear hug that Yui is giving her. She opens her mouth to tell Yui that she had to talk to her about something important, but Yui's face appears in front of her own with that same look of desperation that sends a bout of panic through her body.
"I'm so glad you are still here! I thought you had left! I wasn't sure what to do! You have to help me!" Yui says in a rush. It didn't even seem like she had taken a breath.
Panic rises in Mai's chest, and her mind comes up with various scenarios that could have gone wrong in such a short amount of time, but nothing prepares her for Yui's next words. "It's Shuu!"
Mai finds herself staring at her friend in complete disbelief. Yui doesn't seem to even notice the look though. Instead, she grips the front of Mai's shirt tightly and gives her a small shake. "He's sleeping in the hallway, and if Reiji finds him it'll be a huge problem!"
Mai frowns at her friend, trying to quell the irritation that was threatening to overflow. This wasn't an emergency. Mai had been seriously worried that Ayato had seriously hurt Yui, or something terrible had happened. The image of him hiding Yui behind him flashes through ther mind, and she instantly feels foolish for thinking that he might have hurt her friend. It may not seem like it, but Mai felt like she understood the couple better after witnessing what she did today. She didn't want to admit it, but she was beginning to believe that Ayato had some sort of feelings for Yui. The pleading face just in front of hers draws her back to the present and wears on her nerves. If she didn't help Yui, she was positive that the small girl would try to move the eldest brother by herself. Finally, Mai releases a sigh and nods her consent to help her friend with the lazy blonde.
There was no way that she was going to win against Yui's pleading look anyway. It always made her her look like she was younger than she was, which made Mai think of a child. A smile creeps onto her face, which she desperately fights. She was sure that Yui wouldn't appreciate being thought of as a child. Thankfully, Yui doesn't seem to notice the smile though, and she quickly leads the way down the hallway.
As they follow the labyrinth of hallways, Mai thinks over everything that had happened in a matter of hours. She's so lost in thought that she doesn't see that Yui had stopped and ends up walking right into her friend's back. Yui's body rocks forward, but she doesn't move otherwise. She leans up over her friend's shoulder to find that Shuu appeared to have literally collapsed in the very center of the hallway. Yui glances back at her with a worried look on her face. Despite the fact that she knew she shouldn't feel this way, Mai finds worry bubbling in her stomach. He hadn't moved an inch since they had arrived. She slowly steps around her friend and moves to squat beside him. She wasn't sure what she was actually going to be able do though. Should she reach out and feel for a pulse? Did they even have pulses?
She feels Yui towering over her and glances up at her friend, who gives her the same worried look as before. Mai turns her gaze back to the collapsed blonde. Cautiously, she reaches out to give his shoulder a light shove. His body rocks, but it doesn't do anything else. Mai's heart skips a beat as terror coats her throat. He hadn't died, had he? The thought that she had just touched a dead body causes vomit to raise. She had to get out of this house. She had been around more dead things under one roof and in a matter of hours than she ever thought she would. She jerks to a standing position, still unsure of what to do. Yui asks softly. "What's wrong?"
Feeling stupid, Mai whispers back, "You don't think he….you know, died, do you?"
Yui lets out a soft gasping sound. It was painfully obvious that the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She leans around Mai, seeming to inspect him closer."I don't think so, but he doesn't look like he's breathing."
Mai flinches. She honestly hadn't thought to feel for breath or even pay attention to his chest. She doesn't get another chance to say or think anything else though. A groan from near their feet draws their attention downward. Both girls are relieved to see a few small movements from the body at their feet. He slowly opens one eye to give them a tired look. The relief is short lived for Mai though when Yui says. "Will you help me get him to his room?"
Mai feels a sense of deja vu sweep over her. She glowers at her friend and shakes her head just like before. Yui gives her that horrible pleading look, and Mai tries to force herself ignore it. She begins to lightly push Yui back in the direction they had came from. "We have other things to discuss, Yui. Leave him to his own devices. If Reiji gets a hold of him, then so be it."
Yui shakes her head and gives Mai an almost sour look. "Mai, we can't just leave him."
Mai lets out a sigh and starts to try to herd Yui down the hallway once more. She wanted to inform her friend that she was too kind for her own good, but Mai decides against doing so. The last thing that she needed was Yui getting upset, and it turning into some sort of strange argument. A hand grabs the back of her shirt, but she doesn't get a chance to look over her shoulder to confirm her worst fear though. An arm wraps around her shoulder, and a weight hits her back hard. She pitches forward, scrambling for anything to hold onto. Thankfully, she finds something to grab onto. Unfortunately, that something turns out to be Yui, who is easily dragged down.
