~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~11~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Pancake!" Ayato yelled from the hallway. I froze. "I'm comin' in!" The door slammed open. I was sitting at my desk, trying to complete some homework. Ayato stomped over to me. He was out of breath. "You…" he growled. He grabbed my wrist and looked me straight in the eyes, "Did Shu fuck you?"
I dropped my pen on the floor. The sound of Shu's name stabbed my heart. I had tried so hard to forget what happened in the courtyard. "Uh, er," my thoughts tumbled in my brain. I didn't know how much Ayato already knew. Shu's bite marks had just recently started healing. Ayato was the reason Shu had been so angry. Did he know about that? Or did he just know about the time in the hallway?
Ayato's face twinged in anger. He yanked on my arm and dragged me to my bed. "Strip!" he yelled.
My eyes widened. "Ay- Ayato, you can't be serious?"
"Did he see you naked?" He kneeled on the bed in front of me. His brows were furrowed and his face was red.
"Ah, umm, I- I think so. But not… fully?" I didn't want to talk to him about this. I didn't even want to admit it to myself.
"Has Laito or Reiji?" He inched closer to me. My mind flashed to what Laito had done previously in that same bed. My face heated up. "Strip!" he repeated. "Yours Truly'll see every inch of ya'. More than anyone else's seen. So, take off that ugly uniform." He tore at my uniform, undoing my tie and ripping off the jacket. His nails scratched my skin in the panic.
"Wait, wait, Ayato," I brought my arms up in between us, "You're hurting me, please."
"Tch, shouldn't ya' be saying "Hurt me more, please," pancake?" A jolt traveled down my spine. I don't like pain, I told myself. Ayato continued tearing at my clothes, but took notice of how rough he was being. "Ya' sure are takin' this lightly," he hissed. "Is it 'cuz those guys've already done this?"
"It's because I'm scared," I whispered. The last time Ayato was like this, he choked me until I passed out. I was getting a little tired of suffocating and I didn't want to do or say the wrong thing.
"Good!" he bellowed. "Only think about how much ya' fear me. I'm the only one that can give ya' enough pain, pancake." He unbuttoned my shirt and yanked it down my arms. "Only Yours Truly can satisfy a masochist like you." His hands gripped my arms tightly. "I'll ruin ya'. So nobody else can have you." He dug his nails into my skin. He was looking at me, but through me. "I'll drain ya' of every drop of blood your body has." He tossed my shirt aside and started pulling my skirt down.
"Ayato… s- stop," I begged. My whole body shook. I felt too vulnerable. I was worried he would actually ruin me. I was constantly being reminded of how weak I was. How helpless I was.
He leaned back and took a deep breath. "You remove the rest," he ordered. He sat cross-legged in front of me on the bed.
"I- I can't!" I protested.
"If you don't, I will," he added.
I hesitated, weighing my options. At least if I did it, I wouldn't have to worry about being hurt. "O- okay, okay" I muttered. I pulled my skirt off of my legs the rest of the way and then reached behind my back and unhooked the clasp of my bra. I pulled the straps off of my shoulders and down my arms. Ayato had already seen me in such a state in the piano room. But it still felt wrong. And my body felt hot.
"And that, too," he pointed at my underwear. "Hurry."
I tugged the elastic, sliding it down my thighs. Ayato was looking at me intently. My heart beat too fast. I quickly shuffled around and removed them, tossing them to the side of the bed along with my bra. I rested an arm at my lap and chest, attempting to cover myself at least a little.
"C'mere," he said. How was I supposed to move like this? I shook my head. "Yui," Ayato warned. I flinched at the sound of my name. I squeezed my eyes shut and moved my arms, allowing myself to shift over to where he sat. I kneeled back down, keeping my eyes shut, feeling much much too close to him.
