3

Spineless Shu

"He keeps saying he doesn't want to get personal, yet he has no problem asking me personal questions or invading my personal space." – Jodi Ellen Malpas

Who would have thought vampires eat food for 'mortals,'? They did it so casually that they look like a normal family on a dining table, on an enormous one if you ask me. In all fairness, the foods looked scrumptious - from the steak up to what looked like an appetizer inside a tomato. I sliced the steak and took a bite. It was so good I can't even describe it. I forgot my struggles for a while until Laito went to me and told me he was pleased that I am eating well. He licked his lips after that as if hinting that I'm his delicious prey. I wish I could hit him in the face.

"Laito, it's impolite to stand at the table while the rest of us are eating so please refrain from doing so," said Reiji. Laito did what he was told yet said his conversation with his little bitch isn't over. It doesn't concern me. The last time I checked, I wasn't 'his' little bitch. I continued eating when Shu stood up and left. From the looks of it, it isn't only Laito who lacked manners. I waited for Reiji to reprimand him also but all he did was complain about how easy it is for Shu. According to Reiji, the reason for his behavior is that he was spoiled as a child. I couldn't blame him. He really can't boss Shu around since Shu is the eldest. It may just be me, but there was anger in Reiji's words. Is there tension between the eldest sons? I never knew even vampires have family issues. How I wish they have prepared popcorn too, that way I will be very entertained with their drama.

"Teddy, what would you like to eat next? Let's have a banana snowball, shall we?" asked Kanato to his adorned stuffed toy. I never thought he liked bananas, so much that he smashed them again and again with a fork. I would have been scared if only I wasn't craving for it. Suddenly, Reiji spoke. I thought he would scold Kanato too but his words turned out to be never-ending tirades about Shu. I rolled my eyes at him and continue to eat. However, he stood up and told the rest of us that the dinner party has ended. I sighed. Why can't I enjoy my dinner, even just for once?

The remaining Sakamaki brothers stood up. I had no choice but to leave the dining table too, looking hungrily over the food left when Reiji stopped me. He told me that my manners were deplorable. He added that one of these days he'll take me aside and discipline me thoroughly.

He dared to speak that way to a hungry young woman. The nerve! "I was raised by nuns, for crying out loud. I was thought to eat, speak, and breathe primness throughout my life, so I know my manners very well. Thank you very much!" I turned my back on him but he yanked my arm and grabbed my face. It hurt.

I grabbed his arm as he lifted me. "Let go of me!" I screamed, my voice muffled by his hand while he held my face. He did and threw me like a rag doll. I looked at him with all the rage I can muster.

"That would be your punishment for talking back. Keep doing that and there will be more," he smirked as if enjoying seeing me hurt. Somehow I doubt what he said. I believe he will still punish me even if I do nothing as long as he wants to. He'll pay for this. I swear they'll all pay for this!

I went up to my room and threw anything I can to release my anger. I sat on the bed to calm my nerves down. After that, I took my father's diary from the bedside drawer. Its pages were still empty like before. I took our photo and looked at it. I missed him so much. I wished he was with me. I put it back in the drawer with the diary. "What happened here?" someone asked. I looked back and there was Ayato, sitting in a chair beside my bed.

"This is my room, so it's none of your business. What are you doing here?" He told me he can be anywhere wherever he wants, blah blah blah, and he was here to suck my blood. He doesn't grow tired of saying that. "Suck your blood, my ass!" I shouted. There was I losing my manners. Reiji was probably right.

I have no time for this. I want to sulk and have a pity party by myself. I head straight to the door when Ayato yanked my arm and pulled me to him. I remembered the incident in the swimming pool a while ago. I won't let it happen again, so I kicked him in his privates in self-defense. He was enraged. I tried to escape from him but it was in vain. He grabbed me again and forced himself on me. I also felt his lips on me, which were slimy. He stopped and left after telling me he'll wait for me. Why wait? He could have killed me right there. All my troubles will finally end for the very least.

I checked myself in the bathroom mirror and found reddish marks on my chest. It grossed me out just by looking at it. I thought a bath would erase these marks. I heard a splash and found Shu in the bathtub. I will never be used to their act of appearing out of nowhere.

