Tokyo Babylon Fan Fiction / X/1999 Fan Fiction ❯ Even in Death ❯ Even in Death 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Warning: This chapter contains non-consensual sex and much violence. Consider yourself duly warned.

 

Chapter Eight

 

Subaru had been uneasy about staying home while Seishirou visited Megumi, but he'd not wanted to meet the vampire leader again. The fact that she'd overridden his protests so easily at their last encounter made him resentful and that attitude wouldn't help while they sought her aid against Kosarou. So he contented himself with settling down in Seishirou's study and browsing through a book. It had been so long since he indulged himself in a simple human pleasure.

 

Unfortunately he wasn't allowed to be undisturbed for long.

 

Upon escaping from his failed attack on the Prince, Kosarou slipped out of the building undetected. At least the vampire lord had achieved one of his goals. He held a slip of paper in his hand taken from the address book on Megumi's desk. Sure enough, she had the home address for one Sakurazuka Seishirou. He laughed at the ease he had acquired this knowledge and the carelessness on Megumi's part at not keeping her contacts better protected. Using just a smidgeon of his power, he shifted once more into vapor and allowed the winds to blow him towards his destination.

 

Kosarou found the house easily. It was a traditional one storey Japanese home, large by Tokyo standards but given the exclusive neighborhood, not unusual. The vampire lord spared a cursory glance at the spacious garden, ringed by the imposing wall and even more impressively protected by the invisible wards. Both barriers took mere moments to circumvent for the powerful vampire. Magical barriers weren't designed to keep air out and Kosarou was in mist form.

 

After filtering through an improperly latched window, Kosarou settled back into his human form, slightly drained from the three times he had shifted that night, but nothing was going to stop him from retrieving his favorite pet.

 

Padding quietly around the house, he soon found Subaru reading in the study. He watched the beautiful young man for a moment before speaking.

 

“You've done a commendable job at hiding yourself from me, Subaru. But I've found you at last,” Kosarou grinned, knowing that the young vampire wouldn't attempt to fight him. He had conditioned the man well enough that taking him back wouldn't be much of a chore.

 

The book fell from Subaru's suddenly nerveless fingers as he stared up in shock at the visitor. "K-Kosarou-san!" he exclaimed, shrinking back into the cushioned seat. How did his master find him?

 

“You thought you could run from me, my foolish pet,” he cooed, edging over to Subaru's seat. He reached down and ran a fingernail across his neck, leaving an angry red trail in its wake. “I've come to bring you back to where you belong. Our kind cannot coexist among humans.”

 

"No!" Subaru cried, flinching away. Despair threatened to overwhelm but Subaru staved it off. He hadn't escaped and found Seishirou only to have to leave him to return to his sire's slavery.

 

"I won't go back with you!" That declaration energized Subaru enough for him to push hard at Kosarou, giving him enough space so that he could spring out of the confines of the sofa and sprint for his freedom.

 

This display of rebellion surprised the vampire lord, but he thought it would make the punishment of the wayward vampire all the more amusing. Kosarou, commanding much more speed and power than the fledgling, darted after Subaru in a flash. A swift yank at his hair stopped him short. Spreading his arms wide, he relished in the feel of the lithe body that he swept into a snug embrace.

“You will never escape me,” he snarled. “You are mine until the end of time and there is nothing you can do about it.” At that, he hit Subaru hard enough on the back of the head to knock him out and flung him over this shoulder. Kosarou laughed coldly in anticipation of the fun he would have that night.

 

~

 

Subaru's head was pounding when his consciousness returned. His shoulders ached terribly too, but that was probably because he was hanging by his wrists. He looked up and winced to see the chains hanging him from the ceiling. This was not good. A smug chuckle brought his focus to the other person in the room.

 

Subaru paled. "Master!" he cried, fear spreading in his heart. His conditioning tripled the terror he was experiencing, reducing him to the state of a frightened child. The chains jangled while he struggled to move away.

 

"Forgive me!" It was a futile plea, he knew he wasn't going to get any mercy from the vampire lord.

