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Chapter 12:

"What is this!?"

Satoshi, Argentine and Rika ran into the room where the scream emitted from, "What happened!?"

There was smoke coming out of the room as they ran in, Satoshi stared in disbelief at the sight before him, "Daisuke you're…"

The redhead was tugging at the tail that was attached to him in a rather flustered manner, looking up he muttered miserably, "Satoshi-kun, Towa-san did something and now I have a tail and weird ears…I'm…I'm…"

"Rather cute actually…"

"Adorable!"

"A dog?"

"You're naked."

Towa frowned while Daisuke let out a yelp and covered himself, "Argentine, you're embarrassing him! Couldn't you say anything more appropriate!?"

Argentine remained where he was, arms crossed indifferently, "I was just stating a fact, I'm sure the pup appreciated it. Anyways, I'm not the one that turned him into a were-dog, couldn't you think of anything less…cuddly?"

"But Dai-chan's so adorable!"

"…whatever, welcome to the underworld, pup. Necromancer, are all the preparations done?"

A nod, "just give me the word and I'll bring them all back, but it'll only last a day, maybe a little less than that. Is that enough time?"

The blond shrugged, "we'll make it enough time."

While the three discussed their plans, Satoshi didn't say a word as he took off his jacket and covered the smaller boy with it. Upon further inspection, he couldn't help himself and ruffled the other's hair, "at least you're not human anymore."

"B-but Satoshi-kun, I'm a dog!" Despite his protest, that didn't stop him from wagging his tail or leaning in while the dhampir scratched the back of his ears. Satoshi watched and all he could think was,

Ah, how cute…

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"Dark Mousy…I see you're still alive. I brought you a bit of a treat, but you won't be able to indulge in it."

Violet eyes cracked open as he caught the scent of his three visitors…Aderyn, the damned count and…he perked up and looked over at the pale figure clad in white standing there, gold eyes watching him indifferently, "Krad!"

The count let out a laugh, "listen to yourself, you're dying from thirst, aren't you? The once great Dark Mousy. I thought you'd like it if I showed you my slave."

The thief snarled and began struggling in his bonds, "your slave!? Krad's mine! The second I get out of this, I'm going to rip your heart out, you bastard!"

"Oh? I believe you're mistaken, this angel here's clearly my pet. This," he ran a hand across the jeweled collar on the slave's neck, "is proof." Mismatched eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched the prisoner struggle despite his obvious fatigue, "who would've thought you'd get so attached to a human? It must infuriate you when I do this then," he grinned and ran a hand up the blonde's shirt.

"Get your filthy hands off him, Kano!" He continued struggling until he was out of breath and dangled there by the arms, he looked at the blond who continued staring at him, showing no response to the vampire's touches.

Then Aderyn spoke softly, "Master Kano…"

The count straightened his back, "oh right, I have things to attend to, don't I? No matter, I'm sure I have enough time to enjoy my pet first," he let out, eyes never leaving Dark, "I will see you another time, assuming you're still alive then." With that, he led the two out of the dungeon, but before he left, he turned and called out, "Dark Mousy, the only one with filthy hands here is you, remember that."

After the door slammed shut, he let out a frustrated yell and gave another tug at his cuffs before dipping his head in exhaust. "Damn it…damn it!"

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Towa looked over the blueprints for the castle and frowned, "this isn't the right one either!" Crumbling the paper up into a ball and tossed it away and began rummaging through her things, "I know I have the updated blueprints somewhere…" A moment later, the crumbled ball was placed in front of her, causing her to blink and look over, "Dai-chan?"

The redhead blinked, "you dropped it…I think…I'm not sure actually, I just grabbed it without thinking."

A moment later, she let out a happy squeal and hugged the boy, "you're so adorable! You can even play fetch! I just want to keep you here forever and ever!"

Then there was an impatient "Witch, hurry up and find the prints, we're all waiting for you. Pass me the ball, I'll keep the pup busy while you look for it."

The silver haired girl laughed triumphantly, "I knew it! You've got a soft spot for Dai-chan! It's because he's just like a puppy and he's adorable, right!? Even the great second-place-sama can't say no to something this cute!"

Argentine let out a snarl, "Just hand me the ball and look for the damn blueprints!"

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"Dark was right…I'm so sorry Aderyn, please don't blame Dark, this was all our fault, if we'd known…I'm so sorry…"

The next day, Aderyn sighed as he walked into the master chamber, he'd been given orders to clean the slave up. The room smelled heavily of sex and blood, wrinkling his nose, he walked over to where the blond was splayed on the bed and picked the unconscious boy up. As he moved towards the bath, the form stirred, "are you awake?" The slave opened his eyes groggily and looked up at the demon. He raised a brow in curiosity, the other's eyes had returned back to its original golden shade.

