Chapter 2

Pain Vs. Love

I opened my eyes and immediately sat up from Ruki's bed. I don't remember getting in his bed. In fact, I don't remember anything after he sucked my blood. I touched my neck with my fingertips and winced.

It's a little sore…

I scanned Ruki's room and I don't see him around. That's strange for him to leave a stranger sleep in his bed… I decided to hurry up and leave to go back to the guest room they put me in yesterday. I don't want to stay around and wait for him because he might bite me again.

I hope his other brothers don't bite me either…

I opened his bedroom door and quietly crept down the hall to go back to the guest room, sighing in relief once I am alone in the quiet room.

Looking at myself in the full-length mirror, I frowned. I look paler than usual and my uniform and hair looks a mess. I also eyed the bite mark that Ruki left on my neck… It's still swollen but not as bad as I thought…

"Eve."

"Huh?" I turned around to see Azusa standing there before me. He stared at me with a blank expression on his face.

I cleared my throat. "My name is not Eve, it's Skylar, remember?"

Azusa ignored me as he is slowly approaching me. "You're beautiful… Eve."

I closed my eyes in fear as he reached out but I immediately relaxed when I felt his fingers going through my brown hair.

"This is… In… The… Way." He undid my pink ribbon in my hair and I watched it as it fell on the ground.

"Azusa?"

He is now caressing my cheek… His touch is a lot gentler than Ruki's…

The calm environment soon changed when Kou appeared before us with a frown on his face.

"Why are you in her room alone? That's not fair!" Kou whined.

"Kou," I whispered.

"I only… Want… A. Taste," Azusa muttered.

"Not before me!" Kou winked before walking up to me, taking off my blue blazer along with my tan vest. Kou then pulled down my white dress shirt until my shoulder is visible to him.

Azusa watched, as Kou was about to sink his fangs into my shoulder until…

"Azusa, you need to stop letting your brother walk all over you," Yuma lectured as he appeared out of nowhere, his back is against the doorframe.

"First come, first serve!" Kou laughed out loud.

"It's… Fine… I… Will… Wait," Azusa frowned.

"I might keep her all to myself," Kou smirked. He then let his fangs pierce my skin as I cried out loud.

I hear Kou sucking my blood and I kept screaming and crying. I stared at Azusa and he watched his brother suck my blood for a while, he then grew bored and he and Yuma left me alone with their greedy brother.

"Your blood is divine, Eve!" Kou chuckled before sinking his fangs in the same place…

"Kou, stop…" I began to feel faint like I did when Ruki sucked my blood.

Is this how I am going to die? From vampires sucking my blood?

*~*~*~*~Adam & Eve~*~*~*~*

I woke up in the guestroom bed and touched my shoulder where my wound would be visible and I'm not shocked that it hurts just like the injury on my neck. Are they planning on marking my whole body with their bites?

I didn't want to stay in this room. I know that one of the brothers will try and bite me again but where should I go? They appear no matter where I am.

I looked out the window to see that it is a beautiful day. Will they be mad if I go outside? I'm sure it will be okay to go to the backyard; it's not like I'm going off their property.

Taking a deep breath, I got out of bed, fixed my hair by combing it and tying my pink ribbon back in my hair. I then went outside but I grew shocked when I saw a beautiful garden in the backyard.

I never thought vampires would have something so beautiful here yet they do live in a nice home so I shouldn't put too much thought into it.

I walked around in awe. There are different types of flowers from lilies to orchids, to tulips, to different color roses. There is also a huge water fountain in the middle of the garden that is very tall, but what really caught my eye is the different types of vegetable plants especially this tomato plant.

I grabbed a small tomato cherry and popped it in my mouth.

THIS IS GOOD!

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, sow?" I heard a husky voice from behind.

I slowly turned around and chewed faster to answer Yuma. "I went to get some fresh air…"

"Did you eat one of my tomatoes?" He raised a brow.

