• CHAPTER 23 - MISUNDERSTOOD

    There's always a part to somebody that comes out unexpectedly and they can't suppress it, no matter how hard they try. It could probably hurt them physically, mentally, or even hurt those around them.

    It was only several days until Christmas and I didn't want to spend it like this. I wanted this to be the one Christmas where I wasn't sick. Well, I wasn't sick, I just had another off day and was almost eaten alive by the half Vampire brother of the boy I love and the result was a bump on the head and rebroken ribs and a cut or two. Who doesn't go through days like that?

    I went against Kai's orders again and sat up, only to discover that I was shirtless again with my same frilly bra exposed because they rewrapped my ribs. The blood rushed to my head and it throbbed like crazy. Kai held me back again, "Stay down, Arisa,"

    "I want to eat in the kitchen," I complained.

    "Then let me carry you," Kai sighed.

    Oh, how so incredibly generous of him. I wrapped my arms around Kai's neck with a huff and he picked me up easily. I couldn't feel us walking, but I knew we were because, well, everything was passing by us. But I couldn't feel the movement. We were just gliding. I had never noticed how miraculous it felt before until now. I could barely even hear his footsteps on the ground as we entered the kitchen. Kai put me down gently but his hand never left my shoulder. I knew the next how many weeks or years or whatever would be Hell. Kai was never going to leave me alone. It would either be his eyes or his hands that would be on me, never letting me out of his sight or his grasp.

    "Your food is on the table, Arisa," Akatsuki approached Kai and me.

    Akatsuki looked down at me and smiled weakly and sighed, "It's best I should be going. Weather's going to worsen soon." he smiled at me, "And if you're going to hate me, I'd rather not be here to hear it."

    I sighed and Akatsuki patted my head. He gave Kai the usual don't-care face.

    "Vampire,"

    "Hunter,"

    And he was gone. He marched out the door after bundling himself up and slipping on his shoes. After several more seconds, I heard a loud unmuffled noise from outside. It almost sounded like a dying animal that's been shot in the throat. I looked up at Kai.

    "What's that sound?"

    Kai pursed his lips to keep from laughing, "Akatsuki's car,"

    I let out a little laugh and released myself from Kai's grip and made my way to the breakfast bar as the dying animal noise faded away. Kai stood next to me and leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

    "Do you want anything to drink?"

    I nodded while chewing on my onigiri, "Green tea, please,"

    In about five seconds, Kai was at my side again. I looked behind me and the tea kettle was already adroitly perched on the stove top, waiting to boil. I shrugged and continued eating my onigiri, afraid the soup was too hot. Kai pulled the bowl of soup over to him, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and slurped it up. He dropped the spoon back in and pushed the bowl to me with a look of unsatisfaction on his face.

    "I like your cooking better," he complained.

    I nearly choked on my onigiri and I stared at him and he stared back. I only cooked a few times and every time resulted in bodily injuries. I thought I was a crappy cook, though I'd never had any of my food very much. Maybe he's trying to make me feel better?

    "What, did some of my blood drip into your dishes?" I asked, annoyed.

    "No, I'm serious," he seemed surprised.

    I frowned at him and continued eating, "Whatever, Kai,"

    The tea kettle was starting to whistle already and Kai sped away in a split second. I turned around and watched Kai's swift movements as he prepared my green tea. He made it halfway to me from the stove and froze where he was. His face hardened and he tensed up. I could hear cracking but I didn't know where it came from...until the glass in Kai's hand shattered, splashing hot tea all over his hand. It probably felt like nothing more than a trickle of cool water to him. His face was cold and hard and he made his way to the doorway out of the kitchen.

    "Kai?" I knew it probably had something to do with Kira for Kai to react so coldly so fast.

    "Get him out," Kai hissed.

    "Calm down, Kai, we're taking him into the city," Matsuda reassured.

    I saw Kira walk past the doorway. He looked back at me and his eyes flashed to hunger again. He tried to push through Kai to get to me once again and Kai shoved him back.

    "Get out, Kira!" Kai shouted.