The slave's face reddened when he looked down to see how dirty and naked he was, "…master?"

He shook his head and gently lowered the other into the bath that'd been prepared to him, "that's not me, I'm Aderyn. Here, clean yourself up."

Golden eyes blinked in confusion as he let out quietly, "I…don't remember anything…"

The demon glanced over, "hn? What's the last thing you remember?"

"Master…please…take me…"

"Master bit me…and then I was really thirsty…"

"Yea, that'll happen to you since you were human before."

Krad perked up, "before?"

"I guess you don't remember, you're a vampire now." Sighing, he poured soap onto his hands and helped the other wash his hair, "what an unlucky human you are…were."

The blond glanced up as his hair was washed, "thank you…"

Aderyn shrugged, "whatever, I used to have to help Dark when he screwed up and ended up useless for a week. The water used to be all brown and red from the dirt and blood, that stupid reckless bastard…"

"You knew master?"

"First of all, he's not your master anymore, I don't know how this stuff works, but you're Master Kano's slave now. And yes, I knew Dark Mousy before, we were…I guess you could call us friends."

Krad turned back and stared at the bubbles in front of him, "that man in the prison cell…earlier…"

Golden-black eyes blinked, "oh, so you do remember something, that was Dark. Don't tell me you miss him…"

The slave didn't answer and continued staring.

"Hey, if you've got something on your mind then say it already." He studied the boy and let out a sigh, dumping water over the other's head, causing the other to jerk in surprise, "If you want to see him that much, I can probably sneak you in later sometime." The blond wiped the water out of his eyes and looked up at the demon, eyes wide. He waved his hand offhandedly, "don't look at me like that, I'm only taking you to go see him, it's not like I'm helping you bust him out or anything. What's so great about that guy anyways? You're picking a wanted criminal over all of this."

The younger boy looked at him curiously, "you don't like master? But…he's kind…"

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Satoshi entered the room and noticed that there was something wrong, though he couldn't put his finger on it right away, something was definitely off. Towa was busy looking at a set of blueprints and scribbling things down while Argentine played fetch with the redhead. "…what are you guys doing?"

Daisuke handed the ball back to the blond and looked over, tail wagging, "Satoshi-kun!"

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, he muttered, "…Rika-san told you guys to hurry up and figure out a plan…hey, pass me the ball…"

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Later that night, Aderyn poked his head out and looked around before motioning for the blond to follow, "make sure you stay quiet and just look down, Master Kano's in a meeting right now so we have some time. But we have to go to the subzero level of the dungeon so it's going to take some time getting there and back." Krad followed hesitantly, causing the demon to take a glance back, "what? Don't tell me you're afraid of getting caught."

The other responded with a nod.

"Whatever, if you're afraid of getting in trouble then why'd you ask me to take you there in the first place? Let's just turn around and go back."

This caused the slave to purse his lips and shake his head, "I don't mind getting into trouble…"

The demon grinned, "excellent, let's go then. It's been awhile since I've snuck around like this, how exciting."

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Dark opened his eyes tiredly when he heard the large iron door opening and closing. Groaning tiredly, he craned his neck to see who it was only to realize that his vision was starting to blur, "damn…"

Then there was a quiet, "master?"

He paused for a moment before blinking away the blurriness to find the slave standing in front of his cell, "Krad? How the hell did you get here?" His eyes followed the direction the blond pointed at and furled his brows, "Aderyn? Seriously? You brought him here?"

The demon shrugged, "I'm teaching him to speak his mind more, and apparently he wanted to see you so I decided to do him a favor…you look terrible."

A scoff, "heh, no thanks to you, you bastard."

Golden black eyes narrowed, "I'm not the one that recklessly crashed the count's banquet."

Dark was about to reply but ended up coughing dryly, "damn it…"

The slave looked at the other with a worried frown, "are you alright, master?"

"I'll live, the count didn't do anything weird to you, did he? I mean other than drag you into the underworld and turn you into a vampire…ugh," he swallowed dryly, "I'm so thirsty…"

The demon pursed his lips, "so bad you can't even talk, hm?" Giving a sigh, he undid the golden bangle that wrapped around his wrist and held it out in front of the vampire, "don't get me wrong, this is just so I can have a decent conversation with you-don't drink too much though, if I pass out from blood loss, we'd all be screwed."

Without wasting a moment, he sunk his fangs into the other's wrist and drank greedily.

