Chapter 1: Waiting for Collapse
Chapter Text
Everything was on high alert. They knew that a war was on the horizon among humanity and the vampires with the Japanese Imperial Demon Army leading the resistance against the hold of the vampires. It wasn’t a matter of if, it was the matter of when it happened. Now, more than ever, they had to be thoroughly prepared. They had to be willing to put everything down and risk it all. By any means necessary. With the use of Cursed Gear and Enchanted Gear – and those who knew how to use spellcraft – it was the only reason that they were able to pull off what they could.
Mission after mission, they were able to gather and retain even more intel that would prove to help their cause. The remnants of humanity in their destroyed world weren’t going to fall. They would stand tall in the end and win. Humans versus vampires. It seemed simple enough. Guren Ichinose knew that the humans were already proving to be a thorn in the sides of the vampires. Considering everything that they were doing to try and target them specifically. Other humans, they captured. Those in the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, they killed. It was inevitable. Soon enough, there would be a full out war between them. As if there wasn’t one already.
Which put the stakes against them even higher. Everything that they had done was to prove that humanity could not be knocked down. That they could get right back up and keep fighting. What the vampires didn’t seem to notice or care about was human resilience. What they were willing to do in order to protect those around them. Guren had learned it the hard way, but he never stopped once. He kept striving to be better. Get stronger. Continue to get stronger and retain more power in hopes of changing the world.
Power.
Desire.
Longing.
They had their driving forces. All of them had a purpose to fight. All of them had something that tore them to shreds. They had all suffered in their own ways. The end of the world had come and gone and now they were left to rebuild. Which meant that they had to do everything that they could to stop it. There were going to be endless trials ahead of them.
If they had something to fight for, they couldn’t be stopped.
And that was exactly what Guren Ichinose was doing.
It’s what he had to do. Guren didn’t have an option here.
They were preparing to leave. They had a mission today. The stakes were starting to get even higher. First, the Moon Demon Company would go in, followed by their reinforcements, then it would be followed up by the second wave of reinforcements through Kureto Hiragi. By the time that Kureto arrived, it would have given the Moon Demon Company a chance to fall back but still have powerful fighters and soldiers working and at play during the course of the battle. It was always something that put them on edge. That impending feeling that they had knowing there was a chance that they might never go home. That there were faces among them that they might never see again.
Guren got this thrill whenever he fought, but then, he also got this dread of knowing what could happen. The bloodshed. The heartache. He left that for whenever no one was looking. Keeping that within the security of his home or his office. The soldiers underneath him didn’t need to see that. The battlefield was not the place for that. They could mourn. They could cheer. Whatever they needed to do. Whenever it was time to stay focused and serious, that’s what they needed to do.
Preparing for battle was one thing. It was getting his head on straight and focused. Having to think about the fight that was ahead. Formulating all the plans and any possibilities that could come up. Having a backup plan if things went wrong. Guren could come up with things on the spot, but it was a lot easier to do whenever it wasn’t within the heat of a battle. If there was one thing that Guren could wish to accomplish any time that they left the safety of their settlement in Shibuya, it would be to make sure everyone came home. Alive. It was just a dream, and it rarely became a reality. The Moon Demon Company were the ones with the best luck of returning back with all five members of their Squad. It was a lot of trial and error, but they had figured out that five was the magic number whenever it came to taking on vampires. Still, just because they were the elite didn’t mean that they weren’t invincible. People inevitably died. It was sometimes nothing short of a miracle if everyone came back home. Guren hated it, but it was the life that they had now.
It was all about… survival.
Doing whatever they had to do, risking everything humanly imaginable, and fighting even in the face of inevitable death.
Going outside of the safety of Shibuya meant to agreeing to the possibility of never going home. Every person on that battlefield had a reason to fight. Guren had every reason to fight. To go out there and put his life on the line every single day. It didn’t make him like having to go out there and watch people die – and the threat of death itself looming over his own head – any less.
