~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Again, I awoke, not realizing that I had fallen asleep to begin with. How many hours out of my days would consist of me being unconscious? And me being terrified? I was back in my bed. This time I was in a silk nightgown. I shuddered, trying not to think about just who had undressed me. My hand lifted to my neck and I felt a tinge of pain, but the holes were closing up even after this short amount of time. I felt disgusted.

I tried pushing thoughts of Ayato to the back of my brain. I couldn't think too hard about it or I'd go crazy, I told myself. All I could do was stay alive for now. Stay alive and keep my head down until I could escape. I slipped out of my bed, wanting to leave and take a hot bath.

"Stick your neck out," Ayato ordered, suddenly in front of me in my room. "I'm hungry again."

I jumped, "No! I can't. I have to um, I have to take a bath, Ayato." Maybe he would listen to reason. As long as I didn't try to run, because I was sure running just excited him. "And I'm still really faint from before…"

"Tch, so weak. C'mere." Ayato wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Don't!"

"Shhhh," he hissed. He stretched the collar of my nightgown down, revealing the skin right above my chest. "You're mine," he muttered, leaning his head to my exposed skin. He licked the spot he wanted to mark before sucking and biting lightly on it.

"Ah! Unn, st- stop," I breathed. It hurt. Though it was nothing like getting bitten, my body still shook.

Ayato paused, "Do you want it to hurt more?" he asked. "I can make it hurt more." He moved his head a little lower, now at the top of my right breast. Again, he licked and marked me, biting harder this time. "See? Is that better? I can cover ya' whole body in bruises and blood." He leaned back, looking down at me proudly, still holding my waist tightly. "I'll be here when you're done. Don't take too long. Or you know what'll happen." He walked off, not caring about my response.

"I don't… I don't like pain," I answered. Even though he was already gone.

I filled the bath with hot water. Hot water was the only thing that would cleanse me. Scorching. In the mirror, I saw the scars of Ayato's bite marks at my neck. And at my chest, two red bruises marking me as his own.

Splash.

I turned to look behind me. Shu was resting in the bath. "S- Shu?" He didn't respond. His clothes were still on. Even his earbuds were still stuck in his ears. They were attached to a small mp3 that sat on a choker around his neck.

"Shu, what are you doing?" I didn't get too close. This was our first time talking and I was already pretty wary of everyone living there. He had solved my issue the other day by telling Reiji that I did in fact belong there. But was that really a good thing?

"Pervert." He finally spoke.

"What?"

"The way you're staring at me... What do you want? Just leave me alone." Shu didn't open his eyes. He tilted his head back, getting the ends of his hair wet.

"You're the one in my bath!" I yelled, astonished. As if I had asked him to be there. "And you're ruining your clothes, too," I added.

"Huh?" he paused. He made no movements to get out. "So. You just want to undress me, then? Pervert."

My face heated. "Of course I'm not gonna do that!"

"Ughhhh, shut up. You're too loud," he sunk deeper into the water. "Just shut up, be quiet, go away."

I couldn't believe it. Could I not have just one moment to myself? "I only wanted a bath," I pleaded. But he didn't respond. His mouth sunk down into the water, then his nose. Was he still breathing? Could vampires drown? I inched a little closer. "Shu?" No noise. "Shu, are you okay?"

He lifted his head back up. "Just join me, then," he sighed. "That's what you wanted me to say anyway, right?"

"I don't want that," I corrected quickly. "I don't. I didn't even know you would be in here."

"Annoying," he replied flatly.

He sat unmoving. After a little, I decided to sit next to the tub. He hadn't shown any interest in hurting me. Or any interest in anything at all other than his music. Maybe I could take this chance to get some answers. "Shu, why do you all live here?" I asked slowly, hoping not to bother him with too much noise. "How are you all related to the church?"

It took a minute or two, but he opened his eyes and, I think for the first time, he looked at me. "Me, Reiji, Ayato and Laito. We're brothers. Same father. Different mothers." He sat up in the bath a little. "We grew up here. So we live here." This was the most I had heard him speak to anyone, especially to me. "Your church. Our father works very closely with them."

So the church knew they were vampires? No. That couldn't be. Because that would mean my father knew.

"So why…" I didn't want to finish the sentence. I was scared of the answer. "Why was I sent here?"

