Tsukiyomi-Hio: I'm so sorry that it took even longer! T.T You were right on the spelling! I think I still need to go back and fix that. (: Thank you for pointing that out! :D

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rabiosarabiosa: :D Thank you for your review! I'm sorry I kept you waiting! T.T This chapter does have some more Laito and Mai.

Cat McHall: Yup. :/ He waited a bit too long to try to 'help' her.

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Long time no see! Sorry it's been a while! T.T My spare time is almost nonexistent. T.T This chapter turned out a little shorter than I thought it would. ): Sorry! I hope you all still enjoy it though!


The bath is awkward to say the least. Despite her many protests, the faceless familiar is sure to wash every single inch of Mai's body without a single shred of hesitation. It doesn't seem to matter how physical Mai gets. The same thing is repeated to her over and over again. "Master's guest, please be still. I promise I'm not trying to hurt you."

The second the familiar seems satisfied she is clean, the plug is pulled. She's never been so happy to be out of a bathtub in her life, and she rips away the large, fluffy towel that is presented to her. The last thing she wants is the familiar's hands returning to the places she didn't want them in the first place. Thankfully, this action isn't protested.

Unfortunately, Mai's luck doesn't seem to be lasting. A second familiar materializes beside the first faceless one. Despite the mounting frustration and humiliation, Mai is relieved to find a face on this one. In fact, the new familiar looks to be in her late teens or early twenties. Long, curly strawberry-blonde hair frames a round face. Dark green eyes peek out from her downcast face. It's startling to see such a pretty human-like girl in the house. Mai doesn't bother finishing drying. Instead, she simply wraps the towel tightly around herself, though she's sure whatever dignity she had is long gone by this point.

"Master Laito is requesting her," the new familiar says in a barely audible, polite voice.

"It can't be done," the faceless familiar starts sternly. "I have orders, and clothes already prepared."

Mai's gaze shifts to the faceless's stomach, since she doesn't have the courage to look at the blank canvas that should sport a face. She'd been shopping with Laito before. She hated to admit it, but she trusted Laito's judgement more than she did Reiji, or anyone else's for that matter. "Does Laito have clothes picked out for me? Can I see them before I put them on? Will you bring them to me?"

An awkward silence fills the room, and Mai's heart starts to sink. That's as good of a no as she's going to get. After a few minutes, she finally mutters softly. "He's… mad at me, isn't he?"

The continued silence speaks volumes. Mai shifts her weight between her feet. The sting in her knee isn't helping matters. Finally, Mai clears her throat and asks softly. "Is… Is the walk far?"

"I'm sorry," comes the reply, causing Mai to flinch hard. She turns her eyes back on the new familiar. The girl hasn't so much as moved a muscle. It's eerie to watch, since she seems like a life-sized doll. Mai's hair stands on end, and she finds that she suddenly prefers the faceless one. Even if she doesn't have a face, she's somewhat pleasant to talk to. Mai sucks in a small breath and forces her eyes to turn to look at the faceless one; this time in the area where the face should be.

"Well, I suppose you should lead the way," Mai grits out after a few minutes of thought.

"But, Master La-"

"I don't care what Laito wants," Mai snaps. She flinches. It comes out harsher than she meant it to, but the thought of showing up at Laito's room in nothing but a towel causes her to cringe. That's basically asking for trouble. Her eyes turn to regard the new familiar. The girl's face is pale, and her face appears to be terror stricken. In fact, she's even shaking. A jolt of guilt runs through Mai's stomach, and she awkwardly clears her throat. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You were only doing your...job."

The familiar begins to shake her head so hard that her hair lifts. Once she stops, her eyes lock onto Mai. In seconds, cold hands wrap around Mai's upper arms. A look of primal panic takes over the girl's face. Mai tries to pull back, but the familiar has surprising strength. Her words almost run together when she frantically says. "Please! You have to come to his room! Please! I'm begging you!"

"I…" Mai starts to say. She can't help but feel guilty for her upcoming refusal, but the sight of the familiar being so terrified only cemented the fact that she should not go to Laito.

"Master's guest has already chosen. She will be dressed in what the Master has set aside for her," the musical voice sternly states. The girl opens her mouth to protest, but the faceless familiar is already peeling the girl's hands off of Mai. Everything happens in a rush. Mai is practically dragged into the hallway, while the girl pleads as loud as she dares.

"Please! He won't take no for an answer! Please he'll hur-"

The girl is cut off when the faceless familiar slams the bathroom door shut. It echoes loudly down the hallway, much to Mai's displeasure. She can still hear the girl wailing on the opposite side of the door, causing chills to race down her spine. To make matters worse, she can feel eyes on her. She pulls the towel tighter, but she doesn't get a chance to ask what the girl was going to say. The faceless familiar's already practically floating down the hallway without a sound. Mai shudders and rushes after. Once she catches up, her eyes glance behind her, hoping to catch sight of whoever is watching her.

It doesn't come as a surprise when the hallway appears empty behind her. This isn't the first time that she's felt those eyes on her, and she knows it won't be the last. She just isn't sure who it is. She releases a shuddering sigh and keeps up with the silent familiar. Unfortunately, the eyes seem to be following her, making the trip feel like hours. Finally, they arrive at a faintly familiar door. One that she shudders at when the door opens.

It's 'her' room. The familiar doesn't hesitate to drift inside. Mai forces herself to follow after. Her hand reaches out to touch the door, but the lights seem to come on of their own accord. Allowing Mai to see that the faceless familiar had stopped beside the bed, drawing Mai's gaze to what is laying near the foot of the bed. Her eyes widen, causing all thoughts of the eyes following her or shutting the door to leave her mind.

"Hell, no!" Mai says an octane higher than she meant to. She flinches at her own voice, but she quickly starts to shake her head. "I'm not wearing that!"

She can practically feel the frown over take the nonexistent face, even if she can't actually see it. The familiar's hand gestures in the direction of the outfit that has been carefully laid out on the bed. Her musical voice is full of confusion. "Master insisted you wear this to dinner."

Mai eyes the dress that must have came out of the dark ages. It's a single shade, and that shade is pitch black. It has a high collar. In fact, she is sure that it'd cover everything from her feet to her chin. The worst part is the corset lying beside the dress. It has so many laces that Mai isn't sure how she'll ever get it done up. Mai shakes her head stubbornly again. "Hell no."

The familiar lifts the corset and says softly. "Master insis-"

"I know he insists, but that…" Mai makes a vague gesture at the corset. "...is nothing short of a torture device. Besides, I'll… trip…."

Her blood runs cold. If he's 'insisting' that she wear this, that can only mean one thing. She flinches. She knew she had gotten off easy despite using Reiji as a scapegoat. She turns her eyes toward the outfit once more. This is too much for such a petty reason though. She remembers learning that a lot of women back in those ages were known for having breathing problems due to their corsets being tied to tight, and she knew that is exactly what will happen in this situation.

Suddenly, Laito's clothing choices are looking better. She casts her eyes over the horrible clothing once more. How is she going to get out of this? Thankfully, something comes to mind. After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously asks, "Where…. Where is the underwear?"

The faceless familiar tilts her head to the side. Mai can't decide if it's in confusion or in thought. Finally, the musical voice fills the silence between them. "I don't...understand."

Mai grits her teeth for a moment. How else can she explain it? It takes a moment to really think about it. She uses the time to glance around for some sort of visual prop. That's when she notices the door is still wide open, though she does notice the feeling of being watched is long gone. She grips her towel tightly and turns to shut the door. The second the latch clicks into place. She hears a sigh behind her, causing her to jump. She spins around to meet a sight that has her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach.

The faceless familiar has retreated close to the bathroom door, while Laito is lying on his back at the foot of her bed. One leg is folded up beneath him, and the other hangs carelessly from the edge of the bed. He has a hand resting behind his head. Without warning, he twists his body until his laying on his side with his back to her. She assumes it's to get a better look at the dress laying neatly beside him. His fingers reach out to almost gently run over the fabric. With his back to her, she can't see his expression, which does little to calm her now racing heart.

It feels like the air in the room is alive with electricity. Tension strains every muscle in Mai's body. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see the familiar carefully moving toward her. Mai wants to tear her gaze from Laito, but she can't seem to do so. She's not sure why though. Just as the familiar closes in on Mai, cold, green eyes snap around to fixate on the two of them. Mai jumps and retreats a step back. Her back presses against the cool door behind her.

