Blood. Lust. Family. Chapter 6
Apr. 1st, 2021 07:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
learashiPairing: Sakumoto
Genre: Vampire AU, fantasy, drama, mpreg
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Contains violence, gore, blood.
Summary: King Matsumoto learns of Jun’s pregnancy, and a trap is baited.
Previously: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
“Aiba, do you know where Jun might be? I hope he isn't trawling around baby stores again. We have enough crib and pram brochures to wallpaper the entire apartment.” Sho had known instantly that Jun wasn't home. The empty feeling in his chest had manifested even before reaching the door. The search for new accommodation had by necessity been placed on hold while the threat from the Matsuoka royal family hung over them. But Jun had still been eager to visit furniture stores searching for inspiration for the nursery which he was eager to fit out when they eventually moved.
“He didn't tell you where he was going?” Aiba asked nervously as he unconsciously shuffled a little further away from Sho. “He told me that he’d spoken to you earlier, so I assumed that you were fine with him going out.”
Instantly alert, Sho tensed. Jun had spoken with him, but not mentioned anything about leaving the apartment at all. “Where is he?”
“Erm, don't worry, nothing could possibly happen to him,” Aiba said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. “He took two guards with him, plus since he’s going to visit King Matsumoto, the security there will make him doubly safe.”
“Jun has gone alone to visit his father?” Sho tried to control his emotions in front of Aiba. He had long ago learnt not to frighten the vulnerable human, or else suffer the wrath of his mate. “How long ago did he leave?”
As he questioned Aiba, Sho was in the process of dialling Jun’s phone. Satoshi still hadn’t informed King Matsumoto that Sho and Jun were breeding. The issue of the attacks had taken precedence. “Satoshi, have you seen Jun? He is planning to speak to your father about his pregnancy. If you can't stop him, then at least protect him from the king's wrath.”
****
Satoshi’s footsteps echoed loudly on the parquet flooring as he dashed up the corridor leading to King Matsumoto’s office. The two guards stationed in front of the door tried to bar his way, but were easily removed with a flick of his wrists. The heavy oak door slammed back against the wall as he flung it open, making a mark on the black flocked wallpaper.
“That wallpaper is handmade,” King Matsumoto snarled. “Have some respect.”
The state of the decor in the King’s gloomy office was the least of Satoshi’s concerns. “Father, where is Jun? I know he was coming to see you. If you have harmed him in any way...”
The King smiled, baring his fangs which gleamed yellow in the dull light coming from the myriad small lamps scattered around the room, which were doing little to dispel the pervasive gloom. “I am pleased to hear that you wish to protect your brother, even though you also choose to threaten me. The safety of his youngling is of paramount importance, especially in these troubled times. Jun’s offspring will bind our Royal House to that of the Sakurai’s for eternity, thus more than doubling our territory.”
“I would never tolerate any threat to my youngling.” Jun’s eyes glowed with a deep violet fire from where he sat in the depths of darkness in the far corner of the room on the only comfortable chair to be found. “And that means that I will also not permit them to be used as a political pawn.”
“I am your Father and your King. You will obey.” King Matsumoto did not raise his voice, but his anger was clear.
Satoshi moved towards his father, but Jun was faster, jumping up from his chair and baring his fangs as he advanced on the King. “I am mated. I no longer have to obey you in any capacity other than as my King. Do not think that you can order me around as if I am a recalcitrant vampling.”
To both of his sons’ surprise, the King laughed. At first his voice sounded cracked and dusty with disuse, but soon the room was filled with his hearty sounds of amusement.
Satoshi and Jun stared at each other in confusion as their father finally managed to regain control of himself.
“Finally I have two sons of which I can be proud.” King Matsumoto stepped forward and stiffly embraced Jun. “I should thank Prince Sakurai and the Vampire Council for finally turning you into a proper vampire.”
Jun opened his mouth to argue, but was forestalled by Satoshi who took hold of his elbow and whispered to him. “That went so much better than any of us anticipated, don’t ruin things now.”
“You are correct, Satoshi.” The King’s acute hearing was more than capable of picking up the slightest of sounds. “Neither of you should ever make the mistake of forgetting that I could make you obey my slightest whim if I wished.”
“And I think that you should never make the mistake of underestimating the combined power of your offspring,” Satoshi replied congenially, but his eyes glowed with the coldness of a glacier as he stared down his father.
King Matsumoto sniffed with contempt as he waved his hand to dismiss his sons and if they were annoying mosquitos.
****
“Nino, what are you doing?” Jun frowned as Nino paced around looking at him from different angles.