 

“What you have done was intolerable,” Kosarou lazily grinned, enjoying the intense fear rippling from his slave. Sensing the fear was almost as sweet as the act of ravaging his beautiful body. “I told you many times before that if you were to ever attempt to escape me, you would be severely punished. I am not a man who deals out idle threats.”

 

He stepped up to Subaru, who was stripped from the waist up, and slapped him hard across the cheek. It gave him immense satisfaction to see the beginnings of tears in Subaru's eyes. He'd never stopped being able to affect the young vampire. He grinned even more widely as he revealed his intentions.

 

“After I fuck you senseless, I'm going to go out and kill your precious Seishirou…” Kosarou paused, wondering what would hurt his slave the most. “Or shall I turn him into one of us? I'll embrace him too. He is beautiful in his own right. He would make a lovely slave alongside my Subaru…”

 

For some reason, threats to his safety had never made Subaru wish to fight back. Kosarou could hit and rape him all he wished and Subaru would remain passive and plaint. But the mention of Seishirou's name, the thought of him dead and a slave in a similarly wretched condition made Subaru so angry that his terror of his master was overcome.

 

He pulled at his chains, his arm muscles bulging from the effort of trying to free himself, ignoring the blossoming pain on his face from the strike as he defiantly spat at Kosarou. "No! I'll never forgive you if you hurt Seishirou-san!" he screamed. He kicked out at his master, striking him on the shin with a satisfactory crack. Unfortunately the chains held, for they were made of a special titanium alloy that even unnaturally strong vampires couldn't break from.

 

"Damn you," he yelled in fury. "I hate you!" It was the first time Subaru had ever demonstrated open defiance to Kosarou.

 

Kosarou jumped backwards, the sharp pain in his shin surprising him a bit. He hadn't expected such a violent reaction out of Subaru, but then again, he had hit upon a sensitive topic.

 

“You just sealed your lover's fate with that lovely display,” the vampire lord growled. “Then I will mate with you, and you will be unable to have any sort of union with him for the rest of eternity.” The prospect of inflicting even deeper torture on his slave made him chuckle rather insanely as he circled Subaru until he was standing behind him. Kosarou reached behind him and unfastened his pants, stripping his prey naked.

 

“But first thing's first,” he murmured unzipping himself and getting ready to take him. He paused, loving how each moment of tension dragged out made the anticipation ever so much sweeter. He fondled the round globes of his victim's flanks, feeling the muscles clench nervously.

 

That it was hopeless didn't make Subaru any less willing to fight. Unheeding of his own safety, he bucked and struggled, swinging his legs around wildly, not expecting to do any particular damage. His shoulders strained from the effort but it would all be worth it if he could even delay Kosarou an extra moment from his diabolical plans for Seishirou.

 

After savoring the sweetness of Subaru's helpless struggles, Kosarou decided it was enough putting off the inevitable. Grabbing Subaru's hips hard enough to bruise, he spread his victim and thrust in, gasping at the surge of power generated from the act. Subaru had a great deal of latent magical power, making him a living battery for a vampire like his master to tap at will. All Kosarou had to do was ravage the onmyouji's body to reap that power for himself.

 

And he enjoyed it immensely. Pain was something commonplace to Kosarou, so he always took Subaru in the most painful manner possible. Just as there was power in sex, there was power in pain, making Kosarou a very satisfied vampire once the act was complete. After achieving his orgasm, he zipped himself up and left Subaru to hang there, whimpering. He had some preparations to make before he could set his plan in motion.

 

Subaru was left to his misery for a few minutes before a timid, blue eyed, young man entered the room. He watched Subaru with intense admiration. Reaching up, he unshackled the other vampire, catching him as he slumped forward.

 

“That was very brave of you,” the young man said, seemingly awestruck.

 

Subaru cracked a tired eye open. "Atoshi…" he whispered, his voice hoarse from screaming. "I couldn't do anything…" He held on to the other young vampire, who'd also been similarly victimized, his body quivering in a mass of aches and pains, an ironic state for one who was already dead.

