.
.
| semper memento |
and because we know it'll never last
because we learn that forever means never
after a while, we understand how far away the future is
like a blurry picture painted on a still-blank canvas
uncertain, unknown, unpredictable
so we learn, and learn
and learn
...
..
.
but in the end, all that's matter is you, so please
always remember to remember?
..
...
...
..
.
The clash of metal against metal was deafening. Shinya ducked, skittering over the damaged walls as fast as he could, trying his best to avoid the barrage of power aimed at him. A blow was soon delivered against his exposed chest, forcing him to stagger back a few steps behind. He coughed, red substances smeared across his wan lips and trickled down his chin.
"GUREN!" he screamed, Byakkomaru burning bright blue between his fingers. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
Another slash came, he leapt backwards, wincing as the sharp edge broke his skin and drew blood.
"Don't you dare—" Shinya hissed, a flicker of red passing through his eyes. "Don't you dare disappoint me, you bastard! Fight her! You're not this weak!"
A blast of energy shot through his side.
Shinya fell.
"Argh!" he coughed up blood. "Dammit Guren—"
He froze when a sharp edge suddenly pressed against the skin of his neck.
"Shinya." The raven haired man said, smiling a mad smile, but his eyes were blank. "Dear old Shinya."
"Guren." he whispered back his name. "Guren."
The man's smile widened. "Checkmate."
He pushed the sword further, and it began to cut his flesh, tearing crimson from the scarred skin. What should he do now? The man had certainly gone insane, being possessed by his late lover's altered self to fulfill her desires which still lingered within him. But Shinya wanted to see those striking violet orbs again, not the bright red which reminded him of a past gone wrong. He wanted his friend back. He wanted his Guren back.
"Guren… wake up." he gritted out, almost begging whilst clutching his throbbing chest. "Can't you hear me….?"
Can't you see me?
Shinya stopped when something struck him hard, his hand began to tremble as he staggered away from his friend's hollowed form. He looked down to see the metal already buried deep within his stomach, dark red fire eating his flesh raw.
Then, it was all black.
"I'm sorry… Shinya…."
Guren you…. you can't see me, can you?
...
..
.
His world was darkness.
He was staring at nothing, and he thought he was probably in a void somewhere across the real world. But the truth was, he was seeing pictures in his head. Pictures of corpses dying him in a shade of nauseating black; of blood splattering against his pale skin; of burning fire-gold which was everywhere he looked – everywhere he touched – because his surrounding was nothing more but ruins.
(It was like he was standing among a land of death.)
"Shinoa…" he muttered. "Where are you?"
He searched, and searched, between the corpses, between the blood. It was carnage. A nightmare. He was sick of the stale smell every time he breathed, he was sick of the horrendous sight of fire and blood and corpses, he was sick of everything and more importantly—
He was sick of himself because he couldn't find her.
The corpse beneath him was still; cold and empty. Void, glass-like eyes were staring back at him in silence. Yuichiro forced his eyes away; dreading the fact that she could be in the same position. That she could be—
No no no no no. Stop. Stop. Turn right.
He could see her, she was there, she was—
"SHINOA!"
(Inside someone's arm.)
—semper memento—
always remember
"He is like an open book, really."
"Yuu-kun is too easy to read,
he wears his emotions without any guard,
and his explosive way doesn't make it any better."
_
"But Shinoa-san—Shinoa-san changes him.
Somehow, when he's with her, Yuu-kun is not the same."
"So different, he looks like an entirely other person. And I—
_
I think he's in love.
I think—no, I know he loves her."
-Saotome Yoichi-
the ninth memory
「between here and forever, is infinite」
...
..
.
Satoru widened his eyes when some unknown boy yanked Shinoa's unconscious form away from him, not minding his protective grip around her body in the slightest. His eyes widened even more when the boy's irises began to flash from green to red, showing how little control he had over his demon and emotion right now.
"O-Oi! What are you doing!" he protested and held his place, not faltering. "Stop it!"
"Who the fuck are you?" Yuichiro growled low, his eyes darkened before they flickered bright crimson. "Get your hands off of her!"
"What the—?" Satoru could only blink at him, a shudder suddenly chilled his body when he saw the killing intent behind his irises. The anger was furious red and it scared him, but he kept his hand firm on her arms because this boy in front of him was dangerous. "Stop that! Just who do you think you are?"