Guren was going over the final plans before they would leave their base. They had their plan in place. They had their intel. The Lieutenant Colonel just wanted to go over it one last time before they left. All of the information would be passed over to the soldiers that were going with them and the debriefing would take place just before they left.
As he was going over everything, Guren heard the door open up behind him. Guren didn’t even have to look up to know exactly what it was. All he did was focus on his sense of smell and he quickly picked up the powerful sweet and pungent aroma that was getting closer. The fresh smell of falling rain and the scent of an ongoing storm with that mixture of woodsy spice as if he was standing in the middle of a rainforest. The scent also somehow had that perfect mixture of what nightfall smelt like. The cooling air of the day and the vastness of the world. It was like standing in the middle of a thunderstorm that came right as night fell. Looking up to the sky and seeing the flashes of lightning that would illuminate the dark, night sky. It was such an intoxicating mixture. A perfect variety that always had him guessing.
It got even stronger as he heard the footsteps getting closer to him. Guren stayed relaxed. That scent never put him on edge. It had that perfect husk of Alpha pheromones that screamed protection and security. Safety and tranquility. Something that, on one hand, could be dominating but nurturing on the other.
The other got up behind him and Guren lifted up his gaze from the papers that were on the table. A chest pressed into his back as gloved hands came to graze over his arms. Starting at his elbows, slowly moving up his biceps before settling down there. The grip was firm as fingers curled around his arms. He could feel the hot breath against the skin of his neck as he bit down on his lip and leaned back into the touch. Guren took in the scent as he tilted his head a bit and lowered his shoulder as lips grazed against his skin. Guren inhaled sharply, feeling the air catch in his throat and a warmth coming to his chest as he felt a desire and satisfaction coiled through him. The hands moved from his arms, tracing down his clothed arms to touch at his hands before moving to settle onto his hips.
Guren smiled softly as lips pressed into his skin, right behind his ear, as he murmured, “You’re the biggest risk taker I know, Kureto.” The Omega murmured. “Someone could walk in and see us in quite the compromising position.”
Kureto Hiragi chuckled lightly as he pulled Guren impossibly closer to himself as the Omega felt a smile coming to the Alpha’s face against his skin. “I locked the door.” Kureto replied, “And I am the Lieutenant General. Do you think anyone would stop me?”
“No.” Guren murmured. Not that he minded. More or less, it was just an inside joke for them now that stretched back to their high school days. Guren had been following Kureto for a long time now. Kureto had genuinely earned Guren’s respect and loyalty for his own actions. Kureto had proven Guren wrong in many ways about the Hiragi family. Kureto was an exception. There were very few among the Hiragi that Guren could say were genuinely good people despite some flaws. Kureto still battled his own flaws every single day, but Guren was watching him change. He was changing for the better with each passing moment.
They kept this quiet. It was just easier that way. It was less complicated. With the circumstances surrounding them and the very glaring issue that was Tenri Hiragi, it was easier for the both of them to continue to downplay this. There were very few people that knew the true extent of what this was between the two of them. He was sure more people had an idea that something more was going on between them. It wouldn’t even faze Guren if people thought that Kureto might have ordered him into it. Kureto just wasn’t that kind of man. Kureto didn’t need to force anyone into that position. The Lieutenant General was absolutely beyond handsome. He was smart and witty. He had so many charming factors whenever he wanted to use them. Even ones that he didn’t know that he used. No, Kureto didn’t need to make anyone do anything. He could have anyone that he wanted if he played his cards right – and dropped that superiority complex that had a tendency to show through – and be perfectly fine. Guren knew that there were people interested in Kureto, but Kureto never looked in their direction.
Guren had seen the looks they get sometimes. He had heard the whispers of gossip where people speculated what was truly going on between the two of them. To many, they appeared to just be leader and retainer. Lieutenant General and Lieutenant Colonel. To others, they were known to have a genuine friendship. To a handful, they kept guessing that there was at least a sexual relationship between them. He had heard people whenever they had no idea that Guren was listening in to saying that Kureto had ordered him to do so, and some others who thought that they were just blowing off steam. Guren found it amusing in a way. It was none of their business, and they never needed to know.
