I felt him inhale against my neck. I was frozen and disgusted. The raw, aching memory of fangs in my flesh kicked me into action.
"N-no-" I gasped, breathless. His lips were cold and damp. I thrashed in his unyielding grip frantically seeking escape but he pulled me closer. My shoves were ineffective, my arms felt useless; panic rushed through my veins as I groped wildly at my evaporating hope. All sensibilities fled and my mouth ran wild. "I-I'm not your dinner! Y-you can't just do this- I'm Aika Tsukimura! Stop! Don't touch me!"
I was going insane; he was too close..! I don't want to be bitten! I couldn't move. Please..! Trembling, my shaking hands managed to seal his mouth, wedged tightly between his lips and my neck. I don't want to be food; it hurts so much..!
He froze. And I froze. I was gasping. I counted four frantic heartbeats before I couldn't contain my rampant stupidity. Panic bubbled up my chest and out my mouth.
"D-don't do it! Or else I'll pass out and you'll have to carry me! O-or- if I die you won't-"
Suddenly my mouth was covered. He pressed his cold palm over my face and glared me down with frosted fire. My eyes were wide. He easily pulled my hand from his lips and pressed it into the cot. His skin is so cold... I didn't resist. I was scared.
"... you're getting very annoying.."
For once, he sounded fully awake. And immediately, I knew that wasn't a good thing... with his drowsiness gone, churning resentment stirred behind his alert eyes. He spoke quietly, but his intense hostility cut me deeper than any knife. I felt vulnerable, trapped beneath him. He narrowed his eyes.
"... I should drain you and be through with this charade..."
… d... drain me...? As in kill me...? My heart ached with sudden longing for my family. They would be so devastated... if I were to die... I closed my eyes against the tears. But maybe it would be the best solution... this is so disgusting... I don't know if I can handle any more of this degrading biting..!
Giving in would have been much easier than fighting. But Shu didn't sink his teeth into my neck. Instead, he sighed. "... don't look so pitiful... it's a pain."
I wasn't sure what he meant. But I didn't have time to wonder. With inhuman speed, he rose and pulled me to my feet. I gasped as my knees gave out under my sudden weight, leaving me dangling by the wrist he held in his cold grip. He sighed again, rubbing his neck.
"Tch... you're a never ending bother, woman..." He muttered, dropping me onto the floor. I winced in pain as I collapsed. "... hey. Just because I've decided not to kill you now doesn't mean I'll be so generous later." He nudged me indifferently with his foot, drawing a glare from me. "You're just so noisy.. I don't want to deal with your screaming right now..."
The biting cold of the stones against my skin soothed my fevered panic. As fear faded, resentment was quick to resume its dominance in my heart; it was comfortable there. I grit my teeth as I forced myself to stand on shaking legs. My breaths were uneven and I swayed twice, but even so, by standing on my own I was able to gain some form of control. The ground was under my feet and my heart was beating; it was a good place to start regaining my footing.
The monster watched me with an arched brow before shrugging.
"Follow me... and don't be a bother, or else I'll leave you behind. I don't have the energy to drag you..." He muttered, turning and stepping through the wreckage of the cell bars. I hesitated, swaying. I... I should follow him... there are other monsters here... but even knowing that, I don't want to be around him...! He didn't pause as he began his even strides into the darkness. "Hn... you stay here if you want to, woman... but I promise those three will be back..."
Hearing that voiced made my legs follow after him. Whether I wanted them to or not. I picked up the torch as I passed it.
"No. Leave that." He said sharply. I was surprised by his forcefulness. When I looked up, I realized he was awake again; his eyes were bright as he stared from the shadows. He's two completely different people, isn't he...? Cautious, I put it down slowly and he closed his eyes. Satisfied, the lion inside him went back to sleep. Turning, he continued walking. "We won't need it."
I swallowed thickly, giving the fire one last glance before scurrying after him. What is wrong with this guy...? Oh right. He's a monster. There's probably plenty of things wrong with him... I pushed down my uneasiness as I followed him. But as the light faded entirely behind me, all that was left was the steady sounds of his shoes on the stones. And I found it harder to press the unease into the back of my mind.