    Matsuda grabbed Kira by his arm and drug him out the front door and they sped away in the car after a few seconds. Kai's fists were clenched and he turned towards me, his eyes slowly turning red. I cautiously approached Kai and grabbed one of his fists.

    "Kai, it's okay. He's out." I soothed.

    Kai sighed and unclenched his fist and held onto my hand, "His craving must really be acting up if they're taking him into the city already," he said to himself.

    I flinched at the thought of how many people Kira would end up hurting...or even killing. Kai sighed again and pulled me over to the breakfast bar and lifted me onto the stool.

    "I'm sorry I freaked out. I really shouldn't have." he complained.

    "You had every right to," and it was true.

    "He just...," he clenched his fist again on the breakfast bar, "He keeps thinking about drinking your blood and only yours."

    I looked down, not knowing what to say. I wouldn't mind helping him if it wouldn't kill me, but he's suffering too much so it will end up killing me. I looked back up at Kai.

    "How long will he be in the city?"

    "Matsuda will watch over him for a few hours, then come back without Kira. We're going to leave him in the city alone for several days."

    "What if the police find him?" I choked out, not knowing how Kira would handle being arrested.

    "We've done this before. None of us have ever been caught." he smiled reassuringly, "So when Matsuda comes back, you should be safe."

    Good, so maybe now he won't be all over me.

    Kai smirked after hearing that thought, "Don't be so sure,"

    I threw the remainder of my onigiri at him and he ate it up like a starving hyena, "Do you want me to make you anything?" I asked him.

    "No, I should be fine,"

    "Well, then, I'm going to take a shower," I scooped up my dishes and placed them neatly in the dishwasher and shut it.

    I scrambled my way up the stairs with my head still throbbing. I grabbed some fresh clothes and made my way into the bathroom, unaware of the fact that Kai was casually following me in. I couldn't hear him, so I slipped off my sweat pants and froze when I heard a laugh being held back. I looked over my shoulder slowly and Kai's lips were pursed together. It took me a moment for my mind to process that I was in nothing but my undergarments in a bathroom and Kai was just standing there watching me. My face turned scarlet and I grabbed a bottle of strong hold hairspray from the linen closet and sprayed it at him while screaming bloody murder.

    "Get out, get out, get out!!!" I continued to scream.

    Kai left with an outburst of laughter and mockery as I slammed the door behind him and locked it, not that he can't teleport or anything. I slipped off my undergarments, checking behind my shoulder with every movement I made and checking out the frosted window. I started the bath and sprinkled some lavender powder in the bath and some rose garden bath bubbles. This bath had no possibility to getting better; lavender to help me relax, and the bath bubbles would make my skin unbelievably smooth...if I shave my legs.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    I dressed myself in some comfortable sweat shorts and a cami because I wasn't planning on doing much today and the house was pretty warm. I sat on Kai's bed and folded my clothes from the clothes basket that Takeuchi dropped in. A subtle knock at the door made me jump until I heard Kai's voice.

    "Can I come in?" he was suppressing his laughter, I could hear Takeuchi trying not to laugh either, "Or are you not dressed?"

    Him and Takeuchi snickered and I rolled my eyes, "I'm completely stripped down. Don't come in." I answered sarcastically.

    Kai barged in anyways with Takeuchi laughing up a storm behind him. I beamed and continued folding my clothes, trying to ignore the fact that Kai told Takeuchi he saw me stripping down. Kai closed the door behind him, leaving Takeuchi in the hallway. Kai stood near me and tucked his hands in his pockets and stared at me with a small smile on his face.

    "You take long baths,"

    "I've had a long day," I sighed.

    Kai lowered himself onto his knees on the ground in front of me and stared at me, studying my face, "You're worried about Kira,"

    I sighed again and nodded, "Yeah. I've never seen him like this before. It scares me."

    Kai pat my thigh, "He'll be okay,"

    Kai's face was overcome by surprise and he looked down at my leg. His thumb rubbed my thigh, only making me turn redder, "You skin is soft," he stated like a little kid.

    "It-it's the bath bubbles," I looked away.

