Chapter Text
The faint melody from the piano did little to fill the ballroom on its own, though it's another of Reiji's cruel teaching methods. 'Lean not on the beat of the song, but your partner,' or something to that effect—a lesson in submission.
One hand rests upon Reiji's shoulder, the other interwoven with his as he waltzes you across the floor. One, two, three. One, two, three—pivot. One, two, three...
You try to remember everything he taught you: back straight, elbows pointed down, neck elongated, and eyes affixed on your partner's. It's intimate, considering who you are to one another. Reiji's cool gaze rests upon your own, glasses glinting under the candlelight. One might mistake such a look as romantic, though it's anything but. He's watching for signs of weakness, a flinch, a wince, any hint of distraction so he can nip it in the bud. Still, you can't help but appreciate how handsome he is like this.
Without warning, Reiji goes to spin you. You could feel his arms flex, and you brace yourself for the twirl. It starts easy enough, but your foot accidentally lands sideways, and you stumble. Reiji tightens his grip on your hand, stabilizing you.
"Good grief. After all this time, you're still deplorable at dancing. I'm beginning to believe you're a lost cause."
Exhaling through your nose, you refrain from rolling your eyes—a small, teasing smile tugs on the corner of your lips.
"And yet, you still try."
"If I do not, then you will never learn. It's not as if that good-for-nothing brother of mine is leaping to his feet to assist."
"I suppose that's true, but ... It wasn't all bad. I am getting better."
Now it is Reiji who huffs, but he matches your wry grin. "Like a newborn fawn taking its first steps. Shaky footing is better than falling flat on one's face."
A backhanded compliment, but a compliment nonetheless.
You right your position and Reiji continues where he left off. Your relationship with the second Sakamaki son is ... complicated. You're not even sure what you'd define it as. He's not your keeper—Shuu is, much to Reiji's evident chagrin—but Reiji may as well be.
You're no stranger to Reiji's fang, nor his more lascivious punishments; however, your relationship with the second eldest wasn't serious. Though Reiji had tried repeatedly to convince you to switch, you had never accepted him. Why? You can't say. It may be a sense of loyalty to Shuu. He was who you ran to on day one. The vampire you've entrusted your life to, no matter how misguided it may seem.
Shuu is lax with you, and your relationship with him may have been even more complex than his younger brother. Despite him having the title of keeper, he didn't do much. Most of your evenings with Shuu had little talking. He either wanted to nap or to fuck. (Sometimes, they weren't mutually exclusive.) Biting was infrequent—he was more likely to pull a knife on you and force your hand rather than corner you in a dark alley. Physically, the two of you were well acquainted. But mentally...? Emotionally...? Shuu hovered on the fringes, like Reiji, locked into an eternal game of 'keep away.'
But now, things were getting serious. Shuu is being primed as the next king, and due to your status as his, it's reasonably apparent that ... whatever your relationship was, it was about to become more official. More permanent.
This time, when Reiji goes to spin you, you're ready. You complete the turn gracefully, flashing your partner a knowing grin.
"Don't get full of yourself," he warns.
Reiji slides his hand along your waist before dipping to the small of your back. He pulls you closer, eliminating the space between your bodies.
The sudden closeness is overwhelming. Reiji's chest is warm, radiating through the thin button-down you wear. Reiji peers down at you, his lips inches away—
You trip over your foot and crash into him.
"Woah!" Thankfully, he's sturdy enough not to trip, though you surprised him. Reiji shakes his head, dismayed. "I see it cannot be helped. You are doomed to embarrass yourself on the dance floor. Stop the music," he calls to the familiar. "We are finished for the evening."
You raise an eyebrow. It's unlike Reiji to quit—he hasn't even threatened to bring out the whip. But the familiar stops playing at his command, bowing in response to its master.
"It's pointless to continue this evening. My tutelage can only go so far."
"Alright, I guess."
Reiji's hands linger a second longer than necessary as he separates from you.
"Was my dancing really so bad that you have to run off?"
