𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖑𝖎𝖐 𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘: 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝕱𝖆𝖙𝖊

Chapter 43

The turning of the doorknob made Ayato hyperaware of the other presence inside the room, as he quickly unlatched his iron maiden and threw the lid off. The curtains moved against the wind, making it hard to see even for him, but soon enough, the wind settled to a cool breeze, as he saw a girl in a white dress leaning against the window frame, her legs dangling on either side of the ledge, the white flower set in her jet black hair, her supple lips pressed into a thin line as she looked at Ayato, her beautiful golden eyes shining bright against the dim bluish glow of the lamp light outside.

Ayato strolled out of the iron maiden, his hands on his hips, as he asked, "How did I do?"

"You let yourself be played by that pretty little maiden, how cute~" The girl giggled, and Ayato realised what she was talking about. Was he really exploited by Chichinashi, of all people? He brushed off imaginary dust from his shirt collar, embarrassed. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about whether she bought it or not?"

"Oh, she did," the girl said, tilting her head. "She would believe that you're angry with her for a long time right now."

Ayato ruffled through his hair, Yui's mellow scent still lingering inside his room, as he breathed in a lungful of her honeysuckle musk, letting it settle inside his body, calming him. "I want her all to myself. I don't want anything to come between us, and no harm should befall her."

"Little boy in love, you do not know what would happen if you do try to save her on your own," the girl looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, her hair now waving ever so slightly in the wind. "Which was why you did everything you did, remember?"

"Taking advantage of the affection I have for her, you are deplorable, Traveller," Ayato leaned against the bedframe, looking glum. "You promised me that she would run off as far as possible if Ruki was with her rather than me, yet they chose to go down into the sewers of all places."

"I can explain how that would be beneficial for you in the long run," the Traveller's voice was uncharacteristically calm.

"I expected them to run off to the Mukami manor instead, but knowing that they would lose their way I tried sending one of my bat familiars. And still they were caught by Laito."

The Traveller looked grim as he started raising difficult questions.

"Do not give me that look, you hag. I can smell your scent, mind you." Ayato wiped off the drool from his face. "You smell human, but something more dangerous. Something ancient."

The Traveller smiled.

"Thank you for giving me the right information at the right time, for without you I wouldn't have rescued Yui from the Mukamis, without you I would have surely lost that idiot to Ruki." He glared at her, as she raised her body and stood over the ledge, her eyes now looking down at the red headed vampire. "The only reason I sought your guidance was so that I could have Yui with me again."

The Traveller laughed. "How cute, hearing her name on your lips." She climbed down the ledge, her body slithering like a snake as she came forward, hooking an arm around his shoulders. "You should keep that passion to yourself, boy, otherwise Yui will get suspicious about your intentions."

"Haven't I told you before?" He snatched his arm away from her, wiping his salivating mouth, taking a few steps away from her, "No matter how hard I treat her, she will come back to me."

"Then why do you seek my guidance?"

The question made him shake his head. "As long as she's alive, she's mine. Oresama will be the one who gives her the gift of murder as well. No other man or woman shall have her as long as I live."