Kimiko*Owari No Seraph

Chapter 17: Siblings

Shinya's POV:

~ Shibuya ~

"Get off of m-" I stutter, locking eyes with the vampire and suddenly realizing who she is. Tears well up in my eyes. "K-k-kimiko?" I manage to say.

Looking into the eyes of the young girl, I recognize her as my little sister Kimiko. It's been ages since we were separated at the orphanage, when the Hīragi family adopted me and I was torn away from her.

"Shinya?" she whispers, her aqua blue eyes brimming with tears.

"Oh my gosh, I just shot you and— you're a vampire, what happened?" I blurt out, embracing her tightly before recoiling in disgust at what she's become.

"Please don't abandon me again, Shinya," she pleads weakly, then passes out. "Carry her carefully," I instruct the guards, my heart heavy with concern for Kimiko and the other two vampires.

Oh Kimiko, what have you gotten yourself into?

Kimiko's POV:

~ Imperial Demon Army Headquarters ~

I wake up in the old, dirty, musty cell, finding Mika passed out on my left and Haruhi on my right, all of us shackled to the wall. "Pssst, Haruhi," I nudge her. She stirs, noticing our predicament. "What the fuck. How did we—" she starts, attempting to break free from the shackles.

"There's something off here, we need to wait and see," I say, urging patience. Haruhi and I ponder our next move as Mika regains consciousness, and I fill him in on our situation.

"Also, there's something I've been meaning to tell you guys," I begin, my voice wavering with emotion. "One of the major generals, the one who orchestrated our capture, is—" Before I can finish, two guards approach our cell. One unlocks the door and approaches me.

"The Major General wishes to speak with you," the guard announces, unshackling me and helping me to my feet. I try to stand, but falter, feeling dizzy and weak. The guard supports me as we exit the cell, traversing a series of rooms until we reach our destination. He secures me to a chair, my hands bound behind me and my feet cuffed to the ground, then leaves the room.

As another figure enters, I open my eyes to see Shinya. "What do you want?" I ask bitterly.

"I'm so sorry, Kimiko, I didn't mean to leave you. But my father has a proposal for you and your vampire friends," he says with sorrow in his eyes. I wish I could embrace him and express how much I've missed him, but I can't reveal weakness to the humans.

"What kind of proposal? And what father?" I inquire, intrigued.

"My father—the man who took me away from you. He's offered your friends their freedom in exchange for information and your permanent imprisonment here," Shinya explains sadly.

"What information do you humans want?" I ask, my interest piqued.

"Hahaha, you're already referring to your own kind as humans," he remarks, pausing. "But we're seeking information about one of your Lords, Ferid Bathory."

"What specifics do you need about him? And what's the catch?" I question, growing annoyed.

"What do you mean? We're simply proposing a deal," he responds, puzzled.

"I may appear young, but I'm not naive. I know the Imperial Army isn't known for keeping their word, especially with vampires like us. So what's the catch?" I press, a tinge of anger in my voice.