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♥ ♢ The Tama Sisters ♢ ♥




It was just for a moment. It was only a few seconds. The girls were by the Sarnais the entire time during their day at the carnival. It was after sunset and the lights were turning on, giving the grounds a different kind of glow. But all the couples were in different parts of the grounds, enjoying the others company. But it was at this point that the girls saw or heard something. The thing they heard or saw was difficult to describe, but was more difficult was the urge to discover it. It was as if something was pulling them to this particular object.

They broke away from their respective brother, merging into the crowd and losing them. What they didn’t realize was that this urge was unnatural. And they would realize that too late. They walked into a dark part of the grounds, too far from the main crowd to be seen or heard. Unheard screams left them and were quickly gagged and bound, thrown into an unmarked van.

It was only a few minutes after the girls went missing did the brothers get approached by four unwanted males. Holding solemn faces, Tyler, Scott, David, and Nicholas approached the brothers very warily. They quickly told the brothers that something had happened to the sisters, but they don’t know where and what is going on. However, they have had contact with the person who took the girls.

David then spoke up by saying that they needed to go back to the house so that he can connect the transmitter to a computer or a television. Tyler then hurriedly added that the man that contacted them seemed like a very impatient person. Though, Scott made matters worse by adding that the guy looked rather violent from the shape of his arms and how he, without hesitation, bashed one of his own men’s head against the door of a van he later got into.

The four boys felt the way back to the Tama household was too long and perhaps the last walk they would ever have. It took over 40 minutes to get there, the fault being the human boys that needed to constantly stop and rest.

When they finally got to the house, David quickly got to work on connecting the transmitter to the nearest TV; feeling his life in danger by the tallest brother, who was also the strongest. He was almost sure he was glaring at him and itching to grab something sharp and hack him. Kaito was like that when he was trying to gain Hoshi’s attentions, how in the world would he be now since Hoshi was missing and possibly hurt? The rest of the boys felt the same way of the sense of danger, especially since they all left on a bad note with the brothers and girls.

Nicholas tried to be as composed as possible, while letting the rest of the boys hide behind him. He wasn’t too thrilled on being a meat shield, and so near the manifester.

David kept fumbling, his hands shaking with fear and worry. He was terrified what the brothers may do to them but he was also worried for the girls. They never meant any harm to them, just wanted to protect them and have them help the boys back home. After finally connecting it, he once more began to fumble in trying to get the right reception. It was all static and painful to the ears, occasionally showing a tree line or a corridor or how many men lined the area.

♥ ♢ The Tama Sisters ♢ ♥




If David wasn’t so terrified, he might have screamed in fear. But that also applied to the rest of the men. They were beyond terrified and were complete aware of how dangerous these men could be. But what terrified Nicholas the most was how calm Raban was behaving; this could only mean that Raban was planning something much worse for them than his brothers were planning. With this in mind, Nicholas was on the verge of pissing himself, and would soon be joined by the rest of the humans if Samual tried to lunge again, Kaito really landed the punch, and Mandrin had another outburst that was not like him.

After a few moments, the TV screen came to life with a clear picture. A man with dark hair and soulless eyes appeared, a fake grin of greeting on his lips. “Hello Sarnai brothers; pleasure to meet you. I am Ryuu. Forgive me for not bringing a camera so I could see you; I’m a bit under budget since I lost my prized dancer,” he said, a supposed apologetic look on his features but his lips twitched as if trying to hold back a smile. “I want to make you boys a deal. These girls may be sugar coating but you know the truth: that you four are slaves. These girls don’t love you; they say they love you so you will stay to protect them. But what will happen when they are safe? They’ll sell you back to the market. You have seen how cold Tenshi can be; she won’t hesitate to throw trash away.

“But I can guarantee that that won’t happen. I can give you boys your freedom and even give you your family back. Think about it: being back in Russia in your large house with your mother and father back, living the life you used to live before being captured as slaves. All I need is the three vials in a trunk Tenshi has hidden in her study. One that is clear with silver, a dark red, and another red one but has more silver in it. Once you bring those to me, your beloved parents will be back. I can even bring your girlfriend back, Samual. And you boys will never even hear about the Tamas ever again,” Ryuu finished with a smile.

A muffled scream broke the silence of the room Ryuu was in, causing the man to frown. “The four gentlemen with you have the map to where I am; a little ways into the forest.” Ryuu turned to leave the room, making David take the cue to cut the connection. But instead of the call canceling, the idiot had connected to another fee; another camera in Ryuu’s hideout.

We see a blank room, the tile floors promising that it would be cold. In a corner, a huddled up, was a little girl. She whimpered out in fear as she lay on her side, trembling. She was blindfolded, though her tears still managed to escape the cloth. Her ankles were bound and so were her wrists in heavy rope. Her little hands were held up in front of her chest; her lips occasionally letting out a sob. Bruises were on her exposed skin, shaped like hand marks. The door flung open, slamming against the wall with a bang. The bundle flinches and curled up tighter, but her trembling only increased.

Three men entered, chuckling darkly. One approached the small girl, his heavy footsteps echoing against the tile. The girl stiffened and scrambled, trying to scoot away from the offending man even in her bound state. Sadly, the man easily was upon her. His hand quickly grabbed her thick hair and yanked up, causing the poor creature to cry out in pain and kneel. “I like this one; maybe I’ll keep her for myself,” he said with a wicked grin, tugging on the girl’s hair to make her cry out for his own sick pleasure.

“Man…Mandrin…” the tiny being finally chocked out, revealing herself to be Amaya. The man frowned, tossing Amaya against the wall with enough force to temporarily knock her out. The man then pulled out a cruel knife from his pocket and twirled it between his fingers. “I think I’ll carve a pretty picture on your flawless skin before I hand you over to Ryuu. He did say to punish all of you for running away,” he chuckled, drawing closer to the defenseless and weak Amaya.

Tyler lunged forward and pulled the control out of David’s hands in hopes to change the camera. It did; revealing another room though the scene was much different. In the center of the room was a floating orb of water. There were frozen sections on the orb, and a body inside it. Suddenly, the water fell, along with the body, with a loud splash. The body was that of a woman and her thick black hair surrounded and hid her features. Her arms and legs that were exposed were heavily bruised and were a sickly blue. Her breaths came out in short and rapid pants; her breath forming a small cloud from how cold she was.

A few men marched into the room, three of them going forward and picking up the half conscious woman, only to throw her into a chair. They tied her wrists to the arms of the chair and each ankle to each front leg of the chair. One of the pulled her head back by her hair, confirming that the blue eyed beauty was indeed Nariko. Her lips were an unhealthy blue and her body was trembling horribly in hopes to create heat.

“Which one do you think this one is?” the leader of the group called out, grabbing Nariko’s chin to turn her head side to side. But Nariko being Nariko, spat in the man’s face. “Go…f#ck…your…self…” she managed between chattering teeth. While the rest of the group laughed, the man scowled before backhanding her. “So you’re Nariko. Looks like we need to break you first,” he growled, a smirk forming on his lips. His hand slipped down and rested on her knee, slowly inching up her thigh. Nariko’s eyes widened with shock and fear, thrashing as much as she could restrained. “Don’t worry; I won’t be the only one having fun,” he chuckled, the dark sound joined by the other men in the room. Nariko screamed in protest, thrashing more in hopes to remove the hands that wandered closer and closer to her torso and thighs. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed for the men to stop.

“Why are you screaming? You think that freak of yours is gonna come to save you? As if. Ryuu already promised to bring his girlfriend back. But humor us; why do you want him to come here so badly?” he jeered, removing his hand for a moment. “I…love…him…” she said softly, shutting her eyes tightly. The men in the room laughed hard; not believing that such a spirited woman would cry for a man. “Well then…I’ll let you cry out his name instead of mine.” The men then surrounded the chair but the screen had once more changed.

It was Scott who changed the scene, not wanting to believe that this was what happened to his friend.

