Chapter 49
On a normal day, Yui would be ready to leave the Mukami manner within minutes but today, she had already spent ten minutes combing one section of her blonde locks and wasn't close to being ready enough to even leave her bedroom. She stared back at herself in the mirror with hate filled eyes, for she didn't recognize herself anymore. Where was that curly headed sweetheart who spent Sunday morning at Church with her daddy and tried out for the volleyball team three years in a row, but never made it because of her dainty frame? The one who was always smiling and who's tiny voice was too adorable for some to handle? She was quiet but somehow got along with everyone. She had plenty of friends at school but Church was where she flourished. They all shared their love for the Lord and gathered to love him all together, a bond that she thought could never be broken. But that was the same reason that she was looking at the person she was now in the mirror. The one with dark eyes, pale punctured skin, and a swollen belly. The one who didn't go to Church and didn't have a daddy anymore. The same one who was plotting to inflict the horror that those had bestowed onto her. As Yui glared at herself, she wasn't sure but she could have sworn that she had caught herself smiling back.
"No, no... that won't do..." Yui hadn't even heard Azusa walk in before she swung around and faced him, who now had his back to her and was laying the baby down for a nap in his crib. "What won't do?" Yui said in a small voice. Azusa slowly turned to face her again and smiled reassuringly before taking a step forward and caressing her cheek with his open palm. Her eyelids fluttered closed as she felt the warmth, or lack there of, on her skin. She slowly placed her hand over his and curled her fingers around, not wanting to let go. She didn't know why but she could feel tears collecting in her eyes, which were soon after dribbled down her cheeks and into Azusa's firm grasp. "You'll have... to change," he sighed, "you look too... innocent." The hand that had held her face slowly trailed down the front of her body; along her baby doll dress and to the hem. "Innocent?" She said it innocently, with that old high pitch that her voice used to have the same adorableness that used to make the other vampires sick. She looked doll like. "Oh yes... it won't do. Not... scary enough..."
Azusa had left the room to 'collect a few things' and left Yui alone with her thoughts. Those that were morbid had floated away even just from the small interaction with Azusa; a warm coziness had gathered in her belly and she went back to combing her hair again with a smile now looking back at her in the mirror. She hummed and only stopped to listen to the soft baby sleeping cooing from the crib. This is for Noah, she thought to herself. She won't let him down.
"What on Earth?" Yui began before bursting into the first genuine laughter for what must have been months. She quickly covered her mouth, the motherly instinct to not wake the baby kicking in, but continued to giggle behind a tight closed hand as the three vampires entered the room in a solemn walk with eery black cloaks covering most of their bodies and half their face. All she could see was each of their eyes; Azusa's were sleepy and unfeeling though somehow warm when he looked at Yui, Kou's were clearly smiling, and Yuma's were filled the usual hatred. Minus their goofy appearance in Yui's eyes, they did appear to be old school vampires she would read about from the older section at the library. "Spooky" Yui giggled. Suddenly Yuma threw a cloak to the floor and said through beared teeth, "Hey!" before quickly lowering his voice to add on, "this is not 'spooky'. This is what the humans are afraid of. Get dressed, now."
"Why couldn't we just walk there?" Yui spat through the darkness. She tripped over her own feet with nearly every step and clutched Noah close to her chest underneath the cloak, attempting to keep him undisturbed despite the sounds of breaking leaves and twigs beneath them. "You think humans would find a minivan intimidating?" Kou whispered back, his lips curled against the brisk air, "M-Neko Chan, I know you must have a brain in there somewhere." The sound of a slap was followed by Kou squealing "ouch!" in a childish voice and Yui couldn't help but smile. "Enough," Yuma hissed. "We are nearly there, you idiots."
