Nor so diabolik and nor so lovers
Chapter 6: The punishment
Kim groaned as the blood was drained.
Laito reopened one of many wounds Subaru left on her neck, puncturing the delicate skin with his fangs. He kept smiling as he sucked; watching Yuzu's distressed expression was all he could wish for a perfect stimulation.
Yuzu wanted to intervene, but someone went ahead of her.
Due to the sewers connected to the manor, Subaru appeared quickly on the spot attracted by her blood scent. And without loss of time, he violently pushed Laito away from Kim.
This shove caused the wound to open wider and the blood to gush as if a blade just cut her. Kim immediately raised one hand to her neck, trying to keep as much blood as possible.
"Ouch… you hurt me, Subaru," Laito complained, grinning as the vampire cornered him against the wall.
"What did I tell you about touching my prey, ah?!" The youngest roared in a murderous pitch.
"Ah… that you would destroy the entire manor?" His brother remembered carefree. "Although that doesn't matter to me."
"Asshole!"
When Subaru was about to punch Laito, Reiji arrived.
"Subaru, Laito," he called, glaring at them. "What are you doing? Stop immediately."
"Piss off, Reiji!" Subaru yelled. "I'll give this bastard what he deserves!"
"Are you going to repeat the same act as with Ayato? Would you explain to me what sense makes fighting over a woman?"
"She's not just any woman! She's MY food!"
Subaru looked completely out of control. Kim noticed he was even angrier than the time Ayato tried to bit her. Why was he reacting like that? She was only a piece of meat… a replaceable one, right? Out of breath, Kim knelt before the vampires with her neck bleeding out.
Yuzu rushed to her side upon seeing her in this state.
"That is irrelevant," Reiji continued indifferently. "I'd like to know how you plan to punish these humans for escaping."
"I'll destroy her!" Subaru exclaimed.
"Hum, my pet's punishment is something I will enjoy very much but… Are you sure you want to know, Reiji?" Laito replied mischievously.
Reiji let out an exasperated sigh.
"Useless pair, I'll be the one who shows some discipline to these women," he announced as he adjusted the glasses over his nose.
"With whose permission?!" Subaru protested.
"Can you stop fighting?" Yuzu intervened, "Kim is bleeding out!"
The vampires turned to see them, being Subaru the first to react.
"Kim!" He came to her side, leaving his discussion with Reiji in the background.
Kim weakly opened her eyes when the albino approached, she could tell that he worried about her by his countenance. Why? You shouldn't care at all, you're supposed to kill me… She wondered, full of contradictions.
"Licking her won't be enough. Step aside," Reiji ordered at the second Subaru pretended to heal Kim with his saliva. "I am the most indicated to treat such a delicate wound."
"Tsk…" Subaru turned to him suspiciously, "Reiji, if you do anything to her, I…"
"All I'll do is help her and take her to the dungeon," the eldest interrupted him. "You will come too, of course," he added, addressing Yuzu. She just focused her attention on Kim.
"Ah? I don't want to sleep without petty bitch," Laito objected, who had just gone for his fedora.
"I will not sleep with you, anyway," Yuzu warned, making Laito smile as he placed the hat upon his head.
"Oh, are you mad?"
"Of course I am, idiot!" The human stood up, pouncing towards him. "The only thing you've done is break your promises! I trusted you!"
"Don't be silly, petty bitch. Why would you trust a vampire?" Laito asked, shrugging and taking one hand to his waist. "Our agreement was about using each other, remember? That's why having fun with you will be always more important than listening to you."
"I just asked you to be honest with me. Is that so hard to do?" Yuzu came to his side, evidently affected by what happened.
But Laito could see through her stubborn personality that she was holding back her tears, the same ones that had exposed her genuine feelings before. He carefully examined the girl's face, stroking her chin gently.
"Oh, poor thing, have I hurt you?" The malicious vampire asked with his ironic tone that cast doubt on any of his intentions. Yuzu glared at him but did not answer. "In your eyes, I see the love you feel increasing every day, but is not enough. Kanato is still the only one who makes you shudder."
