Chapter Two

Immortality was something that many humans strived for. They fought for it. They killed for it and yet no mortal had ever achieved what they strived for. They should be thankful for Fate's small favor. Mortals were not meant for such a curse. I was not meant for such a curse but I was always Fate's favorite toy. She loved to screw with my life. I didn't matter in the long run as long as Fate's goals were met. I just wish . . . I wish Fate and Immortality hadn't robbed me of so much.

-Kagome Higurashi

Shu and Subaru entered their house to be greeted by four pairs of ravenous eyes. Their brothers were each purposely positioned around the entrance hall in a way that made it impossible for Subaru, and by extension the woman he carried, to pass by. The youngest son paused, his own red eyes flickering back and forth, unsure how to proceed now.

"You can put her in Yui's old room." Kanato said quietly.

"I don't see why not," Laito hummed. "Little Bitch is no longer using it and it's already prepared."

Reiji raised a single eyebrow and his arms crossed themselves in front of his chest. "If I recall properly, Ayato broke that room's lock."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Ayato huffed loudly in his own defense.

Subaru's grip tightened on the fragile, strange woman as he thought of putting her in Yui's old room. It seemed wrong. Kagome was not a replacement for Yui. Sure, they had both caught the brothers' attentions because of their sweet blood but the two woman were different. Where Yui was soft and submissive, Kagome was slowly proving to be a fighter. Several of his brothers had already claimed that she had somehow hurt them, even if the attack had been small, and Reji had a belief that she was not human. Which lead Subaru to the question that had been bugging him since Reiji had decided to take her.

What was she? And what kind of fight would she put up in the morning?

"I still don't see a problem with putting her in Little Bitch's old room."

To everyone's shock, it was Shu who decided to speak up. He was lingering in the open doorway with his arms still wrapped around the large dog but he was already slumped back so his shoulder and part of his back rested on the doorframe. "Do you truly want to put her where your brothers will also have easy access to her?"

The question was not directed at anyone in particular but rather at the whole family and its desired effects could be seen immediately. Everyone's eyes narrowed and glares were exchanged as territorial instincts suddenly raged. A corner of Shu's lips quirked up at his brothers' predictable reactions.

"The room was old and dusty anyways," Kanato murmured to himself.

"She can stay in my room instead," Laito immediately offered.

"Like hell," Ayato snapped at the other redhead.

Tension was slowly growing thicker as the three triplets glared at one another.

"That won't be necessary." Reiji smoothly cut in before the brothers decided that the way to solve their problems would be through violence. They were still in the entrance hall, a place where guest gathered and the first area that any visitor saw when they crossed the threshold. They were not going to cause destruction here if Reiji could help it. "We have plenty of spare bedrooms. She can stay there."

"What happens when she awakens?" Ayato loudly exclaimed. "She'll try to escape."

"She won't make it very far," Kanato stated quietly.

It was true. There was no way for her to out run the six vampires around her. Even if she managed to get away from their house, they would just track her down like the predators they were and drag her back. Then, they would have to deal with her punishment. Just the thought of the hunt sent shivers of delight down some of their backs.

"Let her try to run." There was nothing Laito loved more than the thought of a chase. It was always fun when Yui tried to run because she could never got far and the thrill of the attempted escape always made her blood run hotter.

Only Reiji saw Subaru and Shu make their stealthily escape. While the triplets were busy arguing with each other, Subaru swiftly went around them with Shu trailing behind him. With the speed that only a vampire could posses, both the eldest and the youngest disappeared up the stairs and entered the tangled, dark hallways of their home.

Reiji frowned at the still open door. It seemed to be too much effort for the Shu to even close a door. Lazy, pathetic man. After making sure the door was firmly closed, Reiji could see no use in continuing to hang around his family and swiftly teleported himself into his own private lab. The familiar scent of plants, dust and paper greeted him in an intoxicating mist. Stiffly, Reiji stalked towards one of the many shelves near the back of the room.

He knew he had knowledge of the name Kagome Higurashi but he couldn't remember where or when he had read her name. Reiji didn't like being oblivious, especially when he knew he had the information here, somewhere hidden in this very room. His gloved fingers trailed along the spine of several books as he debated where to start his search.

He was determined to break this woman open and discovered her secrets even if that meant destroying her in the process.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Subaru paused at the junction of the hallway. To his left, was where the guest rooms were located. To the right, was where his own room and his brothers' were held. It would be so simple. All he would have to do is turn right and take the woman into his room. There, he could watch her and monitor her actions. In his room, he would be able to defend her against his brothers, fighting properly for what he was already considering his.

In his room, she would be unable to escape him.

"Don't even think about it," the low, drone voice of Shu sounded from behind him.

Subaru's teeth gritted together as he glared at the eldest brother behind him. He hated being told what to do and it was even more frustrating when he was being told what to do by Shu. Shu, who was the lazy brother and didn't often care what was going on in the house, was choosing now to be the head of the family. All because of a small slip of a woman.

He really wanted to destroy something but he couldn't move without waking up Kagome.

"Just put her in her room. I want to sleep." Shu murmured from behind the youngest.

"Shut up and get lost," Subaru snapped back and he violently stomped down the left corridor.

