A/N: …To tell you the truth, I don't know what the hell I just wrote. XD. One day, I just started watching Diabolik Lovers videos and a bunch of vampire stuff and fanficiton, and then blam. This shit happened. Okay, so this is purely experimental. I've never written anything about vampire love stories or whatnot, but hey, there's a first time for everything!

I'm just hoping I haven't totally failed at writing this. Ahem, so anyway.

Overall, I do like Yui, but she kind of came across as an airhead, especially in the anime. She's cute in the Otome games, but I'm just not all that crazy about her being abused and treated like shit more than half the time by most of the bachelors. I detest all of the Mukami brothers and most of the Sakamaki brothers. I'D ABSOLUTELY PERSONALLY IMPALE A STAKE THROUGH KARL HEIZ MYSELF IF NOT FOR THE FACT HE IS A CENTRAL PART IN THE GAMES.

Yui= Bella

Shu= Edward

Ayato= Jacob

... Just kidding. I'll die before I write about some ripoff romance based off Twilight. I will also never unintentionally create a dumb heroine like Bella. Boo.

Italics represent- Special text, Yui's thoughts.

Bold- ?

Once upon a time, there lived a mild girl.

She was the daughter of a respected abbot and was raised within the strong walls of a grand monastery. She grew up to be a happy child, as she often trailed after her father who went out to perform daily rounds.

The parishioners decided that she would lead the monastery to new heights as the next abbess. Her village called her an angel, but it wasn't really because of her heavenly mannerisms or pale appearance, no. It was because she had uncanny good luck, and it seemed wherever she went, good things would happen. She was eventually sought after by many people who visited her village, wishing to be "blessed".

Rumor had it that she possessed a remarkable power gifted by God.

Curiosity centered itself in the girl's heart, and she often wondered what the world looked like outside her tiny village, but fear had also manifested in her mind. She instinctively understood that there were scarier things than being pushed in the mud or having her hair pulled. Bad people existed outside the monastery. She feared leaving her father's side, and she feared the stoic-faced visitors that passed through her village, often wielding bloody knives or bandaged limbs. She hid her face in her father's robes, and she feared even the villagers even though they talked to her with smiles on their eager faces.

Somehow, I could sense their true thoughts. If I looked into a person's eyes, I'd become overwhelmed by the haunting and repulsive images that plagued their minds. I never liked looking into a person's eyes; sometimes I could see nothing but darkness.

She trembled even when her father assured her that the sisters here could be trusted, assured that while bad things existed in the world, there were also very kind and loving people who wished to befriend her, and so, the little girl was put at ease.

She did see beautiful things in travelers' minds and marveled at what she saw through their own eyes, wishing to see those sights for herself. Time went on, and the church council became immensely dissatisfied with her growth.

"What a worldly little child," the nuns would whisper, "It's unnerving how she stares out that window for hours."

"What a cowering little girl. She can hardly speak up," the council would grumble.

She knew what was expected of her, and she didn't want to disappoint anyone. They all scrutinized her with piercing eyes, waiting for something, and she was afraid. But she didn't try to be brave and hid behind her father's robes, and her father would always protect her.

And so the little girl thought she could hide forever.

Old towns were often popular with tourists; their conservative buildings and ancient ways to entertain people drew many in. Unorva was no different; it was a small village with an even smaller population, somewhat ignorant to other countries advancing their technology. People lived simple lives here, which could be seen as a good thing, but at the same time, outsiders sometimes looked down on their simple-mindedness and view on the world as a whole.

The piano music resonated darkly, followed by a woman's sultry singing. The lyrics were playful in a suggestive way, and the provocative words were enough to make the patrons smirk flirtatiously at the singer.

A hooded figure sat in the booth at the very back, well-hidden by the shadows and activity bustling around her. She, in effort to appear collected, slumped over the table and kept her face hidden as she patiently for her drink. She tried not to squirm in her seat when she heard the sound of a frying pan crashing against a lecherous patron's head, causing all the men to laughingly holler when the body slumped to the floor. The angry barmaid fumed as she ordered a burly man to throw him out, pointing to the door with the frying pan.

