Chapter 22

- Stop PESTERING ME!

- Huff, what a touchy guy! You are my guest, you can't treat me like this!

Ruki was holding back the growing murder instinct as he prepared tea and cookies in the kitchen, trying to ignore the screams coming from the living room, and also Azusa, who was intent on experimenting the various degrees of burn with the water kettle...

Yuuma was in the garden, quietly covering the orchards with thick weaves of straw to protect them from the impending cold, which had actually arrived in advance during the first week of November; Subaru and Kou's bickering, despite crossing the walls, wasn't bothering him too much.

The albino had found himself trapped when, at school, the blond had suggested him to come to their house (mainly to convince him to work with him in a duet): on one hand the brothers had become lately irritating lately and being aware of Shuu's presence didn't comforted him, as the eldest had begun to attend the Mukami house only because of Mary; on the other hand he would have had to put up with that overbearing singer.

In the end he had opted for the lesser evil, considering that Shuu, Mary and even Azusa's company was (more or less) far preferable to that of the other brothers.

In the living room, Mary was reading peacefully on the sofa, slowly stroking the curls of the blond who was sleeping with his head resting on her thighs, content; Kou and Subaru were arguing at the table where they were playing checkers, as suggested by the half-witch for some reason... but Ruki had realized that the albino hadn't dangerously gesticulated yet since the beginning of the match.

Hopefully he wouldn't need to withdraw his thoughts, as he and Azusa were returning with the cups on a tray and a box of biscuits, announcing that the tea was ready; the eldest didn't fail to glare at the Sakamaki firstborn, disapproving of his nonchalance.

- Thanks Ki-kun, Azucchi - Mary smiled, looking up from her book; the lavender-eyed vampire returned the smile and sat down in the armchair next to her, holding out the cookies' container, while the other one grinned at her, as if saying "You're welcome", or better, "You're welcome, Kachiku".

- Oi, chubby! - Yuuma came in, looking annoyed and carrying a small rectangular box in his hand; Shuu snickered at the nickname, poked at his he forehead by the girl who had instead reacted by curling her lips, sulky.

- Yuuma, that package? - Ruki asked, looking suspiciously at the object the giant was delivering to a confused Mary, the others staring at them questioningly.

- What the hell do I know, this goddamn pigeon arrived with this trash and there's written "For Mary Furaia" - he said irritated, rubbing the shoulder against which the volatile had crashed violently, without fortunately piercing it with its beak.

- "Flyer" - she corrected him, smiling as she opened the package: there was a cell phone inside, plus its case and cables to recharge it and to connect it to the computer.

Shuu opened his eyes, looking at her curiously; Kou commented that he had never seen her with a cell phone and Subaru agreed: if Mary had owned one, the albino would have already destroyed it...

- Izanami... it's your mobile... right... - Azusa murmured, looking interested at the case's design, while Yuuma mumbled:

- Who the hell sends a pigeon to give your phone back!

- Wait, you've been without it for all this time? - Kou exclaimed, surprised - Even Subaru has one, although he doesn't use it!

- To avoid reading annoying messages from parasites! – the albino replied, referring to who knows which parasites.

Ruki was looking at them one by one, arching an eyebrow, astonished that no one had deduced the same conclusion as him; Shuu was just disinterested, sleeping comfortably on the legs of his beloved, clinging to her waist.

- Theo uses pigeons. And as for the mobile - Mary said, caressing the screen, thoughtful - I had left in my bedroom before leaving a year and a half ago...

Kou blinked, perplexed.

- Why? I mean... how did you keep in touch with Theo-kun, or your other friends?

- I wanted to cut ties with everyone... - was the girl's answer, while staring blankly at the screen's background, after turning the phone on: it portrayed her and...

Ryan-senpai... Rose-senpai...

Suddenly they heard the house phone ringing in the hallway; the Mukami brothers exchanged surprised looks among themselves: they had given their number to few, that was the school and the agency which Kou worked for; Ruki had taken care to prevent any advertising agency from bothering them; and it couldn't be Yui calling them or someone among the Sakamaki brothers, despite her having Kou's number "in case"...

- Hello? - Ruki waited for the answer, while the others were staring at him silently, expecting some kind of apocalypse; they weren't that far from reality.

The eldest Mukami widened his eyes at first, then took on a serious expression.