It only took a few seconds to pick a room. The door had no distinguishing marks and it was alone, surrounded by more empty rooms that had never held a mortal before. The only thing to mark this room different from any of the others was that this one was now occupied.

It was extremely bare. There was a single bed with a clean, crisp white sheet and a thick grey blanket. The pillows were flat and there was no pillow cases on them. The wooden floor was bare, just like the rest of the room. It was small, nearly a quarter of the size of the brothers' rooms. Even the servant's quarters were more equipped than this room but for now, it would have to do. It's not like they kept guests around for very long so they had never had a need to furnish so many rooms before.

Subaru shifted the girl so he could free a hand and pull a corner of the blanket down. The cloth was stiff with age and it even crackled several times as it was pulled back. Subaru gentle extracted Kagome from her silk cocoon and laid the softer blanket at the foot of the bed. He then laid the woman down and covered her once more with the aged blanket.

Kagome had started to whimper again and she instinctively gripped one of the plain pillows to her chest in comfort. Her once calm face was now distorted with a frown and beautiful sounds of distress were escaping from her. Soon, she would start screaming as her nightmares became more and more real.

It would be even worse when she left the nightmare's grips and woke up to an even darker reality.

"Just like his brother." Shu had already deposited the large dog on top of the silk blanket that rested at the foot of the tiny bed and had reached forward to snag one of Kagome's hands. His long fingers easily wrapped around her frail wrist and beneath his thumb he could feel her delicious blood rushing around in reaction to her growing, sleepy fear. "So possessive."

Their advance eyesight easily caught sight of the bite marks that marred her palm. Like most vampire bites, the wounds were struggling to close without the addition of their saliva. The puncture marks had healed over but they were still slightly swollen and the surrounding area was bruised a light purple from the roughness of the bite.

It was a sloppy bite, almost possessive in nature. The marks were small and the trajectory of the bite was angled slightly towards each other, a sign of a young vampire. Younger vampires' fangs were designed to latch onto their victim and make it difficult to escape. As time past, their fangs would slowly straighten out as the vampire became older and therefore strong enough to hold their own prey down. This was defiantly Kanato's mark on her palm.

Unknown to each other, the eldest and the youngest were thinking along the same lines. They were both imagining the next morning when their new bride would awaken. Kanato's bite had been messy and done in the heat of the hunt when Kanato had thought he would be able to kill the woman afterwards.

She didn't know yet what a pleasurable hell a true vampire's bite could give.

. ~: . V . :~ .

The human mind was a tricky thing. Immortality was never meant for humans because the brain itself could not handle so many memories. It was only capable of having a limited amount of information and as time traveled by, memories had to be cannibalized and destroyed to make room for even more memories.

It was impossible to remember everything, especially if you lived a few hundred years. Certain memories would stick out. Some faces may be remembered but simple things like their habits, the sound of their voices and even the smaller details about them would soon blur in the harsh grip of time.

Kagome was told stories of her journeys and there were even a few stories written down from people she was told used to be her friends but after time, they soon became no more than words on a page. Sometimes, a sentence or a page would strike a memory but it was like watching a movie through the deep, dark waters of an ocean. Everything was distorted and sometimes the events would blur together and not make any sense.

Kagome's dreams were filled with memories. Kagome's nightmares were composed of the personal hell she had gone through and sometimes, she wasn't able to tell the difference between the two.

Was it daytime? Midnight? Was she surrounded by mist or suspended in the black expansion of the night sky? She didn't know. All she could see was darkness. Inky black mist twirled around her legs like a feline begging for attention and in the very distance, she would hear voices calling her name.

Her heart gave a sharp twist as she tried desperately to hear the words the unseen people were speaking. Her legs moved without thought, taking her deeper and deeper into the expansion of her dream and yet, no matter how far she traveled, the voices never got any closer.

Violet eyes, resting just above a charming smile taunted her. It was just out of her reach, bouncing along like the famous Cheshire grin. Kagome lunged forward in one final attempt to touch the somehow familiar eyes. There was a flash of black and purple along with the faint outline of a body and then nothing. Kagome found herself landing in a large pile of dust.

Who was that? Why could she feel warm tears tinkling from her eyes? Why did she care?

The soft cry of a baby drew her attention next. With a choked whimper, Kagome tried to push herself out of the large pile of dust that was growing larger and larger around her. She didn't know why but she knew she had to get to the baby. So why couldn't she escape?

Every time she pushed a little bit out of the way, more dust fell upon her. It was like a dry ocean, building up and growing larger by the second. There was dust and sand as far as her eyes could see and she couldn't swim. Her legs weren't capable of kicking themselves and her arms flailed miserably in a weak attempt to haul herself up. She tried to cry for help but the dust just took the opportunity to leap into her mouth.

Down, down, down it tumbled. It filled her lungs, her stomach and clog her throat. Tears burned down her face as she felt herself slowly dying. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt.

And that damn baby had yet to stop crying. It's helpless wails taunted her ears and she continued her struggles just for the baby. She had to get to it. She had to comfort it so it no longer howled so loudly but she couldn't escape. The dirt was building up and there was now something solid brushing against her hands and bare feet. Was that a bone? Why were there bones in the dust? Why was there blood raining from the sky? Was she dying?

Why couldn't she wake up?

. ~: . V . :~ .

