Chapter Three
I remember her first few nights in the house. She was no docile bride like the others and her mysterious powers were a pain to deal with. We were always aware of her. Her purity, her smell, her very existence called to us. We knew where she was at every second and who she was with. We craved for her submission like a drug. Sometimes, more than her blood. The first few nights, we fought each other to be in her presence. Amusingly, those nights, she drew more blood than the vampires. A feat that she is still proud of to this day.
-Name Illegible
Kagome forced her eyes open and let out a loud groan. She was getting tired of waking up in strange places. It didn't help that her throat burned with every movement it made and the front of her head felt like it was being used as a marching drum. The sudden appearance of a well furnished room filled with different shades of blue did not help either. Her brain was scrambling to figure out where she was and the rapid running thoughts only made her feel more ill.
With a tortured whimper, Kagome pushed herself up using one arm and out of habit, her other arm stretched towards the foot of the bed, searching blindly the comforting touch of warm fur. The absence of a large, warm, breathing body frightened the remaining sleepy haze from her mind.
"Mamoru?"
Kagome hoped those bastards hadn't hurt her friend. Mamoru's family had stood by her side for generations, protecting her as she traveled. He was all she had left of a fairytale that had long ago ended and nothing in this world, or the next, could equal his value to her. He was one of the few things she would fight for, even if it meant giving up her life.
Kagome decided to sent out a quick spike of her aura before panicking. Since birth, Mamoru had been trained to come immediate at her summoning but after a few seconds, she didn't hear an answering bark or feel his own aura drawing closer to her. Kagome knew that the only reason he wouldn't be at her side right now was because he was physically unable to reach her.
The drawback of using her aura to summon her friend was that her kidnappers could feel her summoning too. Kagame felt the cold bites of six other auras as they instinctively flared back at the touch of her pure energy. Shivers raced down her spine at the odd, merciless touch of the predators and the thought that she had somehow drawn their attention back to her.
Vampires. After so many years of traveling and experiencing life, very little could surprise Kagome anymore but the thought of vampires existing was ridiculous to her at first. The young miko had seen many hanyous, gods and yokais in her time, across many lands too, but most of the other fairy tale creatures were just a case of mistaken identity. She remembered that she had once found an 'angel' but it turned out to just be a swan yokai with a beautiful set of white wings fooling a small town. Werewolves, she had discovered, were just a variety of inuyoukai species. Each region and pack had their unique coloring and markings, which explained how humans saw 'werewolves' with different appearances.
Kagome had yet to meet a vampire in her travels but she had assumed that these creatures were just a species of yokai pretending to be something else like all the others. She had once considered that it was a colony of bat yokai who grew too mischievous for their own good that had started the rumors of vampires. Except now she knew otherwise.
She took another look around the new, lavish room, stalling for time but it was soon clear that Mamoru was not coming. She had to find him then. Kagome and him were partners and one couldn't leave the other behind. It wasn't even a possibility in her mind. Filling her lungs full of air, Kagome focused on herself, spiritually reached inside her. The Shikon no Tama within was serene and she could feel it gently trying to recreate its own energy. It felt compliant, a feeling that Kagome did not trust but at least it had a small amount of its own energy source again and she would be able to use it if needed.
When Kagome pushed the bedroom door open, one of her hands traveled to her outer thigh out of habit. The familiar touch of her dagger was absent and the weight of her bow and arrows was gone too. She had stopped carrying her bow and arrows with her once the miko had found her birth family again but the disappearance of her dagger made her uneasy. It felt like a limb was missing from her body. She knew she would have to find another weapon to keep close until she could escape.
She didn't bother trying to be quiet as she strolled down the halls. The manor was large but if the vampires' senses as good as inuyoukais then they already knew where she was. They would be able to hear her soft footsteps on the expensive carpet, smell her scent in the house and even hear her heartbeat causing a racket inside her chest. With her head held high, Kagome blindly traveled the house, hoping for some kind of sign that would lead her to Mamoru.
After a few minutes, Kagome finally found the entranceway stairs. She traveled down them, her hand trailing along the banister after her. To be honest, she was surprised that none of the brothers had made themselves known yet. They said she could not leave and yet, there was nobody there to monitor her and prevent an attempt. The dark auras that lurked on the edge of her spiritual range didn't even move closer when she approached the door.
Kagome wrapped one hand around the handle that ran horizontally across the door and braced her hand on the other door. Using one arm as a brace to help stabalize her, she managed to heave twice but no matter how much strength she used, the door refused to budge for her.
"Open, damn you," Kagome hissed out between clenched teeth and she tugged again. It was clear though that no progress was being made and so, she delivered a swift kick out of frustration. "Ouch!"
More surprised than hurt, Kagome released the door and leaped back. The door had shocked her! It was almost like it had attacked her back for kicking it. The mike cautiously crept forward again and pressed her palms gently to the door. It was then that she felt the dark energy hidden beneath that she had overlooked before. It lurked and traveled within the wood, like an unseen rapid stream. Was it an enchantment? Or was it linked spiritually to one of the vampires she had met?
"You're not going to open for me, are you?" Great, now she was talking to inanimate objects and she hadn't even be exposed to the crazy vampires that long!
Surely there was another way out? Houses this old normally had three or four exits leading to the surrounding grounds. Kagome sighed deeply before turning on her heels and striding off in a random direction. She found the sitting room where they had had their discussion and hidden in a dark corner, was another door. This lead her to a game room where she caught a glimpse of a large pool table, several couches and a dart board before she found her way into another door. This time she could see a large room with a spiral staircase dominating one corner and . . . was that a pool?
