Happy New Year's Everyone! It's been a hectic 2024, but I can't wait to see what the New Year brings! This chapter was getting really long, so I decided to split it so I could annotate it and make sure it flowed with the next chapter I'm currently writing. I'm such a stickler when it comes to grammar, which is another reason I take so long to post because I'm always re-reading and checking my work. And yes, the story is entering a dark route; as much as I like Twilight, it won't be romantic in that sense. Very diabolical- Esque lol. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and lime I've written!

Chapter 7

Yui was walking beside Ayato to their first-period class. The car ride had been quiet. A few Sakamaki brothers had decided to skip their classes today. Shuu didn't bother to show up to breakfast, and Subaru was still heated from his altercation with Laito earlier that day. She overheard Laito mention that Kanato would miss their first period. Yui peered out the window, pretending to look engrossed at whatever came into her peripheral view, as Reiji sighed. He was made aware by his familiars of Kanato's little medical procedure. He didn't care in the slightest what Kanato was doing; he just hoped the dungeon chamber would remain clean. He was aware of his youngest brother's little hobby of taxidermy. All of the sacrificial brides that have died have been cut, stuffed, and stitched by him. Many had been placed in underground rooms, away from the public eye.

As Yui took a seat for her English class, she saw Valentina walk in. She gave her a smile and a little wave; as Valentina approached her, she placed a small book on her desk and walked to her seat. Yui curiously picked it up— Grimm's Fairytales.

Valentina had given her a fairytale book. She noticed Ayato peering across the room to see what she had given her. At noticing it was a book, Ayato appeared uninterested and focused his attention back on his things. Yui opened it and noticed a little handwritten note on the first page. Valentina knew others would be watching their every move, so she had devised something that would appear inconspicuous. She had written that her father had gone missing, that it wasn't like him not to tell him where he was going or not answer his phone. If, by chance she overheard the Sakamaki brothers talk about anything suspicious?

Yui understood and turned around to give Valentina a little nod, letting her know she had read the note. They would talk when unwanted eyes and ears were off them.

As class began, Valentina noticed that Kanato had not come. The desk beside her remained empty. She didn't know if luck was on her side, but this gave her a chance to talk to Yui. The only thing left was to avoid Ayato.

Once the class had finished, Ayato and Yui left together, leaving Valentina alone to walk to her next class. It didn't bother her; she figured Ayato had made Yui some ultimatum about her accompanying him to and from class. She didn't want Yui getting into trouble with him, so if she could only see her during certain times, that was fine. After all, their second period would be the two of them together.

Valentina had taken a seat next to Yui as the blonde gave her a comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry," Yui told her. "Have you heard any news yet?"

Valentina shook her head, her mothers hadn't informed her about Alberto. Not even through text. "Its not like him to do something like this." Her voice cracked, "Something must've happened to him. He wouldn't just abandon us."

Yui held her hand and squeezed it. "You're not alone. Trust me, he wouldn't do something like that; your family cares about you so much." Unlike her case, Valentina's family loved her and wouldn't let harm befall her.

Valentina wiped a tear from the corner of her eye sighing, thanking Yui. She pulled out the bracelet her godmother and Alberto had made and handed it to Yui. Her friend held it in her palm, admiring the craftsmanship.

"What a pretty bracelet," Yui said. "Where did you get it?"

"Alberto crafted it, and my godmother cast some spell to keep the wearer's presence hidden."

Yui's eyes went wide in shock, "you mean-"

"Yes," Valentina said, interrupting her friend. She cracked a smile, "You'll get to escape."

As the teacher walked in, instructing the class about their lab. Valentina could feel her friend's excitement. Her aura oozed joy at the feeling of freedom. Yui handed her the bangle back as they started to take notes.

Once the class had finished, Yui quickly took Valentina's hand and made a beeline to the girl's bathroom. It was at the end of the hall where hardly any classes were held. They wouldn't be disturbed there by anyone. They both dropped their bags to the floor as Valentina pulled out a carton of cigarettes. Yui raised an eyebrow in surprise as Valentina tossed them to her to grab lipgloss.

