(A/N: Hey hey! How did you like that last chapter? I hope you're enjoying this story so far. It'll get pretty crazy coming up, I'm warning you since I'm the author but honestly, you don't know if I'm lying to you or being serious, right? I could just be toying with you :). Lol, the song here is Dreamcatcher-Alexandre Desplat. I hope you're enjoying this book!
Thanks for reading!
RandomRedRidingHood)
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Akane sighed hard as she stood in the kitchen with Ruki, chopping up vegetables. Is this really a punishment? She wondered.
*Flashback*
"Get up. You're going to be punished for the escape attempt."
Akane gave him a nervous look. She slowly pushed herself up, swallowing. Ruki moved, reaching for her. Akane squeezed her eyes shut. She was surprised when his hand fell to grab her wrist instead. Akane blinked her eyes open as Ruki turned away from her, dragging her behind him forcefully. She stumbled to keep up with him all the way, until he stopped outside of a door that could be swung both ways. He pushed on it and pulled her inside, pulling her over to an island in the middle of the kitchen. Ruki released her, moving to the fridge. He opened it and grabbed vegetables. Ruki turned, dropping them on the island in front of her. Ruki slid a cutting board in front of her and moved, passing her a knife. Akane blinked, taking it from him. He pointed at the vegetables.
"Chop, chop."
Ruki smirked at his own joke and turned, moving to grab other ingredients.
*End Flashback*
What kind of dork laughs at his own jokes? Akane wondered in annoyance. She sighed, moving and chopping as he'd asked--ordered her to do. Akane frowned. I could really kill for some music right now...well, so to speak. I am a pacifist.
"You..."Ruki spoke. Akane jumped. She looked at him, seeing him giving her a hard look. Akane swallowed.
"Yes?" Ruki stayed silent for a while. He sighed and turned back to what he was doing.
"Don't cut yourself. I don't want blood on the food." Akane blinked at him. She swallowed and hummed in response, looking back down at the cutting board and the vegetables. After a moment, he sighed and spoke again. "I can see why you were cooking with music earlier in your apartment." Akane turned and looked at him in alarm, missing her finger barely with the knife. Ruki turned, an annoyed look on his face. "I said be careful." Akane rose her hand up, swallowing.
"You were watching me cook?"Akane muttered.
"You seemed to be focused on it,"Ruki told her. He stirred the pot of ingredients and then moved, peering down at Akane's cutting. "I thought you knew how to cut things..."
"You think I chop carefully when I'm cooking for myself?"Akane sighed at him. Ruki rolled his eyes.
"I need smaller chunks,"Ruki told her. He took the knife from her and lightly brushed her aside. He cut one of her pieces in half. "See?" He gestured. Akane's brow pinched together. Ruki sighed and moved, placing the knife in her hands. "Here." He pulled her in front of him. Akane stiffened as his hands placed over hers, showing her how to cut the vegetables properly. His touch sent a strange warmth through her skin, his breath brushing over her cheek as he leaned around her. Akane swallowed. This is really...weird... Her heart pounded in her chest. Ruki stiffened slightly, able to hear it. He looked down at the top of her head, seeing what he'd been doing. Maybe she's scared of me and doesn't like me being this close to her...I could only understand that. It's not really necessary unless I'm drinking her blood, I suppose, He thought. Ruki gently released her, his hands drawing away. He turned, walking back over to the ingredients he was mixing in the giant stew pot. Ruki frowned to himself. "Even Livestock like you can learn to cut things if someone shows you." Akane sent him an annoyed look. He didn't catch it, still facing the bigger pot. She was warm...why hadn't I realized that before?
"What's with that?"
"Huh?"
"Calling me Livestock. And the whole Eve thing too? You know, I have a name,"Akane muttered. She looked down at herself cutting the vegetables. She did it as he had shown her. "Not that I like it..."
"You don't like your name? What a stupid thing to say,"Ruki murmured. Akane huffed.
"Yeah, well, I didn't get to pick it,"Akane told him. She frowned. Ruki glanced at her. Akane cut the vegetables quietly. She remembered how her Mother used to yell her name, and her father always said it with a stern tone. She'd never heard her name said in away that pleased her, personally. Akane sighed, closing her eyes and pausing. "If I had to pick a name for myself...it would be something cooler."