She's not sure why, but she feels a small measure of relief when Laito's gaze slides to the faceless familiar. That relief is short lived with Laito's cold words. "Leave."

Mai's gaze finally snaps to the familiar. While the familiar might not be much help, Mai can't help but not want to be alone with Laito. She puts as much silent pleading as she can into her gaze, since her tongue feels like it's made out of lead. Hope cautiously climbs when the familiar starts to shake her head.

"I can't. I was asked by Master to dr-"

Laito makes a sound of irritation in the back of his throat. He's on his feet before Mai has a chance to blink and seems to tower over the clearly frightened familiar. A dark look colors his face, causing Mai's heart to skip a beat. Her eyes flick to the faceless familiar before sliding back. She doesn't want to do anything that would warrant his attention to be drawn to her. She can practically feel anger rolling off Laito, and that frightens her more than she cared to admit.

Still, she can't just stand by and watch someone else get hurt, human or otherwise. Before she can second guess herself, she reaches out to put a light hand on Laito's arm. She opens her mouth to say something to distract him, but his eyes flick to her, effectively killing any words she had prepared.

She'd made a mistake.

A huge mistake.

She jerks her hand back, but it doesn't get far. Laito's cold hand closes around her wrist. Her heart leaps into her throat, and she violently shakes her hand. It has as much effect as she expects it to. Her eyes remain glued to his face.

Her back presses against the door even harder than before. The door feels cool against the exposed skin on her shoulders, upper back, and legs. She clenches the towel even tighter with her free hand, but her thoughts quickly turn from her discomfort to Laito. He leans until his face is inches from hers. His usual, playful smirk adorns his face, but it doesn't reach his cold eyes. His teasing voice comes out barely above a whisper. "Sweetheart, I'm hurt. You didn't come to see me."

She clenches her jaw shut tightly. She has no idea how to respond to him. Any sort of answer seems like the wrong one. She has a sinking feeling that anything she says will only worsen the situation. Instead, she just focuses on trying to keep any emotion off her face. Laito's chuckle brushes her face in a puff of cold air, and he gradually begins to lean even closer. His face inches closer to the point that his nose is almost brushing hers. His voice lowers a few octaves, seeming almost threatening. "Or do you want to really wear something Reiji chose for you?"

"I…" Mai starts. Her mouth feels so dry that she has to close her mouth and force herself to swallow. Her thoughts feel strangely silent. She's not sure what to say, so she just says the first that finally comes to mind. "I don't want to wear that stupid thing. I made a mistake and was just thinking about how I'd rather wear something you picked out."

The smile slides from his face. In fact, all emotion seems to slide away, and he watches her with emotionless eyes. Finally, he releases a soft noise in the back of his throat, and his smirk appears. Thankfully, he leans back, and Mai feels air rush out of her.

That air hitches once more when cold fingers slowly trace the top of her chest, just above the hem of her towel. His voice sounds almost like he's pouting. "You didn't come to see me though."

Mai swallows hard once more and decides to play along with his game. "I… I just wanted to get dressed quickly. After all, everyone is waiting for me at dinner by now."

He gives her a pout and leans his body into hers. His knee suddenly presses into her thigh, and she involuntarily tenses her legs. He gives her a smirk that bares his fangs at her. She shudders but refuses to give into the mounting panic. She forces a smile onto her face and cautiously reaches out to put a hand on his chest. Keeping her voice as light as she can, she says. "I wanted to get dressed before I saw you. Then you could judge whether or not I was presentable. After all, I know that you know what looks good on me."

He clicks his tongue, and a genuine smile spreads over his face. Strangely, it's not one that puts her at ease. She realizes her mistake much too late when he says, "But you look so much better without clothes."

She opens and closes her mouth a couple of times, not sure how to respond to that. Unfortunately, Laito isn't keen on going easy on her. Without a moment's hesitation, he leans forward. His cold tongue presses against the bottom of her throat and quickly works its' way up to her jaw. She jerks her head back in surprise. Unfortunately, her head collides with the solid door, causing her to release a soft hiss of pain. Laito's cold chuckle causes goosebumps to raise in the wake of his salvia. His lips press against her pulse, and she closes her eyes and leans as far away as possible. Unfortunately, this is just the lapse in concentration Laito seems to be waiting for. His leg wiggles between hers. She tightens her legs once more, but it's much too late.

She releases a yelp when his knee collides hard with her pelvic bone, and she shoves on him as hard as she can. He rocks back for a moment, but it only lasts a second. His lips find her neck once more, and he gives a playful suck.

"Laito! Stop!" Mai states loudly. He pulls back just enough to chuckle. She catches a glint of his fangs once more. Cold terror settles in the pit of her stomach. She knew he had shown them on purpose. "Laito, please do-!"

She releases a sharp gasp when she feels his teeth sink into the flesh of her neck. She hates to admit it, but the feeling has changed so much since he had first bitten her. There is absolutely no pain this time. Instead, there is a frightening, yet intoxicating, feeling spreading through her body. Her fingertips begin to feel pleasantly warm, and her toes tingle. In fact, she's sure that her entire body is starting to pleasantly tingle. She can feel her body relaxing, though her mind frantically cries out for her to not give in. Her eyelids suddenly becomes heavy, and she releases a soft moan.

Her thoughts are slowly becoming hazy. Finally, the only thing on her mind is the sound of Laito's greedy gulping. She's barely aware of the fact that he has moved location a couple of times. It's not until his cold fingers touch the area just below her breast that she finally snaps back to reality. To her absolute horror, her head is leaned to the side, allowing him easy access. She can't feel his fangs in her skin anymore, but he's leaving light, butterfly kisses across her bare shoulder. His thumb brushes the skin along the bottom of her breast this time, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. She's not sure when it happened, but her towel has become pooled around her feet. The soft fabric of his shirt brushes against her skin, making her painfully aware of the fact that her nipples had become hard.

She tightens her legs around his just when he moves it gently against her core. She bites back a startled moan when a pleasant jolt rushes through her veins. His hazy, green eyes suddenly appear only inches from her own. She inhales sharply, but she doesn't get a chance to say anything. His lips crash roughly with hers, and she can feel the tender skin of her bottom lip catch on one of his fangs. She lets out a muffled whimper that is swallowed by his lips. She clenches her eyes shut, fully expecting to feel his tongue plunge into her mouth. The thought of tasting her own blood makes her feel queasy.

To her surprise, the opposite happens. Laito actually pulls away. She cautiously opens one eye. Laito's face is still hovering so close that she can only see his eyes, which are fixated on her bottom lip. It almost looks as if he's fascinated by the blood welling there. Without a second thought, Mai's tongue darts out to try to clean her lip. She flinches at the metallic taste, feeling queasy like she thought she would. A rush of air draws her attention back to Laito. Without warning, he leans forward. His cold tongue traces along her lip before he pulls back, and his eyes lift to meet hers.

She's startled by what she finds there. She expected playfulness or lust, both of which are present, but she finds something harder to describe. It almost seems like he's about to cry.

Her fingers move without her permission. For a moment, she's startled by how heavy her limbs are, but she finds it hard to focus on that. Her fingers softly touch the cold skin just below his eye. He flinches back a little before his eyes narrow at her. Her heart skips beat when his trademark, playful smirk quickly spreads over his face once again. It almost seems like the loneliness from before is a figment of her imagination. She's so focused on trying to find that emotion that she jumps when his thumb lightly runs along her bottom lip, smearing her warm blood along her lip. Her breath hitches in her throat, and a shudder works it's way through her body. A deep chuckle erupts from him. His fingers pull away from her lip, only to lightly run through her still damp hair.

"Do you have anything you want to say to me, Sweetheart?" Laito says in a soft, yet deep, voice. Confusion fills Mai's entire being. She frowns for a moment. Her thoughts are still hazy, so she isn't sure what he could be meaning.

She's so lost in thought that she doesn't see him leaning forward once more. She doesn't even notice until his lips touch hers once more. She closes her eyes, fully expecting it to be another rough kiss like before.

She couldn't have been more right. The hand in her hair reaches the end only to plunge back into the hair near the base of her skull. Just as the rough feeling of his pants rubs painfully along her core, his hand balls tightly in her hair, jerking her head away from his. An arm wraps around her waist, pulling her from the door. She releases a startled cry of pain when he continues to pull her head back until she is awkwardly arched into him on her tippy toes. In fact, she's so far back that she knows that she won't be able to keep her balance if Laito decides to let go. Every muscle in her body tenses, and her now watery eyes close tightly.