Nino halted his examination. “Just wanting to confirm that you are in one piece. Satoshi assured me that you both escaped unharmed from King Matsumoto but I find it hard to believe.”
“That is not even the slightest bit funny.”
“No. It isn’t,” Sho agreed sternly as he emerged from his office at the sound of Nino’s voice. “Jun was extremely foolish to go there by himself.”
“I am truly sick of everyone treating me like a vampling. I am not foolish enough to endanger either my youngling or myself. My father deserved to hear the news directly from me and not through random gossip as my condition becomes obvious to all. He is not a complete monster, despite what you all think,” Jun fumed.
“Not completely,” Sho muttered under his breath.
Nino bounced back on his electric blue sneakers and looked around for an escape route, as he anticipated Jun blowing up at Sho’s comment and the argument to come. But Jun merely nodded and stood next to his mate, leaning against his side and breathing in his scent in an obvious way. That was when Nino noticed that Jun’s hair was unbound and laying in glossy waves over his shoulders, while Sho’s shirt was buttoned incorrectly. “Maybe I should come back later. I’ve obviously interrupted something.”
“Don’t worry. We finished just before you arrived,” Jun replied as a satisfied grin lit his face. “Just following Oguri-sensei’s instructions to have lots of sex,” he added shamelessly, in attempt to discomfort the Council Agent. Nino was always so cool and in control and Jun couldn’t resist the chance to ruffle his calm demeanour.
Nino didn’t even flinch as he replied. “That’s good to know, because Satoshi will be joining us in a few minutes and I don't think he could cope, especially not after the last time he heard you two going at it. I’m here with a plan to bring down Prince Matsuoka and I need your full attention.”
****
“But Sho, I don't understand why you have to go with Satoshi.” Jun’s head was already spinning with fear for his brother, who was being wired for sound on the far side of the room. “Masahiro wants you dead.”
“That's exactly why I am going. Do you think that I would allow Satoshi to put himself into that sort of danger for me and not go with him?” Sho stroked Jun’s cheek and kissed him in an attempt to calm his agitation.
Nino’s original plan had involved Satoshi visiting Masahiro under the guise of making the Matsuoka heir believe that he also wished to be rid of Sho.
“Then the pair of you are idiots!” Jun hissed, angrily wiping away a stray tear.
Satoshi pulled away from the Council agent who was attaching the microphone, and dashed across the room to Jun who stood there trembling with a mixture of anger and fear. And for once Sho allowed him to comfort Jun in his place as Sho went to have the same wires attached to his body.
Instead of struggling and spitting at him, as Satoshi feared, Jun allowed himself to be held, clinging tightly to his brother. Satoshi held Jun close, humming an almost forgotten nursery rhyme until he felt Jun’s heart rate slow.
“Sho and I will be fine. Don't stress yourself,” Satoshi murmured. “I promise that you can punch me as hard as you like afterwards if anything goes wrong.”
Jun snorted at the memory of punching Satoshi with his tiny fist after his brother had pushed him too hard on the swing, causing him to fly off and land on his knees, skinning them badly. He was perhaps, maybe four years old at the time and his fist certainly hadn't made even the slightest mark on his brother’s arm when he had retaliated.
“Deal. But I punch harder now, so you had better not let anything happen to you,” Jun muttered gruffly. “The same goes for you too Sho. Mate or not, if you get yourself into trouble, you can expect the same treatment.”
Sho managed to disguise his smile as he wrapped his arms around Jun, sandwiching him between himself and Satoshi. Jun took a deep shuddering breath before pushing them both away. “Off the both of you go then. Nino and I will be listening from here. If anything even looks like going wrong, we will send the agents in. Right?”
Nino nodded, amused at Jun’s newfound determination and strength. He knew that pretending to be in charge of this situation was helping Jun to keep control of his own fears, and if it helped, he was more than willing to go along with the charade.
****
“Satoshi, it's been quite a while since I've seen you. Please come in.” Masahiro opened the door wide, and stood back to allow Satoshi to enter. As always, Masahiro was elegantly dressed in a dark suit and tie. His hair was swept back neatly, emphasizing the smoothness of his face.
If Masahiro was surprised to see Sho standing next to Satoshi in the doorway, he allowed nothing to show in his expression. “And Prince Sakurai. This is definitely unexpected, but nonetheless a great pleasure.”
“Satoshi has told me so much about you,” Sho replied smoothly. “I hope you don’t mind me inviting myself along also.”
It was a huge risk for Sho to walk into what might turn out to be a trap. Satoshi hoped that his presence would restrain his senpai from making a move. At the same time, it was hoped that Masahiro might let something slip which Nino could use as evidence in their case against him.