"Tiresome," he ignored me. "Ughh, this is boring."

He grabbed my wrist. "No!" And pulled me into the bath with him. He positioned me between his legs, holding my back steady.

"This was what you wanted, right?" He didn't hold me tightly, but he didn't let me move too much, either. "Wearing a nightgown in the bath, how lewd," he continued.

"I didn't want to!"

"Huh? So you wanted to join me in here naked. Disgusting." Anything I said, he just twisted to what he wanted to hear. And then mocked me or it. "But, yeah…" he continued. "I can see why you were chosen, at least." He placed his hand at my neck, right over where Ayato had bitten. "Soft. If I bite just a little, I bet your blood would overflow." He looked down at my chest. The water made my silk nightgown horribly see through. And Ayato's marks were still fresh and bright.

"That was Ayato's doing, right?" Shu laughed softly, "What a possessive freak." He gave a tender kiss against my neck, the opposite side of where Ayato had bitten. "But I'm sure you liked it, anyway, perverted girl. I'm sure you're right where you want to be."

"That's not true," I couldn't let him continue. I couldn't let him mix up my words anymore. "I thought maybe, I thought you would help me. I just don't understand why I'm here."

Shu continued kissing my neck. It was gentle, lazy kisses. His eyes were closed. "Feigning ignorance," he whispered. "You know exactly why you're here." The kisses turned into broad licks. "You know." There was a long pause before he continued, "I'm just like Ayato, idiot girl. Bring your neck closer. Let me taste." He pulled my back gently and brought me closer to him. "Your heart is so loud. What a slutty girl. Getting excited over just some licking."

He brought his fangs down into my skin. It was slow, not like before. It didn't hurt as badly, either. Just a dull ache. Shu wasn't as loud as Ayato. And he didn't suck as much. He let my blood drip out of the wound and he licked it up slowly. It might have been the steam from the water, but I felt hypnotized and couldn't move.

"That's good," Shu muttered between licks. "Just sit still and let me drink. What a complying blood bag you are." My thoughts were too conflicting. I felt less horrified with Shu, although I should have been. "But I bet you want me to do more," Shu sighed. "This isn't nearly enough for a girl like you." He reached one hand in between us, the other still firmly at my back.

He slid his hand down. "W- wait." And down. Into my underwear. "Hah, stop," I pleaded, but my voice came out only in breaths.

"I'm only doing what you want me to do, aren't I?" Shu brushed against my most sensitive area. I jolted. As Shu licked my neck, he rubbed that area in unison. I tried holding back a moan, but his face was so close that he heard it. "That good, huh? Stupid, obedient, perverted girl." Shu's touch grew more aggressive with every insult.

"I'm not."

"You're a tease," he whispered. "Getting close to a boy you don't know. Letting him bite you. Letting him touch you."

"Ahh, hah," I couldn't stop my voice. Shu bit me again in the same spot with no warning. And at the same time, he pushed one of his fingers inside of me. I clenched the sides of my dress.

He released his fangs from my skin and watched the blood drip out, letting it trail down my neck, running down to my chest. He moved his finger, pulling and pushing it back in roughly. "Blood bags need to listen," he grunted. "Or bad things happen." Blood slowly soaked into the top of my dress. "And bad guys need to show them how dirty they actually are."

Shu pushed me off of him then, leaving me flushed and bleeding. He got out of the tub, letting the water spill out of the side. "You're too trusting. It's annoying. Use some sense before getting close to any of us." And he left the bathroom. Probably leaving a trail of water behind him.

It took a while to stop the bleeding from my neck and to refill the bath and to finally get clean. But was I clean, really? My nightgown was pretty much ruined. I left with a plain bathrobe that was stored in a linen closet.

I returned to my room. Ayato was laying on his back in my bed. He looked agitated. I wish just my bedroom could be a safe haven. But I had none.

"You're late," he huffed. He crossed his arms. A spoiled kid that didn't get any dessert. "You gonna come here or do I have to make ya'?" It was a fair question. No matter how much I didn't want to do something, I had no way of stopping it from happening. And if I just mindlessly listened and followed orders, at least there wouldn't be cruel punishments.

I walked over to the bed. Ayato sat up, wide-eyed. "Wow, really? Whatta good girl! You missed Yours Truly that much, huh?"