The cold press of a familiar nose is what shocked Kagome out of her frightening dream. With a broken cry, she flung her arms around the large fuzzy head that was pressed to her chest and she buried her face into the nearby fur. Her tears went unseen as she choked on the sobs that were locked in her throat and refused to be heard.

Why did she wake up alone? Where was Souta? Her brother had not let her wake up alone from a nightmare since she had found her family again.

"Mamoru, it was so awful," Kagome whispered into the hybrid's fur.

The red furred canine quietly whined and ran his wet, slobbery tongue over her cheek. The show of affection brought a watery grin to the young miko's face and she giggled as she pushed her protector away. The large dog rolled with her push and ended up on his back with his belly shamelessly exposed to her scratching fingers.

It was then that Kagome realized she was not home.

The room she was in was tiny. Its wall were bare and beneath her was a firm bed that was very different from her comfy mattress back at home. Even the blanket that laid on top of her, stiff as a board, was vastly different from her silk, pink blanket that was now at the foot of the bed, underneath Mamoru.

"Where are we?"

At her softly spoken words, Mamoru rolled back onto his belly and looked around. His short round ears perked up and a soft growl rumbled in his throat. Kagome didn't like this. She wasn't home, therefore she wasn't safe. This wasn't the first time she had woken up in a strange place but someone she knew was always close by. Here, she could not sense or see anyone familiar.

"Come on, Mamoru." Kagome swung her legs over the side of the bed and got to her feet. "Let's get out of here."

Padding silently across the room, Kagome emerged from her dull sleeping quarters. Out of habit, her eyes scanned the hallway, trying to remember everything. It looked the same in either direction. Wooden paneling covered the walls and the carpet beneath her feet was clean with no marks or stains. There was no windows anywhere close to the young miko and without a hint of guidance, she was unsure where to go to leave this strange place she had found herself in.

It was Mamoru who lead the way. With the careful strides of a hunter, the hybrid confidently lead the way down the hallway and Kagome, seeing no other choice, followed behind him. Kagome could only assume that he was following an old scent trail and that was how he knew where to go. Mamoru was smarter than a typical canine due to his bloodlines so the miko trusted her companion to lead her out.

After a few minutes, Kagome came to the conclusion that she was in a maze and not a home.

There were so many twists and turns. Each passageway looked identical to the one before it. Endless amount of doors, some of them marred in some kind of fashion and even a few with a heavy padlock in place of a doorknob.

Were those bloody scratch marks?

Kagome felt a cold bolt of fear race down her spine at the sight. Just where the hell was she? Why was she brought here? Fruitlessly she patted her thigh. Normally, Kagome was so paranoid that she always kept some kind of weapon on her hip but of course Kagome had been sleeping when she was taken. All she had on her was a thin nightgown that would never be considered modest, so she was unarmed and vulnerable.

With a final huff, Mamoru turned a corner and the dim sunlight assaulted her eyes. Kagome blinked rapidly in surprise as her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden light. After a few seconds, each one seeming longer than the last to her rapidly beating heart, Kagome's eyes finally adapted and let her see the world around her.

She found herself in an open room. To her left was a small alcove with a large glass window that was letting the sunlight in. Along the walls to the right, were two red leather couches. Directly in front of her, was another hallway that lead into dark shadows.

Mamoru had his long snout to the floor and he busied himself with walking around in circles. His loud growls and upset huffs showed that Mamoru didn't like whatever he was smelling but he didn't lead Kagome into the other hallway either. It was like her loyal companion was debating with himself over what to do next.

Kagome caught sight of what rested on one of the couches and out of curiosity, she found herself moving closer. It was an adorable but damaged teddy bear. Its body was bulbous when compared to its thin, smaller arms. Its belly was a pale beige color and it was wearing a pink and black vest. Resting next to it was its head, which was also bulbous and had a pirate-like eye patch over its left eye.

Its brown fur was smudged with dirt and black, amateur stitching could be seen holding certain sections of the bear together. The teddy bear was obviously well loved by someone and a weak attempt was being made at reuniting its head once more to its body.

Maybe a child lived in this large manor?

Kagome's thin fingers had just brushed the fur of the bear when the air had suddenly shifted around her. It became heavy and thick, like the water laced mist that would cover the mountains. At the same time, something dark nipped at the edge of her aura and a shiver traveled down her spine.

Pain exploded along her arm as five sharp nails dug deep into the soft underside of her wrist.

"Do not, touch him," a sharp voice hissed at her.

Kagome had a few seconds to catch a glimpse of purple hair before she found herself being flung to the floor. A small yelp escaped her when her breath was harshly knocked out of her lungs as she collided with the carpet. Mamoru was instantly by her side, his scruffy muzzle nosing her side in an effort to help her back to her feet.

Her wrist felt strange. His hands had burned like a fire and yet his grip had been icy on her skin. The energy left behind from his touch zapped along her skin, coiling around her own aura like a serpent who was repeatedly striking her. It filled Kagome with dread and she could feel the jewel stirring inside her in response to her fear.

Kagome pushed herself onto her hands and knees so she could get a clearer view of her attacker. At first glance he looked like a young child. He was rather short for a boy, standing just a little bit taller than Kagome, and he had a thin figure. Light purple hair framed his face and it matched his unusual orchid eyes that had dark colored bags beneath.