"I'm her teammate!" he snarled. "Now let her go!"
Satoru clamped shut as realization passed across his eyes. He soaked in the scent of suppressed anger and swallowed it deep into his lungs; numbing his racing heart into a slow beat. He was that boy. That boy who'd left a deep scar across her heart. That boy she'd wanted to meet for the past two months. That boy who'd promised her forever. That boy who meant so much to her.
(That boy whom she loved with all her heart.)
"Oh." he whispered, finally letting go. "Oh, you're him."
Satoru could only watch as Yuichiro nestled the limp girl between his arms, murmuring her name over and over again against her deaf ears which sounded almost like a prayer. There was a haunted look in his eyes, and he looked so jaded beyond his years. Maybe it was something that came with being part of someone else; when they died they took a part of you with them too. But the thing was; she's still alive and she's already too broken to complete anyone – or anything – in that matter.
So honestly, Satoru didn't know what to feel about right now. His fiancée – the girl whom he vowed to save – was being embraced by another man but he could only sit back and watch everything from the distance. Something formed at the pit of his stomach, and it wasn't a good feeling.
(Even though it wasn't mutual; it's fine for him to feel a little bit jealous, right?)
"Hey—" Satoru moved closer, threading carefully to avoid the burnt end. He understood the pain he'd been going through; but they needed to move from this place before it's too late. "She's fine, only unconscious. I think she has a slight concussion because she hit her head but other than that—"
"Shut up!" Yuichiro glowered at him, and only now did Satoru notice the tears falling out from those seafoam-green eyes. "What did you do to her?"
Satoru blinked his eyes at the accusation.
Did he just—?
"You must have done something!" Yuichiro hissed as his eyes kept flickering from electric green to burnish red. Satoru bit his lower lip in distress, he could see that he was only an inch from losing his control over his cursed demon. If this continued, he wasn't sure what would happen to him as there was a little to no chance to turn him back into a human once he changed completely. And if that happened, the plan they – Shinoa and him – had built at the expanse of their own lives would be rendered useless.
No, he thought as he remembered Shinoa's tears and half smile. We can't afford to fail right now.
"Argh…. So troublesome…." Satoru breathed to his palm, sighing. "There's no time, okay? Just get her out from here!"
Yuichiro looked blankly at him.
Satoru screamed in frustration.
"Dammit just follow my instruction!" he finally snapped. "Go!"
Hearing the urgency in his voice, made Yuichiro aware that he was serious with his words. It didn't take him long to burst out from that wrecked ballroom, a sleeping beauty cradled inside his arms. Satoru stared after their blurry form and prayed to god that he was making the right decision by leaving his fiancée in his care. He could only hope when she wakes up; Shinoa would take the hint and beat some senses into that thick skull of her teammate.
Because he wasn't meant for a cursed life like his. Satoru was enough. The pain was enough.
I'm counting on you, Noa-chan.
...
..
.
He moved through the corpses, holding his breath.
Just what he was planning? What he was trying to achieve?
(He couldn't understand it.)
"Satoru." he whirled his head around when a hand landed on his shoulder. "Where is Shinoa?"
"Like hell I know." he sneered, barely managed to hide his disgust from showing. "Just what are you trying to accomplish by this, Kureto-sama? A massacre of nobles? Have you lost your mind?"
"What is this?" Kureto narrowed his eyes at him in return, a flash of anger visible in his eyes at the indirect mockery of his action. "Are you questioning my actions, Shij—Ah, no, Hiiragi Satoru?"
Satoru flinched back from the stare. He knew the meaning behind those words.
(Remember your place.)
"No. I'm sorry." he managed to grit those words through his clenched teeth. "Please forgive my impudence."
"Good." Kureto said. "At least you still have your manner. That girl has certainly lost hers."
Satoru balled his fists. Now, that was an insult he didn't want to hear. That girl you're talking about, he wanted to say, has more manner than you certainly lack. He held his words, of course, and instead he took another look at his surroundings. It was a mess. There was blood everywhere; on the wall, on the marble pillars, on the floor, on him, on them. And the corpses—the corpses were burnt, painted in the color of decaying black with bloodstained chains jutting out their rotting skin.
This, he thought despairingly, is not a work of a human.
A monster—Hiiragi Kureto was no human, he was a monster.
(Just a sick monster.)