"La-Laito!" She practically begs. She shudders violently when she feels his cold chuckle against the top part of one of her breasts. Her eyes fly open at the sensation. Her mind becomes blank when she feels his lips brush her bare skin just above her hammering heart. There is no way he can't hear it, since he's so close. She sucks in a sharp breath when his fangs brush her skin. She finds no sense of relief when his lips brush her skin once more. Her whole body begins to shake uncontrollably.

Is she going to die?

This isn't the first time the thought has crossed her mind. A whimper leaves her throat as fear coats her mouth in a nasty taste. This is the first time she feels deep in her gut that she's about to find the end of her life at the hands of someone she has some sort of feeling for. His fangs brush the skin over her heart once more. Her thoughts race wildly. She doesn't want to die yet!

That thought keeps running through her mind like some sort of prayer. A sour taste fills her mouth. It feels like she can actually choke on the fear that is coursing through her body. She needs to do something, and she needs to do it before it's too late. She hears him mutter something against her skin. She's not sure what he says, but she can hear pain coloring his voice. It causes a sharp pain deep in her heart. That's when an idea occurs to her.

If he's in pain, maybe she can comfort him.

She finds that her hands had become balled in shoulders of his clothes, which would work perfectly for her plan. She has to force one hand to slowly release his clothing. Making sure to keep her it lightly touching him, she begins to trace his shoulder with just her fingertips. The moment her warm fingers touch his cold neck, she feels him tense against her body. She swallows hard, flinching at the pain it causes her. Without missing a beat, she gently works her way up his neck until something soft brushes her fingers. Her body continues to shake against him, but she focuses on gently running her fingers through his hair. She opens her mouth to say 'it's ok', but she decides to bite her tongue instead. It feels as if a spell has fallen over them. He jerks hard on her hair, as if to warn her against continuing, and a sharp gasp leaves her mouth. It feels like her neck is about to break at this point, but she continues to move her fingers through his hair.

After what feels like an eternity passes, his grip in her hair slowly loosens. She's finally able to straighten a little more. The feeling of danger slowly passes, and she's able to open her eyes a little. Warm tears had escaped at some point, but all that's left is cold trails of water, which lead into her hair. Her fingers move a little to a new area that she can now reach. She both hears and feels the groan leaving Laito due to the fact that he had laid his head against her chest. He pulls her painfully tight, causing her to groan softly in protest. Unfortunately, it falls on deaf ears. His voice is so soft that she almost misses it.

"I love you." She frowns a little when a sinking feeling threatens to take over. She has a feeling that he isn't talking to her. It's almost like he's talking to himself, or even someone who isn't actually there.

Time seems to slip by a lot faster after that. She's not sure how long they remain with his head resting on her chest while she runs her fingers through his hair, but it comes to an end just as quickly as it started. He pulls completely away from her, leaving her to rock back onto her heels. The second she no longer has his support, she finds it impossible to remain standing. It feels like weights are tied to each of her limbs. Embarrassment at how naked she is helps to make her drop to her knees. She awkwardly gathers up the towel and tries to wrap herself in it once more. She hears a chuckle once she is done and turns her attention upward. Laito is staring down at her with his usual lust filled eyes. A smirk that can only be described as perverted adorns his face. He tilts his head to the side a little, which almost gives him an innocent appearance. Unfortunately, the illusion is ruined seconds later when he says. "You look so good on your knees."

Her face becomes a bright red, and she settles a cold glare on him. Unfortunately, he seems to have become immune to such things. He squats down in front of her with a soft chuckle. She tenses, wondering if he plans to touch her again. She finds a small measure of relief when he seems to be keeping his hands to himself. He rests an elbow on his knee, while he uses his hand to prop his head up. His eyes slide lazily over her body, making her blush return. Without returning his gaze to her face, he asks, "Isn't there something you want to tell me?"

She frowns at the repeated question, and her thoughts race for a moment before it occurs to her what he wants her to tell him. He had previously said 'I love you'. Is he seriously expecting her to answer him back after everything he has done so far? She grits her teeth for a moment to calm her anger before fixating him with a cool look of disinterest. "I'm not going to tell you that I love you, if that's what you're after."

His gaze slowly lifts to meet hers. Instead of anger, she's unpleasantly surprised to find amusement. Without warning, his face is inches from hers. She jerks back to find that he had rocked forward to end up on all fours. She scrambles back until she is pressed against the door once again. He continues to follow her on all fours until she stupidly pins herself. His smirk only seems to grow, though there is a dark, sharp edge in his eyes. His cold breath brushes her face when he says. "I recall you saying something in that nauseating place. Something that you should have never spoken."

Her thoughts race wildly. What nauseating place?

With a jolt she realizes that he must have been talking about Yui's church. A few seconds later, she finds herself still unable to locate exactly what he's talking about. She had said so much in anger that it's hard to pinpoint exactly what he's referring to. Cold finger begin to trace her jaw, drawing her back to the present. Her gaze locks with Laito's, who is giving her an amused smirk. His voice is barely audible. "I told you before, didn't I?"

"Huh?" Mai stupidly asks. She still can't figure out what he's getting at. He leans forward, and she tenses. Is he going to kiss her again?

Thankfully, he stops just short of kissing her, but his next words make her blood turn to ice. "You said you'd rather have Shuu than me."

His voice is light, almost like he's making a joke, but the sense of danger is very, very real, and it threatens to overwhelm her very being. It only mounts further, and her breath hitches when his smile grows even colder. "Is that true?"

She finds herself at a loss about what to say. She opens and closes her mouth a few times, but her body stubbornly refuses to make a sound. Finally, she makes an odd whimpering noise. She flinches in pure, horror filled embarrassment. Thankfully, it seems to convince Laito to back off, since he gives her a confused look before pulling away. He rocks back onto his heels and gives her a frown. Her gaze drops to the towel.

Did she always need to make a fool of herself? Especially in front of Laito of all people.

Her body jerks as soon as that thoughtfully processes. Her hands ball up in the towel, and she stubbornly tells herself that it's because Laito is the type to tease her mercilessly at any sign of weakness. There is no other reason.

Her stomach feels like it falls to the floor. She knows she's lying to herself. An imaginative weight feels like it's starting to crush her.

Cold fingers brush just below her chin before lightly pressing upwards, and she doesn't bother resisting. Instead, she allows Laito to lift her face until her eyes meet his. His green eyes seem to glow, but they aren't the eerie color they gain when he gets hungry. Instead, they glow with amusement, as if he knows something she doesn't. The thought bothers her more than she cares to admit. He leans so far forward that his nose brushes the tip of her own, and he playfully says, "I don't think you prefer Shuu."

She doesn't bother responding to that, though she does feel a soft surge of defiance well up in her chest. Unfortunately, their conversation comes to an end when a sharp knock on the door causes her to jump. Her shaking hands fumble to keep the towel closed.

"It's time to eat, Mai," comes Reiji's muffled voice. There is a sharp tone to it, causing a jolt of fear to cut through her muddled thoughts.

"A...Alright!" Mai calls back. She scrambles to her feet and glances at the dress laid out on the bed. She's faintly aware of Reiji saying she only has five minutes to report to the hall, or she'll be punished. Laito's chuckle draws her attention back down to him. His green eyes peer up at her from his squatted position. A teasing smirk adorns his face. Feeling her face flush, she coldly demands. "Please leave, so I can get dressed."

Her blush deepens when she remembers the faceless familiar. Had they been observed? Her gaze drifts over the room, but she can't seem find the woman at all. A mixture of relief and frustration fill her. Her face burns at the thought of being seen kissing Laito like she was, but she isn't sure how she's going to get dressed now.

Her eyes turn back to the dress with a frown. She carefully steps around Laito, trying not to allow him to see up her towel, and approaches the bed. The closer she gets, the more her nose wrinkles. There is no way that she wants to get dressed in that, but time is running out. She doesn't have much of a choice anyway if she wants to avoid dealing with an angry Reiji.

"I have something much more comfortable for you," Laito states softly. Mai glances over her shoulder to see he has straightened himself up to a standing position. He gives a light stretch before releasing a soft groan. Impatience starts to take over, and she finds herself snapping.

"What do you have?"