"I don't smoke," Valentina laughed at her friend's reaction to the cigarettes. She turned to face the mirror to apply a coat of red cherry-scented lipgloss. "I took these from my godmother. I just wanted to try one. She can smoke a pack of these in three days if she doesn't have one in the morning after breakfast. She gets really cranky. She won't notice if one or two go missing."

Yui giggled, picturing an old lady smoking like a chimney and who cursed like a sailor. She wanted to meet Valentina's parents. She already liked them.

Valentina went over to Yui to apply some gloss on her lips.

"This smells so good," Yui said.

"I know, it's my favorite," Valentina winked at her and opened the window so they could sit on the ledge of the building. They were high off the ground but had enough room to lay down on the ledge if they wanted to. The full moon was at its highest, shining brightly as the two girls swung their feet in the air and put their arms around each other. Yui placed her head on Valentina's chest as her friend stroked her hair.

The girls were busy talking and laughing to notice a figure spying on them from behind a tree. Laito was high enough in the air to see them and make out everything they were telling each other with his good sense of hearing.

"Why must they tease me," Laito moaned at their little innocent interaction. He wanted a taste of the innocent blonde and the fiery raven beauty, but his brothers were selfish. Laito would wait until he got one of them alone.

Yui offered Valentina a stick of bubblegum which her friend took without hesitation. She popped it in her mouth and started blowing bubbles.

Soon Valentina pulled out a cigarette and then offered her one. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Yui took the one that was held between Valentina's lips. "Will just try one since neither of us smoked before."

Valentina agreed. She began to love Yui's small sense of rebellion. It was about time Yui found the strength to defy everyone. She was trapped with seven vampires who had tried to blow out her light of hope. Her strength was carefully being reignited within her.

Valentina lit the cigarette that Yui held in her dainty hand. As the blonde inhaled the first puff, she tried her best not to cough immediately as she handed the cigarette back to Valentina who took a long drag.

Valentina let the smoke out slowly between her lips, as she steady her breathing to not cough. "This taste like shit." She confessed, "The bubblegum you gave me makes this bearable. Remind me why do people like this again?"

Yui held the white stick and took another smoke. "It makes me feel less stressed. That could be it?"

Valentina agreed, taking it from Yui as she inhaled it again. "What happened to your finger?" She had noticed Yui's pinky wrapped.

Yui froze as she was asked the question. Her mouth would be dry if it weren't for the gum she was chewing. "Ayato snapped my finger. It's healing at the moment."

Valentina's jaw fell as she held Yui's hand. "What an asshole! Did you go to the hospital?"

Yui could see the anger that flashed on her friend's face. Her strong brows creased, and her full lips pursed at what she told her. Valentina hugged her as Yui wrapped her arms around her waist. Valentina could smell the scent of strawberries from her blond hair and placed her cheek on the top of Yui's head. The warmth of her friend soothed her.

"I won't be able to eat lunch with you today," Yui told her. "Ayato wants me to make him takoyaki at that hour."

Valentina pursed her lips. Yui didn't have much of a choice. She wanted to tell her everything, but certain things couldn't be brought up yet. The book she had found would have to wait. The plan to sneak Yui out using the bracelet couldn't, but she had to ensure no one else was listening. The walls had ears, and the wind carried secrets.

"Kanato has bitten me," Valentina revealed, touching the back of her neck as it felt swollen. Yui lifted her hair, looking for the marks on her friend's skin.

Yui peered curiously, with a dumbfounded look on her face. "You don't have a mark at all!" She touched her friend's neck as she felt Valentina twitch a bit from the pain. "Your wound has healed so quickly." Every time Ayato left bite marks on her, it would take days, even weeks, for them to heal, depending on how rough he drank from her.

"How much did Kanato drink?"

"A lot! I passed out from the bleeding. He attacked me, and I fought back, but he was too strong." Valentina winced at the memory.

Yui was surprised at her friend's healing abilities. It was truly a gift to possess in their situation.

Valentina bit her lip, and revealed to Yui about the woman she met in the library and what she had told her. She didn't tell her about the book. That would be kept a secret for now.

"Now that you mention it, the brothers had suspected you weren't completely human," Yui recalled.

So they could tell she wasn't from the beginning. Valentina wanted to ask how, but she could tell that Yui was getting cold, and the cigarette was nothing more than a stub.