"Kureto-sama." he forced out the tremble from his voice. "May I know the reason of this—" genocide "—plan?"
He straightened up when the man stared at him. Just like back then, he stared at him like he was trying to figure him out; like he was a stack of puzzles he wanted to solve; an equations full of questions he needed to fathom. Sometimes he thought that the man never seen him as nothing but a pawn to control around. A pawn he could dispose anytime he wants. A pawn just like that poor Hiiragi Shinya.
So he held his breath; waiting.
"Fine. You're technically a Hiiragi now." Kureto scoffed after a minute of silence. Satoru released his breath he was holding. "This massacre, " he said, flicking a knowing – mocking – look at him. "Is done for the blood to control the fallen angel."
Fallen angel.
Satoru narrowed his eyes. He was right. It's seraph of the end experiment all over again. But still, there were loopholes. "But the nobles, they were—"
"Not important." he cut him off. "They were Mahiru's supporters—even after her death, they still hauled her as their savior. Those kind of person—" his eyes darkened. "Did not deserve to live."
A shiver ran through his body at the harsh word.
This is Kureto Hiiragi indeed.
"So you—" he paused, choosing his words carefully. "You used Shinoa to lure them out?"
The man only gave him a condescending smirk.
"Think of it like killing two birds with one stone." he said carelessly. "Anyway, find Shinoa. I need to talk to her."
You need to pull another experiment at her you mean.
Satoru wanted to shove his sword through him but suppressed the feeling and put on a smile instead.
"As you wish, Kureto-sama."
...
..
.
Shinoa groaned when obtrusive light peaked behind her sore eyelids. Her head was hurting badly—it was like someone had pounded onto it multiple times and stepped on it to complete the touch. She shook her head, trying to subside the headache from further annoying her but it didn't pay off as the throb was still there, in the back of her skull, banging on the still-bone inhumanely.
Where I am?
She blinked to adjust her sight; but then bit back a groan when white spots began to form as soon as he opened her eyes. Blinking again, she forced her body to move from her spread-wide position with much difficulties when she realized that she couldn't feel her arms and legs. She winced as something sharp sliced through the skin of her wrists; drawing blood across the pale surface. Vaguely she could see a long, horrendous black cord pinning each of her arm and leg into the white floor.
What happened to me?
She remembered being completely helpless while her older brother had chosen a male for her; binding her within a relationship without asking for her permission first. She remembered sealing a deal with the said male, risking her life – and his life – in the process. She remembered dancing in a hall full of faces she didn't recognize with scarlet gown and high heels strapped on her body. She remembered the anger she felt when Kureto – her older brother – forced her to play princess and sweet-talk her late sister's believers. She remembered seeing him – a person she'd longed to meet since forever – and remembered his sweet words and remembered his warm touch and then—
And then, what?
What happened after that?
She drew a blank memory; unable to recall anything besides sharp pain at the back of her throat.
"Shinoa~"
Hearing her name being called, she finally opened her eyes wide before she dazedly moved them around to find the source of the sound. It was silent before she caught a silhouette of black hovered over a chair in a far-off distance, watching her.
She squinted, bringing her eyebrows together in a line. There was a tuff of lavender hair and sapphire blue scarf being played in the air. She squinted harder and found a pair of piercing cerulean eyes staring back at her.
She knew those eyes.
"….Kiyo-chan?"
The figure smiled.
"Hello, princess~"
Breathing in and out, she tried to remain calm despite the fear which began to overwhelm her senses. She knew that having two demons inside her head was a bad thing, but she didn't think that it would be this bad. "W-What are you…..?" she croaked out, "Why…?"
Hopping down the chair cheerfully, the demon sported an askew smile. "I'm just playing my part Noa-chan~ Like you play your part; like Shii plays his part; I'm just conducting my lines."
Her eyes gazed at him in confusion. "W-What do you mean?" she managed to ask between her dry lips.
The demon blinked cutely. "You're really asking me that?"
She shook her head. "W-Why I'm here? What—just what happened?"
"You human never cease to amaze me." he grinned. "It's okay, Shinoa, let me take the pain away."
She bit her lower lip hard. She didn't understand what he was talking about. "W-What?"
"Just like last time," he said, smiling sweetly. "Let me take care of the pain."
Let me take care of you.
