Diabolik Lovers: Recovery

Chapter 31: Taken

It's great to be back into the swing of things. The triplets' birthdays were awfully time consuming, but entirely worth it. As I trotted through the brightly lit, cream-tiled halls, I found myself taking my time. I'd already used the restroom, but I took my time wandering back to class. Maybe it was the previous excitement that made classes seem rather dull now.

A gentle breeze drew along the outside of my thigh, right along my knife's sheath. I gasped, jumping out of the way of the touch, but hearing a foreboding clatter and shatter. The weapon and vial of blood were on the floor, the vial broken.

"Oi, sow, c'mere."

"Huh?" I yelped, spinning on the spot to see a giant of a man with long brown hair standing above me. "H-Hey, what are you-!?"

"Quiet, now," he said, his brown eyes glittering as he trapped my body in a bone-crunching hug.

"Help-!"

"No one can hear you now, sow..."

"H-huh?" I mumbled, glancing around at my unfamiliar surroundings. It appeared to be some sort of living space, but I didn't recognize it.

We've teleported... shit!

"Let me go!"

"Quit being so unruly!" the man demanded, throwing me down onto the floor. After a quick roll, I was up on my feet again, fists near my face and lungs heaving.

"That's no way for livestock to act," another voice growled and I jumped, hitting the backs of my legs against the nearby end table. This man had dark black hair and grey eyes. He sat regally in one of the armchairs, regarding me with an air of disdain.

"Who are you people!"

"Oh, c'mon Maso-kitty, you remember, don't you?"

"K-Kou?" I asked wonderingly, glancing up at the blonde-haired figure perched on the banister of the stairs.

"Ah, you do remember!"

A little brush on my knuckles made me jump once more, further bruising my legs. I yanked my fist away from the offending individual, a man with purplish eyes and dark hair. Bandages wound up his arms... I couldn't help but feel wary of the punishment that awaited.

"Do you... like... pain?"

"Seriously, who are you people?!"

"Ah, that's right!" Kou says, clapping his hands together. "You all have yet to introduce yourselves to Maso-kitty."

"That's right," the black-haired one says, standing. "My name is Ruki Mukami."

"Yuma," says the giant of a man, then looking to the smallest, dark-haired man.

"Azusa," he says, noticing his prompt.

"Now we all know each other! Isn't it great! You'll be living with us from now on, Maso-kitty."

"That's not correct," I mutter, cocking an eyebrow at him. "I stay with the Sakamaki family. You all... why are you bothering with me anyway?"

"You truly want to go back to them? The place were you're a mere vampire toy to them?"

I frown, my eyes roving around the room to the others. Were they trying to save me?

"I... appreciate your kindness, but you're all vampires. It's not like it can be helped: to become prey, I mean."

"Don't compare us to them. We have self-control at the very least."

"Self control..." I echo, furrowing my brow. Was this a kind act? "Why did you bring me here to live with you?"

"C'mon, how irritating," Kou hissed, putting me back on alert. "So ungrateful..."

"We just need your blood, Eve's blood, for this plan," Ruki says and I grit my teeth.

So it wasn't kindness... it was for some plan.

"My name isn't Eve. You have the wrong person."

"Just shut up and comply!" Yuma snarled, smashing his fist against the nearby banister. I flinched, stepping away.

"I don't see how you're different than the Sakamaki family, but at least with them, I've become a part of their family. Not just part of some stupid plan."

"You have Eve's blood therefore you can choose an Adam."

"So what? Gosh I don't know what to do with the biblical reference. But I have blood that does... something? I've got a demon heart in place of my real one that gives me sweeter blood. Is that what you're talking about?"

"Eve... can I... be... Adam?"

"Not if you keep calling me Eve," I growled, attempting to back away but finding myself surrounded on all four sides. "The Sakamakis will look for me."

"We've taken precautions."

"Hah... why do you want to become Adam, then?"

"You ask too many questions, sow."

"Yeah, I don't like that nickname either," I mutter under my breath.

"Come, livestock, I have a room prepared for you in which you can clear your head," Ruki states, but I cut him off.

"I'll just escape!"

"Tch."

"C'mere, sow..." Yuma says, approaching menacingly and, despite myself, I feel my body start to quake with fear.

I'm out somewhere unfamiliar. Even if I escaped the house, I'd be miserably lost in the surrounding forest that I could see from the windows. This place appeared to be isolated.

Yuma's hands came down on my shoulders, holding me in a vice-like grip, "Hah? Despite that tough talk you're shaking like a leaf."

"She's realizing that resistance is futile."

I grit my teeth and clench my fists at my sides, but I can't bring myself to meet any of their eyes.

"My blood won't taste good for you," I mumble, feeling tears well in my eyes. "I promise you that."

"Allow me to test that theory," Ruki murmurs and Yuma spins me around on the spot, grabbing my hair and yanking my head to the side to expose my neck.

Even if I managed to escape, fighting this guy might be beyond me.

Shivering within the larger man's grasp, I watch fearfully as Ruki observes my neck.

"You appear healthy enough," he says, "Your blood pumps hotly. The scent is distinctly Eve's."

His teeth plunge into my skin and I yelp with pain, pushing backward only to run into Yuma. He removes them after a short second, swabbing at the wound with his fingers to inspect my blood more closely.

"It's... bitter," he confirms, staring at it curiously. "Not at all how it smells and yet it is Eve's blood."

"Hah? Those aristocrats were putting up with that?" Yuma demands.

"Yeah," I mutter, looking out the window in order to stem the smarting in my eyes from the tightness of Yuma's grip. "May I ask a question?"

I was met with silence so I went forward.

"What if I had already chosen this... Adam?"

My words were met with more silence.

"Eve... please... we just want... to live alongside you..."

I bow my head, still shaking slightly so I can see strands of my own hair shivering.

"I'll give you all a chance," I murmur, unclenching my fingers. "But you should know; I was told that my blood is strange. It tastes poor when I feel angry or scared or sad, so... being away from the family that I made with the Sakamakis... I'll always be a little sad."

"They don't know the definition of family," Ruki says.

"Yeah, we'll show you," Kou agrees, still scowling.

"S-sure..."