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RIMA

Chapter 31: Prisoners

It was warm.

It was good.

It felt good.

The sun shone brightly on me and for the first time it didn't make me tire and I welcomed the warmth it washed me with.

Why was it so warm? I wondered to myself, studying my hands.

Rima. I heard his sweet voice call for me. I turned and saw him standing there waiting for me, smiling one of his rare smiles that only I ever got to witness.

Shiki I smiled back.

It was the sound of metal clashing against metal that woke me up and brought me back to my dark cell before I heard the voices.

"Keep walking, bloodsucker," commanded a familiar female voice.

Getting up on my knees I looked as her and two other hunters brought in more prisoners that I recognized from the mansion and from school, there were six in total. They all had chains on their hands and legs.

"Rima-san!" one of them called as they were being led to cells around mine.

I grabbed the bars and brought myself as close as I could.

"Giro-san! Are you okay?" I asked.

"More than me, are you well Rima-san?" he asked grabbing onto the bars from the other side of my cell, his chains crashing against the bar door. The other vampires were looking for my answer as well. They were here because of me.

"Get away from her!" Clair shouted pulling on his wrist chains. He was certainly strong to resist but it seemed he hadn't fed in a while.

"I'm fine," I lied trying to look strong. With a wink he let go of the cell and let the other hunters lead him into his.

After the hunters left the silence didn't last long.

"Have they treated you well, Rima -san?" they began to ask.

"Yea, I guess," I answered. There really was no way to answer something like that. They hadn't killed me yet, but at the same time, they weren't exactly giving me a king sized bed with silk covers.

"Don't worry Rima-san, everything's going to be alright! With Kaname-sama in charge we will surely escape from here," Giro added.

Everyone at once agreed, the energy changed in the room as everyone talked about how Kaname would surely save us all, but I couldn't help but wonder, if I was going to be killed, did that mean that Giro and the rest of them would also be killed along with me?

Hours had passed by and everyone was tired so they quickly fell asleep.

But not me.

Knowing our fate, I stayed awake and thought about the one person who mattered more than anyone.

It was tragic that the life we had only just begun to share was going to be cut off so soon. The life that should have began long ago had I only said those three words that changed everything sooner. But it was too late now and I would probably never know what our life would have been like together. In this lifetime I could only imagine.

And even imagining, it was surely going to be beautiful.

I cried silently to myself, and then the metal door quietly opened. Everyone at once was awake. The steps came to a halt at my cell door.

Was it time already?

"Rima-san," came Hirato's gentle voice.

I quickly got up. I took a look at what he had in his hand and couldn't help but laugh a bitter laugh.

He reached out for me through the bars and I pulled in closer. Before he said anything he gently smiled at me and reached through the bars to wipe away my tears.

"I was told to bring this to you," he said straightening the fabric in his hand.

"It's a sick joke," he said looking away.

"It's alright, I'l wear it," I whispered, trying to hide the hate in my voice.

Without looking at me he opened the cell door and handed me the fabric and a pair of matching heels before closing the door again.

"I'll be back for you in a while," he informed me with regret. I nodded and watched as he left.

Extending the fabric, I saw it was a strapless pearl white floor sweeping evening gown with a small black ribbon tied at the front just below the waist.

I was being dressed up to be killed, their guest of honor. I bit my lip as I put it on.

"Rima-san?" Giro called.

"It's alright, he doesn't seem to hate me," I explained.

The metal door opened again, but the voice that came through this time wasn't the one I was hoping to hear.

"Where's our princess?" Clair asked sarcastically as she took a look at me. Everyone bared their fangs and I sensed the blood red glow of their eyes.

"My, my, look at you," she smirked. Unlocking the door she smiled and waved over two other hunters who quickly locked on ice cold wrist and neck chains.

"Time to get you to make up and hair before your close up," she mocked leading the way out.

Outside in the main halls, two more hunters flanked around me, a total of five leading me as others stared. Some wore arrogant expressions while others wore disappointed ones. I walked on head held high. I was going to show them that I wasn't afraid.

As they led me into a small room, all the hunters except one male left, and in walked in the president of the association with his usual attire and pink feathered fan.

"What a pretty doll I have," he laughed in his creepy voice.

"But you're not ready yet. Sit, sit," he ordered smiling like it was a game.

