Dead and Decayed – Chapter 9

Juuri

Warning: Angst. Lots of Angst.

For four days, Rido haunted her.

Since the discovery of his sinful affiliation with another woman, Juuri discovered herself in a certain corner of her chamber, legs pulled up against her chest, trembling from the lustful moans that plagued her thoughts. The thick veil that shrouded her brother in a golden light had been ripped away, leaving Juuri traumatized at Rido's twisted indecency, screaming silently as those cruel spirits tormented her. She remembered a younger Rido, who had been the center of her small, restricted world, as the epitome of saintly goodness and cursed herself for her childlike ignorance. It was like gathering the pieces of glittering glass of her childhood memories, the ragged edges of this new Rido tearing her fragile skin—a fragmented, unspoken promise. Thankfully, if she waited long enough, sleep would eventually envelope her in a fragile embrace, and her mind would feel at peace, even if for a few moments.

However, even in slumber, she was not liberated from those accursed thoughts.

Instead, Dream Rido stalked her subconscious, twisting sweet and wonderful things to be part of his sick game. It was like going to hell and back, as the black fire flicked its avaricious wisps across her burning skin with his saccharine voice whispering tauntingly in her ear. The air felt thick and heavy, its shaky arms wrapping around her neck, constricting her airways in an aggravatingly lackadaisical pace until she heard her lungs shriek for relief.

Dream Rido would be standing from afar, his lean frame under the shade of the swaying English oak, like a shadow haunting during a starless night, and yet, she could still somehow feel his breath tickling her pearly skin, laughing softly in her ear, reveling in her pain and agony.

She cried. Nobody cared.

She screamed. Nobody heard.

Juuri would often wake up with dried tears plastered to her flushed cheeks, her weary eyes glancing around blindly, still drifting subconsciously in mid-dream, consumed by the lingering demons.

She gradually grew weary from lack of proper sleep, and neither the youth bestowed upon her kind nor the creamy white of her smooth skin could completely obscure the deep, bruised rings that formed under her cold, empty orbs.

Sometimes, when the torrent of satanic whispers graciously allowed Juuri a moment of transient serenity, her thoughts drifted to Haruka, desperately wishing she could hear his silvery tongue tease and utter sweet words in her ear, and her heart would clenched painfully inside her chest. She had always preferred Rido to Haruka, as the latter had kept a cold, lengthy distance from her and regarded her with vacant, cryptic stares during their childhood, but lately, she felt her heart quiver strangely and hysterically at the thought of him. It was during those times that she felt safe, warm, and happy.

But then she would hear the his pernicious laughter stroking the obsidian flames of her nightmare as the darkness unraveled Haruka's image—

—until Juuri couldn't see him, couldn't hear him, couldn't touch him.

Until nothing was left except her screams piercing the air.

.

As the months passed by like the flutter of ephemeral wings, the malevolent shadows began to consume Juuri from within, until tender and lighthearted feelings seemed like a long forgotten memory.

.

Juuri roused herself to a bleak consciousness.

She shifted wearily under the tangled white sheets clinging soothingly against the gentle curves of her slight, creamy body, pleading her to stay under their warm caresses a while longer. Her dull, mahogany orbs darted briefly to her window, flickering over the opalescent moon, as its pale brilliance was covered carelessly by the velvet drapery, and she sighed resolutely. She gently peeled the pristine sheets off her slender body, crumpling the masterfully woven Chinese silks in a pile at the edge of her bed, and strained herself to sit up, her dark, lustrous ringlets sliding fluidly against her back from the movement, the soles of her feet brushing over the polished wooden floors like placid lambs.

She let the cool night stroke her supple skin for a moment before stumbling across the glossy wood over to her mirror. As she ran a soft hairbrush through her auburn ringlets, her dark eyes continuously shifted towards the deep purple circles flourishing under them, and she distractedly brushed over the ugly mark with a thin finger.

Juuri sat there in the darkness, running the elastic bristles through her loose, shimmering curls, feeling the silken strands glide through the brush effortlessly.

She had not heard from Haruka in three months. The unpleasant dreams had ceased after a month's time, but the torrent of conflicting feelings she felt for him kept her mind awake until the sky glowed with the faint golden colors that marked daybreak. The more she thought, the more distraught she became, and the more she longed for Haruka to return presently.