He grabbed my arms and lifted them, forcing me into a 'T' position. I looked at him and held in a confused chuckle. He placed them back down, but behind my back. "Lift your chin." I lifted it slightly. He kissed my jaw lightly and tucked my hair behind my ears. "Turn your head." I turned my head left. He kissed the lobe of my right ear. "Other way." I turned right, he kissed the top of my left ear. "Front," he continued. He was staring at me for too long. His kisses were too gentle. My cheeks started burning. I turned front again. Ayato brushed one of my cheeks with his fingers. He kissed my other cheek. And then my forehead. And the tip of my nose.
"Um, Ayato…"
"Turn around," he ordered. I turned to face the window. He was quiet for a few seconds. I turned my head to look behind me, wondering what he was doing. He had gotten closer. He suddenly kissed my ear again, then flicked it with his tongue. I whipped my head back to look at the window. He didn't move his head, though. I could feel his breath and that his whole body was just half an inch away from me. He ran his hands up my back. He lifted my hair, revealing the back of my neck. He kissed right at the center. Then he gently pushed on my back, successfully coaxing me onto my hands and knees. "Spread your legs."
"Ayato!" I objected, looking back at him.
"Tch, relax. I'm not gonna attack ya' yet." Yet. My heart dropped. I inched my knees apart, spreading my legs just a bit. His hands felt the insides of my thighs. He wrapped his hands around them and nudged them open more.
"N- no," I whimpered.
He didn't react or yell. He kept one hand on my thigh, but I felt his other on my shoulder, pushing slightly. "Down more," he ordered. I pressed my chest down onto the bed, my arms above my head. As I did, he returned his hand to my thigh and kept my legs in place. I groaned against my covers, imagining the position I was forced into.
"Pancake," he mumbled. "This is how prey should look." One of his hands traveled up my thigh, resting against my bottom. "I really like you bowing to me," his words were slow. He brushed his thumb across my skin and squeezed slightly. He placed his other hand at my hip.
I felt the bed shift under me. I started turning, but Shu's hand left my bottom and pressed my head gently against the bed. "Don't," he said. And then I felt Ayato's tongue travel down my spine from my neck to the middle of my back. "Your skin is so soft, pancake," he whispered. "I wanna tear it apart." I felt his fangs lightly graze my skin. And then they were gone. "We're gonna have to revisit this a little later," he breathed. "On your back, now."
I immediately turned around, thankful to move out of that dangerous scenario. I laid my back down onto the bed, keeping my legs tightly together. Ayato's face was still flushed. I tried to reason with him, "Ayato, you don't have to…"
"Shut it," he snapped. He quickly grabbed my legs and lifted my knees up to my stomach while spreading them.
"Don't! D- don't look," my voice trembled.
"You've got it backwards." Ayato placed a kiss at my knee. "You take orders from Yours Truly. Not the other way around, pancake." He spread my legs wider and kissed my thigh. I clenched my eyes shut.
I felt him let go of one leg and place a hand in between them. My eyes shot open. "Don't!" His cheeks were almost as red as mine. He removed his hand immediately. "Show me how Shu touched ya'." He yanked my hand and placed it where his had been.
"Show? I- I can't, I definitely can't!" I shook my head and snapped my hand away.
Ayato let go of my other leg. It thumped against the bed. "I didn't forget, pancake." He leaned up and kissed the corner of my mouth. "You were gonna say 'I'm yours,' right?"
"No way in hell," I grumbled. I had already decided that Ayato would never know what I was going to say that night. It was just a fluke.
"Yui. You're mine." His face was so serious. He kissed my lips so softly, letting his hardly brush against my own. It was hard to fight back when he was that gentle. It was so much easier to hate him when he was being rude and aggressive. But I could never tell him what he wanted to hear. "Mine," he repeated. "Show me."
"But. But it's embarrassing," I whispered.
Ayato grinned. "Yours Truly wants to see you. All'a you. I wanna see every expression your face makes and I wanna hear every noise. Don't let somethin' so stupid like embarrassment stop ya' from listening to your master." He gave me another kiss and leaned back. "Now be good or this is gonna end badly."
