Disclaimer: I do not own Diabolik Lovers. This amazing anime was created by Seiko Nagatsu. I only created Reiko.
Editor / Beta Reader: Waffle (Thank you)
Rated Teen for violence, blood, coarse language and / or sexually suggestive scenes (rating may change to Mature in the future as story progresses, readers have been advised).
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Bound To Shadows
By: Swanna
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Chapter 3: Reunion
Reiko followed the second oldest son, Reiji, as he led the way to her newly appointed bedroom. Their family butler, Masato, trailed closely behind while carrying her duffle bag and black leather suitcase in his hands.
As they proceeded up the stairs, she couldn't help but notice that the Sakamaki's mansion was embellished with extravagant china and vases; whitewashed masonry walls stood unadorned except for the occasional extraordinarily realistic paintings. Antique furniture was arranged in approved Architectural Digest settings and a patterned rug laid in the middle of the mid-toned polished floorboards. Everything screamed expensive.
"The accessories, furnishings and fabrics were all designed to showcase the Sakamaki's wealth and status," Masato stated abruptly in his low voice, as if he could read her mind.
But she knew it was impossible since mindreading wasn't on the list of vampire abilities last time she'd checked.
Reiko took a good glance at the young butler with dark hair and emerald eyes. He had a pacific look; an air of gentleness. But she knew all too well that looks could be deceiving and if she so much as breathed wrong in this household, she would be killed.
Reiji snickered softly. "A bare room would be considered lacking in taste. Not that I'd expect the likes of you to understand."
"Yeah, you're probably right," she walked up to him, deliberately brushing past his shoulder. "But you also seem to show a lack of modesty too."
The arrogant smirk vanished instantly and his calm tone became more malicious. "What did you say?"
"What I'm saying is to be more humble and less condescending. But don't worry, as your new guardian, I will make sure we work on that," she gave him a wink and patted him on the shoulder before walking off into the extended hallway with multiple doors.
After a few seconds of walking they stopped in front of a door at the end of the corridor. Masato opened the door and was present with a beautiful white over gold Victorian chamber, with rich carvings on the spacious bed's headboard and night tables. There was a lavish dressing table with a vanity mirror, and a coordinated bench and pouf. It was a sight straight out of a fairy tale, except Reiko was no princess, but rather a shackled babysitter.
"I hope this is to your liking, Miss. Makami?" Masato asked politely.
"Just call me Reiko, and the room is very elegant and tasteful," she decided to give an undisguised answer, purposely emphasizing the last word.
After all, Reiko was still grateful for the thoughtful arrangement, even if the Sakamaki brothers didn't seem to welcome her presence. On her way here, she had to constantly reminded herself the reason why she gave up the life she'd built in New York to return to a place she had fled from two years ago. The truth was, she didn't want to return to this place. She didn't want to return to her old life. But there was a debt to repay and she didn't intend to forget that.
"At least you're honest," Reiji snorted at her. "You can settle down first and we will go through some house rules with you later."
"House rules? Really?" Reiko almost laughed.
She had a nudging suspicion that one of the rules was not to stand on the table. Sadly she had already broken that rule upon her arrival in less than ten minutes.
"You're here as a servant, not a guest. Of course there will be rules for you to follow and abide to." He threw a disapproving glare at her before turning his heels to leave the room.
The butler placed her luggage at the corner of the door and bowed as he dismissed himself. Letting out a quiet sigh, Reiko walked over to the soft mattress and sunk into it. Finally she was able to fall into a more relaxed stance now that she was alone in the room.
"Servant huh?" she said to the room, eyes fixated on the ceiling.
Reiko narrowed her eyes slightly, thinking back to her first encounter with the Sakamaki brothers just a moment ago and the incident with Subaru. Hurting him was never her intention, it was a mistake; and that first mistake had marked her as a target. Beyond doubt, it declared who she was even more clearly, even more decisively than the file they had on her. It showed the brothers how she thought, what she felt – what she was beneath her skin.