Masahiro walked over to a drinks cabinet and pulled open the double doors. A huge array of glittering bottles was revealed. “Drink? Or would you prefer blood? I have just received a shipment of a new brand of synthetics.”
“Whiskey will be fine, thanks.” Satoshi took a seat on the shiny black couch and took a look around the room as he waited for his drink. It appeared that Masahiro lived in a bachelor pad cliché. The walls of his penthouse apartment were stark white and all of the furniture was either black leather or chrome, or some combination of the two.
“You should try the blood later though. It really is good. Maybe that little brother of yours will even be able to tolerate it,” Masahiro said as he sat down opposite Satoshi. “I take it that he is still as weak as he ever was?”
“Jun is not weak, and he never has been,” Satoshi answered hotly. He cursed himself a moment later as Masahiro looked at him with pity.
Sho, who had taken a seat next to Satoshi, took a sip from his drink and discreetly squeezed Satoshi’s elbow with his free hand. It was taking all of his self-control to not just rip Prince Matsuoka’s throat out and be done with it. But if that happened, things would never end. The Matsuoka Royal Family would be honour bound to seek revenge. Jun’s life and that of their vampling would always be at risk if that happened, and Sho couldn't live that way.
Seemingly oblivious to the fact that Jun’s mate was sitting directly opposite, Masahiro continued to speak. “But surely having a low tolerance to synthetics must make him less strong, and of course more reliant on you Sho, as his mate. I remember Satoshi always having to go home straight after school to care for him.”
“Well now he is fully grown and more than capable.” Satoshi took a large gulp of his drink to steady his nerves. He must not allow himself to be sidetracked from his mission. He was there to make Matsuoka Masahiro think that he too wanted Sho out of the way. “The only problem is that the Vampire Council chose his mate. I have come to terms with it. As you can see, we are now civil to each other, but it took a long time for me to accept that the Council forced Jun to mate with the Sakurai heir.”
Satoshi knew that his words were clumsy. He didn't have a smooth tongue like Nino, who could talk the birds down from the trees. All he could do was hope that Masahiro’s hatred for Sho made him incautious. But Masahiro’s next words caught Satoshi by surprise.
“I have no problem with you, Prince Sho. I hear that you have already impregnated your mate, and I have to admit to admiring you for that alone.”
“Then why did you try and kill him? You paid someone to attempt to shoot him.” Once again, Satoshi’s mouth ran ahead of his brain. He didn't know why he couldn't control what he was saying, and why his head was feeling so fuzzy. One mouthful of whiskey shouldn't be affecting him like this.
“Oh that? That was nothing personal,” Masahiro said conversationally, giving them precisely the evidence they needed, if only they could be sure that their microphones were actually recording the conversation. “I just need him dead, and preferably you too.”
Satoshi growled and tried to rise, but his legs were paralysed beneath him. He was entirely at Masahiro’s mercy. On the seat beside him Sho tried to stand, but collapsed into a heap on the floor. Whatever the elder vampire had put into their drinks was extremely fast acting and the pair of them were helpless.
“Now I just need to wait for your impulsive mate to come rushing to your aid, and I will have the full set. I apologise for being so dramatic, but it seems as if this is my chance,” Masahiro said as he settled himself down comfortably in his sleek armchair with a beaker of blood. He raised it in a toast to the two incapacitated vampires as a gloating smile graced his face.
****
“What's going on?” Jun hissed angrily. “I can't hear a thing.” He pulled off his headphones and growled at the technician who was desperately pressing buttons on his control panel.
“It seems that something is wrong with the signal,” Nino replied smoothly. “Don't worry; Satoshi and Sho are still wearing recording devices. So even though we can't hear what is being said, we will still have the evidence.”
“But what if something happens to them?”
“We have equipped them with a personal emergency beacon each and given them instructions to activate it immediately if there is any problem.” Nino chewed nervously on his bottom lip. He was just as worried as Jun but he was determined to remain calm in front of the pregnant vampire.
****
As he lay immobilised on the floor Sho whispered into the microphone attached to his neck. “Nino. Can you hear me? We need help.”
The only answer was a short burst of static, which made Masahiro place his glass down on a nearby chrome and smoked glass table. He gazed with some dismay at Sho. “Does that mean that the tiny Vampire Council agent with the bad taste in shoes, and Prince Jun who will inevitably be with him, can’t hear you? How on earth am I going to get your weakling mate here otherwise?”
A thoughtful look spread across Masahiro’s face as he stood up and walked over to where Sho was on the floor. Snarling and hissing, Sho lifted his arm and slashed at Masahiro, but his movements were slow and easily dodged.