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"Alright, I think I have this figured out," the blond motioned for everyone to gather round the table, "Dark's most likely being kept here," he pointed at a section of the blueprint, "the subzero level of the dungeon. This castle's weird because the bottom gets narrower as it goes down, see how all the prisons are underground? Dark's most likely at the bottom, there's only four cells there, that's where the keep the prisoners waiting to get executed. But knowing the count, he's probably torturing Dark there for fun or something so that gives us more time. We can either get into the prison from inside the castle or the bars here, which is probably safer, it'll get us into the first level of the prison."

Daisuke blinked, "and Krad-kun?"

Argentine let out a huff, "given what you've told me about him, he'll probably be in the master chamber which would be over here, which causes some complications since the security around the bedroom's probably even worse than the prison's, but don't worry, we'll get him back too. As long as we don't screw up too badly, this is all definitely doable…worse comes to worse, we'll just do all this by force."

Satoshi frowned, "why's this count after Dark anyways?"

"I guess no one explained to you how the underworld social ladder works," Rika crossed her arms, "the count hates Dark because he's a pedigree vampire, so he's been a full-blood vampire at birth which automatically gives him the highest status possible. Pedigree vampires live like kings down here. But then there's Dark, who'd rather go out and steal from other nobles and lives among…us. Though a lot of us come from noble families, the count looks down on anyone who isn't a vampire."

The blue haired boy looked at the necromancer, "I think I get it. It's pretty similar to the human world…so the count hates Dark for mingling with people from lower classes?"

Towa nodded, "more or less. That, and his constant talk about how having a thief among vampires brings shame to their whole lineage and blood and whatnot."

Daisuke tilted his head, "And Dark-kun just stayed quiet about this? That doesn't sound like him at all."

The witch laughed, "Dark? Stay quiet while someone insults him? Of course he didn't, he went and stole jewels from the count's place right afterwards. Too bad the count's the most powerful man in the underworld. The second time we went back, he managed to catch a few of us and got Dark banished from the underworld. We managed to help him escape to the mortal world though, and that's where he stayed until now I guess.

Argentine frowned, "but unfortunately, in the end, even though we promised Dark that we'd go back for the others, we were too late and they were all executed."

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With his eyesight and energy returning to him for the moment, he looked at the demon who'd pulled his arm away forcefully, "did you listen at all? I said don't drink too much, you damn bloodsucker."

He leered at the other, "Well you haven't been starving for days-if not weeks, stupid crow."

"It's raven."

After a moment, he sighed, "You can't do this, Aderyn. You can't be in between sides, you're either on my side or the bastard count's, and now that I know you're definitely not being controlled, I've been meaning to ask you this: what the hell are you doing!?" This caused the two outside the cell to stare at him in confusion. "If you're not being controlled or blackmailed, why are you here acting like a dog!?"

Golden black eyes glared angrily at him, "that's your fault! It was either this or getting executed. The day you were banished the count gave me this choice…"

Dark shook his head in disbelief, "what are you talking about!? That's not true! We didn't leave you behind, they promised me when they threw me into the mortal world!"

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"Dark, what kind of pinch have you gotten yourself into this time!?"

He perked up from staring at his shackles to the window where the voice was coming from, "Elliot? Is that you? Took you guys long enough!"

"No time to talk, move as far away from the wall as you can!"

A moment later thewall began to crackle and shine as it turned into ice, "Towa-san, now!"

Dark braced himself as the walls around him were blasted away. A moment later, someone was picking the lock to his cuffs, "Argentine? How many people did you guys bring?"

After the shackles were undone, pale violet eyes watched him, "Worry about that later, come on, Kyle and Elliot can only hold them off for so long. Toki no Byoushin's waiting outside with the snow nymph and the witch and the healer."

"All the girls came for me, hm?" He blinked as he was ushered out of his cell before protesting angrily, "wait a sec, what about the others!? Aderyn's still in there! We can't just leave him behind! They're probably being held at the level above us, can't you just blast your way up, and we'll catch them or something? You don't expect me to just leave them here, do you? I need to kick their asses for getting caught-for getting me caught in the first place!"

The blond frowned, "we'll come back for them after, haven't you heard? You've been banished from the underworld. It's not safe here anymore."

The thief struggled as Elliot and Kyle joined them and dragged him towards the hole in the wall, "It's never been safe! We have to get Aderyn and them out!"

"You could be executed on the spot! I promise you, we'll get them after! Come on, Mio's found a way for you to be teleported into the mortal world! We have to get over to the crystal forest now!"

Amethyst eyes widened, "The mortal world!? Are you insane, if it's that serious then you guys are going to get hunted too! Why am I the only one escaping!? I don't want to go to the mortal world! Toki-chan, can't you stop!?"