- I'll warn her right away.

He put the phone down and turned to them.

- We have hunters on our heels, we have to leave immediately.

- What?! - Subaru, Kou and Yuuma yelled, bewildered; Shuu emitted an irritated snort, Azusa was nibbling his finger and Mary stiffened, concentrating on her half-witch senses and telepathically talking with Mark.

- The Sakamaki's and Eve had to escape from their mansion after being reached by a group of hunters - Ruki explained, stepping forward, thoughtfully, adding that they had used underground streets leading to some abandoned building in the city's suburbs – We should also have a passage leading us on the same road...

- It's not a wise idea - the girl interrupted him, causing Shuu to stand up, annoyed.

Azusa questioned her and the others looked at her confused: the tension was palpable.

- They're everywhere. Going from one side to the other won't change anything, it's better to stay together - she got up from the couch, reluctantly resting the book on the table and, answering Subaru's annoyed question about what to do, she said - I warned my brother to inform Ari-sensei... for now, rely on me - she sighed rubbing her head, stressed, her hair turning white at the ends.

- Chubby, we're vampires... – Yuuma began protesting, resentful of being underestimated as the others, especially Subaru and Kou; not Azusa, he wanted to be hurt.

- Of course... but follow my instructions - she looked at them sternly, then nodding at Ruki - Let's work together. Two heads are better than one.

Ruki smiled, ignoring Shuu who was complaining to her that he also was very clever.

- My head is worth a hundred, Kachiku.


Yui had been weakly protesting for an hour, uncomfortably carried on Ayato's shoulder, escaping with the other brothers from the group of hunters who had broken into their mansion; of course, no one had brought a cell phone: Reiji would bring it with him when he was outside, Kanato's was abandoned in a drawer in his room, Laito's had been confiscated and no longer returned by a teacher who had caught him sending dirty messages during the lesson, Ayato's has been lost during the escape, then probably unknowingly destroyed by the hunters who were chasing them.

Yui, on the contrary, since she had been given one (or as they said, "procured for emergencies"), she had always kept it in any pocket of her clothes; therefore, during a break, she had lend it to Reiji in order to call the Mukami brothers and inform them, while Laito and Ayato sharpened their senses, ready to pick up a possible danger.

The female vampire, finally released from that torture to her poor stomach, looked around, ignoring the brief conversation between Reiji and Ruki; they were in a vast network of underground passages, apparently dating back to the Second World War, rather large to be tunnels with ceilings supported by rigid wooden foundations, mouldy and swollen with moisture. She glimpsed a few mice running on the beams where thick cobwebs were intertwined; her eyes, in particular, fell on the old lighting system, but still strangely functional: something in her brain suggested that there was something odd...

- We decided to meet in the abandoned building where these undergrounds lead - Reiji stated, resting a hand on her shoulder to bring her back to reality and giving her mobile back- There, we will discuss what to do.

- Why can't we just fight them? We are vampires, we will destroy them for sure! - Ayato protested in a quite annoyed tone, as Kanato complained about why were to meet with those filthy non-purebloods, contemptuous.

- Ayato. It's better not to underestimate them, they aren't normal human beings. They know how to use magic and you ought to be careful because of this.

- How can normal human beings know how to use magic? Have they made a deal with the devil, nfu~? - Laito asked in an almost cheerful tone, nonetheless confused.

Reiji didn't answer immediately, deep in thought.

"The hunter who was with Richter had abnormal abilities and the one I met about a month ago with them was the daughter of abused witches", the half-witch had said, that night; he had done research on his own since then to understand what she had meant by "abused witches": he had found out that they were real witches who were persecuted, captured and then raped (or artificially fertilized in very rare cases) by hunters or their supporters, in order to generate hybrids gifted with magical powers to use to hunt other witches. Those abused witches, after that inhumane abuse, were to be brutally get rid of.

This is disgusting event to a vampire like me. These human beings are really...

Which term could describe them better? At the moment he couldn't find any...

Suddenly they heard a rumble and the vampires sensed an enemy approaching; a very, very rapid approach.

- YUI! - Ayato yelled, leaning over her and clutching her in his arms to move and avoid a powerful attack which destroyed in half a second the walls and the ceiling, blocking some passages that crossed at the point where they had stopped; Reiji and Kanato quickly joined them and to leave immediately. Then, the twins tensed.

