• CHAPTER 127 - DROP-OFF

    Are they back for a second round...?

    With shaking knees and an asperous heart, I covered my mouth with both of my hands and nearly started hyperventilating. My soon-to-be murderers were merely feet from me again. The last time I saw them was just the other day--they nearly killed me by making me bleed to death. Their eyes averted to me and shifted to a bright red, hungry. My breathing was cut off and I immediately ran over to Kai, wrapping my arms around him from behind and clinging onto his shirt. My face buried in between his shoulder blades and I started breathing heavily. Kai was still tense with a small growl rumbling in his chest.

    "Hello, beautiful," Minoru casually greeted, leaning against one of the walls.

    My grip on Kai's shirt tightened and his body tensed up a little more. The silence in the air was almost eerie except for my intense breathing. Were they coming back to try to kill me? No, they couldn't, they couldn't kill me on purpose. That last time would have been accidental, had Kai not have come.

    "May we speak with Arisa?" Minoru asked politely with sinister desires in his eyes.

    Kai growled, "Over my dead body,"

    Very carefully, I unwrapped my arms from around Kai's torso and I reached into my pocket for my cell phone. Behind Kai, I opened a new text and sent it. I was panicking, freaked out. My phone slid back into my pocket and my arms constricted around Kai's torso from the back again. Minoru took one step closer to us and Kai's growl ripped from his chest.

    Minoru rolled his eyes, "We can't murder her right now, you know. Just let us speak with her."

    Kai's growl continued to linger and he backed up a couple of steps, forcing me to back up as well. I pressed my face harder against Kai's back, "Kai, they won't leave until I do as they say,"

    "I'll make them leave," he hissed. "Unless I can accompany you."

    "Nope, just Arisa needs to come over," Minoru huffed.

    After another long moment, my sweaty hands slowly released their grip from Kai's shirt and I took a step next to him. Kai's hand gripped mine and he pulled me back, "Arisa, don't,"

    "Am I not allowed to return something lost?" Minoru cocked an eyebrow. "Arisa, come."

    Very cautiously, I took a few steps forward and allowed Kai to release my hand. He did so hesitantly and kept his eye on Minoru and Kaiba. I inched my way over to Minoru as he dug into his pocket to grab whatever he needed. I stopped myself a couple of feet away from him and he glanced at me in dissatisfaction. His hand grappled my fractured wrist and he swung me around, pinning me up against one of the walls. An amplified growl seethed through Kai's teeth and Kaiba took a defensive step forward to keep Kai from coming any closer.

    "We managed to compensate a couple of things from you," Minoru smirked. "I assume you would want them back."

    Compensate? What did he take from me? My eyes caught what he was digging out of his pocket and I gasped; he had my necklace from Akatsuki and even the necklace from my mom. Why did he take them?

    "Just observing them," Minoru twirled my mom's necklace around in his hand. "Your mother was a beautiful woman."

    Just as he said that, I full-out slapped him across his cheek without another thought. I reached up for my necklaces and he held them out of my reach, holding me against the wall by my throat. Kai growled louder and Kaiba had to ram his hand into Kai's chest to hold him back. Minoru put just enough pressure on my healing wounds to make me hunch my shoulder and groan in pain.

    "Release her, Minoru," Kai hissed.

    "Not when she pulls that sort of attitude," Minoru smirked and turned his attention back towards me. He scanned me up and down in my short nightgown. "Quite a seductive attire you've got going on; have you and Uketomeru gone all the way already?"

    I shook my head quickly and avoided eye contact. Kaiba glanced back at me over his shoulder with his red eyes; he was thirsty again. Minoru carefully set the necklaces in my hand and closed my hand. He leaned in and took a big whiff of my scent and he chuckled darkly. He scanned me up and down again, undressing me with his eyes. The eyes of a demon, of a monster. He had tried to take something precious from me and he probably still wanted to. I wouldn't allow it; Kai was the only one who would ever use my body.

    "How sweet," Minoru smirked and released me.

    I ran past Kai and Kaiba and back into the bedroom. Looking around, I finally found what I was desperately looking for; the gun. I dug it out from the dresser and darted back into the entryway where Kai and the others were. I stood confidently with my shaky hands holding the gun, aimed at Minoru's head.