“I’m no movie villain you know. It’s not like this is for fun. I’m only doing this through necessity for my family, so I’m not going to waste both your time and my own by giving you a long-winded speech,” Masahiro said calmly as he adjusted his tie. A moment later he brought his heel down on Sho’s forearm and began to grind it into the hardwood flooring.
****
“Something is very wrong.” Jun jumped up from his seat and began to pace in an agitated fashion. “We need to go there right now.”
“No way are you coming with us.” Nino knew that Sho would kill him if anything happened to Jun. “It’s not safe.”
“If you think you can prevent me from going to my mate, you are kidding yourself,” Jun snarled. He could detect faint signs of distress coming from Sho, but the feeling was oddly muted. It was as if Sho was trying to connect with him though an impenetrably thick miasma. Tendrils of fear gripped his heart as he was filled with the instinctive need to respond to Sho’s call. “Plus since your communications are down, without me you will be going in blind.”
“You are going to go there anyway aren’t you?” Nino rubbed the crease which had just now formed between his eyes.
The look of frantic determination in Jun’s eyes told Nino everything he needed to know. At least if he took Jun with him he wouldn’t run the risk of Jun stumbling into a dangerous situation with no protection whatsoever.
“Okay, but stay well back until I have the chance to assess the situation.” Nino had little hope that Jun would obey him, but at least he’d tried.
****
Satoshi slid off the chair and down onto the floor. He dragged himself in front of Sho, in a feeble attempt to shield Sho from the beating that he was receiving at the hands of the Matsuoka heir. Whatever drug had been placed in their drinks also served as a healing inhibitor and Sho was bloody and any visible skin was covered in livid bruising. Masahiro hissed in annoyance and he turned his attention to Satoshi, kicking him hard enough in the chest to break his ribs with an audible snap.
“Stop it now. This isn’t the dark ages. You can’t just kill people to get your own way.” Satoshi’s voice was slurred and faint as he struggled to breathe, but it made Masahiro pause for a moment. “I don’t know why you are being so ridiculous.”
Masahiro raised a cynical brow. “Ridiculous? Maybe so, but you don’t seem to be having much success with stopping me. And as for being ridiculous, you do realize that we are vampires don’t you?”
“Vampires yes, but not savages. Have you never heard of negotiation?” Satoshi's words were slurred, but stronger than Masahiro anticipated.
Annoyance crept into Masahiro’s voice as he replied. “Do you honestly think that either of your fathers would cede part of their territories to the Matsuoka family if I just asked them in a polite tone? Because if you genuinely do, then you are even more unbalanced than you obviously believe me to be.”
“You aren't the first psychopath I’ve had to deal with,” Sho mumbled as blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. “And I promise that you will be punished just as he was.”
Masahiro smoothed back his hair and straightened the cuffs of his shirt. “Psychopath? Me? I am merely doing my best for my future heirs. Surely with your own successor on the way you must understand why this is necessary.”
“Oh you have no idea of the lengths we are willing to go to if Jun’s safety is threatened,” Satoshi snarled. “You have no idea who you are dealing with.”
“Am I supposed to be scared? Because you are the ones writhing around on the floor right now.” Masahiro drew back his foot to kick Satoshi in the face; the other vampire’s expression of defiance was beyond annoying.
Before he could do so, Masahiro was interrupted by a knock at the door, a moment before it opened. He spun around to face one of his bodyguards, who hovered in the doorway, preventing a shadowy figure from entering. Masahiro clicked his tongue in annoyance. “I told you that I wasn’t to be interrupted. Unless you have Prince Jun there with you, you have approximately ten seconds left to live.”
“I guess he gets to stay alive.” Jun moved into the light, allowing Masahiro to see his face clearly.
****
“How did you let him out of your sight?” Nino’s eyes glowed like molten gold as he shook the Council Agent violently.
He received no reply, and when Nino looked into the vampire’s eyes he saw only a docile blankness. Obviously Jun was far more powerful than anyone knew, if he was able to hypnotise one of Nino’s handpicked agents with ease.
Jun’s plea for an emergency bathroom break on the way to the Matsuoka heir’s apartment was obviously nothing more than a ruse to allow him to take matters into his own hands. Nino had never realised that Jun could be so duplicitous and he felt a grudging admiration for the Prince. This however didn’t prevent him from wanting to strangle him with his bare hands for taking such a foolish risk.
Never one to miss an opportunity, Nino realised that if they hurried he and his agents could use Jun’s impulsiveness to their advantage. As the Council van negotiated the dark streets, Nino perched on the edge of his seat as if trying to increase their speed by sheer willpower alone.
