Chapter 2 – Evidence

Sena was becoming more and more anxious. A full week and a half had passed since his arrival at the castle, and since his arrival, he'd only met Kurita – who he hadn't seen since – and the Count himself. He'd continued his exploration of the castle, and had yet to encounter a single unlocked door. Whenever he 'brought up the papers and his returning home, the Count would pull out some horrifically destructive weapon (often involving fire) and threaten bodily harm upon Sena's person.

Not only that, but there was the general…strangeness, about the Count. Outside of the initial violent tendencies.

First off, there was the simple fact that Sena only ever saw the Count in late evening or full-out night. This in itself was not enough to prompt Sena's suspicion – after all, there was a great deal of castle that the Count was more than able to hide away in, for whatever purpose.

Then there was the fact that, a short time ago, Sena had been in his room, combing his hair in front of the mirror. The Count had – out of nowhere – appeared behind the younger boy. Sena hadn't even noticed his reflection in the mirror, much less when the Count had entered the room. The Count had then cackled out something about mirrors being more trouble than they're worth – what with them always breaking and all – and had proceeding to shoot out Sena's mirror.

However, what REALLY tipped Sena off to the suspicious goings-on in the castle was the fact that, recently, Sena had been sitting in his room, as it was late and he was preparing for bed. He'd been brushing his teeth, and, in his usual restless fashion, had headed over the window. Movement caught his eye.

Eyes bulging (and subsequently splattering toothpaste all over the window), he watched in horror as the Count climbed out his window and down the wall – head first – armed to the teeth. He crawled down the wall like some sort of evil spider, gun metal glistening in the moonlight.

That was not something a normal human could do.

More and more often, Sena found himself thinking, 'I'm going to die.'

And, every day, it became clearer that Sena was no guest in this castle. Hostage, prisoner… any variety of words were able to better describe his position.

He sighed, staring out the window. He doubted he'd ever see Suzuna or Mamori again. Maybe he should try and contact them… somehow.

He perked. Yes, that was the thing to do. Take his mind off of things.

Grabbing a pen and paper – he always made sure to have plenty on hand – he paused. What to write? Should he tell them he was in mortal danger? Or simply right some soothing pleasantries?

He tapped the pen thoughtfully against his jaw. Come to think of it, how would he even send the letter? Would the Count agree to send it for him? If he did, would he even really send it?

He sighed, depressed again. How did he get himself into this mess…?

Maybe… maybe if he wrote something that sounded normal… but wouldn't to Suzuna and Mamori… maybe they could read between the lines?

Yes, that was the perfect thing!

He just had to figure out…how to get his point in between the lines…

Huh.

He sighed, depressed again.

"And what might this be, you goddamn shorty?" The Count demanded, a dangerous grin playing across his face. In his hand, he held the letter that Sena had attempted to send the night before. Some gypsies had been in the castle, and Sena, in a desperate action, had paid their leader and asked have it sent.

Unfortunately, it seemed that it had simply been given to the Count.

"Oh… that?" Sena stammered, "It's nothing. Just a letter home."

"Oh really?" The Count replied, his free hand resting easily on a handgun on his waist. "And why, pray tell, if it was a simple letter home, you couldn't simply ask me to send it for you?"

"I… didn't want to trouble you?" Sena said hesitantly, mentally patting himself on the back for the excuse.

"Don't worry about it. Please, if you have a letter," He paused, grinning and exposing wickedly pointed teeth, "Kindly give it to me to send." As he said this, he drew out a small lighter and lit the letter, throwing it in the fireplace as he walked out.

As he watched the paper blacken and curl, Sena despaired just a little bit more.

Tonight. Tonight, dammit, he was going to find the Count's secret. If he was going to die – and by this point, Sena considered it a certainty – he was going to at least bring the Count down with him.

Or at least die in the attempt.

Or at least attempt to die in the attempt.

…

Maybe this wasn't such a fantastic idea.

But no. He was going to!

It was early evening as he snuck out of his room. There was one room that he had previously encountered, nearly the clear other side of the castle, where the door hadn't opened, but it certainly didn't seem locked. More jammed. Maybe, if Sena put his weight against the door, he could force it open, and maybe find some clue as to the Count's true purpose.

He continued running his plan over in his head as he lightly jogged his way across the castle. It wasn't fantastic – Mamori would never approve – but it was all he had.

He reached the door.

He took a breath, and placed his shoulder on the door.

He pushed.

Nothing.

He set his feet, and pushed.

Nothing. Not an inch.

He put more weight to the door, and pushed.

It snapped open, easily. For an instant, Sena could have sworn he saw someone on the other side of the door, opening it, however when he ceased stumbling and regained his balance, there was no one in the room.

There was a fireplace, with a blaze burning merrily, and a small couch, but otherwise, the room – though large – was empty.

He sighed, totally dejected now. He was going to die, and wouldn't even know why. He shuffled his way over to the couch, plopping himself down. He was so tired…

The Count had warned him about sleeping in rooms other than his own, but…

Maybe, in his own way, Sena could defy the Count in this.

"Huh?"

"Huuuh?"

"Huuuuuuuuuh?"

Sena woke, slowly opening his eyes. What on Earth was that….?

He froze. In the castle where he'd never seen anyone else, and in the very room he was napping, stood three people. They looked similar… siblings?

He quickly snapped his eyes shut again. Maybe if they didn't know he was awake…

"Well, what should we do with him?"

"Ain't he the Count's guest?"

"But he's fallen into our lap!"

Sena hesitated before opening his eyes a crack. If he was going to die, he would at least see his murderers.

…

They were either the most hideous women he'd ever seen, or men dressed in outrageously frothy dresses.

He was absolutely flabbergasted.

"I s'pose it's okay if we just take a little nip." Said the one in pink, grinning wickedly and exposing pristine white teeth. Sena heard the whispering of his skirts as he made his way over to where he lay.

The strange man sat down next to him on the couch, leaning over the much smaller boy, lips parted. Sena could feel his breath on his cheek – was he going to kiss him? – And then the faintest brush of the man's lips against his neck. Mamori would be ashamed.
"YAHA!"

The man flung himself away from Sena, cursing.

The sound of glass shattering, and various artilleries being fired off in random directions.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing, fucking brothers?!" Sena heard the Count demand.

"Che. We weren't doin' anything, you demon!" He heard one of the other 'brothers' protest.

More random firings.

"I fucking told you to stay away from the fucking shrimp!"

"We're fucking hungry! You haven't fed us in days!"

"Keh, you're all fucking useless. Here."

A soft thump, and a gentle cry. A baby?

What was going on in this castle?

"Oi, fucking shrimp." He heard the Count, and knew his charade was over. His eyes snapped open.

He saw the three strange men, gathered tightly together over something.

"Time for bed, fucking shrimp."

A soft click, and Sena stared down the barrel at the Count, whose grin seemed to widen, impossibly.

"Goodnight."

End Chapter 2

Closing Notes: Sorry about the delay. I spent a good amount of time debating whether to have the huh huh brothers actually in drag or not, and that, combined with University, meant very little time to write. That, and the fact that we finished Dracula in class, so I lost a bit of my drive for writing this… don't worry, though! I shan't abandon this. Despite what this chapter's ending might have you believe.