I sat at the edge of the bed, still drying my hair off with a towel. "I didn't. I'm just getting a little sick of being pushed and pulled and dragged everywhere."

"Hm," Ayato paused, as if he was actually taking my remarks into consideration. "So any time I ask for blood," he inched closer to me and tugged lightly on my bathrobe, "You're just gonna say of course master, and let me?"

I tensed up. Was I? Whether I said yes or no, somehow my blood would still be taken. That was clear. But could I really just let it happen? And if I was ever saved, even if it was years from then, how could I face the church or my father after letting so many things happen to me. Without even putting up a fight.

"Who did that?" Ayato suddenly got louder. I looked behind me. He was glaring at my neck where Shu had bitten.

"Uh, um, in the bath," I didn't know how to explain it to him without being blamed.

"Who was it, Laito? No, Laito wouldn't, not at the neck."

Wait, where did Laito bite, then?

"Shu." Ayato jumped off the bed and dragged me along with him out of the room. "Shu, you bastard!" He called out as we rushed down the hallway.

"Ayato, wait, hold on!"

"Shu where are you? Where do you get off touching other people's property?" Ayato darted into a room I hadn't seen yet. There was a pool table and a darts board. And of course, a couch. And, of course, Shu was sprawled out on top of it. He opened his eyes slowly, grunting as he noticed Ayato.

"Get up. We're fighting. Right now," Ayato was still dragging me along behind him. I couldn't break free.

"Ahhhh, go away," Shu closed his eyes again, "you annoying brat. You loud freak."

"Are you fighting over your toys again, little kiddies?" Laito appeared behind us. "Ayato, this is no good, you're hurting our little kitten." He wrapped his arms around me, resting his head at my neck. "Hmm, look, she's all bit up. Who's been tasting this poor little girl?"

Ayato let go and turned to Laito and me. "Tell him what that slug did to ya', pancake!" He pointed accusingly at Shu.

Laito held me tightly. What was I supposed to say? All the guys in here, each one, had violated me just in the past day.

"Oh no, kitten, you're too scared to speak? That's no good. I love hearing you meow." Laito rubbed his cheek against my own. "What did big bad Shu do to you?" If he wasn't holding me so tightly and grinning so widely, I'd almost mistake it as genuine affection.

"Darts," Ayato bellowed. "Shu, we're playin' a game of darts. Get up."

"If you talk to me one more time, I'm going to die, Ayato."

"Good! Die, die, die, die!" Ayato kneeled at the couch and flicked Shu on the forehead. "Go ahead and freakin' die, die, die!"

I remembered what Shu had said about them all being brothers. They all grew up together in the castle. Why did it seem like some were so close while others so distant?

"I'll hold on to the kitten!" Laito cheered gleefully. He sat on a chair, securing me in his lap. "Prizes have to sit still. And I don't really care for darts, kitten," he told me. Then to Ayato and Shu, "Whoever wins gets to play with their toy in peace. No fighting. No holding grudges. Those are the rules!"

Shu groaned. "She's just a meal."

But somehow Ayato had managed to annoy him enough into participating and he started sitting up. "I'm gonna kick your ass," Ayato claimed confidently.

Laito bounced his knees up and down, like he was entertaining a kid. "You know, if I was a really mean brother, I'd just steal you away while they're distracted," he whispered to me. "Hmmm, It's hard to deny such a cute kitten. Do you want me to compete? And then you can come and play in my room allll night."

Again, I was just being pushed and shoved wherever they wanted me. I felt helpless and it pissed me off. "In darts, is it possible for nobody to win?"

Laito stopped bouncing his knee. "Meow, kitty. Where did those claws come from?" He looked up briefly at Shu and Ayato, who were surprisingly very into the game and were almost evenly matched in skill. "In fact, I really do like that," Laito kissed the back of my shoulder. "And it makes me really excited, little kitten," he tugged at the fabric that tied my bathrobe closed, "to know that under this cloth, it's just your bare skin. It makes me really really excited," his voice got heavier and the words came out slower. "Sometimes when I'm excited, I just can't help myself. Do you get like that, kitten? When you just want to make someone feel really good."

Ayato cursed at Shu and tried distracting him while he threw his dart.

