Diabolik Lovers: Recovery

Chapter 16: Foolish Girl (All)

"Richter," Cordelia crooned to her counterpart who was sitting on an armchair beside us. She had cleaned my face of blood and laid out on the couch, feeling a bubbling excitement for when she would properly be greeted by the Sakamaki boys. "When do you want to spend quality time? Now? Here?"

"Don't use a body that is not yours for such an indecent purpose."

Reiji strode up to the balcony of the living room and faced us. His eyes appraised me, or rather, Cordelia, with a cold anger.

"Don't be so standoffish, come closer."

In the next blink of an eye, Reiji became too close. Richter tensed, but Cordelia remained unsurprised and even smiled gleefully. The corners of my eyes were crinkling in a way they never had before. The grin Cordelia etched onto my features felt pinned in place with needles, pinching at my skin.

"It seems that scheming comes as naturally as breathing to you," he said with a grimace, his posture somehow growing even more statue-like.

"I do need to stay vibrant, dear Reiji."

"I see," he growled stiffly.

"You see, boredom is what I despise most; it is the agony of an immortal life."

"I agree; boredom doesn't suit you. I imagine only death would."

"You know, Reiji," Cordelia murmured in what she must have thought was a silky voice. "I am becoming interested in you... so handsome – you remind me of Karl."

"What of Richter?"

"He does not mind what I do."

Reiji's comeback was easy and quick, laced with unveiled malice, "I'm not attracted to corrupt women with loose morals."

I felt the rage flood through Cordelia, snapping through my limbs.  It was all too easy to anticipate, after all I knew my body better than she did. As she raised a hand to slap Reiji, I remained stubborn. The hand jerked straight back down to her side robotically and she snarled at it, grasping at my arm as if it was a foreign appendage.

Reiji raised an eyebrow, his face still turned slightly to anticipate the blow, but before he could speak, another voice wafted up from below.

"Cordelia." She turned my chin stiffly to look over the railing. Laito stood beneath the balcony, looking up with his lush green eyes. His shoulders were more squared than usual for his relaxed posture. "I thought I'd only next see you in Hell."

"Sorry to disappoint," she said richly, recovering her composure.

"I am quite disappointed," he said, his lips giving away his displeasure by twitching toward a scowl.

"Ah, Kanato, my little songbird," Cordelia crooned as she spotted the lilac-haired vampire stride into the room, completely ignoring Laito's last words. "Won't you sing for me?"

"No," he said shortly, his eyes narrowed just slightly as he stared up at us from beside his brother. "How are you here?"

"She's a thief," Subaru growled, storming up to the balcony and striding up to Richter and Cordelia. Reiji stepped back slightly, seeming completely at ease with the idea that Subaru would tear Richter apart if need be. "She's taken over Miyako's body."

"This wretch took my heart, it's only fair," Cordelia cooed, though I could feel her insert a blade of irritation into those words.

"All the same, I prefer her to you."

"Why do you pick such a fight now?" Richter asked of Subaru, a taunting smile upon his thin as wire lips. "Is it because you feel the need to protect this girl in the way that you could never protect your mother?"