BA - DUMP
Her mouth opened wide in a silent scream when a searing pain exploded down her abdomen, and when she looked down, the demon's hand had already moved past her body; punctured out her stomach like a metal beam while reddish substance began to pour down from the hole, coating her – and his – skin wet with blood.
BA - DUMP
"K-Kiyo—c-chan….?" she stuttered, blood pooling inside her cavern. "….why?"
BA - DUMP
"Why….. do you ask?" he whispered, his abnormally bright cerulean orbs now tainted with crimson. He began to clutch his stomach, his lids stretched even wider as laugh bubbled inside his throat. "Don't make me laugh!"
BA - DUmp
The demon pulled his bloodstained hand, watching as the girl coughed up blood, her eyelids dropping close as time passed by.
Ba - dump
"Sleep, Noa-chan…." he murmured, rubbing his knuckles against her red skin. "I'll take it from here."
Ba - du – mp –
ba – dump
ba - du—
...
..
.
He was out of breath.
Raven hair was red-matted to his forehead, blood crusted into his skin, and the smell could have forced him to gag, emptying his stomach all over the ground. Shinoa was weighed between his trembling arms, deep into sleep. His muscles ached, but he kept running along the never-ending darkness, unsure which path to take.
(He didn't know where to go from here.)
Shinya had only told him the basic – go to the ball, dress nicely, don't be suspicious, and save her god I beg you – before he went out cold. Kimizuki had treated his wounds with every medical treatment he knew, but he didn't sure if it was enough. And he – Yuichiro – had been frantic, imagining her head rolling on the floor, or her body squished against some bastard's bed; he had been beyond scared.
(He'd been afraid more than he'd thought.)
He took in a breath, the freezing air hurting his windpipe. At least she was safe now, still breathing; still alive.
But where should we go from here?
The night was blinding. There was only pure, taintless black and nothing seemed safe for them. In a broken, broken world like this, he could depend on nothing.
What a depressing thought.
He sighed, pale mist coating his lips blue. They were out from the cage now, slipping from that secret underground passage by the north gate which they'd used ages ago. The dry, barren land crunched beneath the soles of his boots as he moved through the abandoned buildings with careful steps. One, two, three—he counted the ruined skyscrapers along the way without a sound, raking his mind with any useful information that could help them right now. He didn't remember when, but at the count of thirty-three he stopped altogether to find himself standing across the ocean.
Across the black ocean.
It had been years since he saw the sea, and he missed the brilliant blue which remind him of Mika's clear, beautiful orbs—he really did. He knew that he would never see that fleeting color again for the rest of his life, because now the color of the ocean was rotten black, no longer blue.
Just like my heart.
Yuichiro stayed for a grand total of three minutes and five seconds before he turned around, never looking back.
...
..
.
Finding an abandoned shack on the other side of the sea, he laid the sleeping girl gently against a heap of torn clothes he'd found littering around. He bent down, cradling her pale face between his palms slowly; as if she was some kind of delicate porcelain doll which could crack under his careful touch.
Her cheeks are freezing cold, he thought as his thumbs brushed across the plump skin. Yuichiro let out a sigh, a relived one, because despite all the shit they'd been through at least they were still alive. At least she was still alive.
(He didn't know what to do if she was gone from his life.)
Yuichiro focused his vision; watching attentively as her chest moved up and down with her shallow breathing. His eyes trailed up, into her peach colored lips and button nose, then into her flushed cheeks, her thick lashes, before he caught her breathtaking hazel orbs looking up to him and—
Wait.
"…Shinoa." he blinked his eyes in amazement. "You…. you're—"
The girl was quiet; frighteningly so and Yuichiro found himself froze when she pulled her body up easily like she wasn't deep in sleep just a second ago. She stared at him blankly, before a wide, spine-chilling smile broke across her face, splitting it in two.
"Yuu-san~"
Shiver suddenly racked his body in waves at the seductive tone she was using to form every syllables of his name. Staggering away, Yuichiro stared into her eyes hard, as if he was trying to figure her out.
What's wrong with her?
The shift was almost unobtrusive; an evanescent kind of thing—undetectable. For a moment, Shinoa was looking at him – only looking – and the next thing he knew, a vicious, daring side of her had taken over. Reddish caramel eyes had sharpened; sweeping their gaze along the dimly lighted room and Yuichiro's frozen form. With the eerie smile still painted on her face she watched her clear reflection in those pair of beautiful seafoam irises, like she was delighted to find that her own had changed from chocolate brown to crimson.