Yui lets out a startled noise that is abruptly cut off. Mai's not sure how it happened, but she had found herself laying half on top of Yui. The air is forced from her lungs on impact, and she feels like she's unable to breath. A large body was pressing down on her from behind. Mai lets out a wheezing sound, which is made worse by Yui violently wiggling beneath her. Cold breath brushes her cheek, causing her to glance over her shoulder the best she can. Much to her displeasure, she finds Shuu's face closer than she's comfortable with him being. When he lets out a tired chuckle, his breath puffs over her face, causing her to quickly turn away. Yui gives her a pained look and pushes on Mai's sides. Mai's heart skips a beat at the look she is receiving, and she tries to brace herself against the floor and push upward, but, the second she does, Shuu wraps his arms around her upper body. Mai lets out a dismayed sound when his arms settle over her breasts. She reaches up trying to push his arms away, but he just squeezes tighter, seeming to refuse letting her go. His face presses into her back, and he says something unintelligible. Yui lets out another pained sound, which draws Mai's attention. Her face was turning red, and she was gasping for breath. Mai wasn't completely on top of her, but it looked like she was on her enough that the combined weight of Shuu and herself was making it hard for Yui to breath.
Mai tries to ignore where she's being touched and tries to push Shuu's weight up. Her arms shake violently, and she manages only a couple of inches. Still, it was enough that Yui was able to get a couple of good breaths in before Mai's strength leaves her the second that she feels something cold and wet running up the side of her neck. Shuu's soft voice says softly, "I'm hungry."
Yui's face morphes into one of pure pain mixed with terror when the weight once again crushes her. Mai tries to twist away from Shuu, who once again licks her neck. She feels a shudder run through her body, and she wants nothing more than to just disappear. His tongue once again licks her skin. "You taste better than I thought you would."
Another shudder races through her body, and she starts to thrash around. Yui lets out a pained sound, causing Mai to immediately stop. She didn't think that she had physically struck Yui, but it couldn't have been comfortable to be crushed, let alone have someone moving around on top. Her heart skips a beat at the look of pain on her red faced friend. Mai's mind starts to race. She had to do something quick, or the weight might suffocate the small girl. Mai turns her face toward Shuu once more, only to have his tongue run up the side of her face, instead of running up her neck. She bites back the disgust threatening to overtake her, and says softly. "Shuu, can you get up? Please?"
He just responds with a groan. He mutters something about being too tired and hungry to move, but Mai's not completely sure. Her panic was blocking out a lot of the sounds around her. She needed to get him off of her as soon as possible, so she could move off of her friend. She slams her hands into the ground and tries to shove upward again. Adrenaline seems to be on her side this time, since she was able to move a couple of inches off Yui. She hears a deep chuckle in her ear that makes her heart skip a beat. She closes her eyes tightly and tries to ignore it. All she needed to focus on was getting off of her friend.
He makes a soft noise in the back of his throat and says "I don't see anything in it for me."
Mai's panic continues to rise. Yui's lips were beginning to turn blue. The sight causes her to struggle even more. She doesn't bother trying to keep the desperation out of her voice when she asks. "What do you want, Shuu?"
"I'm hungry," Shuu says once more. Dread fills Mai's stomach, since it didn't take much thought to realize what he was asking for.
"Fine! Fine!" Mai breathlessly says. She was already stick with Laito, what more could she lose? Besides, she just needed him off of her friend. Shuu lets out a chuckle, and his weight disappears. He rolls to lay beside Yui, allowing Mai to quickly scramble to the other side of her friend, where she ends up kneeling. Yui takes in so many rough, deep breaths that Mai loses count. She leans over her friend with an anxious look. To her relief, Yui's color seems to be returning with each deep breath that she takes. Once she has a normal color again, Mai lets her body relax before turning a cold look on Shuu. She barely manages to bite back the snarl that was creeping up her throat. She thrusts out an arm toward Shuu, who doesn't even bother opening his eyes. Yui slowly sits up and scrambles to her feet. She sways for a moment before giving Mai a dazed look. Mai tries to offer her a smile and says, "Why don't you go lay down? I'll be there in a moment."
Yui gives her a worried, but dazed look. Thankfully, she doesn't put up a fight and staggers down the hallway. Mai turns her attention back to Shuu, who now has his eyes open. He gives her an amused look. She thrusts her arm at him once more. He gives it a disinterested look and says softly, "I need you to move closer. I'm too hungry to move."
Mai rolls her eyes and stands up. She makes a show of brushing herself off of imaginary dirt. She doesn't repress the snarl this time. Instead, she makes sure that he can clearly hear it. "Then starve to death."