The hunter pulled my chains and led me to a vanity set.

"Be gentle with her! I can't have her ruined!" he yelled at the hunter as he walked over.

Placing his fan down on the table he turned me around to face him.

"I know!" he said reaching into the drawer.

"Some mascara!"

Opening the gold tube, he brought the small brush over to my eyes where he carefully started to brush my eyelashes. After several minutes he stepped back and continued to smile.

"Perfect! Now for your hair!" he decided, carelessly throwing the tube and wand over his shoulder.

"Hold still now," he said as he took a brush and began to work on my hair. I felt pins stab me as he worked.

But I didn't say anything. I bit my lip and waited.

I didn't want to play his game. I would have preferred he kill me and get it over with.

But this was worse.

If only i wasn't so weak, If only-

"O my! I've been shocked!" he cried out letting a pin fall to the floor.

I stiffened.

Had I gotten my power back? I looked down at my fingertips and after several attempts, sure enough there was a small silver spark.

It wasn't much and since I was still weak I knew that for me to bring out enough to save my life would take a lot more energy. It was just a question of right timing.

"Well, anyway I'm done," he announced turning over to look at me.

"You'll make an unforgettable guest of honor," he said picking his fan back up, hiding his smile.

"President, it's time. The sun has begun to set," the hunter informed him looking at his watch.

"Good! Let's get everyone ready! Tell Clair to get the others ready to be moved as well. Make sure all hunters are present and at the dinning hall!" he quickly began to move around giving last minute orders to make sure that his party went well.

"Wait here with our guest. You know when to bring her out," he said giving his final order before leaving the room.

Half an hour must have passed when a knock on the door came.

'Let's go," said the hunter as he pulled on my chains.

Getting up my breath became uneven. I followed him out of the room where the halls were now completely empty except for another hunter who waited for us.

"Are they really ALL there? What about the shields of protection?" asked the one who had been with me.

"Its alright. Zero has seen to it that the shields are even more powerful while were not here. If it's him, theres not gonna be a single vampire that will cross those or any other doors," answered the other hunter looking at me to make sure I heard him.

So there was no chance that any vampire would get in.

I swallowed hard and let them lead me to the dinning hall in complete silence.

The grand wooden doors opened revealing an elegant room with magnificent chandeliers and countless hunters seated in chairs with long tables that held a grand feast before them. At the very far front of the room was the president who had changed into a back and white robe and matching fan, with Zero and Hirato at his side on an alter.

As we entered the room, the hunters all stood.

The closer we got to the front, the more I thought about Shiki.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our guest of honor, Rima-san!" the president announced before we even got to the front.

"A toast to her!" he said picking up a glass of red wine.

All around us, hunters did the same. My eyes met with Hirato who barely lifted his glass beyond his chest.

"And a toast, to Kiryuu-kun! Without him, this would not have been possible! He will surely make a great leader when we go to war with the vampires!"

"Cheers!" many chanted as they lifted their glass to Zero.

As we reached the front, I began to fight against my restraints.

Everyone watched to see what would happen, getting their weapons ready.

I pulled back and struggled feeling the chains cut into my skin, but it was useless. Both hunters took hold of my arms and forced me down to my knees.

"Zero-kun," the president called.

At once Zero took out a dagger and handed it over.

I looked up and saw him holding the weapon as he came closer to me. At once both hunters let go of me and I fell to the floor.

"The moment we have waited for, for so long now! With this kill I declare war on the vampires!" he said.

"Lets see that pretty face in pain," the president said. This time it was Zero and Hirato who got me back on my knees, holding my arms out. My head hung as I tried to time everything right.

I only had one shot.

As he brought the dagger down I broke my hand free and sent as much energy into my shot as I could.

The dagger dropped as he let out a scream, but it wasn't enough.

He quickly picked it back up.

I'm sorry Shiki, I thought to myself as I felt the dagger reopen an old wound.

But something felt wrong. The scream of pain that followed wasn't from me.

It was from the President. I looked up to see Zero with another dagger that he stabbed through the president in the arm.

Confusion began and then loud crashes followed. Everyone went into panic.

I felt Hirato pull me close to him.

"RIMA!"

As I started to drift in and out of consciousness, I thought I had heard Shiki's voice.

~End of a sweet dream, But I'll show you another one~

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