Guren turned and leaned back against the table. The Omega reached up, placing his hands down onto Kureto’s biceps. Even underneath the sleeves of his military jacket and shirt, Guren could still feel the toned muscles that Kureto had.
“I think it’s better that they don’t.” Guren murmured as he tilted his head back, fluttering his eyelashes a bit. “Call me a bit selfish, but I would much rather people not know.”
Kureto’s lips quickly turned up into a smirk, “Oh, you think so?”
The Omega nodded softly, humming as Kureto’s hands moved away from his hips and to his lower back. The Alpha’s fingers sprawled over his lower back. “It was what we agreed on.”
Guren was fine just the way that he was. No one knowing the full truth, but no one truly questioning it. Hell, he was pretty damn sure that General Hiragi suspected something but because of the end of the world, he hasn’t said anything. No one could deny all the feats that Guren had accomplished since the world had ended. He had even gained the epithet of Hero of the Army for everything that he has done on the battlefield. Even now, Tenri had stopped threatening to execute him and instead threatened to beat him down and humiliate him instead. He supposed that even Tenri Hiragi could see whenever someone was useful. Though, he was still one of the main people who targeted Guren for his name.
The entirety of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army was nothing but nepotism. Ranks were based solely on family names and status. The lower the status that someone’s family name was, the lower that their rank would be in the Army. All the Hiragis – with the exception of one in Shinoa Hiragi – were ranked Major General or higher. Everything underneath was reserved for the rest of the families. Despite leading an entire organization and the most elite unit in the Vampire Extermination Unit in the form of the Moon Demon Company, and despite all of his accomplishments as a soldier, Guren was still only ranked Lieutenant Colonel. Below even two of his friends who were underneath his command. Guren was perfectly slotted right in the middle of rankings with his own Squad despite being the Commander. After him, Guren would put leadership into Norito Goshi’s hands. He knew what kind of man that Goshi was, and what he would do as a leader to make sure that the rest of their friends were safe. If Shinya Hiragi was present, leadership would automatically go to him and Guren would be the first to say so. That was only if Shinya was readily available and there. Ever since the world had ended and changes had came to the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, Shinya no longer traveled and worked exclusively with the Guren Squad and Moon Demon Company.
Despite all of that, despite Guren’s family name and his origins, Kureto Hiragi still picked him. The man took one look at him and said… mine. The first time that Guren had looked into Kureto’s eyes, he had this feeling hit him, but he didn’t know what it was until much later. It had taken Kureto a while to get Guren to remotely even agree to start seeing him. All with reassurances and promises that everything would be okay. Guren preferred keeping everything on the down low. Not only did it keep the rest of the Hiragi family – and the possibility that Tenri might change his mind and just decide to execute Guren anyway – off of his back but also allowed them to separate their line of work from their personal lives. Out on the battlefield and within the walls of Shibuya, they were Lieutenant General Kureto Hiragi and Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose. Behind closed doors and just the two of them, all of that went away, and they were just Kureto and Guren. Guren liked it like that.
Kureto reached up, touching the back of his finger to Guren’s cheek as the Omega leaned into the touch. He could stay like this forever if he was being honest with himself. Guren closed his eyes, reaching up and placing his hand onto the back of Kureto’s. Guren couldn’t ever put into words what he felt around this man. Even with his name, Kureto had gone out of his way time and time again for Guren. He had done it in his own way, with only things that Kureto could have pulled off, but it still amazed Guren even to this day.
“What’s a bit of a secret?” Guren whispered, “People are going to think you’ve gone soft on them.”
“Not a chance.” Kureto stated with a slight laugh.
“You are always the one preaching that companionship and friendship can be a weakness.” The Omega murmured as he opened his eyes and looked back up towards Kureto.
“And I’ve told you that it can also be someone’s greatest strength.” The Alpha murmured as he leaned in, and his lips grazed Guren’s. The Omega felt that spark going down his spine as he felt the temptation to seal their lips together.