I sighed and placed my hand back, telling myself that I really had no choice in the matter. I closed my eyes. I didn't want to look at Ayato. I didn't want to know that he was looking right at me. I began rubbing myself. It felt unnatural. I bit my lip, forcing myself to think of other things. I remembered what Shu had done that night in the courtyard, but shook the thought out of my mind.
After a minute or so, I was able to relax. Using my other hand, I pushed one finger inside of myself, letting out a small gasp. I let my mind take me away from the situation. I ignored Ayato's gaze. I wouldn't think about Shu, either. I was in a room far away from this nightmare. Safe in my own bed. Birds chirping. Warm memories. I missed feeling comfortable. I missed feeling safe. "Hhn," I could feel my body reacting.
Ayato slowly lifted my legs again. I ignored his touch. "Hey… Yui," he whispered.
"H- hmm?" I looked at Ayato. He was stroking my legs and left kisses on my thigh. And he was looking. My hand flinched and I removed my fingers. "Um, I- um-"
"Why'd you stop?" he questioned. He looked up at my face. "Do it again." I closed my eyes again. Just forget he's there. I pushed my finger back inside myself. I felt him lick the inside of my thigh. A long, broad lick. The feeling of his tongue felt different this time. It gave me a flurry of chills. "Add another," he said, lightly biting my skin. I flinched, thinking of his fangs.
I slipped a second finger into myself. "N- nn, ha," I grimaced, but it felt good. Although I was nervous and although I felt Ayato's gaze, my body still reacted.
"Keep goin'." He moved my legs, wrapping them around himself. "Keep your legs like this," he ordered as he let them go. His hands cupped my breasts and he leaned over me. He gently licked the side of my breast.
"Hnn," I breathed out. He was still being excruciatingly gentle. His fingers pressed down onto my skin, just hardly making an indent. My motions became increasingly frantic as I felt a sensation bubble up. "Hah, mm."
"Louder. Don't hold back. I wanna hear," he whispered against my skin. He gave a few more licks and softly bit at my collarbone. One of his hands lifted to my head. His fingers combed through my hair.
His touch left shivers on my body and I could only focus on every spot our skin met. The sensation grew. I bent my fingers within myself, raising my hips to reach deeper, rubbing faster with my other hand. "Hah, un, ahh n- hah," I stopped myself from stifling my moans.
Ayato lifted his head to my ear. His cheek brushed against mine. His one hand still entwined in my hair, his other gently brushed and squeezed my breast. "Did Shu bite you?" He asked into my ear. I nodded yes, though I barely processed the question. I felt him lick my neck. My pulse quickened. "Tell me when you cum. I wanna know." He left faint kisses under my ear.
"Hah umm, ha! Ahhm," I lifted my legs higher around Ayato's waist and squeezed my eyes tight. My body sunk into the bed under me as I felt a sudden release inside of me. "Ahh, hahhh," my voice squeaked out, I had no control over it. "I-" My whole body flinched against my covers. I turned my head to the side, but Ayato quickly grabbed my hair and turned it back. I kept my eyes shut, "I- I'm hah, c- cumming," I couldn't say it loudly. I couldn't even feel my lips move. All I could feel was the sudden explosion inside. And then just as quickly, I felt the sharp pain of Ayato's fangs digging into my neck.
"Uhnnnn ah!" I moaned louder, my eyes shot open and my hands moved to my sides, gripping my bed sheet. My heartbeat was racing within my chest. "Hah. Ayat- ha," I couldn't form any words, just grunts and loud noises. Why had it felt good? I knew it hurt, that thought registered clearly in my brain, but it brought out a different sensation, too. It covered my body in goosebumps. I was again reminded of the courtyard with Shu.
I squeezed my legs around Ayato's hips. I had no real control over my movements. Ayato gripped my hair again, pulling my head back, revealing my neck more and he pushed his fangs down deeper. "Hahhhh ah," the chills continued. The pain was there, but just in the background.