"Hardly," he snorts. "Had I the time, I would have resorted to stricter methods, but as it stands, there are not enough hours in the night. You must be awfully self-centered to think I can dedicate all attention to you, my dear. There is a mountain of tasks far more pressing than your embarrassing lack of ballroom education." Reiji explains. "Tomorrow night's banquet is fast approaching, and it's my job to oversee preparations, the menu—not to mention last minute guests ... The gall of some people."
You frown lightly, pushing up the sleeves of your shirt. "Would you like some help?"
"No," he answers reflexively. "No. Not from you. It should fall on the eldest's shoulders, but we would have better luck convincing pigs to fly." Reiji pinches the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses higher. "As it stands, I'm too agitated to give anything my undivided attention. Perhaps a break will do us both some good. Come."
Reiji touches your waist, urging you to follow his lead. Your footsteps echo endlessly in the castle's ginormous ballroom. Heels, at Reiji's insistence, as you are always expected to dance in them whenever there's a ball. They pinch your toes, and the balls of your feet are bruised from several rigorous nights of practice. A break would do you good, but Reiji rarely suggests them. Something must be up.
"You have your dress for the banquet?"
"Yes. The familiars did their final adjustments earlier."
"Mh."
You eye him curiously as he leads you up the ornate staircase to the landing. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the hall; their thick velvet curtains are pulled back to reveal the night's glory. Reiji tucks a strand of his hair behind his ear. The rest is tied back in a low ponytail, something he had done quickly before you began your lessons. He was 'dressed down' for the evening, only in a white button-down and slacks. Yet his usual annoyed expression is replaced by wistfulness. It's a peculiar look for such a stoic vampire.
You sit on the bench while Reiji looks out the window, hands in his pockets.
"Hm. That explains it...." You turn toward him, and Reiji gestures out the window. "... Tonight. There is a lunar eclipse, see? It seems to have just begun."
You follow his gaze and look upon the moon. It hangs heavy and full in the sky, but a chip is in the lower left-hand corner. The beginning of the eclipse, just as he said.
Warily, you eye him. "What does that mean for you?"
You're all too aware of the moon's powerful sway over vampires. In the year you've known the brothers, you've had your fair share of full moons—and the unyielding thirst that comes with it. But an eclipse is new. A spark of trepidation ignites in your gut, and you wonder how far you can run in these heels before your legs give out...
Reiji tears his gaze away from the window and chuckles. "Ah. You remember what the moon can do to a vampire ... Or your body does." His dark red eyes flick downward, not-so-subtly appraising you. "But you haven't experienced a night like this. It's quite different from a full moon, you see. On a night like that, we experience the height of our powers at the cost of our sanity. A lunar eclipse is different, though."
"How so?"
"Well ... it's different for every vampire, you see. I cannot speak on behalf of my race, but in summation, it makes one unstable—strange shifts in one's mood or personality. The hungriest vampire may find himself uninterested in blood. The most composed could behave erratically. It creates internal chaos, if you will." Reiji took your hand and turned you on the bench, so you now faced the window, staring into the abyss. He perched beside you, resting his elbows on his knees. "It explains this feeling in me ... though you may attribute it to my sudden talkativeness this evening or my slight kindness toward you."
Laying his cheek upon his hand, Reiji met your eyes. The way he looked at you sent flutters through your stomach. You could almost call it fond. The moon caressed his face like a lover, bringing a previously unseen life to his cheeks.
You blink the stars away from your eyes and shove those improper thoughts into the recesses of your mind.
"Yeah," you joke, "That would explain it...."
"It wouldn't shock me if you felt the same." Reiji straightens his spine with a sigh. "The pull of the moon ... After all, you aren't wholly human anymore. You've changed, and no, my dear, I don't mean your heart. Our fangs ... the more we drink from you ... you've felt it, have you not?"
You frown. You're certainly not the same girl you were a year ago. With every bite, humanity grows further and further from your grasp.
"I haven't given it any thought until now."
"Hmm." Reiji extends his arm to you. "Come closer to me."
You follow his instruction, closing the space between your bodies. Just as you stop, Reiji pulls you into his lap and embraces you. You gasp, grasping his bicep for support. He has you sitting sidesaddle across his thighs, cradling you oh-so-close to his chest.
"Reiji—!"