Genre: Vampire AU, fantasy, drama, mpreg
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Contains violence, gore, blood.
Summary: King Matsumoto learns of Jun’s pregnancy, and a trap is baited.
Previously: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
“Aiba, do you know where Jun might be? I hope he isn't trawling around baby stores again. We have enough crib and pram brochures to wallpaper the entire apartment.” Sho had known instantly that Jun wasn't home. The empty feeling in his chest had manifested even before reaching the door. The search for new accommodation had by necessity been placed on hold while the threat from the Matsuoka royal family hung over them. But Jun had still been eager to visit furniture stores searching for inspiration for the nursery which he was eager to fit out when they eventually moved.
“He didn't tell you where he was going?” Aiba asked nervously as he unconsciously shuffled a little further away from Sho. “He told me that he’d spoken to you earlier, so I assumed that you were fine with him going out.”
Instantly alert, Sho tensed. Jun had spoken with him, but not mentioned anything about leaving the apartment at all. “Where is he?”
“Erm, don't worry, nothing could possibly happen to him,” Aiba said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. “He took two guards with him, plus since he’s going to visit King Matsumoto, the security there will make him doubly safe.”
“Jun has gone alone to visit his father?” Sho tried to control his emotions in front of Aiba. He had long ago learnt not to frighten the vulnerable human, or else suffer the wrath of his mate. “How long ago did he leave?”
As he questioned Aiba, Sho was in the process of dialling Jun’s phone. Satoshi still hadn’t informed King Matsumoto that Sho and Jun were breeding. The issue of the attacks had taken precedence. “Satoshi, have you seen Jun? He is planning to speak to your father about his pregnancy. If you can't stop him, then at least protect him from the king's wrath.”
****
Satoshi’s footsteps echoed loudly on the parquet flooring as he dashed up the corridor leading to King Matsumoto’s office. The two guards stationed in front of the door tried to bar his way, but were easily removed with a flick of his wrists. The heavy oak door slammed back against the wall as he flung it open, making a mark on the black flocked wallpaper.
“That wallpaper is handmade,” King Matsumoto snarled. “Have some respect.”
The state of the decor in the King’s gloomy office was the least of Satoshi’s concerns. “Father, where is Jun? I know he was coming to see you. If you have harmed him in any way...”
The King smiled, baring his fangs which gleamed yellow in the dull light coming from the myriad small lamps scattered around the room, which were doing little to dispel the pervasive gloom. “I am pleased to hear that you wish to protect your brother, even though you also choose to threaten me. The safety of his youngling is of paramount importance, especially in these troubled times. Jun’s offspring will bind our Royal House to that of the Sakurai’s for eternity, thus more than doubling our territory.”
“I would never tolerate any threat to my youngling.” Jun’s eyes glowed with a deep violet fire from where he sat in the depths of darkness in the far corner of the room on the only comfortable chair to be found. “And that means that I will also not permit them to be used as a political pawn.”
“I am your Father and your King. You will obey.” King Matsumoto did not raise his voice, but his anger was clear.
Satoshi moved towards his father, but Jun was faster, jumping up from his chair and baring his fangs as he advanced on the King. “I am mated. I no longer have to obey you in any capacity other than as my King. Do not think that you can order me around as if I am a recalcitrant vampling.”
To both of his sons’ surprise, the King laughed. At first his voice sounded cracked and dusty with disuse, but soon the room was filled with his hearty sounds of amusement.
Satoshi and Jun stared at each other in confusion as their father finally managed to regain control of himself.
“Finally I have two sons of which I can be proud.” King Matsumoto stepped forward and stiffly embraced Jun. “I should thank Prince Sakurai and the Vampire Council for finally turning you into a proper vampire.”
Jun opened his mouth to argue, but was forestalled by Satoshi who took hold of his elbow and whispered to him. “That went so much better than any of us anticipated, don’t ruin things now.”
“You are correct, Satoshi.” The King’s acute hearing was more than capable of picking up the slightest of sounds. “Neither of you should ever make the mistake of forgetting that I could make you obey my slightest whim if I wished.”
“And I think that you should never make the mistake of underestimating the combined power of your offspring,” Satoshi replied congenially, but his eyes glowed with the coldness of a glacier as he stared down his father.
King Matsumoto sniffed with contempt as he waved his hand to dismiss his sons and if they were annoying mosquitos.
****
“Nino, what are you doing?” Jun frowned as Nino paced around looking at him from different angles.
Nino halted his examination. “Just wanting to confirm that you are in one piece. Satoshi assured me that you both escaped unharmed from King Matsumoto but I find it hard to believe.”
