CHAPTER EIGHT: SICK LITTLE GAMES.

      "Not long ago, the scent of Yui's blood was sweeter than ever," Kanato blurted out. Although he had noticed the tension between his brothers, he cared little about it. His thirst controlled him, and the human was at his mercy. "I almost went crazy just by smelling the scent of her blood. Teddy, it was hard to control us, wasn't it?"

      "That's right, indeed," Laito spoke, without wiping the smile off his face as he moved his arms to wrap around Izumi's waist. She moved closer to his shelter and his smile grew. "A sip of her blood would be very satisfying. Especially for Izumi. It turns me on just thinking about watching her suck her delicious blood."

      Yui stood up once Ayato allowed her to. Her gaze rested on the pinkhead for a moment and her fear grew as she noticed that he was actually pondering the idea of Izumi drinking her blood. He interpreted the emptiness in her eyes as a reflection of her thirst, rather than what it really meant. Then, she began to run.

      Izumi moved forward, ready to chase her more to get away from Ayato than for any other reason. However, the redhead stepped in front of her and tried to grab her by the shoulders to stop her, but the vampiress immediately backed away. He didn't even get to touch her, but Izumi still gave him a look of disdain.

      Laito came closer, wrapping his arms around the girl's shoulders. "You know it's not good to be greedy, Ayato dear."

      "We also have the right to taste it, you know," Kanato claimed, enraged.

      "It's not my problem, silence," the redhead replied to his brothers before looking back at the vampiress, his gaze softening for a second before he resumed his usual smug posture. "And you, you know you don't really want to drink her blood, it's the moon that's controlling you. It won't quench your thirst, much less give you pleasure."

      "Maybe you don't know what gives me pleasure, Ayato. You never considered it?" Izumi interrupted him and the red-haired man was astonished by the tone she used to address him.

      "By this point, I had already figured it out to be honest," Laito interjected, his voice slipping between the two before Izumi turned and walked away.

      Ayato's emerald eyes rested on the pinkhead until she disappeared before he looked back at his brother with a frown and a clenched jaw.

      "Get away from her."

      "I'm sorry, brother, are you referring to Izumi or Yui?" Laito replied, the grin still plastered on his features as he enjoyed every minute of the moment. "You know you can't keep them both, right?"

      Ayato clenched his fist before slamming it against his brother's cheek. His lips curled into a smile, but that didn't stop Laito from laughing gracefully before punching him back. The youngest of the triplets pushed him away, looking at him as if he was outraged at the fact that his older brother had actually dared to hit him.

      "Your whining bores me," Kanato yawned, turning around. "They bore you too, don't they, Teddy?"

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      The former sacrificial brides surrounded Izumi, partly providing her with companionship, but also making her feel more lonely being surrounded by so many soulless beings. She sat at the end of the hallway, not making a sound as she moved. She only raised her head to look at the girl in front of her, whose porcelain face remained forever perfect, brown hair framing her face.

      For a moment she wondered what it would be like to die. Would she feel anything? Would her soul wander the world? Or would she simply cease to exist altogether? Although, more realistically, she would most likely never experience death.

      "If you were to accept my offer, you would still become my most prized possession," Kanato mused.

      The pink-haired girl smiled. "But I told you no," she replied. She continued to study the face of the corpse in front of her, and went to turn around but, before she could do so, a weight was placed on her body and threw her to the ground.

      Kanato turned her body with ease, and stood over her, bringing her face closer. The sadistic smile on the boy's face only grew bigger when Izumi didn't move.

      "You are so beautiful, Izumi. I still don't understand why you care so much about my brothers. You should value yourself more..."

      "Kanato, could you get off me?"

      The expression of the purple-haired boy darkened, "Why? Because I'm not one of my stupid brothers?", he said, and the girl didn't answer him. Then, a smile stretched Kanato's lips again. "The other day, right here, I took Yui's blood. It was so exciting. She looked so scared," he laughed, "She was completely terrified."

      Izumi had remained calm until then. However, Kanato's hands caressed her neck, to which her muscles tensed. She still remembered the time the boy nearly choked her for hours one day when he found himself more jealous than usual of his siblings. According to him, it was his way of getting back at them... though Izumi never figured out why he had to get revenge.

      "Kanato...please," she stammered, feeling cold hands close around her neck like chains sentencing her fate. While she would not die because of this, she had never suffered as much as that moment when Kanato thought of choking her.

      But the boy did not give in, instead he roared with laughter, a huge grin splitting his face.

      "No way! You're scared! You're just like that human."

      Izumi narrowed her eyes and tried to shake the boy off. However, it was in vain. No matter how much she fought, he had more strength than her. For one thing, even if Kanato was the shortest of the Sakamaki brothers, he was still taller than her. Besides, the Sakamaki would always have more strength than her as long as KarlHeinz was still alive.

      "Kanato, let her go. You don't want to repeat what happened that time, do you?"

      "Ugh", the boy complained, but finally gave in. He let go of the girl's neck and stood up, turning to the one who had intervened. "It was getting boring anyway."

      Izumi sat up, rubbing her neck as she watched Kanato's back with narrowed eyes. "If you were so bored, why would you go on?"

      Kanato glanced over his shoulder at her, a sly smile that seemed to be stamped on his older brother, before looking straight ahead again and continuing on his way out of the room.

      "Please, stop thinking you're so important."

      The vampiress hissed, but got no response from the purple-haired boy. Then, her savior approached her and stretched out a hand towards her. Izumi looked at Subaru's palm, refusing to accept it.

      "I didn't need your help."

      "Yeah, right," Subaru mumbled, grabbing her arm as well and pulling her to her feet forcibly. "You're so annoying. Unbearable. I don't know how you always manage to be so-"

      "If I annoy you so much, you would have let Kanato do whatever he wanted with me," Izumi shot back.

      Subaru looked at her, his lips forming a thin line for a few minutes. Finally, he spoke, "Is it so hard for you to say thank you?

      "Thank you? You're just here to tease me. You saved me, to mock me. Don't act as if-"

      Izumi was cut off when Subaru's hands were placed on her shoulders forcefully and pushed her against the wall. She felt the material tremble beneath her body, and barely managed to contain the shriek of pain that threatened to escape her lips. Her feet stretched out on instinct, trying to reach the floor, but to no avail. Annoyed, she hardened her gaze and faced him with daggers.

      "We're not all playing those sick little games you like so much," Subaru spat, tightening his grip on her shoulders and preventing the girl from interrupting him. "Just because you're irritating does not mean I'm going to let you go through that trauma of yours again."

      Izumi averted her gaze, but refused to agree with him.

      "Oh, what a noble Prince Charming you are, Subaru. Who do you think you're fooling, huh?"

      Subaru rolled his eyes and let her go. The girl slid down the wall, and her feet landed back on the floor. The vampire turned and crossed the room in the blink of an eye.

      "I don't know why I bother," he muttered bitterly

      Once again, Izumi found herself alone in the room, surrounded by the corpses of the sacrificial brides. Only now they gave her a chill. With a click of her tongue and her mind clouded, she disappeared from there as fast as she could.