Another room. Another girl. This girl had black hair as well which could only mean that this was the eldest younger sister. Her ankles were bound just like her wrists that were tied behind her back. Her grey orbs gave the three men a cold glare; baring her fangs at them as her eyes lightly glowed. A few bruises were on her skin, but what truly caught one’s eye was how raw and red her neck looked. A man lunged at the woman, reaching for her shoulders to pin her down. Instead, he was met with large dark blue wings that knocked him across the room. But the other two men had expected this. They rushed forward and grabbed a hold of her wings and pulled them back, using the whip one of them held to tie her wings. Hoshi fought back as best as she could but the odds were against her when the third man joined them. She was then thrown to the ground, one of the men stepping on her shoulder. He dug his heel into her right shoulder but she did not cry out; only shutting her eyes tightly and clenching her teeth tightly.

The next few movements came quickly. A foot lifting and slamming down. The sound of bone and muscle breaking and tearing. A cry of pure pain mixed with a roar. A broken and dislocated shoulder. Hoshi’s hair was then grabbed and she was cruelly thrown against a wall. Another cry of pain and tears threatened to fall. “He’ll come for me…Kaito…will come…and save me,” she said between gritted teeth. The men only glared; one muttering ‘we’ll see about that’ before he pulled out a whip. “Until he gets here, we’ll keep you company. I think we agreed for some physical punishment before you alleviate us,” another said with a grin, his eyes hungrily roaming over Hoshi’s body. His hand lifted with the opposing weapon and was coming down before the scene changed.

David took the control again, fear and panic filling him. He was sure Kaito was going to kill him, even though Kaito didn’t know it was partially his fault Hoshi was where she was now.

This last scene was from the same room Ryuu was in earlier. Only this time, the door that was behind Ryuu was open and revealed the dark walls and dim lighting in the room. But that was not the focal point. All attention was drawn to the source of the muffled scream from earlier, to the center of where a group of men gathered.

Silver hair that once shone brightly and held a silky texture was now a deep crimson and mattered. The once smooth and flawless skin had become different shades of blue, purple, and red; with cuts and gashes that still seeped with blood. The sounds that escaped her parted lips were nothing but shallow breaths, whimpers, and soft cries of pain.

Her clothes were in tatters; possibly even worse than when they were first attacked. Her top barely hung on her left shoulder and the skirt she wore was torn all over. Rips ran up to her hip and left nearly nothing for the imagination. As if her battered state wasn’t enough, how Ryuu had decided to keep her still was horrible.

Strong steel chains connected from the ceiling and floor to the thick and cold shackles on her. Her wrists were held high above her head, her hands looking pale from the blood loss or how tightly the shackles were. Blood coated the edges of the shackles; showing how the woman had struggled against them and even her wrists were raw. But the most disturbing shackles were the ones on her legs. They wrapped around her upper thighs, her skin there raw as well. These binds forced her legs to be apart, attempting to close them would cause her skin to tear.

“You are so thoughtful, Ryuu; holding Tenshi up like this,” he voice chuckled, stepping into screen. He grabbed the back of her head, pulling her hair back to face him. “You even got her in perfect position to pleasure me. Can I have her now?” he grinned. ”Now, now Isao; patience is a virtue. My darling daughter must be punished first. While I know bedding her would be enough punishment for you, I need to remind her what happens when she runs away,” Ryuu said with a twist of his lips. He brought out a cruel dagger, one that had an aura of only agony. From the way Tenshi thrashed and cried, it could only mean it was the dagger that unmercifully tore her wings out. The harsh metal dug into her back, going over the original scars and making them bleed once more. “Odd; it almost looks like your scars were healing. But Tenshi, how could someone so broken like you find any healing? No one could ever love you, only lust for you.”

He pulled the dagger away, leaving Tenshi trembling, sobbing, and incredibly lightheaded. She had already lost so much blood that any normal person would have died. “You truly are quite cruel, Ryuu; seeing how far you can push her before death,” Isao commented, lifting Tenshi’s chin to look at her. He looked as if he was tempted to kiss Tenshi, but only to make her feel lower than she already did. “She won’t be here for long; I don’t want to deal with his b***h anymore than I have to.”

Isao let out a tragic sigh. “But I wanted to come take Tenshi whenever I wanted. I suppose I might have to just deal with having her first,” he said forlornly. He grabbed Tenshi’s chin and forced his lips upon hers, but quickly pulled back as blood coated his lips. Tenshi had bit him. In return, Isao slapped Tenshi soundly on the cheek, leaving scratch marks that lightly bled.

“Now, now, you’ll play with her later. We need to let her breathe for a bit before I finish her punishment. But if the boys take too long, I suppose you can have her a few times,” Ryuu said with a grin. Isao shared the same grin and let his fingers run over her cheek, allowing her tears to mix with her blood. “Don’t forget to thank the four boys that led us to the girls, the humans. We’ll need to repay them after we finish the deal with the Sarnais,” Isao added as an afterthought. Ryuu chuckled. “Indeed. But this should be payment enough; punishing the women who pushed them away and choosing some feathered slaves.”

Tenshi’s eyes widened; not wanting to believe him. “Nicholas? David? Scott and Tyler? They told you where we were?” she gasped, the pain she was going through made it difficult to speak. Ryuu’s twisted smile became even more sinister as he lowered himself to be at eye-level with Tenshi, getting incredibly close. “Yes they did. Your ‘friends’ told me even how to get to your house and where you four might be today. You were always terribly at trusting the right people, Tenshi. And now, your slaves are coming to hand over your purified blood and tears so that we can bring back their beloved parents and perhaps even one dead girlfriend.”

Fear was evident in Tenshi’s eyes, but she was too weak to fight against the chains. “But the only way to bring back the dead is to— ”

“To sacrifice? I plan to. I think killing your sisters will be the last blow that I shall deliver. Human sacrifices are not enough to bring back the dead anymore and normal demon blood isn’t enough. But I think a few Halflings with some angelic blood and tears will be enough to bring back a pair of parents and a girlfriend, even if they are supernatural. And if not, I’ll just throw you with them. Look on the bright side Tenshi, you might get to be with your sisters after all,” Ryuu laughed, standing up and beginning to leave the room. “Let her heal for about five minutes or so then give her a lashing. She should be weak enough by then for Isao to play with her. Remember, don’t touch her,” Ryuu called over his shoulder.

The men in the room got sinister smirks, all of them looking at their weapons and trying to figure out the best place to hit her. But mainly, the best way to harm her while revealing more of her skin. Isao went and sat in a nearby chair, lounging as he waited for Tenshi’s torture to commence once more. Tenshi only softly wept, her weak body wracking with each sob. “Raban…help…” she weakly whispered. Her body suddenly went limp, her chest seemed to not even more and anyone who had sensitive healing could barely hear her weak heartbeat. “Let’s hope she doesn’t die after Isao is done with her so we can have a go at her,” one of the men jeered, the others laughing and agreeing with him.

It was Nicholas who tore the transmitter off the television. He smashed it down on the floor, his body wracking with fear. This wasn’t good. This was bad. This was really bad. This was horrible and terrible. This wasn’t what they wanted. The guys just wanted the girls away from the Sarnais so that they could talk to them privately. They didn’t want the girls in any harm. But with how things were looking, they weren’t going to be around for long…at least until the brothers got the information on how to get to Ryuu…

( OOC: Have fun writing a response my insane and violent friend. I wait excitedly for your post ^_^ )

♥ ♢ The Tama Sisters ♢ ♥




The four men have never seen anything more heartbreaking and terrifying than watching the supernaturals in the room react to the video. Mandrin, who had looked so dangerous before, look almost pathetic. The men didn’t understand why he reacted like that to the video, but Tenshi’s words suddenly rung in their heads. She had told them that legends have told that creatures who were not of human birth have abilities; abilities such as sharing the pain of their partner. Even Nicholas had to admit that such an ability could be a gift if you needed to know if your partner was alright. But all these men were swallowed in fear at the boys who they thought were harmless. But they also saw their inner struggles when the man on the screen accused Tenshi of selling the boys. But the traitors had thought these men to be idiots if they truly considered that the four kind and compassionate women would ever turn them away after all their time spent together.