"Let's go back inside," Valentina said, standing on her feet and pulling Yui up as they went through the window.

Valentina closed the window, leaned against the wall, and pulled out the bracelet. She handed it to Yui. "Do you think you'll be able to leave campus with me? I want my Godmother to read your cards."

Yui inspected the bracelet; it was heavy and beautifully carved. "I can. If I walk to the Sakamki Manor late, I'll just say I stayed for some after-school activity. I can meet you outside the music room and will leave together, but how will this keep my presence hidden?"

It was the first time Yui ever heard of such a magical thing. Valentina took the bracelet back, and wore it on her wrist. Yui couldn't believe her eyes.

Valentina had disappeared.

"How?" Yui whispered, "Where did you go?"

"I'm still here," Valentina responded. "My presence is kept hidden."

Yui outstretched her hand as she made out the shoulder of her friend. She could hear Valentina take a few steps towards her, and when Yui looked into the bathroom mirror, she could see Valentina's reflection.

"If I were to hold your hand while wearing the bracelet, your presence would be hidden too, and we'd be able to see each other. However, the time the bracelet can keep us invisible would be cut in half."

"How long can we be kept invisible?"

"My Godmother said if it's only two people roughly thirty minutes. Suppose it's just one person it would only be an hour. The bracelet can only keep two people hidden at a time."

Yui understood. This was such an important and valuable tool. Valentina removed the bracelet and handed it to her.

"I'll wait for you outside the music room. No one should be there since it's under construction. Wear the bracelet so no one can see you. Once I get there, hold my hand so we both turn invisible, and we can leave the school without anyone noticing."

Yui nodded her head, clutching the bracelet in her palm. She would hide this from Ayato, and she could escape.

The bell rang, indicating that their free period was over. Yui hugged Valentina as she whispered thank you. She left the girl's bathroom and walked into the culinary classroom where Ayato was expecting her. The bracelet remained hidden inside her bra, feeling the metal burning her skin.

Valentina was left alone as she headed towards the lunchroom. She didn't have time to pack a lunch today, so she bought one and took it to the library. Valentina hadn't made friends yet besides Yui and didn't want to sit alone at an empty lunch table. She quickly bought a small soup and a peach and walked to the quiet library.

The school library was grandeur; much like the other rooms, it had a medieval look, making it feel like she was in a fairytale. The pillars and glass-stained windows were beautiful, with small statues carved from marble at every corner. She felt her phone ring in her pocket, and she pulled it out to see that her Nana had called and then texted her. Valentina sat her things down at a table hidden behind some bookcases, a bit secluded from the social circle in the middle of the library where students diligently studied together or read silently.

Valentina held her breath as her mother told her they had found Alberto. She could feel herself tearing up as she left her things to go to the bathroom so she could call her Nana back. When she heard her Nana pick up, she sighed in relief and asked where they had found him.

"The police found him wandering around the edge of town lost, close to the woods."

Valentina bit her lip; something was off. "What happened? How is he?"

Nana's voice cracked at the end of the phone. "Alberto seems to have some form of dementia. He can't remember many things. When your godmother and I went to pick him up, he couldn't recall who we were. The police had asked him questions such as his name and age, but he seemed lost. He couldn't remember why he had walked around the forest's edge."

Valentina felt like somebody had knocked the wind out of her. Her back hit the wall, and she slid to the floor, clutching her phone. Her father was old, but he was an active man. This was not a natural occurrence.

"He never showed signs that he was losing his memory. Something must've happened. Did he get injured?"

"The EMT did a quick check-up, but they couldn't see any physical injuries except for one on his head. They notice a swelling bump on his head, and they believe he may have fell and gashed his head on a blunt object. They couldn't check or analyze further. They aren't doctors."

Valentina bit her lower lip. She knew they needed money even to get a doctor to look at her father. Since the injury was worse than a simple check-up, it would cost a lot of money to get scans and evaluations done. Tears were sliding down her cheeks, and she wanted nothing more than to cry out loud. She could hear her Nana sniffling in the background, and she asked if there was anything she could do.

"Just try to support your father. He may not remember you, but don't hold it against him. Treat him gently and with love."