It also kept people from being able to use them against each other. No one could use Kureto against Guren and Guren against Kureto if they didn’t know the true extent. It was something that happened constantly even before the world ended. Taking someone that another person cared about just for the intent of getting something from that person or to hurt them. If people were left guessing and speculating, they could be made out to be fools. They would never know if they were using a superior, a subordinate, a friend, a lover. It was a smart move in Guren’s opinion.
It was no secret that Kureto Hiragi would do anything for his subordinates and those who followed him. So many of the soldiers and people in general were terrified of going against Kureto due to who he was and would dare to go against him. Guren had seen that firsthand once word had gotten out that Kureto had taken him as a retainer. No one in their right mind – with probably the exception of Seishirou Hiragi, who wouldn’t do it in front of Kureto himself but still did it – would do anything to threaten anyone in Kureto’s command. To be fair, if people knew, it would just intensify that tenfold. Only, they did have to balance circumstances and understanding. Without people truly knowing, it also meant that they wouldn’t target Guren with the intention of doing so because he was romantically linked to Kureto.
It was the same for Kureto with Guren. Guren wouldn’t know what he would do if Kureto was targeted for being with him. Just because he was with him. He couldn’t lose another person that he cared about again. Guren was good at putting on the poker face around people, and so was Kureto.
Sometimes, it was getting harder to hide this. For Guren not to immediately run over to Kureto after a battle just to check on him despite seeing that he was okay. There were times that Guren did wish that there was no true necessity to stay on the down low. To downplay everything that they did. To be known. That they didn’t have to worry about what anyone else thought or would do. There was always that chance. Kureto was the one who said that it would be okay if they didn’t keep it a complete secret. Though, Guren wasn’t sure if there was a day that he would truly be able to see it happen. He hated that thought. He wanted to see that day, but something felt better about no one truly knowing.
That if it got out, then he would lose… everything.
Guren wasn’t even worried about his own life. It was a thought that he was prepared for. He wouldn’t scared. He wouldn’t be surprised. It could be something inevitable. It was a risk to give his heart to Kureto, and he knew that. But it was a risk that he was willing to take.
“Is there a reason that you are really here?” Guren questioned, “Or did you just want to see my beautiful face?”
“Maybe a bit of both.” Kureto mused as that smirk got slightly bigger.
“Considering we formulated the plans for this mission together,” Guren went on to say as he temporarily moved his gaze away from the Lieutenant General and back down towards the table at the map that showed what had been planned. He turned his gaze back towards Kureto as he let a soft smile come to his face, “I doubt that is why you are here. You’re always confident in your plans working.” Guren hummed, looking over the Alpha’s face, “So, it doesn’t have anything to do with that.”
Kureto had that knowing smile on his face as he took a step back, letting his hands fall away from Guren as he stepped back. “Turn around, Guren.”
The Omega felt the confusion hit him as he noticed that Kureto’s face never changed. “What?” Guren questioned. Kureto just kept looking at him as Guren let out a soft breath before he was turning and hummed. “Better?”
“Close your eyes.” Kureto stated.
What was Kureto doing? Well, what was he wanting? Guren was still confused about what exactly Kureto was wanting to do here. Guren just simply closed his eyes, listening to what Kureto wanted as he shifted on his feet. Guren trusted Kureto. Kureto had seen Guren in some of his most vulnerable moments. If he couldn’t trust Kureto to close his eyes around him, he couldn’t trust him to sleep with him. That was just his opinion on the matter.
He could hear Kureto shuffling around behind him. The Omega kept standing there even as Kureto’s front once again pressed into his back. Guren was hit by the intensity of Kureto’s scent. It was blanketing over him and relaxing him even more than he had been. Every bit of anxiety that he had about anything was starting to slip away completely. Sometimes, he never knew what to expect from Kureto. The Alpha always managed to surprise him. He could feel Kureto’s arms raised up and that same confusion hit him even more. Suddenly, he could feel his hair being moved away from the back of his neck. Guren could feel Kureto’s breath against his ear again. It made him shiver ever so slightly. After a moment, Kureto fixed Guren’s hair back into place and he could feel his fingertips touching at the exposed skin of his neck. The Omega could feel the trials of fire that were being lift behind in every single place that that Kureto’s fingers touched. Even with gloves on, it still felt as if Kureto was touching him with his bare skin. The touch felt more intense whenever it was just his bare skin, but Guren could never shake that feeling even whenever it was a gloved touch. Just as long as if it was Kureto’s. Even whenever they used to fight each other, it was the same thing.