"It was just a small one. I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking."

Yuma sighed. "Why didn't you try one of the bigger ones? Those are better."

I only shrugged. "I don't know but the small one was really good. So, this whole garden is yours? Are you the only one who takes care of it? It's beautiful."

"Yes, it's all mine and I take care of it by myself," he answered in a low voice.

"Wow…"

Yuma slowly approached me and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "I came here for the tomatoes but my cravings have changed for your blood."

My eyes widen. "Please, don't."

Yuma chuckled before sinking his fangs into my neck. I grabbed a hold of his black sweater. I tried to push him away but it's no use. He won't even budge.

"Don't try to run away from me, Eve," he muttered before he continued to suck my blood. He wrapped his arms around my waist so I wouldn't struggle so much.

"Ugh, please, I'm feeling faint…" I pleaded in a weak voice.

Yuma surprisingly stopped sucking and grunted. "Maybe if you didn't let all of my brothers have you then you wouldn't be like this."

"It's not my fault," I whispered.

"Tsk!" Yuma lets go of me and turned his back to leave me while I fell on my knees from the loss of blood…

My head hurts…

*~*~*~*~Adam & Eve~*~*~*~*

I went back to the guest room to lie down but after a couple of hours, my stomach began to growl.

I haven't eaten since I got kidnapped. I need food.

I left the room to try to find where the kitchen is located but I grew relieved when I can smell something delicious down the hall and down the stairs. I found the dining room with a lot of food scattered all over the long table.

"Hey, one more fried fish! MINE!" Kou immediately stabbed the last large fish on the plate and went to sit in his seat but Yuma grabbed the fish with his bare hands.

"Learn to share, Kou! Azusa, you didn't get one yet, huh? Do you want it?" Yuma asked as he is hovering over his younger brother.

"If you are going to give it to me… Then I shall have it…" Azusa said in a low voice.

"That's not what I asked. Do you want it or not? You need to learn to fight more for things instead of letting your brother take all the stuff away from you," Yuma lectured.

"Okay, I want it… Please…" Azusa muttered.

Yuma sighed and set the fish on Azusa's plate. Yuma then sat next to him while he watched as Kou is eating like a pig.

"Quit causing so much noise. Dinner should be calm and peaceful," Ruki ordered in a low voice as he is carrying a large plate of fried fish.

"YOU MADE MORE?! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO!?" Kou raised his voice and began to take some fish off of the plate with his fork.

"Hey, you already had ten of them! Save some for the rest of us!" Yuma barked.

Ruki sighed at his brothers' outburst. "Eve, sit."

I listened to the eldest brother and sat next to Kou while Ruki sat at the head of the table. I began to pile some food on my plate but it was hard because Kou was claiming them all…

I got some pasta, fish, and some fruit… Everything looks so good!

I began to eat and I immediately praised the food. "This is delicious!"

"Thank you, I made it all myself," Ruki smirked.

"You can cook? Wow, that's amazing!" I gasped.

I couldn't help myself but eat like a pig! I don't want to admit this to my grandmother, but Ruki's cooking is so much better than hers.

"Geez, she's like Kou…" Yuma said under his breath as he took a big bite out of his fish.

I felt my cheeks flustering as everyone nodded in agreement.

"That's okay because it shows that I am more suited to be Adam," Kou winked.

Adam?

Ruki mentioned that name last night, but what does it mean? Why would Kou say that he will be more suited as Adam? I don't understand…

Everyone grew silent as they continued to eat… Even, though the food is really good, this is the most awkward dinner that I have ever experienced.

*~*~*~*~Adam & Eve~*~*~*~*

After the awkward dinner, I went to go upstairs to go back in the guestroom but a room caught my eye.

Is that a library?

I decided to go inside the room and I gasped when I see a lot of brown bookshelves filled with different kinds of books.

This library is bigger than the one in school!