"I will." Valentina knew she could do nothing unless she could get money to take him to a doctor. She bid Nana goodbye and let her know she'd be home once classes were over.

She splashed cold water on her face so her eyes wouldn't appear so puffy and walked back to the table. Her stomach was grumbling as she began to eat her lukewarm soup. She was so busy talking to her Nana that her soup was no longer hot. She opened her organic chemistry textbook to make it look like she was studying.

In reality, she was thinking of ways to make money. She would start working tomorrow at the bakery, but she would only work two or three times a week at that job. She was pondering and thinking if she could find another job for the days she wasn't working. She had wanted to join a ballet studio to go back into dancing, but it seemed that she would have to wait.

She grabbed her peach and took a bite. It was so sweet that the juice had escaped from the corner of her lips. She took another bite when she felt a fingernail graze the back of her neck. It sent shivers down her spine, and she whipped her head around. Laito was looking at her like he was cornering a deer.

"What do you want," Valentina said as she swallowed her food. She was annoyed that he was bothering her.

"My so defensive," Laito said as he sat beside her. "I was just admiring the curve of your nape. It's smooth like that peach you're eating."

Valentina positioned her braid to cover the back of her neck as Laito chuckled.

"Didn't Kanato bite you?"

"What is it to you," Valentina said, she hated how Laito was prying, how his devilish grin reflected that of a wolf.

He grabbed her chin, squeezing it as if scolding a child. "I came to look for myself. Kanato seemed to have gone to great lengths to have you, but he'll have to continue if he wants to keep you."

She slapped Laito's hand away and told him she belonged to no one. He laughed and grabbed her wrist tightly.

"Close your eyes."

Without a second to process anything, Laito teleported her. She fell to her feet as she felt the floor moving, groaning in her dizzy state. Laito held her wrist in the air as he dangled her, smelling her forearm.
"I told you to close your eyes," Laito mused as he gently scraped her smooth skin with his fangs. Valentina wanted to run but could barely get up on her two feet.

Laito could sense what she was thinking and let go of her. She fell onto all fours as Laito perched above her.

"I'm going to be frank. You may belong to my brother, but I'll give you the choice. You can stay with him, or come to me. Kanato can be unpredictable and unstable. You may not last long with him. Past brides couldn't handle his tantrums, and they didn't live to see past them." Laito chuckled as if he was telling her a joke.

Valentina tried to contain her disgust, but Laito was very observant. "Seems like I struck a nerve. Don't take it personally; we may see brides as nothing more than food, but you're different. It's not every day we see a little fairy come into our lair."

"How could you tell?" Valentina winced as she tried to come to her senses. She had questions that needed answering.

Laito raised an eyebrow. "So you knew?" He didn't think she was aware of the magic she carried, or she would've hid her presence better. There were moments when she was practically glowing with energy. It was hard to look away.

Valentina shakingly shook her head. "I didn't know at first. My parents kept it a secret from me. My mother was human, and I've never met my father. I don't even know what he looks like. It's hard for me to believe that I'm half."

Laito pondered but then decided to divulge. "Well, it is; these eyes don't lie. To a normal human, they wouldn't be able to tell. But for a supernatural being, we can. We can sense your aura. You're also more enticing than a normal blood bag."

He crouched to her level and caressed her face. "You can heal more easily. My brother's mark is almost unrecognizable. It's difficult to mark other magical creatures. Who needs to when they can keep a pretty fairy locked up in a crystal cage."

Valentina gulped as she felt Laito on her, nuzzling her neck. "Do you know of others?"

Laito stopped himself before he could bite into her collarbone and gave her a shrewd smile. He didn't mind waiting for his food. "I've heard and read about them. When I was younger, I recall the King of the Fairy's visiting our home to discuss diplomatic concerns with 'Him.'"

His demeanor changed when she looked at Laito, who was retelling the story. It was as if it was a happy memory. "They were small, no bigger than the palm of my hand. They all flew in a proper line behind their King, releasing specks of fairy dust wherever they left. It was the only time I had ever seen them."

"Where can I find them?" Valentina asked. She was curious about their whereabouts.

