My fingers were small compared to the ivory keys in front of me. As they pressed down on them and moved, I winced internally when they hit the wrong keys.

"Not quite. Here."

I saw bigger hands reach past me and play the short song in front of me.

"Now you try."

I reached out and mimicked the bigger hands' movements, this time doing it correctly.

"Well done."

I looked up to see an older woman and I recognised her to be my mother. She gave me a warm smile as she moved me on her lap and kissed my forehead.

"Mother, Mana, look!"

I turned to see little Yuki run up to us after lying on the floor with paper and pens everywhere. She held up a shabby looking picture of a piano and Mother and I playing it.

"That's lovely, dear! Look, Mana, isn't your big sister wonderful?"

I nodded and reached for it.

"Thank you, Yuki-nee!"

Ugh, that voice of mine at five years old just made me cringe! Gah! It's awful and childish!

Yuki looked ecstatic when I took the picture and grinned.

"You and Mother play so nicely!"

"You can play with me too, Yuki."

Yuki shook her head.

"No, I prefer drawing."

I heard a door opening and Yuki's eyes sparkled.

"Kaname-nii-sama is back!"

Gah! Even at five years old she was in love with him! Yuki turned on her heel and dashed out of the living room. Mother giggled.

"Let's welcome your father and brother home."

Great. Abso-fucking-lutely great, let's. I slipped down from Mother's lap and she walked ahead of me. I followed her out to the lobby where she embraced Father tightly and Yuki was hugging Kur…ahem. Kaname-nii-sama, ugh…

"Welcome home," I said in a very rehearsed tone.

Kuran, I mean, Kaname-nii-sama smiled at me and Yuki stepped aside to let me hug him.


The memory distorted and I remember sitting on a sofa and Kura…no, Kaname-nii-sama, was hugging me tightly. It was like he was afraid and Yuki was fiddling with her favourite red pen. The doors opened and Mother came in, her eyes looking tired and wearing a sad smile.

"It's time, Kaname."

Ku…Kaname-nii-sama, nodded and pressed a kiss to my head. He stood at the same time as Yuki who looked at him pleadingly.

"Be careful, Kaname-nii-sama."

He just smiled at her then looked towards me. I remained silent as Mother came to me, taking my hand and helping me off the sofa.

"Come, Yuki, it's not safe here."

Yuki nodded as she took Mother's free hand and we were led through another door. Kaname-nii-sama looked solemn as he watched us leave and Yuki was still looking for him when the doors closed. I remember feeling confused when we were just in a small dark room. Were we hiding? What was it that we were hiding from?

"I love the both of you so much."

Mother kneeled before us and embraced us tightly.

"All I want is for the two of you to be able to live normal lives without any threats. So I…"

I remember the panic that surged through me when I smelt and saw Mother's blood.

"Take good care of each other," she was smiling and Yuki gripped my hand tightly after dropping her pen "You are sisters, you must look after each other."

Everything went white as she drew nearer and all I could remember feeling was panic, fear and this awful pain of losing a mother whom I had loved so much.


I woke up and felt more tears fall down the sides of my face. I gasped for air and suddenly choked as I felt this horrible burning in my throat. I needed something to drink to get rid of it! I'm so thirsty, I need to drink! I sat up looking for something to drink and only seeing Kuran sitting on the bed, out of his uniform and in what looked like some of his personal clothing.

"Drink, Mana."

I lunged for him. I couldn't control my body as I gripped his arms, held him down and drove my fangs into him. His muscles made a slight movement as a reaction as I kept his neck in a strong hold, drinking like a dying man who had found an oasis in the middle of the desert. It felt so good, feeling the warm liquid flow down my throat, coaxing the burning sensation away. I felt arms around me, supporting me and in some twisted sense cradling me. Then I registered what was going on.

I'm drinking blood.

I have been turned into this beast.

No…I've been this beast before and now that I've turned back…

I pulled away, blood spilling on the sheets and I backed off. I felt horrified, sick and just horrible. I covered my mouth, feeling my fangs bump against my fingers and more tears flowed down my cheeks.

I didn't want this!

"Mana, do you need more?"

I shook my head, curling into a ball. A hand rested on my head and Kuran gently tried to thread his fingers through my hair. I say tried because it was pretty tangled and I felt the usual annoying pain when fingers got caught in knots.

"Mana…I love you."

Oh gods, I do not need to hear that. Unless you're addressing me in a rather over affectionate brother then I'll…sort of go along with that. Hey, wait, what are you doing?!