"Hey, kitten, do you want to make me feel good, too?" Laito slid his hand under my robe at my chest. He cupped my breast.

"Wait, stop," I whispered back. I didn't want Shu and Ayato to look. Would they stop him or join him?

Laito licked the side of my neck. The wound from Ayato had almost completely disappeared. He squeezed my breast, letting out a soft sigh near my ear. "Such a soft kitten. Why don't you show me your claws again? I like that part of you, too." He pinched my nipple, leading to me squirming in his lap. "Hmmm," he breathed. "That's great, kitten. Move jussst like that." Laito flicked his tongue against my ear. "I wonder how far we can go before they notice. Why don't we find out?"

"Fuck! That's not fair!" Ayato yelled.

Laito removed his hand. "A winner!" We sat up then, and he aimed me towards Shu. "Well all is fair in love and war, kiddies." Laito pushed me into Shu's chest. "She's all yours. Play nice or Ayato's going to get too jealous."

"Wait, I didn't agree to this," I started, but Shu tugged me towards the door. I couldn't believe he was even going along with it. "Wait, Shu!"

"Quiet. Prizes don't talk." Although I was behind him, I thought I could see him grin just a bit. We went through hallways I hadn't seen before. I was completely lost in this maze of a house. And finally, we stopped at a door that looked like every other door. "In," Shu ordered.

I opened the door to reveal a very ordinary looking room. In fact, it was a lot like mine, but with a plain looking bed. I stepped in. Shu stepped in right behind me, closing the door. It was dark. "Is there a light switch?"

"You're in my way." I moved to the side and he walked past me, immediately falling into his bed sideways. I backed up closer to the door, waiting to see if he would notice. But he didn't move, not even to get in a more comfortable position. I placed my hand on the doorknob. "Stupid. Reckless. Disobedient," he muffled through the bed cover. I removed my hand. Shu flipped over onto his back, still sideways. "If you leave, I'll kill you. If you come over here… I won't, probably."

I hung on the word 'Probably.' Was he teasing me or being serious? It was hard to tell with Shu. "I wanna go to my room."

"Ugh, why?" His arms softly folded at his chest. "What's so great about it? Your room." He had a point. My room was not safe. This room was probably safer. In there I only had to deal with Shu. "I don't hear you walking. Huh, I guess Ayato must be right about you liking pain and all that."

"I don't," I huffed. I walked over to the bed. "I don't know why Ayato says that all the time."

"Because you make it too easy," he answered. He sat up, grabbed me at the waist and laid back down, this time turning the correct way into his bed.

"Ah, wait, let go. I wanna go to my own bed, Shu." He held me against him, not saying a word. "Really, please, let me go. I just want to go to sleep."

"Loud. Annoying."

"That's right," I raised my voice, "I'm loud and annoying so let me go."

"Huh." Shu pushed me off, but locked me to his side instead. "But you're soft." He rested his chin above my head, his arms still wrapped around me, but not quite as tight. "And you smell sweet. If you would just shut up, maybe you could go to sleep."

"I won't be able to… Sleep like this," I fidgeted in his embrace. I felt Shu kiss the top of my head.

I did eventually fall asleep. Wrapped in Shu's arms. I don't know if I fell asleep first or he did. Any time he wasn't talking, it was so hard to tell.

I had a dream that night. But it was just an old memory long forgotten. It hadn't seemed important at the time. And it was such a small detail. But one day, I was meeting my father at the entrance to the church. He was talking with a colleague, so I hovered nearby, but did not reach out to greet them. I never interacted with the church members if I didn't have to. They all sneered at me or ignored me. I remember them having a heated discussion. I wondered if it was about me. The man told my father, "This is what you agreed to." I thought maybe they were discussing raising me. That he agreed to do it. "You can push it off, but eventually the time will come. They will have her." And I thought no, that can't be about me then. It makes no sense.

"Ah?" I woke up, startled. Shu was still beside me, but his eyes were open and his fangs had just pierced my neck. It was a slow puncture and it stung. It felt like the exact spot he had bitten earlier. "Shu?"

"Shhh, it's easier," Shu lapped up the blood that trickled out. "Takes less effort if the skin is already broken." His words came out groggy, as if he had also just woken up. "Starving," he muttered. He bit again in the same spot. This time while releasing, he sucked in blood instead of just licking.