Haruka. An odd sense of sadness engulfed her, causing her pale pink lips to curve downward into a small frown. Her beaten, ravaged heart tightened with excruciating force and the pit of her stomach felt sickeningly hollow. What is wrong with me?

Staring past her own weary reflection, Juuri saw a younger, untainted version of herself peering through the smooth looking glass with gleaming, inquisitive eyes and she let her mind immerse itself into another memory—her only source of respite against the demons lurking within her soul…

.

Eight-years-old Juuri was sitting underneath the unyielding roots of an old willow tree. She could still faintly discern the gentle voice of her brother drifting to her ears as he counted dutifully to one hundred per her precise instructions. Her back leaned against the rough surface of the wood, feeling her pulse steady itself as the adrenaline ebbed out of her body.

She had decided to trek out further into the woods for a decent hiding spot since she knew Rido was aware of all her usual nooks and crannies. For him, it was only a matter of finding which one she had chosen—a relatively easy task. Despite his constant reassurance that he took the game seriously, she knew that he spent a great deal of time pretending to look behind rose bushes and tree trunks when he had already pinpointed her location.

Juuri carefully tucked in her slender legs then plucked a simple, crimson flower growing heartily beside her. She crushed the bud in her tiny palm, feeling the viscous nectar languidly weave itself between her delicate fingers as the velvety petals fell to the hard forest floor one by one—like shimmering droplets of blood. She rubbed the sticky substance over her pale arms, coating her pearly white skin in a thin sheen of yellow. Almost instantly, Juuri was plunged into the characteristic, saccharine scent, concealing her own alluring aroma as the pungent odor burned in her nostrils and fat, crystal tears reflexively welled up at the corners of her large orbs.

Hastily, she wiped the clear liquid on the corner of her pristine, white dress that stood in an unnatural and harsh contrast to the earthen ground. Her round eyes momentarily flickered towards the general direction she had come from. Speckles of sunlight permeated through the protective shield of leaves, dancing on her fair skin as she curled her toes and brushed against the rough, coarse ground beneath her. Overhead, she saw blue jays and robins glide across the immense blue of the sky, the tips of their wings almost grazing the silvery white clouds as they spread their sweet melodies to all those who waited for it with bated breath. The Kuran princess wondered if her brother realized by now that she had mischievously slipped away from his gentle, tender grasp and giggled softly at the thought of his stupefied expression.

However, hide and seek naturally catered to a vampire's more primal instincts, so no matter where she hid, Juuri knew it would not be long before Rido determined her location. In this innocent game between siblings, he was the vicious predator and she, the frightened prey. Giving herself up to the inevitable end, Juuri rested her cheek against the smooth surface of her knees, her silken locks cascading in front of her field of vision like a serenely flowing waterfall, drowning her world in darkness as she allowed herself to be immersed in a light slumber.

When she awoke, the sky was bleeding.

The lovely scenery before her had turned into a treacherous and deadly war zone. She could feel the trees twisting together, bracing for the impending storm while sheltering fragile animals within their myriad of branches. Already, in the distance, Juuri could recognize the low rumble of thunder breaking free from its iron gates, and like a fetid monster, it snarled and snapped at harmless objects. The ferocious beast raked its long, sharp claws across the blackened sky and a lightning bolt stuck violently, leaving a bruising mark. It roared and thunder crashed.

—and Juuri screamed silently to herself.

She was legitimately afraid of storms. She could vividly recall all those horrid nights when she rocked herself back and forth on the plush bed, trembling and staring into space, waiting for the scare to pass. The spacious window became an orifice for the ruthless lightning as it lit up the sinister sky, blinding her temporarily, scornfully. The thin walls allowed the violent thunder to echo continuously around her frightened form, and so she was forced to listen to the foul monster screech relentlessly in her sensitive ear.

Another bolt tore across the scorched page, creating an ugly, gaping scar in its wake. Juuri pulled her legs closer to her chest, whimpering pathetically as large droplets of clear water splattered carelessly on her pearly white skin and ran down strands of her glistening ringlets. The salty tears blurred her vision and stung painfully in her mahogany irises.