Kagome paused in awe. She had only seen her school's pool and the outdoor pool that Souta use to love to go to when they were younger. This one was more elegant and fancier than any pool she had seen before and if it didn't belong to a bunch of psychotic vampires, she might have considered taking a dip.
"Focus," Kagome chanted to herself before continuing her search.
She found another door and was pleased to see that this one lead to a dining room. Now she was getting somewhere! There was two doors to choose from now. Kagome knew that one door lead to another part of the house while the other door would lead to a kitchen since there was always a kitchen connected to the dining room.
A grin broke out across her face when she chose the right door and found herself in the kitchen. It was a very large kitchen that sparkled as if it had recently been cleaned by a perfectionist. Pots gleamed with the help of what little moonlight was getting in and there appeared to be a walk-in pantry paired with the biggest fridge she had ever seen!
Her stomach chose then to grumble and Kagome didn't hesitate to open the fridge. There was so much food stored away that the shelves were overflowing and it held a wide variety of snacks and meals. Kagome was pretty sure that the large tupperware in front of her held some kind of pasta and there was a lot of sweets and cakes stored away too. A lot. It was the takoyaki on the top shelf that caught her attention though and Kagome swiftly grabbed two of the five pieces with her fingers and popped them into her mouth.
'It's delicious.' Kagome couldn't help but hum around the delightful flavor.
She grabbed the plate containing the remaining takoyaki before closing the fridge. She then moved towards some of the counters, pulling out each drawer and searching their contents. The expensive silverware rattled loudly as she carelessly brushed through it. Spoons. Straws. Chopsticks. Fork. Butter knife. Briefly she wondered which one would make a deadlier weapon, the butter knife or the fork?
She opened another drawer and finally found what she was looking for. She gave a small cry of victory as she gazed down at all the knives. Who knew they came in so many shapes and sizes? There was a bread knife, some cleavers, a long blade that looked like it was missing a chunk from the center and many others but for the sake of convenience, Kagome grabbed a steak knife that was slightly larger than her hand. It wasn't her dagger but she felt better knowing she now had a weapon that she could channel her aura into if she needed too.
She wanted to try and summon her canine once more but she didn't want to prompt the vampires around her. With their senses they probably knew that she was already in the kitchen but she didn't want to bring them to her by enticing them or revealing that she was going to attempt an escape. She didn't want them near her even though she now had a means to defend herself. A single knife against six vampires was a fool's gamble and she knew it.
Once outside, Kagome took a moment to look around. The sun had already set and moonlight bathed the area before her, giving the land an eerie, ghostly glow. She was standing at the head of some stairs that overlooked a small garden with a variety of flowers blooming in its midst. White concrete flowed between the sections, splitting them evenly so one would be able to stand in the midst of the garden and enjoy all the heavenly scents equally. In the distance, surrounding the U shaped manor was a forest and even further than that, resting on the edge of the horizon, is what appeared to be a lake. Kagome traveled down the stairs, coming to a stop before the impressive rose garden.
'Now where could they have put him?' She pursued her lips and gave out a low whistle that was specially taught to her.
The pitch was similar to a modern day dog whistle. She was not able hear it because she was human but she knew from experience that the low pitch was audible to dogs, wolves and canine yokais. Briefly, Kagome wondered if the vampires inside would be able to hear the sound or not.
"You wouldn't be attempting anything stupid, would you hato?" Kagome gave a squeak of surprise and she quickly turned around, shoving the knife behind her back. The plate of takoyaki she was holding in her other hand fell to the ground, the expensive plate shattering and scattering the remaining food.
'Speak of the devil and you shall summon him.' One of the vampires was now standing on the steps behind her, the raised platform giving him enough height to tower over her. He was one of the redheads. The one who did not understand personal space and every time she had seen him, he was wearing the same fedora. Raito? No, no. Laito.
"Who are you calling hato?" Kagome snapped back.
An easy grin spread across Laito's face and the light in his eyes turned lustful. "You smell so good when you are angry. I like a woman who fights back."
Kagome took a few steps back, putting some distance between them. Feline green eyes watched her retreat, Laito's smile growing wider until a single fang was displayed. Kagome's hand tightened around the handle of the knife out of fear but she continued to bravely glare back at him. She held the advantage as long as there was some distance between them and they both knew it.
"Where's Mamoru?" Kagome darkly asked.
"Hmm. Why are you looking for him? If it's a beast you want, I can help you out."
Kagome couldn't help but blush a bit at his comment. Hentai. "Where is my dog?"
"Or perhaps you would rather be the one receiving commands." Laito chuckled lightly and used his tongue to moisten his bottom lip. "I could train you. I'd have you eating out of my palm soon enough. You'll speak, beg and come on my command."
Before Kagome could even think of an response back, she felt another aura suddenly appear behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to be met with wide, orchid color eyes framed with bags underneath them. At the sudden appearance of Kanato, and the memory of his previous attacks on her, Kagome tried to move away from him but the youngest looking vampire grabbed her wrist with a bruising grip before she could escape.
"Ne, Laito. Do you think I could break her, too?"
"Hands off," the second redhead, Ayato, made a sudden appearance. A low growl was rumbling in his chest and one his hands was wrapped around Kanato's wrist, the same wrist that was connected to the hand that was holding Kagome's wrist. Kanato glared at his brother as he slowly released his grip on the miko, leaving behind a large bruise that was imprinted on her skin. "Yours Truly refuses to share this one."