Raban’s anger was undoubted from how his bones and veins could be seen; even his own kin backed away from him. Poor Mandrin seemed like he was being torn apart from the inside from how he shook his head, trembled, and cried. The way Samual’s eyes changed color to show he was giving up almost made Scott want to hazard a punch to knock some sense into him. But he quickly refrained as he heard Samual’s jaw snap shut and his eyes took the gleam of that of a predator; determined and unwavering. Even the cold Kaito displayed the horror he felt at seeing the girl he adorned be battered around like a rag doll. But the sympathy David held turned to fear once more to see the rage that burned his eyes. It reminded him so much of a dog who was going to tear anything in its path to get to his owner or his toy that brought him peace. But Raban once more stole the show with his eyes turning red and his arms becoming engulfed in sunless black feathers. He was in shock…but also in fury. Either way, the four humans did not want to be in the way of these four.

But any hope of getting away was destroyed when it was revealed who exactly led the foul man to the innocent women. They shifted around nervously, all trying to find a way to escape with their life, but held no doubt they would come out heavily injured. It was the glare that became too much for Nicholas that had urged him to do away with the transmitter. But the words that followed were to haunt their minds.

Tyler felt immense guilt at the young boy whose words were filled with betrayal. It was almost like talking to the innocent Amaya that held such faith in him. However, he didn’t want to admit that Mandrin was right; that he was more afraid for his life than guilty for what he has done. “They said they weren’t going to hurt her. I wouldn’t ever want anything to happen to my Amaya. I just wanted her away from you so I could talk to her; convince her to be with me.” Perhaps it was the need to be honest or the fear speaking for him, it didn’t occur to Tyler that these words perhaps did more harm than good to him. He didn’t understand that harpies were possessive creatures, or at least didn’t understand the magnitude of how possessive they were. And he certainly didn’t know that the brother know as Greed had claimed Amaya as his.

The man with the glasses was incredibly unnerved at the way Kaito looked into him; frozen in place and had to think to breathe. His calm words sent him nearly asphyxiating; knowing that this was the calm before the storm. This man was not known for being calm; he was Wrath. But David’s breath was caught in his throat as Kaito told him he wanted an explanation before he killed him. Like it was a fact. The words came gushing out of David, his mind not processing exactly what he was saying until he was done. “I-I didn’t know this would happen. I-I thought Ryuu was just a story they made up to hide their real past. I would have never touched her if I knew she was a monster.” A long time ago, Hoshi had confided in Kaito why she thought she was a monster in her other form. She had shifted and her close friend had seen her other form. He had called her a monster, not knowing it was the grey eyed girl, and was going to attack before she made her escape. She had also told Kaito she had never really made friends except that one boy and his words had stung and scarred her deeper than she thought it would for she had thought he would have accepted all of her; but she left with her sisters without an explanation. That friend that had hurt her nearly as deeply as the man who had sentenced her being buried alive was David.

Scott could see clearly the war of colors going through Samual’s eyes. Though he did not really on his mind, he had figured out that the colors meant the different emotions Samual was feeling; and it seemed Samual was feeling more than his own feelings. It was almost as if he was drawing from the feeling in the room. But his harsh words evoked Scott’s short temper. “I don’t hate her! She should have been with me and not someone like you! Everything was better before you and your freaks called brothers came and ruined it for us!” It was obvious from how he spoke that he didn’t know; didn’t know that Nariko was also a ‘freak’. With every word he spoke, his voice became louder, filled more with his red burning anger. His hands even glowed red as if to cause pain like he had done to Nariko by accident. But before Scott could indulge in his anger, Nicholas moved in front of Scott and interrupted his tirade.

The eldest man carefully reached into his pocket and drew the map. His eyes were hard and looked straight into the hard blue and bloody red eyes of Raban. “He said his lair is near the clearing you first fought his men; just go forward more. Go and get her; I want nothing to do with that thing.” He spoke as if he was talking about trash or a stray dog, not of the girl he got jealous over or harmed. He stuck his hand out and offered the map to Raban, his stance erect and head high as if he thought he was coming out of all of this unscratched.

The four men thought that the shifted beings in front of them were not capable of killing. But out of fear, Tyler and David used their powers in hopes to protect themselves or at least buy themselves some time. Tyler took a deep breath and made the area around them change slightly; more light was in the room. Suddenly, little Amaya came bounding down the steps; giggling as she normally did. She stood in front Mandrin, blinking those innocent brown eyes of her. She smiled at him, as if silently asking him to play with her. “Samual,” a familiar voice called out, coming from the kitchen. “Can you help me with something?” the voice crooned, trying to coax Samual to follow. That call was then followed by a gentle and soft voice. “Kaito…” It sounded as if it came from upstairs. And low and behold, Hoshi stood there at the top of the stairs as if waiting for white harpy to come to her. Tenshi then stepped from behind Raban, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright, Raban. I’m here…” she cooed.