"Heh heh. Darling's feistier than usual today."

"Heard she broke up with that stable boy. He's been sleeping around, I hear."

"Gah, no wonder she's in bad spirits."

Rain fell like a dreary waterfall that evening, drowning everything around the inn secluded by a seemingly endless forest. There was something strange about the place; a sinister air somehow plagued the place.

Maybe it was because of the jagged iron fencing, guarding the perimeter like devil's knives ready to slice open whoever dared touch the place.

Maybe it was how bats flitted past shrubbery and raced past the sullen statues in the dying garden, their hellish cackling resonating in the night. In a sense, it was like the Devil himself released them from Hell to torment the peace.

Maybe it was because of how the architecture's shadows would resemble twisted monsters when lightning pierced the gray sky… (though it couldn't compare to the real monsters that lurked within the mansion).

Or was it the bad-blooded men who served as regulars?

Nah.

It had to be… because of them.

Those men had been watching her for hours, and the situation didn't look good now. The young woman swallowed, beads of sweat running down her flushed neck. Even as she turned to look out the window, she could still feel their gazes penetrating her back like knives, watching her every move.

The girl turned her head to the window, watching their reflections as they continued to stare at her while drinking. She caught a glimpse of blades hidden in their undercoats as they pawed for their money. Chills ran down her spine as one of them slammed a knife on the table rather violently, pinning an exact location on their map. They murmured among themselves, occasionally glancing up now and then. She stiffened anxiously and pulled her coat closer to her body in effort to warm herself better from the chills.

"Hunter, I have a job for you. It pays well." It took all her willpower to repress a scream when someone behind growled right near her ear. Instead, she quickly turned and faced a shady man twice her age flashing his yellow teeth at her. She assumed he was wealthy, judging by the quality of his clothes and his pot belly. He sat down and quickly ordered food from a waitress before turning back to his company, grinning like a shark. He looked far too clean cut and confident to be one of the regulars here. "You're fresh out of the country, so it looks like you're in business, eh? You have a pretty blade there." He gestured to the intricate short sword at her belt. It belonged to her late mother: a precious keepsake.

What? Oh no…

Fresh blood shone on the mantle. Forgetting to clean her blade after aiding a wounded animal was something she overlooked when she caught a whiff of steaming dishes from this seedy tavern, making her mouth water and beckoning her inside, only to find that she didn't even have enough money for a measly stew.

No wonder more people kept giving her those nervous glances and suspiciously dirty looks than usual… Her disguise and bloody keepsake…

She looked like a dangerous person, after all.

A murderer, even.

Her mouth watered at the sight of hot dishes placed on the table, its aroma seeping into her nostrils and causing her stomach to unsettle almost painfully. Reaching for one of the baked yams, she could've had her fingers stabbed by a greedy fork if she hadn't jerked away in time.

The merchant spoke between pig-like bites, "News travels fast in small towns, but there's this popular story going on for awhile. There's been a massacre in St. Hayes; it's a tiny village just twenty miles down southwest. The townsfolk are looking for this girl," He asked, picking his teeth with his fork while chortling. He unrolled a tattered wanted poster. A picture of her own face stared back at her, and she couldn't help but read the listed details below. The words were crudely faded but noticeable nonetheless.

WANTED:

YUI KOMORI, previously a sister of St. Hayes Church

Alive- 600,000 G

Dead- 150,000 G

Description: Average height, pink eyes, fair-haired

Abilities: Unknown

Crime: Murderer of beloved Abbot Seiji and benefactor of the St. Hayes Cathedral

It pained her to read the accusing text, even if it was faded with age. Yui bit her lip to hold back her tears and angrily looked up at the man, taking relief that her face was concealed, and shook her head.

The man's eyes narrowed in slight disbelief. He studied her critically for a few moments before throwing a bag of money on the table, coins spilling over the plates. "We'll split the reward. This is an extra advance."