"You didn't share the last one," Kanato childishly argued back.
Kagome took a sly step back, more than willing to let the brothers argue amongst themselves. If they were distracted with each other, than they wouldn't be focused on her. Fate must have had to hate her, Kagome decided, because when she stepped back, her foot kicked against one of the larger shards from the plate she had dropped. The glass clinked against the concrete and three pairs of eyes turned their attention back to her.
"Is that my takoyaki?" Abate yelled out when he caught sight of the scattered food.
"No?" Kagome meant to state it firmly but it come out sounding more like a question. How was she suppose to know that it belonged to someone specifically? In her house, leftovers were available to anyone who wanted them.
"What right do you have to take Your Truly's food?" Ayato took a threatening step forward and Kagome glowered back, her fingers flexing against the handle of the knife. Before Ayato could get within her striking range, Laito was suddenly pressed flush against her back. The hand that was holding the knife was now pinned to her hip by a yet another bruising grip. Three different bruises were now throbbing in pain from the marks each brother had left behind.
"What do we have here?" Laito's lips brushed sensually against her ear with each word. "You are attempting something stupid."
"Let go of me," Kagame snapped out. A small pink light coiled itself around her arm and the very air around her sparked with electricity. Ayato and Kanato growled at her, each one taking a protective step back. Laito tried to avoid the attack by retreating but Kagome ripped her arm out of his grip before he could get far and spun around with agility that normal mortals did not possess. She slashed with precision, the sharp knife catching the jacket sleeve of the retreating hentai and cutting the skin beneath. One of the vampires behind her gave a low hiss but she didn't know if it was because of her defiance or her managing to injure one of the brothers.
She smirked at the sight of the three vampires. They were giving her some distance now but their eyes were watching her carefully. It reminded her of a pack of sharks circling their prey just before they attacked. She could feel their auras intensifying and in the back of her mind, Kagome knew that this was a dominance technique that most demons used. They would increase their aura to get lower pack members to obey them or submit. Koga had used it often on his pack and Sesshomaru radiated a powerful, dominating aura without even trying.
The three brothers were powerful. There was no doubt about that but they were untrained. Their potential was not fully reached yet and Kagome was able to match them easily. Her own purity flared up, letting them know instinctively that she was not going to submit.
Kanato wrapped his arms around himself, his enlarged purple eyes never leaving her. "Why are you out here?" It sounded like he was speaking to himself instead of Kagome.
"I'm looking for Mamoru." Kanato didn't look like he understood what she was saying so she tried to clarify for the creepy vampire. "My dog."
"Reiji said no dogs are allowed inside and Shu wouldn't put him outside." Purple eyes flickered around to look at his brothers before a sadistic smile spread across Kanato's face. The dark grin coupled with his childish appearance made Kagome extremely uncomfortable. "He fought us and disobedient pets must be punished."
Did they kill him? Were they not above murdering an innocent animal? "What. Did. You. Do. To. Him?" Kagome snarled out.
"Easy now. No need to bare your fangs." Laito reached a hand up to tip his hat towards his eyes. Kagome was growing to hate that fedora the more she spent time around the hentai. "What my brother meant was that your beast is safe. A little tied up at the moment but we didn't kill him."
"Take me to him," Kagome demanded.
"Do not give Yours Truly an order!" Ayato yelled back. His hands tightened into fists but he didn't move towards her, choosing to keep his distance.
"Don't you get sick of calling yourself Yours Truly?" Kagome couldn't help but ask. After all, it must be difficult referring to yourself by another name. Did he ever slip and say 'Ayato' instead? The dark look that overshadowed Ayato's face told Kagome that her curiosity was not a welcomed thing.
'Focus Kagome. Now is not the time to wonder about the habits of your kidnappers.'
Demanding was not getting her anyway and while the vampires were keeping their distance now, how long would it last? If they chose to attack her, how long would she be able to keep them back? She had the advantage of having a power that would keep them at bay but her powers had a limited quantity and they had the advantage of outnumbering her if they chose too. She had also never been without her companion for this long before and it was making her uneasy. No words would be able to describe how much she needed to know that Mamoru was at least safe. Did she have an unhealthy attachment to her canine? Maybe but after everything, Mamoru was the only thing that had never left her side and she needed him back.
"Please. Can you at least take me to him?" Kagome said quietly.
"You're adorable when you beg for me," Laito chuckled to himself. "The beast is bound to free himself soon anyways." This time he spoke to his brothers, each one exchanging looks between themselves.
"I hate that beast." The whimper in Kanato's voice drew Kagome's attention back to him. Kanato was hugging himself even tighter, with his bottom lip trembling and large tears were building in his eyes. "Bad dogs should be put down."
Kagome felt no pity for him. She knew how Kanato was able to fake his tears and there was no way for her to know if these tears were real or not. If Mamoru had attacked them like they were implying, it was because they had attacked him first. Her dog was intelligent and he would never harm an innocent life, no matter what their species was. Besides, Kagome couldn't see any injuries on the three brothers around her, so if Mamoru did attack them, he did not inflict any lasting damage.
"Tch." A decision seemed to be made and they were letting Ayato be the spokesperson. Ayato's hand moved as if to grab her but he thought better of it and instead chose to turn around and stomped off. "Come on. Yours Truly has seen fit to give your mangy mutt back."
. ~: . V . :~ .