    "Get out!" I exclaimed with the gun still shaking in my hands. "Leave or I'll shoot your big, fat, stupid head off!"

    Minoru chuckled, "How childish,"

    I aimed the gun at Kaiba, "Let go of him..." my voice was shaky.

    Kaiba obediently removed his hand from Kai but he appeared unfazed. I inched my way over to them with the gun still in hand, "Get out...get out now!"

    With a smirk on his face, Minoru inched his way over to me again. Kai was about to go after him again but Kaiba managed to stop him again. I continued to hold the gun up, pressing it against Minoru's throat but I was losing my authority. Holding a gun up to a Vampire...not the smartest idea of mine.

    "You don't possess the authority," Minoru whispered into my ear.

    My finger twitched on the trigger but was nowhere near pulling it. I didn't know if it was the contract holding me back or not; I didn't know if it could do that to me. What was keeping me from shooting Minoru in the face? Fear?

    "Weak mortal," Minoru gripped my chin. "I'm sure Uketomeru can sympathize with you."

    In a quick, unexpected movement, Minoru's lips compressed against mine forcibly and I instantly started hitting him with the gun. I gripped the bullet necklace that was in my hand and I started scraping it against the surface of Minoru's neck, also trying to pry him off of me. He pulled himself back quickly, snagging my bottom lip with his fang in the process. Kai's growl broke through his chest again and he lunged at Minoru, teleporting out of the house as soon as he made contact. Kaiba glared at me and I pathetically aimed the gun at him again.

    "Leave!" I shouted, cracking my voice.

    Just as quickly as I told him to leave, Kaiba teleported, leaving me alone in the house with a heavy gun in my weak, shaky hands. I stood there for a few long minutes, still in the same pose. My knees were shaking at the prolonged absence of Kai. I couldn't hear anything going on outside; did they teleport elsewhere? The front door's knob turned and the door opened quickly, nearly causing me to pull the trigger with closed eyes. Had I have shot right then, I would have killed Kira.

    "Oh--" I covered my mouth and dropped the gun. "Y-you arrived..."

    "What happened?" Kira inched towards me cautiously. "Matsuda and I made our way as soon as we received your text."

    Yes, they did, but they were too late. I brushed my bangs around and made eye contact with the floor, regaining my breath, "It's nothing now; they're gone."

    My knees gave in and I collapsed onto the ground, leaning against the wall. Kira coiled his arms around me to keep me from falling any further. My face pressed against his chest and I took deep breaths, trying to slow the few tears that managed to leak. I could never get a break from all of the violence, all of the threats. All I wanted was at least one simple, perfect night alone with Kai but it always had to be ruined!

    "Arisa?" Kai's alluring voice flooded into the foyer.

    Slowly, Kai glided over me and I kept my head pressed against Kira's chest and his arms remained loosely around my waist. Kai lowered onto his knees next to me and Kira and I stared at him sadly, a few tears dripping off of my chin. Kai's graceful hand cupped my cheek, causing to lose my breath for a short moment. There was somebody who stood next to Kai and when I looked up, it was Matsuda.

    "Are you okay, Arisa?" Matsuda asked with his soothsayer voice.

    I nodded very lightly, "Yes,"

    Kai continued to cup my face and stare at me with deep thinking in his eyes. I was almost starting to fear what he was going to suggest--my stomach was churning. I knew he was probably going to suggest something I wouldn't like but I would be willing to listen to him. My hand cupped over Kai's and I avoided eye contact.

    "Maybe it would be best to send you to Matsuda and Orihime's for a short while," Kai suggested with a mumble. "You're not safe here at all. We need to seclude you."

    My face fell, "What about you?"

    Kai sighed, "I won't be able to live there but I'll visit all the time. I just need to keep them thinking that you're still here so you won't be hurt by them any longer."

    My heart lodged up into my throat and I hesitantly nodded. I was leaving Kai again...only he would be visiting. But going day after day without constant contact with Kai? I didn't know if I could handle that again. I didn't want to be secluded, but it was better than him booting me out of his life again. But how long would I have to be quarantined?