 

"He wants to kill my special person… I don't know what to do…" Subaru said tearfully. His defiance had dimmed from the savage rape but he still couldn't give up hope. Seishirou had said to trust him, and it was all that sustained Subaru now.

 

Atoshi helped him over to the bed where he applied a salve to Subaru's injuries. “You're strong enough to fight him,” he said with a fragile spark of hope in his eyes. “You're so much stronger than I am.” He went over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of blood, then handed it to Subaru. “He only keeps me because I'm pretty. I don't have any special powers…”

 

Subaru accepted the bottle with gratitude and drank, allowing the cool blood to soothe his sore throat and restore his spent energy. "I'm sorry, Atoshi," he murmured, gazing at the young man with sorrow. "I left you here all those months ago and I didn't take you with me. I made use of the time when Kosarou-san was preoccupied with you to escape. And you're not mad at me?" He knew it had been a selfish act for him to flee without his compatriot, but he'd been too focused on his freedom then to care.

 

Now he wondered if he could ever be free again, or if the only choice was to face the sun. The chill fingers of despair curled tightly around his heart. However, his resolution remained to live. No, he couldn't die yet. Not until it was entirely hopeless.

 

“I didn't expect you to,” Atoshi said quietly. “I was happy for you. I've been here for three years now. This has become my life.” He tried to force a smile, but it didn't work very well. His youthful face bore the look of eternal sadness, making any attempt at a smile seem artificial.

 

“Is it true that you're in love?” he asked curiously, picking up Subaru's pants from the floor and handing them to him. He wondered if that is what gave the other vampire the desire and drive to go as far as he had.

 

It was a rather personal question but Subaru supposed he owed Atoshi an answer. "I… I guess I am. But… Seishirou-san… I'm not sure if he can ever feel anything for me, beyond a certain sense of possession," he said with a resigned sigh as he struggled back into his tattered clothes.

 

"But it doesn't matter. You can't force someone to feel something for you if they don't. It's more important that they are happy," he added, his face amazingly serene despite his love being unreciprocated. Then a look of alarm flittered over it. "Now, I wish I hadn't found him again. I'm so afraid K-Kosarou-san will harm him…"

 

“I've never been in love before,” Atoshi admitted. “But I know that if I was, I'd fight with every last bit of strength to keep it. I believe you can, Subaru-san. You escaped once, I just know you can do it again.” His bright eyes shone with the admiration he had for the other man.

 

“Do what again?” the vampire lord said upon returning. Atoshi cowered and directed his gaze to the floor.

 

“Nothing, master,” he murmured quietly, knowing he was going to get hell for being caught encouraging the other slave.

 

“Leave us,” Kosarou ordered sharply. The young man quickly darted out of the room, trembling with fright. Kosarou then smiled wickedly at Subaru. “We're going on a little road trip,” he said, pulling a pair of reinforced handcuffs out of his pocket. With Subaru having escaped once, he wasn't taking any chances.

 

Subaru eyed the restraints and edged away, although most of the fight had been beaten out of him. "M…master?" he stammered, trying not to feel too alarmed though it was impossible not to. Kosarou had a nasty expression on his face that made him very nervous.

 

It was an easy task for Kosarou to grab him and secure Subaru's hands behind his back. He hauled the young vampire to his feet, leading up the stairs and outside where a waiting car was parked. He stuffed Subaru into the back seat and got in next to him.

 

“You keep quiet. If all goes well, this should be over soon,” he said. Kosarou gave instructions to his driver and refused to mutter another word of what was going on to Subaru.

 

~~

 

Seishirou arrived at the mansion with three of Megumi's capable men. They parked on the street a ways down the block and proceeded to decide on the best way to enter.

 

Since it wasn't likely that knocking at the front door would gain them entrance, they chose to enter from behind. Megumi's lieutenant, Kinomaru, skillfully picked the two locks on the door. Predictably, this set off the security system and three vampires dressed in dark suits stood ready to prevent their entrance.

 

“I guess this is the welcoming committee,” Kinomaru grinned, cracking his knuckles. He withdrew a wooden stake from his belt and lunged forward, engaging the nearest opponent.