Laito shrugged his shoulders. "Human society has destroyed a grand majority of their homes. So, who knows where they've had to seek refuge? Fairies don't show themselves anymore. Many in the past would get captured or brutally killed. Having a caged fairy means wealth. In the past, those that were killed were hunted for their magic. There were rumors that if one consumed the pure heart of a fairy, it would give that individual immense powers. Their dissected wings, as pretty as they are, can fetch an enormous price."

Valentina shuddered; it was cruel what people had done to fairies. Laito grabbed the back of her head, pulling her towards him as he traced her neck and collarbone with his cold lips. His face was inches from her. "So what will it be, ma chèrie?"

Valentina shook her head. She couldn't trust Laito any more than Kanato. They were both dangerous.

"Is that a rejection?" Laito feigned hurt as he grazed his knuckle on the inside of her thigh.

Valentina felt repulsed by his actions and slapped him across the face as she quickly got up. Laito didn't give her a chance to take a step before he pushed her into a desk, causing her to crash harshly onto the floor as she grabbed her left side in pain. His body laid over hers as his school tie bound her hands over her head.

Valentina was screaming and thrashing her legs, trying desperately to kick him. No one could hear her struggle in the classroom, and it only made Laito excited. He grabbed her legs and pulled them roughly apart. He hummed to himself as he kissed her inner thigh and then bit her.

Valentina had tried to slide out from him, but Laito gripped her thighs to keep her from moving. As he drank from her, he could tell right away that her blood was of a different caliber. It could be the effect of the fairy and human blood coursing through her, but it was different than what Laito had experienced from feeding. Oddly enough, as the warm blood hit his stomach, he grew stronger. It was as if he had an energy shot. His senses were quicker and sharper.

Valentina began to feel weak, and then she felt Laito place a hand under her skirt. His hand was on top of her underwear as he rubbed her clit with his middle finger.

Valentina felt something snap inside her, and she screeched at the top of her lungs, calling for Kanato.

Laito smirked as he felt his brother's presence in the room. The cries of the little nymph were powerful enough to summon his brother.

"That food belongs to me. Let go of her, right this instance!" Kanato said in a menacing tone. He remained calm, but Laito could tell he was far from that.

"My, oh, my, how scary." Laito mused, getting off of the crying nymph. "I'll go now. It seems that dealing with you would require a bit of effort."

Kanato sent him a deathly stare as he watched his brother teleport himself from the room. Valentina softly sobbed as she sat up to fix her skirt and untie herself. Kanato approached her, and he could hear her softly thanking him. She looked up to find him annoyed, and contemplating in thought. His aura was so heavy that she could feel the anger radiate off him after what he had witnessed.

"Did you seduce him?"

"No way!" She exclaimed, shocked that he would ask her such a thing. Tears began to prick at the end of her eyes. "I would never have such intentions."

"What did he do to you?"

Valentina was hesitant but lifted her skirt only to show the bite mark Laito had left on her. Kanato let her sit on the desk as he crouched to inspect the bite mark. He touched it as blood trickled from the wound.

"It seems my brother has made a new mark."

Valentina was tense as she felt Kanato's breath on her thigh.

"Don't move. I'll tear this part to pieces."

Valentina was slow to react as Kanato sunk his teeth into the mark. She felt the most excruciating pain as Kanato ripped off a small part of her flesh. She fell to the side, holding her thigh in pain, as Kanato wiped his cheek, licking her blood off of his fingers.

He watched her twitch in pain as a good amount of blood poured down her leg, smearing her skirt and the floor underneath her. "What else did he do?" Kanato asked, smiling as he lay on her, grabbing her chin.

Valentina couldn't respond. She was shaking from the pain as tears rolled down onto his hands.

"I won't do something like bite your lips, so you'll just have to endure this much." He licked her tears and kissed her gently. Kanato's bites were painful, but his kisses were always gentle and sweet.

He was treating her with such tenderness that it was hard to believe what he had done. Valentina was confused, she had just seen him take a bite out of her flesh, and watched him spit it on the floor in disgust as if she were an undercook steak. Then why did she feel breathless when he kissed her? Tears continued to roll down her face as their kiss deepened. She blamed the loss of blood for her thinking this way, but the kiss had awakened something inside of her.

"You belong to me," Kanato whispered gently in her ear. "Not anyone else's, only mine."