She took a step closer to the boy, not missing the movement Yuichiro's throat made as he swallowed. Keeping her pace steady, she slowly backed him into the wall until they were almost flush with each other. Something in the back of his mind screamed at him to get the hell away from her—but he couldn't move.
"Hello, Yuu-san." she whispered – or more like purred – into his ears. He didn't know when but the girl had pressed herself into him, her burning cold palms against his chest. "I'm really happy to see you."
"S-Shinoa." he instinctively took a step back, baring his face away from hers. "Too close….."
"Hmmh?" she moved closer, her hot breath fanning his skin red. "You smell so good, Yuu-san~"
The boy shuddered when a hot, moist tongue suddenly left a wet trail along his exposed neck. Time seemed frozen as the girl began to go even further with her bold demonstration, completely ignoring the hitch in his dragged breathing as she stopped at the junction between the shoulder and neck and began to suck. Yuichiro shuddered at the feeling of teeth just barely grazing his skin and lips clamped down hard. But the girl only smiled at the display of weakness and instead put her palm to the corner of his clothes, tugging in the loose fabric softly.
His heart skipped a beat as fear began to cloud his senses. Not because of their rather close proximity, or the weird way she was behaving. He was afraid of her eyes, because they were red.
Demon's red.
As if he was pulled out from a spell, Yuichiro jerked back from the not so innocent touch. Something akin to anger began to well up in his chest, making him uneasy.
"Who are you?" he whispered, holding her wrist in a tight grip.
The girl titled her head, a condescending smirk painted on her lips. "I'm Shinoa."
"No. You're not." he said.
She giggled a bit; but the action only made the boy even furious, anger bubbling through and through his veins like parasites and he had to bit his tongue hard from snarling at the stranger. He wanted his Shinoa, not this impostor. "Where—" he hissed. "—is she?"
"Stupid boy." she shook her head, amused. "I told you that I'm Shinoa—you should believe me. After all I'm your precious person, am I not?" she whined, eyes glinting with something he couldn't put his finger on.
"I repeat," he said through gritted teeth. He had enough of this. "Where the fuck is my teammate?"
There was a pause. He glared. She smiled.
"Want to meet her?"
"Yes."
"Then let me show you the way."
Yuichiro widened his eyes when a soft pair of lips suddenly planted themselves against his pale ones.
...
..
.
The blood pasted moon shone through the creaks of the swaying trees, creating an eerie picture as the pale light contrasted with the darkness surrounding him. Mikaela pulled his coat tighter around his body in a protective manner, sighing into the freezing air. Not like the cold bothered him; it'd been a long time since he could even feel anything. The cold just reminded him of something he rather forgot. Someone he rather forgot. But as always, he was unforgettable.
His second heart; someone who had stuck with him for half a lifetime. A person who made him feel that it's alright to be alive in a broken world such as this.
(A brother he hadn't seen for so long, where was he now?)
He sighed and moved towards the pile of ruins a mile away. Sometimes he didn't understand the point of wandering around these barren lands. There was nothing worthwhile; all they could find was a pack of filthy human asking for protection. Seeing those human crawling after them – vampires; their predator; their sworn enemies – only made his stomach curled; because they were like a personification of his old, weaker self before the vampire queen forced her blood down his throat.
(He was once human, after all.)
The sound of his footsteps faltered as a familiar scent assaulted his senses; making his mind blank with the sudden intrusion. His face crunched up in agitation when he realized that he knew this scent by heart.
It was his.
Yuu-chan's.
"Mika~" he raised his head to see an annoying progenitor waving his ridiculously long arm at him. For a moment, his anxiety was forgotten because like it or not, he was on mission. He had the responsibilities to carry out his duty. Even though he was aching to abandon everything and ran after that sweet scent of his brother, he needed to execute his job first.
"What is it?"
"Come on, we're going to the north~"
Mikaela closed his blue streaked orbs, breathing in and out. The scent was becoming stronger and stronger by now and it suffocated him. But he didn't let it show; his expression ice-cold; his feet moving towards his squad in even steps.
Just wait for me, I'm going to save you.
...
..
.