The tempest cruelly obscured her sense of time and direction. The trees that had appeared friendly in broad daylight now looked menacing and unrecognizable beneath the seared flesh of the sky. Brutally beaten and chained by the storm's more powerful force, the sun that had marked the length of day was now cleverly hidden away by her captors.

With her child-like ignorance, Juuri reassured herself that it would not be long before her kind older brother discovered her hiding spot. But as the minutes were carelessly lifted away, Juuri's tender heart began to flutter uncertainly as her fearful eyes darted around blindly, searching fruitlessly and perhaps desperately for her savior.

Suddenly, strong, sturdy arms enveloped her quivering body. They pulled her soothingly from under the twisted roots and Juuri cringed slightly when the harsh pitter-patter of the rain came in contact with her delicate skin. A coat was thrown over her wretched form and Juuri found herself cradled lovingly in those pale arms as she relished the warmth and safety the outerwear seemed to inject into her once-terrified soul.

The young Kuran lifted her grateful eyes to meet her rescuer's face…

.

—but instead, she found nothing. On the other side of the polished mirror, Juuri knitted her perfectly-arched brows, confusion and uncertainty softly lining her young visage. Placing the brush on her lavishly decorated dresser, she concentrated on that particular scene from her collection of memories, but no matter how much she willed the mysterious face to show itself, a hazy black shroud greeted her wasted efforts. As a last resort, Juuri closed her garnet orbs, her feathery lashes resting placidly against her skin, and delved inside her own mind, expanding her consciousness into every crevice. Nothing conscious or subconscious could hide from her. Her mind was exposed—fresh, pink, and naked—before her omniscient gaze. With a casual flick of her wrist, Juuri summoned the precious library she accumulated her memories in and extracted the desired strand of images, examining the moving pictures with detached interest until she neared the scene in question. But as her slim finger scrolled over to where the countenance she sought for would logically follow, there was nothing more than simple blank slide.

Impossible.

While vampires possessed many enhancements beyond the reach of mere humans, they could not break the absolute ordinances that governed nature. Vampires could live for eons, but as all living things, they must eventually perish. They were not impervious to pain no matter how quickly their cells multiplied to heal a wound. Even their ethereal beauty had its minuscule flaws, though these defects were invisible to the human eye.

Similarly, memories could not be "erased", for things that have happened cannot be completely forgotten. They could become dusty and unclear from disuse or, with a vampire's interference, be sealed and locked away, but nothing ruled by nature's divine laws could untangle or rewind the past.

There was only one plausible explanation. Someone had been tampering with her beloved memories.

However, before Juuri could pursue her thoughts further, they were brutally torn away by a few light taps on her chamber door.

"Yes?" she prompted as drops of venomous irritation slipped into her otherwise melodic voice and she uttered a series of vulgar expletives under her breath.

"Lord Rido has returned to the mansion," the maid replied hesitantly, and Juuri felt a small shudder run dangerously down her curved spine, "He requests your immediate presence at his bed chamber, Lady Juuri."

She was pleased that the visible shaking in her elegant hands had not dripped into her sweet voice as well. "I will be there in a few moments."

When the maid's docile steps at last became a faint daydream, Juuri collapsed upon her dresser, her silky tresses spreading across the wooden surface like an oriental fan as her trembling hands clutched the sides of her arms to stop the violent tremors coursing through her body in a tidal wave. She felt her nails sink themselves into her naked skin and drops of clear liquid run across the bridge of her petite nose, splattering loudly on the even surface pressing against her cheek.

She sobbed quietly in the darkness and willed away the evil fiends clutching at the corners of her barren soul.

.

Blood. She smelled blood.

Juuri swallowed the bile that threatened to escape the confines of her throat as the enticing odor wrapped its vile tendrils around her thin neck and even when she held her breath, she could still taste the metallic scent on her tongue.

Her ashen fingers reached for the doorknob gleaming scornfully in front of her, but she faltered and took a step back. Juuri knew that no mattered how heightened her senses were, she could never be prepared for what lay beyond that threshold, but before she could build her resolve, a syrupy voice beckoned to her.