“That is not even the slightest bit funny.”
“No. It isn’t,” Sho agreed sternly as he emerged from his office at the sound of Nino’s voice. “Jun was extremely foolish to go there by himself.”
“I am truly sick of everyone treating me like a vampling. I am not foolish enough to endanger either my youngling or myself. My father deserved to hear the news directly from me and not through random gossip as my condition becomes obvious to all. He is not a complete monster, despite what you all think,” Jun fumed.
“Not completely,” Sho muttered under his breath.
Nino bounced back on his electric blue sneakers and looked around for an escape route, as he anticipated Jun blowing up at Sho’s comment and the argument to come. But Jun merely nodded and stood next to his mate, leaning against his side and breathing in his scent in an obvious way. That was when Nino noticed that Jun’s hair was unbound and laying in glossy waves over his shoulders, while Sho’s shirt was buttoned incorrectly. “Maybe I should come back later. I’ve obviously interrupted something.”
“Don’t worry. We finished just before you arrived,” Jun replied as a satisfied grin lit his face. “Just following Oguri-sensei’s instructions to have lots of sex,” he added shamelessly, in attempt to discomfort the Council Agent. Nino was always so cool and in control and Jun couldn’t resist the chance to ruffle his calm demeanour.
Nino didn’t even flinch as he replied. “That’s good to know, because Satoshi will be joining us in a few minutes and I don't think he could cope, especially not after the last time he heard you two going at it. I’m here with a plan to bring down Prince Matsuoka and I need your full attention.”
****
“But Sho, I don't understand why you have to go with Satoshi.” Jun’s head was already spinning with fear for his brother, who was being wired for sound on the far side of the room. “Masahiro wants you dead.”
“That's exactly why I am going. Do you think that I would allow Satoshi to put himself into that sort of danger for me and not go with him?” Sho stroked Jun’s cheek and kissed him in an attempt to calm his agitation.
Nino’s original plan had involved Satoshi visiting Masahiro under the guise of making the Matsuoka heir believe that he also wished to be rid of Sho.
“Then the pair of you are idiots!” Jun hissed, angrily wiping away a stray tear.
Satoshi pulled away from the Council agent who was attaching the microphone, and dashed across the room to Jun who stood there trembling with a mixture of anger and fear. And for once Sho allowed him to comfort Jun in his place as Sho went to have the same wires attached to his body.
Instead of struggling and spitting at him, as Satoshi feared, Jun allowed himself to be held, clinging tightly to his brother. Satoshi held Jun close, humming an almost forgotten nursery rhyme until he felt Jun’s heart rate slow.
“Sho and I will be fine. Don't stress yourself,” Satoshi murmured. “I promise that you can punch me as hard as you like afterwards if anything goes wrong.”
Jun snorted at the memory of punching Satoshi with his tiny fist after his brother had pushed him too hard on the swing, causing him to fly off and land on his knees, skinning them badly. He was perhaps, maybe four years old at the time and his fist certainly hadn't made even the slightest mark on his brother’s arm when he had retaliated.
“Deal. But I punch harder now, so you had better not let anything happen to you,” Jun muttered gruffly. “The same goes for you too Sho. Mate or not, if you get yourself into trouble, you can expect the same treatment.”
Sho managed to disguise his smile as he wrapped his arms around Jun, sandwiching him between himself and Satoshi. Jun took a deep shuddering breath before pushing them both away. “Off the both of you go then. Nino and I will be listening from here. If anything even looks like going wrong, we will send the agents in. Right?”
Nino nodded, amused at Jun’s newfound determination and strength. He knew that pretending to be in charge of this situation was helping Jun to keep control of his own fears, and if it helped, he was more than willing to go along with the charade.
****
“Satoshi, it's been quite a while since I've seen you. Please come in.” Masahiro opened the door wide, and stood back to allow Satoshi to enter. As always, Masahiro was elegantly dressed in a dark suit and tie. His hair was swept back neatly, emphasizing the smoothness of his face.
If Masahiro was surprised to see Sho standing next to Satoshi in the doorway, he allowed nothing to show in his expression. “And Prince Sakurai. This is definitely unexpected, but nonetheless a great pleasure.”
“Satoshi has told me so much about you,” Sho replied smoothly. “I hope you don’t mind me inviting myself along also.”
It was a huge risk for Sho to walk into what might turn out to be a trap. Satoshi hoped that his presence would restrain his senpai from making a move. At the same time, it was hoped that Masahiro might let something slip which Nino could use as evidence in their case against him.
