• CHAPTER 6 - BLOOD BRIDE

    By making this decision, I probably put my life in even greater danger. Offering my blood to a Vampire who nearly killed me the first time after sampling my blood. It's only human; you feel sorry for somebody, despite what they've done to you, and you want to help them. That is human...right?

    My heart was beating in my throat and I knew everybody could hear it. If I didn't know any better, it would have made them go deaf. There was an incredibly long-lasting silence that almost seemed ominous as three pairs of beautiful eyes were glued to me. I almost felt self-conscious while they were all turning their attention towards me.

    "What?" Kira whispered under his breath. I was relieved somebody had broken the silence.

    "You heard me," I kept trying to sound confident, although I looked nothing like it. Kai had released his sleeve from my grip while all eyes were focusing on me.

    Matsuda finally decided to speak up, "You can't guarantee he won't kill you after that first attack,"

    I knew he was going to ask this, so I came prepared. I sucked in a confident breath and slipped down the collar to my turtleneck, revealing a two bandages crowding my neck on either side. Kira gasped and Matsuda froze. I felt Kai stiffen more behind me. Matsuda glared at Kai.

    "Matsuda, I told Kai to do that. I wanted to see how he would control himself."

    "Arisa, why?"

    "I knew Kai wouldn't kill me. If he didn't kill me the first time, how could he kill me this time when he's conscious of what he's doing?"

    "Why would you want to be his main donor?"

    "Because I know that Kai hadn't fed for a while. I knew he wouldn't want to after feeding from me."

    It was Kira's turn to speak at last, "Kai and I went into the city a few days ago,"

    "But I know he hadn't fed since then even though he said he did,"

    Matsuda sighed and looked back at Kai, his face softening up a little, "Kai, is it true?"

    Kai paused for a moment before he nodded slowly. He didn't want to admit that he caved in, I could tell. I was the one that caved in. I offered my blood although I told myself I would leave the whole Vampire thing behind. I told myself I wouldn't let anything like the attack happen again, especially from Kai. But I felt so sorry for him.

    "When did the second time happen?"

    I sighed in relief at the thought that Matsuda was inching his way to letting me do what I want, "This afternoon. Right before I took a bath."

    Matsuda looked back at Kira and then back at Kai and me, "Kira and I could smell blood. We didn't know if Kai had left the room or not."

    I wasn't going to tell them about the kiss Kai stole from me. That was only between me and Kai so I'd have to keep it out of my head as much as I could. I knew during the instant that Matsuda slumped his shoulders down, I had won.

    "If you feel completely confident in yourself as well as Kai, Arisa,"

    "The second time he fed from me was a test. I know I can get him under control."

    I heard Kai snort mockingly. I beamed and tried to forget about him right away. I knew I had no chance of getting Kai under control and keeping him under control. It was futile.

    "Then I have no choice but to declare you as his Blood Bride,"

    "Wait, what? Bride??"

    I was lost. I thought I was his main donor, not his bride!

    "It's not a real bride, Arisa. It's just what a Vampire calls his woman or his main donor."

    "B-but it sounds like we're married!"

    "Just go ahead and eat. We'll figure this all out later."

    I slouched my shoulders at the word "bride". At least it let out a little bit of a humorous atmosphere. I knew Kai was angry with me but Kira seemed even angrier. I could tell who he was most angry with, though. I was about to follow Kira and Matsuda into the kitchen where Orihime was quietly sitting until Kai grabbed my arm and whipped me around.

    "What were you thinking??"

    "I'm doing what's good for you, Kai,"

    "Good for me, but not for you,"

    "Don't argue with me, Kai. You should be happy I'm doing this for you, despite that you stole my first kiss."

    "I guess you're right about that,"

    Great, he was getting cocky again. He smirked and released my arm and headed into the kitchen and I followed closely. I was happy to see Orihime again. I had only seen her once when I first came here and I guess she's been in her bedroom ever since. I wouldn't blame her. She's blind, she can't do anything. I almost felt selfish around Orihime because I can do almost anything that she can't. It made me feel so horrible. Has she always been blind?

    The whole time we were eating, I could have sworn Kira's eyes never left me.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    "Hey, Arisa, the restaurant called,"

    I turned my attention from the dishes and turned to Matsuda, "Really? They did?"

    Matsuda nodded proudly, "They sure did. They want you to start working in two nights."

    I was a little puzzled that they would want me to work right away, "No interview?" I had never had a job before, but I knew most jobs had interviews before they let somebody work.

    "I guess not. They wanted some helping hands right away, I assume. So I guess they didn't want to interview. Maybe they'll judge your character by your work."

    I shrugged as Kai came into the kitchen, stood a few feet from Matsuda and stared at me. I sighed and I knew what I had coming from Kai so I drained the water from the sink and turn to face Matsuda and Kai.

    "What do you mean she has a job?"

    "I got a job downtown, Kai,"

    Kai's face went stern, "That's a bad part of town, Arisa,"

    I scoffed as I dried off my hands and forearms that were covered in bubbles, "Like you care, Kai. I'm being used for your own benefits, so you have nothing to worry about."