Their father had already forewarned her of the brothers' savage behavior and she knew they wouldn't play nice. But Reiko was no sitting duck for her opponents either. If they wanted to play games then she would be more than willing to participate. Though she knew her hands would be full with the six of them, she never expected it to be easy to repay the debt she owed to Karlheinz.
Truth be told, Reiko wasn't as fearless as she'd portrayed herself in the living room. She was highly aware of the purebloods' capabilities and potential. They could break her spirit if they wanted. They could kill her if they wanted. And in the days to come, her ingenious weapons and gadgets would only become ineffective against them. It would only be a matter of time before one of the Sakamaki brothers got their hands on her. Then Reiko would be forced to use her power to survive. Power that she had forbidden herself from using as she had limited control over it.
Reiko sighed again, only deeper and louder this time. She stared out at the arched windows and could see the sun was setting, a red flattened sphere tangent to the horizon.
A little fresh air would be nice, she thought to herself, hoping to clear her head from the troubling thoughts. What was to happen would happen, and she would try her best to stay alive in the months to come.
With that determination in mind, Reiko got off the bed and decided to leave the room. The moment she opened the door she almost stumbled into Reiji, who had returned with a female school uniform in his hand.
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Out," she told him boldly.
"Return to your room and change into the uniform that I have prepared for you immediately. We have school tonight."
It didn't come as a surprise to know that the Sakamaki brothers attended night school. Especially since vampires were primarily nocturnal creatures and were active during nighttime. Both purebloods and vampires that were formerly humans had no issues basking in the sunlight, despite what had been portrayed in horror movies. However they were much slower during daylight hours, though Reiko fortunately did not share their weakness due to her human genes.
"Technically I don't start my job until tomorrow, so I think I'll pass," she answered as she tried to walk away, but Reiji lifted his arm and blocked her path. Reiko tried to duck under the arm but he closed the gap, making her escape impossible.
"Don't make me repeat myself again," he said threateningly. "I don't like repeating myself."
The haughty note in his voice made Reiko's lips tighten. Granted, she hadn't been as polite as she could have been. Being tired and jetlagged had contributed to her mood, but she didn't like being bossed around. She wasn't one of the brothers' subjects. They seemed to disregard the fact that she was half vampire. They couldn't tell her what to do.
"And what if I say no and insist on walking out your front door? What will you do then? Are you going to kill me?" She stepped toward him, her face close to his as she challenged him. "I'm not so sure that it's a bright idea to kill the guardian that your father specifically chose for you. He will be very displeased with you when he finds out, and you know he will find out because he knows everything."
Reiji knitted his eyebrows at the mention of Karlheinz, not expecting her to see through his weakness. But he recovered rather quickly as the corner of his lips lifted in a scornful smirk, almost pleased.
"I see you've done your homework already," he said.
"You're not the only one going around digging up another's past, and I'm just trying to even the playing field. Having said that," she placed her hand on top of his arm and brought it down to his side so she could move past him. "I will see you in the morning, so don't wait up."
With a smile on her face, she walked out of the hallway and headed for the door. This time, the second eldest son of the Sakamaki household did not make any further attempts to stop her.
X X X
An hour ago, Reiko arrived in front of a photoshoot studio and parked her motorcycle in the parking lot. If her sources were right, then the person she'd come all the way here to see should be coming out soon. She removed her helmet before getting off the vehicle, still feeling a bit nervous. No, very nervous and exhilarated at the same time. It had been two years since she'd returned to Japan and she was eager to meet him even though he would most likely give her hell for leaving without a satisfactory explanation.
Reiko looked over at the studio's entrance but didn't see anyone there. She leaned against her motorcycle and waited patiently for twenty minutes, thinking she hadn't eaten since her flight landed this afternoon. Just as she took her mobile phone out and was about to look for the closest eatery, out walked Kou and a human girl.
Kou walked over to a car, looking cool and handsome as an idol. He was wearing blue jeans and a black linen shirt. His hairstyle had changed though, his bangs had grown a lot longer than she'd remembered. They fell over the right side of his face.