“You can open your eyes now.” Kureto murmured softly into his ear.
The Omega cracked his eyes open, and he looked down on default due to what Kureto had done. Guren noticed that there was now a golden chain around his neck. He inhaled sharply as he reached up, touching at what was hanging from the chain as he realized that it was a… “Kureto?” Guren whispered, “What is this?” Considering he knew exactly what it was, that felt like a dumb question. At the same time, it was the why?
It was a ring.
It was a beautiful, golden band that was encrusted with diamonds across the band.
Guren ran his finger over it as he took a hold of it, and he turned to look at Kureto in surprise. Kureto was giving him this look. It was a look that Guren had grown to know from the Alpha. “I’m pretty sure you know exactly what it is.” Kureto stated in such a matter of fact tone that Guren just wanted to whack him up side the head. He knew that wasn’t what Guren meant by that.
Rings could symbolize quite a few things. They could range anything from tradition to bearing a family crest to having a specific meaning. There were promise rings, engagement rings, wedding rings just to name a few. There were even less… romantic types such as birthstone rings or rings to signify family and memories.
Guren kept staring down at it. It was a beautiful ring. He had to admit that. The one question on his mind was what for? Why? The Omega’s heart was starting to beat rapidly in his chest. Pounding against it as he thought of every possibility.
“Kureto…” Guren whispered in his shock, unable to formulate the exact words that he wanted to say as he looked back up at Kureto.
The Alpha stepped forward, placing his index finger underneath Guren’s chin while his thumb landed on his chin just underneath his lip. Kureto leaned in, his smile growing a bit bigger, “I’ve thought of a thousand different ways on how I was going to do this, and not a single one screamed you.”
“Kureto Hiragi,” Guren said quickly with a slight shake of his head, “Are you proposing to me?”
Kureto’s smile only got bigger and the Omega’s heart skipped a beat as he felt redness starting to come to his face. This was certainly a way to do it. Kureto could be straight forward whenever he wanted to be, and most of the time, he was. He spoke what was on his mind whenever he needed too, but he didn’t mess around either.
“I think you already know the answer to that.” Kureto stated. Guren gave him a quick look which prompted Kureto to finally say, “Yes.” The Alpha looked over his face. His gaze lingering into Guren’s eyes as he added in, “You could say it’s my promise to you.”
Kureto knew that this would never be a thing between the two of them. It just couldn’t. Even if Tenri could suspect or even put up with them technically sneaking around, he would never approve of that. All marriages now were certified by the General among the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. They both knew that. Not even Kureto had the power to sign off on a marriage whenever it came to their own rules and regulations. Marriage licenses and Family Registrations were not a thing anymore. There wasn’t a legal system for the country except for what they did now. They were the technical governing body of Japan now for humanity. The Hiragi family’s word was the law. Anyone in the branch families already followed their every order either out of blind respect and loyalty or genuine fear and necessity.
Guren let out a soft breath, curling his fingers tighter around it, “A promise?” He murmured, “So, is this a promise ring or an engagement ring?”
“You’re the only person I want.” Kureto stated as he reached forward, slipping an arm around Guren’s waist and pulling him forward. “You’re the person I see one day marrying me, becoming my mate, bearing my child. That person is you, and this is my promise to you that I will make this world into a place where it can happen.”
Guren bit down on his lip as he thought about it. As much as that thought made him feel so good, it was also terrifying to him. Guren had inadvertently been down this road. He knew what the Hiragi family thought of him. He was not worthy in their eyes. Guren could be with anyone but a Hiragi in their eyes. Even in this world. Even as everything was destroyed. Right now, the only thing probably saving his ass was that he had cemented himself as a fighter, and one willing to do anything.