Three things immediately set Kagome on edge. One was the dark aura that coiled and withered against the boy. Kagome could see the dark energy around him and she could feel the ghosty blood dipping from his aura. It told her so much about him. He was a predator and despite his harmless appearance, he was a ruthless killer.

The second thing was his unusual fangs. Due to his fury, his teeth were bared to the world and in the sunlight, it was hard to miss those deadly canines. They were perfectly white and came to a fine, delicate point. Normal mortals didn't have fangs but he didn't have the aura of a yokai or hanyou to Kagome.

The third and final thing was simple. Kagome knew him. She remembered him from the alleyway. He was the boy who had cried crocodile tears and then chose to bite her palm. She still had his marks on her skin and the last thing he had wanted from her was to play a sinister game of hide and seek.

"Stay away from me," Kagome hissed back.

The young miko could feel the jewel growing more aware as her own fear grew. Its energy raced underneath her skin like a static shock and the very tip of her fingers started to grow a dim pink. The other male's eyes were instantly drawn the show of power and his nostrils flared as he scented the air. His large eyes trailed down to her wrist, which was still bleeding slightly from when he had roughly grabbed her.

"I've found you." The predator took another step forward and Mamoru took a defensive position in hand of Kagome. "I should get my prize now."

Kagome lurched onto her feet and scramble backwards just as the boy lunged forward. His hand was stretched out in another attempt at grabbing her but Kagome managed to get up just in time to avoid his clawed grip. The air exploded with sound as the boy hissed out his displeasure and Mamoru chose that moment to tackle the threat to his mistress with a loud growl. The canine must have surprised him since Mamoru managed to tackle him to the ground even though her attacker had shown to posses supernatural strength.

Kagome didn't waste any time. This was a predator, one who had already attacked her before and she was aware of the other darker auras that were slowly waking up in other parts of the house. She had to get free or at least find a weapon before the others found her. She pivoted on her heels and ran. It would be stupid to try and fight him when he had already proven to be a powerful opponent and it was even stupider to stay in one place.

Without her guide though, she was just like a mouse in a maze. She desperately turned down several corridors but nothing looked different. It was all the same to her and it didn't appear like she was making any progress at all. Even worse, the dark auras were slowly closing in.

Kagome had just turned another corner when she barreled into a wall. A breathing, cold wall that seemed upset with her collision. Kagome was able to glimpse pale skin and a furious red eye before she felt his aura. The dark, sickly touch of his aura and the glimpse of fangs from his slightly opened mouth was enough to put Kagome on the defense.

She thrust her hand forward until her palm rested fully on his chest and the familiar tingle of her powers raced down her arm and out her palm. Kagome experience a moment of doubt as she wondered how much damage the jewel would be capable of giving to one of their kind but her fears were quickly squashed when the man gave out a loud hissed and leaped away from her touch. He was now out of her reach and out of the way of the path she had been taking.

Kagome continued her escape while she had the chance. The familiar smell of burnt skin didn't even bother her and she didn't care who she had just injured. If the Shikon no Tama had affected him, then he was not human and he must have had a part in her kidnapping.

There was a burst of light and then Kagome found herself standing next to a small balcony. Two sets of stairs branch off on each side of the room, wrapping around the walls and then merging into one path before coming straight down, running below the balcony. If this house was as old as Kagome thought it was, that means the stairs were leading to the entrance doors, which were right below her and to the left.

With the agility she had earned and master from the feudal era, Kagome braced one hand against the banister in front of her and flung her body over the edge. The one story drop was easy for her. Kagome had plenty of time to land quietly on the balls of her feet so no harm was inflicted on her.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" A new voice murmured from the shadows by Kagome's side. "You didn't need to wear such an outfit if so."

Kagome let out a squeal as a tongue ran itself up the side of her neck and two arms wrapped around her waist. His hold was strongly intimate and despite Kagome struggling to get free, he just pulled her further back into his chest with ease. It was only when Kagome could feel the slight touch of his teeth scrapping against her throat that the Shikon no Tama decided to help her out. Kagome could feel the jewel's influence as its energy pooled in her neck and sent out multiple strings towards her attacker's mouth.

Her new attacker flung her away unexpectedly. Kagome was once more thrown to the floor, her sound of distress echoed by her attacker's angry snarl. Quickly, Kagome rolled over so she was resting on her butt, with one arm braced behind her and the other glowing palm held defensively in front of her. She wanted to keep her attacker, this unknown predator, in her sights as long as possible.

This new man was running his middle finger over his lips with a strange gleam shining bright in his emerald green eyes. So many expressions were crossing his face. Lust, hunger, angry, fascination and even humor crossed his features rapidly before he decided to settle on a dark smirk. He lowered his head so his shoulder-length red hair could frame the edges of his face and the brim of his fedora attempted to cover the rest of his face though his eyes still shined brightly from the shadows of the hat. Kagome had met this man before too.

"That wasn't very nice of you." There was a clear threat in that tone.

The jewel gave out several strong pulses in time to Kagome's beating heart, similar to the night that she had interrupted their hunt. She felt a sense of deja-vu as she watched the other creature throw one of his arms in front of his eyes in defense and he took several step backs to avoid the purification energy. It was almost the same scene as before, except back then, there had been two of them.