You anticipate the bite—surely the only reason he would do something like this without warning—but it never comes. He rests his chin on your shoulder, stroking the steam of your linen pants.
"Look. The moon is drenched in red. Isn't it marvelous?"
You swallow hard, ignoring the pounding in your chest. "Reiji, what is this?"
He peers at you from under his eyelashes. His lips are so close the breath of his speech fans over your cheek. "Do you hate being in my arms that much?"
You clench your thighs. "That's—"
"Or, is it the opposite?" Reiji trails his hand over the swell of your ass. "Perhaps you like it more than you want to admit. Perhaps you're torn." The heat of his gaze falls on your parted lips. "Whatever the case may be ... I find your warmth more comforting than usual. Almost as if you're thawing something inside that I believed to be made of ice."
Oh, god, you're not sure how much more of this you can take. The words were said in his voice, but they were foreign all the same.
"Reiji."
How can he say things like this? It's unnatural. It's unfair. It's—!
"The eclipse has hardly begun, and yet—" Reiji sighs. "Please. I want to hold you a little longer. Don't deny me this."
Now, you know the moon must hold some sway over you because you don't want to deny him. You know you should—for all you know, this could be a horrible trap. Reiji loves to tease you, and he would never let you live it down if you gave in ... Yet ...
Movement in your periphery is the sharp slap of reality you need to break free from Reiji's spell. Simultaneously, your heads snap toward the intruder.
"Shuu," Reiji spits, "When did you arrive."
Your keeper is slumped against a nearby column. One knee is up; the other lies in front of him. His brilliant blue eyes are focused on you, eyebrow lifted.
"Me? I've been here the whole time. I was tired and heart Mozart, so I thought I'd rest here. Let it put me to sleep. But it stopped, and now I'm awake." Shuu tilts his head. "I'm rather surprised you've only just noticed, Reiji. You're usually so perceptive."
You squirm in Reiji's lap. "Shuu—"
"Such open displays of affection aren't like you, little brother. I always knew you wished to take my place, but chasing after my sloppy seconds ... Desperation has finally gotten the better of you."
His words are a slap in your face.
You knew you didn't mean much to Shuu, but having him refer to you as his sloppy seconds is cruel.
Even Reiji was taken aback, his older brother's words cutting him to the quick.
"Hah ... Whatever. I'm going to find someplace else to sleep." Shuu stands, tucking his hands in his pockets.
"Hold it!" In a flash, Reiji is on his feet, and Shuu halts. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Why should I tell you? Isn't this what you want? Time alone with my woman to sway her mind? If that's the case, then I'll leave you to it. Just know you won't be successful."
Reiji sneers. "It's like you to run away when you feel threatened."
"Huh? Didn't you hear me? I don't care—that woman there is mine alone. I've trained her to be the perfect slut for my fangs. Yours could never suffice. Does that sound 'threatened' to you?"
Hesitantly, you stand as well. "Shuu, it's not like that at all."
"Go on, Reiji." Shuu fully faces him now. A look of barely concealed amusement flickers in his eyes. "Give it your best shot."
"You have always been a spoiled brat. It seems time truly changes nothing. As a child, you never had to work for anything. Everything deemed precious was merely handed to you on a platter, yet you could never see its worth. You always treated your treasures as though they were trash." Reiji stalked closer to you, contempt dripping from every word. "Your lackluster care, your arrogance, have ruined you. Standing here before you is the one thing you will never be able to recover once it's been taken."
Reiji pulls you close. You trip over your feet, back colliding with his chest, but Reiji holds firm. It's like dancing all over again. One of his hands is wrapped securely around your wrist, the other splayed across your abdomen.
Shuu glares. "For someone who pretends to be so smart, you sure are stupid. Even if you succeeded at seducing her, eventually, she'll come crawling back to me. As she always has. Would I let my woman go to you if I didn't want her to? I could have demanded she never sees you again she's ago, but I didn't, because I knew no matter what, she'd remain mine. She can't live without me."
Every word is said with such confidence that even you wonder if it's true. You're no stranger to Shuu's mind games. He could be unreasonably cruel but never had you seen him behave like this. It was like someone had shoved a new soul inside Shuu's skin. The voice was the same, as was the lazy posture, but the spirit was different.