Click... click... Click.. click...
I felt the shadows closing in around me. Like a thick, smothering blanket. I was already fighting to stay upright, in complete dark, it was even harder to stand; I couldn't tell what was up, and what was down. Claustrophobia gripped me and I couldn't stop myself from reaching out for him. When I touched him, he paused, making me run into his back.
"S-sorry, I.. can't see.." I murmured, as if I should be embarrassed that I didn't have night vision. I frowned bitterly. Why are you saying sorry, Aika..?
"Hmph." He said quietly after a moment. "That's fine... cling to me. You're learning your place, woman. The sooner you understand that I'm your only hope in this place, the better..."
He resumed walking as if he hadn't scalded my ego. I let his shirt slip through my fingers and stared into darkness. I scowled hideously, rage boiling through my aching veins. Oh... is that so...? I marched after him, staring down at the black nothingness. It's too bad I already know my place. I know it's with my family, taking care of them... it's you who's going to learn... you're the one who's mistaken...!
I closed my eyes, fists shaking. I... I'm not sure I can pretend to obey these monsters... my pride won't let me, will it...? My eyes pricked and I rubbed them furiously, sullenly following his echoing footsteps. I'm not sure how this is going to end for me... my disobedience will probably get me killed... and poor Haruka... and mother and father... I won't see them again...
Tears rolled down my cheeks, slipping through my fingers overflow from a dam of misery. Damn it, Aika..! Why can't you just be obedient! PRETEND! Your family needs you, and your stupid pride won't let you save them..! Why are you so weak, Aika...?
"Tch." I froze. His voice was too close. When did he stop walking? "What a pathetic woman. Crying in front of a man..? What a disgrace..."
My cheeks blazed as I took a step back. Shit..! He can see in the dark, can't he..?!
"Oh..? What a face." I flinched as his cold fingers touched my chin, tilting it up. Instinctively and furiously I pulled away. He chuckled cruelly. Th-this monster... he's enjoying playing with me, well I've had enough of his games..! Cut to the chase!
"So what now...? What is going to happen to me?" He said they were going to 'educate' me on my 'place'. How does this bastard imagine he'll do that?!
"Ahhh... you really never shut up..." His voice ebbed as he turned away in the darkness. He was probably rubbing his neck in that lazy way he did. "Hn... this is all such a bother... where should I start with you...?"
I scowled, following his lazy steps with loathing. I didn't like feeling like a bother, especially when I was forced to be one in the first place...!
"Ahh... I know. First we'll get that peasant stink off of you.. you reek. I can barely stand to be within fifty feet of you..."
I stopped in my tracks, mouth indignantly agape. It's not my fault I work for a living, damn it..! If I'd known I was going to be around such refined monsters, maybe I would have freshened up...! Pff... but not likely...
"... after that, we need to get you properly outfitted in servant garb..." He continued thoughtfully. I scowled at the idea, but quickly schooled my expression when his walking stopped echoing. His voice turned towards me, and I knew he was watching me with those cold eyes. "Listen, human. You're going to be a servant here, but you will be my servant, do you understand?"
… yours..?! As in a belonging?! His steps slowly approached me and I froze up. Teeth grit together, I wrestled with the urge to back away like a frightened animal, but when he touched my chin I couldn't stop. Gasping in panic I pulled away. I don't belong to anyone..!
A hard shove on my chest, quickly pulled me off of my feet and a forceful hand held my neck. My eyes went wide in the dark as my lungs surrendered precious air on impact with a wall behind me. My hands closed around his wrist, but other than that I didn't move. I didn't struggle; he wasn't strangling me. Yet. His palm pressed against my rising and falling collar bones, and his fingers touched the straining skin of my throat, but he didn't squeeze. He wasn't trying to kill me, but the warning was there... it said I hold your life in my hand. And I wasn't stupid enough to not hear it. I closed my eyes in resigned fury.