He gives her an amused grin. He slowly lifts his hand toward her, and she recoils back, causing his smirk to only grow. He tilts his head to the side, almost giving him an innocent appearance once more. His voice is barely audible. "Do you have time to run from me? We only have a few minutes, if that."

He leaves his hand extended toward her. After a few seconds of hesitation, Mai snarls softly to herself and reaches out to take the offer. The second her warm hand touches his cold one, his fingers seal over her hand.

A sick feeling fills her stomach when she realizes that she's now standing in his room. She rips her hand away from him and cradles it to her chest. Her eyes quickly flick around her. The sick feeling continues to grow when she realizes she hadn't felt the nausea inducing spinning like she use to. In fact, she hadn't felt anything. A cold sweat breaks out over her skin. A puff of air on her neck causes a shudder to race down her spine, but it doesn't pull her from her worries over the missing sensation.

She's faintly aware of cold fingers prodding her back, along with a low, husky voice giving her directions. She numbly follows Laito's instructions without a second thought.

Does this mean she's becoming like Yui?

Is she losing her humanity?

That thought is enough to cause warm tears to well up and roll down her cheeks without warning.

She doesn't want to become like Yui. She doesn't want to leave their world behind. She wants to live with her parents. She wants to see the world, and she wants to find love. She even wanted to have a family some day. She tries to clear the lump in her throat, but she makes a choked sound instead.

Curious green eyes fill her watery vision, causing her to flinch back a couple of steps. Laito tilts his head a little, looking genuinely confused. Mai releases a choked chuckle, though she's not sure why she does. Latio flashes her an amused grin and straightens himself. Without warning, his hand is delves into her hair, keeping her firmly in place. Her body instinctively jerks when his face is only inches from her own. For a heart stopping second, she thinks he's going to reach out and either wipe or lick away her tears.

"What are you crying for, Sweetheart?" Laito practically purrs. She finds herself at a loss for what to say. There's no way that she's going to tell him that she's afraid that she's becoming like him. She's almost positive that he'll take that as insult, and she's not sure she can handle any more of his rough handling at the moment. She sucks in a sharp breath and decides to hold it. She puts all her strength into fighting the tears instead of answering. Laito's eyes narrow in amusement before flicking downward. She instinctively wraps her arms around herself. His gaze lifts to meet hers, and he leans forward until his nose brushes hers. His voice is still a purr when he says, "I've seen every part of you multiple times, love. There's no need to be embarrassed."

That is just what Mai needs to refocus her thoughts. She rolls her eyes and lifts her hands to push him away. To her surprise, he doesn't allow her to simply shove him away like he normally does. She puts more strength into it this time. A sharp pain in the base of her skull lets her know that he had rewarded her efforts with a sharp pull of her hair. She bites back the whimper and gives him her best defiant look, but it's ruined by the tears forming in the corner of her eyes again. Laito's laughter cuts through the silence between them, and Mai has to resist the urge to bring her knee up between his legs. Unfortunately, she isn't able to stop herself from slamming her foot down on his as hard as she can. His laughter changes to a hiss of pain. His eyes snap back to hers, and a rare frown adorns his face. The scariest part isn't the look of frustration on his face. It's the empty look in his eyes.

Her heart skips a few beats and sinks to the pit of her stomach. She opens her mouth to say something, anything, but all she manages is softly uttering his name.

The look of frustration is quickly wiped from his face at the sound of his breathless name leaving her lips, but the empty look remains. Without another word, she finds herself standing in the dining room. A rough shove sends her scrambling sideways. Her hands reach out to the chair in front of her, jostling not only the occupant in the chair, but the table as well.

"Watch it!" Subaru snaps. Mai leans awkwardly against his chair. Her eyes reluctantly lift to meet his angry red ones. For a brief moment, she sees surprise flash though his eyes, but her attention is pulled away when she hears a sigh. She quickly scrambles into the empty chair beside Subaru. Her cheeks turn a bright red, and she glances down at her clothes.

She knew she should feel disgusted that they had been changed without her consent, but she finds herself relieved to find that Laito had dressed her in a t-shirt and loose shorts. Her eyes lock with the table, but the feeling of being watched causes her to lift her gaze up. That's when she notices a couple of things.

The table is much smaller than the usual one. In fact, she can almost brush her elbows with the brothers on either side of her. She casts a glance to her left to find Subaru with his eyes closed and a look of irritation on his face. Her gaze shifts to the right to find Shuu sitting on the opposite side of her.

The seating arrangements seem to have been changed. Across from Shuu, Reiji is sitting with his red eyes boring into her, though she can't tell if he's angry or not. She offers a small smile, but it only deepens his frown. She quickly turns her gaze away from him to the person directly across from her. Her eyes only lock with amused green ones for a moment before she looks to Laito's right. To her absolute surprise, she finds Kanato staring blankly down at his empty plate. The most surprising fact is that Teddy is nowhere in sight. She glances at the end of the table to find a furious looking Ayato sitting at what is normally Shuu's place at the 'head' of the table. His green eyes stare hatefully across from him. She turns her attention in that direction to find the space empty, but she has a sinking feeling that she knows who will be sitting there soon.

Her body jerks when there is a loud banging behind her. Mai glances over her shoulder to find her heart sinking all the way to the floor. The Yui imposter gracefully makes her way over to the table. As she passes him, her fingers run lightly along one of Shuu's shoulders. Out of the corner of her eye, Mai can see Shuu's usually serene face twist for a moment before smoothing back out as if nothing had happened. Cordelia sits down while clapping. The food seems to appear on the table.

The sound of silverware being picked up echos through the otherwise silent dining room. Mai turns her gaze to the food, but she finds that the aroma only turns her stomach. She swallows hard, trying to rid herself of the lump forming in her throat.

"Mai, my dear," Cordelia's voice suddenly breaks the tension. Mai's gaze lifts to meet Cordelia's chilly green one. "Is this how normal human dinners are?"

Mai's mouth suddenly feels like it's coated in sandpaper. She turns her gaze to her empty plate in order to take a moment to really consider her next words. Finally, she clears her throat and reaches out to take the glass of water in front of her plate. She takes a sip before cautiously saying. "I… I suppose so."

Cordelia releases a soft chuckle. "Is that so?"

Mai reluctantly turns her eyes toward what was once her friend. Cordelia is resting her elbows on the table with her fingers interlocked. Mai barely resists the urge to glance at Reiji. Cordelia leans forward just a little. An unidentifiable smirk spreads over her face, and her voice contains unrestrained amusement. "Is this how your family does dinner?"

Mai scrambles to say something. "Umm…."

Silence fills the room. There isn't even the sound of eating. Mai casts a quick glance around. Reiji is staring at his plate. Laito has an elbow on the table, while resting his cheek against his knuckles. His eyes are locked with her, though he does actually have a hold of a eating utensil. Her eyes shift to lock with Kanato's blank purple gaze. A shudder runs down her spine, and she moves on. Ayato is continuing to glare down the table at his 'mother'. Subaru still has his arms crossed with an annoyed look on his face. It doesn't come as a surprise to find Shuu is slouched down a little, while the food on his plate remains untouched. Mai's gaze arrives back at Cordelia, who has continued watching Mai the entire time with clear amusement coloring her face. After a few more minutes of tense silence, Mai finally mutters a soft. "No."

Cordelia claps her hands once more and releases a nerve wrecking giggle. "Let's start with everyone's day! Anyone want to volunteer?"

Silence is her only answer. Unfortunately, she doesn't allow that to deter her. Her eyes flick from Mai to the person sitting beside her. A cruel smile spreads over her face. With a casual tone, Cordelia asks. "So, Christa's boy. How is your mother?"

Subaru's fist lands hard on the table, rattling everything. A couple of glasses tip over, but no one moves to right them. Subaru's red eyes lock onto Cordelia's amused ones. His voice comes out loudly. "Shut the fuck up! Don't you dare say her name!"

Mai quickly leans in between the two to intervene by saying. "So, Cordelia, why are you eating with us?"

She can practically hear Subaru seething behind her, and she casts a cautious glance over her shoulder. Subaru's red gaze locks with hers. She tries to offer him an apologetic smile, but it seems lost on the furious vampire. He snarls at her, throws his weight back against the chair and reassumes his previous position of glaring at the food with his arms crossed over his chest. To Mai's surprise, she finds pity welling up in the pit of her stomach. Cordelia's voice draws Mai's attention back to the present. "Isn't this what my dear husband commanded of his children?"