She watched as Kou placed his arm on top of the car beside the girl's head, while his other free hand was now roaming down her body and back up, trapping her in place. He leaned in closer to whisper sweet nothings to her, and she instantly became even more spellbound as her eyes blinked dazedly in the darkness before shutting closed. The poor girl was so mesmerized by his beauty that she wasn't even aware of the slow, wicked smile Kou had on his face. Sharp fangs were exposed as he opened his mouth wider.
Reiko took that as a cue to rush over silently and clasped her hand over his mouth, pulling him back. Kou struggled immediately and would have fought back, but the moment he took a good look at his assailant, he was petrified with a start.
"How dare you have another girl here when I'm not around," said Reiko, grinning from ear to ear at Kou's shocked expression, as if he had seen a ghost. She turned to the girl who was staring back at them in absolute confusion, oblivious to what was happening.
"I'm sorry, but I have a date with Kou tonight," Reiko lied. She placed her hands on both sides of his waist and deliberately ran her hands around his back, pulling him against her chest in an effort to convince the girl to leave. "And you can't join us, because I don't like to share."
Reiko felt a pinch of guilt as she watched tears welling up in the human girl's eyes. But she told herself that she was only doing what had to be done, and this girl would be a lot more grateful if she knew that she had been saved from an inbred vampire's attack.
"You asshole," the girl yelled at Kou before running away from them.
"Ouch," Reiko mocked while releasing her hands from Kou. But he suddenly reached around and pulled her tightly against him before she had a chance to react. "What are you doing?"
"I thought we have a date so I'm just doing what I usually do on my dates," he answered in a calm, teasing tone as he grabbed her chin in his hand and held her still. He would have kissed her closed lips if she didn't shove him away in time.
"Very funny," she glared at him. "You got issues, brother."
"Me?" his voice rose and Reiko could already feel the anger vibrating off of him. "Did you forget that you were the one who left us without a word and wouldn't speak to me for two years? Then you decided to come back without telling any of us and you just randomly show up in front of me, feeling me up and you tell me that I have issues?"
Reiko knew it wouldn't be easy. But she certainly didn't expect it to be this strenuous either, facing him for the first time since she'd left. Although the five of them had no blood relation to one another, their bonds were evidently stronger than siblings born from same parents. She didn't blame Kou for his resentment and harsh words, since she did abandon the family. Her brothers had every right to be angry with her.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly as she leaned against his car. Obviously it was all she intended to say.
"Was it because of Ruki?" Her eyes widened, and Reiko tried desperately to recover from the shock of the unexpected question. Her expression must have betrayed her when Kou sighed softly and said, "I knew it."
A part of her had hoped that there would be no lingering feelings when someone mentioned Mukami Ruki. But the other part knew that the mention of his name would tear open the still weeping wound in her heart. Closing her eyes, she felt the pain as if it were only yesterday.
When she opened her eyes again to stare into Kou's face, she saw nothing but understanding there, a willingness to understand. He came up close and rested his back against the car next to her.
A long moment of uncomfortable silence passed before he spoke again.
"Does he know that you've returned?"
"No, and I don't plan on telling him either."
If he knew, then she'd never be able to find the courage to leave the second time. She was hoping that if she stayed away long enough, she would forget about him and move on.
"I guess even if I ask what happened between you two, you still wouldn't tell me, right?"
Reiko paused for a few seconds again.
"I've tried asking Ruki but he refused to tell me anything either. But I know that he actually thinks of y-"
"How are Yuma and Azusa doing?" she asked, changing the topic. Maybe she was still not ready to talk about Ruki yet.
"They're the same, nothing much has changed with them," he answered with a frown, not appreciating her diversion.
"Sure there has. Even you've become an idol now," she smiled genuinely at her brother for the first time in the night.
He smirked. "It makes it easier to lure my prey. A man's gotta eat somehow, you know?"