"Don't be shy, Juuri. Come in."

All at once, her defenses fell and a million memories rushed past her. Like prismatic diamonds, they sparkled in brilliant, iridescent colors—red, green, blue, gold—and displayed the images she had thought were dead and decayed.

She remembered the time Rido had given her a beautiful porcelain doll and the time he surprised her with a puppy on Christmas day. She remembered the days he would weave stories for her before bed and the moments they spent together playing in the garden. She remembered all the laughs, smiles, and happiness they had shared together.

Yearning welled up inside her and she was powerless against the crystal tears threatening to spill out of her glassy orbs, but Juuri knew it was useless. Those moments were over and like fallen petals, they could never bloom again.

She opened the door and witnessed a repulsive sight.

Almost at once, she could see his lanky figure sprawled languidly on a plush armchair. His silhouette seemed to blend into the darkness around him, the blackness lapping at his sides as a beast that waits obediently by its master. Several woman surrounded her brother, their skimpy dresses nearly torn off, their faces showing an ecstasy that explained the neatly defined puncture holes on the side of their necks. Her brother's heterochromia glowed unnaturally under the moonlight, inviting lustful creatures to indulge in the inviting and enthralling aroma and Juuri could faintly make out a small stream of the sinful liquid leaking from the corner of his stained lips before his pointed tongue licked it away.

Rido smiled delightfully and Juuri felt like throwing up.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Juuri." His breath slowly caressed the gelid air, low and charming as he curled an elegant finger, beckoning her to come closer.

Juuri stood her ground, but nonetheless felt the gentle tucking and soft whispers his power as a pureblood radiated. If she were a human, she would have already willingly thrown herself into his devastating clutch, intoxicated by the unspoken promises his voice exuded.

"You seem uneasy. Why don't you come over here and tell me what's wrong," he continued smoothly when she did not move.

Dream Rido. Her nightmare had become reality.

"I don't want to," Juuri said hastily, taking a step backwards, her physique tense and rigid as her mahogany eyes narrowed.

"Tsk tsk tsk. That's no way to speak to your older brother, Juuri." He wagged his finger at her playfully and rose, closing the distance between them in three broad strides and grabbed her face roughly. "Haven't I told you that I hate disrespectful brats?"

She tried to pry his hand off of her jaw, but the grip was uncompromising and seemed to tighten the more she struggled. The blood pounded in her ears. "Let—me—go," she managed to spit out.

"Why?" he whispered sensually against her ear as his tongue flickered out to taste her deliciously silky skin, "So you can go running to that bastard, Haruka, again?"

Juuri whimpered pitifully and tried to speak but he cut her off, his voice suddenly lined with a hysterical anguish. "Why don't you love me anymore, Juuri? Why? What did I do to make you despise me so? Because I love you so much…"

His soft mouth drifted from her earlobe down to the side of her neck, leaving a trail of damp and sticky kisses as his lips parted and she could feel his sharp fangs prod her fragile skin. "So much that I wish to devour you, Juuri."

She shrieked and Rido suddenly let her go, laughing at her agony.

Juuri stumbled out of his room, clutching at her white dress as a never ending river of glimmering tears gushed down her traumatized face.

Ignoring the alarmed voices of the servants, Juuri ran until she was outside the heavy metal doors of the Kuran mansion.

But she could still feel his immoral touch, hear his pernicious laughter, experience the searing ache he left on her soul.

So she ran.

And ran.

And ran.

Disclaimer: I never own anything that belongs to Hino-sempai.

Oh god. It's been two years, hasn't it? There are no words to express the remorse I feel right now for neglecting this story.

Real life has been keeping me extremely busy lately and I just don't have the time that I had two years ago to write.

But I promised myself when I started this story that I wouldn't drop it under any circumstances. So here I am, with the next chapter, two years later.

I hope my writing style hasn't changed. Again.

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. It's so damn angsty. But when I wrote the warning, I really meant it. From here one out, there will be super angst in probably every chapter. Get ready.

Thank you so much to anybody and everybody who still reads this series. I cannot express my gratitude enough: your reviews and encouraging words are what keep me motivated.

Please R it would warm my heart. Well, adieu for now.

Luna.