Kagome knew she had a short amount of time. The Shikon no Tama always defended its host, lending its energy when needed but it was not without a price. The jewel itself only had a small reserve of energy to use before it latched on Kagome's aura and fed from her to fuel its attack. Kagome had never been properly taught how to control the Shikon no Tama and the energy it was capable of, so the young miko never did last very long before its toll was too much for her unexperienced body.

So with panicked movements, Kagome got back to her feet and headed for the large double doors she had glimpsed before. In that direction lead her way out and she tried to turn the handle but it refused to budge. An angry shriek escaped her lips as she fruitlessly pounded on the door. Why wouldn't it open? She was so close to freedom. So close. If only she could get the damn door open.

A sudden weight crashed down upon Kagome's shoulders. Physically, there was nothing there but her knees still buckled and she found herself kneeling before the doors, her sweaty palms still gripping the handle. This was her warning right before the jewel's energy gave out. The bright glow that was keeping the red-haired creature back would soon disappear and she would be left on her own, unarmed and defenseless unless she chose to let the Shikon no Tama feed off of her.

Kagome was given a second to be defenseless. Just a mere second when the jewel would depletes it own energy and latch onto Kagome's own aura. Not many creatures would be able to get close to her in just a second to harm her so the time in between was so brief that Kagome usually didn't worry about it.

A second was all the time they needed though.

The instant the jewel's influence flickered, Kagome could feel the press of the other dark auras surrounding her. In that same second, she had her thin, vulnerable throat wrapped in a strong grip and she was turned around so her back was pressed against the door. She was easily lifted off the ground, with only her tip of her toes kept on the floor, by a strong inhumane grip. Five sharp fingernails tapped her soft skin in warning.

"Try that again and Yours Truly will destroy you."

Kagome briefly struggled against the unyielding grip on her throat but his fingernails just pressed harder against her skin. If anymore pressure was applied, Kagome knew she would be bleeding and throat wounds were one of the most difficult injuries to heal from. What were the odds of the jewel activating before he could injure her? With their incredible speed, Kagome didn't want to take the chance.

So with a deep sigh, Kagome let her body go limp in defeat. Yet, she was not ready to be submissive. Even with the hand wrapped around her throat, Kagome reached a hand up to brush her bangs out of her face so her icy gaze could pierce her kidnappers. It was probably a childish move but Kagome refused to look completely weak in front of her attackers.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Ayato couldn't help but smirk at the delectable looking female he held in his hands. He could nearly taste her defeat in the air, along with her bleeding wrist, but she still refused to voice her fear. She didn't cry out and tears didn't fill her eyes. No, she glared back at him with a fire burning in her blue eyes.

All her emotions were written clearly on her face and it was a refreshing sight. Yui had naturally learned to curb her reactions to the brothers after a few months when she had learned that her emotions, no matter if they were positive or negative, seemed to encourage their rough actions. This was a brand new vessel of blood for them who bravely glared back despite being lower down on the food chain.

Ayato wanted to see how many fierce expressions she could make. What would she look like when she was in pain? Would there still be a spark when she reeked of terror and fear shined in her eyes? Ayato just knew that her eyes would be unforgettable in a moment of pleasure as they stared up at him in worship.

He wanted to see how many different expression he could get to cross her face.

"That wasn't very nice, injuring my brothers like that," Ayato arrogantly drawled out.

"Let me go," she hissed back.

Ayato ignored the angry woman and looked over his shoulder. Behind him, Laito was picking himself up off the floor. His exposed skin was lightly charred but it was healing quickly. He seemed more upset that his hat had gotten damaged than at the pain that was inflicted upon him. Behind Laito, Kanato was coming down the stairs with his hand tightly gripping the red scruff of the mongrel Shu had brought home with Kagome. The dog was limp in the hands of the higher predator, his large body slightly dragging on the steps.

"Disgusting mongrel," Kanato hissed at when he saw his brothers' sight set on him.

Beneath his bare palm, there was a slight tingle and a strange scent filled the air. It was sweet but sharp, reminding Ayato of fresh dewdrops on a nightshade flower. Ayato raised a single eyebrow and glanced back at the woman he held in his grip. Her jewel eyes were narrowed and Ayato knew she was trying to summon whatever strange energy had attacked Laito.

His grip tightened around her throat, cutting off her airflow. For a brief second, Ayato got the satisfaction of seeing fear enter the strange woman's eyes as she struggled to breath. It was only when she started to thrash and the scent of fear turned to panic, that he loosened his grip once more.

"That was a warning," he growled out.

"That is improper behavior," a familiar but unwelcome voice droned on behind him. "It is rude to run away from those who graciously hosted you."

Kagome didn't say anything but Ayato could feel her glare move from him to his older sibling. Reiji stood oblivious, or uncaring, to the young woman's glare. Ayato prepared himself for the woman to try and attack again, not because he cared for Reiji but because he knew from past experience that her attacks were wide range and he would be affected too.

"Shall we go to another room where we can introduce each other and discuss your stay?" Reiji's tone was polite but everyone, even the strange Kagome, knew that this was not an offer. It was an order and not a very subtle one at that.

"You've kidnapped me but you're going to act like an elegant host?" Kagome asked in incredulity.

"Your manners have not improved," Reiji murmured quietly as he turned on his heels and lead the way to another room.

