Masumi groaned as the sun hit her eyes, pulling the blanket over her head. She knew her alarm clock would go off in three minutes, only she didn't want to quite wake up yet. She sat up, yawned, and stretched, letting the last few minutes of sleep escape her. Swinging her legs over the bed, she slipped down and walked into her bathroom. A quick, hot shower was all she needed to wake up and as soon as she was out, she felt more refreshed, wrapping her robe around her damp figure. As she threw her hair back in a messy bun she tilted her head, remembering she had forgotten to turn her alarm off but not hearing it while she showered. Her first thought was immediately Bankotsu. He must've either heard it, and shut it off right away, or came to bring her breakfast or wake her himself and turned it off before it even beeped.

She opened the bathroom door, the steam emerging in her room as she walked in and she let out a gasp as a strong arm wrapped around her waist and large hand clapped harshly over her mouth. Her first instinct was to scream, so a shriek escaped her throat but was muffled by the hand. Instead she tried biting down on it, only stopping when the soothing, familiar voice hit her ear.

"Sh…calm down, princess." Hiten whispered and she slowly glanced over her shoulder, her fear-stricken face calmed at the site of his scarlet eyes. He slowly loosened his hold on her mouth and watched a faint smile grace her lips.

"What are…?" She started but stopped when he pressed his index fingers across her lips to silence her.

"Listen, you know I don't like repeating myself." The same voice that had calmed her a few seconds ago now sent a chill down her spine. His tone, posture, and most definitely eyes had changed in the past minute. He had gone from the Hiten she loved to the one she feared. Masumi harshly bit on her bottom lip as memories flooded through her mind. She could tell he was angry about something, but she had done nothing to him. It was the evil glint in his eyes that told her something terrible would happen, and it would affect her as any punishment done to her or her family had, and she wouldn't know about it until it occurred.

"…yeah?" She finally responded, snapping herself out of her daze.

"You will get dressed and pack whatever you think you'll need within twenty minutes or I will take you as you are." He stated firmly.

"But wh…" She was cut off again.

"Did I say you could question me?" He grabbed her jaw and she yelped slightly. "Did I?" He spat through his teeth and she violently shook her head. His all too familiar smirk appeared as he set her face free and she rubbed it, staring in horror at him. Had he been able to act every emotion out? Was it all pretend? Everything? Was he really that good a manipulator? "Hurry up, Masumi; your brother will be up soon." He crossed his arms and sat on the edge of the bed.

"His alarm goes off before…"

"I fixed that, now hurry." He quipped and she quickly did, dropping her robe and slipping on a random pair or panties and bra. The animalistic tint in his eyes grew; he hadn't been able to possess her body for a while now. She still felt the need to hide everything from her brother which disgusted him. If she couldn't be honest with her own blood how did he know she would stay loyal to him? He let those thoughts fade as he watched her redress in a short sundress and start packing.

He understood she was probably confused and he could tell by her behavior she was scared. At the moment, none of that bothered him. All he focused on was getting out of this house with her before the set time. He blinked up when she dropped her bag at his feet

"You set?" He asked and she nodded. He grabbed her wrist, slung the bag over his shoulder, and dragged her down the steps at a pace so quick she had to jog in order to keep up.

"Hiten?" She asked after he helped her to the passenger seat and tossed her luggage in the back.

"Sh, I'll answer your questions later." He assured, getting in the driver's and speeding off.

"…can you answer one?" She asked hesitantly.

"Depends." He kept his ruby orbs focused on the road.

"…what's this?" She held up the individual CD in its case, labeled 'The Only Night; Watch Alone'.

-

"Wake up!" Jakotsu yelled as he repeatedly poked the doorbell. Bankotsu groaned as he groggily went down the steps. His eyes got wide when he looked to his analog clock, only then realizing he had overslept an hour…but how? His clock in his room was never changed unless clocks in general were, and his alarm went off on accord. He shook his head, thinking it being the electricity or something, and quickly jogged to answer the door. He smiled and rubbed his eyes as he answered it.

"Ew…have some class." Jakotsu scrunched his nose as he pushed his younger brother aside to let himself in.

"Y'know…you should style your hair, there are people like Renkotsu who would kill for it." Suikotsu joked, scruffed up Bankotsu's hair and walked in behind Jakotsu, only to be followed by Renkotsu who gave him a look of disgust before sighing.

"Alright I'm gunna go change real…" Bankotsu was cut short.

"Shh…" Jakotsu blinked and froze, slowly chewing his apple to hear the strange sound better.

"What?" Suikotsu arched his brow as they all stared at him.

"You can't hear that? It's like…a beeping…" Jakotsu bent over toward the ground and walked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

"…don't move." Renkotsu's eyes grew wide with fear as he stood up straight from looking under the table. "…it's a bomb."