Shinoa pressed him back roughly; backing him up against the wall behind with their lips still connected with each other. The boy groaned when she began to nip at his upper lip, licking at the soft appendage until it turned angry red. Then there were hands running up his barely clothed chest. She was clutching at whatever she could put her palm into without a second thought and Yuichiro felt his skin just give away beneath her burning fingertips.
He tried to crane his neck to tear their lips away – his lungs began to fail him; he couldn't breathe – but her strong grip on his hair prevented his head from moving. Like she knew about his plan to break free, Shinoa curled her fingers tighter, switching to sucking on his bottom lip instead. Losing his train of thought, he tried to protest, only to have the girl interrupted by biting down on his lip hard.
Yuichiro gasped when pain suddenly assaulted his senses, unknowingly giving her a total access to the inside of his burning cavern. Shinoa's tongue was hot as it traced every nook and cranny of his teeth, trying almost desperately to goad him into responding. Stilling as a taste of foreign tongue thrust past his lips – searching and probing – the only thing he could feel was the fire which began to build at the pit of his stomach.
The kiss become harsher, wilder—she was literally robbing every breath of him and left him in a state of pure wanting. He tried to keep his head clear; his heart steady; his body unresponsive; but with every brush of those tantalizing lips against his bruised ones he was slowly losing his mind into the dark part of himself.
To think that he was going to lose to her again was almost laughable, but he knew he couldn't restrain himself any longer. So he took his chance, responding to the heated kiss by swirling his tongue eagerly over hers.
He knew it was wrong of him – he seemed like a total bastard for taking advantage of her unstable state – but for God's sake he'd been waiting to kiss her for months. Wrong or not, he could no longer keep this frustrating feeling at bay; and instead of thinking about what an ass he's being right now or how the girl would pound him when she'd found out, he tried to savor the addicting taste of hers and planted it into his mind so he would remember it forever.
As he began to work himself against her eager kiss, their movement escalated into a full battle – tongue against tongue; teeth against teeth – which had no winner. The corner of his mouth lifted a little when she mewled into their kiss; her breathing getting heavier and heavier as seconds gone by.
Desperate for air; she finally broke their kiss with a little smack and his gaze automatically followed the string of saliva which formed between them. Wincing as he felt the mini crescents where her nails had dug in, Yuichiro tried to compose himself and his scattering thoughts. "S-Shinoa—" he paused when their eyes meet each other; steeling his spine against the tremor that threatened to run down at the look she had on her face. It was that look again; a foreign look she had been wearing for the past months.
(He truly hated that look.)
"Yuu-san…."
Shinoa didn't know what exactly happened which landed them into this situation. She didn't even know who the hell made the first move between the two of them because her mind was a mess and the only thing she could register was the warmth of his breath on her skin.
It's like she wasn't herself anymore. It's like she was a different person altogether.
Do it little one, a familiar voice whispered. Have a taste.
Her mind blanked.
Taste him.
Threading her fingers through Yuichiro's dark hair, Shinoa pulled his head aside to bare his neck to her before she sank her pointy teeth – fangs – into the smooth expanse of skin. Moaning at the intoxicating flavor which swarmed her mouth and across her taste buds, Shinoa pressed herself closer to him; feeling all hot and bothered with the burning sensation at the back of her throat.
"S-Shinoa….."
Hearing her name uttered through his lips made her moan got even louder. She buckled helplessly against the male's shivering built as she sucked greedily, and even engulfing the red substances which trickled down his collarbone with the sweep of her tongue. Her lips sweltered because of the hunger inside her which could not be satisfied, making her legs weak and leaving white spots across her vision. Gasping for more, her hearing went out completely, her mind shutting down and the only thing she could focused on was the addicting taste inside of her mouth.
"S-Shinoa w-wait….."
She could hear her name being repeated continuously like a mantra, but it was unclear, like the sound was from far off; only an echo, a stifle. Brushing it off as only her imagination – her mind was blank – she continued lapping at the skin beneath her mouth. It was like the whispers of encouragement in her head had increased in frequency and volume, blocking out most of the noise of refusal in her ears. Shinoa inhaled, breathing in the scent of their attraction. Something inside her laughed, encouraging her to keep the game on; to keep tasting him; tasting him until there's nothing left—until he's gone.
Do it, little one.
Surrendering to the desire which flared inside; Shinoa prepared herself to drink more from him to quench her thirst, but then stopped when she felt something cold grazed against her neck; cutting lightly through her pale skin.