    "Actually, Arisa, since you're doing something huge for Kai for as long as you can, Kai should protect you for as long as he can,"

    Kai turned towards Matsuda, "What??"

    I laughed at Kai's stupidity. So I guess this was a win-win battle; if I give Kai my blood, he needs to protect me, it's only fair.

    "You need to balance out these things, Kai. Arisa does something good for you, then you do something good for her. It's how the world works."

    I left Kai and Matsuda to their arguing asOrihime called me into the living room. I stood in front of Orihime and realized she was...reading a novel. I couldn't understand the words, though. I rolled my eyes at myself, It's Braille, you retard, I felt pretty stupid that I hadn't noticed that the first instant I saw that. Orihime turned her attention from the book and looked up at me.

    "Can you kneel in front of me, please?"

    I nodded and lowered myself onto my knees and stared at Orihime. It was so nice to hear her Angelic voice again. It made my stomach flip because I was so happy to see her again. I hadn't seen her since I had been quarantined after the attack. She reached her hands out and I closed my eyes and let her touch my neck where my two bandages stuck. She smiled weakly and shook her head.

    "Oh, what have you gotten yourself into, Arisa?"

    "I'm sure I'm doing a good thing, Orihime. You don't have to worry."

    "Are you sure, Arisa?"

    I smiled and nodded, "Yes," I was relieved nobody was incredibly mad at me. At least not as mad as I had imagined.

    I would imagine the only one truly mad at me was Kira but I didn't know why. He hasn't spoken since we've eaten. I was hoping it wasn't about me, I've given enough guilt trips in my life. Kai glided into the living room and picked up off of my knees by my bicep and I slapped him across the face from the pain he caused. I knew I didn't cause pain; he acted as if a fly landed on his face. It didn't phase him and that really pissed me off. I hated that he had such tough skin yet I was as frail as 80-year-old glass.

    "Ouch! What do you want?!"

    "Come with me, Arisa," Kai sounded kind of pissy. It wasn't like I cared; I had problems of my own.

    Kai drug me up the stairs and I looked back at Matsuda who looked as if he had just gotten done with a laughing fit. I beamed at what Kai might have--the kiss!!

    Kai drug me into the bedroom and shut the door, "You're not gonna lock it?" I punched myself in the stomach in my imagination. Why would I ask such a thing?! I would never want to be in a room with Kai with the doors locked! Especially his bedroom!

    "Everybody can teleport, duh,"

    "Oh, I'm sorry. How stupid of me to forget that after knowing that everybody in the world can teleport. How stupid am I?"

    Kai frowned, "You could stop with the sarcasm,"

    "Well, what do you want?"

    Kai smirked. He turned towards me and I knew instantly he would do something cocky and selfish. If he wanted my blood right now, then that's too bad. I wasn't going to give it to him anymore today.

    He caught me off guard. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him and lowered his face by mine. The heat radiated off my skin from my cheeks and onto his cheeks as he nuzzled mine, "What are you doing?"

    "That was a brave thing you did down there,"

    "What exactly are you talking about?"

    "When you told Matsuda you wanted to be my donor...my Blood Bride,"

    "Don't say that, Kai,"

    "Say what?"

    "Bride. Just call me your donor, your slave! Anything but bride!"

    I think he ignored me. He brushed his lips against my cheek and then at the angle of jaw under my ear and then down to my neck. He pulled me against him a little tighter and lightly ran the tip of his tongue over my neck. I shook my head.

    "Kai, not now,"

    "Just a bite...,"

    I tried to push away from him, "No, Kai,"

    "I just want more,"

    He ran his delicate fingers through my hair again and continued to brush his lips along my neck. I didn't want to repeat myself. Of course, I would have wished that had been the case as soon as I felt his lips trail higher up my neck rather than lower. He flipped my head backwards and started brushing his lips along my throat. My heart skipped at beat at the thought that he might bite me there. He glided his lips up under my jaw, flipped my head back to normal so that I was looking up at him, and kissed my cheek and rested his lips on the corner of my mouth. I glared at him while turning red at the same time.

    "You think I enjoy the kissing, don't you?" he was being selfish, thinking I enjoyed it.

    Kai smirked again and inhaled, "Yup,"

    I didn't know what he was inhaling, but it probably caused him to suddenly have his way with my lips in an instant. I forced my body to go limp because I knew it was futile to attempt a fight with him. Instead, I grabbed onto his arms and...pulled myself to him. I didn't understand myself. I felt I wanted more. This was a side of me I thought I would never reveal to anybody, especially anybody in the likes of Kai. He held me so tight to him that I hadn't realized I couldn't breathe. He leaned me backwards and I thought we would tumble over. I was halfway right. He pushed me backwards until the back of my knees bumped into the end of the bed. Kai still had a firm grip on me when we fell onto the bed. That's when I started freaking out. I didn't want to be lying on the bed with Kai on top of me. He laughed in my mouth and continued his bidding. The tip of his tongue traced the form of both my top and bottom lips.