    He smiled, "I like it,"

    I didn't think I could turn any redder. If it wasn't for his cool touch, I'd have burst into flames. He inched his face closer to mine with the gentle smile still on his lips and a mused expression. By surprise, I was the one that kissed him first. I locked my arms around his neck and he inched himself closer to me. He coiled one arm around my waist, pulling me closer, and his hand that was on my thigh trailed down to my ankle. He gripped my ankle and wrapped my leg around his waist and he pushed me back onto the bed.

    Kai was unconsciously holding me tighter to him and I hadn't realized the pain in my sides until I tried to take a deep breath. I winced and Kai stopped immediately and stared at me, almost with a look of panic on his face.

    "Arisa?"

    "I'm fine, it's my ribs," I rubbed my sore rebroken ribs, "They're still sore."

    "I'm sorry," he caressed me, "You should have told me it was hurting."

    "I couldn't feel it, not until I tried to take a breath,"

    Kai moved over and sat on the bed next to me as I sat up and adjusted my camisole. I was hoping like no other that Takeuchi wasn't listening in on us. It's embarrassing. And for the first time ever, from the corner of my eye, I saw Kai yawn. I stared at him and he stared back.

    "What?"

    "You yawned?"

    "Um...no,"

    I smirked at him, knowing that he was lying, "Yes you did, Kai. You haven't slept for what, a week?"

    "Vampires can stay up for days," he boasted.

    "Well tonight you're going to sleep for once," I smiled again.

    "I have to watch over you," he frowned.

    "You said Kira would be in the city for several days. He won't be coming back until then, you said so."

    Kai smiled like a child and pat my head, "You're a silly girl,"

    I hated it when he pretended I was stupid, and whenever he would tread me like a kid. In many ways, he was more of an annoyance than a boyfriend. I ignored Kai and continued with my folding of clothes before him and Takeuchi had to make fun of me and he had to distract me by making out with me. A couple of my shirts still had subtle blood stains on them but some form of OCD kicked in and I didn't want to fold them until the stains were completely out. Kai smiled at me again and teleported out of the room, leaving me...by myself??

    Realizing his mistake, Kai appeared back in the room as fast as he disappeared, "My bad,"

    "See, you are tired," I sighed in agitation, "Lay down and sleep."

    I looked up at him and I could see the subtle purple rings forming under his eyes from lack of sleep in the past week, maybe week and a half. There was no way I was going to allow him to watch over me in my sleep while Kira was in the city. I'd be fine if Kai was sleeping.

    "Matsuda's home," Kai interrupted my mental lecture.

    Good, so that must mean that Kira agreed to stay away. I heard the front door close and I continued on folding my clothes as Kai stared at me. I couldn't help but feel creeped out at the fact that Kai's eyes never left me, almost as if he were a stalker. Wait, he is a stalker. I finished up with my clothes and after I put them away, I picked up the shirts with blood stains still present on them and made my way to the laundry room downstairs with Kai following close behind.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    It had been a couple of days already and Kira was still in the city, calming his craving. It was strange though because I had expected to hear of at least a few deaths on the news, but there was nothing. Maybe Kira was being extra careful or something or finally gaining control. I finally got Kai to sleep and I have never been more at ease.

    I flipped over to my other side and peeked my eyes open. Kai was sleeping on the other side of the bed, facing me and was out like a burnt out light bulb. You would think somebody sleeping that heavily would snore like crazy, but not him. Of course, I'm sure if he would snore, it would sound like a lullaby. His amazing facial features were still set in porcelain and stone while he slept. My stomach let out a deafening roar and I reacted immediately by wrapping my arms around my stomach. I yelled at my stomach in my head to shut up and not wake Kai.

    I slipped out of the comforter as swiftly as I could, careful still not to wake Kai. I stared at his complexion once more and was completely mesmerized until I turned red and looked away after feeling too childish. The clock said it was two thirty-four in the morning and I rolled my eyes. I hadn't been eating as much since before the Werewolves' last attack so I'm pretty sure a midnight snack wouldn't hurt anything.

    I stealthily opened and closed the bedroom door, taken over by my own surprise. I tiptoed to the top of the stairs and when I was about halfway down, I was consumed by confusion and fear as I stared into the red starving eyes of the last man I wanted to see.