Authors note: I'm back bitches. It's been a while since I've updated because I didn't have Internet and I have a lot of school work but here it finally is. Maybe I can pump out another chapter before going to work. Anyho, read, review and enjoy.

Down the wrong path

Mello rolled over the words still playing in his mind over and over again. He wasn't even sure anymore what he was planning on doing with the other boy, he wasn't like that but when Mail looked at him with those eyes he didn't know how to respond. There was just something about Mail that made him want to break him but it was clear that his father had already done that. He paused. That wasn't true. Mail still possessed that challenge in his eyes.

"Necessity means nothing when one wishes to do something." Mail had said to his words and he let him go. Actually, he shoved him to the other side of the room and yelled at him to get out. He could still faintly hear the red head moving around in the room beside his. It was taking everything in him not to go back in there to get him but nothing with Mail was ever normal. For all he knew a beating would turn into sex and he wasn't ready to step over that line just yet…what was he saying? Ever. He was never stepping over that line.

He had literally thrown everything in his arsenal at him. He had told him that no one loved him and never would, that he was nothing but a whore to be used by his father but the look of pain that crossed behind his eyes was something that Mello had never seen before. It looked like he had hurt his feelings but he doubted that someone like Mail had emotions.

He covered his face. This was fucking crazy, all of it. He just wanted…he wasn't sure what the hell he wanted anymore.

~*xXx*~

Mail sat in the uncomfortable chair across from his bed. He couldn't sleep, at least not right now. Instead he sat the vile across the room from him on the bed and stared at it. Not even his bruising face was enough to get his mind off of this. It was a test of some sort but he wasn't sure what he was being tested for. That was how Raito worked. Only he knew the final expectations of everything he did. For all Mail knew Raito was going to use him to get rid of his wife and then turn him in.

He didn't the other times….

The voice piped up from the back of his mind. "Why do you do this to me?" He glanced at the door to Mello's room before thinking about that night. The night that he was certain that Raito was going to kill him on the spot. The only time in his life he actually feared anything was that night.

"Do you know who I am?" The hiss came as the King of the Lands, Raito, stood unsheathing his sword the blanket that had previously covered their passion slipping down his back like water. "You dare sit here and talk to me about such things. I could take your head here and now, boy."

Mail lay slightly surprised by the turn of events. "I'm sorry My Lord, I didn't mean such a thing to be said."

The glare that followed made Mail want to break for the door. It would be useless of course. No one here was going to protect him from the King's wrath.

"I give you everything. I promise you a beautiful future and this is what you say to me." He towered over the boy. He bent down to look him in the eyes. "The next time you speak like that I will kill you. There will be no preamble, just your death. Do you hear me?"

He nodded slowly reaching for the blanket to cover himself as the man stepped on it. "My lord."

"Silence. Go stand in the corner until I feel like looking at you again."

"Maybe I should just kill him myself." He mumbled to himself.

~*xXx*~

"What happened to you? My father came back and claimed you as his?" Mello asked sitting beside the boy on the bed. "You look tired."

Mail turned over to look at the other. He wasn't even sure when he made it into bed but by the looks of the prince it was time to get up. He had even dressed himself without forcing Mail to go through the annoying and often thankless job of helping the Prince. It looked like everything from last night was left behind.

"I had a nightmare." He replied sitting up and looking around the room like he had never been there before. "I'm sure you slept well."

Mello grinned, "Like an angel." He responded tapping the boy. "Go get my tea for the morning. Hurry up, I need my thirst quenched."

Mail propped his head up, "You can't go get it yourself?" He asked quietly looking a bit pale.

The blond thought about it for a few seconds before shaking his head. "No, go do your job that you get this bed for. Get your ass up." He yanked the blanket off the boy and tossed it aside onto the floor. "Hurry up, hurry up."

Mail looked reluctant at first but he slowly slid to the other side of the bed. He then took his time quietly dressing while the prince watched before bowing in the most irritated manner Mello had ever seen of someone who wasn't speaking. With the bow he was gone and Mello was off to morning breakfast.

~*xXx*~

"Come on Mail." One of the cooks called tapping the silver metal dishes while the boy picked it up. "Into the dining room, we're running late. Last time this happened they had someone's head."

Mail sighed, "Of course they did." He mumbled slipping past racing attendants and kitchen personnel. The double doors that led into the dining room were propped open so he slipped through at the head of the line. Deep down he tried not to look at the King, he really did try but that amber gaze followed him even as he placed the food onto the table and took up his position beside Mello.

Green eyes locked with amber and the slow serpentine smile of the King returned. He knew just by looking at him.

"My tea's gone cold, Matt." Mello glanced behind him as the red head shrugged slightly. "Good help is so hard to find these days." He mumbled drinking the cold tea with a disgruntled look on his face.

"Isn't that the truth." Misa said in her sing song voice sipping tea.

"Dear, you may want to slow down. You do drink a lot of tea." Raito said in a gentle fashion watching her cough slightly. He handed her a handkerchief as the coughs came in a quicker succession. The handkerchief came back tinted in rusty red as she stared wide eyed at it. "What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth to speak before releasing a pained half breath and shoving herself away from the table. Blood dripped from her nose and mouth as she frantically looked around as if making sure everyone was seeing the same thing she was.

"Mother?" Mello was out of his seat and at her side when she collapsed into his arms. "Mother!" He called desperately.

Raito pushed himself back from the table bending down beside his ailing wife. "Call a doctor! Hurry!" He called picking her up from Mello and storming out of the room, Mello at his heels.

Matt crossed his arms turning to leave the room.

"The new one is treading on very thin ice." Near's attendant L said. Matt hadn't even seen him or Near come in but maybe word spread quickly.

He smiled, "It's the only way I know how to." L looked like he understood for a moment before reaching into his pocket and swallowing four sugar cubes in a quick succession. "I'll be fine."

"You always did know how to take care of yourself." L said softly before strolling forward in the opposite direction of Mail.

~*xXx*~

A potent poison that even administered in small doses would kill the individual. Mail examined his now empty vile. He didn't have to use all of it but he didn't have a reason not to. Who would have known it would have made her bleed like that?

The Cheshire grin that spread over his face was displayed to him in the mirror across the room. He laid back, a gentle snicker leaving his throat until he was in full hysterics rolling over the bed. If they wanted to play the game he could play the game but he took no prisoners.

And no one is safe.