He coaxed her again and asked what else his brother had done, and Valentina had no choice but to say he had touched her. Kanato told her not to oppose him as he lifted her skirt. He exposed her creme-colored panties, admiring the contrast it had with her warm, tan skin. Kanato licked her clit that was covered, and Valentina turned bright red. He carefully moved the annoying cloth out of the way as she was fully exposed to him.
Valentina protested, but Kanato ignored her pleas, reminding her again who she belonged to. He licked her clit in a circular motion until her insides began to throb. He could hear her breath hitch as she struggled to remain rational, her body slowly responding. He slid one finger inside of her as he slowly pumped it in and out of her. He continued to suck on her throbbing clit as she got wetter.

Her body almost begged him to have her: to dirty her, mark her, tame her.

An explicit cry mixed with humiliation and desire escaped her sweet lips, begging him to stop as he ignored her and pushed another finger inside of her. His fingers continued to explore her until they abruptly stopped. He pulled them out, and he could hear her whine in protest. His fingers were wet and coated with her sweet honey as he licked it off.

He gave her a grin as he lowered his face towards her opening and buried himself into her, wondering if this was what heaven tasted like. He drank greedily from her as he pressed up against it; he groaned in satisfaction as her hips jerked in response. His tongue reached inside her wet core as he felt her squirm in gratification and desire.

Her voice began to moan and sing with every flick of his tongue as she called out his name. She had unintentionally moved against him as he felt her hands touch and grip his hair. He cupped her round buttocks in the palms of his hand and lifted her towards him. She continued to press his face down to her sensitive spot as her hips began to rock against his face. His finger found her swollen bud and started to play with it, eliciting cries. He couldn't help but pant her name as he felt her tense and then tremble underneath him. She cried at her highest point of ecstasy, and she orgasmed, releasing waves of pleasure throughout her entire body, leaving her drained.

Kanato felt a feeling of triumph and smugness. He had touched places of her that no one else would have and made her sing in the most erotic of ways. He bit her other thigh as he drank from her. The sweet and spicy coated blood made him crave her more. He wanted everything from her.

She felt lightheaded after losing a lot of blood. Kanato could tell that she was holding on to a single thread as he lifted her body and made her straddle him. He hugged her from the front, letting her head fall on his shoulder. He didn't want her passing out yet; he hadn't had enough of her.

Kanato held her waist as he grinded her hips against his tightened erection. He could feel her moans against his neck, which caused his skin to prick in excitement. Kanato ripped the front of her shirt, causing the buttons to pop, exposing her ample chest. Valentina tipped back as she tried to distance herself to no avail, as Kanato pulled her closer to unhook her bra. He smelled the citrus and cinnamon scent of her skin as he kissed her breasts.

It wasn't long until he felt her body go limp in his arms after experiencing her first taste of desire. He chuckled and nuzzled her close to his chest, picking her up bridal style and teleporting them to the Sakamaki manor.

He laid his prey gently on his bed and instructed his familiars to bathe and care for her wounds. Before they could take her to the bathroom, Kanato had laid out a medical kit.

"Hook her up to an IV," Kanato ordered one of his familiars. He took out a syringe and a vial injecting the area where he had bitten her. He was going to numb the area before he would begin to stitch the wound.

A feminine familiar carefully wiped the beads of sweat off the girl's forehead and began to discard the torn shirt. Another familiar injected Valentina's left arm with an IV as the bag was hooked above her. The two left to warm up the bath and wait for their Master's next command.

Kanato carefully began to suture her wound to seal her exposed flesh. It didn't take him long as he knotted the end of the thread and cut it. He had used a biodegradable suture that would be absorbed into her skin as it helped her heal.

Once he was done, he told his familiars to take the girl and to let him know when she had awoken.

Kanato began to prepare for Valentina's stay. He could no longer bear to be apart from her. If he did, there was no telling if another of his grimy brothers would approach and try to taint her. She wasn't a sacrificial bride and wouldn't let others treat her as one. She was claimed by him, and belonged to him. Her fate was in his hands.

He had to find a way to deal with her parents and brother Laito for daring to lay a finger on his toy. He would deal with those problems separately, but Laito needed to be taught a lesson. Those who stole would get their hands burned, and it was about time Laito tasted that fire.

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