She froze when Yuichiro's eyes began to bulge out from their sockets; disbelief written across his face. Sound of billowed cloak reached her sensitive ears with fast steps echoing at the background. An animalistic growl accompanied by a click of metal and then—
"Get the fuck off Yuu-chan."
Shinoa blinked when a wet sensation touched the back of her throat, snapping out of her trance. Pausing her ministrations, she drew her face away from the crook of Yuichiro's neck and looked at the unfamiliar person behind her dazedly only to have the person snarled, baring his fangs at her. She winced a little when the sensation intensified but except that she didn't make any move at all.
(The sharp edge went deeper, and only then she realized that it was actually blood trickling down her skin; coating it dark red.)
"What the fu—MIKA! Pull you sword away!"
The vampire ignored the order; his grip firm around the hilt, no intention of letting go.
"I said, get off."
The girl did as she was told, still blinking in what could have been confusion and slight fear. Mikaela narrowed his eyes.
What the hell was wrong with her?
It was like she's a different person altogether. Although her eyes were still fixated on Yuichiro's mouth – glazed over, a faraway gaze in them – gone was the bloodthirsty look on her face. Mikaela could not even find an ounce of threatening vibes from her which he felt just a second ago but he would rather choke on his own tongue than admit he'd felt almost sorry to put her though his unwelcome assault.
"I—" Shinoa blinked again. "J-Just what….."
His gaze sharpened into her face.
"MIKA PULL YOUR SWORD AWAY FROM HER!"
Mikaela pursed his lips, still examining the shaking girl with great care to gauge how she was taking everything. She seemed to be taking it quite bad, although with her emotionless face, the vampire couldn't be too sure. But there was something he noticed almost immediately.
"MIKA—!"
Her eyes weren't red anymore.
"LISTEN TO ME DAMMIT!"
Seeing that, the vampire began to pull away then tugged his screaming brother into his secure hold; hissing at the high volume which assaulted his sensitive ears. "Can't shut up for a moment Yuu-chan?" he said, annoyed. "I'm just a second away for rendering you unconscious here."
Mikaela snorted when the boy had the gall to glare at him; a scowl apparent on his face. "Just don't point your pointy sword at her!"
"You such an idiot." he sighed, masking his word back into its hostler before he turned to the wine haired vampire behind him. "I need to talk to him for a moment."
"Wait Mika—"
"And why do you have to ask permission?" The vampire titled his head. "It's not like the usual you."
"Whatever." Mikaela rolled his eyes. "Just… don't kill her."
"Aye aye captain~" he mock saluted him.
And just like that—they were gone into the night.
...
..
.
What have I done?
That was the only thing which pasted across her mind for the last minutes.
What have I done?
She licked her lips. The sweet taste of Yuichiro's blood still remained between her teeth.
What have I done?
She had no strength to follow after them, and instead of running away, Shinoa only watched as the man – vampire – joined her wrists against each other in a loose bound. It seemed like the vampire knew that she had no intention of escaping; so instead of binding her hands back to limit her movement, he did it at the front. She made use of this to stare at her palms. They were perfectly still now, completely at odds with the confusion swirling through her.
(She was the worst, wasn't she?)
Ignoring the urge to empty her stomach all over the floor, Shinoa breathed out a shaky breath. Even though some part of her knew that what she'd done was going to happen sooner or later, even though her mind was rejecting the possibility of her turning this fast; her body had already accepted it as truth. As reality.
Now, she felt like a complete fool for believing his words just like that.
Nothing will be alright, Yuu-san. You lied to me.
She was a fool for believing in fairy tales. For a girl who grew up with a patch-up family and a bunch of lies, to believe in the boy with the perfect smile and kind eyes was a mistake. Because he couldn't save her – or anyone in that matter – and he couldn't drag her from this hell despite how hard he tried to because she was a lost case. She was broken—and that's it. She was broken and he couldn't fix her up enough for her to feel alive again.
She didn't want to admit it, but when everything finally clicked on place, suddenly it made sense. Everything made sense the moment his blood washed her throat with its tantalizing taste. It explained the weird events of her continuing bad dreams and memory loss. No—not memory loss because she didn't lose her memories. Not if she had never experienced them in the first place. Not if another person had experienced them in the first place.