But something was wrong. Their images would dim at random or look faded. Their voices were almost robotic and would go off in pitch. The humans were trying to trick the boys. And as their play continued, the boys themselves were trying to inch their way out the door.

~~~

Everything was dark thanks to the blindfold, and that is what greeted Amaya when she awoke. She tried to calm herself, not wanting to draw attention to herself, but failed. She began to tremble once more and her breathing soon became sobs. The men in the room began to chuckle and steadily made their way o her. She curled up tighter, feeling the ability t breath leaving her as fear gripped her once more. She felt her hair pulled again, forcing her to her knees once more. She was shaking like a leaf, and was sobbing pathetically. But she began to hyperventilate as she heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down. It was an eerily familiar sound in the silence; the sound similar to when the men of the House dragged her into a room and was getting ready to take her. But Tenshi was there every time to stop the monsters from hurting her. This time, Tenshi was caught by the monsters too.

The headband was ripped off, blinding her momentarily. Her chocolate eyes were wide with fear and filled with tears. The once happy and optimistic girl was replaced by a terror struck woman who knew what would happen next. She looked like one of the new arrivals of the pleasure house that was looking up at her first customer. Her eyes, her emotional gateways to her soul. Looked into the eyes of the ruthless and selfish man with the sadistic grin. “I’m going t be the last thing you are ever going to see,” he chuckled, his other hand holding the knife. Amaya’s eyes widened and began to struggle, ignoring the pain. She managed to have a fleeting moment of freedom, at the expense of her hair. The man brought down the knife and cut through some of her dark and soft hair. The cut strands fluttered and fell to the ground, making the tresses uneven. Bu it was only a momentary victory.

Hair was once more grabbed. The knife was held high. But this time, it made the contact it was originally aiming for. It cut across her face, over her eyes. She let out an ear piercing scream that the man almost seem to be relishing in the sound, her hands moving to cover the injured area. ‘I don’t want to be here…I wanna go home…Mandrin, where are you?’

She imagined that she wasn’t there. She wasn’t on the cold floor. She was back in the purple grove Mandrin showed her. The sun shone brightly and warmed her skin. She wasn’t trembling, she was being held by her harpy. She didn’t hear the heavy footfalls or how the men mockingly called her ‘the wiling flower’. She probably did curled up on the ground so broken, bloody, and scared. She, instead, remembered the sound of Mandrin’s rapid heartbeat. His happy giggle. His bright eyes and tender smile that captivated her. The way he would coo ‘I love you’ or ‘my ‘lil Amaya.’ She remembered how Mandrin came to her in the nick of time.

Her chopped hair was grabbed once more and she was hauled up a large hand pulling down her hands from her face. Tears and blood mingled and fell down her cheeks; a red line coming across her eyes to reveal where she was harmed. She could feel another coming closer, the one who undid the zipper of his pants. With the last of her energy, she opened her mouth and let out one word come out in a shrill scream; one that was more desperate and terrified than when she was dropped by the other evil men. “MANDRIN!”

The situation looked pretty grim for Nariko. But Nariko being Nariko didn’t go down easily. With all of her thrashing, she had managed to warm herself up. Which led to one of her arms becoming free and burning the face of the guy who spoke of breaking her. That didn’t settle well with him. After screaming in rage and grasping his face in agony, he ordered Nariko to be freed. She tried making running away, bating the guys who tried to hold her back and burning any that touched her. But they once more doused her in freezing water and held her down.

Her teeth chattered from the cold, but she tried to keep her jaw tightly shut in hopes to stop her teeth from chattering and quell her trembling. Any other would assume it was because of the cold, but it was in fact out of fear. Fear of what was to happen to her and if she was going to come out alive. Insults were thrown and Nariko was met with a foot in her stomach. She wheezed another offense and earned a blow to the cheek. Soon enough, the men didn’t need a reason to hit her.

Everything hurt. Punches turned to kicks. And kicks turned into weapons. Blood spilled onto the floor like an offering, but Nariko refused to let out a sound. But after a while, it became too much even for her. She let out a whimper and curled up onto her side. Her dog ears and tail appeared, indicating the rush of demonic blood coming to try and heal the wounds, but all in vain. The blows continued to fall, blood continued to shed, and now her bones began to give away. The pain was becoming too much and she let her body go limp.

She closed her eyes, too damaged to summon the energy to keep them open. Behind her eye lids, she imagined being with Samual. His mischievous lavender eyes lighting up with a scheme. His smile with his freckles decorating his cheeks. Despite his body being colder than hers, she was comfortable when he held her or teased her. Her inner demon practically purrs when she caught his scent. She tried to ignore the blows that fell upon her and tried to focus on how she felt when she slept in Samual’s arms.

She vaguely wondered how Samual felt about her. She hoped she got it through to that dense siren that she cared for him, but wondered if he felt the same for her. A sharp and piercing pain broke her thoughts; the pain coming from her back. Nariko was almost sure something broke as the painful scream escaped her lips. She was no stranger to pain but this was something out of her realm. How could Tenshi tolerate such pain and still move? Smile? Protect them?

Nariko felt herself being moved onto her back, causing the dog demon to hiss in pain. The light in the room hurt her eyes and the floor did nothing to help with her back. Instead of her senses dulling, they were painfully aware of how heavy the air was with her blood. She’d rather be brutally killed than raped multiple times. She wasn’t sure if she could face Samual if she lets these monsters do what they want with her body.

Despite her best efforts, the whip came down on Hoshi’s skin multiple times. The fact her hands were still bound and was weighed down by a serious injury did not help matters. She moved her wings to take most of the blows. The skin of her wings were tough so the lashing weren’t so bad, but it still hurt. She didn’t bother figuring out how long it had been since the lashing began or how many blows fell; more concerned about staying awake despite her slowly going into shock. If she fell asleep, she might not wake up. Bu her will was beginning to weaken and her captors noticed.

They went over and grabbed her, making Hoshi hiss in pain. They tied her up, causing the stormy eyed girl to cry out in pain and cause tears to sting her eyes from how they manhandled her injured shoulder. She suddenly felt herself be hauled up and forced to stand in a chair. She moved to fall off but stilled as she felt something move tighter around her neck. They tied a noose around her neck. And from how one of them had a foot on the chair, she doubted she would be on it for long. “Any last words, freak?”

Hoshi took in a shaking breath, the pain clouding and fogging her mind. “He is my Kaito…and I am his Hoshi,” she murmured in the quiet room, her voice echoing as she felt her vision become blurry. If she was going to die here, she might as well remember him in her last moments. One of the men chuckled, “do you think he’d still want you if another man had you?” Before letting her answer, he kicked the chair from underneath her. It was not enough force to snap her neck, only to strangle her.

Her breath came out in wheezes and her vision began to fill with dots. Her body thrashed despite the pain that course through her being, almost to her very core. She could feel a hand on her thigh and it slowly made its way up. They weren’t going to kill her; just too weak to fight back. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and she shut her eyes tightly. ‘Kaito…’

Tenshi let out a grunt and it took all of her energy to attempt to open her eyes. Sound was very muffled to her sluggish mind. Even her senses were numbed. She couldn’t feel anything and felt like her bod weighed a ton; even her fingers were impossible to lift. With another tired groan, she opened her eyes but only managed to make them half lidded. She was still hung by the chains from the clanking sounds produced very time she moved. She was still very injured since her body had practically shut down the nerves. She was alone from what she could tell and breathing was becoming a chore. She had never felt so horrible in all of her life.

She didn’t even notice the uncouth men entering the room once more; eyes hungry for the scene that ley before them. The Halfling was much more preoccupied with the man sitting on his haunches in front of her body. His purple hair cascaded down his back and his vulgar orange eyes swept over her body. He reached out to touch her but a hand smacked his; it was Ryuu. They talked, argued, over something but Tenshi’s muddled mind couldn’t really understand. She almost felt as if she was leaving her body. She smiled wistfully, thinking how nice it would be to no longer hurt and leave all of these dark memories once and for all. She was sure the younger boys would come rescue her girls. But what about Raban?

She let her eyes drift shut and let her thoughts wander t him. He was a good man, a very god man. He was stubborn to. When Nicholas had given up reaching to her when she lost her memories, Raban remained faithful and stuck it out with her until the end. Although he tried to hide the medication he took, she knew of it and its purposes. It was to quell the lust that coursed through him, particularly the lust he had for her. She figured it out when Nicholas suddenly attacked her that night and Raban had stepped in and saved her. He knew of her boundaries, of her insecurities, and of her fears. And he did everything he could to make sure she was comfortable and helped her overcome her negatives. He was patient for her and had eyes only for her. He teased her, which pleased her despite the blush that always follows after. He even went against his nocturnal nature so he could spend more time with her during the hours she was awake.

Amber eyes slightly opened, only being slits. Her bright irises stood out against her bloody and pale complexion. She was still a bit insecure of whether or not Raban truly wanted her. She was an abomination against nature; a mistake that should have been killed but can’t because of her ability to live. Maybe this time she won’t. Raban deserved to have some beautiful, smart, and be able to make him happy. But a part of Tenshi still wanted to be selfish and keep that blue eyed siren to herself. She felt her head become incredibly light and she was fairly sure she wasn’t breathing for a few moments. She was deterring on the boundary of life and death. She faintly remembered her mother telling her that when someone with unique powers was close to death and after death could communicate with anyone on the planet. If Tenshi could, she’d like to have a few last words with Raban. ‘I’m so broken…can I still be fixed? Would you still…want such a broken toy? Would you keep me…if I promised you my heart?’

The world was spinning to Tenshi and she looked around to see she was being moved. She barely registered the new pain as she was placed on her back on the ground with her wrists still above her head and attacked to the floor. The men shifted her legs so they were sprawled outwards but still parted. She saw Isao in her vision, hovering over her. She slowly closed her eyes, but a few stray tears made a clean path down her damaged cheeks. ‘My only regret…is that I didn’t…let him love me first…’ She spoke of giving her body to Raban. She had planned to do so after Amaya’s birthday when they were alone together. She loved him, no doubt in her heart or mind, and wanted to share her life with him. She was just waiting for the right time.

That could be said for the other girls as well. Amaya is too young to commit to something so serious, especially with how her species goes about it. Nariko and Samual had yet to confess to each other their feelings. Hoshi and Kaito would not bed each other until marriage. And Tenshi, though she’d prefer to wait until marriage, wanted to overcome her insecurities so that she held no doubts of what would happen after her night of passion with the man she called her mate in her heart.

♥ ♢ The Tama Sisters ♢ ♥




The fear and danger in the living room was thick enough to be cut with a knife. Or as the four traitors felt, it was thick enough to choke even a normal human. The human boys thought themselves to be acquainted with fear. Its icy grip, its adrenaline, and the knowledge that there is a chance you may not survive. But this crippling fear was altogether different and new. This fear had an indefinite message: they were going to die. And there was nothing they can do about it. And if the inhuman boys got their way, their deaths would be slow; to show them the pain they brought upon the mangled girls and the betrayed half-breed boys. And as any human faced with rear, they fought. Or at least tried.

It was difficult keeping a steady glare on the harpy figure with blood eyes, bathed in onyx feathers. Especially when said eldest brother held a smile that was the embodiment of insanity. And the only boy in the room not in plumage looked just as senseless as the eldest. The other two feathered brothers were nothing to scoff at either. They both looked hungry; hungry for revenge and the flesh of the moronic men.

Despite the fact that the young man before Tyler was a deadly creature, he felt a little bad. Seeing him on the floor, screaming in pain as if sharing the agony the little girl they both sough. He was not afraid or ashamed to show how he felt about the young woman; not that he needed to worry. As a predator, he had nothing to fear. And his older brothers would no doubt jump to protect him.

A bit of hope swelled in the boy with the green hair as the golden harpy had a look of understanding at his explanation; that all he sought was Amaya’s happiness. He was about to thank every god in the sky until the kind brother snarled. Tyler was taken back and quickly ran through what he said to cause the harpy to be so pissed. Raban’s words ran through his head of how possessive harpies and sirens were. ‘s**t…’

Any sign of Mandrin disappeared along with any of Tyler’s hope. His white teeth look much sharper and his already freaky eyes looked terrifying. Tyler never realizes how much he would desperately want to see golden eyes on the younger brother until the heavy glare of bloody eyes was set on him. He could hear the wood beneath his claws break and give away and see the muscles and strength his new wings held. He truly looked like a monster. But what truly confirmed and heightened Tyler’s fear was the sound Mandrin’s stomach made; the sound of hunger.

David, above anything, wanted Kaito to be a vegetarian right now. He did not hunt so he did not know how it felt to be a predator; but he was well aware now how it feels to be the prey. He wasn’t sure if what he felt rising in his throat was bile or fear. Most likely both. He instantly regretted saying the word monster when Kait’s eyes snapped back to him. He was very mistaken. If Hoshi was a monster, Kaito was a living nightmare. Smiling and speaking in a way that showed he was rancorous and planned to do horrible things to him. David nearly fainted in relief when Raban stopped the bulldozer of a man from making him history. Maybe he still had a chance to get out of this alive!

Scott took a step back, confused and angry at the mocking laugh. What’s the use of killing him? Samual had to be joking. That scrawny, pale boy hadn’t even shifted and he thought he could take Scott on? And that look on his annoying face, that smile, made Scott want to grab that little b*****d and beat him repeatedly until no one could recognize him. Scott let out a small growl and tensed his body, as if readying to pounce. Samual may have won last time but Scott was ready this time.

Nicolas was the only one that was calm, wanting to set an example of how to behave but none paid attention; except Raban. Nick felt like he had to prove himself to the other man in hopes to survive. He hoped giving up his hold on Tenshi would abate the man that held the power to manifest at will. However, his eyes widened at Raban’s words and took a step back. No! He was not going to die here!

When the doppelgangers appeared, all the boys took a step back and turned. They were going to run for it. They witnessed the peace that came over the mixed breed creatures when seeing their girl. This was their chance.

But it was short lived.

Tyler gasped for air, not expecting Mandrin to see through the mirage so quickly. He was taken aback by the strength the youngest held who was usually so passive and gentle. Emerald eyes bulged out and nails feeble scratched at Mandrin’s hand. He wheezed, trying to breathe. His eyes pleading for the boy to have mercy on him that would never come. The green haired male had only enough time to cover his head as shards of glass rained down upon him. Tyler took a greedy deep breath of air when his throat was no longer being constricted. But his relief was cut short. He let out a howl of pain, his arms useless to him as razor sharp talons sunk into his shoulders, tearing muscles and tendons as they went up. Tyler screamed. Begging, pleading to be let go; to be let down. Groveling for his life. He was let down, but not in the way he wanted. With every unmerciful contact with the ground, Tyler got quieter. Every time the two rose up into the air, the young man moved less. Soon enough, you couldn’t even tell if the pile of flesh in Mandrin’s grasp was human or some wild animal that was brutally attacked.

While Tyler was becoming a chew toy, David was becoming close friends with the wall. He managed a small gasp as a large palm and long fingers griped his hair and head. It felt like the only way to escape this trap was to lose his head. Though, Kaito seemed too inclined to help him there. There was no time to put his hands up in hopes to soften the blows against the wall his head made or even grasp at Kaito’s hand to release him. David was barely conscious enough to hear the harsh words he so rightfully deserved. The man with the light colored eyes and hair was helpless against the monster of a man. All he could do was cry out in pain and splutter out apologies as the blood trickled from his head.

Pain. That was all he could register. From the head smashing, to the throat constricting, and to the cold and sharp knives cutting into him. All he was compliant to do was scream. He knew that he would die either from old age or working in the gang; but he never thought that his death would be so painful. If Hoshi was here, she would make Kaito stop. She would get him healed and everything would be alright. The same could go for the rest of the boys. Alas, because of their betrayal, they no longer had the right to seek help from their only saivors.

David whimpered as he was pulled by his hair, his glasses broken and some of the glass finding home in his skin. True terror shone in his eyes. He had been at death’s door a few times but never had his end looked so gruesome. Never before had he wished for being stabbed deeper and closer to his torso so that his life sustaining blood may leave quicker. “M…mer…cy…” he whispered, but he knew the answer already when he peered into the red eyes that were once blue: this word does not exist in the painful world Kaito would put him through.

Scotts’ once determine and aggressive stance faded to shock. Where had that weapon come from? The red head had dealt with knives, guns, and other weapons of the like that would be commonly found in a gang fight. A scythe, however, was out of his realm. Scott felt his heart drop as Raban’s words rang in the air. He took a step back to turn away, not wanting to face the sharp blade and its insane wielder.

A broken gasp escaped him as he felt the cold metal sink into his skin. A scream escaped Scott’s throat before it was violently stopped. Hands frantically moved to the lost body part in hopes to stop the blood gushing out. Any words that might have been said were lost in the gurgling of the blood.

Nick’s mouth opened and closed in horror as Raban completely shifted. He had to get out of here. He heard what was going on around him and knew that the boys with him had no hope to survive. The shifted siren’s sent chills down Nick’s spine and wished Raban would have mercy on him. What a foolish hope. Just as Nicholas tried to step away, the echoing snap of Raban’s fingers sealed the man’s fate. He shouted at Raban, pulling at the bars of his prison. But the shouts became screams of horror and struggle as the basin filled with irate creatures. He attempted to kick the beasts out of the cage but it only made it worse.

The once happy home that was filled with laughter and happiness was occupied with screams and terror. It was no longer the peaceful Tama Household; it was a home of pain and suffering. The two youngest died slowly and painfully, and there was no doubt the remaining would follow in similar steps.