Why is he here? I am very certain there aren't any troubles with his bathroom. If there were, I'm sure Reiji had already taken care of it. I badly needed to take a bath. Where would I go to sort the thoughts in my mind? I thought I'll walk around the mansion to find an unoccupied bathroom. If only I could shoo this Shu away.

"My apologies, I'll leave you to your peace," I said to excuse myself. I walked out of the room when he commented that Reiji and I are the same. He said that we were very finicky about our manners and that we would make a very good couple.

"We would make a very good couple of siblings, might I add, unlike both of you. Are you sure you came from both parents?" I asked as I walked toward him.

"Unfortunately, we are. Ayato, Kanato, and Laito came from a different mother."

"What about Subaru?" I continued. He told me that Subaru came from another mother too. There my friends are the genealogy of the Sakamaki family. When he was done talking, I walked away from Shu but then he grabbed me towards him. I struggled to get away from him. I was no match to him either. He kept on mumbling how pale I am, how my blood was the finest, and how fate brought me to them. I hate you, fate.

I felt something pierce my neck. It was painful and draining the life out of me. I thought I would die, but Shu stood up and stepped out of the bathtub. I felt life coming back to me again. At least I'll be able to take a bath like I wanted to.

"What took you so long?" Ayato asked. I was so weak I can't even tell him to get out of my room. I went straight to bed and sat down. He grabbed me and searched for a spot where he would bite me. He found my neck.

"Please, not there. Just bite the other side," I begged, too tired to resist. Ayato didn't listen. He poked the spot where I was bitten. I winced. He grabbed my arm as he went to find Shu. How did he know it was Shu who bit me? I pull myself from his grip but failed.

It was what seems to be a playroom where we found Shu. He was lying on a sofa. It looked like he was sleeping. I was about to tell Ayato that we should leave, but he challenged Shu to a game of darts. Shu refused. I would too if I were him. I bet he would like to play billiards. Knowing Shu, he will choose billiards since the pool table was the one nearest to them. Ayato can be a dimwit sometimes, almost every time.

"Sounds like fun to me. The prize of the winner of the game will be little bitch, of course. I can't wait," a voice declared. Ayato and I turned around to find Laito standing against a table intended for some sort of a game. Do I look like a trophy? I realized if your twin is a dimwit, chances are you may be a dimwit too. Good job, Laito!

"I've had enough of this noise! Why must you always cause such a commotion?" Reiji asked me. How dare he talk to me like that again! If I wasn't brought here, there wouldn't have been any commotion that he's referring to. I took back what I said. They weren't dimwits. They are all pompous and full-of-themselves airheads.

"I couldn't care less about this girl so don't look at me. Why don't you all just be quiet and let me go back to sleep?" Shu asked. He's right. Why won't his scallywag brothers listen to him? Besides, I wanted to rest too.

"What a lame response! Why am I not surprised? Even for Shu to shrink back when he's faced an enormous challenge? If you look at the word 'spineless' in the dictionary, you'll see his picture right next to the definition. He can't do anything without help. That good-for-nothing deadbeat!" replied Reiji. Reputable as he is, I couldn't help but enjoy Reiji being savage to his older brother.

"Ayato, I'll play your game after all," declared Shu. Sure enough, there is tension between the two eldest sons. I can't say I don't live for the drama.

They started to play their dumb game. I tried to quietly walk away but Laito was fast enough to stop me. I held my stomach and contorted my face to look like I'm having a stomach ache then told him I need to go to the comfort room. I guessed I wasn't a good actress, though. He grabbed me, remarked on how cute my lie was, and told me to stay. I can't do anything anyways. I'm tired of them grabbing me every time like I was a piece of paper. If I had my bones scanned on an X-ray, I'd wager they have minute cracks on them. I wonder if they would give me milk next time.

Shu won the game. As it was over, I thought I can go back to my room but Laito pushed me to Shu. I landed on his back. I immediately moved away from him but he quickly turned around and held me tight. I never thought he can be scary. He told me that I meant nothing to him but his prey. He threatened me not to mess with him.

I will never forget his threat. I never will.