She turns and makes her way down the hallway in the direction of Yui's room. She hears him mutter something, which is followed by a chuckle. A chill runs down her spine, and she quickens her pace to get away from the blonde vampire. She glances over her shoulder to see that he hadn't moved an inch. She's not sure if she should find the sight comforting or not. She decides that it's not a comforting thought at all. She tries to push the nervous feeling away when she arrives at Yui's room. She doesn't bother knocking, since the blonde knew that she was coming.
The second she steps in the room, she desperately wishes that she had knocked. Mai finds herself frozen in place at the sight before her. Yui was lying topless on top of her bed. Her skirt was higher up on her thighs, but, thankfully, it wasn't showing anything. Mai didn't pay much attention to the state of her friend's undress though. Instead, her gaze was locked onto Ayato's smug looking face. He was shirtless, and his pants were undone. Mai abruptly shuts the door, positive that she would be having nightmares about of Ayato leaning seductively over Yui for a while. She numbly spins on her heel and starts down the hallway.
There was no way that she was returning to this house. To hell with knowing why she was seeing the women; to hell with figuring out a way to help Yui. To hell with the whole household. It was a mistake to stay to talk to Yui, and it was an even larger mistake to think that she could possibly help Yui. This was nothing but a mess, and Mai was only making things worse for, not only herself, but Yui too.
Besides, Yui seemed happy, and it didn't take much convince herself that Ayato loved Yui. Mai desperately tells herself that he would protect her from the others. She would just withdraw herself slowly from the whole situation, and, once she was free, she would continue on with her life like nothing happened. She slows, when she approaches the front double doors. Guilt fills her chest at thinking about leaving her friend alone with the vampires. She was just stressed and worried about her situation with Laito. She runs a hand through her hair. It wasn't a reason to take it out on Yui, who had been nothing but kind. With a sigh, Mai settles for continuing on her path forward. She had learned some new information anyway, so it wasn't like she was leaving empty handed. A shudder racks her body. She was anything but empty handed. If anything, she was in debt now. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to follow through trying to trick Laito.
The lazy blonde vampire might be a new option. After all, she told him that he could bite her, but he hadn't actually tried. She tries to steel her resolve, but she finds that she isn't reassured in trying to tangle with Shuu. It felt like he was hiding something. The uncomfortable sensation causes her to let out a sigh. Regardless, she wasn't sure that she should continue on the path with Laito. It seemed more self-destructive than helpful. Her thoughts turn to the other three. Kanato was so childlike that she wasn't sure he would know. Even if he did, she was sure that it'd be like tangling with Laito all over again, only Kanato had horrible tantrums. Reiji just plain scared her.
Perhaps she should look to Subaru? He might be another option, despite his anger. She had seen small tendrils of kindness through his rough exterior. She arrives at the front door before she knows it, and she doesn't hesitate to reach out for the door. Just as her hand touches the door handle, she freezes. The chilling sensation of being watched washes over her, causing her to glance over her shoulder, but she doesn't find anyone. She feels her skin starting to crawl and quickly opens the door without a second thought and quickly bolts out, though she was still looking over her shoulder.
Her body collides with something solid, knocking her back. She still had a hand on the door, so she uses that to stay on feet. Her gaze snaps around to find the eerie old man that seemed to stalk Reiji. A chill races down her spine at the fact that his face was completely devoid of emotion. In fact, he seemed completely unaffected by her slamming into him. He simply bows, steps aside, and sweeps his arm outward in order to gesture toward a black car waiting in the driveway. An uncomfortable silence settles between the two of them before she asks softly. "Is that meant to take me home?"
The old man only nods his head, then bows slightly. He doesn't straighten up, making Mai feel even more uncomfortable. She shuts the door and quickly hurries toward the car. At least she would be getting a ride. Just as she reaches out to grab the door handle that leads to the back seat, a hand appears from beside her. She jumps and glances up to meet cold red eyes.
It looked like the ride had just gotten even more uncomfortable. Reiji makes a small gesture toward the back seat, but he doesn't say a word. Mai swallows hard and slides into the back seat. She silently prays that Reiji wouldn't slide in behind her.
Unfortunately, that prayer goes unheard when he slides in beside her and shuts the door. His voice is low as he tells the driver her address. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, but it does nothing to quell the shaking in her hands. She ends up clenching them tightly together and keeps her eyes closed. It didn't help her situation, but it did make her feel better to not have to see him. She tried not to dwell on the fact that he knew her address, despite never having been there.
"We have a few things to discuss," Reiji coldly states. Mai lets out a low breath, and every muscle in her body tenses. The ride home was going to be just as horrible as the time she had to walk home. She offers up a new prayer. This one was that the ride would be short, but she had a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach that was letting her know that this one wasn't going to be answered either.