Yui stood up from the booth and headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" A sword blocked her exit. Yui tensed, muscles quivering for a quick getaway. Seedy strangers rarely talked to each other, which was the sole reason she dressed like one in the first place. No one would dare cross paths with a sheep in wolf's clothing, so having someone directly confront her like this definitely wasn't a good sign.

It was even worse when said bad sign had grisly teeth and rippling muscles, and blessed (or cursed, in Yui's opinion) with a giant's height that could turn ordinary men into frightened mice. He looked like a feared regular here, which meant trouble for her. Yui forced herself to take deep, even breaths. M-Maybe he'd mistaken her for someone else…?

She immediately backed away and collided into something hard and burly. It was one of the men watching her earlier, and a flash of recognition burned in his eyes.

"You…"

More men circled her, drawing their weapons. They closed their distance and trapped her like a cornered rabbit, and she had nowhere to run. These men, these wolves… she could feel their hunger rolling off them in waves of intensity.

Soon, the music stopped and patrons started looking their way.

Quivering, she drew back with shaky steps until her hip met another table. She reluctantly drew her knife with one hand beneath the folds of her cloak while the other groped the table for something-anything-!

A beer bottle.

Mentally praying to the man upstairs for mercy and forgiveness, she flung the bottle across the tavern, and it crashed on top of the head of the angriest, most surliest and mean-tempered drunk of them all. Glass shattered, followed by a horrible scream. A chorus of frightened and awed cries immediately sounded before a violent roar shook the roof.

"WHO IN SEVEN HELLS THREW THAT?!"

Yui immediately took off running and almost smiled in relief. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw "Darling", the vengeful barmaid, point her frying pan in the direction of the nasty men who'd been scaring away precious regulars all week. The affronted drunk immediately returned the favor. The men's rising tempers was like fire on oil, and Yui slipped away from the escalating chorus of a full-out bar brawl. She caught a glimpse of the shady man as she fled.

She couldn't stay any longer. She needed to go quickly to the next town!

The rain punished her as soon as she ran out onto the streets, causing her to get soaked and lightheaded. Some people didn't appear bothered at all as they simply walked with hooded expressions like the scary undead described in one of Father's old books.

Blood raced to her brain as she frantically made her way to the supply shop a few buildings down the road. Though all she wanted to do was slink away and hide, her coin purse barely weighed a feather against her hip; she needed money, and it'd been days since she'd sat down and had a proper meal.

"Evening to you!" The clerk behind the counter waved cheerfully, not appearing the least bit bothered when Yui came in, leaving puddles everywhere due to her wet attire. She vaguely remembered him offering "other bargains" to shady customers a few days back. As usual, she nodded and promptly made a beeline for the bins of food nearing their expiration date. She grabbed all the bare basics for survival before dumping the lot on the counter.

"Heh. I was just about to throw these out to the rats out back. You sure you want these?" the clerk asked as he rang up all her purchases. Yui nodded briefly and drummed her fingers on the counter to hurry the chatty clerk along. If only these newly hires would learn to just ask less imposing questions. A cold chill suddenly ran down her spine, and she immediately turned around to look at an empty, swinging door.

Thunder crashed, and lightning roared, revealing a silhouette of three men wielding knives in the opposite entrance.

Yui's eyes widened, but when she blinked again, they were gone. It was probably just a coincidence, but her recently developed paranoia and grating her nerves were telling her otherwise.

It was time to get going.

She paid the clerk and left for the main bridge. After paying the toll, she pulled the dark cloak around her body and broke into a silent run. She didn't stop until the first traces of forest had thickened to a dense thicket. By then, the moon had risen high and shone bright like a smiling diamond through the branches. Her legs ached from the exertion of evading her pursuers as deftly as possible. She needed rest soon…

Yui lost track of time and spent hours wandering west until she could make out the sun's rays barely starting to break over the horizon. She finally stopped at a sturdy tree that had yet to completely lose its summer leaves. She immediately burrowed into an empty hole concealed by arching roots and dead leaves. She was miraculously small enough to fit snugly, and she immensely praised her Savior for this unforeseen blessing.