His hand somehow reached under my chin and lifted it. He stared into my eyes as I started to get over with my sudden crying. He moved closer and I managed to move my head away from him. He hesitated then kissed my cheek.

"I suppose it is a bit soon."

Soon? Soon for what exactly? I shuffled away from him and he grabbed my left wrist. It was then I noticed my arm had completely healed up. The bandages and sling were gone, there was no pain, no awkward distortion and no burns. I flexed it, still a little dumbstruck and Kuran slipped his hand into my left one. I jerked away and he gripped it tighter and I glanced up at him sternly. He pulled me closer and he reached out, brushing some hair out of the way.

"I suppose you've forgotten about our engagement."

…Hey, wait, now, hold up! We're siblings! And when were we engaged?! Please tell me I'm mistaken and you mean something else with the term, 'engagement'.

"Judging by your look, you have."

He pulled away, looking disheartened.

"You didn't remember…"

Again, we are siblings. Incest is like illegal, right? Right?! Kuran squeezed my hand.

"Mana, I wish for you to stay here for a while longer," he said and looked up at me to catch my gaze "Our enemy is still out there and despite changing back, you don't know how to use your abilities."

I'm not staying here. I shook my head and Kuran squeezed tighter.

"He's here for you and Yuki," he said "Kiryu is taking care of Yuki and I want to keep you here where I know Seiren will keep you safe. So please, just a little longer."

I am not staying trapped here! I jumped when the mirror in the room cracked and I winced as a pain shot through my head briefly. Kuran glanced at the mirror before grabbing my shoulders.

"You have no control," he said as I held my head, feeling a little woozy "You need to stay here, you're still recovering."

Guh, what time is it anyway? I feel like I've been here for a while…

"I need to go, Mana, I have…business to attend to."

He stood up and kissed the top of my head.

"I beg of you. Stay here and let everyone protect you. I cherish you above everything else so please just listen to me."

No! I've never listened to you and I won't start now! Ow! Something in me surged as something was knocked over on the bedside table. Kuran grabbed my face and made me look up at him.

"You are in no condition to fight if that's what you're thinking," he said "Remember what happened the last time you tried to take something on by yourself?"

Right, my arm. How could I forget?

"You need to at least control your emotions before even considering going out there," he said and the door opened behind me.

"Kaname-sama…"

Kaname looked over and nodded.

"Please, you just need to stay put for tonight. I will come back."

He pressed another kiss to my head and sighed.

"I love you."

I let my head drop to stare at the dark floor. I heard his footsteps as he left and I glanced at the curtained window. I could see orange rays of light and began wondering, had I really been out for the whole night and day? Or maybe I've been out for more than one day? I'm not sure, but it did worry me. Yuki and Zero…they must be so worried…

"Mana-sama."

I turned to see Seiren as she closed the door after bidding Kuran goodbye. She looked at me and I could sense some…sympathy from her perhaps?

"Sit up properly."

I did so, feeling as if she could command me in any way with that tone of voice. She sat cross-legged in front of me and offered her hands.

"A lot has happened."

No shit.

"Take some time to meditate, it will help."

Guh, she's like a really strict older sister. I hesitated but took her hands regardless. She closed her eyes and it encouraged me to do the same.

"Focus on your breathing."

Yes, ma'am. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I already began to feel calm.

"It's difficult but training every day like this will help…cope."

She spoke as if she had experience. I opened my eyes after a while and pulled away. She opened her eyes and I motioned for a pen and paper. She pulled a notebook and a pencil out from her pockets, as if she had been expecting me to lack a voice still.

"Better to think and write instead of using your rash personality to speak first."

Oi. You hardly know a thing about me, sister. Back off. I bristled and winced as a book fell off a bookshelf.

"Your emotions, Mana-sama. Control them."

Easier said than done! I rolled my eyes and scribbled down in the notebook.

I want a change of clothes.

"I will have Souen and Toya retrieve some from your room."

Hell no! I'm not having them shuffling through my clothes!

I want to go home and change there.

"Out of the question."

Oh come on! I jumped when another book fell off the shelf.

"Emotions, Mana-sama."

You fucking bitch. Seeing her stern look, I realised that there was no talking her into letting me out. Not having the energy, I wrote down what I wanted and ripped the page out, handing it to her.

"There's a bathroom over there if you wish to wash," she said as she gestured to a door in the corner.

I nodded as she left the room and faceplanted into the mattress. I felt my body shake as I heard the mirror crack and completely shatter.