Reiji's eyes flickered over the pages quickly. Yokais, a word the young woman had spoken, was easy enough to research. Japan was filled with tales of yokais and spirits. When that research had yielded none of the results he wanted, he had attempted to search for information regarding the thing she called a pet. The problem was, he was no pureblood dog and some of the creatures he had found that matched his description, have never been recorded to cross-breed with each other. Whatever it was, it was unique.
Next, Reiji had attempted to find the source of the strange energy she wielded. He could find nothing though. There was no records of this magic and the brides before her had not possessed anything close to similar. He concluded, against his will, that she was unique too.
He was slowly making his way through all his books. Even the ones which were not relevant, were read in hopes of revealing something. Reiji had to figure her out. She filled his mind and thoughts like a new drug, teasing him into a race with no end in sight. He needed a weakness. A true, dominant predator needed to know all about his prey. To teach her, to break her, Reiji needed to know what imperfection to cultivate.
Reiji's vampiric brain worked in ways that would confused a normal human. One part of his mind was always instinctively aware of his surroundings. He could feel his brothers in different parts of the house and their new guest, who was currently wandering aimlessly through their halls. Another part of his brain was reading the words in each book, freshly re-memorizing every page as the final part of his brain compared what he was reading to information he already had and monitored his raging thoughts.
All of Reiji's mind abruptly froze as he forced himself to slowly reread one of the pages before him. He moved the front half of the book so it would partially close, his gloved thumb pressed between the pages to keep his place, so he could read the title. A State of Purity. Now, this book held some interesting knowledge. It spoke of purity and the dying race that used to be able to control such magic. There use to be a wide variety of their species but soon after the disappearance of yokais they had no reason to be born and so they died out. True monks and mikos were written to no longer existed in this age but the similarities could not be a coincidence.
Reiji moved his thumb out and snapped the book closed. His crimson eyes flickered to the window that overlooked the grounds. Below him, Kagome had manage to enter the back garden but he could sense the triplets closing in on her. Hidden in the shadows on his lab, Reiji watched their interaction below. She had fire and spirit, that was obvious when she dared to strike Laito with the hidden knife and tear his sleeves. Reiji frowned at the unmannered display. 'She will correct that mistake later.' Reiji would have no choice but to teach her. He enjoyed her spirit but he craved to see her submission more. He would train her on proper mannerism and when it was appropriate to use that fiery spirit of hers.
She was the ultimate prize to them. A vessel unlike any before and none will ever match her afterwards as he was now certain. Below him, following his kin into the forest, was the last living miko. "How exquisite."
. ~: . V . :~ .
Kanato followed as Ayato lead the way into the forest that surrounded the manor. The woman, Kagome, was quick to trail after him with Laito following behind the group. Kanato moved past Laito, forcing his smaller legs to move quicker so that he was walking close to Kagome's side. Kanato caught sight of her blue eyes flickering towards him, cautious but rebelllious.
A sly glance behind him revealed that Laito was more than willing to keep his distance and travel at a slower pace. His bright green eyes were watching Kagome's backside, a perverted blush spreading over his cheeks with each step she took. Kanato frowned and flashed his brother a warning look but it went unnoticed. His arms flexed by his side and for the millionth time, he wished he had Teddy in his arms. Alas, Teddy had yet to recover from his noble sacrifice to save their last bride and Reiji still claimed to be too busy to repair his bear.
'Teddy should be more important than any other task,' Kanato growled internally.
Their travels into the surrounding forest was noisy. He could hear the nocturnal birds singing in the trees. The wind rustling the leaves. The woman's labored breath as they traveled farther and farther. The only redeeming thing about the trip was the sound of Kagome's steady, sweet heartbeat sounding by his side. With each beat, her heart gave off a scent far sweeter than any candy, bringing back the memory of her taste on his tongue and making him crave it again but even with the company of her delicious scent, Kanato was finding this trip exceedingly annoying and a waste of time.
He should have left by now. He had discovered what had made the annoying, shrill whistle that had hurt his ears, which was his original intention. He had discovered that he couldn't kill the source of the sound . . . yet. He could be doing something meaningful right now. He could be cleaning his beautiful wax figures. He could be attempting to fix Teddy himself, again, but instead his brothers had to show up. Now he felt the need to defend his prey against his kin.
Kagome belonged to him. It was his bite that still rested on her palm. He had tasted her blood first. He was the first to make her shed tears. His brothers just craved what he already owned. They always took from him! They bullied him. They use to hide Teddy and his sweets from him but this woman, he wouldn't give her up so easily.
'She is mine. She just doesn't know it yet.'
After some time, they made it to the heart of the forest. Kanato gazed in satisfaction at the sight before him. The dog that their eldest brother insisted on kidnapping was currently laid out on the floor. Several pieces of ropes bound him so he was unable to make any movements. One length was wrapped tightly around his muzzle, keeping his jaw firmly shut while a second piece was used to wrap his front paws together. A third rope tied his back feet to each other and finally a fourth piece forced his bound front and back paws together. There was clumps of fur missing in certain areas and one of his back legs was broken and displaying jagged bone shards pressed against the skin from beneath. Kanato was pretty sure that in the tussle, his elbow had connected with the beast's jaw too and something had shattered loudly upon impact. The dog's wide golden eyes caught sight of Kagome and his previously subdued spirit flared back to life.
The dog was now whimpering and flailing around in a pathetic attempt to get to his mistress. Kagome was obviously distraught at the sight of the hurt animal. Her sharp gasp and the smell of her tears made Kanato's mouth dry and awakened the need to sink his fangs into one of her arteries. It excited him to see her this distressed and the sight of the injured beast was just an added bonus.