Masahiro walked over to a drinks cabinet and pulled open the double doors. A huge array of glittering bottles was revealed. “Drink? Or would you prefer blood? I have just received a shipment of a new brand of synthetics.”
“Whiskey will be fine, thanks.” Satoshi took a seat on the shiny black couch and took a look around the room as he waited for his drink. It appeared that Masahiro lived in a bachelor pad cliché. The walls of his penthouse apartment were stark white and all of the furniture was either black leather or chrome, or some combination of the two.
“You should try the blood later though. It really is good. Maybe that little brother of yours will even be able to tolerate it,” Masahiro said as he sat down opposite Satoshi. “I take it that he is still as weak as he ever was?”
“Jun is not weak, and he never has been,” Satoshi answered hotly. He cursed himself a moment later as Masahiro looked at him with pity.
Sho, who had taken a seat next to Satoshi, took a sip from his drink and discreetly squeezed Satoshi’s elbow with his free hand. It was taking all of his self-control to not just rip Prince Matsuoka’s throat out and be done with it. But if that happened, things would never end. The Matsuoka Royal Family would be honour bound to seek revenge. Jun’s life and that of their vampling would always be at risk if that happened, and Sho couldn't live that way.
Seemingly oblivious to the fact that Jun’s mate was sitting directly opposite, Masahiro continued to speak. “But surely having a low tolerance to synthetics must make him less strong, and of course more reliant on you Sho, as his mate. I remember Satoshi always having to go home straight after school to care for him.”
“Well now he is fully grown and more than capable.” Satoshi took a large gulp of his drink to steady his nerves. He must not allow himself to be sidetracked from his mission. He was there to make Matsuoka Masahiro think that he too wanted Sho out of the way. “The only problem is that the Vampire Council chose his mate. I have come to terms with it. As you can see, we are now civil to each other, but it took a long time for me to accept that the Council forced Jun to mate with the Sakurai heir.”
Satoshi knew that his words were clumsy. He didn't have a smooth tongue like Nino, who could talk the birds down from the trees. All he could do was hope that Masahiro’s hatred for Sho made him incautious. But Masahiro’s next words caught Satoshi by surprise.
“I have no problem with you, Prince Sho. I hear that you have already impregnated your mate, and I have to admit to admiring you for that alone.”
“Then why did you try and kill him? You paid someone to attempt to shoot him.” Once again, Satoshi’s mouth ran ahead of his brain. He didn't know why he couldn't control what he was saying, and why his head was feeling so fuzzy. One mouthful of whiskey shouldn't be affecting him like this.
“Oh that? That was nothing personal,” Masahiro said conversationally, giving them precisely the evidence they needed, if only they could be sure that their microphones were actually recording the conversation. “I just need him dead, and preferably you too.”
Satoshi growled and tried to rise, but his legs were paralysed beneath him. He was entirely at Masahiro’s mercy. On the seat beside him Sho tried to stand, but collapsed into a heap on the floor. Whatever the elder vampire had put into their drinks was extremely fast acting and the pair of them were helpless.
“Now I just need to wait for your impulsive mate to come rushing to your aid, and I will have the full set. I apologise for being so dramatic, but it seems as if this is my chance,” Masahiro said as he settled himself down comfortably in his sleek armchair with a beaker of blood. He raised it in a toast to the two incapacitated vampires as a gloating smile graced his face.
****
“What's going on?” Jun hissed angrily. “I can't hear a thing.” He pulled off his headphones and growled at the technician who was desperately pressing buttons on his control panel.
“It seems that something is wrong with the signal,” Nino replied smoothly. “Don't worry; Satoshi and Sho are still wearing recording devices. So even though we can't hear what is being said, we will still have the evidence.”
“But what if something happens to them?”
“We have equipped them with a personal emergency beacon each and given them instructions to activate it immediately if there is any problem.” Nino chewed nervously on his bottom lip. He was just as worried as Jun but he was determined to remain calm in front of the pregnant vampire.
****
As he lay immobilised on the floor Sho whispered into the microphone attached to his neck. “Nino. Can you hear me? We need help.”
The only answer was a short burst of static, which made Masahiro place his glass down on a nearby chrome and smoked glass table. He gazed with some dismay at Sho. “Does that mean that the tiny Vampire Council agent with the bad taste in shoes, and Prince Jun who will inevitably be with him, can’t hear you? How on earth am I going to get your weakling mate here otherwise?”
A thoughtful look spread across Masahiro’s face as he stood up and walked over to where Sho was on the floor. Snarling and hissing, Sho lifted his arm and slashed at Masahiro, but his movements were slow and easily dodged.