"Cooler?"
"Like "Destroyer","Akane laughed once. Ruki sent her a disbelieving look. Akane laughed, turning. She closed her eyes, grinning at him. "Or..."The Terrifying"."
"You can't put "The" in front of your name,"Ruki told her, his brows pinching together. He turned, crossing his arms. "And you are definitely not a "Destroyer" or "Terrifying". You're more like..." Ruki gazed at her, his eyes tracing over her. She rose an eyebrow at him. "Like "Marshmallow". Something soft and a thing that would never hurt someone." Akane huffed.
"Marshmallows are full of sugar, and if consumed regularly cause obesity."
"Well, aside from the obesity, it fits you. You are full of sugar, like most females. "Sugar and spice, and everything nice","Ruki teased. She sent him an annoyed look, turning back to the vegetables.
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't say that about all women. There are some out there that are "Sugar and manipulation, and everything wicked","Akane retorted. Ruki stiffened as he gazed at her. After she finished with the vegetables, he moved, picking them up and dropping them into his concoction. She watched Ruki as he finished up the cooking.
*****
After they'd eaten, Akane made her way to her room. She closed her door and sighed, moving and sitting on her bed. She picked her phone up, looking at it. I'm not even tired, she thought. Akane sighed, moving and flopping over. She closed her eyes.
"Life is boring."
"Ah, ah, Kitten. Life has always been boring, it's just up to us to make our experience with it not boring!"a voice spoke. Akane squeaked in surprise, bolting upright. She saw Kou standing there, grinning at her happily. He winked. "Did I scare you?"
"Ah--how did--"Akane started. She stopped, swallowing. She huffed and looked away.
"Hmmm, what's with that sad look?"Kou spoke. Akane blinked. She felt a breeze near her face. When Akane turned, she was surprised to find a rose in front of her face. Her eyes went wide. "Here, here!" Akane gently took it, staring at it. He beamed at her.
"Um...thank you?"Akane murmured. Kou laughed once.
"You wanna thank me for real?"Kou asked. Akane gave him a confused look. He moved quickly, grabbing her wrist. The rose flew from her grasp and fell to the bed as he pulled her up to him, his hand holding her wrist up and his arm sliding around her waist. "Did you like my present?"
"Y-Yes, K-Kou-san, please let me go-!"Akane started. He laughed at her.
"Come on, give and take, give and take. That's how this works, you know,"Kou told her. Akane tried to pull from him, panic flashing in her eyes. Kou sent her a harsh look. Akane's eyes went wide. "Tell me something..." One of his eyes suddenly glowed red. Akane stiffened. "Why would a pitiful human like you think that you can fight back? Is it because you enjoy this? Or is it because you believe that you're not worthy of treatment even like this?" Kou held her tightly in his arms. Akane gave him a surprised look.
"Kou-san--"
"I don't really care though,"Kou interrupted. He moved, yanking her hair off her neck and over to the side. Akane's eyes opened.
"W-Wait-!"
Kou's fangs plunged into her neck. Akane let out a noise of pain. Her hand that he held tightened into a fist. She tried to pull away from him and he squeezed her tighter. As he swallowed and tasted her blood, he paused. He lifted up.
"This taste..."He muttered. Akane managed to break free. She stumbled backwards, Kou's hand still gripping her wrist. He used her stumbling to his advantage, shoving her over on the bed and climbing on top of her. "More. I want more of it." Kou forcefully drew her shirt collar down, stretching it to pierce his fangs into her shoulder. Akane cried out and then fell silent, trying to push him off. She gasped in pain as he sucked the blood from her shoulder harder in response to her struggle. Akane felt herself nearly blacking out. She moved slightly, her sleeve falling from her wrist. Kou's finger slid up to hold her tighter.
Akane's eyes went wide at what she saw, her color turning white. As she stopped struggling, Kou pulled up, frowning at her. He stiffened when he saw her white eyes. Tears leaked from her eyes, trailing down into her hair and onto the bed.