Ayato hated taking orders but if the glare in Kagome's eyes were any sign, it was that this woman was not going to submit easily. She would fight, just like she had been fighting since she had woken up and if she continued her struggle, Ayato would kill her. The small meal she would become would be such a waste when compared to the endless snacks she could provide if she continued to live. Past experiences proved that Reiji was the best at calming the sacrificial brides and driving the most important point into their heads. If they ran or tried to escape, they would die.

Something that this little hell cat needed to learn and quickly.

When Ayato finally entered the sitting room, with his delicious morsel being forced to follow him because of his grip on her throat, the eldest triplet was shocked by how similar the scene was. Before him was a small table with a large blue couch behind it and two armchairs flanking it. In the shadows of the back of the room, the brown couch was already occupied by a dozing Shu and laying submissively below him was the red mutt that had been in Kanato's hands earlier.

Reiji sat in the right armchair with his gloved hands clasped elegantly together. Subaru was leaning against the blue couch with his back to them and Raito and Kanato was standing side by side in front of the coffee table, their predatory eyes locked on the women Ayato dragged in behind him.

Ayato strutted towards his chair, ignoring the woman clawing at his own hand. Calmly, Ayato took his own seat and managed to maneuver Kagome into his lap without ever releasing her neck. She was now nestled between his longer legs with her back flushed to his chest. He held her two flailing wrists in own of his one while his other hand moved from her throat to wrap itself like a steel band around her chest. Even restrained though, Kagome continued to wiggle as much as she could in an effort to break free without using her special light.

Ayato quickly grew annoyed with her movements, especially when her body felt so good pressed against his own and her skin was only covered by a very thin nightgown. His hands continuously brushed against her soft stomach with every struggle she made and with each heave she attempted, her breasts brushed and pushed against his arm. Did she not realize how arousing her actions were? Ayato gave a low growl and he couldn't help but lean down to run his fangs teasingly along the pale neck before him.

Like a bucket of water had been poured on her, Kagome instantly went stiff in his grasp and her breath froze in her throat. The smell of her fear started to taint the air again and Ayato grinned against the soft skin that touched his lips. His tongue darted out to grabbed a quick taste before he pulled back. The scent of her fear was changing into anger and Ayato saw no need to experience the same pain that Laito had.

Ayato's smirk only grew wider when he saw the rest of his bothers watching their interaction. Even Shu had a single eye slightly opened, his normally relaxed state tense like his siblings. He felt even more pride when he could feel the heat of Kagome's rosy cheeks radiating with warmth because of her dark blush.

"Why does everyone want to lick me?" Kagome squeaked out.

"I want a taste too," Kanato voiced out.

What little embarrassment was left in her quickly faded to anger and her sharp blue eyes glared at Kanato. She didn't try to wiggle around this time but Ayato could feel her hands clenching into a fist beneath his own grip. "Anyone else touches me and I will purify you."

There was a quiet pause as all the males consider this. Everyone had experienced her power at least once and it was not pleasant. The Sakamaki brothers were use to delivering pain, not receiving it and all, except maybe Laito, did like not the burning touch of her 'purity'.

"You will explain this purity," Reiji took charge of the conversation, "at a later date. For now, we should introduce each other for the sake of formality."

"A polite kidnaper," her words would have been unheard by human ears but they were not human. Reiji's lips tightened in distaste but he kept the rest of his face unreadable. She must have been feeling brave though because her voice suddenly filled with a bite of venom. "You've all been stalking me so I think you should at least know my name by now."

None of them liked her mouthing off to them. Ayato frowned and tightened his grip on her fragile wrists, feeling her flinch as the bones grinded together, just on the verge of a painful break. Her words were true but it would not be smart of her to verbally attack Reiji. Ayato wanted her to himself and he would not get that chance if Reiji decided she needed to be disciplined first.

"Then allow us to introduce ourselves," Reiji continued as if she had politely declined this request.

"That is the eldest son, Shu." Shu was still pretending to be dozing but Ayato could hear his irregular breathing and everyone could see his hand rhythmically stroking the fur of the canine who laid below him. This was the most energy the brothers had seen him exhibit since Yui's death. Great, even Shu seemed interested in the mortal Ayato wanted to claim.

"I am the second son, Reiji." Reiji still had not gotten up from his seat but his piercing crimson eyes were locked on Kagome. He was trying to be hospitable, maybe even disinterested but even with him upset with her, Ayato could see the gleam of interest in his eyes.

"This is the third, Ayato." At the sound of his name, Ayato leaned forward to rest his lips once more against her neck. His fangs ached to pierce her skin and taste the blood below but he was waiting. Once she found out she could not escape them, then the fight would run out of her just like the other brides. Once she was weak and submissive, he knew she would beg for his bite. "You won't get away again," Ayato promised darkly.

"Kanato," Reiji tilted his head towards the purple-haired brother. There was no title given to him but that didn't stop the youngest looking vampire from tilting his head to the side and giving Kagome the sweetest smile he could. Ayato could feel Kagome stiffening once more in his arms. "Please let me have another taste soon." Five glares, though one was very passive, was sent towards Kanato at the reminder that he had already tasted Kagome's blood.

"Laito." Laito had moved himself during Reiji's introductions so he that he was now draped along the blue couch. With a charming smile, Laito dipped his head towards Kagome and purred out, "Pleased to meet you, hato." A quick wink was sent in their direction and Ayato could feel Kagome blushing once more.