~~~ 

Ryuu had left the room that held Tenshi, deciding to take his fill of her when Isao was done. He sat at his desk, relishing the fact he had his precious daughter back. What would he do first? Would he punish her some more once she healed? Perhaps he should skip the pain and sate his own lust. That would break her more than any sharp metal could. His lips curled into a cruel grin. While he’s at it, he’ll let the little ones watch if he didn’t use them to bring the dead back. He could only hope the Sarnais would be satisfied with their freedom alone. A smirk replaced his grin; confidence building in him. The Sarnais will be more than willing to turn the girls in.

He reached into one of the drawers, pulling out four folders. He opened each one, revealing a picture of each boy and extensive lettering. It was their slave profiles. Ryuu happened to have a good friend that gave him these copies. He grinned. The golden harpy would play with the youngest but that is it. It would be like saying good bye to a friend for Mandrin. The boy preferred the fruits men had; he’d be surprised if he let the fairy even hug him. The violet eyed sloth would not like the short tempered and loud dog. The blizzard would most likely ignore or kill the silent gargoyle. As for lust…Ryuu laughed. The broken toy would be terrified of him. She would rather be far from him but dare not leave him with her innocent sisters. Ryuu thought it odd the silver haired maiden would choose these four men when they did not match her family. Even if each were paired with someone other than what he listed, it would be even worse. Perhaps she chose them because they were a broken family; like hers was. Ryuu grinned darkly. What a sentimental fool. Raban wouldn’t want such a naïve and blindly optimistic child.