"The blue...sky..."Akane murmured. Kou jolted, his eyes going wide. He moved and grabbed her shoulders, but Akane's eyes turned to normal. Her eyes quickly slipped shut as she lay still on the bed. Kou released her shoulders, drawing away from her. Did she read my heart? Kou wondered. Akane didn't move on the bed. Kou reached out towards her. His fingers stopped, hovering over her forehead. He felt heat coming off her in waves. A fever...what the hell was...
"Did you awaken?"A voice asked. Kou turned, seeing Ruki standing there. Kou looked back at her. "You drank her into anemia..."
"No,"Kou muttered. Ruki frowned. Kou turned and looked at him. "She saw my memories...I think..." Ruki stared at Kou. He sighed.
"Yes. She's done that before,"Ruki muttered. Kou gave him a confused look. He moved, running his hand over his lips that had some of her blood lingering on them. Kou's brow furrowed before he disappeared. Ruki sighed. "At least clean up your mess..." Ruki moved, walking over to Akane. He moved and picked up the rose that was on her bed. He gently sat it on her nightstand and moved, lifting her up carefully. He stiffened when he felt her burning heat. A fever...he thought. He frowned. So an ability like that is taxing on a human... Ruki pulled the covers back and moved, pulling her long-sleeve shirt off to reveal her tank-top. He moved and pulled her shoes off, gently tucking her feet under the covers. Ruki tucked the covers around her, standing back up. He frowned. She reacted like that to Kou...was it because he drank her blood? Ruki paused. No, she reacted that way to me when I hadn't had a drop of her blood. Ruki stared down at the human. "What a stupid Livestock."
*****
Akane looked around herself in confusion. She was in an area that looked like a clock, a strange tree in the middle of the area. Akane blinked, looking down. She was barefoot, only wearing her skirt and tank-top. Akane moved, wrapping her arms around herself.
I'm cold...
"Where is this place?"Akane muttered. She frowned, looking at the tree in the middle. Akane started towards it, walking slowly. She looked up at the tree once she was under it. "Is this an apple tree?"
I'm so cold....
Akane frowned at the apple tree. She moved, reaching her hand out. Her fingers brushed against the bark of the tree.
"Strange..."Akane murmured. Her brows pinched together. She felt the tree had nearly no life force at all. Akane looked up at it. There were no blossoms on the tree. No leaves. No apples. It was as if the tree had died. Or, it was more like the tree had been dead for a while. "A dead apple tree...just where am I , exactly?"
"I'm so cold..."
Akane spun around. Her eyes widened as she stared at the woman in front of her. She was tall, wearing a white dress. Her blonde hair was long and unruly, fluttering in front of her face in such a way that made it look like she needed to cut it. Akane's throat went dry almost instantly. Akane moved, touching her throat and looking down in surprise.
"So very cold...I'm cold...It's cold here..."
"Excuse me...um...who are you?"Akane asked, looking back up. She jolted and stumbled backwards. The woman was right in front of her face, instead of where she had been a few feet away earlier. Akane fell back against the bark. The woman gave her a dangerous look. Akane saw her eyes, seeing the dark red color. The woman's hand slammed back against the tree beside Akane's hand. Akane shuddered in fear, her eyes wide. "Wait--please don't--"
"You took him."
Akane's eyes went wide as she stared at the woman in surprise. Tears dripped down from the woman's face. Akane looked down in surprise as they splashed on the ground. They crystallized, roses of a warm blue-grey color sprouting up immediately. Beautiful...Akane thought. She looked up at the woman. Her tears are beautiful almost... The woman cried.
"You've taken him."
Akane blinked in confusion. She swallowed. Okay. I'll take a chance...this woman...maybe she'll tell me what she means exactly. I don't understand...but I can learn...
"T-Taken who?"
The woman stared at her blankly for a moment before drawing away, her fingers moving to slide gently over Akane's cheek.
"Adam has chosen you."
Akane stood still, her eyes wide. The woman gave her a mournful look, sending a shiver down Akane's spine. She moved and leaned in, her mouth by Akane's ear.
"Don't trust Adam."