I looked around the library and immediately went to one of the bookshelves to see if there are any romantic books around… I frowned when I couldn't find any but I kept searching each shelf until I found. "Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell.

This is a classic! This used to be my mother's favorite!

I sat on the ground with my back against the wall. I started to read the story until someone cleared their throat…

"Hm. Stupid mortals and their love stories," Ruki sighed.

"It has a sad ending, you know! Scarlett's lover leaves her in the end," I countered.

Ruki ignored my reasoning and began to search for a book on one of the bookshelves. He then smiled to himself before pulling out a small, black book.

"Here." He handed me the book and I examined the title.

Hawthorne.

"Have you heard of Nathaniel Hawthorne?" He asked.

I felt my cheeks fluster because I think I should know him and Ruki is going to think I'm stupid…

"Hm. I guess not. That book has all of his short stories in it. You should read Rappaccini's Daughter first. It is a classic," he suggested.

I set Gone With The Wind down and scanned the pages of Hawthorne to find the short story. I immediately found it and I went to thank Ruki, but he disappeared…

*~*~*~*~Adam & Eve~*~*~*~*

I read Rappaccini's Daughter in one sitting and I am hooked! I defiantly want to talk to Ruki about the short story tomorrow!

I decided to go to bed but as soon as I went to change into a nightgown that is provided for me, Azusa appeared lying on top of my bed.

"Azusa?" I called out his name.

"Get… In… Bed," he ordered.

I kept my dirty uniform on and sat on the bed. I don't know why I didn't run away but maybe it's because I know he will hunt me down anyways. I don't want him mad at me because I'm scared…

"Do you… Love me?" He asked out of nowhere as he is sitting up on the bed; his gray orbs locked with mine.

"What?"

Azusa pulled a small knife out of his pocket and placed it in my hand. "Cut me," he whispered.

"No!" I raised my voice.

"Then you must hate me," he hung his head.

"Why would you say that?" I'm so confused. What is going through his head?

"Cut me, please?" He begged.

"No, I'm not going to!" I handed him his knife back but I regretted it when he cut his left wrist deeply!

I screeched when I saw blood dripping down his wrist and on the pink comforter…

"Why would you do that to yourself?!" I screamed in horror.

Why would he like to hurt himself? Why doesn't his brothers do anything about it?!

"Why aren't you happy? When I bleed, everyone is happy," he stated.

He went to cut himself again but I tried to stop him yet I was too late as he cut his forearm.

"Be happy," he whispered before he went to cut his other wrist but I slapped his knife out of his grasp causing the blade to cut my hand.

"Ugh…" I watched as my own blood is dripping down on the bed…

"Why are you sad? People love it when I'm in pain…" He muttered while he is studying his bloody wrist.

"Who?! I don't!" I snapped.

Does he mean his brothers like it or other people? I don't understand. Why does he think pain is a good thing?

"You don't like me being in pain? You don't love me?" He sighed in disappointment.

I reached out and pushed a strand of his dark green hair away from his face. "I don't want to see you hurt. You don't deserve it. You should be happy."

"But bleeding makes me happy," he countered.

"Azusa…"

I felt sorrow well up inside me. He hurts himself and he's okay with it? Is this his only happiness? Being in pain?

"Mortals like… Different things to be happy?" He asked.

I slowly nodded. "Yes, there're a lot of different things."

"Is this… One… Of… Them…" He unexpectedly kissed me forcefully.

My eyes widen in shock… This is my first kiss…

Azusa clumsily pushed me down on the bed and we are laying side by side, our lips still connected. I didn't move, I'm still in shock or am I in a daze?

He hesitated to run his fingers through my hair and I gasped. He used this opportunity to slide his tongue inside my mouth. He kept trying to play with my tongue with his but it caused me to choke.

Azusa pulled away and hugged me tight. I hugged him back just as tight because I don't want him to harm himself anymore…

Has Azusa never felt loved before?