She settled herself on the soft, cool earth and tucked her brown cloak around her knees. The coolness of the night hinted summer's end, allowing her burning muscles to relax after today's hectic chase. After eating a piece of cheese, Yui fell into a dreamless escape.

It only felt like a few minutes later when she opened her eyes again, drowsy and trying to blink the watery sunlight from her vision. She crawled out of the hole, appearing like a small creature she truly was. Walking around, she yawned and stretched her limbs to the graying sky.

Aughh… it was going to rain again.

Yui pouted slightly, sighing as she threw her hood back, allowing wisps of light hair to blow in the wind. She spun around several times to test her recover and let out another contented sigh. There weren't many opportunities when she could simply relax just like this. A lone bird chirped, and it was scolded by a chattering squirrel. Yui slowly eased up. The sounds of a waking forest could never lose its magic.

Smiling to herself, she wondered if she'd be lucky enough to find and bath in a small stream nearby. Ah, but before that she needed to stretch her calves one last time. It'd be a pain if they started acting up again. Throwing her entire body weight into a downward dog, she was about to enter a state of a limp noodle until something sharp shot past her head, grazing her hair a few centimeters.

PLICK.

Yui gasped.

An arrow.

In her current vision, she barely had time to react when two more arrows whizzed her way. Bolting to her left, she barely managed to avoid them until a piercing rippled in her ear, causing her muscles to scream. In her own panic, she hadn't noticed a third arrow had managed to graze her ear. She stumbled and recoiled in fear when she caught glimpses of shadows past the trees.

She ran.

Pushing blindly through brushes and brambles, having arrows whiz past her was more than enough to lift her skirts and run like the devil himself. She could faintly hear hoof beats pounding against the rocks in the distance and frightfully picked up her pace.

Dogs howled in the distance, making her wish she had one of her own to guard her, save her… help her!

Fog closed in around her. She'd been running so frantically that she could barely see where she was going and tripped over a root, causing her body to spiral out of control as she tumbled down a small cliff, landing on her stomach with a sharp gasp of pain. Her arms ached as she tried to get back up.

Angry yells echoed just a few yards away. They were getting close!

She whirled around, trying to find a new place to hide. Then her eyes fell on a stone staircase, padded with moss, leading to an underground crypt, its ominous door mysteriously open. Gasping in pain, she managed to get to her feet and enter the crypt.

Darkness surrounded her, and a cold draft whistled from below as she ran downstairs. Grabbing a one of the torches from the wall, she made her way down. Upon arriving at a chamber, she found herself at a lost seeing three different gates leading to the unknown.

W-Which one should she take?

Footfalls ascended from the stairwell, followed by frantic barking and the clinking of swords.

"She's down here! I know she is!"

"Hurry up! Don't let her escape!"

Yui's heart jumped to her throat, and she blew out her torch and abandoned it. Without a second thought, she headed for the middle path. Her breathing became gasping pants as she dashed down towards a chained pedestal.

"The road's split three ways! We've lost her!"

"Which way could she've gone?!"

"Split up and find her, you idiots! I'm not paying you to just stand there!"

The chains that supported the pedestal rattled under her weight, creaking and groaning. She leaned against a table for support, trying to catch her breath. The glow of the men's torches came closer. Having her knees give way, it wasn't until the light hit that she realized there was a skeleton sitting right next to her.

"…!" Leaping to her feet, her back crashed against a pile of caskets, spilling glass vials over and attracting noise. Her hand hit the level coincidentally, and the chains immediately began dragging the pedestal down with a heavy groan. The men with blazing torches turned to her location.

"What was that?"

The wind rushed upwards, rippling through her clothes. Yui clung to the table and watched the lights fade from above as she, screaming soundlessly, felt everything falling around her, plummeting into a bottomless pit.