"Tch... stop fighting... it makes you such alluring prey... that sort of thing is going to get you into trouble..." His cool breath brushed across my neck. I cringed and reflexively squeezed his wrist, longing to shove him away. But he didn't try anything more. He continued calmly. "There are many humans in this castle; slaves, prisoners and blood bags. We lords take what we want from them, and honestly you have no right to reject any of us... But this is a special case. You are still a citizen of my domain, here under my tutelage, not a slave to our castle so that means you belong to me..."
Heat threatened to burst in my cheeks. The heat of fury. So you want me to be your personal bloodbag... how romantic, Shu-Sama. I'm flattered. I held my tongue on a strained leash.
"That being said..." His voice retreated a fraction. "Those three brats will definitely try to get at you again... when that happens, just try not to die. It's a bother, but struggling excites them, and it's too much trouble to save you each time your running makes them chase you..."
S-struggling excites them..?! And I can't run from them?! And y-you're just gonna let them.. do that again!? You're not gonna stop them!? I couldn't reign in my outrage. It lashed out wildly. "Th-then what am I supposed to do..?!"
"Tch... such poor manners..." He closed his fingers around my throat for a moment; I flinched ruefully. "Hnn... but honestly... considering their personalities, I suggest submitting to them... after all, you are just a human woman.. if you pretend to be dead, they'll go away."
I felt sick. As appealing as that idea sounds... I'm not sure I'll be able to stomach "submitting to them," Shu-Kun...
"But." His voice turned hard, and again, his fingers curled for a moment. I felt fear splashed across my face. The cold of his palm seeped into my bones and sunk into my heart as his voice drew close and his breath sifted through my hair. "Do not imagine developing a relationship with them... I will not tolerate my prey being stolen away by a foolish younger brother..."
My head spun at his proximity and I couldn't stop the panic from bubbling up and out of my mouth. "Y-younger brother...? You mean those three are related to you..?!"
He was quiet a moment, and his grip slackened. "My half brothers... they're triplets."
… triplet vampires..? The idea mystified me. "So you're the eldest... then why don't they listen to you?"
His fingers slipped from my throat entirely and I heard his heel click as he took a step away. Only one step. I was still trapped, even if I couldn't see the threat in the dark.
"Hnnnnn..." He grumbled tiredly. I could imagine him rubbing his neck and grimaced. ".. it's too much of a bother to control my brothers... pureblood vampires are so willful..."
I made an irritated face in the dark. And I'm not willful...? Somehow that hurts my feelings.
"Oh..? Are you wondering why I'm bothering to play with you...?" He chuckled curiously. I jumped in shock as his fingers touched my jaw, tilting my face up. I gasped at the touch and froze as I felt his breath on me again. The dark was so disorienting...! I didn't know how to move or when he was going to touch me; it was maddening! "Because, little girl. Taming a pathetic woman...? That shouldn't be too difficult." His fingers lightly trailed down my neck, pausing at my racing pulse. Goosebumps rose on my cold skin. "... breaking your feeble will should be easier than training a puppy... and when that happens, you'll beg me to drink your blood.."
I was trembling. At first in fear. But then in fury. Oh, I'll beg you...? I glared blindly into the dark. But even if I couldn't glare exactly into his pompous leer, I glared whole heartedly. We'll see... you might think you've won. I might put on a show of being the person you want me to be... but I'll never be anything other than Aika Tsukimura. Deep down inside, where it counts, I'll still resent you... I'll still be the same person! No matter how much it hurts... because my family needs me... and no one but Aika Tsukimura, the cross-dressing woman, can save my family!
"Oh...? Such an angry face... are you trying to scare me away?" I was amusing him. And nothing pissed me off more.
I'm not your pet! I won't do tricks for your enjoyment! I ignored his question, heat churning in my chest and stupidity bouncing around my head. "How did you become vampires...?"
He was silent a moment. "You ask so many annoying questions..." His mirth evaporated and his hand dropped back to rest on my chest. His voice dripped with loathing. "What, are you dreaming of immortality? Do you too crave this endless night, you worthless human..?"