Mai leans back and reaches out to right her glass before picking up an eating utensil to begin picking at her food. She clears her throat and says, "I'm aware that he calls his children together once a month, but that doesn't explain why it's today. I thought it wasn't for a few more days."

Just as she finishes her speech, she feels something brush her foot, causing her to jump. She barely resists the urge to look under the table in order to figure out what touched her. She moves her feet a little closer to Subaru's side in order to keep whoever was accidently touching her from doing it again. Unfortunately, that's when Cordelia decides to start talking again. "Isn't this fun?"

Mai frowns at her. She jumps when something cold brushes just below her knee, almost tracing the shape of her calf. Her gaze snaps across the table to find that Laito's attention has been returned to his food. Her heart leaps into her throat.

"Mai, my dear. I'm talking to you. Don't you think you are being a little rude?" Cordelia softly chides, almost sounding like a mother. Mai reluctantly turns her gaze from the red haired vampire.

"No," Mai states bluntly before she realizes what she had said. The only one who laughs is Laito. Mai flinches and clears her throat before saying. "I just… I don't see the point in me being here. I'm sorry."

"Aren't you almost family?"

That sends chills down Mai's spine. Her gaze snaps back to find Cordelia watching her with an amused, almost knowing look. With a hitched breath, Mai finds her thoughts racing. Unfortunately, she doesn't get long to dwell on it, since something brushes her clothed core. Her body jerks so roughly that her knees hit the bottom of the table. Her gaze snaps toward Laito, and she hisses, "Stop it!"

"What?" Laito asks her with a sort of playful innocence that only he can manage in such a situation.

"Now, now, my dear. You're being very rude," Cordelia states, though she sounds anything but upset. Mai jerks again when that same something brushes her core. With mounting embarrassment, she realizes that it's likely Laito's foot. Heat rushes to her face, and she reaches underneath the table, only to come up empty handed. Cordelia releases a sigh, but it sounds far from frustrated. "Please keep your hands above the table, dear. It's very rude to your hosts to behave in such a barbaric manner."

Mai casts a frustrated glance at Cordelia, but she doesn't get a chance to say anything. A sharp gasp is ripped from her mouth when the foot presses once more. Mai can't squash the feeling of embarrassment at having six pairs of eyes now on her. She can feel her entire face flushing. Her hand latches onto Shuu's forearm, much tighter than she intends. His blue eyes finally open and lift to meet hers. She shuffles closer to him and whispers directly into his ear. "Switch me seats."

To her utter frustration, he scoffs softly. The shadow of a smile tugs at his lips before his eyes start to close once more, and he mutters. "Deal with it."

Mai clenches his arm even tighter, going so far as to start digging her nails into his shirt, and hisses, "Shuu!"

She lets out a yelp when Laito's foot brushes her core once more. Desperation fills her entire body, and she yanks hard on Shuu's arm, earning a grunt from the lazy vampire. Without warning, she finds a painful grip around her upper arm, and she's awkwardly hauled to her feet. Her gaze snaps around to meet Subaru's frustrated glare. With a flick of his wrist, she slips between him and the table to crash into his chair, almost missing completely. She somehow manages to grab the edge of the table to keep from tumbling onto the floor. Once she is righted, she glances toward Subaru, who had seated himself in her now vacant chair, with a new appreciation for the rough vampire. As much as she wants to thank him right then and there, she decides it might be better to hold off for now. After all, she doesn't think he'd appreciate any more unwanted attention.

Her thoughts are pulled back to the present by Cordelia's pouting voice. "I put a lot of thought into the sitting arrangements. You can't just change them up on a whim."

Mai turns a glare on Cordelia, but she bites back any response that comes to mind. It won't help the situation at hand, so there's no point in wasting the energy. Once again, the room descends into silence. Mai glances down at Subaru's plate to find it completely untouched. Without warning, Subaru's fist lands between his and Shuu's plate, followed by a loud, resounding crack.

"Keep your disgusting feet on your side of the table, pervert!"

"Subaru!" Reiji snaps, but he's promptly ignored by Laito stating cooly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, little brother."

"Don't call me that! You're far from an older brother!" Subaru snarls at the red haired vampire, who laughs in response. Mai's gaze flicks between them for a moment before Subaru leaps to his feet. He leans threateningly over the table, planting both hands firmly on either side of his new plate. "I said not to touch me, freak!"

Laito offers the furious Subaru a playful grin and states. "Perhaps if you hadn't accused me in the first place."

Subaru releases a loud sound of frustration. Once again, Reiji tries to calm the situation. "Subaru, enough. Remember your manners."

"Fuck manners! This is bullshit!" Subaru snaps.

"Enough," Reiji states in an almost patient voice. "Eat your dinner."

Subaru's eyes continue to glare at the red haired brother across from him. Without a moment of hesitation, Subaru lifts one of his hands off the table. Only seconds later, that hand collides with the plate directly in front of him. It collides with the one directly in front of Mai, shattering on impact. Without a chance to react, Mai and Kanato find themselves showered with broken pieces of ceramic and food. Unfortunately, the disaster doesn't stop there. The plate in front of Mai clips Ayato's on the way off the table, effectively shoving the plate full of picked at food into Ayato's lap. Mai is on her feet in seconds brushing the food and pieces of plate from her body. She's faintly aware of Reiji snapping at Subaru to return to his room at once. Ayato's on his feet with a look of pure disgust on his face, while he mimics Mai's movements.

A sigh draws Mai's attention toward Cordelia once more. To Mai's utter frustration, the vampire has the audacity to look hurt. In fact, Mai can see tears swelling at the corner of her eyes. Cordelia lifts a hand to wipe away her 'tears'. Her voice comes out almost choked. "I just wanted to catch up with all my wonderful children and those in their lives."

A sound of disgust leaves Ayato, and he speaks for the first time. "Get lost, hag. No one wants you here."

Without another word, he spins on his heel and leaves. Mai glances around the room. Reiji's hand is resting against his forehead, and he has a troubled look on his face. Kanato hasn't moved a muscle. In fact, he hasn't even bothered to brush the food out of his hair. Shuu is nowhere to be seen. Mai swallows hard and considers staying to help Kanato clean himself off. The thought sends a shudder down her spine, and she decides against it. She turns to hurry after Ayato without looking back.

Worry gnaws at her stomach. She hasn't had much of a chance to talk to him since this whole thing started. Thankfully, it doesn't take her long to find him. In fact, he's in one of the game rooms, angrily throwing darts at the dart board. Every single one is within the two center circles. Mai slowly makes her way over to the pool table and lightly runs her hand over the velvet. After a few minutes of silence, she finally asks, "Are you ok, Ayato?"

He grunts and snaps. "Do you even care?"

Mai answers without a second thought. "Of course I do."

She slowly lifts her gaze to see his reaction. It doesn't come as much of a surprise to find that he is observing her with a cold glare. She tries to offer him a smile, but it fails miserably by coming off as more of a grimace than anything else. Her gaze drops to the pool table once more. She tries to figure out how to explain her answer when she hears him mutter something that sounds strangely like 'I miss her'. Mai's gaze lifts to stare at his back. For a moment, she thinks about calling him on it, but she decides against it. It'll be a waste of time, since he'll only deny it. She glances back down at the table. Her fingers brush over the velvet once more. It has been so long since she played pool, and she finds herself wondering how much she actually retained. "Hey, Ayato?"

"What?" His word is punctuated by a rather hard thud. Mai feels a smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

"Want to play pool?" She sets about trying to find everything for the game.

"Hell no. Go find Laito. He likes that boring game," he snarls at her. Another hard thunk is followed by stomping footsteps shortly afterwards. Mai casts a glance in his direction to find him violently ripping the darts out of the board before spinning and returning to his original position. She turns her attention back on the pool table.

"I miss Yui. She's such a kind girl," Mai says softly, silently hoping to elicit something other than anger from him. Unfortunately, it doesn't work out like she planned.

"She's stupid, not kind. Such a stupid…" Thunk! "...airhead. She let that bitch take over without putting up a fight. What is the point in missing some dumb bitch like that? It's a waste of time." Thunk!

Mai glances at him out of the corner of her eye. Her sense of worry gnaws even worse than before. A frown slowly overtakes the smile, and she finds herself leaning her hip against the edge of the table and staring at the velvet below her. "She loves you. I think she misses you a lot."