I felt it again. So strongly. Deep within me an itch yearned to be relieved. Ayato moved his one hand down from my breast. He paused it at my hip and dug his nails against my skin. I flinched and my hips raised against him. "Hmm hah," I raised one of my hands to his head that was still pressed tight against my neck. I let my fingers run across his hair, his soft hair.
Ayato released his fangs from my neck and licked roughly over the wound. As he did, his hand moved down and rubbed between my legs. "Nn, Ay- Ayato," my body shook under him. Just a few touches and that feeling overflowed within me.
"Tell me," Ayato raised his head and grunted against my ear.
"Ahhh, n- no hah." Words made no sense. I couldn't hear a sound, though I knew my voice was leaking out. My hand gripped his hair and I pulled him closer to me. I felt his finger enter me. A sudden relief shuddered throughout my veins. "Ah, hah a- agai-," I tried to continue. I knew what he wanted me to tell him. I felt his fangs cut into me again, right under my ear. There was no pain at all this time. Lightning shocked down my spine. "I- I'm cumming," I gasped, immediately forgetting if I had said the words or just thought them.
Tears filled my eyes and my hold on him tightened. He released his fangs as he removed his finger and covered the wound with his mouth, sucking in my blood. I let my legs drop back onto the bed and my hand released his hair, thumping down to my side. I could see blurs of red through my tears. Either his hair or my blood. My chest heaved with every breath I attempted to take.
Ayato was loud when he sucked my blood. He was always loud. But now, other noises were sprinkled in. "Un," I heard. "Hahh" He loosened his grip on my hair. His other hand brushed over my thigh. He traced his nails lightly against me. He lifted his mouth from my neck. "Ya' tired?" he asked. "We're not done yet," he whispered. His mouth met mine, not giving me a chance to interpret his words.
His lips were covered in my blood. It was overwhelming. My mouth filled with iron and his tongue spread the taste. I tried lifting my hands to push him away, but it felt like someone had tied dumbells to my wrists. I grumbled against his lips, but it just made him push harder. He bit my lip, drawing a drop of blood. He pulled back just a little and let it drip onto my chin, then he wiped it with his finger and placed his finger onto my tongue. "That should wake ya' up," he claimed, rubbing my blood across the length of my tongue.
"Alright, then," Ayato leaned back and started undoing his pants.
"Wait, wait!"
"Oi, just forget about doin' it with Shu. That didn't count." He pulled his pants down, lifted his shirt off and tossed them aside. I started shifting off the bed, but he grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. "Calm down, it's fine," he told me. "You're mine. I wanna claim ya' as mine. It's okay, right?"
I squirmed in his arms. "Of course not! And I'm not… yours, Ayato. I never said I was."
His grip tightened. "I know what I heard. Ya' can deny it as much as ya' want." He grinned, brushing his fingers across my breast. "But every time I touch you, you react."
"I don't," I said weakly. Even with just a few touches, I was already warming up. My bare back against his bare chest. He was dangerously close.
"You're mine." Ayato whispered into my ear as he lowered his other hand between my legs. "Mine. Yui," his voice was just a breath against my skin. His finger reentered me. It felt natural. "Mine." His mouth hovered over my neck. I felt his fangs prick my already sensitive skin. "Your blood is mine." He licked my neck, catching a drop of blood that had escaped. "Your body is mine." He moved his finger within me while his other hand lifted and groped my breast.
"Hnn," I breathed.
"That voice is mine," Ayato added. He pushed a second finger into me.
"Hahh, ah," I pushed back against him. Slowly but surely I felt it again. I felt my skin grow hot. I felt my body become more sensitive. "Ayato, unn, st- stop."
He removed his hand. But I suddenly felt empty. Why did I feel so disappointed? "Bow down again, pancake." He pushed lightly on my back.