"It hurts," My face reddened. It did hurt, but it wasn't terrible. Maybe because I was still half asleep as well.

"Pervert," Shu whispered. "I'm just eating. Don't get so worked up." Though he said that, he slid his arm down my waist and pushed me closer to him. "I can feel you getting excited. Your blood gets hotter." His hand trailed down further, again, reaching a sensitive area from behind. "Only a pervert gets into a guy's bed practically naked, naive girl." I was still in my bathrobe. I had fallen asleep not even realizing the position I was in.

Shu, once again, pushed a finger deeply inside of me. "Ah, hah, Shu-" I didn't know if I wanted to get away from him or pull closer to him.

"Is this what Laito was about to do?" Shu bit me again, this time more aggressively. The pain sent a jolt down my spine.

"Haa, no!"

"Do you want me to call you 'kitten,' then? Were you hoping he would touch you like this?"

I couldn't process the words. Why was Shu talking about Laito? "I, I don't," But I didn't. I didn't want anyone do anything. Even now. I'm being held down. I'm being hurt. I don't like pain. And I'm not perverted.

"I'm still starving." Shu slowly added a second finger. My body shook in his arms. He gave another broad lick to my neck. "Your blood could burn me," he whispered. "Just admit that you love this," he lightly bit the top of my ear while stretching his fingers apart, pulling out and in. "Your body gives you away, anyway."

"Stop, just," I couldn't finish my pleas. Tears welled at my eyes. This was all too new. My body couldn't handle any more. My vision started blurring. All I could see was darkness and orange hair.

Do not cry, he had told me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I woke up again, the sun was setting. Shu was still next to me. Asleep or not asleep. There was dried blood at his lips. And I felt more dried blood at my neck. It stained my bathrobe. I heard a violin. That's what woke me up. It was a solo violinist. It was a sorrowful piece of art. Shu had given me one earbud at some point.

I removed the earbud and shifted in the bed. Shu's arms were on me, but not tightly holding me. My movement didn't seem to bother him. Maybe he really was asleep this time. I stood up from the bed. Slowly, slowly. Don't wake him up. I made it to the other side of the room. And placed my hand on the doorknob, bracing myself. But he didn't stir and he didn't speak. I left the room with no problem.

I had no clue where I was. This home had so many hallways. So many doors. So many secrets. And it was dangerous. I didn't want to run into anyone. Not with blood all over me. Not in a bathrobe. Not after everything that happened the night before.

A trick I read from a book as a child was that if you're lost, just walk with a wall to your right shoulder. No matter what, just keep following the wall and eventually it will lead you to the exit. If I got to the hallway with my bedroom, I think I would recognize it. So I started walking.

After turning into a second hallway lined with doors, I heard the whispers of an odd sound. A sort of grumbling and whimper. It was coming from a closed door. I could see light trickle through the cracks of it. I knocked lightly. "H- hello?" There was no answer, but the voice became more strained. I softly pushed the door open.

The room was a study. Towering bookshelves covered the walls. And near the door was a large table crowded with open books and glass bottles filled with various liquids. Reiji sat in a chair on the other side of that table. He was slumped down. His glasses were sitting on a small table in front of him. A book laid open on his lap. He was sleeping. "Hrr, agh," he muttered.

"Reiji?" I whispered. I moved closer. His forehead was sparkling with sweat. His hair was damp. He was making a pained expression. "Reiji, wake up," I whispered again.

His eyes shot open and he grabbed me by my throat, quickly yanking me off of the ground. He glared at me. "To think I was woken up by the smell of your blood," he sighed. He let go suddenly, causing me to fall onto the floor. I gasped for air. "To wander this house in such a state. I'm appalled," Reiji lectured, placing his glasses back on his face. I began to stand, but he quickly put a finger up, "Stay where you are, Yui." I stopped moving. "You're a disgrace. No class whatsoever. I'm utterly ashamed for you. Yui, are you not ashamed?"

I shook my head no. "I was just trying to help," I explained.

Reiji crouched down and grabbed my chin in his hand. "As if something like you would be of any use to me," he sneered. "Especially in this condition. Who was it that wasted so much of your blood?"