"Feeding only," she made sure he didn't miss the sternness in her voice. She didn't think she could bring herself to kill her brothers if they were ever wanted on the death list.
As if Kou was reading her mind, he asked, "I heard you've become a vampire hunter in New York. How's that going for you?"
Reiko gave an indifferent shrug. "Not bad. I get to enjoy the thrill and the pay's good. A woman's gotta feed herself somehow, you know?"
"What brought you back to Japan then if everything was going so well for you in the States?"
"Karlheinz's asked me to become a guardian for his sons."
"Karlheinz?!" This time it was Kou who looked at her with wide eyes, stunned at the new revelation. "Why so sudden? And why a guardian?"
"He didn't explain and I didn't want to impose either. After all, I do owe that man my life."
As a matter of fact, all five of them were saved by Karlheinz and were willing to serve him unconditionally. For her brothers, they were turned by the Vampire King and were granted a second chance at life. As for Reiko, she would have continued to be held as a captive in a foreign country shortly after being orphaned. An experimental lab rat would have been a fitting label.
Reiko probably would've been dead by now if she had not, by chance, ran into Karlheinz. The Vampire King had lavished her with nothing but kindness as he'd taken her in and brought her back to Japan. Back to her home. How she had managed to break out of her cage and escaped was a blur now. The fact that her traumatic experience had left her with a few psychological scars was unsurprising.
"How is that going for you at the Sakamaki's household?" Kou's question reeled her mind from the horrors of her past and back to the reality.
"The brothers are certainly no princes, but they do have a very luxurious mansion and everything looks expensive. I have to be careful not to break anything there because it will cost me an arm and a leg, which I have none to spare."
Kou snorted in disgust. "They're just a bunch of spoiled brats, that's what they are. They don't know anything about hardship."
Speaking of the Sakamaki brothers, Reiko couldn't help mentally reviewing the looks the oldest son had been giving her. It had been a look of wonder at what she would do next under their roof. He was no threat but he wasn't afraid of her either. None of the brothers were.
"Yuma and Azusa would be excited to know that you're back. Especially Azusa, he was so sad when you've left," Kou said. He kept his gaze for a bit, then looked toward the street.
"I don't want anyone else to know that I've returned to Japan yet." Reiko's heart almost sunk when she said those words. "I promise I will see Yuma and Azusa once I settle down but I need some time."
Although the five of them were close, it had always been easier to open up with Kou, partly because he was always with her, but also because he wasn't Ruki. It'd always been easy to talk to him, but never about her non-reciprocated feelings for their oldest brother. So she could only hope that Kou, of all people, would understand and respect her decision.
Kou looked as if he wanted to say something but decided against it and simply nodded. She thanked him as they stood next to each other wordlessly again.
Reiko knew it was inevitable that she would meet Ruki eventually, but for now she was more determined than ever to fulfill the task that had been assigned by Karlheinz. Tomorrow she would be facing the Sakamaki brothers for the first time as their new guardian.
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AUTHOR NOTE:
I am truly sorry for the long delay. I really have no excuse to justify myself. I've simply lost the motivation to write due to my busy personal life and work, and I apologize for that *sweatdrops*.
I do want to thank the readers who have been following this story patiently. I may update the chapters out slower than many authors but I can promise that I will not give up my stories. I will also try to post new chapters more frequently, no more long breaks like the last one. Funny thing was even my beta reader, Waffle has forgotten about the plot since it's been so long lol…
But thank to my recent trip to Japan, I found the inspiration to write again! Visiting castles and shrines have really helped me to get back into the mood lol. It was my first time visiting Japan and I will definitely go there again. I also bought six nendoroids (yes, I am very obsessed with them), had to buy a new suitcase for those haha but it was worth it!
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as we finally have a glimpse of Reiko's past. But what happened between her and Ruki? Well, guess you will have to stay tune to find out more!
Please let me know what you guys think – as usual, feedback and reviews are always appreciated!
Thank you all and see you in Chapter 4!