Ayato releases a snort, but Mai just brushes it away with a flick of her hand. "I don't want her to disappear forever."

Her eyes well up with tears. She opens her mouth to continue, but her voice comes out as a hoarse croak. She snaps her mouth shut and clears her throat before trying again. "Ayato, I'm scared."

She closes her eyes as every overwhelming emotion threatens to drown her all at once. Warm, wet trails start to make their way down her face. She knew she was scared, but she didn't know she was this scared. She lifts her hands up to cover her face. "I'm scared. I don't… I don't know what to do. Yui's gone, and she was the only one I felt I could really, really trust."

She's not sure why, but it all comes gushing out at once. She releases a sob and continues breathlessly. "I don't know what to do. I don't know any of you well enough to feel safe talking to you. It wouldn't matter anyway. None of you give a damn about anyone but yourselves. I don't know what to do! I miss having someone who understood the pain of dealing with you all. I'm scared because Laito has changed, and the last time he changed like this he… he… he…."

Her mouth goes dry and an overwhelming feeling of pure terror takes over. It's a raw, animal like fear. One that kicks in when one's very life is danger. Her breath hitches, and the world starts to spin. Her hand reaches out to connect with something soft and hard. She leans awkwardly against the pool table. Her breath comes out in awkward pants. "I can't… I can't… I'm so afraid of Laito."

That's when it hits her, and the feeling of guilt just piles onto all of the other emotions. She's more afraid of being left alone with Laito and his brothers than she is about losing Yui. A sick feeling spreads through her stomach. What is wrong with her? A better question comes to mind.

How did Yui deal with all of them alone for so long?

Her legs begin to shake even harder than before. She forces her gaze to lift to look at Ayato, only to instantly regret it. Her eyes meet the same color of green, only they don't show an emptiness she has become accustom to seeing. It's a mixture of disgust and irritation.

It still doesn't stop the panic from overwhelming her. All she can think about is the similarities between Laito's behavior at the present time and the night at the lake. The pain and humiliation surface once again. She stumbles back a step. She knows she's looking at Ayato, but all she can see is Laito's cold expression from that night. She forcibly shakes her head in a vain attempt to get rid of those horrible thoughts. She silently tells herself that she has dealt with it, but she knows deep down that she truly hasn't. She had pushed it to the deep recesses of her mind, and she's paying for it now.

"I…. I need to….."

She can't even finish the words. Bile rises up her throat, and she spins on her heel to quickly stumble out of the room. The minute the door shuts behind her, she sprints down the hallway toward the front door. Her panic raises even higher when she realizes that she no longer feels lost when it comes to navigating the mansion. Cordelia's mention of her almost being family comes back, causing her to increase her desperate run.

She doesn't stop to consider why the heavy front door is open. She just sprints out of it and takes the stairs three at a time. The minute she's on the ground she continues her desperate headlong run down the driveway.

It all passes by in a blur, but she's out of the gates and rushing down the long, deserted road that leads to the mansion. At this point, her lungs are beginning to burn, and her legs are starting to feel numb. She tries to force herself to keep going, but her foot catches something in the road. Her body pitches forward, and she sticks her hands out to brace herself. She lets out a cry of pain when her hands scrape along the gravel, and pain races up both of her arms. That's when she realizes a couple of things.

The first being that her hips are raised due to the fact that she's laying over something very large. Warmth has begun seeping into her clothing, though it's quickly turning cold and sticky. She awkwardly starts to scramble to her knees, but her hands brush something soft, causing her to recoil. That's when she realizes yet another, even chillier thing. She can smell blood, and she doesn't think her hands are bleeding enough to pollute the air with such a strong smell. In fact, she can practically taste it on the tip of her tongue. She scoots as far away from the source as possible. Unfortunately, she's only able to identify it as some sort of large animal lying in the road. Her heart hammers wildly against her chest, and time seems to slow down when she hears something that she never thought she'd hear in person.

A wolf howling in the distance, followed by one much, much, much closer. In fact, it's too close for comfort. She hears rustling only feet away from her, and she snaps her gaze in that direction. A cold sweat breaks out over her skin. She has walked this path before, but she doesn't remember feeling this afraid. She certainly doesn't remember there being wolves in this area. Fear paralyzes her for only a moment before another howl rips through the air, causing her flight instinct to kick in. She leaps to her feet and spins in the opposite direction of the howl. Despite fear finally getting her moving, it also clouds her mind, and she plunges headlong into the undergrowth.

She's not sure how long she runs for, but her body has long since gone numb. She stumbles over unseen obstacles more than she stays on her feet. Everytime she tries to grab a tree or touches the ground with either hand, pain races up her arms. Finally, her body gives out, and she collapses onto the forest floor. Tiredness starts to overwhelm her body, and she wonders if it wouldn't be better to just pass out from exhaustion before the wolves got to her. Just as she choses to close her eyes, she hears a soft voice calling out to her.

"Mai?"

She tries to open her eyes. She really does, but her body doesn't cooperate with her. Instead, she releases a shuddering breath. Once again, she hears her name being called followed by an unfamiliar scent.

Her body moves without her permission, causing a gasp of pain to leave her body. She suspects it has something to do with the foot that roughly rolls her onto her back. Her head lulls to the side, and she releases a loud groan. A melodious laugh reaches her ears, and every nerve is set on end. Unfortunately, her body doesn't even try to respond. Something cold brushes her face only seconds before she finds herself being lifted off the ground. She's finally able to barely open an eye to find herself laying limp in Ritcher's arms. Cordelia's voice reaches her ears. "Poor thing. It might've been better to get eaten, but that wouldn't be fun for me."

She's very faintly aware of slender fingers roughly raking through her hair. "Besides, there must be something about her that is holding that terrible man's interest."

"Mai! Please wake up!' A familiar voice faintly calls out to Mai, but the words just aren't making sense, so she brushes the warning aside.

She feels a cold breath on the skin of her cheek, but she can't get her eyes to stray from Ritcher's face for some reason. Suddenly, his eyes shift to look down at her. Her mind wavers, and she tries to give into the sweet warmth of unconsciousness. Unfortunately, a faintly familiar voice won't allow her too.

"No! You can't go to sleep! Please! Please! Don't sleep! Wake up, Mai! You're in danger!"

Mai's lips move, but no sound comes out.

"Yui, help me."

She watches Ritcher's eyes narrow for a moment, as if he heard the silent conversation. Thankfully, his gaze is pulled away. Thanks to that, Mai's brain is finally able to focus a little. The sound of Cordelia's laugh reaches her ears once more, but she finds herself unable to care.

"I can't help you! I'm so sorry! Please, Mai! Scream! Call out for one of the brothers! Please! Do something! Anything! Just don't go to sleep!"

"But I'm so tired." Mai isn't sure if she's talking to herself with that statement or the imaginary Yui. Either way, she can't find itself in herself to fight anymore. She's not even alarmed over the fact that she has completely given up.

"Do you think it has to do with blood quality?" Cordelia asks, almost sounding like the young girl she is inhabiting.

"I don't think so. Those brats haven't mentioned anything about it. I've only ever heard about that girl," Ritcher rumbles back. Mai feels her body shifting, and her head lulls the opposite way. She's no longer able to look up at Ritcher, but she does feel a cold finger trace the large vein in her neck. Usually, she'd shudder, but she finds herself numb and uncaring. Once again, she hears Yui's alarmed voice calling out in her head, but the words are jumbled and incoherent.

"I'll see for myself," Cordelia states. Somewhere deep in Mai's mind, an alarm bell goes off.

She feels herself being jerked, and bile rises up for just a moment before she returns to feeling numb. She hears Ritcher's voice through his chest rather than the normal way. "No."

"Hm?" Cordelia sounds slightly surprised. "What's the meaning of this?"

It happens so quickly that Mai's muffled brain isn't able to keep up. She finds herself draped over one arm like a towel and held away from Ritcher's body. She wants to feel irritated, but she can't muster up the strength. Yui's voice calls out to her once more, but it's still too muffled to make out what is being said to her.

"Why should you have to deal with a foul taste? What if this is his endgame?" Ritcher states in a strangled tone. Mai hears Cordelia click her tongue before softly cooing at the male.

"Aw, aren't you just a sweetheart, my love? Would you like to try a bit of her blood in my stead then?"