Kanato felt no pity for the beast since it was really the dog's fault. After Reiji had ordered him out, he had refused to leave Shu's side and the eldest brother made no move to force the dog out either. Subaru, wanting to get back to sleep, had moved to forcefully remove the dog but the beast had attempted to take a bite out of the youngest's hand. Afterwards, Subaru and Reiji had refused to touch him and Shu didn't do anything as usual, choosing to doze behind the growling dog. Reiji was still insistent on getting the dog out though and so the job had fallen onto the triplets.
It had taken all three of them to wrestle the dog out. He fought with advance intelligence and kept trying to escape upstairs where Kagome was. Even more surprising was that the dog was capable of injuring them. Normal animals' teeth were not able to penetrate their skin but this mutt's fangs cut through their skin like a knife through butter. The triplets had multiple, bleeding wounds inflected on them and destroyed some furniture too, much to Reiji's disgust, just to get the dog outside. Kanato had wanted nothing more than to kill the canine after his fangs had sank painfully into Kanato's arm but his brothers somehow managed to rope the beast and tie it up before he got the chance. The triplets had then thrown him in the heart of the woods where they thought they would be able to leave the creature to rot. They had hoped that they would be able to get rid of their problem and listen to the dog's dying cry but Ayato and Laito had decided to give the creature back to Kagame before that could happen.
Kanato could feel the twisted grin on his face as he watched the upset woman kneel by the dog's side and start to cut the rope with the knife she still carried. What did she see in the disgusting beast? Did she want a companion? Kanato could be her companion. He would be able to be there for her day and night as long as she was his slave and gave him her body and blood whenever he demanded it. Did she just like the feel of the fur? If so, Kanato could have the dog stuffed and displayed like his proud collection of the previous brides. Then Kagome would get to keep her pet and it would be a beautiful toy without the mess of a living animal. They could both be happy then.
"What's going through your head, brother?" Laito was suddenly standing by Kanato's side, his voice too low for a human to hear. "Does it involve a certain hato crouched so deliciously before us?"
Hato? Kanato tilted his head a bit as he mulled the nickname over. "She doesn't look like a bird to me."
"You'll see it soon enough." Gone was Laito's usually playful voice. Instead dark promise now filled his tone and his eyes darkened with his own sadistic joy.
Kagome finally freed the dog and once he felt freedom, the beast jumped to his paws. His red hackles were stiff and his injured lips were pulled back to reveal his canines, including several chipped teeth. Blood splashed to the floor from various wounds and his broken leg was held up from the ground. He must have been in immeasurable amount of pain but he still position himself so he was guarding Kagome and facing off against Kanato and his brothers.
"Mamoru, hold still." Kagome's sweet voice soothed from behind the angry canine. Kanato watched as Mamoru's round ears fell slightly back to catch the tone of his mistress' voice. "Let me heal you."
The brothers' curiosity was perked when Kagome reached a hand over the dog's back and pressed her palm firmly against his far shoulder. Shudders raced down their spines, both of pleasure and pain, when Kagome's hand started to light up. The energy that Kanato was slowly starting to despise, was absorbed by the dog, who gave out a pleased whimper. Before their very eyes, they watched as the damage they did to the dog was healed. The leg was put back in place, new fur grew in and the missing chips to his teeth healed until they were whole again. The flow of blood slowly decreased until only the tiny droplets that clung to his freshly grown fur was evidence of his injuries.
At the same time, Kanato watched in displeasure as the mark he had left to encompass her wrist, the dark beautiful bruise he had been careful to leave behind, healed before his very eyes until only a natural, cream shade of skin was left in its place. The bruises on her other wrist from Laito had also healed along with the large purple bruise that use to be around her neck from this morning. Her eyes, which were previously drooping with exhaustion, now held a new light and vigor in them. Kanato growled loudly, startling his brothers and Kagome. He would just have to work harder to leave a mark behind. He has no choice but to mark her so deeply that her very center will cry his name and nobody will doubt his claim. 'Mine. She's mine!'
"Kanato?" Ayato questioned quietly. Laito and Ayato were frowning too, displeased that their marks had healed as well but they didn't look nearly as upset as Kanato. His brothers were looking at him oddly, noticing his abnormal behavior but not even Kanato could explain why he had been feeling so different since he had started his game with Kagome.
Kanato moved around the dog, who snapped his teeth at him warningly, until he and Kagome were on one side with the beast acting as a barrier between them and his brothers. Kagome's heart jolted in surprise, not seeing Kanato move at all, before meeting his gaze defiantly. Kanato loved her eyes. So bright. So expressionate. He didn't want anyone else to see them, to see that look of confusion and fear. He wanted them all to himself.
"I'll claim my prize soon," Kanato promised to her before teleporting back home.
He really needed to talk to Teddy right now.
. ~: . V . :~ .
The air was full of tension. Kagome was still knelt behind Mamoru and her protector, now fully healed, refused to relax. He kept his large body between her and the vampires. Partially hidden from view, Kagome was nervously twirling the knife in her hands as she debated her situation. With Kanato gone, there was now only two vampires left. She had fought these same two off before and while healing Mamoru had weakened her, she was sure she had enough energy to fight if she had too. Now, what were the odds of her reaching the end of their property before the other brothers were alerted? How far would she be able to go before the six supernatural beings caught her?
"You won't make it far." Against her will, Kagome raised herself up a little bit so she could peek over Mamoru's shoulder and see Ayato shrugging. Was she that obvious in her thoughts? Or were vampires capable of reading minds too? As if in response to her thoughts, Laito made a show of exhaling heavily. Her scent. "Reiji did something to the land a long time ago. He can feel anyone who gets close to the border, no matter what." Was it a barrier? Would she be able to break it, if so?