"What does Kanato have to do with…?"
"I am weary of you all," Reiji interrupted their conversation.
Without warning, an invisible force lifted Kim and Yuzu into the air.
"These women escaped because of your carelessness," Reiji addressed his brothers; they knew the only one capable of doing something like that was him. "If you want me to allow your fun with the humans, then you will have to stick the punishment I will give them. Otherwise, I'll kill these girls right now." The eldest smiled perfidy before adding: "It'll be easy since they are so fragile…"
Kim and Yuzu were fighting the invisible grip on their necks, which was tightening them more and more.
"Su… Subaru," Kim whispered for help. Her injury threatened to make her lose consciousness at any moment.
"I can't… breathe," Yuzu complained as a thin saliva trickle slipped from the corner of her mouth.
Worried, Subaru clenched his jaw. Kim's condition was very delicate.
"Tsk!" He could not stand it any longer. "Alright Reiji, I'll let you punish her. Just do it once and for all!"
"I will also let you have fun with petty bitch. But you must let me know if you do something lewd, okay? I want to see," Laito seconded smiling.
"Your games don't suit me, Laito," Reiji declared before snapping his fingers, releasing the girls. They fell abruptly, being caught by their keepers.
"Ahh!" Kim fell on her knees above Subaru.
"Kim!" He crouched, cushioning her fall with his arms. Suddenly, he turned to Reiji: "What are you waiting for, moron?! Hurry!"
"How anxious," the eldest added, annoyed by his brother's impoliteness. Reiji approached the couple as the albino watched every one of his movements. He took a test tube out of his pocket and poured some content onto his index finger, which he used to spread the lotion on her wound. "Done."
The wound closed immediately, the human's breathing stabilized and the pain disappeared.
"It doesn't hurt anymore…" She whispered, raising one hand to feel her neck.
"Absolutely, I designed this ointment myself. I can heal any wound, even a life-threatening one," Reiji spoke solemnly. "It has the same healing properties as our saliva, but perfected."
Both Kim and Yuzu looked impressed. They couldn't believe a man like him would use his wit to help others.
Has he experimented with his own saliva to create that lotion? Kim wondered.
"Now…" The vampire's voice changed, he became more serious as his expression darkened. "Take these women to the dungeon."
"This is the dungeon?" Kim babbled when they arrived.
The site was also in the subway of the Sakamaki manor, but it looked much creepier and colder than the stinky sewers. Solely illuminated by torches, which let them see torture devices everywhere and compartments with brick walls stained in blood that seemed enough to lock up hundreds of people. When the silence took over the room, some noises could be heard from the end of the hall. Inmates? Beasts? Whatever it was, Kim didn't want to find out.
"That is correct. I will lock you up without food for a month," Reiji announced, pointing out one of the empty cells.
"For a month?!" Yuzu exclaimed.
"Without food?!" Kim seconded.
"Reiji, they would die if you do that," Laito reminded his brother, who had no choice left but sigh resigned.
"Fine, just three days," Reiji declared, disappointed in how weak humans were.
"But…" Kim muttered. The very idea of spending another second in that place terrified her.
"Do you have any complaints?" The vampire snapped, glaring at her through his glasses. "I considerably lowered your sentence for escaping the manor. Ha! Even worse, for making me go down to such disgusting place."
"I see this is personal," Yuzu murmured, remembering how scrupulous Reiji was.
"Nobody forced you to look for us in the sewers, four-eyes!" Kim objected.
Before this insolence, Reiji appeared in front of her with crossed arms, making use of his bearing and presence to intimidate her.
"You better watch your vocabulary if you don't want to stick around indefinitely," he warned the girl, who felt a strong chill upon having him so close.
"Y… yes, sir!" She accepted fearfully.
"That's better." Immediately, Reiji turned to Laito and Subaru. "Of course, you cannot visit them."
"I swear for god, you…!" The youngest complained.
"Ahh? Why?" Laito protested in unison. "How boring."
"This punishment is also meant for you, for not respecting the rules from that person or monitoring your prey," Reiji scolded them. "I'm also not sure what will happen to you when he finds out..."