The demon was sure victory was in his grasp until he heard the alarms go off. He cursed under his breath. He told those idiots that the four men should be treated as guests. He turned on the TV screen and was taken aback by the carnage in the main hallway. This is wrong. This was not the work of a slave looking for its master. This was a beast out for blood; an animal destroying everything in its path in order to get to what was his. He had miscalculated. The boys saw the girls as their mates.

He grumbled under his breath and made his way over to where he left Isao. The coyote is either about to start or just finishing his fun. He opened the door and had just finished telling Isao they had to go when the door revealed onto them the katana wielding beast whose red eyes matched what he thirsted for: the blood of those who harmed what was his. Instead of staying, Ryuu crept away. Why should he care what happens to the stupid younger demon? He already got his money and it wouldn’t be too hard to find his dancer again since she is injured and cannot travel far.

He returned to his desk, his eyes opening a fraction of an inch to see that his door had been driven down. He quickly grabbed the dagger that held a bloody history and tucked it in his pocket. He knew how to fight; a weapon was just a precaution. He walked out of his office, not sparing a glance at the last minute guards he had hired. Many were just greedy humans. Promised money, immortality, or demonic powers if they did his bidding and survived. Though, he was slightly curious how these four managed to kill his more experienced demon guards. Could the guards take him, Ryuu, on? Of course not. But they were sufficient enough to keep the girls locked up. Perhaps the fear each girl possessed hindered them from escaping. No matter. He will fix this. Even if a few wings and necks had to be broken. He sincerely hoped the boys put up a better fight than the women who gave birth to his three youngest daughters. It is so painfully boring when there’s no struggle in a fight.

Ryuu picked up a sword from a fallen guard; not realizing that he wall of his lab had been torn open. The hole revealing a table of mixed potions of blood and a bottle of water with a silver tint.

~~~

The men in the room stopped, caught off guard by the sudden scream. One pulled his pants back up while the others reached for their weapons. But the screaming didn’t stop; overlapping what he was saying and unnerving the men inside. The small girl immediately recognized the voice and screamed his name back. He was here. He was coming to make the monster go away. One of the men backhanded her to silence the small girl just as they heard the first slam against the door. Orders were barked out but to hear the force of the weakest of brothers against the entry panicked the man and couldn’t assemble themselves fast enough. By the time their weapons had locked on the mass of angry feathers, their unresponsive eyes were looking at him from the ground.

When the door clattered to the ground, the damaged fairy had curled up into herself. Her bound hands pressed against her eyes to lessen the bleeding and in hopes to ease the stinging and pulsating pain. She trembled at the snarl that belonged to an animal and screamed when she heard the disturbing sounds of flesh and bone being torn away. Her stomach churned and she could feel the bile rising up to the back of her throat. It burned. The smell of the crimson blood spilled made her head spin and the lack of knowledge of what went on in her surroundings made her skin crawl. She could sense that the new being was her feathered Mandrin, but he was different. He was angry; livid. He was angrier than the time Tyler had hurt her in her room. She hoped he wouldn’t stay angry…he felt so scary…

When silence fell, Amaya’s voice was held. She trembled n her little ball, managing to choke out a few whimpers. But when the gentle coo of her name filled the air, she quickly snapped her neck up. There was no point in opening her eyes; all that would meet her was darkness. Tears still managed to escape her closed eyes, though. She could sense someone near her and the very person fall by her. Her named was called again, joined with a gentle touch at her cheek that was tender and careful. She knew that voice anywhere. Her Mandrin was back.

She ignored the scent of blood, more relieved that Mandrin was himself again. Her hands gently took hold of his wrist, as if her frail touch would keep him there. She leaned into his palm, tears falling freely from the relief that settled into her chest. She immersed herself into his voice and words and believed it whole heartedly. Her sunshine had no reason to lead her astray.

She felt his arms move around her and welcomed her new spot on his lap. Her face was hidden in his neck, letting her harpy remove her ropes and hold her. Her searching hand gently fingered his golden plumage; recognizing the feel and texture compared to before he molted. She remembered how she’d lay against him; being lulled to sleep by his heartbeat and kept warm by his soft feathers. She could almost see his gilded quills, but that was only her memories. When reality hit her, tears fell once more. She held him tightly, softly crying into his shoulder.

“Mandrin…I can’t see…he cut…he cut my eyes…are the monsters gone? Are we safe now?” she whimpered, clinging to him like a lifeline. In her world, she was in obscurity. She didn’t know what to do and was hopelessly lost. There was no up or down, left or right; just gloom. She was so beside herself that she couldn’t even draw upon the earth to serve as her eyes. But she knew one thing: Mandrin was there. Mandrin would be her eyes and make sure the wicked that haunted her would stay away. He was her golden sun; shining brightly and warmly, casting away the shadows and making her world glow. He was her happiness. “I wanna go home…I want to go back to the purple cove. I want to be happy with my Mandrin. Can things go back to how they used to be?”

~~~

Time had slowed down. The normally sharp dog demon senses were dulled and the alert mind was sluggish. How much blood had she lost? A fair amount, she concluded, from the blood pooling underneath her once warm and lightly tanned body. Now, it was as pale as the siren she had fallen for and the colors that decorated her skin were the color of his eyes, the color of Hoshi’s gargoyle skin, and some of the edges of her bruises were the lush green grass Amaya grew. At least she didn’t hurt anymore. She was delirious. She knew what was happening was bad, without a doubt, but things will be better when Samual comes. She just had to hold on for a little longer. He wouldn’t abandon her like this. She thought she heard something outside of her prison but all she could really hear was her ragged breathing and her slowing heartbeat in her ears.

There was a loud noise. Something fell. The heavy clashes against her body stopped. Nariko rolled her head to the side, glazed blue eyes falling upon the figure standing at the doorway. The light form the hallway was bright and shrouded him in a shadow; all but his eyes. His eyes were a bright red that she did not recognize. She recognized the weapon Death was known to wield and the siren that used it as well, but the heavy feeling of hatred that filled the aura was unknown to her. It nearly suffocated her and she was farthest away possible from him. His stance was that of a man prepared to create great feats of brutality instead of a relaxed and lazy posture she identified Samual for. It was certainly Samual’s scent, but it was so heavily concentrated with anger and wrath. When he gifted the group with his presence, it was clear it was Samual. But why was he so angry? Did someone in this room hurt Mandrin? She couldn’t phantom that her violet-eyed siren would be so lived as to have his eyes scarlet because of her.

Blue eyes hid behind eyelids for just a moment; just long enough for Samual to go through three of the vile men that harmed her. Nariko let out a small, almost inaudible, whine when the angered siren began screaming his horrifying song. In her vulnerable state, Nariko was worried Samual would turn and take his scythe on her. His limbs that hardly moved quickly attacked themselves to the extremities of others and his mouth that only took in the fruits of the earth was dyed with the ruby liquid of life. She knew he was a fear eater and thus just a tad warped, but she had never seen him basking in true fear.

Nariko held her breath when only two men were left. One was quickly done from the siren’s screeching and the other was writing under the force of the terror that engulfed the room. Samual almost looked like his emotions were sucked out of him. She didn’t think it was possible for him to look more terrifying before but she stood corrected. The swiftness of how he reacted when the last man moved was horrifying and what he did to him was something that the dog demon would never expect Samual to do. What had pushed Samual so much to hit such a point?

When the fear eater had finished with his last prey, his eyes landed on her. The bloody scythe was abandoned and her broken state brought him to his knees. His lack of emotion was unsettling but the young woman could do nothing about it. Though, she did find it funny in her delirium that she brought a killer to his knees, not by harming him, but because she was harmed. When brought into his bloody arms, she snuggled into his neck as he drew her into his lap. He was a bloody mess, she realized, after being pulled so close to him. She shivered once more, trying to warm up but failing.