I couldn't take it anymore. I slapped his hand away. "No! I want to know how to avoid becoming a monster..! Now that I've been bitten.. I won't start trying to kill people for food, will I..?!"
Surprisingly, he pulled away. His shoes clicked twice in the dark. Even more surprisingly, he answered my question. "Hn... no... something as simple as that wouldn't turn you... or else there would be many more of us running around... it would be a pain." He sighed in the dark. "No, becoming a vampire is not that easy... The six of us lords were born. So don't you fret your little head; you're staying worthless and pathetic until the day you die, human."
My stupidity reached its highest point of the night when I next opened my mouth. "... I'd rather be worthless and pathetic.. than... than being a mindless killing monster!"
I felt the air around me drastically chill. And regret gripped my heart. God damn it, Aika...
"Hn... you're a little too confident, aren't you...?" He muttered sourly. His hand roughly shoved me against the stone, truly strangling me this time. My eyes went wide. My nails clawed at his unyielding flesh. My head felt too full. "A human calling me a monster to my face... are you trying to get bitten?"
I cringed at the acute ache where one of his brothers had pierced my throat. I was making pathetic noises, but I couldn't stop. Y-you've really.. done it this time Aika...!
"Hah... are you already addicted to the pain? What a perverted woman.." He murmured excitedly. With a sigh he released his crushing grip on my throat and I gasped for breath. I was too busy grabbing for air to fight as he wove his fingers into my hair. "Well... I guess it can't be helped... prepare yourself for your first punishment."
The first touch of his teeth awoke my sensibilities. "N-no! Stop it Shu-"
"No." He cut firmly. "... stop misbehaving and I won't have to do this anymore..."
He drew the needles of his fangs across my tender throat and I couldn't stop myself. Insanity frayed my mind. I shoved him away from me with all my strength. "STOP IT! I'm not your food, damn it! I'm alive! You can't do this to me! You can't just-"
My head hit the stone with a bang that reverberated through my tender skull. My eyes rolled in pain and I gasped, but his hand smothered the sound. My brain felt like a violently splashed puddle, echoing with waves of agony. Was my head cracked? I couldn't tell. But the vampire pinning me to the wall didn't give me a chance to check.
"Be. Silent."
The lion was awake.
I didn't need to see his eyes to know it this time. That I had stirred a monster.
"You are nothing more than a meal to me; something tasty that happens to move. What happens to food in the process of a meal doesn't matter; do you worry about the state of your soup when you stir it..? No? Then don't expect me to worry for your safety..." I was keenly aware of his breath on my neck. My head swam and my knees shook. My eyes were stinging hopelessly. "If you keep struggling, I'm going to make it very unpleasant for you, woman... so hold still while I rob you... you can't escape my fangs..."
I couldn't stop the gross tears that rolled from my eyes and gathered at his hand that smothered my air. I couldn't stop from trembling as he tilted my head to expose my throat to him. I couldn't stop from whimpering. It was pitiful to me... and apparently to him as well.
He sighed. "... your tears are getting in the way... annoying." Suddenly, he pulled away entirely. I collapsed in a loathsome heap. "Tch. I've lost my appetite.. let's go. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can sleep..."
I was numb. And in shock. How many times... has he almost bitten me...? I looked down into the homologous black. I felt too weak to stand. How many times have I been on death's door step in one night...? I wiped my cold, damp cheeks with trembling fingers. I'm not sure what his lenience means... but I doubt it's out of kindness...
"Hurry up... or I'll leave you behind."
On stumbling legs, I chased after his echoing footsteps. Come on, Aika...! Can't you just be glad he's not biting you..!? Stop trying to provoke the blood sucking monster, damn it..!
Ahhhhhhh..! I re-wrote this one sooooo many times...! And the story is progressing a lottttt slower than intended, so I'm sorry..! Haha, I keep expecting each chapter to have twice as much content as it ends up having.. but oh well. I'm not unhappy with this, even if it's a little more drawn out than I imagined it would be. c :