Reiji made a noise of alarm, curling his body around yours. It was a show. Proof that no matter what Shuu thought, Reiji wouldn't let go.
"I see." Shuu closes his eyes and sighs. "Bothersome. But it can't be helped." He strides toward what looks like an ornate umbrella rack. "... If it's a fight you want, then a fight you'll get."
Shuu wraps his lithe fingers around a protruding handle and pulls. The sharp clang of metal on metal rips through the air as Shuu brandishes a sword. You gasp and try to move, but Reiji's grip is like iron.
"You're challenging me to a duel?" Reiji asks.
The sword is unwavering in Shuu's hand, pointed straight at you like he might run you through any second. But Shuu's focus is wholly on his brother. You might as well be a fly on the wall.
"If I lose, I'll back off," Shuu says. "I won't get involved, and you can do as you please with her. Sound good?"
"Indeed."
"But." Shuu tilts his head, "If I win, you won't dare meddle in our affairs from heron out ... That goes for you, too." He shifts his glacial glare to you. "You'll never seek him out again."
But ... "That's impossible. Shuu, you're being too extreme." There was no way you could stop being around Reiji. He was everywhere, partially responsible for your well-being, when Shuu slacked off. At least, that's what you told yourself. The real reason was a secret you wouldn't dare say aloud, especially not here. Not now. "I'm not some prize to be won."
"Tch, annoying. Nothing will change, no matter how much you cry about it."
"This isn't you talking right now; it's the moon." You look out the window, wishing the eclipse would be over already. "I mean, seriously, Shuu. Dueling? Isn't that too much effort over something like this?"
"I don't care if the eclipse is the cause. In fact, I'm grateful. If it weren't, we would keep going in circles around you forever."
"I'm loathed to agree," says Reiji. "It's time we settle the score once and for all. A duel to the death it is."
Shuu grins, but it's the kind of deranged smile that sends shivers down your spine. He withdraws another sword and tosses it to Reiji, who easily catches it.
Reiji pushes you behind him and gets into position, matching Shuu's sneer.
"How long has it been?" Shuu ponders aloud. "A century? Two?"
"Where's this sentimentality coming from?" Reiji tightens his fingers one by one on the gilded hilt.
"Just wondering if you've improved ... I remember how frustrated you used to get because you couldn't win."
"Hm. Yes. How will things go tonight? The gap in our strength has diminished significantly over the past century."
Without warning, Shuu leaped forward and clashed his blade against Reiji's. You yelp. The smash of metal on metal grates against your ears, and you want to shut your eyes, so you don't have to see the inevitable carnage—but you don't. The brutal display transfixes you. It's like a train wreck, violent and macabre, yet you cannot tear your gaze away. Shuu moves faster than you've ever seen, eyes alert and lips pressed together in cold determination. Not a hint of lethargy hinders his limbs, and it's like he's never been lazy a day in his life. Every swipe of his blade has a purpose, intending to kill.
But Reiji's defense is strong—stronger than Shuu seemed to realize. The initial attack took him off guard, but he's held his ground ever since. He blocks Shuu's blade at every turn.
Their blades cross, framing Shuu's angelic face. Jaw clenched, he says. "Heh, not bad."
"It would be concerning if I still possessed the skill of a child, don't you think?"
"I can't say. In my eyes, you still act like a kid brother." Shuu pulled back, swiping his blade at Reiji's head. "Annoying." Reiji ducks, once again blocking the attack. "Bothersome." Their swords clash even harder. "Like a duckling waddling after its mother."
Though you can't see Reiji's face, you know Shuu's taunts struck a nerve. The bespectacled vampire's shoulders tense, fingers tightening on the hilt of his sword. Reiji attempts to turn the tides in an offensive blow but leaves his chest unguarded.
Shuu takes the bait. He plants his foot square on Reiji's chest and kicks him hard.