"And the last son, Subaru" Subaru gave an annoyed growl and turned slightly to glare at the woman in Ayato's arms. It was only then that Ayato could see a small patch of burned skin peeked up from under his black shirt. The little wild cat had gotten her claws into someone besides his red haired triplet. "This is a waste of time," Subaru growled out.

"I agree," Kagome quickly pipped up as she flashed the surrounding vampires a false grin. "So how about you let me go and we forget this ever happened?"

"You can try to run," said Laito. "You won't get far though and it will only make your blood run so much hotter."

It wasn't the most delicate way to announce her imprisonment but it seemed to do the trick. Kagome fell silent and her narrowed blue eyes swept across the room, pausing to assess all of the men she could see. Ayato was spared from her icy glance but he would feel her hostile aura and taste her confusion in the air.

The Sakamaki brothers were predators and predators had to be patient to be successful. So they let the silence stretch before them, growing thicker and thicker by the second. Finally, Kagome wiggled and turned to glare at Shu though her eyes still flickered around the room in an effort to keep tab on all of their positions.

"What are you?" Like a dam had been broken, her words rushed out quickly before anyone had a chance to even answer her. "You are not yokai but I can still purify you. You not hanyous either since I don't sense any human blood in you. You are . . . different."

There was a moment of tense silence. "Vampires," Shu murmured quietly before anyone else.

"I like the term akuma," Kanato mumbled to himself.

"You always spoil it too quickly," Ayato growled to the eldest. The anticipation was the best part of having a new bride. Their confusion. Their fear. Their vulnerability. Even after learning she was in a house full of vampires with no way to escape, there was none of that. Instead Ayato could feel her defiance.

"Impossible," Kagome bit out.

"Not impossible, hato. You shouldn't be surprised. Our brother's bite is still on your palm."

"Some yokais bite and drink blood too," she muttered to herself.

"I can assure you that we are not yokai." Kanato's tone was cold and his arms flexed out of habit. Since the destruction of his teddy bear, Kanato had matured a bit but he still did actions, like hugging himself, as he would have done if he had been holding his bear. "We are vampires. Nothing more and nothing less."

"We have no reason to lie," Reiji said calmly. "It is impolite to accuse your hosts of deceit."

"Kidnappers," she corrected with false cheerfulness.

"This is becoming annoying." Subaru grumbled out. He finally turned around to fully face the family. His head was tilted down so his white bangs covered his left eye and he glared at Kagome. Ayato was actually surprised the youngest had held his temper for so long but his fists were clenched tightly, showing that his temper would not hold for much longer. "Just get to the point Reiji."

"Still as hot-headed as ever, little brother." Laito teased.

"Shut up you year-round slut," Subaru turned his glare to the smiling Laito. "I've never thought of you as a brother."

"Annoying. Both of you shut up before I make you." Laito's smile only grew wider at the sight of the angry purple-haired triplet. It was always amusing to see Kanato mad since his younger looks made him appear like a pouting child despite his true age.

"Try it, pipsqueak," Subaru returned the challenge.

Ayato frowned at his brothers actions. It always seemed the same, bride after bride. Bored, he moved his neck forward so he could rest his chin on Kagome's shoulder. Her scent was so tantalizing that he couldn't resist rubbing his cheek against her pulsing neck, putting his own scent on her in a silent claim.

The action went unseen by all the vampires but a loud growl ripped the air apart. Surprised, all the vampires turned to glance at the angry canine by Shu. The red mutt was glaring at Ayato with his golden eyes narrowed to slits and his hackles raised high. Shu continued to run his hand fearlessly through his fur but it didn't calm the dog.

"Well, well," Reiji sighed. "Will you all stop acting like children? You are annoying even the beast and a gentle person like I can only have so much patience." One of Reiji's gloved hands moved to his hip, where they all knew his crop was hidden beneath his jacket.

It was then that the first fearful tremble shook Kagome's frame. The smell of her fear was starting to fill the air and all their eyes returned once more to her. Hunger lurked in their gazes and Kanato even gave her a large smile that shamelessly displayed his fangs. It was so delicious. Ayato couldn't help but turn his head towards her neck to drag his tongue along her pulsing vein again. "Are you trembling?" He whispered against her skin.

"No," she lied.

"Ahh, you are so cute." Laito took a step closer to her. Simultaneously Ayato tightened his grip around Kagome's body, her breath whooshing out in surprise and Subaru reached a hand out to grab Laito's shoulder in warning.

"I can see your teeth chattering," Kanato was suddenly by Ayato and Kagome's side. Before anyone could stop him, he leaned down and licked up the other side of her neck. "Your fear makes you taste much sweeter."

Her squeak filled the room. Ayato tried his hardest to not listen to his brothers, he was greater than them, but at that moment he found himself agreeing with Laito. Her surprised squeak and fearful scent made her very cute.

"Please, do not interrupt." Reiji quiet voice traveled over the room and everyone, even the mongrel, quieted down. "The talk will not advance otherwise." His head was still tilted down so his bangs covered most of his face but his crimson eyes somehow still managed to glare at Kagome and by extension, Ayato, menacingly. "There is only one fact that you must fully comprehend. You can never escape from us. Should you try, we will simply hunt you down."