Both Subaru and Laito remained silent before his brother's words. Kim and Yuzu looked at each other; they didn't understand who Reiji was referring to. Will it be the same person who sends the sacrificial brides to the mansion? Kim asked herself.
"Tsk, alright…" Subaru agreed unenthusiastically.
"Being without my dear petty bitch for three long days will be pretty boring, but now I know your feelings for me… I think I can endure," Laito chuckled.
"Feelings for you?!" Indignant, Yuzu blushed. "Don't draw any conclusions!"
"Ah? Weren't you jealous a moment ago?"
"I told you I wasn't jealous! I just didn't want you to bite Kim!"
"Hum? Are you sure?"
While Laito and Yuzu argued, Subaru advanced towards Kim. The brunette stared at him, not sure of what to think. She wanted to trust the vampire who saved her, but she couldn't understand him. Not when he contradicted himself all the time.
In order to close the cell, Reiji waited for his brothers to leave.
In the meantime, Laito tried to flirt with Yuzu, but she rejected him while the other two held a somber silence.
After a minute -that for Kim was eternal- Subaru finally spoke, hasty and a little aggressive.
"Resist, okay? I'll come back for you."
The surprise on her face was obvious, but he didn't see it because he turned away instantly, taking Laito with him. Among complaints and struggles, the two vampires left the dungeon, allowing Reiji to lock up the humans.
Kim covered up her face with one hand, she was shocked. What the hell is up with him?
The first hours of confinement felt pleasant, Kim enjoyed listening to Yuzu because she always had something to talk about -which included stories she once read in her books-. This helped her feel less lonely and scared in that dark hole.
Even without her memories, Kim had a knack for inventing ways to have fun. On her initiative, they ended up exercising in the cell before a comfortable nap next to each other.
But the next day, the ideas were scarce and thirst and hunger increased along with boredom.
"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, tilili~ there they are standing in a row. Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head~" Kim sang reluctantly, lying on the cell's floor. "Ah… How did the song go on?"
"We should… do something else to pass the time, don't you think?" Yuzu suggested, sitting by the wall.
"I'm out of games and songs."
"I don't think counting bricks is an actual game…"
"I've got it!" Kim crawled to the sacrificial bride. "Tell me about you, Yuzu."
"Ah?"
"I have no memories to tell, but you had an entire life before arriving here. I want to know you better and become your friend!" Kim declared excitedly. However, upon noticing her effusiveness, she shrugged and mumbled shyly. "As long as you want…"
Yuzu blinked, surprised by her suggestion. Then she chuckled and gave her a warm smile.
"Thank you, Kim."
"Hmm? Why?"
"For the Sakamaki, we are nothing but manipulable and disposable objects. That's why they don't care about us, and for what purpose? We are part of a long sacrifice list. Our story is not important to them." Yuzu looked away. "That's why I thank you. When I spend time with you, I can remember I'm an ordinary girl."
"Of course not! You're more than just that. You own precious memories that make you special." Kim bowed her head and kneeled before Yuzu. "It's frustrating not knowing who you are, so never dare to forget it."
Since the first time they met, Yuzu thought Kim's memory loss didn't matter too much to her but that conversation proved her wrong.
"I'm sorry, Kim," she apologized, putting their hands together. "If it's any consolation, I already consider you my friend. And because you are my friend, I will do my best to help you remember your past."
"Oh… Did you mean that?" Kim asked with a glimpse of hope in her eyes.
"Yes, but I don't promise you anything, given the circumstances…" The sacrificial bride wink.
Kim smiled. I'm not alone, I'm not alone! She thought, relieved. The fact someone was on her side gave her peace of mind, even if she couldn't recover her memories or knowing her past.
"Thank you, Yuzu!" She gave her a heartfelt and comforting hug.
Yuzu responded tenderly to the hug -aware she couldn't abandon Kim- afterward, they only had each other.
"Well… Where should I start?" Yuzu began her story, with Kim waiting expectantly next to her.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Here we go! I'm updating everywhere!
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