Suddenly, the pedestal jerked to a halt, sending Yui crashing to the ground with a pained grunt. She struggled to her feet again and found herself gazing down at a large, circular platform floating in the middle of a lake. Drips of water echoed in the cavern and onto the gargoyle statues. Skeletons floating quietly along the lake's surface.

Yui found herself entranced by the gloomy architecture around her. She crossed the bridge that led to the floating platform. Never in her life had she seen such craftsmanship, it was unlike the buildings depicted in the stories she read. Her eyes shone with wonder at the treasure chests that littered the steps, and she had to step over mountains of gold and jewelry to avoid falling; it was a burglar's paradise. She wanted to touch everything around her but found herself unable; it all looked too dangerous.

Instead, she directed her attention towards the triangular pedestal in the center. Slowly, she approached it and found ancient lettering, faded from age:

"Blood of only the purest divine will awaken the hellish creature

who slumbers underneath like a mine."

Her hands traced the faded lettering, running her fingers over a strange bloodstain on the tablet until a needle shot out like a rattlesnake, pricking her hand and immediately drawing blood.

Yui immediately reeled away, clutching her wounded hand as if she'd touched a griddle over roaring fire. Breathing heavily, she looked at her hand to examine the wound. A dizzying sensation overwhelmed her senses, and she clutched her head.

How strange, she was beginning to feel lightheaded…

Lost in her own confusion, she hadn't noticed the pedestal glowing and rising to reveal a stone monolith emerging from underground. The entire platform transformed into a more elevated area, complete with stone pillars and gargoyles perched on jagged arches. A blue aura emitted around the area, adding further to her bewilderment.

Unbeknownst to her, someone was already approaching her from behind while wielding a sword. In an instant, an arrow sliced through the air and cut deep into her left leg. Fresh blood stained the stone floor red.

Yui cried out wordlessly when large shadows loomed ominously above her trembling, lithe form. She frantically scooted away until her back hit the monolith. Fear clawed deep into her lungs, cutting off her ability to breathe, and her limbs became useless as she tried to get up, only to stagger when another arrow barely missed her head by a few inches.

A sharp prick of pain gripped her ankle as she rolled to her foot. Yui sweated, gasped, and clutched her bleeding calf. With her other hand, she kept a tight grip on her short sword. Running was no longer available to her. She let out a shuddering breath and bravely met the eyes of her captors.

All three hunters followed her easily to the ground.

The leader held up both hands up in a show of harmlessness and walked towards her. His peaceful action might have been effective if his eyes weren't so full of contempt. Yui whimpered and backed away. His footsteps sounded odd, and then the leader's eyes darted suspiciously behind her. She whirled around to find the clerk, who had discarded his uniform and traded it for a much darker and prestigious outfit, akin to a noble's. He kept his wide grin though it changed from the feigned pleasantness of a merchant to that of a triumphant predator. His eyes ran up and down her exposed thighs, and he licked his lips, immediately making Yui feel violated.

Brows knitted with fright and desperation, she whipped her mother's knife from its sheath and pointed it to her intruders, alert and eying their every move. Her calf throbbed in tandem with her pounding heart. Their eyes pinned her to the ground, immobilizing any strength that she had left.

There was nowhere left to run.

A sharp slap was delivered to her hand, forcing the knife out of her grip, replaced with a blunt of a blade caressing her throat, and a deep chuckle escaped from the clerk-turned-noble, who grinned wolfishly down at her. He grabbed her chin and forced it upwards so their eyes could meet in a searing haze.

"Sister Yui." he drawled, "I respectfully apologize for the rough treatment you suffered back at the tavern. The men I hired aren't exactly… gentle, but they get their jobs done if you know what I mean." He unfurled the wanted poster at her feet once more. Yui didn't dare make a sound, afraid of what might happen if she even breathed. Her hood had completely detached itself, now lying in a rumpled heap next to spilled bag of supplies. She still had cloth obscuring the lower half of her face. Most people probably hadn't known she was female since she hadn't spoken to anyone in this region since the incident.