Where was Laito?

They screamed his name, but he had clearly remained behind the earthy block, in the other tunnel; the escape from the two hooded hunters chasing after them was a priority.


- What?!

The six vampires stopped and looked at the girl, exchanging confused glances among them; after about twenty minutes since they had ventured into the dungeons, Mary had decided to call Yui to inquire about their situation and suddenly she had burst out that way, upset, stopping her pace.

- Neko-chan? – Kou called her, tilting his head; Ruki asked if there were any problems and Shuu looked at her carefully, soon realizing what was probably worrying her.

- What should I do... - she murmured, ending the call and putting her hand on her pale forehead - Laito...

Subaru widened his eyes.

- Did something happen to that pervert? N-Not that I care that much, eh...

- Kind of you to be worried about your Onii-chan, Subaru - the blond chuckled, fixing the his earphones which had slipped, and kept on smirking as the albino blushed and denied with mumbles and fists in the air, annoyed by Kou who was teasing him, too.

Azusa approached Mary and took her hands between his, squeezing them, and smiled sweetly as their eyes met.

- Izanami... go to Laito-san... if you want to help him... you care for him, right? We... we will make do.

The girl, whose eyes had already threatened to tear up at his first words, turned her gaze to the others, insecure; Ruki smiled at her and Yuuma raised an arm, clutching his hand into a fist as if to show that everything was in their hands.

- Don't worry, chubby! We are strong!

Mary remained still for a second, before taking another step, relying on her senses to orient herself and track down her cousin; the six young men watched her disappear from their sight, impassive.

- Will she manage to get by? - Subaru asked, holding the key around his neck.

- Take away that question mark - his brother snorted, bored, getting back on their path.

- You could show a little more concern for the girl, after all she chose you - Ruki said sharply.

The two sniped at each other with glances as cold as Antarctica and as sharp as the daggers collected by Azusa; the others sighed, annoyed by their umpteenth bickering, and Kou muttered:

- Here we go again


She was running, exploiting the resistance and speed given by her demonic part and ignoring the excruciating pain coming from her artificial lung; her senses were leading her to the area where Laito was, whose images filled her mind in an uninterrupted sequence of memories.

Laito... Laito!

Mary certainly loved Shuu. She certainly wanted to become his bride.

Mary certainly loved the Mukami brothers. Certainly she wanted them part of her family.

Mary certainly loved Laito. She sure wanted to protect him, she wanted him next to her.

Her best friend, herdear cousin, her brother of affection, her son to protect; all this had been him to her since they met: she wanted her Laito back.

She couldn't hear nor perceive anything: all the senses had let her eyes see everything and nothing; after turning at several crossroads, the girl stopped, looking first at the familiar hat lost on the ground, then at the vampire who was defending himself badly from the hunter, dodging spells that otherwise would have imprisoned him in an ice grip.

Mary called his name, distracting both; Laito turned to her suddenly, surprised, and the hunter's eyes widened as he met her silver irises shining in his direction, soon rising upward where a heavy wooden beam fell, knocking him out on the spot.

When the enemy's body collapsed to the ground, the girl first made sure that the ceiling wasn't unstable, then she gazed at her cousin; they remained motionless, staring at each other in silence as various thoughts crossed their minds.

- Laito! - Mary finally exclaimed, hugging him hurriedly with an almost maternal impetus - Thank goodness, I was so worried for you...

The vampire blinked, astonished, his arms hesitating to rest on her back to return the tight grip full of relief; he cracked a smile.

- No, nfu~! We vampires are strong...

The unusual quiver in his voice sounded really strange; he knew it wasn't due to the hunter's chase and attack, but then what had caused it? And why were his hands shaking...?

- Laito? - the girl, aware of his atypical behaviour, took his face in her hands, looking at him worried – Are you ok?

Her dark eyes mirrored in his emerald ones, which slowly widened while perceiving from the depths of his memory a voice, his own voice, calling the half-witch in front of him.

"Micchan~!"

- ... Micchan...? - he murmured through his slightly parted lips; Mary flinched and her eyes started tearing, a melancholy but very sweet and affectionate smile appeared on her face.

- Yes, Laito. I'm your Micchan... - she hugged him again, tightly.

And finally the vampire's hands rested on her back, strong and confident.


Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^^