I looked back at Ayato. His voice was self assured and commanding, but I saw his cheeks were flushed red. His soft cheeks. His soft hair. Before I knew what I was doing, I lifted my hand to his cheek and brushed my finger across his skin. His eyes widened. "I, um," I didn't know what to say. I just wanted to feel him again. The room was too hot. My mind was in a haze from blood loss. I turned completely and licked Ayato's other cheek and then his lips.
Ayato's arms wrapped around me, one hand against my waist, one resting at my bottom. He pushed his mouth against mine and I opened my lips to feel his tongue. "Hah, mmr," I moaned against him.
He tilted his head back. "Bow to Yours Truly," he ordered.
I couldn't think or breathe or feel anything other than the desire for more. I turned around again, my back towards Ayato. I heard him shuffling behind me. I bent down. I wasn't embarrassed anymore. I wanted him to touch me again. His hands grasped my hips and just that small contact made me shake. More, more. I felt him press against me.
"Ay- Ayato," I wasn't sure if I was about to ask him to hurry or ask him to stop. But he didn't give me a chance to think it through. Ayato thrusted his hips against me, entering himself within me. "Ahn, ahh!"
Ayato moved one hand to my neck. His fingers covered his bite marks and he squeezed. Shock coursed down my spine. My shoulder pulsed in pain, but I felt myself push back every time he pushed himself into me. I spread my knees wider for him. He pushed down on my shoulder. I turned my head so that my cheek rested against the bed. I could feel him so deeply. Every time he rubbed against me, I lost my breath.
"Mm urh," Ayato leaned down, moving his hand from my hip and placing it against the bed in front of my face. His other hand squeezed my shoulder again, this time pulling it back, pulling my body against him.
"Nnn," my voice squeaked out. I again felt that itch. That need for relief. "Aya- hah!"
"Yui," Ayato's voice was shaky. I felt his lips against the back of my shoulder. "You're, hahh," he started, trying to talk in between his groans. He couldn't focus on his words and neither could I. He grabbed my other shoulder and pushed into me roughly, pulling me back into him at the same time.
"Hahhh ann nn!" I gripped the covers beneath us. I felt sparks through my entire lower body. My knees shook. I closed my eyes so the room would stop spinning. I felt Ayato pull out of me and quickly move to my side. My hips fell against the bed, unable to support my weight any longer.
"Fuck," Ayato hissed. I looked over to him. He was kneeling on the bed next to me. He held his shirt and crumpled it into a ball. "Fuckin' ruined," he muttered. He tossed it onto the floor and looked over at me. "Tired again?"
My face felt like lava. I sat up and inched backwards until my back met the headboard. "I- I don't like blood," I told Ayato.
He moved closer to me. "Yeah, yeah."
"And, and I don't like pain," I continued.
"Mhmm, sure, sure." Ayato brushed his fingers across my neck. He kissed the torn skin.
"And I'm not… I'm not yours, Ayato."
He didn't respond. He continued kissing from my neck to my jaw. "Yui." He lifted his head and tilted my chin up to meet his eyes. "Say 'Thank you' to your master."
I'm not his.
I leaned closer to him.
I can never be.
I kissed his lips softly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~12~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The roses in the courtyard were always in bloom. And the flowers were always a brilliant red. At night they seemed to almost glow. And during the day the sun reflected off of their petals magnificently. Just to the side of the house, nestled in the rose bushes and overlooking a modest lake, there sat a small gazebo. Its white wooden boards showed the beginnings of rot and decay. But in that gazebo, there was an iron bench and a table covered in a pile of untouched books.
I visited this gazebo just a handful of times. The books were covered in dirt that had, through time, blown onto them. I flipped through one, but couldn't make out the faded ink. Pages were stuck together and some even tore out with the smallest amount of pressure.
"What is our cute little kitten doing all alone?" Laito walked up and sat himself next to me. "You should be supervised at all times. We wouldn't want you getting lost." He was grinning his usual grin.
