Forever yours

Chapter 24

I stood at the entrance to the tent and stared down the hill to where I could see fires dotted around and shapes moving in the darkness. Haizaki had decided that he needed to gather a force of demons to fight against the humans and that was where we were now. From where I stood I could see the hundred strong force of demons as they celebrated a victory against a town that had exorcists stationed there. I hugged myself and shivered at the thought that right now the demons would be eating the people they had killed. I turned away, suddenly sick and went to sit down inside. Haizaki had refused to let me leave the area he had set up our tent at. He had become possessive and the only person that was allowed near me was Akashi who had been set up as my permanent body guard and carer. I hated been treated like a child and had told Haizaki as much, that I could take care of myself and I wanted to stay by his side. Haizaki had simply ignored my complaints, saying I was his to command. With a sigh I lay back and closed my eyes.

I was woken to the sound of someone stumbling into the tent and looked up to see Haizaki walk in, his steps wobbly. He was drunk and covered in blood. I swallowed the bile in my throat as he turned to me, eyes glowing against his crimson stained face.

"You should go and get cleaned up."

In response he moved forward and pulled me to my feet, his grip tight on my arm.

"Ow, Zaki you're hurting me!"

"You are a demon, you should eat too."

He put his finger near my mouth and I could see it was covered in blood. He tried to push it in but I pressed my lips together and turned my head away.

"Stop it Haizaki, you know I don't drink blood!"

He shoved me roughly and I fell to the floor with a cry, hitting my head on the ground.

"Kuroko, are you okay?"

I could hear Akashi on the other side of the tent flap, his voice worried.

"I am here crow, you aren't needed right now, be gone."

"Very well lord."

I heard the flap of wings and then silence. Haizaki knelt by me and gripped my hair roughly, pulling my head backwards. He placed a cup to my lips and I could smell blood in it. He pushed it against my mouth but I kept it closed and the liquid dripped down my chin.

"Drink it Kuro-chan, you are one of us so you should act like it!"

I shook my head, suddenly afraid of this Haizaki who was so different from the gentle silver haired demon who raised me.

"You know I don't, please stop it Zaki."

With a grunt he took a deep sip and then quick as a snake he grabbed my face and kissed me, forcing the blood in my mouth. I struggled against him as the iron taste flooded my mouth and wanted to gag. He let me go and I bent over, coughing against the horrible taste.

"You have to learn to be like us if the others are going to accept you. Your parents were too soft on you, Kagutsuchi should never had let that woman raise you. It turned you soft like a human. I will fix that."

"Don't speak of my mother like that! I loved her more than I do you, monster!"

I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face and my head rocked back on my neck. I put a hand to my stinging cheek and looked up in shock at Haizaki who was breathing deeply, his eyes blazing with anger. He had hit me. Not even my parents had hit me. I could taste blood in my mouth again, this time my own. Haizaki licked his thumb and his eyes shone as he smirked down at me.