"One month ago, the church you loved and cherished deeply turned against you, as you are… budding into a lovely thing…" The man sighed as he caressed the side of her face, making her bristle and stiffen in retaliation, and she tried to turn away, only to have her chin roughly grabbed.

"They sold you to me that night. To me, your new master." The man purred, "Poor little thing. You had no idea what was coming to you, did you? Betrayed by your own sisters and the father who raised you in chastity?" The other men stood silently, looking off into the distance, totally detached to the current predicament.

Yui squirmed and struggled with all her might, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to yank her arms back. She couldn't stop the cry that escaped her raw throat when she was suddenly pushed back into the ground, her wrists pinned above her head.

Lust burned in his eyes as the man once again allowed his eyes to roam her now revealed figure underneath the cloak that disguised her curves and slender hips.

"…Mm. After all this time, you still wear clothes of a sanctified believer? Are you that foolish or do you still blindly follow the path that you believe will be your salvation? Huh…" His fingers traced the curve of her stomach, causing her stomach to knot and twist in disgust. "But in truth, you really are… a two-faced killer though, aren't you?"

Bitterness exploded in her throat even as she tried to swallow her tears, uttering broken noises as she kept struggling, her hair clung to her sweaty forehead.

"The rosary you always carried recently appeared at a pawnshop nearby," the master grimaced. Her confusion must have shown through her body language. "The seller was a girl fitting your description." Yui trembled, her mind swirling in bewilderment. She had lost the rosary after a near-fatal fight with a burglar weeks ago. She'd never sell that rosary! Not on her life! Because it had precious meaning to her! It was a gift from her father. It couldn't have been her.

"This belongs to you, doesn't it?" The noble pulled the rosary from underneath his cuff, letting the jeweled cross dangle across her face. The jewels glittered in a stray beam of sunlight that made it past the trees. The reflected light blinded Yui, and for a moment, she thought she saw the form of her father's hand grasping the beads and offering it towards her. She reached for the memory of that hand.

Her trance was immediately shattered when the noble pulled it out of her range with a sneer, interpreting her action for defiance. Yui felt her chest tighten. The irresponsibility of losing that cross had hurt her deeply. She needed it back.

"You might be wondering how we managed to find you." As if sensing her budding curiosity along with her fear, he continued, "Like I said, I only hire the best. You've evaded me for far too long, miss Komori, and it's been really annoying. The moment I get a lead, you slip away from my fingers…"

He then grabbed her wrist, tugging her forcibly for them to look at each other face to face.

"No more running. I bought you at a hefty price, and thereby, you belong to me." He growled sinisterly in her ear. "I don't care how much bounty there's on your head; I paid more for you than what those bigots offered, and I'm not about to let you go." There was no comparison between being forced into slavery or meeting an untimely end by execution. Sensing her dread by her newly formed tears, he jeeringly swung the rosary in front of her face like a pendulum. "Don't weep, pretty thing. By the time we get home, I'll be sure to ease that pain of yours…" he licked his lips darkly and moved to caress her thigh again, "… in a way that will have you begging for more."

Frost formed in her heart, and her blood ran cold. She didn't even want to imagine the horror that awaited her if she went with this man.

This isn't fair. It wasn't right!

The man moved fully on top of her, and she could see her horrified, quavering expression reflected in his hollow pupils. She grabbed fistfuls of dirt, quivering violently.

She hadn't done anything wrong! Why wouldn't anyone believe her back then?! To have Father turn up dead and then to have fingers pointed at her. She was then condemned into being sold like an animal by the church officials themselves.

"You're all mine now…" the man chuckled evilly, tracing her earlobe with his tongue like a snake ready to devour his prey.

So painful… at this rate, I'll-!

"KILL HIM. KILL THEM ALL." A venomous voice ordered in her head, surging her senses to overdrive. Her head started pounding erratically. "KILL THEM BEFORE THEY KILL YOU!"