"I'm not going to stay here," she growled back.

"She is very good at hide and seek," Kanato mused.

"We could simply kill you instead," Reiji calmly offered.

Ayato could only catch a glimpse of the dark, secretive smile that pulled on the edge of her lips from his perch on her shoulder. "You can try," her soft voice became sharp. "Shall we see who is left standing at the end of the night?"

A challenge. It was clear to everyone in the room that she had just issued a challenge but the worst part was, Ayato was not sure if she was bluffing or not. Very little, short of decapitation, could kill a pure born vampire but they had never experience the pink light she wielded. It had proven to be able to burn them and dealt true pain to them. Would too much of it become fatal?

Ayato frowned as he realized that he didn't know the answer. He didn't like not knowing, especially if it was keeping him from the blood that was running through the vessel that was nestled in his lap. His brothers seemed to be on the same thought train since even Reiji paused to consider her words.

"Your grandfather," Shu moved so he could use one arm to push himself up. His tired eyes were on Kagome, who was looking back at him in confusion. Taking his time, Shu moved himself so he was sitting properly on the couch and his legs rested on either side of the dog. "Your mother. Your innocent little brother. Can they fight like you can?"

It took a few seconds for Kagome to understand but when she did, a shocked gasp escaped her lips. Her surprise and terror was answer enough for the vampires around her. A corner of Shu's lips turned up in triumph and amusement. "It would be easy for us to kill them instead. Could you handle their blood on your hands?"

It was the moment they had all been waiting for. Kagome went limp in defeat within Ayato's grasp. Her head fell so her chin could tuck into the hollow of her throat and her blue eyes dropped to the floor. It was such a sweet sight that Ayato couldn't resist. He had to have a bite.

His fangs were just pressing against her neck, on the verge of cutting skin, when a sharp crack startled him. Surprised, Ayato pulled back to glare at the culprit. Subaru was glaring back and the blue couch that was in front of him was now broken into two pieces from Subaru kicking it. Ayato wondered if this was the possessive instincts that raged in them all showing itself or if Subaru's temper had just snapped.

Laito took advantage of the distraction to transport to their side and lean down to run his own tongue over his side of her neck. Kagome's fierce wiggle brought Ayato's attention back to his little hostage just in time for him to see Laito about to pierce her. Before Ayato could stop him, a small sliver of pink light flashed out, attacking Laito's open mouth and even managing to shock Ayato, who was holding her, and Kanato, who was still standing on the other side of the chair. Laito hissed and pulled away before the pain could intensify. Kagome was glaring bravely at Laito while Laito rubbed a hand over his burning lips.

"I warned you," Kagome growled out.

"Yours Truly gave you a warning too." Ayato released her hands but before she could attempt to run, his free hand wrapped itself around her throat again. "You need to learn to listen." His grip tightened and Kagome was only able to struggle with a few seconds before the lack of oxygen proved too much for her. Her body went limp as she succumbed to unconsciousness.

"I can tell that we are going to have a long," Laito purposely drew out the word, "relationship with this one."

"We are lucky it is a weekend." Reiji pushed himself to his feet so his taller frame could tower above those of his brothers. "Her manners will need to be corrected before she is seen in public. See to it that she gets back to her room, unmolested." The sharp glare he gave to the triplets conveyed the hidden threat in his words.

"Until next time, little bride." Ayato whispered in Kagome's ear before easily lifting her up into her arms and strolling out of the room. Behind him, he could hear Kanato, Subaru and Laito falling in step behind him. Were they escorting him to her rooms? Did they not trust him?

Ayato mused that it was probably a wise idea. If he was left alone in her room, with her neck and body vulnerable to him, he might not be able to control his thirst and he wanted her to be aware of the first time he would bite into her. It was almost sad that she only knew Kanato's bite. Once Ayato got his fangs into her, she would not want any of his brother's.

The last thing Ayato's ears caught before he disappeared upstairs was Reiji's voice, who was still in the sitting room. "And put that thing outside. It is filthy and a menace."

The response to this little idea is amazing! I never thought that such an idea would be embrace and encouraged so heavily. Some of your reviews had me preening and blushing for hours. So why did it take me so long to update? Well to be honest, I lost my muse for this and my files to it. I had considered giving up on it but even after I had decide to let it die, reviews, favorites and follows still continued to stream in. I've never been so speechless before. For every review I got, I forced myself to write a little bit more even when I had writer's block and I had considered this abandoned. Your reviews kept me writing against all odds.

So tell me what you thought of the second chapter. It turned out a little longer than I originally planned but I can not tell you how much I struggled to write their confrontation and how many times it has been rewritten. I finally decided to go for a mix between the anime and the game introduction so hopefully, everyone stayed in character enough to enjoy this story.

As always leave behind a review! Your reviews have proven to be helpful and I always take your words to heart, even if they are just encouragements, opinions or random thoughts. Do you prefer Kagome's view or the Sakamaki brothers'? Are you rooting for a specific pairing or a harem? Right now I'm consider who will bite Kagome's neck first (because bites need to happen sooner or later). Let me know what you think. With such a tiny crossover fandom, let's see if we, you and I, can create a story that will encourage others to give this idea a try. I would love to see this area grow larger.

-Nightshade