I closed my eyes. "Um, Shu." His grip on my chin tightened.

"Are you close to Shu, then?" Reiji questioned.

Remembering his remark at the dinner table, I quickly shook my head no.

"Shu is worthless." Reiji released his grip. "Spilling so much blood and not even cleaning up after himself. Stand up, Yui." I stood up immediately, relieved by Reiji's belief in me. "You may return to your room. I will escort you personally. Afterwards, correct your indecent attire and return here. We will have tea."

Thankfully, I wasn't bothered while bathing or changing. I wanted to curl up in my bed. I wanted to sleep for days. But Reiji had invited me to tea. And something in the back of my mind told me not to oppose him.

"You may pour now." Reiji sat in his tall, grand chair. I sat in a second one, facing him. In between us was a small, circular table with a tea pot and one tea cup sitting on a small plate.

"Oh, right." I stood, lifting the pot and pouring the tea for him. It was colored dark red. It smelled overwhelmingly sweet. I placed the pot back and sat back down. I settled my hands onto my lap. It was clear Reiji was not going to offer me any. Though I wondered why he had even invited me, then.

Reiji lifted the cup and plate, bringing the cup almost to his lips, but pausing before lowering it back down to his lap. "Did you believe we would drink together?" He didn't smile. "Please stop being so ignorant of your position. That would be disgraceful. To drink tea alongside your meal. I will only allow you to enjoy the aroma."

"Ehm, of course. I see. Thank you, Reiji" I spread my palms in my lap, clearing creases in my dress. I wasn't sure what to say around Reiji. I felt like a kid, being reprimanded every second. I could only concentrate on being polite, being silent and sitting up straight.

He placed the cup back onto the table and stood. "Stop fidgeting like a child." He strolled over to the table crowded with chemicals and tests. "Have you found any answers as to why you are here, Yui?"

"I haven't. But I now know that there is a lot… that I do not know." The church and their father. My father and his decision. So many things unanswered and nobody willing to answer them.

"I see. I'm not surprised by your lack of knowledge, Yui." Reiji placed his hand on a leather bound book sitting near some test tubes.

"I did learn that you are all brothers. Half-brothers."

"Hm," Reiji muttered, his hand still pressed against the book.

"Reiji, may I ask," I nervously tugged at my dress, letting my eyes rest at the teapot, "if you are brothers with him," I tried to soften my voice as much as I could, "with Shu, why is it that you do not get along? Although Ayato and he seem to. In a way."

"That does not concern you," Reiji answered flatly.

"I'm sorry, of course." I had pushed too much. It was his right not to talk about it. It had nothing to do with me.

Reiji turned back to me, now holding that same book. The pages were worn at the edges. "For today, I will make an exception," he stated. "Help yourself." He waved casually at the tea cup.

I looked up at him. His eyes were unfeeling. But maybe Reiji just always looked like that. It would be considered rude not to drink after being offered. And it would be nice to have one less lecture. I moved to the chair he had been in.

"Thank you very much." I sipped just a small amount. It was incredibly sweet and thin. There was an underlying taste beneath the cloyingly sweet one, though. It burnt the back of my throat like I had just drank acid mixed with pure cane syrup. "Hah!" The cup fell to the floor, shattering. My fingers had lost all feeling. And then my hands. "R- Reiji?" He opened his book and fluttered through the pages casually. "Reiji, help," my eyes grew wide. My arms and shoulders had lost all feeling.

"Calm yourself. It will not kill you," Reiji muttered, still flipping through pages. "Ah, odd." He tapped his finger against one page.

I slid off of the chair, falling to the floor beside the cup. "Why? Reiji?" It was just a faint whisper bleeding into the tiled floor. I could no longer feel my legs.

"Can't you even sit properly? Well, no matter. The reaction speed is pleasant enough, though I don't care for the numbness," he told me without so much as glancing up. "It's always best when one's prey can feel it's suffering."

My blood felt cold in my veins. I saw it puddle beneath me, but realized it was just tea leaking out of the shattered cup.

Reiji looked at me then. "I do have an antidote," he told me, lifting a small test tube from its holder. It was a black liquid. He walked over to me slowly.

"Please," I begged. It was all I could manage to say. My eyes blurred with tears.