    I took every breath as if it were my last when Kai finally allowed me a breathing break. I coughed a few times after choking on my new found breath. I knew all hope was lost when I realized Kai wasn't even needing to catch his breath. Oh, s**t. And he made his way again. I wrapped my hand around the back of his head and tried to pull him closer, athough there was no more space to enclose in between us. I felt so cold under this block of ice. Kai chuckled again. I hated when he got into my head. He's in it al the time now. He kept on running over my lips with his tongue.

    It didn't make sense. Kai and I didn't feel this way about each other. We had hated each other this afternoon...the day before...and the day before...and the day before...We were only friends now, right? Sure, I'm his Blood Bride, but not his real bride for Christ's sake!

    Then I had realized that my feelings for Kai were changing gradually with every kiss...

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    I tried fervently to catch my breath, hoping Kai was finally done. His head was lying lightly on my shoulder as he was only slightly out of breath. I rubbed my bottom lip that Kai had bitten multiple times with his fangs to feed himself subtly, I'm sure. I had thought that whole session lasted about 10 minutes but, oh boy, when I looked at the clock it turned out to be nearly 45 minutes. I slapped my forehead for allowing Kai to kiss me that long. It was so embarassing. Kai got onto his elbows above me.

    "So?"

    "What?"

    Kai smirked, "You enjoyed it and you know it,"

    I snorted at his remark, "Quit being so egotistical. You're annoying."

    Kai smiled and rested his head on my shoulder again.With the his hand that was wrapped around my waist, he stroked his fingers against my waist, sending chills up my back. He gripped onto my shirt after he was done stroking my waist. I was getting much too tired. I wanted to go to bed.

    "Don't go to sleep yet,"

    I sighed out of annoyance, "Whyyy?"

    "I don't want you to,"

    "Kai, I'm exhausted,"

    "Just stay awake a little bit longer,"

    "I'm not a Vampire, Kai. I don't stay up all night."

    "Oh, very funny,"

    I was almost thankful that Kai told me to stay awake. I wouldn't want to fall asleep with him on me. He might drink my blood, he might kiss me, he might--Woah! Slow down, Arisa! Don't think so extreme! I punched myself in the stomach in my mind at the thought.Kai laughed again, followed by a long pause.

    "You're the first human,"

    I turned my attention and my head to Kai who stared at me with the most enticing deep green eyes, "Wh-what do you mean?" I was much too dazzled at his new eye color.

    "You're the first human I've kissed as a Vampire,"

    My heart skipped a beat at the sound of his enchanted voice. He seemed happy about it, "Is that supposed to be a compliment, or more of a threat?"

    Kai got onto his hands and knees above me and held his cool finger up to my sore lip. The coldness of his lip helped halfway numb the pain in my lip that pulsed every time I would speak. He brushed part of my bangs away. He lightly grabbed my left hand and delicately rested my fingertips on his lips and kissed them daintily. The heat came back to my face again, as did the smirk on Kai's face.

    "However you want to look at it, Mademoiselle,"

    "Sh-shut up! Go away!"

    Kai would have never gone away if we wouldn't have heard the doorknob turn. And in an instant, Kai was gone and Matsuda was standing in the doorway. I rushed myself to sit up and straighten out my hair and my clothes. I gave up on my hair because Kai had grabbed it much too hard during our...moment. I looked over at Matsuda and he looked confused and curious.

    "Hello, Arisa. I was curious as to why you're still awake?"

    "Oh, I'm always up late. I usually stay up later than this," I knew I wouldn't tonight, no matter the time. I turned my attention to the clock for a quick second and noticed it was a little after midnight.

    "Also, have you seen Kai? I haven't seen him since dinner."

    My face turned red again, "N-no,"

    Matsuda smiled warmly, "Okay. Good night, Arisa."

    I smiled back and wished Matsuda a good night as he shut the door. I made my way to my pile of pajamas that were still folded delicately next to the dresser. I figured I should empty out a couple of Kai's dressers and fill them with my own clothes. It was more my room than Kai's, but I still had the thought in the back of my head that Kai would have no problem removing my hands if I would do that. I was in nothing but my bra and underwear when Kai just so happened to want to teleport into the room again. My face heated up and a scream was building up in my chest until Kai dove at me witha red face as welland covered up my mouth quickly. What the hell are you doing, you pervert?!

    "Yeah, I can read your mind, but I can't see what you're doing!" Kai whispered loudly.

    Get out!! And don't come back! You've outstayed your welcome! And he was gone. I dressed myself as quick as I could, what a pervert! That wasn't the only pervert act he pulled. When he had started kissing me earlier, he instantly turned on the lights. Yeah, doesn't sound like a big deal, but he knew they were still dimmed like they were when I woke up after the night he attacked me. He knew they were dimmed.

    I sighed and dropped myself onto the bed after I turned off the lights. The moon was unusually bright and lit up nearly the whole room. I blinked blankly as I realized it was a full moon. Isn't that when Takeuchi is a Werewolf? I thought carefully and started hoping the boy I met for 3 short minutes was okay.

    I curled under the comforters and was nearly asleep when I saw yet another figure of a man standing at the corner of the room...