"Why would you want to leave us?" Laito pouted. "We haven't even gotten to play yet."
There was no point denying her plans. If their senses were sharp enough to figure out what she was thinking then they would be able to smell if she told a lie. Kagome chewed on her bottom lip as she debated the situation. Should she make a run for it anyways or wait? She didn't know much about her enemies yet and if she didn't know about them, she didn't know their weaknesses. The Shikon no Tama could only help her so much and then she would need to be able to fight them off using her own skills. This was a new species to her though and she wasn't sure if their weaknesses matched the yokais she had faced before.
"Hato, give me the knife and then we can head home." For once, Kagome heard a serious tone in Laito's voice. He wasn't joking or playful and nothing in that sentence was suggestive. He really expected her to follow his orders and hand over the only weapon she had.
"I'd rather not." Mamoru gave a single, deep bark of agreement.
"Quit arguing with us," Ayato snapped back.
"No," Kagome's grip tightened impossibly around the weapon.
"I'll pry it painfully from your hands." Ayato threatened ominously.
Kagome smirked and raised her hand so they could clearly see the knife she was holding. Several pink sparks danced along the blade, hissing and spitting like angry cobras. "Try it," Kagome dared.
There was several seconds of silence as Kagome and Ayato glared at each other. Kagome wasn't worried about Laito yet, trusting that Mamoru would let her know if the other vampire decided to act as reinforcement for his brother. The growing silence seemed endless until it was shattered by giggles. The sound was so unexpected that Kagome jumped in fear. She turned in surprise to see Laito giggling to himself, his eyes almost closed in mirth and his cheeks becoming rosier by the second.
"Hato, you are amusing. Ayato, let her keep the blade for now." An unspoken message was exchange between the pair of green eyes. Kagome knew there was a message, because afterwards, Ayato nodded and his tense posture relaxed.
"Come on, the others must have noticed her absence by now." Ayato said gruffly before turning around and striding off.
For now, Kagome had no choice. She knew she had one chance to escape, just one, and she wasn't going to waste it on a foolish gamble. She needed a weakness she could exploit and right now, she didn't know that weakness. To run would be suicidal.
"What do you think, Mamoru?" Kagome ignored Laito's penetrating gaze. "What are your instincts telling you?"
The red furred canine shook out his fur and leaned down to nose Kagome's arm. Instead of moving her deeper into the forest, he was nosing her towards Laito and the retreating Ayato. "Hope you're right," Kagome murmured to her friend. Laito held out his hand, keeping it out of reach of Mamoru's bite but still offering his help.
Kagome got to her feet on her own, ignoring Laito's extended hand. She walked around the extended limb, treating it like a disease, and Mamoru followed close by, staying by Kagome's hip. She glared at Laito, who was still watching her. "This isn't over." Kagome promised the perverted vampire.
"I look forward to our next meeting," he flashed a fanged grin.
. ~: . V . :~ .
Kagome stood back in the kitchen, eying Ayato and Laito. Once they had gotten inside the manor again, both of them had froze and turned their eyes to her. It was like they were expecting something from her but Kagome wasn't sure what they wanted. Their unwavering gazes were pinned on her and Kagome shifted, unsure what they were waiting for. When the tension grew too thick, the miko could stand it no longer.
"What?" She questioned rudely.
"Make Yours Truly more takoyaki." Ayato demanded.
"Why?"
"It's only fair since you stole Ayato's meal." Laito answered for him.
"I don't know how to make takoyaki," huffed Kagome. 'Did vampire eat human food?' All the rumors she remembered about them said that they only drank blood. Not that she was complaining if there was another type of food for them to consume.
"Idiot," Ayato drawled out.
"That's a problem. How do you plan to pay Ayato back, then?" Laito moved with his superspeed and Kagome could feel him pressed against her back, again. His arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into him. Kagome knew she needed to teach him a lesson in personal space if she was going to stay here for any length of time. "I vote that you allow my brother a sample of your mouthwatering blood."
Mamoru reacted quicker than Kagome and the dog whirled around, his massive canines aimed for Laito's leg. It was the vampire's unnatural speed that saved him from the angry canine and kept his clothes from getting more damaged than they already were. "Please respect my personal space," Kagome stated emotionlessly once Laito reappeared again, this time a safe distance away from her.
Ayato was eying the dog, unsure if it was worth pressing the issue now or not. Her beast was quickly turning into a problem for him and his brothers. This dog was smarter than any other canine Ayato had encountered and the wounds that his teeth had inflicted on them had burned unnaturally as they healed. The mutt was still glaring at Laito and Kagome thought she was slyly moving away from them but both vampire brothers were aware of every move she made. For now, they would let her escape.
Kagome slipped through the door without any of the vampires pursuing her and Mamoru was only a second behind her. The miko felt safer with a wooden door between them but she knew it wouldn't offer much protection if they chose to pursue her. Well she had escaped the redheads, for now, so she was left with the toughest question yet. Now what?
"Do you think they have an archery range?" Kagome asked.
Mamou rolled his eyes.
"Fine, fine. What are your instincts telling you, oh great protector?"
Kagome followed Mamoru as he lead the way through the halls. With him leading the way, Kagome didn't feel so afraid or confused despite the never ending, similar halls. They traveled through different hallways and doors before Mamoru chose to stop in front of a large double oak door. Her companion sniffed along the bottom gap before raising a paw and scratching insistently.