"I do not care for broken things," Reiji warned me. He bent down and lifted my head up by my chin. "You carelessly broke my favorite cup. After I was so kind. And now you'd like my help? That is quite conceited of you, Yui."

Tears escaped down my cheeks. I couldn't feel his hand on my chin. I couldn't feel as he pried my mouth open, tilting the black liquid past my lips.

"Haaaah ahg, ack," I pulled my head away from him, coughing up the thick antidote that had slid down my numbed throat. My whole body twinged in pain.

"It is impolite to cough so openly," Reiji lectured. He stood up and took a step back. "You've made a mess of my study. Clean it up."

"I'm," every movement filled my senses with sharp static, "I'm sorry. Reiji." I tried gathering the broken pieces that were now staining. Reiji stood still above me, watching intently. "Ah, ow!" A shard of porcelain sliced against my palm, immediately drawing blood.

"Impudent creature," he whispered. "Why have you stopped?"

I lifted my bleeding hand away from the mess. Blood dripped down the side of my palm, pattering onto the tile, mixing together with the tea.

Reiji grasped my wrist. "You've only made more of a mess." He sighed, eyeing the wound carefully. "Your blood," he lowered his mouth to my palm, "smells even sweeter." Reiji licked up the dripping blood. His tongue dragging across the cut.

"N- no," I winced. He released my hand and looked down at me. His brow furrowed. "I'm sorry," I told him, not entirely sure what I was apologizing for.

"I've soiled my taste with your blood, how will you repay me?"

"But, I didn't-"

"I'll hear no excuses. Stand." I stood, and Reiji drew closer. He removed his glasses slowly, placing them on his chair.

He pushed me backwards, slamming me against a bookshelf. "Wait, Reiji!" I cried. My arms instinctively covered my face. "Please, don't!"

"Who will hear your pleas?" Reiji hissed. His hand grasped one of my arms. His other hand pulled my hair to reveal my neck. "Nobody here will protect you." Without warning, Reiji tore into the side of my neck. His fangs shred through my skin.

"Ahhhhg!" I cried. He withdrew and with no hesitation bit again, shifting to the side to make a new wound. His hand released my hair and pressed against the bookshelf, steadying himself. My skin felt like it was melting. Tears streamed down to my neck. "Let go!" I pushed his arm with my own, knocking him a little off balance. I took the chance to dart past him, aiming for the door to escape.

"I will not tolerate disobedience." Reiji, with ease, grabbed me and threw me onto the table, knocking over various chemicals. "Know your place. Do not resist me." His arm jabbed against my chest, pinning me down. He held my wrist, watching my blood run down onto his own hand. "You will learn to obey me, Yui."

"Stop!" I pushed against him with no success.

Reiji again lapped up the blood that was being squeezed out of the wound on my palm. "Shall I bandage your hand, Yui?" His eyes did not look at mine as he spoke. "I will make sure to bandage it tightly. Shall I cut off all circulation?" His grasp tightened around my wrist. I flailed my arm, but could only move the elbow. "Eventually, it will die. It will lose all life. Shall I let it become infected, killing you slowly? Or should I help you cut it off, Yui?" His eyes met mine, which were wide in terror. "How loudly will you scream then?" He asked me, now grinning. "Just imagining it pleases me to no end."

My body fell limp against the wood, only my arm stayed raised by my numbed wrist. "I think that's quite enough." Reiji released his grip on me and retreated back. "Return to your room immediately. I can't stand your unsightly appearance."

I didn't change or clean my hand and I didn't leave my room or my bed. I lifted the covers over my head and I let myself cry. I sorrowed in my own pity for hours. My father would not save me. The church had thrown me away. I was just a sacrifice to be eaten and tortured. Not a soul would protect me. I was abandoned. Again. I was just a demon plaguing all who knew me. I belonged there.

The sky was dark and stars glistened through my window. I, at some point, had rummaged out of my covers while asleep. My arms and legs felt heavy. I stared up at my bedroom ceiling and lifted my wounded hand to my face. It was stained red. From tea or blood, I couldn't tell. If it was from the tea and if I licked it from my skin, would I become numb again? Reiji said it would not kill me. But I would rather feel numb than feel the ache that was crackling through my heart. I brought my hand closer to my mouth. My tongue just barely flicked the skin. All I tasted was iron.