Suddenly Yui forgot how to breathe. Just seeing the Church, even from the back and yards away in the woods, was enough to knock the wind out of her and she fell down to her knees. Noah let out a small yelp of surprise though she had managed to keep a safe hold on him and she instinctively held him closer to her chest, hushing him through the tears that were stinging her eyes. She had never seen the building at night and somehow she was viewing the Church are grossly sinister rather than a place of worship. Usually she would pray to God to return her strength in these times of need but now she didn't know who to pray to. "Azusa," Yui breathed in sharply. His arms were around her within seconds of her being on the ground. "Enough of the theatrics, we must go now. He's alone." Yuma's words were harsh but the feel of Azusa bringing Yui back to her feet made me feel slightly safe once again. "Who's alone?" She said through the dizziness. "The priest, you dimwit."
Yui had known the priest well, or at least she thought she had. A small part of her deep down was excited to see him but he would never know, not unless he could see it behind her darkened eyes while the rest of her hid behind the cloak. The larger portion of her was afraid. The Church doors opened and a gasp of wind engulfed the four as they strode strongly through the doorway. They walked in a strange uniosine that Yui suspected only vampires could do and though she was shaking on the inside, the outside of her appeared strong even drenched in the dark cloak. "Where is he..." Azusa breathed close to Yuma's ear, but Yuma simply continued walking forward through the middle of the aisles. They walked behind him in an orderly file: first Yuma, then Azusa, and then Kou, and Yui and Noah. So many times she had walked this aisle to receive communion and drink the blood of Christ. The statue of Jesus hung in front of them, his expression pained and saddened. Yui had never noticed before but his eyes looked dull, far off in a land of nothingness. She glared at him and he stared off. The statue she had prayed to so many times now angered her; the anger only being fueled more when she slowly saw the priest emerge from his chambers. The expression on his face was pure horror and he audibly gasped at the sight of them. "Heinz," he choked, "there are m-more of you."
That's when Yui came to the realization that these boys had never done this before and may very well be as nervous as she was. But no matter how nervous they were, it was nothing compared to the priest before them. Yuma stepped forward and the man suddenly dropped to his knees, placing his hands up as a protective shield of his face. "I-I wasn't expecting you! I would have been more prepared, please - I need time." He was utterly pathetic and seeing him in this way made Yui's chest hurt. She glared down at him from behind the others, who eyes flared with hatred. She hadn't known him long, he had been new to the Church but had always appeared to be friendly and full of love for his people. "Coward," she blurted in a deep, menacing voice. The man flinched and bowed forward at Yuma's feet. "Oh God, please, three days! Three days and I will bring someone for you, I just need to work it out, please-"
"What is there to work out?" Yuma said.
The priest slowly raised his head and slowly scanned each of the cloaked figures, searching for their eyes. Yui looked away once he saw her, she couldn't bare to look at him any longer. He finally settled on Yuma's gaze and clasped his hands together, snuffling forward slightly on his knees. His breath was uneven but he managed to choke out, "The girls - we don't just pluck them. It takes coercion with the families," his voice lowered and he slowly looked at the ground, "No one will go out looking for someone whose parents don't report them missing." He looked up again and accidentally connected eyes with Yui again this time. "Parents don't report children who are being sacrificed in the name of the Church."
As Yui turned and ran towards the front doors, she heard Yuma say "Three days then" as a final exchange with the priest. She burst through the entrance and collapsed to her knees on the front stairs, letting out a howl of of fury and tears into the sky; the sounds of her screams and Noah's cries fighting against each other for the loudest. She felt Azusa's hands on her shoulders and he urgently grabbed her this time, yanking her up into his grasp and managing to take Noah from her arms. "He doesn't think I'm missing!" Yui cried to the night sky, "My father isn't looking for me! He kneeew!" Her cries were cut short by Kou grabbing one of her arms and Yuma the other, hurling her down the steps and to the ground. Before she went flying, she saw a glimpse of the priest's agape expression before the doors swung closed. His eyes were fixated on Azusa holding Noah, who was holding the screaming infant and cloak had fallen off the back of his head and exposed his face. Yui hit the cold ground with a grunt before being grabbed again by the boys, being held the tightest by Kou who said through his teeth, "We need to run, now."