"What did you find?" The second Kagome opened the door, Mamoru darted inside excitedly.
They found themselves in a huge library. Shelves filled most of the room and a small section of the wall had an alcove with beautiful glass surrounding the back. It overlooked some of the forest in the distance and let the bright moonlight filter in. Mamoru wasted no time and raced towards the alcove, leaping onto it without making a sound. He circled several times before plopping down, his eyes focused on the night sky and the stars. Kagome smiled sadly as the wistful look in his eyes. 'I wonder if he misses those moonlight nights we use to have.'
To keep from dwelling on things she could not control, Kagome turned back to the shelves. It was no secret that the miko hated math with a passion but over the years, she had grown to love reading. Books, she had discovered, held so many tales, some of them long forgotten by mortals, and some of the aging novels before her enticed her curiosity.
"Good find," Kagome praised Mamoru before moving towards one of the bookshelves. She absentmindedly placed the knife on a shelf that ran parallel to her hips so she could use both hands to wiggle out a tightly packed book that caught her attention.
"What are you doing here?" A furious voice demanded.
How had Kagome not sensed him? She tried to hide her surprise as she turned around and came face to face with white hair and a blazing crimson eye. The youngest, Subaru, did not look happy to see her. This was a different reaction from the triplet's possessive or flirtatious interactions. Subaru towered over her, trapping her between him and the shelves behind her. One of his hands was clenched tightly in a fist and just the mere sight of her seemed to pissed him off.
Kagome was not afraid and chose glared back. "I was going to read," she answered the rhetorical question.
"Idiot." Subaru slammed his palm into the shelf by her left ear. The wood cracked but his sudden movement and the sharp sound failed to make Kagome react. "Why are you still here?"
Maybe he was not part of her kidnapping? Kagome had assumed that they all had a part in taking her from her home but now that Kagome thought about it, she had not met Subaru before her kidnapping like the others. Did he have no part in it? Would he be willing to help her escape?
"It's not like I haven't tried," Kagome growled back.
"Try harder," Subaru hissed back. "You will die here."
Kagome hated being command. She wanted to escape but she couldn't be stupid about it. Earlier, the door wouldn't open for her and there was no way she was leaving Mamoru behind. Once she had found Mamoru, she was still in the company of the other brothers and it was then that she was informed that if she tried to escape, Reiji would know. The rage and hopelessness of the situation just made her upset and Subaru commanding was just increasing agitation. Pink and purple sparks danced along her skin and Subaru pulled back when he caught sight of them. 'Looks like he remembers how it feels', Kagome thought darkly. It gave her some joy to know she could fight back when she chose too.
"I was told if I run, your family would kill me." No way was Kagome telling him her plans. Even if it was not part of her kidnapping, he might still tell his brothers. She didn't know where his loyalties lied. "Now, get off me."
There was a small flash as the jewel reacted to her distress. Subaru moved faster than her eyes could follow and when Kagome spotted him again, he was on the other side of the room, out of range of her small attack. Kagome pressed her hand to her chest, hoping to convey her happiness to the Shikon no Tama. The jewel had been listening to her more these past few weeks than it has been doing in decades and for that, Kagome was thankful.
Subaru looked ready to murder. Kagome could hear rumbles from his chest and now both of his hands were formed into fists. As her power died down, Kagome found herself pressed against the shelf before she could defend herself. One of Subaru's hands had enveloped her freshly healed neck and was pinning her in place. Kagome thrashed as much as she could, furious to find herself in this position again. One hand scrambled and felt wildly behind her, searching for the knife that she had place on the shelf. Her fingers managed to curl around the handle at the same time that Subaru thrust his face into the side of her neck.
"You will learn your place," he warm breath bathed the side of her neck, causing shivers to erupt over her skin. "To us, you are nothing more than a simple blood vessel."
He moved quickly, faster than the miko herself. Kagome had the chance to feel two sharp points, similar to the point of a knife, pressed against her neck. The pressure alone caused Kagome to freeze instinctively. This move was similar to the canine behavior she had been exposed too in the past but unlike the inuyoukai or the wolf youkai that she had been around, the pressure of fangs did not stop with her submission. They continued to press down until Kagome felt the unmistakeable feeling of her skin tearing. She snapped out of her stupor quickly and swung her knife out.
She fueled the knife like she use to power her arrows. A piece of her aura pulsed and traveled along the weapon, turning it deadlier than it already was. With an object to wrap around, she wasn't using as much energy as her other, much wider range attacks. The knife cut through his skin with the help of her aura and dug deeply into Subaru's side, right between a set of ribs.
There was no sound of pain or a yell of outrage. Instead Subaru yanked his teeth away and let out a grunt, surprised at her attack. As he stumbled away, Kagome kept a firm hold on the blade, pulling it from his flesh as he retreated. She was not about to let him walk away with her only weapon, even if he was injured by her hand.
"Maybe not so simple," Kagome corrected viciously as she raised her free hand to clamp it over her neck.
The bite had been shallow. He had barely broken the skin and very little blood was trailing down. She had had wounds in the past that were more serious than this but that wasn't what was on her mind right now. All she could think about was his fangs pressed against her neck, threatening to drink her blood. He had tried to bite her! She was filled with a mix of fear, anxiety and rage at the thought.