Reiji grunts, staggering back but doesn't fall. His balance is too good. Either that, or he's surviving on pure willpower alone. Reiji narrowly avoids colliding with you, sidestepping at the last second. Shuu won't give him a break. He twirls his sword, readjusting his grip, and stalks forward. Thinking fast, Reiji pulls you into his embrace yet again—only this time, as a shield.
Whatever Reiji's intent, it doesn't stop Shuu. His sword arcs through the air, ready to slice anyone and anything in its path, but Reiji counters it. Shuu grits his teeth, sneering.
"Cheating?" Shuu shakes his head, "I thought you were above such things."
"Think of it more as a strategic advantage."
"If you think she'll stop me from killing you, you're mistaken."
"Am I? Alright." Reiji knocks Shuu back, but he does not take the offensive. Instead, he keeps his sword low by his side. He centers you on his chest, wrapping his hand loosely around your throat. "Do it then. Destroy us both in one fell swoop."
The blood in your veins runs cold, and you gasp. No. Shuu couldn't—he wouldn't!
Shuu's nostrils flare, eyes burning like blue flames. The opportunity of a lifetime stood before him like a sitting duck. It would be a crime not to take it. You grasp Reiji's forearm, weakly pulling at it, though he refuses to move. If he dies, you'll die with him.
Shuu's blade arcs above your head, and you squeeze your eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable end. What will he do once you're dead? Drink your blood before it turns cold. Lap it from the wound his sword will create?
But the blade never connects. It was a diversion. At the last second, Shuu stops it from tearing through your heart and rips you away from his brother. As you stumble behind him, the force nearly pops your arm out of its socket. Shuu outstretches his free arm as a barrier, holding his blade inches from Reiji's face.
With trembling hands, you grip the back of Shuu's shirt. Tears burn your eyes, but adrenaline keeps them from falling. In this moment, screaming, crying, and begging would do nothing. Your opinion is as meaningful as dirt here.
Reiji smiles mirthlessly. "I knew you couldn't do it." He raises his blade, halting Shuu's next attack, and holds him there. "Answer me plainly."
"What about?"
"The girl." His crimson gaze flits toward you. "Even if I won, you had no intention of letting her go. You would rather see her dead than with me; you care about her that much."
Shuu says nothing and swallows hard.
"Nothing? So I am right."
"I told you as much before. The woman belongs to me. Why would I hand her over so willingly to someone like you?"
"I see..." Reiji's expression becomes unreadable. "If that is the case..."
Reiji discards his sword, letting it rattle against the marble floor.
"What are you doing?" Shuu gestures to the weapon with his own. "This isn't over. Pick up your sword and fight."
"No."
"No?" he scoffs. "What does that mean?"
"I forfeit."
You gasp, taking a step back. Shuu rests his hand on your hip, unwilling to part with you.
"You..." He shakes his head. "You're fucking with me, yeah? Is this a joke?"
"I thought you knew me better than that." For the briefest of seconds, he looks at you once more, eyes softening. "I'll take my leave."
You move toward him, but Shuu forces you to stop. This had to be a tactic—Reiji Sakamaki doesn't just quit. You wait for the surprise attack, a feat of horrifying proportions that would end in blood and tears, but it never comes.
Reiji turns on his heel and walks away. Shuu doesn't move until his brother vanishes down the stairs, proving there won't be any retaliation.
Shuu drops the sword. It falls on Reiji's with a clatter, masking Shuu's grunt of dissatisfaction. He grits his teeth; pink lips puckered in a snarl.
"How annoying ... I'm all worked up. I was looking forward to teaching that guy a lesson."
For good measure, Shuu kicks the swords and spits. It doesn't bring Reiji back, though, and no matter how 'worked up' he may have been, there was no way Shuu would chase his brother down.
Shuu snaps to you, eyes like blue flames waiting to consume you in their rage. "Don't just stand there looking like that. He doesn't deserve your pity. Don't you get that? That guy is mocking us by giving up this way."
You dig your nails into your palms, willing your tears to go away. "I don't know, Shuu."
"You're not thinking of going after him, are you? Don't be stupid."
You squeeze your hands even harder, looking over the balcony railing. You weren't thinking about it ... not really. But the idea of being anywhere other than here is all too appealing.
"You're upset."