It was you, wasn't it? Kiyoshi?
(A fleeting laugh echoed in her head, as if answering her rhetorical question.)
So it's you.
"It's nice to see you again~" she quickly composed herself when a tall built blocked her sight. The man – vampire – bent down and tugged at the restrain around her wrists playfully. "Looks like a good ol' joke, really."
Shinoa pursed her lips tight. "13th progenitor, Crowley Eusford. What an honor."
"A pleasure to meet you." he did a little bow mockingly.
"Likewise." she mocked back with a little – but empty – smirk on her face.
He frowned at the badly hidden insult, feeling quite disturbed that a mere human like her dare to taunt him. "I would watch that mouth if I was you."
"I suggest to watch your own, Crowley-sama." she snorted, her tone ever so mocking. "You're a noble, aren't you? I expected more from you."
The red orbs glittered dangerously, and Shinoa braced herself for the upcoming pain but she was met with nothing.
She raised her eyebrows at him, but he only stared at her blankly.
"He would have killed you, you know?" he said, sharp crimson eyes glowing bright. "When he held you, I was looking through him. I could smell his emotion, and you know what? He really didn't want to kill you. But even though he was uncertain—I could see conflicts in his eyes—his hands were steady, his gaze unwavering. And his heart… his heart didn't miss a beat." he chuckled, a bit amused with the whole thing. Human did wonder to his imagination. "That boy is one hell of a good killer despite his young age. He would have killed you if he had to, you knew that, didn't you?"
"I know." she said softly. "But Mika-san would never hurt him. Not if he can help it."
Crowley titled his head. "That demon boy? You think he didn't kill you because that boy?"
"A part of me does." she shrugged. "Another just because he was—is human. His eyes, they haven't changed. Still blue."
The vampire couldn't help but watch the girl with interest; lest she was joking and just trying to put him off. But as seconds passed her gaze hadn't changed. Only then he finally realized that there wasn't even an ounce of humor inside those words.
What an interesting little one.
Crowley doubled over in laughter. "God, you are one hell of a human, girl. I think I like you." he said, smirking.
"Sadly I don't." she fired back, mocking. "So I suggest you watch your back, mister bloodsucker."
The vampire whistled. "Feisty, aren't you?"
She just smiled. His smirk widened.
"Fine, lil' human. Let's see what the queen has in store for you."
—tbc?
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author's note:
….I think I need to change the rating real quick. That's certainly some kinky material I put up there. But well, there's your kiss! I'm really sorry for tainting any innocent minds out there. The plus-plus scenes must have fried the hell of your brain circuits. I know because it burns mine too but God knows they need to resolve the frustrating sexual tension sooner or later.
(I really need to stop reading those N/C materials… but should I change the rating into M? I'm wondering…..)
Ahem.
Hello to you amazing readers of this fanfic. Well, this is actually not an update, but more like a special chapter to celebrate Semper Memento's one year anniversary. Can you believe it? I can't even—wow, it's been a year! Banzaiiiiii! \(^0^)/
I don't know what to say…. so many things happened, bad things and good things alike; and I find myself growing closer to be a kind writer that I thrive to be when I first started this story. I'm really happy to be here, despite all the hardships and ridiculous hate I'd to put up with for the past months. Even though it's hard, I'm quite proud of myself because at least I could finish this chapter on time.
A lot of you have been asking if I'm okay and even though I can't say that I'm fine right now; at least I'm healing. I'm human too, I can feel pain too. And what I've been feeling in the past month is really crazy I wonder I haven't burst yet. It's all about emotional pain, you know? No rational thinking will ever work when feeling is involved, and well, it's been months. I'm no saint, I guess I've reached my breaking point. Just don't be sorry okay? No one is at fault here. I just hope you guys understand that healing takes time, that's why I need you guys to be there when I finally decide to continue this story again.
June 10th; a very unique date isn't it? I hope this fic will have another June 10th to be remembered. I really hope so.
Last, to all of you, the super awesome reviewers who encouraged me to continue this story, I really thank you for the bottom of my heart. I'm only continuing this story because of you guys and I'm sorry that this is all I could give you now. Despite how small; how short it is; I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. And ah, as always please forgive me for any errors or typos or any mistakes God knows I've tried my best *peace*
Once again, thank you and see you next time ^^
-hinoiri lwin-