She felt him begin to move and her blue orbs caught sight of the scenery change. She felt him suddenly stop and was about to turn her head to see what had made him hesitate in his tracks but he held her from moving. She didn’t bother to struggle and just let her fuzzy brain absorb the sound of his beating heart. When he settled down once more, her bruised hand carefully fell upon his cheek. “You know, blood isn’t a good look for you. You’re too pale; go get a tan first and then go on an enraged killing spree,” she joked weakly, her hand falling back onto her lap. ”I’m surprised you aren’t a harpy right now. You were warmer then.” Her eyes drifted close, her breathing ragged and parts of her body still tinged blue.

“You didn’t have to come. Ryuu said he was going to bring your girlfriend. The one everyone said you loved. I won’t be angry. I just want you to be happy again; even if it isn’t with me. I know you miss her; I saw her when Raban manifested your dream. I’m almost positive you thought I was her when I tried comforting you. I never thought feelings could hurt you so much. And you go off and give me hope by kissing me. I’m so painfully confused on where I stand with you,” the tired fighter said softly before revealing her blue eyes to him. Her eyes looked so sad and the smile on her lips was bittersweet.

“I want to spend more time with you. I want to get into trouble and have a good time with you. I want to hear you sing and play. I want to get to know you. I want to race and chase each other in the forest again. I want you to tease me again. I want to hold you and sleep with you again. I want to keep hearing your heart and smell your scent. I want to still stay with you,” she said weakly, her voice cracking at points. Her lips trembled as she tried to keep smiling but it simply looked like she was closer to crying. “I love you Samual,” she whimpered. She shut her eyes tightly, grasping his hand as she shook. “All I want…what I truly desire…is for you to be happy. Even if it isn’t with me. I just wished I could have healed you like you did with me.” She opened her eyes once more and gave Samual a broken smile. “I’ll support you no matter what. I’ll sacrifice and do whatever I can to make you happy.” She closed her eyes once more and leaned into the siren. “You are no longer my slave. You can go.”

~~~

Short gasps and strangled breaths echoed inside the chilly room; the men inside it waiting in anticipation. The vision of the grey eyed, bruised beauty was blurry she had never experienced and was beginning to fill with dark dots. But in the midst of her struggling, she heard a noise. She had heard that sound before. It was neither a yell nor a cry. It was a roar. A roar filled with anger and a promise to come to her. Kaito was coming.

Just as she finished her thought, she found herself falling. Before any more harm came to her already broken being, a strong embrace surrounded her and the rope around her slender and bruising neck had been disposed of. There was no warning to the rush of action save for the sound of a slam that was followed by the fall of metal. The room spun and the gargoyle felt lightheaded. She barely registered that she was set gingerly on the floor. All she knew was that the warm arms were gone and the cold floor was on her back.

She rolled her head to the side, dull stormy eyes looking up at the horrifying creature with his back towards her. His hands were adorned with the crimson paint that flowed through all that held a heartbeat. The paint had cascaded from down his arms and even his wicked clawed feet were colored with the bitter color. The contours of his face were something to fear; nightmarish. The way his pure colored plumage sharply contrasted the bloody red and how the blood dripped off his wings was terrifying. But what did this broken woman think? In her hazy mind, she worried if any of that blood was his.

The tired woman recognized the way he moved his wings, a part of her almost pitying the guards. Harpies never went easy on a challenger.

The men, on the other hand, were caught off guard. They had not heard the blaring warning for their section go off. That may have to do with the fact Kaito had slit the throat of all before they could reach the alarm. Only one had a weapon, his whip, and was going to try and attack, but he couldn’t manage to land a hit when his head became caged by Kaito’s talon clad foot. Another tried to attack with his bare hands but was acquainted with the wall. It was now their screams that bounced off the walls and resounded down the hall. But their cries were not alone. This night was surely a night of blood and pain. Bones broke like glass under the force Kaito excluded. If Kaito’s action didn’t kill them, the internal bleeding he caused would finish the job for him.

Grey eyes widened in surprise as white teeth appeared and the sharp canines store away at the gentle skin of the offender’s throat. Blood gushed everywhere; drenching the murderous harpy. Hoshi had known that Kaito was dangerous and could possibly brutal, but never had she phantom that he could be so savage. Had he lost himself completely? Would he forget who he was? Who she was?

She watched him breathe deeply as he lay to waste to the last of the men before he stood still. He turned his head towards her and Hoshi felt a sense of relief. He once more had his pale complexion and his eyes wide like a lost child or a sad puppy. His glowing white irises revealed that he was not himself but he did not view the damaged woman as a threat. She attempted to keep her breathing steady, not wanting to alarm the blood drenched harpy that she was in a much worse condition than originally viewed.

The gargoyle lightly whimpered as she was brought into Kaito’s lap, her skin raw and sensitive to all; especially her shoulder. She closed her eyes, feeling the tension slowly leave her as Kaito tended to her injuries. She felt that she could breathe with more ease and was able to move her wings a little more. She slightly opened her eyes at his grumbling, gazing into soft stare as he tended to her and moved her ever so delicately. He easily made quick work of the ropes binding her wrists and ankles, now taking rest by holding her in his arms. He did not feel defeated or weak per say; more of a weary accomplishment. Her breath hitched as she tried moving her right arm; biting back tears.

A bruised left hand came up and cupped Kaito’s jaw, her thumb gently brushing his cheek. Her eyes held that gentleness she had for Kaito, not perturbed of his odd colored eyes surrounded by black. “You came…I knew you would,” she murmured weakly, closing her eyes and releasing a gentle sigh. She moved her head to rest on his shoulder, faintly nuzzling his neck. “You know, I’m not going to kiss you until you clean your mouth. I don’t want our first kiss after being reunited taste like blood,” she lightly teased, allowing her eyes to become half-lidded. Her shoulder was killing her. But she didn’t want to bother Kaito. She carefully lifted her hand and lightly patted the top of his head. “Good boy, Kaito. I’m safe and we’re together now. Come now love; calm down. I want to hear your voice,” she cooed, wanting her mate to come back to his senses.

She went to sit up but let out a cry of pain. Her left hand quickly grasped her right shoulder as she bit her lip and tears welled in her eyes. “My shoulder…one of them broke it,” she rasped between clenched teeth. She hid her face into his neck, feeling guilty to know she would worry him with her pain. “I’ll be fine…let’s just go home…I don’t care if you don’t heal me as long as you keep holding me,” she choked out.

The alarms could be heard from a distance. There might also be the sound of gun shots and falling bodies. There were footsteps of the remaining guards but they were moving away. She could still feel the evil presence. He was still alive. When would this nightmare end? Would she ever be able to get out of her home without her guard up and fear every shadow? Could she possibly have a normal life?

“Kaito…” she softly cried, her body beginning to shake. The brave face she kept while hurt fell away to reveal her true self. Scared. Terrified. She was in an immense amount of pain. She ignored how the air was becoming stale with the scent of blood. She focused on the musky scent that could only belong to Kaito. She ignored the alarms and diverted her attention to the sound of Kaito’s hummingbird heartbeat. She didn’t have the strength to be brave anymore. “I’m sorry…that I’m not strong enough,” she softly cried. She didn’t know what to do anymore. She didn’t know what to think. She couldn’t even think about her sisters in her drained state. “YA lyublyu tebya,” she sniffed. That was all she knew for certain: that she loved Kaito and was safe now with him.

~~~

The weary mind registered that there were others in the room but could not identify if they were friend or foe. Purple streams entered her vision and she slightly turned her head to look at it better. Long ago, she thought that these tresses were beautiful. She assumed the person would understand how it hurt to be different, to not be accepted. But when the lavender locks moved, she was met with harsh orange eyes. They were the eyes of the cruel and soulless demon she feared almost as much as the man who tore her wings. She feebly tugged at her chains but all they did was weakly clank. She bowed her head, wishing the coyote demon away.

Exhausted caramel orbs drifted shut and allowed her mind to wander. She wanted blue eyes here. She wanted a particular siren and harpy mixed man with medium length dark hair that covered his eyes when wet. She wanted the man whose life would be cut too short for her liking. She wanted the being that loved to tease her and bring a red hue to her face. The man that had the twinkling lustful eyes but would never dream of pushing her out of her boundaries. He even took mediation to quiet his needy siren. Had he taken any today? She couldn’t recall. Oh dear, he might be more upset now. He seemed much more relaxed and aloof when medicated. He didn’t kill Nicholas when he tried to force himself on her and he was very medicated at the time. Would he unleash his fury if he knew she was captured? Maybe not. Perhaps if he knew what they did to her he would be more angered. But how could he know? Ryuu made sure to keep them hidden.