Flinching, you step back, winding your arms around your torso. At this point, you're practically screaming, begging yourself not to cry, but a tear escapes.
Shuu gently grabs your arms and presses you against one of the thick marble columns that line the balcony. It's impossible to ignore his presence now. Exactly what he wants. You stare straight at his sternum, vision blurring over with tears. Every blink threatens to spill them like a barrel inching toward its tipping point.
"Hey ... Stop this. Look at me."
"Please, Shuu, not now."
"I'm afraid 'now' is the only time I'll care about something like this. Or have you forgotten the eclipse? Reiji was right, you know, it has some strange effects on us vampires. I'm sure you got that a moment ago while we dueled. I can't explain this feeling ... it's like I'm restless ... I thought I could get through this evening just fine, but being in your presence amplifies it. I wouldn't have challenged Reiji had it not been for the sight of you with him. Shuu leans closer, forcing you to tilt your head up unless you want to be smothered. "I can smell him all over you. It's dampening the scent of your blood."
The tears leak from the side of your eyes, shamefully streaming down your jawline. Shuu watches it happen, unaffected by your display of emotion. He catalogs your appearance with clinical efficiency, looking from top to bottom.
"Did he hurt you?"
"No."
"Then, are you sad that he abandoned you? Are these tears because you prefer my little brother over me?"
"No, Shuu, I'm—I'm upset because of you. The way you acted about Reiji and me... the things you said ... they really hurt my feelings. Not to mention you almost stabbed me."
He regards your words, ingesting them with a lethargic blink. Finally, he huffs a pathetic two-note chuckle and shakes his head. "You are a troublesome woman, you know that. Everything I've done was to piss Reiji off, you know? I had no intention of killing you like that—Reiji knew it. It's why he dangled you in front of me. It was a test, and I failed it intentionally. Reiji isn't a good guy, you know. He might have killed you himself if it weren't for the eclipse. But it's no matter. He's gone and made it clear that he's not interested in you anymore."
Tipping your chin with his hand, Shuu murmurs, "Look at me. Please."
It's tiresome to resist him.
You look.
Shuu is one of those people who are so beautiful it hurts. He's Reiji's opposite in every way—from the halo of golden curls atop his head to his sapphire eyes. He looks like a prince you would see in a book of fairytales. And, after seeing him with that sword, you suppose it's not off base. Shuu has taken a page from Reiji's book and let his hair grow out, too. (Although, it could be that he was lazy enough not to notice it needs cut.) It hangs around his face in soft waves, brushing the top of his shoulders.
Lazily, Shuu strokes the length of your neck with his thumb. The finger is calloused from years of playing violin, but the roughness feels good. Despite his previous brutality, he's surprisingly tender with you. He wipes the tears from your cheeks and kisses you.
His lips are cold. It's a shock to your overheated system, and you hesitate before returning the gesture. Eyes shut, arms wound around his back, you fall. You could hear his voice—give in, lewd girl. Let my kisses comfort you in a way words never could. After all, words are meaningless to Shuu. This much, you know. He prefers action—overt devotion.
Shuu deepens the kiss, smirking as he swallows your moans. His tongue flirts with yours, invading your mouth, stealing your warmth. You happily give it to him.
You abandon all thought, every pain, all worry, and allow yourself to feel him. It's not perfect, and you're sure it won't be the last time that Shuu's behavior hurts you, but you don't care. You only want to think about Shuu.
He pulls away, allowing you space to breathe. You suck in air, slow and measured. Your heart pounds erratically in your chest with needy.
"... All mine ..." Shuu muses. "Everything of yours is mine."
"I'm yours, Shuu."
He slips his hand from your throat to the front of your shirt, carefully undoing the fastens. "This body is mine. This blood." He opens your shirt, stopping short of exposing your breasts. Shuu lays his hand over your chest. "This heart. It beats only for me, yeah?"
"Yes, Shuu."
The words taste bitter on your tongue. You're not sure why—and you don't want to know.
"And you'll bleed only for me?"
"Yes."
He lowers his head, blond curls spilling over his face. "Then, bleed."