It's silent for a few minutes before she feels herself being shifted once again. Her back is pressed against Ritcher's chest. Her head slumps forward. She manages to open her eyes a crack, but it doesn't matter. All she can see is the forest ground below her. A jolt of cold fear rushes through her. Was Ritcher really going to suck her blood? Laito had drank so much earlier, and she doesn't think she has much to spare.

Another concerning thing drifts to the front of her mind. She can't see the ground very well. It hasn't changed much in terms of light, but she'd been able to see Ritcher's face earlier, which she shouldn't have be able to see at all. The moon's faintly peeking through the branches, but not enough to actually light it to the extent she can see anything more than dark shapes. She squints her eyes at the forest floor below her, but it slowly disappears into darkness.

Unfortunately, she doesn't get time to dwell on the odd occurrence. Sweet pain races through her shoulder. Her mouth opens in a silent gasp, but that's all that happens. She doesn't fight back, nor does she make a sound. The pain only lasts a moment before it's gone.

"It's…" Ritcher starts but stops after a few seconds. He seems to be considering his words carefully, but she's not sure. "It's not any different than a normal human's blood."

Something presses itself against Mai, though she's more concerned with the complete darkness creeping into the edges of her consciousness.

"My love, you have some blood on your lip," Cordelia states in a husky voice. "No, no. Allow me."

When Cordelia presses Yui's body against her own, Mai feels suffocated, but she can't find it in herself to even try to fight.

She just slips into unconsciousness.

At least, she thought she did.

She finds herself standing in a dimly lit room. She slowly turns herself in a circle. The carpet below her was as white as snow. An empty, brick fireplace sits unused at one end of the room. Expensive oak desk sits not far from the fireplace. Two white chairs sit directly in front of the desk, but that's only furniture in the room. It doesn't matter where she looks, everything else is completely bare.

Her eyes lock with the door just across from the desk. A trickle of fear races along her spine, and she gets the overwhelming sensation that she's being watched. She cautiously glances over her shoulder at the empty desk and chairs. Once she's sure there is no one else in the room with her, she turns back to the door and slowly makes her way closer. In order to make herself feel a tiny bit better, she tells herself over and over that this is nothing more than a dream.

After all, she's had vivid dreams before.

Just as her fingers brush the doorknob, a jolt of icy pain races through her fingertips and runs all the way up to her elbow. She rips her hand back and presses both hands to her chest. The fingers of her opposite hand wrap around the ones that touched the doorknob to find they feel frozen. Mai feels every hair stand on end. Something is very, very wrong with this place. She casts another cautious glance around herself, but she doesn't see anything out of the ordinary.

She lets out an involuntary cry of surprise when the sound of a woman's voice reaches her ears. Disgust fills her body not long after. It almost sounds like the woman is moaning in pleasure. An uncomfortable feeling begins to fester in the pit of her stomach, and she grabs the hem of her shirt in her hand and tries the doorknob again.

The woman's cries become louder to the point it's echoing off the walls. Mai turns the knob as fast as she can.

She regrets it the moment the door is thrown open by an unseen force. The edge collides hard with her face and chest. She hears, rather than feels, the pop coming from her face. Warmth runs down her face, and she staggers backwards. Her mouth quickly becomes full of a nasty metallic taste that she knows is coming from her nose. Her hands fly up to press against her mouth, but it does little to stem the flow of blood coming from what she assumes is a broken nose. She releases a loud whimper, but that is quickly drowned out by the loud wailing coming from the doorway. In fact, it's so loud that Mai feels like her head is going to split in half.

She's unsure when it happened, but she's now resting on her knees with her bloody hands pressed against her ears. Her own screams of pain join the many other cries at that point. Without warning, everything goes completely silent, even the sound of her own screams. Slowly, she closes her mouth and opens her eyes after a few seconds. The room seems even brighter, though she isn't sure how.

Cautiously, she glances around for the light source, but she can't find it. She decides to turn her attention to the hallway to find that it's eerily lit with a flickering light, causing Mai to shudder.

This's like being in a bad horror movie. The only way out is the dimly lit corridor, where something's bound to leap out of one of the many doors that line the hallway. As if to prove her point, Mai slowly climbs to her feet, cautiously wiping at the blood on her face. More blood just replaces it, and her nose gives a painful throb for her effort. Mai ignores it the best she can and quietly creeps her way to the doorway. She doesn't bother poking her head out, that's just asking for trouble. Instead, she cautiously steps to one side so she can see a short length of hallway. To her utter surprise, there isn't a single doorway.

A strange dripping sound attracts her attention, and she feels every ounce of skin on her body become icy cold. In fact, she's too afraid to look for the sound right away. The dripping steadily continues until Mai can't take it anymore and cautiously looks over her shoulder. She doesn't see anything right away.

Movement is what catches her eye. There's something dripping from the ceiling. Mai feels tears starting to prick at the edges of her eyes. She doesn't want to look up. She knew it'd be a mistake, but it's just as big of one to not look up. Slowly, she lifts her gaze.

Her scream freezes in her throat. It's like something out of her worst nightmare.

The creature has the face of a woman, only the head is twisted at an awkward angle to stare down at her, making it look like the neck is broken. The woman's skin is a deathly gray color. Her eyes are a deep red color, and they glow with an unnatural light. She pulls her thin sickly lips back to reveal sharklike teeth. The body disappears into darkness, but Mai can see eight hairy, spider like legs jutting out of the darkness around the woman's face. Hanging limply not far from what Mai assumes is the body is a tail, much like a scorpion.

The woman's mouth opens and releases a screech like a dying animal before the tail lashes out at Mai.

"Run!"

Mai follows the order blindly by bolting out the door. She hears the snapping of wood when the tail strikes where Mai had been standing. She doesn't look back as she bolts down the hallway with her heart in her throat. She hears a loud thump followed by a chilling clicking noise coming from behind, spurring her to run even faster.

Yui's voice echos off the walls.

"Don't go to sleep! Please, Mai! Please wake up! Please don't!"

Another voice higher pitched voice joins Yui's

"You bitch! You won't escape!"

The blood in her mouth and nose makes it hard for her to breath. Her eyes desperately search for a door of some kind, but she can't find one. The hallway seems to go on forever, and her lungs are beginning to burn.

Without warning, something pitches out in front of her, and she doesn't have time to stop or react in anyway. Her foot collides with it, and her body pitches forward. She closes her eyes, reaches out her hands to brace herself, and fully expects to feel pain racing up her arms.

It never comes. Instead, her hands sink into a warm wiggling mass. Panic causes her to open her eyes only to find a blue face inches from her own. Mai lets out a scream and throws herself backwards in order to awkwardly crawl away.

Unfortunately, her hand touches something slimy, causing her to release another scream and jerk her hand up to her chest. Something sticky and cold soaks through her shirt. Bright, blinding lights turn on all around Mai, causing her to lift her hands and shield her eyes. Finally, her eyes seem to adjust, but she wishes that they hadn't.

Women's broken bodies are lying everywhere she looks. What she first assumed was water is actually blood. Bile forces it's way out of her mouth, just adding to the horrible stench of death around her. Her body trembles violently.

"Please, Mai! Please! Call for one of them!"

Mai vomits once again.

"It won't do you any good to call for them."

Mai is finally able to close her eyes. The bright lights disappear, and the cold feeling of old blood disappears. A soft feeling replaces it, and Mai cautiously opens her eyes to find snow white carpet below her soiled hands. Her gaze slowly lifts to find she's back in the original room, only there's no door now. A gentle flickering light draws her gaze. The previously unused fireplace is flickering with an almost welcoming fire. In fact, Mai can feel it starting to warm her chilled skin. Every hair on her body stands on end when she finds herself staring at the back of an unfamiliar man.

"After all, you don't think they love you, do you?"

The man slowly turns to look at Mai, causing her to flinch away. She can't seem to find any words, so she settles for just glaring silently at him. His vivid blue eyes hold a gentle glow, while his short russet colored hair brushes against his handsome face with every movement. His smile seems friendly, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He's wearing baggy jeans with a chain and a plain black t-shirt. He stuffs his hands in his pockets. "Don't you want to go home? Your real home?"

