Diabolik Lovers: Fire and Ice

Chapter 6. Ice

CHAPTER 6 - Ice

I didn't hesitate before walking into the dark gray brick building. It had royal purple black-out curtains on the window but the door was open with beads hanging. I stepped inside and my head spun a little at the strong incense.

"Oh! Aisu!" Hoseki ran up to me and hugged me tightly.

"Hi, Hoseki." I replied with a smile.

"Hey, what happened to your neck?" He grabbed my jaw gently, but tightly and tilted my head to look at my neck. "Vampires?" He asked.

"Ya, our new hosts." I said.

"Our meaning you and Moeru?" He asked.

I nodded. "She says 'hi' by the way." I added.

"More like 'don't do anything weird to my friend'. Like I'd do anything to my favorite customer." Hoseki muttered. "So, what can do for you today, Aisu?" He asked, putting on his businessman smile.

"A new piercing." I said. His smile faded slightly.

"Same ear?" He asked. I nodded and he sighed, his smile disappearing all together. "Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded again.

"Ya, I need three spots to put them in." I said. "Oh, actually if you have any vampirey stuff I could use a charm for that too." I added.

"I have a couple things. That's only my main business." He said sarcastically like I should have known this.

"It's not ghosts?" I asked as he led me to the back.

"Nope. Unless they can See or Sense, people don't usually notice ghosts are there. On the other hand vampires are terrifying and people don't know if they exist or not. Most of my vampire stuff is weak, appease the tourists junk, but I've got a few good pieces I can give you." Hoseki said.

"Thanks Hoseki." I smiled. In the back room was all his piecing and tattooing equipment. I jumped into the chair and he started getting stuff ready.

"I'll do an enhancer for the piercing then once it heals you can switch it out, okay?" He asked.

"Sounds good." I agreed. Hoseki came back to me with the piercer in his hand.

"Are you sure you won't let me tattoo instead? It would be much easier." Hoseki said.

"No permanent ink, remember?" I reminded. He sighed.

"Even tattoos hurt less than this." He said. I sighed.

"I know that. Just do it." I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. Hoseki's hand gently caught my jaw and he held my head still. He knew I might jerk when he did it.

"Ready?" He asked.

"No warnings, Hoseki. Just do it." I ordered. There was a couple seconds pause, long enough I started to wonder if he'd chickened out, then he did it. The actually piercing didn't hurt, it was the burning sensation that came after.

I gritted my teeth tightly to keep from crying out, my head tipped back. After a minute the pain faded away and I took a slow breath, facing forward. "Good?" Hoseki had moved away from me and as I nodded he came back.

"Good." I sighed and touched my throbbing ear. "Ow." I moaned.

"I've told you it hurts!" He scolded. "Ink is much less painful."

I shot him a look. "I've told you, I don't want any tattoos." I said. He held up his hands in surrender.

"I know, I know. I'll still lobby that option though. Anyway, I'll show you what good vampire stuff I've got." He led me back to the show room and to the largest table. Only one end of the table had anything worth looking at. Everything else was novelty.

"Here, you might like this." He offered me an earring set. It took two piercings: one was a stud with a small red gem, the other was a dangle with a small white upside spike. They were connected by a chain. The white of the spike seemed familiar and I suddenly remembered the sword from the murder.

"The spike is from a melted down vampire sword." Hoseki added.

"I saw the sword..." I said quietly, rubbing my thumb over the smooth white.

"You saw it? How?" Hoseki asked.

I looked at him. "I iced when we first got to the mansion. I saw someone get murdered by a white sword of this color in the middle of a dance." I explained.

"You saw the unsolved Sakamaki murder?" Hoseki asked.

I shrugged, unsure as I'd never heard of if. "That's our hosts last name, I believe." I said after thinking about it. Hoseki froze up and I heard him swallow hard.

"Aisu, you and Moeru need to get out of that house." Hoseki said seriously.

"Why?" I asked. "I mean, aside from the obvious." I added.

"They're involved with the church." He said. I felt myself get a little paler as my body went cold. Or colder.

"You don't think they..." I trailed off, but I didn't need to finish it. Hoseki knew our situation.

"I don't think they do yet, but if they find out I don't know what will happen. You can even stay here if you need to, just get out of that house." Hoseki said firmly.

"I'll do my best." I said. I felt like I was lying because I almost didn't want to leave. "They're interesting people. I want to know more. But if they're involved with the church..." I thought.

"So, as for the earrings. I'll exchange the stronger enhancer stone for the red gem in the stud when you can switch out the earring." Hoseki said. I nodded and handed them over.

"Take good care of them." I said. I glanced at my watch. "I've got to go. I hate leaving Moeru there alone." I said.

"You watch yourself. You know supernatural beings draw one another. And if you're in a house where someone was murdered you have to be extra careful." Hoseki said. I smiled.

"I will be." I headed to the door.

In the doorway Hoseki called "hold on." I turned. "Give this to Moeru." He tossed a small box at me and I nodded.

"I will. Thanks." I slipped out the door. Just for a moment I saw him across the street before I turned and started walking. "So he's found me. Brilliant. Can this get any worse?" I thought, then quickly took it back. "Oh ya, as long as she doesn't show up it can always get worse."