Shuu's fangs pierce your skin, and everything is right. Your lips part, a silent cry on the tip of your tongue as you succumb to pleasurable pain. His canines are burning hot and throb in his mouth, pulsing under your flesh like a second heartbeat. Shuu suckles from the puncture wound, his tongue sweeping across it, gathering anything he might have missed.
Your body heats up, face flushed, and eyes squeezed shut as arousal washes over you in droves. Before, you would have never imagined that you'd find something like this pleasurable. When life had been normal, monster-free, you never considered yourself a masochist. Maybe you'd fantasize about a slap here or there or the feeling of a hand clenched around your through, but never about extremes. But Shuu was right—he had trained your body well, conditioned it over the many moons you spent in his arms to crave him. Crave the pleasure that only he could provide. There was no denying it: you were a masochist for Shuu.
Shuu weaves one arm around your hips, the other supporting your upper back as he dips you. You hold his head with your right hand, burrowing your fingers in his long tresses until you reach his scalp. Trembling, you press your thighs together to abate the pulsing in your sex, but Shuu stops you. He thrusts his knee between yours to prolong your torture.
"Stop squirming," Shuu speaks against your neck. He drags the tip of his tongue over the wounds he created, dipping in and out of the holes provocatively. "It'll only make this hurt worse, but," he chuckles, "knowing you, you wouldn't mind that. My slut likes it rough, yeah?"
He bites again, a few centimeters above the previous one. The skin is already raw and overstimulated, which only increases the pain. This time you can't stifle your cry. It's high-pitched, echoing through the massive hall, and you remember where you are for the first time. But that doesn't stop you. You're too far gone to care about propriety.
Shuu releases your skin with a pop, chest heaving. "Fuck. S'not enough."
Abruptly, he shoves you to the floor. You land hard on your arms, sem-propped up as Shuu climbs over you. One knee settles between your thighs again, much closer than before. You clamp your thighs around it, unashamedly writhing beneath him as he paws at your shirt.
"These damn clothes." Shuu grabs both sides of the blouse and cleaves it in two before shoving the halves down your arms. "Why do you even wear them, hm? It's such a pain to work around. When I'm king, I'll make it, so you're always nude around me. Not a stitch of fabric on you to keep this body from me."
You shiver under his lust-blown gaze. "You'd let people see me?"
"It's the only way they'll know you're mine, now and forever. They'll look at you and see my marks littering this pretty skin. Might even carve my name right here." Shuu strokes the tops of your breasts. "Isn't that what you humans do to things you own? So that way, if it's ever lost, people can identify them and return it to its rightful owner?"
Entranced by his sadistic idea, Shuu smiles, deep in thought. He lowers himself to your chest and trails a line of hickies from one breast to the other. You brace yourself for the next bite, waiting to see where he'll strike. The throbbing in your core only gets stronger with anticipation, and you grind faster against Shuu's leg. Your swollen clit, confined by layers of cloth, just can't get the stimulation it needs to make you feel good. That doesn't stop you from trying, though, rucking your hips fervently against his thigh until your sex burns uncomfortably.
He chuckles at your blatant desperation, ghosting open-mouthed kisses over the marred flesh. "All worked up, humping my leg like a bitch in heat. I don't dislike it. Wriggling around like a pathetic little worm."
"I can't, Shuu," you whine, "Need your help."
"Hm? Why would I do that? You seem to have this under control. I can feel the heat of your cunt seeping through my pants. If you rock any harder, you'll soak all the way through."
The discomfort of your underwear reaches its peak. You start to unbutton them, but Shuu stops it with a glare.
"I didn't say you could stop. You'll keep rubbing up on me like this until you extinguish that guy's smell from your clothes."
That guy ...? He couldn't possibly be thinking of Reiji at a time like this?
Shuu pressed his thigh to you harder as if trying to crush your pelvis physically. This close, you could feel the throbbing in his pants. Half-hard and steadily swelling to mouth-watering proportions. Your eyes roll back in your head as he takes over, gyrating against you just right.
You swear you're losing your mind. It shouldn't feel good—it doesn't—but that doesn't stop you from getting wetter. Your poor, battered clit is overstimulated to the point of pain, and the coil in your gut is at its snapping point. You need a little push.