 

His opponent snarled and fired his crossbow point blank at him. Kinomaru simply smirked and amazingly flowed out of the arrow's deadly path, allowing the bolt to thud uselessly into a wood paneled wall. He jumped forward and slashed, sending a spray of blood flying into the air.

 

His assistants surged forward, leaping at the other guards scrambling into the room. Toshiki dropkicked one goon and grabbed the arm of another, bringing his elbow down hard against it and causing a satisfactory snap to sound through the room. His compatriot Naoki was just as ruthless, beating on his foe until he collapsed into a pool of blood on the ground.

 

The fight was fast and efficient, for while Kosarou's assistants were capable, they weren't very loyal. Once it was obvious they were out of their league, his goons turned tail rather than be annihilated.

 

Kinomaru turned to Seishirou was lazily leaning against the doorjamb. "Petty vampires," he said dismissively. "Shall we?" He waved at the door, gentleman-like for Seishirou to enter.

 

Seishirou thought their entry had been a little too easy and was immediately suspicious. He cautiously descended the stairs and looked around.

 

He felt a bit sickened at seeing the chains hanging from the ceiling. Seishirou didn't want to even think what they had been used for in the past. His eyes caught sight of a timid young man standing near the bed, his wide blue eyes displaying his state of misery, much like Subaru's.

 

“Where is Subaru-kun?” he demanded, though he didn't make any move to approach the man. He didn't want to frighten him into fleeing.

 

“Kosarou-sama has a message for you,” Atoshi said quietly, wringing his hands in front of him, clearly nervous. “He says that if you wish to see Subaru alive again, you are to meet him at Rainbow Bridge…alone.”

 

“An obvious trap,” Kinomaru commented, standing behind the assassin. “What are you going to do?”

 

“I'm going,” Seishirou said, without a single hint of hesitation in his voice. “I'll go alone. I've sworn to kill him, and I will.” He turned on his heel and headed back towards the stairs. He would have just left them there if Kinomaru didn't stop him.

 

“Whoa, wait a second,” he said reasonably. “We'll follow behind you at a safe distance. Going alone is just asking him to kill you.”

 

“I won't put his life in danger again,” Seishirou said with conviction. “If you haven't heard from me in an hour, then you may come to collect my corpse. This is my fight.” His face was set in determination. There was no talking him out of this.

 

“Then take this,” Kinomaru said, handing him the wooden stake. “Hide it on you. It may come in handy.”

 

Tucking the stake into his belt, he dashed up the stairs. He was ready to fight Kosarou in earnest this time, and he was prepared to kill.

 

Megumi's lieutenant stared after him and nodded. His mistress had said Kosarou was Seishirou's kill, acknowledging his pre-eminent claim to the rogue for the grievances he'd committed against the Sumeragi. However, Kinomaru would have preferred going along; it would have been the intelligent thing to do, instead of allowing the human to walk directly into a trap. Nevertheless, Kinomaru could recognize a killer when he saw one and Seishirou seemed competent enough and grimly committed. As a former Samurai, Kinomaru understood about the importance of protecting one's chosen. Even if Seishirou had said nothing on the matter, it was obvious the man had put the Sumeragi into that category.

 

Returning his attention to the present, he eyed the cowering vampire on the bed. "Do you want to stay or leave?" he asked, almost kindly.

 

"I… can I leave?" Atoshi asked in a small voice, his eyes for once lighting up with a desperate hope.

 

Something in Kinomaru's jaded heart softened when he saw the bruises on the young vampire. So Kosarou had more than one pet that he tormented. "Yes, you may come with us if you wish. Soon, Kosarou will be no more."

 

Atoshi launched himself at Kinomaru, hugging him as if he were his savior. "If you let me come with you, I'll do anything you want!" He could barely believe that freedom was possible.

 

"There will be no need for that," he said dryly, trying not to show how disturbed he was by the vulnerable gaze. "Her Highness will employ you. Come then."

 

That said, he strode out of the room, Atoshi trailing after like a lost puppy, to return to Megumi. His thoughts turned to Seishirou… hoping the Sakurazukamori wasn't going to regret not accepting his help.