The icy girl spared him a glace just to shake her head silently.

Menou didn't look up as she healed his wounds, "…are you scared?"

The vampire frowned, "Of course I'm scared! You guys are going to be hunted while I'm up there avoiding sunlight and all that! I don't know anyone and I don't have any money, we're all doomed anyways so why can't I stick around here with you guys!? Instead of wasting our time trying to get me up there, we should be getting the others back!"

Argentine raised a brow, "actually, with you gone, it'd probably be easier for us to go into hiding."

Towa gave him a kick, "and stop worrying about the mortal world, you can just charm someone into giving you money!"

"But I don't want to leave you guys…"

Freedert smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "we don't want you to leave either, but there's no choice. When all of this has blown over, we'll definitely get you back and we can continue this."

Elliot nodded, "that's right. And who do you think you're talking to? Didn't you handpick us one by one? To think 'Dark's crew' would get caught by the count so easily, don't underestimate us! We're not that lost without you! The second we get rid of you, we're going back for Aderyn and them, then we'll wait for this whole thing to blow over."

His frown didn't disappear but he looked at his friends, "…you idiots better keep your word or else I'm coming back here to kick all of your asses, got it?"

His crew laughed, "You can count on it."

But that'd been decades ago…

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"They promised me they'd come back to get you! Did you really think I'd abandon you like that, Aderyn!? Answer me!"

The demon took a step back hesitantly, "I…"

"And you took that bastard count's word over mine!?"

Slightly flustered, the other snapped back, "it's not like I wanted to, I waited months in that stupid prison! Do you know how annoying it was having to listen to that damn count laughing at me!? 'Looks like they grabbed Mousy and left you here to rot, fufufu' and stuff like that!? You make it sound like I want to wear this damn collar!"

Dark scoffed, "you sound like a spoiled child, I waited decades in the mortal world, okay!?" If he could, he'd cross his arms, "…I guess I can forgive you though, since you fed me and made such a flattering impersonation of the count, you damn crow."

Aderyn scowled, "I'm not a crow…whatever, come on, let's go before the count gets back fro his meeting and finds you missing."

Krad looked from the vampire to the demon in confusion, "alright…"

"Hey Krad," the blond turned back and blinked, "whatever the bastard count told you, don't believe him. I wouldn't sell you or give you away for anything. I'll come for you after I get out of here, alright."

"Good luck with that."

"Shut up crow, I'll get you out of here too."

Golden black eyes widened at the statement while the slave took a few steps back to see the vampire, "is it alright to say what I'm thinking, master?"

The vampire was dumbstruck for a moment before nodding, "of course you can…"

The blond pursed his lips hesitantly, "…if you didn't sell or give me away, does that mean you're still my master?"

Dark gave a sheepish grin, "yea, I guess it does, doesn't it?"

This caused the blond to let out a small smile, "I…I'm glad that you're still my master, master."

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"Argentine, they've arrived!"

The blond nodded and stood up, "So we're all ready, right? Okay, necromancer, let's call everyone in for the briefing."

Rika sighed, "You haven't changed at all, the only person you'll call by their name is still Dark, hm?"

He gave an offhanded wave, "It's too troublesome trying to remember everyone's names. Hurry up and summon them."

The brunette nodded, "you better get ready, this room's going to get crowded."

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On their way back to the count's room, a voice stopped them, "and where have you two been?"

The two turned around, "Master Kano, your slave woke up and wanted to see the castle so I took him around for a bit."

Mismatched eyes flashed dangerously, "Is that so…" he grabbed the demon's wrist and squeezed hard, earning him a wince, "why do I smell blood on you then?"

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Nya~

Umm, so yea, because she is beyond extremely busy, anonym00se will not be posting a comment and there will be no more lemons until she returns as I still haven't gotten over that step in writing yet. She does send her regards though and wants to thank people for reading and whoever's still reading and the reviewers and everyone. Again, I'm updating in the middle of the night because...I'm nocturnal. That's the only explanation possible, right? But lo and behold, another update within a week! I'm definitely on a roll or something, I wonder how long it'll last...but this sorta makes up for the lack of updates during the school year, right? Oh, Daisuke's a dog because I was playing with my dog and decided that Daisuke fetching made a very cute mental image so yea, he's a were-dog now.

And you know what I just discovered? The reply button for reviews. Amazing. So from now on, I will try to answer any questions you have and stuff right away. I'm sorry if I left questions unanswered or if I took a really long time to answer them before but no more (hopefully)! So go read this new chapter and I will continue to lurk around like a creeper, looking for new things that you probably already know about fufufufu. Enjoy!