"Shuu, please."
You think he's going to bite. The tips of his fangs are poised and ready to mutilate you more, but he doesn't.
"Please," he mocks in a girlishly high-pitched squeal. "'Please' has no effect on me. If you want me to do someting, you have to be specific. Otherwise, I won't know."
"I n-need you." You squeeze your thighs around him harder. "I need you to bite me."
Laughing, Shuu looks up at you through his eyelashes. "You need it, yeah? I bet you'd say the same thing to him if he were here."
"W-What?" You shake your head. "No. No, Shuu, that's not true."
"You forget how this all started. I saw you earlier." The blond vampire climbs your body slowly until he's hovering above you. His hair hangs in a curtain around your face, blotting out all other scenery until he's the only thing you can focus on. "You were in his lap. I watched him touch you. Here—" Shuu pins your wrist to the floor. "—and here..." His other hand grabs your ass, digging his nails in. "I could hear your heart thumping as he closed in, smell your excitement at the thought of him kissing you ... You want to fuck him, don't you?"
You're robbed of speech, tongue paralyzed. Now, how he's looking at you is nothing short of evil. His smile is cruel, devoid of glee, and replaced with merciless rage. No, jealousy. It's a strange expression on Shuu's typical apathetic face, uncanny and terrifying that you wonder if you'll make it out of this alive.
"So, you do want him. I knew it. Your face is honest."
"N-No, Shuu, it's nothing like that."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not!" You cup his cheek, willing your fingers to stop shaking. You repeat yourself, words no louder than a whisper. "I'm not. I'm yours."
You watch as Shuu's rage softens into something less harsh. It is not soft, nor have you miraculously appeased his anger, but he seems to believe your words. They're spoken from the heart. You are Shuu's. You've belonged to him since you stepped foot in the Sakamaki mansion.
"But that doesn't mean you don't desire him."
You shut your eyes.
Shuu could kill you now. He was well within his rights to. No one would stop the future vampire king or come to your aid if you screamed.
He sighs. "That pisses me off. He's done more damage than I give him credit for. Always worming his way in where he doesn't belong. Still..."
Shuu grabs the hand holding his cheek, and you gasp. It's your only warning before he bites, tearing into the delicate skin of your wrist. You can feel beads of blood race down your forearm, drenching the already ruined sleeves of your top. Shuu gulps down what he wants, then releases your arm. It falls to the floor as if it were boneless, a puppet severed of its strings.
"... You know your place is at my side, my lewd little Jezebel." He lifts his head to the window, sighing again. "You should thank the moon for my generosity. I should kill you for even thinking about that guy like that, but I don't want to. It's ... aggravating."
You don't know how to respond to that. A 'thank you' would appear too passive-aggressive or desperate.
"I'd much rather mess with him some more. It's weird. I usually don't let him get to me as much, but tonight is different. He fucked me over with that duel, leaving things half-finished, taunting me. Try as I might, I can't get over it. Despite what I said earlier, that guy is not done with you. He'll keep coming back like the bother he is. I'm curious how he'd react to seeing the thorough mess I've made of you in such little time."
You follow his gaze. It feels like an entire day has passed since the eclipse began, yet it's not even halfway finished. You wonder if the moon feels as ragged as you do now. If she is as exhausted at being consumed by the Earth's shadow as you are by two vampires' rivalry.
"Go to him."
You snap your attention to Shuu. "What?"
"I don't like repeating myself. Get up and find him right this instant." Shuu yanks you into a sitting position, cradling your jaw. "Letting him see you like this is fitting revenge for half-assing a duel. I imagine he'll get quite angry. After all, wasn't he taunting me? Saying something like if I lost you, then I'd never get you back? What a hypocrite... He's lost you too."
He closes the distance between you, kissing you with bruising ferociously. Unfortunately, you don't have time to reciprocate because it stops as soon as it starts.
"If you don't die, I'll fuck you nice and rough when you get back." He strokes your bottom lip, smearing your blood over it like lipstick. "I'll strip you of all your clothes and take you on the throne down there. Consider it practice for when I'm king, yeah? Now go. Let's get this over with, okay?"