Something snapped inside her, and the air around them suddenly grew heavy and cold. Yui grabbed his arm violently, staring at him with blazing red eyes that knifed into his brain, sending millions of bolts of pain down his body and causing his insides to cave. The master choked up and hit the ground. All the other men were affected and writhed on the ground, painfully choking and gasping out as if they were having nightmares.

Yui immediately broke out of her trance, gasping at the screaming men at her feet. Her eyes fell on her shaking hands, which pulsed with a strange, tingling sensation.

Not this again!?

No!

Why did this always happen to her…!

Their awful screaming put Yui in a horrible trance, causing her to relive memories she thought she'd locked away years ago. Blood and dead bodies burned into her eyes, and she covered her ears to keep herself from hearing their screaming. She backed away, trying to will her legs to run, but she couldn't tear her eyes off their tormented bodies. Her throat went dry, and her hands went numb.

Then, something akin to a low grumble resonated throughout the cavern.

"Ugh… so noisy."

She sensed movement behind her and slowly turned around. It came from the recently emerged monolith. A lone blue eye stared at her through a large crevice. More cracks appeared on the monolith and soon crumbled, allowing a strangely dressed man to stumble out.

"Ughhh…" Rubbing his head, he appeared to be more annoyed than in actual pain as he lazily looked over the situation. "What an annoying commotion." His eyes then fell on the trembling girl, "Aah… you there. What's with that scared look?" When she didn't answer, he narrowed his eyes and studied her, noticing the gash on her leg and the fallen weapons the men used.

Yui quivered wildly, clutching onto a beam for support.

The strange man cocked his head and rose to his feet with a deep sigh, "…I thought I woke up trapped in hell; your demonic screaming is making my ears bleed. Will you shut up?" He grimaced when the men kept at it, eyes narrowing. Footfalls resonated as he stormed over. Yui watched in horror as he grabbed and slammed the men's heads against the stone, effectively silencing them. "Finally. Peace and quiet." He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He glanced back at the spot where the girl once stood, only to find empty space.

Meanwhile, Yui had already snuck off back to the stairs, limping across the dimly lit tunnel. She looked behind her shoulder, panting.

It was a good thing she'd managed to get away sooner… who knows what would've happened if that guy turned on her.

"…Oi."

Whirling her head back, she came face to face with a pair of piercing blue eyes. Someone roughly grabbed her shoulder and flung her against the wall with brute strength. With a voiceless gasp, she instinctively shielded her face and cowered.

H-HOW IN THE WORLD HAD HE CAUGHT UP TO HER SO QUICKLY?

She hadn't even heard him coming!

A few moments of silence passed between them as the man studied her critically. His gaze was cold and penetrative as if he could see directly through her. She didn't like this feeling one bit. His cold finger stroked across her throat, and he leaned close to her face.

Yui cringed when his cold breath whistled down her neck, and he started sniffing her like some of kind bloodhound. Too frightened to even breath, she just stood there rigidly. No matter what she tried, she couldn't get her body to move.

"So you're responsible for waking me up so rudely." His icy breath hit her ear, followed by a deep chuckle. The poor girl shivered, ducking her head the other way to avoid looking at him. "Your horrid smell… was so overwhelmingly powerful you forced me out of a nice nap. What a horrible woman you are." With that, he nipped her wounded ear, rewarded with her soft gasp of pain. "Mmm… tasty."

Yui pushed him back, teary-eyed and trembling as she wrapped her arms around herself. She glared at him through stinging eyes, trying to not let her terror show anymore.

Apparently, this display had startled the mysterious man to halt his actions. Instead, he allowed his eyes to run up and down her body.

"You're very… small." He quietly commented, glancing at her bruises and shaking form. For a moment, she thought she saw his face soften somewhat, but his impassive expression reappeared when she blinked. "You can't even speak, can you?" Though the way he spoke so nonchalantly made it sound like a statement rather than an actual question.

He was answered by her silence.

"Hmm… well. Too bad for you, I guess." He yawned, shrugging his stiff shoulders before abruptly grabbing Yui's wrist. She nearly stumbled from the sudden pull and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to loosen his hold and break free.