Mai's mouth feels like she hasn't drank anything for a week. This man may seem disarming, but she has a feeling that he is even more dangerous than the brothers. He tilts his head to the side with a curious look while he waits for an answer. Mai's tongue reaches out to lick her lips only to retract quickly. The taste of blood causes her to gag. The sound of musical laughter fills the room, and the young man slowly begins to approach her. She recoils slightly, but it just seems to make him happy. He squats not far from her and clicks his tongue.

"You're breaking."

"Who are you?" Mai asks in a cracking voice. Her throat begins to burn with the strain talking puts on it. The man gives her a sympathetic look.

"You know me, my dear," he gently coos at her.

"Wake up!" Yui's faint voice echoes deep inside Mai's head. A sadistic smile begins to spread over his face. He leans forward, placing a hand on the floor between his legs on the floor to steady himself.

"Do you think she's right? Do you think that you'll wake up from this nightmare if you call out for those brats? Which one will you cry for?"

Mai feels confused about what's going on, but the room is growing colder by the second. In fact, she can see her breath at this point. The fire gives one last gentle flicker before beginning to dance wildly. Mai's heart beat starts to race in response to the flames.

"I…."

The man's top lip curls away to reveal sharp, sharklike teeth, causing Mai's breath to hitch in her throat. His voice comes out as a growl. "Why don't you scream for them? Find just how hopeless you are while I eat you alive. You'll see that you were never loved!"

The man lunges for her without a second to spare. Mai reacts without thinking. Her fist collides with his face, but it doesn't stop him. His body drives her backwards. She hits the floor hard enough for her breath to be driven from her lungs. White explodes over her vision, disorienting her for a moment.

The man's soft hair brushes her cheek seconds before his sharp teeth sink into her neck, easily tearing at her fragile flesh. Pain races through every fiber of her being, and her mouth opens in a scream that echoes off the walls.

"No!" Yui's voice echos along with Mai's. "Mai!"

Without a second thought, Mai throws her head back and releases another scream of pure pain. "Laito! Please! Help!"

Her throat feels like it's being closed off as the man pulls back just enough to release a cold chuckle against her skin. She releases another desperate cry, only it's not as loud this time. "Please! Laito!"

Her body grows colder by the second. She feels the man sink his teeth into her shoulder this time. Her head becomes heavy and lulls to the side. "Shuu. Subaru. Kanato. Ayato. Reiji. Please someone…..."

She closes her eyes as tears start to drip from her eyes. "Please…. Help me…."

Hopeless threatens to consume her once more. "Laito."


"Mai!"

Her eyes snap open when she's violently shaken. It takes a moment, but her eyes finally focus to find concerned green eyes hovering not far from her own. It takes her a moment to realize that she's really awake this time. By that time, the concern has disappeared into amusement. Mai slowly sits up. Thankfully, Laito moves out of her way.

The room is chilly, but it's much warmer than the one she had just been in. She casts a curious look around to find that she's resting on one of the couches in the Sakamaki sitting room. The taste of blood still rests on the tip of her tongue, causing unpleasant memories of her nightmare. Nervously, she turns her attention to her hands. Panic fills her body when she finds them covered in blood.

She's on her feet in seconds, and her flight instinct kicks in once more.

Unfortunately, she doesn't get a chance to run. A weight wraps itself around her from behind. She immediately begins to struggle, only to be stopped when Laito's sultry voice finds its way into her ear. "Shhhh, shhhh, shhhh. It's ok. It was just a nasty nightmare."

A sob rips it's way out of her throat. Despite herself, she finds her muscles relaxing back into Laito. Time slips away while she stands there and sobs in Laito's arms. It doesn't seem to bother her that he's the reason she ran away in the first place. The feeling of someone trying to comfort her feels really good right now, regardless to who it is. To her absolute surprise, he doesn't say anything snide or even try to tease her. In fact, he slowly turns her around and allows her to bury her face into his chest.

Eventually, the tears stop, but she finds it strangely hard to pull away from the comfort Laito's arms provide.

Without warning, her thoughts turn to Yui, so she pulls back and looks up at him. "Lai-"

She isn't able to finish her sentence before his cold lips are on hers. Her eyes widen in surprise, but she doesn't get a chance to even fight back before he pulls away. His face remains close to hers, and his tongue slowly runs from her chin to her nose.

At first, she makes a disgruntled noise.

"Laito, stop."

She pushes on his chest half-heartedly, but he doesn't budge. In fact, he just continues to lick at her face. Without warning, cold terror strikes the pit of her stomach, and she begins to struggle even more. "Laito, wait! Wait! What is going on?!"

"Quiet," Laito states coldly, almost as if he is warning her. Mai feels every muscle in her body freeze at the sound. His tongue once again begins to trace along her face before moving to her throat, causing her to have to crane her head back awkwardly. She feels his sigh against her skin, and he mutters. "Such a waste."

She's not sure how long Laito spends 'cleaning' her with his tongue, but she feels even dirtier than before when he finally pulls away.

She opens her mouth to snap at him until she sees an unusual expression pass over his face. It's a mixture of pain, confusion, and sadness all rolled into one. Her heart leaps into her chest before giving a dull ache. She finds herself reaching out to brush her fingers along his cheek before she even realizes what she's doing. A look of surprise passes over his face, causing her to jerk her hand away. Unfortunately, he doesn't allow her to go far. His hand catches hers before returning it to his cheek. Her heart skips a beat, and it almost allows her to forget the terrible dream or the reason she ran away in the first place.

He turns his face into the palm of her hand and closes his eyes. Her breath hitches, and she finds herself at a loss for words. After what feels like a breathless eternity, one of his eyes slowly starts to open.

He releases a deep moan, causing a blush to spread over her face. She immediately tries to rip her hand away, but he stubbornly continues to hold it against his cheek. He releases a chuckle followed by another breathy moan.

"Let go, Laito," Mai hisses at him.

"You love me," Laito says before closing his eye again. Mai feels like her heart drops to the pit of her stomach in a matter of seconds. He releases another chuckle before pressing her hand even tighter against his cheek. "Don't deny it. I heard you call out for me to save you."

Mai opens and closes her mouth for a second, but sound refuses to leave her mouth. Smug green eyes meet Mai's once more.

"Sweetheart, you'll have to be punished."

"W...what?!" Mai practically squeaks. Laito releases a chuckle and suddenly brushes his lips against hers without warning. She doesn't even bother trying to pull away. Fear fills her entire being when she finds herself staring into glowing green eyes.

"You traded spots with Subaru when we were having fun. You followed Ayato when you should have came to me. You conspired to get rid of my mother with my brothers. You even called out to them when you were afraid," Laito states; his voice growing darker by the second. He clicks his tongue, and goose bumps start to form over her skin. The fear only continues to grow when she feels his cold fingers lightly place themselves around her neck. He releases a breathy moan and mutters softly in her ear. "I love you."

His fingers slowly start to cut off her oxygen before she fully realizes what is happening. She tries to jerk away, but he just tightens his hold, effectively halting any escape attempt. A wheeze leaves her lips, and she stares up at Laito in growing horror. His glowing green eyes only seem to glow brighter with his excitement. He leans dangerously close to her face. "Aren't you flattered? I'm going to kill you with my own two hands. Then you'll be mine forever. It won't matter if you love me or not. Don't you feel how much I care?"

Full blown panic fills her chest. She doesn't think her heart can take much more, since it's now beating painfully in her chest. She instinctively begins to thrash as hard as she can. All it does is cause them to end up on the floor. Mai doesn't even feel the impact, since she's so focused on trying to pry Laito's hands off her throat.

"I…" She painfully wheezes. Her thoughts race, and one of her eyes closes tightly. She needs to think of something fast, or she'll really die here. She desperately scratches at Laito's hands and arms, but she knows it won't do any good. Darkness threatens to eat away at her vision, so she just closes her other eye. In a desperate attempt to save herself, she wheezes out. "I…..lo…..ve….you…...Lai….to."

To her absolute surprise, his grip loosens enough that she can breath a little better. It isn't enough to allow her to feel safe, but it does allow her to talk a little better. "Please. I do. Please. You…. You…. You're hurting me!"

She forces her eyes open to find his face completely devoid of emotion. Her breath hitches in her throat, and she silently wonders if she had said something wrong. The minutes tick by, and his hands remain wrapped around her throat. Finally, an emotionless smirk spreads over his face, and he leans closer to her. His next words send tendrils of regret and a couple of other emotions through her body.

"Prove it."

How's she going to get out of this one?

On a scarier note, does she even want to get out of this one?