-

"That is nothing, dear." Hiten winked as he pulled up to the beach house.

"…you sure?" She eyed him skeptically. She noticed his grin had gone flat the minute she held up the disk.

"Yes, now drop it." He replied sternly and saw her continue to stare at the disk in its case with unusual fascination. He knew exactly what that tape was; he remembered everything that happened in it even after seeing it only once. He knew how the disc he had sent to Bankotsu slapped him in the face with this and his temper began to boil. "I said drop it." He muttered with a growl and she quickly put it back to the place she found it.

-

Cautiously pulling the sticky note off the wired bomb, Renkotsu read it aloud.

'You've been warned.' Was all it said and Bankotsu's eyes grew wide with terror, remembering the house he set ablaze, leaving the same exact message, to the same exact man that must have been here. He quickly bolted up the stairs.

"Bankotsu, wait!" Renkotsu called but was ignored. Bankotsu took the right off the staircase and headed straight for the last door on the left. He swung it open and let his frantic eyes search the room.

"Masumi!" He shouted as loud as he could, opening the bathroom door, quickly scanning the closet, and even glimpsing under the bed. "Masumi!" He tried again.

"Banks, she isn't here, c'mon we gotta get outta here." Jakotsu appeared in the doorway and started dragging his brother out.

"No fucking way am I leaving until I know she's safe!" He struggled against the hold.

"We don't have time! There are too many cords and Ren doesn't know when it's set to go off, we have to get the fuck out of here!" Jakotsu continued to struggle keeping a calm tone.

"NO! We need too…." They stopped when the loud crash from downstairs emerged, when the light beamed white and when their lives flashed before their eyes. The destruction done by the bomb had reached them, but cast them aside roughly with the furniture that had been in Masumi's room.

-

She cautiously sat beside him on the couch, as he had signaled her to do. His smug expression beamed as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pecked her cheek.

"…what happened?" She whispered and looked up.

"Don't worry…you'll see." He pressed his lips against hers and she felt her tense body relax. She blinked when a girl, not much older than her, poked her head in the room. She was almost a replica of Hiten, scarlet eyes and lightly tanned skin. She had a long, dark brown braid that reached her waist. The girl had several gold piercings and right now, no make-up. She wore shorts and a tanktop.

"Hiten?" She whispered meekly and he looked over.

"Masumi, this is my cousin Hitomi. She came down for Manten's funeral and she'll be staying here until her flight home." He explained and Masumi slowly nodded. "What is it?" He averted his gaze back to her.

"I just finished cooking…if you're hungry. I'm gunna rest downstairs." She whispered and he nodded, waving his hand to dismiss her. She quickly went down to the fixed basement and Masumi sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. She absentmindedly traced his fingers and he purred, watching her contently.

"Have you been to a doctor?" He asked and she blinked up. He gently laid his hand on her stomach and she frowned.

"…no." She admitted sheepishly. "If I make an appointment…would you go with me?" She fidgeted nervously.

"So you're going to keep it?" He felt himself smile a bit, though now she wasn't looking at him directly so she wouldn't see.

"Yeah…I thought about it a lot and…I don't know how it's going to be but…I wanna see how far I am and then figure it all out…or as it goes." She explained and he nodded.

"I'll go with you." He pecked her forehead. Her cell phone rang and she jumped, looking up to him as for permission though she wasn't sure why. He nodded and twisted the ends of her hair casually, his expression was smug again.

"Hello?" She whispered and squirmed when he started gently kissing her neck.

'Masumi?' Her brother's voice was shaky and she bit her bottom lip.

"Hi Bankotsu…what's going on?" She could tell his voice was anxious and it worried her.

'Where the fuck are you? Do you have any idea how much time I wasted hunting you down? There was a fucking BOMB in our kitchen Masumi and that bastard…are you with him?' He snarled and she stared off.

"…a bomb?" Her voice cracked as she whispered.

'Yeah, a fucking bomb, now where are you and who are you with?' He demanded.

"Are you ok?" She whimpered and there was a pause.

'Me and Ja were upstairs…Suikotsu and Renkotsu are in near-fatal condition…they could die, Masumi." He explained in as calm a tone as he could manage. She felt her breaths get heavy and her eyes well up with tears. 'Masumi?' He asked and she quickly hung up the phone and threw it aside, as though it was the phone that brought her this much pain and worry.

"How's he doing?" Hiten smirked and she shoved his hand away.

"Why would you do that?!" She snapped and he sighed.

"Masumi…alls fair in love and war." Was all he said and she tensed when his grip on her tightened. "He wants to start a war…just because I love you…now how fair is that?" He wiped her eyes and she whimpered and tried to pull away. "Do you love me?" He asked.

She remained silent and continued to stare with a blank expression.

She didn't want to admit she was in love with a monster.