"I was just sightseeing," I explained. Laito pulled me into his lap smoothly. The book I had been holding fell to the ground. "Ah, Laito, sto-"
"No good, kitten. You have to sit still." He wrapped his arms around me, pinning my arms to my sides. "I've just been so busy and I haven't seen my little pet in so long."
I shuffled around in his lap, trying to break free, but it was no use. I leaned back against his chest. "Busy with what? I always wonder what you guys do when you're not pestering me."
"I'll admit, kitten. Most of my days consist of daydreams about what fun games you and I could play," Laito cooed. He kissed the back of my neck softly. "But, we do have responsibilities. Each one of us. You shouldn't concern yourself with it! Such boring matters."
"But what kind of respons-"
"You knowwww," Laito placed his hand at my thigh and stroked my skin. "I couldn't help but hear some rumors concerning my little kitty recently. Very naughty rumors."
So everyone already knew, then. I wondered if that meant Shu knew about Ayato visiting my room. My heartbeat quickened.
"Don't be so scared, kitten," Laito continued, noticing my pulse. "Unlike those two, I don't mind mind sharing. As long as I get my time to play." His tongue trailed up the back of my neck.
"I don't know…" I couldn't help but confess to Laito, "what to do. I… Ayato, since I got here, all he's ever said is 'mine, mine, mine,' but, but now Shu too. And they, I'm worried they'll keep trying to one up each other. And they both have it in their heads that I like p- pain, I don't think I do! But eventually, if this continues, I just don't know how much I'll be able to take. Or how long will it be until one of them goes too far?" The words spilled out of my mouth. For so long I had kept these worries locked inside. I couldn't ignore them anymore.
"Hmmm, that is quite a predicament," Laito sighed. He rested his chin on my shoulder and tilted his head against mine. "Why don't I read you a story, kitten?" He grabbed the book that had fallen on the ground and flipped it open in my lap.
"I don't need one. And it's too rotted, anyway."
"If you're good and let me tell you a story, I'll answer some of kitten's questions. I'll even assist with your Ayato and Shu problem." Laito brushed his cheek against my own. "But! You have to sit still and listen."
"How, how long is the story?" I had been trapped there for so long and I knew next to nothing. If I complied with his game, I could possibly get a clue to help me escape. I knew not to put too much faith into Laito's words, though.
"Hmmm, not terribly long. Is that a yes, kitten?" I nodded my head and Laito flipped a page over in the worn out book.
"Once upon a time, years and years and years ago, three little boys lived in a castle with two mommies and a daddy," he began. I held the book steady on my lap as Laito followed imaginary text with his finger. "One mommy was a beautiful and pure delight of a woman. Skilled in every way. She enchanted any mortal that grew close to her. The other woman was a bore and only cared about teaching her one son to be a bookworm while completely ignoring her other son. And their father was an ominous figure of authority. Only showing up when convenient."
"What's your father really like? He must be more than some shadow. Shu said he works closely with my church," I interrupted. Laito placed a gentle kiss on my neck. Finally, I was beginning to understand the secrets behind these people. I could ignore Laito's advances as long as he answered my questions.
After a few more kisses, Laito spoke, "He's a perfectly fine man. As long as he completely gets his way and you don't object and you play your part as his pawn in a game that he won't tell you the rules to." For such severe words, Laito's voice was calm and patient. His free hand slipped under my shirt and wrapped around my waist. "Now, kitten, be good and listen."
"On a very special day, their father brought yet another mommy and son to live with them. This third mommy was very cold. She locked her son up and kept him away from all of his brothers. She filled his head with grandeur, telling him that he was the chosen one. That the castle they all lived in would one day be his. All his father's power and wealth would be his as well. And, of course, what was his was hers." Laito's fingers brushed back and forth across my waist.
"Is that Ayato? Was his mother really like that?" Somehow it did make sense. But when I had asked Ayato about his mother in the piano room, he brushed the topic off so easily. Nothing special, he had said.