Oh how her heart felt heavy. Doubt and fear had a tight grip upon her that made it hard to breathe. It was either that or the heavy lacerations ever so graciously given to her by her father and Isao. Dreary eyes opened once more to come face to face with the man that claimed to take her the first time. The orbs hid once more, deciding to think of Raban instead. Is he worried about her? He said he loved her, well, indirectly. He was not the type to love just one person so this experience would be not only new to her but to him as well. She is so insecure of what they have. But the one thing she was sure of was that she adored him and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for him. Even if it meant she could no longer stay by him.

A pale hand reached out and lifted the dying woman’s chin, forcing her to look up. She slowly revealed her amber eyes to see a smirking Isao. His lips moved but she could not hear him; her mind too far away to focus. He was most likely talking about how he would bed her. Make her cry and leave her like trash. Raban wouldn’t do that. He would be very gentle with her. He’d caress her and quell any insecurity she had. He’d kiss her with tender passion and hold her if he hurt her. He would make her his priority and keep her close throughout the night even after he has had his fill of her. Or at least, that is what she had fantasized about. Was she wrong? Perhaps. But she’d rather have Raban than any other man in this life or the next.

She could sense movement going around her but let her head drop when Isao let her go. The evil aura that entered cued the arrival of the cruelest of demons: her father. She shut her eyes and willed the man away as she prayed for a miracle. If she could not be saved, at least spare her girls and let the brothers save them. If her girls were safe, she would let go of this world. She didn’t need to protect them anymore; the Sarnais were more than capable of doing that. She was only one woman; they would protect each other like a pack. They don’t need her. She was a burden. They could do better. Her sisters needed someone better. Raban deserved someone better. She could already feel herself slipping; wishing to see black feather and blue eyes once more.

In a moment of clarity, she heard movement all around her. She was then met with a voice she knew, but it was not the familiar relaxed tone or worried attitude she was used to. It was like he was a completely different person. Where was his loving singing voice?

With whatever was left of her strength, Tenshi rolled her head to the side and fluttered her eyes open. What met her shocked gaze was carnage. Men laid dead and blood had become the carpet. Her stare flickered up to look at the man she loved and at the other man whom she feared. She watched Raban with a transfixed gaze slowly approach the cruel man. If only the myth of the raven worked; except Isao didn’t have a soul. But the coyote was quickly dealt with. All Isao had been was his family name and strength; not even a challenge for the shifted siren. Though Tenshi briefly wondered where Isao would go to. Hell seemed too good for him.

“Raban…you came…I’m so happy…” Tenshi wasn’t sure if Raban understood the jumble of words she managed but she hoped it reassured him she was awake, for now. As the shackles were removed, she felt like dead weight. She knew she didn’t weigh much but she didn’t think she could ever feel like 10 tons. She could relate to a puppet; unable to move and completely at the will of the person holding her.

The woman heaved a sigh of relief when her tired ears picked up the words of Raban’s coo. It was the voice of her Raban. It was the voice that spoke to her kindly and would do her no harm. She pressed her face against his neck, ignoring the blood that marred him. As long as it wasn’t his blood, she was fine. Despite her unstable state, Tenshi would feel immensely guilty if she came to learn that the nature of her Raban’s injuries occurred in his attempt to save her.

“Raban…it’s okay…it’s okay,” she murmured. “It’s not your fault…you did your best…” She spoke weakly; as if she was saying goodbye. “I free you…you are no longer…my slave. You don’t have to…try so hard. You’re done…more for me…than any others…combined. With you…I was finally…happy…safe…warm…thank you. I wished…I could have…done something…for you…” she whispered faintly, one bloody hand reaching up to touch his cheek. “I…love…you…”

Tenshi knew the odds. She was bleeding like a river. Her healing was too slow. She probably had an infection in some of her wounds. She’d be surprised if she made it to the exit. Her hand became limp and she began to feel cold. She was losing too much blood. Her eyesight was dimming; the edges were becoming black and the surroundings were blurry. But the center was clear. She could clearly see her Raban; his black hair and the strain his face expressed. His eyes were red though. That made her sad. “I want…to hear…you sing…I want…to see…you…blue eyes,” she mumbled, but it sounded more of a slur.

She should be happy. She wasn’t going to hurt anymore. She’ll be far away to a place where Ryuu wouldn’t hurt her anymore. If she went to heaven, she’ll be with her mother again. But…she wouldn’t be with Raban. But he deserved better. He was strong, brave, loyal. Handsome, soothing, and kind. He was wonderful; it wouldn’t be hard for him to find a worthy female. He had already done so much for her; she shouldn’t be so selfish and keep him with her. He would be happy without her, right?

~~~

Ryuu stood in a languid manner as he waited for the rest of his men to come out of the hideout. One hand was placed carefully over where his dagger and sword laid on his hip. He didn’t care much for the men littering the floor; he just cared for the girls. Namely Tenshi. She had made a fool of him for the last time. His midnight black eyes moved over to one of his men as they handed him a microphone. With a grin, he took a hold of the device and began to speak. “Boys. I don’t appreciate you four breaking into my place and making a mess. And you killed my guards. We were going to welcome you with spirits. But it seems you’re more interested in the girls. Oh well,” he lamented, his tone relaxed and uncaring. But his lips twitched into a smirk as he continued. “Too bad they might not make it. Amaya was cut with a rusty blade. Not only may she be blind, she could die from Tetanus. Nariko may have some broken bones and heavy internal bleeding. I don’t think her demon blood can heal that. Hoshi might be fine; if she doesn’t get an infection and doesn’t need her right arm. And poor little Tenshi,” he cooed at the end, his tone sickeningly sweet and fake, “She doesn’t look too good, does she Raban? Even with her dirty blood, she won’t make it even to the forest. I think Wrath tore the wall that hid my lab. Some of her tears are there. I’d recommend giving it to Tenshi; the other girls have at least another three hours before things really turn bad. How about you all come out and we can talk? I don’t bite that hard,” he cooed.

~~~

Tenshi trembled, not wanting to hear that voice. The voice that made her fear the dark. That haunted her nightmares that she only recently managed to lessen when she slept in Raban’s arms. This voice echoed throughout the hideout, causing all the girls to quake in the arms of their beloved, silently pleading for their protectors to get them away from the place that had created such dark memories.

Ryuu was so horribly cruel. He did not care for any of these people; just himself. He sought to sate his own pleasures and satisfaction. And he greatly enjoyed playing with his daughters he viewed more as toys. Especially Tenshi. She had such will when she was first brought; so much fire. It was fun physically and emotionally tormenting her; touching her in ways that made her break into tears, toying with her psyche that drove her to the edge of insanity.

She was his favorite toy. And just when he thought he would shatter her, he brought three new girls. He didn’t think it would matter that the new additions were Tenshi’s half-sisters, but it did to Tenshi. And that stubborn woman came to life again. She fought even harder to protect the children and even defied him. This infuriated yet intrigued Ryuu. But no matter; he’d break her like he almost did the last time. However, this time when he damaged her, the woman seemed resigned. Her spirit was not broken this time he harmed her; she seemed to come to terms with her situation. She cried and bled like she always did; but her eyes were calm. It was not the calm of an individual accepting death; it was a calm someone had when they have attained what their heart desired and bore the hardship that fell upon them. This angered Ryuu in a way he couldn’t explain. Oh well. He wouldn’t want to dwell on it for long.

The man tilted his head to the side and grinned as he saw his men create a circle around him and the entrance of the base. He really did hope the boys were willing to play with him. The Sarnais didn’t have a choice. There was only one way out of this lair and he was waiting patiently for them. Oh how he loved games; especially if he had toys like his dagger to play with. The dagger that tore away at Tenshi’s once beautiful and pure white wings. The scars on her back were proof.