Instead of being struck or pushed down, she witnessed something surprising. The blonde man pushed a jagged stone further into the wall, causing the entire chamber to rumble as a secret passage revealed itself. He continued to surprise her by nudging her into the tunnel.

Confused, she dared to steal a questioning glance at him.

"It's tiresome to keep explaining things to a senseless little child. This tunnel leads directly to the exit, so get going if you want to preserve your life a little longer." The man sighed, slumping against the wall and yawning.

Yui hesitated, doubt flickering in her chest. As if sensing her confusion, he rolled sideways and sighed again.

"All that commotion back there is because of you. If another one happens, I'm never going to get some rest. So, leave." He pulled a strange device from underneath his shirt; it appeared to be a rectangular box attached to twin cords. He placed the twin cords in both ears and started nodding off.

Cautiously, Yui approached him and gave him another confused gesture by pointing to his strange device. Marveled by how it flashed colors and produced melodic noises, she couldn't suppress her curiosity.

"Mm? You've never seen this before? It's just an MP3." He propped his elbow against his knee and tilted his head at her, eyes narrowing, "Then again… I keep forgetting humans are far behind when it comes to technology. Something like this probably comes across as magic to you, hm?"

Her coral eyes widened upon the lettering that ran across the screen. She'd been lucky to learn how to read and write from her father at a young age; some children from her village never made it past a single book.

OWNER:

SHU SAKAMAKI

Hesitantly, she pointed from the bottom text to the mysterious man in front of her, prodding for an answer.

"Shu. That's my name." he sighed and batted her hands away, "Can you go somewhere else now? I'm losing more energy just talking to you."

Shu…

Shu.

A one word syllable, and it was very simple to say. Yui glanced over at the other chamber were the hunters were before glancing at the secret tunnel.

Just one time.

She took a deep breath.

"S…h… sh…"

Shu glanced up, raising a brow.

A wave of self-consciousness overwhelmed Yui when his eyes fell on her. Despite her nervousness, she wetted her lips and cleared her throat, "Sh… Shh…!" Her raw throat tightened upon her attempting to speak, and she swallowed multiple times. "Shh… shh…"

Shuu's lips quirked upwards slightly, "Hmm..." He seemed amused.

Horribly embarrassed, she turned away. Her face burned beet red at her failed attempt, and she felt his intense gaze burning a hole on her back. Still, she kept trying.

After several minutes of watching her vain attempt at trying to speak, Shu stood up and brushed past Yui, the clink of his chains hitting his boots as he strode towards the tunnel. He looked over his shoulder, regarding her with a neutral expression.

"It's ironic to see the noisy person telling the sleepy person to quiet down." He remarked coolly before shoving his hands into his pockets, "If you're not going to leave, then I will." She watched his form gradually disappear into the dark, and the sound of his footsteps began to fade.

Yui stared after his retreating form, wondering who he was. Everything about him seemed strange; his clothes, his demeanor, and the way he regarded her…

Just who was this person who slumbered inside this cave?

It was beyond normal circumstances, that's definite.

Screeching echoed throughout the cave, and bats swarmed from the other chamber. They swarmed towards Yui, who scrambled to her feet in fright. She ran the hidden passageway which eventually led to the bright light. Stepping out of the cave was like taking her first step as a toddler.

Wind billowed through her hair and clothes, lifting her skirt in the autumn breeze. Yui took in everything around her with wide eyes and a parted mouth. She looked up at the sky and stretched her arms towards the sun. Unbeknownst to her, Shuu stood several paces back, watching her reaction with a flicker of interest.

Yui pushed back her cowl, allowing the breeze to play with her hair. She stared mournfully up at the heavens and finally allowed her tears to fall.

Beyond the light was a world even bigger than she ever imagined.

A/N: Like I said, this is totally experimental. I'm open to any thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Vampires are such interesting creatures, after all.

Shuu... he's definitely my baby. :D