“I’m no movie villain you know. It’s not like this is for fun. I’m only doing this through necessity for my family, so I’m not going to waste both your time and my own by giving you a long-winded speech,” Masahiro said calmly as he adjusted his tie. A moment later he brought his heel down on Sho’s forearm and began to grind it into the hardwood flooring.
****
“Something is very wrong.” Jun jumped up from his seat and began to pace in an agitated fashion. “We need to go there right now.”
“No way are you coming with us.” Nino knew that Sho would kill him if anything happened to Jun. “It’s not safe.”
“If you think you can prevent me from going to my mate, you are kidding yourself,” Jun snarled. He could detect faint signs of distress coming from Sho, but the feeling was oddly muted. It was as if Sho was trying to connect with him though an impenetrably thick miasma. Tendrils of fear gripped his heart as he was filled with the instinctive need to respond to Sho’s call. “Plus since your communications are down, without me you will be going in blind.”
“You are going to go there anyway aren’t you?” Nino rubbed the crease which had just now formed between his eyes.
The look of frantic determination in Jun’s eyes told Nino everything he needed to know. At least if he took Jun with him he wouldn’t run the risk of Jun stumbling into a dangerous situation with no protection whatsoever.
“Okay, but stay well back until I have the chance to assess the situation.” Nino had little hope that Jun would obey him, but at least he’d tried.
****
Satoshi slid off the chair and down onto the floor. He dragged himself in front of Sho, in a feeble attempt to shield Sho from the beating that he was receiving at the hands of the Matsuoka heir. Whatever drug had been placed in their drinks also served as a healing inhibitor and Sho was bloody and any visible skin was covered in livid bruising. Masahiro hissed in annoyance and he turned his attention to Satoshi, kicking him hard enough in the chest to break his ribs with an audible snap.
“Stop it now. This isn’t the dark ages. You can’t just kill people to get your own way.” Satoshi’s voice was slurred and faint as he struggled to breathe, but it made Masahiro pause for a moment. “I don’t know why you are being so ridiculous.”
Masahiro raised a cynical brow. “Ridiculous? Maybe so, but you don’t seem to be having much success with stopping me. And as for being ridiculous, you do realize that we are vampires don’t you?”
“Vampires yes, but not savages. Have you never heard of negotiation?” Satoshi's words were slurred, but stronger than Masahiro anticipated.
Annoyance crept into Masahiro’s voice as he replied. “Do you honestly think that either of your fathers would cede part of their territories to the Matsuoka family if I just asked them in a polite tone? Because if you genuinely do, then you are even more unbalanced than you obviously believe me to be.”
“You aren't the first psychopath I’ve had to deal with,” Sho mumbled as blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. “And I promise that you will be punished just as he was.”
Masahiro smoothed back his hair and straightened the cuffs of his shirt. “Psychopath? Me? I am merely doing my best for my future heirs. Surely with your own successor on the way you must understand why this is necessary.”
“Oh you have no idea of the lengths we are willing to go to if Jun’s safety is threatened,” Satoshi snarled. “You have no idea who you are dealing with.”
“Am I supposed to be scared? Because you are the ones writhing around on the floor right now.” Masahiro drew back his foot to kick Satoshi in the face; the other vampire’s expression of defiance was beyond annoying.
Before he could do so, Masahiro was interrupted by a knock at the door, a moment before it opened. He spun around to face one of his bodyguards, who hovered in the doorway, preventing a shadowy figure from entering. Masahiro clicked his tongue in annoyance. “I told you that I wasn’t to be interrupted. Unless you have Prince Jun there with you, you have approximately ten seconds left to live.”
“I guess he gets to stay alive.” Jun moved into the light, allowing Masahiro to see his face clearly.
****
“How did you let him out of your sight?” Nino’s eyes glowed like molten gold as he shook the Council Agent violently.
He received no reply, and when Nino looked into the vampire’s eyes he saw only a docile blankness. Obviously Jun was far more powerful than anyone knew, if he was able to hypnotise one of Nino’s handpicked agents with ease.
Jun’s plea for an emergency bathroom break on the way to the Matsuoka heir’s apartment was obviously nothing more than a ruse to allow him to take matters into his own hands. Nino had never realised that Jun could be so duplicitous and he felt a grudging admiration for the Prince. This however didn’t prevent him from wanting to strangle him with his bare hands for taking such a foolish risk.
Never one to miss an opportunity, Nino realised that if they hurried he and his agents could use Jun’s impulsiveness to their advantage. As the Council van negotiated the dark streets, Nino perched on the edge of his seat as if trying to increase their speed by sheer willpower alone.
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