The whole room watched in dead silence as Akira's tiny figure fell in slow motion off of the tipping chandelier. At once, Yuma was up in the air, grabbing hold of the base of the chandelier and using it to swing himself back onto the balcony. With Akira in one arm, he stepped back as the wolves prepared to pounce. Richter's eyes gleamed with avarice.
"The heart is mine!" He lunged forward, sword in hand. Weaponless, Yuma turned his body to the side to shield her.
There was a sickening schlick, like the sound of a knife though butter. Richter loomed above them, seemingly frozen. A trickle of blood ran down his chin as the blade through his stomach was yanked out forcefully, leaving spray of crimson over the expensive carpet. Shu stood over them, glancing down carelessly at Richter on the floor. He stooped and retrieved a silver whistle from a twitching Richter's coat pocket. Wordlessly, he tossed it to Carla, brawling with the wolves below. Reiji stepped up beside him, his gaze lingering on his sister. There was a spark of emotion there, before it vanished.
"It appears we have more things to deal with."
With the wolves back under the command of the Tsukinamis, they were promptly dismissed.
"Bring her here, and the girl as well," Reiji instructed, gesturing at one of the sofas in the living room. It had miraculously made it through the scuffle, with just a few rips and gashes in the cloth, leaving the stuffing exposed.
"Don't think I'm going to let you boss me around so easily," Yuma snapped. "She needs medical attention."
Ruki placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to her brother."
Begrudgingly, he staked over and laid her on the couch. The last time he had carried her, she was light enough already. Now, it was as if she was a fragile bubble thin air, with translucent skin that looked like it could be popped at any second. They all crowded around the couch, peering into her still face. "How do we fix her?" Shin asked, curiously observing her lack of breath.
Kou glanced behind. "We have to deal with her first."
"My, my. She looks quite ill." Cordelia crossed her legs, and everyone turned their cold eyes to her. The cut Richter had made at her throat wasn't fatal. In fact, it was healing quite quickly.
Ayato went nose-to-nose with his mother, the eyes they shared holding different emotions. One with smug triumph, the other with burning vengeance. "Tell us how to fix Chichinashi, bitch."
Cordelia inclined her head, smiling wickedly. "What if I don't?"
Reiji calmly inspected his soiled gloves. "The resurrection is not complete without the blood of the dawn. I have a way to kill you. Forever." His magenta eyes bored holes in Cordelia's flesh as he raised a vial of liquid in the air.
Her earlier swagger vanished, eyes widening to saucers. "You can't."
"But Mother, he can..." In one swift move, Kanato had pulled apart the stitches connecting Teddy's head and body. From the dense cotton stuffing, he produced a tiny glass bottle, filled with a powdery gray substance. Silently, he handed it to Reiji, whose lips curled.
"Splendid."
Cordelia tried to run, but in her weak state, she only managed to go a few steps before her sons restrained her. "Open up, Cordelia." Laito sang in her ear as she struggled violently. "It's your turn to sing, Mother." Kanato pried open her lips with a finger. Reiji forced the mouth of the bottle between her teeth. "Quickly, bitch. We have more important things to do." Ayato pinched her nose and held her mouth closed until the liquid made its way down her esophagus.
Gasping and choking, Cordelia felt Reiji's concoction burning her from the inside. A carnal scream escaped her lips before Yui's consciousness pushed her out, leaving Cordelia's spirit to dissolve upon contact with the air. Yui, with Cordelia gone from her body, collapsed into the chair unconscious.