"Nobody is perfect, kitten. Least of all Ayato's mother. Now, hush hush. This story isn't about her." Laito inched his hand upwards, pausing at the bottom of my bra. He gave a soft kiss to my ear. "We all quickly learned that Ayato was a little mischievous brat. He would sneak out the second his mother was distracted. And the room he decided to sneak to just happened to be my piano room. He was constantly disrupting my vocal classes. My mother was much too kind to toss him out, so she went out of her way to entertain him. She played him the songs that were meant for me."
"He mentioned that your mother was a very skilled pianist," I told Laito.
Laito paused and gave out a small sigh. "She was. I'm surprised he even remembers. This all happened so long ago. Kitten, don't you think this is in the way?" Laito tugged at my bra.
"What- of what?" I gripped the book tightly. "I don't think it's hindering you from telling a story!"
He reached behind my back and easily unclasped my bra. "Hmmm, but I'm playing a fun game of 'How far will kitten let me go as long as she's distracted?'" Laito chuckled. He started lifting my shirt.
"N- no!" I closed the book and grabbed his arm, pulling it back down.
"No, hm?" Laito kissed my ear again and whispered, "So you're ok with the story ending here?"
I let go of his arm. I had to get answers. I had to make progress somehow. Laito was the only brother that was willing to give me any sort of insight into their lives. Even in the music room he disclosed information about their mothers. How much influence did their father have on my church? Did he pull strings to have me live here? And how much did my father know about this family?
Laito lifted my shirt over my head and pulled my bra off. "Good kitty," he purred. "Now open the book. Let me read." He traced patterns over my stomach and reached up to cup my breast. I bit my tongue, stopping myself from yelling or objecting. I opened the book to a random page.
"Where were we… Ah, right. I was getting sick of my mother doting on this rude little boy. So I decided to split them up. I introduced him to my half-brother, Shu." Laito squeezed my breast lightly as he spoke. I focused intently on the smeared ink on the book's page. "Shu was a lot like Ayato, you see. Our father liked to keep close tabs on him as a child. But the second he was out of sight, Shu was off on his own, sneaking around."
"Ah, wait. What about Reiji? What was Reiji like?" Reiji, for some reason, clearly disliked Shu. But if he had his mother's attention growing up, it made no sense. If anything, Shu should have been the jealous one.
Laito licked the length of my neck. "Interrupting again? At this rate, the story will take longer and longer, kitten. Are you enjoying our game this much?"
I flinched. "I- I just want to know more…"
"Lucky me," he grinned. "Reiji actually spent a lot of time right here. This is where he would study with his mother. He always was such a great thinker," Laito explained with a hint of malice in his tone. "But always such a serious boy. That might have been his mother's doing, I suppose." Laito pinched my stomach.
"Mm!" I jumped. "Ah, what-"
"It's more fun when you react," Laito teased. "Well, Shu and Ayato hit it off instantly. They found a secret hiding spot, which was really just a closet in a spare bedroom across the hall from my piano room. But they brought their toys and would spend a countless number of hours playing together."
"Hah, hm!" As Laito continued his story, he had slid his hand down into my skirt, pushing the book back onto the ground. "L- Laito, stop," I breathed. His fingers pushed and rubbed against me over my panties.
"Hmmm, that's no good. Kitten is going to distract me if she makes those noises. Be a good pet and keep quiet." My face reddened. I closed my lips tightly. The story couldn't be that much longer.
"Those two brats found out quickly that they never learned how to share their toys. Both of them were too spoiled. Ayato was an only child and Shu was given anything he wanted as long as he listened to our father. So while it was peaceful at first," Laito rubbed his finger in circles.
"H- hah," my voice escaped.
"Shush, shush," he covered my mouth with his hand. "While it was peaceful at first, it started to become a bother again when all I could hear was their yelling matches. So, again, I had to resolve the situation. Looking back, I realize I did a very mean thing. But I just wanted my time with my mother to be peaceful. I only had so much time with her. At that point, we were already being forced apart by my father." Laito pulled me closer. He pulled my panties aside and brushed his finger against me. His grip on my mouth tightened.