Unlike herself, Subaru was not so lucky with his injuries. The smell of burnt skin filled the room and his once white shirt was now torn and stained a dark crimson. Subaru had his own hand clasped to his side, his pale skin turning a light pink from his own blood. It was his eyes that drew her attention though. They were wistful and sad, with a light that she had seen reflected in her own eyes not so long ago. It was that same look that shot a bolt of guilt through Kagome's chest. For a brief moment she wanted to apologize but she resisted, insisting mentally that he had attacked her first.
"Please do not contaminate the library in such a way." Were vampires capable of teleporting? Because that was the only reason Kagome could think of that would explain why they were able to sneak up on her so well. She turned wide eyes to Reiji, who was now standing in the center of the room. "Is it so difficult to follow a single rule?"
It didn't sound like a rhetorical question. In fact, with the way that he was posed and his eyebrows raised expectantly, Kagome could tell he was waiting for an answer. How nice of him to focus on broken rules instead of the fact that Kagome and Subaru were both bleeding in front of him. His cold glare might have frightened other people but she had seen worse. He's nothing compared to a certain daiyoukai she use to know and so, Kagome decided to be stupidly cheeky.
"I've not tried to escape," she said unhelpfully. That was the only rule she knew of and therefore the only rule she was capable of breaking.
Reiji barely glanced at her before turning his attention back to Subaru. The youngest still had his hand pressed to his ribs and his face was contorted in pain but from between the flaps of his torn shirt, Kagome could see that he was already healed. So, she wondered, how could he still be in pain if there was no injury?
"Take such activities to your private room in the future." The line sounded rehearsed to her ears. "Subaru, clean up for dinner. We will talk afterwards." Without another word, Reiji dismissed the youngest vampire. Subaru glared at Reiji but still chose to disappeared before Kagome's very eyes, like a mirage shimmering out of existence.
Now Kagome was alone with another brother. She eyed Reiji, not quite sure what to think of him. Unlike his brothers, he was more refined and his attitude was faintly familiar to her though she didn't know why. His very gaze seem to reprimand her but there wasn't much Kagome could do. He literally found her with a bloody knife and his own brother bleeding in front of her. It didn't take much to figure out what had happened.
Crimson eyes trailed over her body before locking on the hand she still had pressed to her neck. "If you did not dress like a harlot, you would not get unnecessary attention."
Kagome could only gawk. How dare he? How dare he! She had been subjected to Laito's pervertedness, Ayato's arrogance, Kanato's creepiness and Subaru's attempt to bite her and it was certainly not because of how she was dressed. She didn't have any others clothes! It's not her fault that she had been kidnapped while wearing a nightgown and her wardrobe was back in her closet at home.
She had just puffed out her cheeks, ready to go off on one of her famous rants when Reiji started heading for the door, dismissing her. He did pause in the doorway, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Put the beast back outside," Mamoru growled at the insult from his resting place, "and prepare for dinner.
"I will be by your room to escort you to dinner when it is done. Your best manners and obedience are expected, miko."
Reiji didn't slam the door like she expected. Instead he closed it gently behind him, letting the quiet click fill the empty room. Finally alone, the strength ran out of her limbs and Kagome fell to a puddle on the floor. She stubbornly kept the knife in her hand but her other hand fell away from her neck, too shocked to hold it up any longer. Mamoru finally leaped down from the alcove and nosed the twin marks on her neck. His tongue gently laved her wounds and his cold nose traveled along her neck, his snuffling filling her ear.
Was it bad that Reiji knew what she was now? Yokais had a natural hatred for mikos and often tried to kill them off. These creatures were darker than yokais, their auras were proof of that. They killed for the enjoyment and pleasure, not to survive. So much blood tainted them that she could feel it whenever they were near her. Would they fear her now or would dinner consist of them tearing her apart for their enjoyment? Kagome hugged the knife to her chest at the thought.
'I am not going to go down without a fight. It's been a peaceful few decades but I'm not soft. I will fight back.' Kagome thought determinedly.
"This is going to be an interesting dinner," Kagome whispered to Mamoru.
Hello again my beauties! I updated quicker this time! The reason, a mix of your reviews and countless, sleepless nights where I kept myself occupied by writing, watching More Blood and eating candy (and drinking coffee). Whatcha think of this chapter? Originally, I wanted to write a small part where she gets Mamoru back and the dinner scene for this chapter but things get wild when you don't have the story fully planned out. So, dinner is in the next chapter, where I shall gather all the brothers and a miko and lock them together in a room. I can't wait, I already have some lines planned out!
I'm recently found a translated version of the DiaLovers game and the confusion that comes with it and the later games. I have been using those as references but if I messed up and its blatantly obvious, let me know. It's difficult (for me) since each route seems to reveal a new personality aspect and the later games have some of their personality contradicting themselves. I have to keep all this mind while changing some areas to fit my own storyline. It's overwhelming at times but I'm always willing to correct my mistakes (if I can).
Editing is done by me and roughly at times. So if some areas sound wrong to you or just don't flow, give me a day or two. I always reread my chapters after I post them and I edit them continuously as I find more and more mistakes. It might take me some time but all mistakes will be corrected after some time.
Reviews, I love them. I cherish them. I live for them. As of Chapter Two, I do try to respond back to them. I'm sorry if I missed anyone but I'm not actually on this site much so if I didn't get to you (or I stopped responding to your PMs) it's not you, it's me. I swear. I'll try to be better at getting to everyone, so review! Let me know what you think. Ask questions if you have to. Sometimes I give out previews or some fun facts of scenes that didn't make it into the chapter. If you let me know you exist, I will try my hardest to show my gratitude and respond!
Your writing slave (or is it the Sakamaki's slave?)
-Nightshade