"One day when they weren't around, I took all their toys that they had stashed in that closet. I put them all in a bag and I showed our father. He was so proud of me. I told him how the two of them would sneak away. And how when Ayato's mother thought he was studying, he was really just playing with those toys in some closet, wasting his time."
I looked back at Laito. He was no longer grinning. "Yuhrm," I mumbled against his fingers. He let go of my mouth. "You were jealous," I told him. I understood. I grew up alone. The only time I ever met other kids was during classes, but they always kept their distance because I was constantly being reprimanded for my behavior. I grew up hating them. I hated when they formed friend groups. I hated when they walked home together. Or, I thought it was hate at the time.
"Hmm," Laito sighed. He lifted me from his lap and sat me down next to him. He handed me my shirt. "Even so, after that, they were watched over more strictly. So by the time our mothers…" Laito hesitated, "moved on," he continued after some thought, "both of them had changed into the men you see today. Shu became a lethargic oaf and Ayato allowed his mother to turn him into a silly boy with a God-complex."
I slid my shirt back on and inched away from Laito. "So now I'm their toy," I concluded.
"Yes!" Laito perked back up. "Now our poor little kitten is stuck in the middle of this same fight. But this time, I won't go tattle to our father. This time we need to sit them down and give them a good talking to!"
I returned to my room and sat at the edge of my bed. The events of just the past few days whirled around in my mind. Ayato and Shu's competitiveness. Laito's story. I wondered if their mothers had been vampires. Or were they just like me, trapped in this place?
Reiji had been close to his mother. I had completely forgotten about my recent encounters with Reiji until hearing about him as a child. Those books had all been his. It only made sense. It was obvious he enjoyed reading. I wondered if his mother taught him how to conduct those experiments he loved as well.
I fell back into my bed, letting my head dangle off the other side. My whole body was sore. I had no bruises and any bites were just faint marks. But even moving my arms hurt. What was I allowing my life to become? Just a short while ago, I was peacefully living with my father. I went to church. I went to classes. I prayed. I hadn't prayed once since moving. Did God know? Did my father know? The church? I was living in sin. I had become the embodiment of sin. Letting vampires- demons- touch me. Letting them drink my blood. Had I not worshipped enough? Was I not loyal? Was this retribution?
Through the window I could see the sun setting. Pretty soon I would be called down for dinner. And then Laito and my plan would begin. Laito would find a way to keep Shu at the table. Shu always left earlier than everyone else. Laito had told me to leave the technical stuff up to him. All I had to do was show up to dinner and act normal.
Normal. Was this my new normal? Surely it couldn't last forever. Surely one day I would escape from this prison. Or one day, I would die here. One day, surely, I would be pushed to my limits. I'll have no more blood left to give. But one day, maybe, I will be saved. I will be free.
Is that what I wanted? Freedom. What did freedom even mean to me? If I escaped, where would I go? If I went back to the church, and if what I've been told is true, it was likely they would simply bring me back here. I shuddered, imagining what the punishment for attempting to escape would be.
I could find my real parents. Somehow. They must at least be curious about me. The daughter they gave up. The daughter they had abandoned with just a necklace. Not even a note. They must have known somehow. One look at me and they knew I was destined for evil. For sin. They must have brought me to the church with hopes that I could be saved.
Clouds slowly covered the sun. It grew darker and darker. She must be a demon sent to ruin him. Even members of the church knew. The man behind this, I was sure, was their father. For some reason, he pulled the strings behind me moving here. How long was it planned? A demon sent to ruin him. Had the church thought I was a vampire as well? My father chose to raise me. Did he do so to protect me or did he just mean to raise me until it was the proper time to send me off to be a sacrifice?
A sacrifice. Was that all I was? Was I only useful as long as I had blood coursing through my veins? Was I only useful as a toy or a doll or a blood bag? Where did my worth lie? Worthless.