“A child in this world, Kureto?” Guren questioned, “You’re willing to have a child with me?”
“Absolutely.” Kureto stated. “One day, I’m going to be King, and you won’t have a single thing to fear.”
People were encouraged to engage in unsafe, unprotected sex and encouraged to procreate. Birth control was outlawed and destroyed if it was found. Even things like condoms were destroyed if they were found. If an Omega female or male or Beta woman were suspected of taking any form of contraception, their blood was tested. If it came back positive, there were severe consequences. If an Alpha male or female or Beta male got caught with condoms or any other form of protection, they were also punished for it. If anyone had been on any form of birth control prior to the world coming to an end, it was removed or taken away from them. Guren was very aware of that. It had happened to him. The younger children and teenagers weren’t even taught about safe sex anymore. It was just a thing of the past. Plan B, or emergency contraception was also found and destroyed just to make sure that no one would take it to prevent a pregnancy from happening. Abortion had been outlawed except in the case of a medical emergency. The Medical Staff were under strict rules – with even threats of imprisonment or even execution – that they were not allowed to perform the procedure unless the life of the mother was at risk. It was something that Guren hated. He hated all of it.
Kureto had been extremely careful, going as far as to break their own laws to make sure they didn’t end up in a position. Guren was too. Guren had his own ground rules just to make sure. They had never even shared Guren’s heats or Kureto’s ruts together because instincts alone could cause them to go into a haze that would not allow them to think rationally or think of possible consequences. Actually, Guren had never spend a heat with anyone because of it. It was hard to think rationally whenever instincts and hormones were taking over. Giving an intense desire that felt like it couldn’t be controlled. He didn’t know about Kureto with it, but he was certain that it was the same for him. Even in the times that they fell in bed together – and it had been more times than Guren could even count at this point – those instincts were still there. To tilt his head and reveal his neck to where his bond gland was located. Guren was able to catch himself doing it. He couldn’t give into temptation. Even all the times that they both had the desire to create a mating bond, they had both been able to withstand it and not do it. Not even a mating bond was allowed without approval anymore since it was seen as an equal and even above a marriage.
People could date each other, sleep together, hook up with random people, or have as many children as they wanted with no issues. But marriage and bonding? That was a different story. It was meticulously planned by the Hiragi family for… blood purity. For superiority. To keep blood lines from mixing with another that they didn’t want. The Hiragi were quite known for taking multiple lovers while even being married. Having children with multiple different people. There were a lot of people who just settled down now with their romantic partners without even daring to ask for approval for a marriage just because they didn’t want to be denied.
Now, Kureto was doing this?
Even though he knew what he should say, Guren felt a smile slipping onto his face. Kureto wanted to… marry him? It made a flutter come to his chest as he bit down on his lip to attempt to hide that same smile. Kureto knew that they couldn’t. Not as long as if Tenri was alive. While Guren could put the definition of them being a not-so-secret secret relationship, it was still something that was a concern. It was another reason to why they just never broadcasted it, and it kept it so quiet. Only allowing that information to slip to trusted people. People that they knew wouldn’t go around telling their business to anyone. They had been doing this for years.
“You know we can’t.” Guren replied in a soft voice.
“Who says we have to go through my old man?” Kureto questioned back as his smile got bigger. “The world ended. The legal system is gone.” Kureto touched at his face again, coaxing the Omega to look back at him. Guren felt himself relaxing again as that anxiety started to slip away from him as he looked into Kureto’s eyes. “You don’t need a piece of paper to make a vow to someone.”
Guren felt the smile slip back onto his face again, “And this is how you decided to do it?”
“I know that you aren’t necessarily the type of person who wants to make a big spectacle of things.” Kureto replied, “We’ve already been doing this for almost eight years now. I told you before I don’t care if a Hiragi and an Ichinose get married, and my old man doesn’t have the power in this world now to tell me who I can and can’t marry.”
“Technically, he does.” Guren said back.
“Well, he doesn’t have the power to stop us from doing what we do best.” Kureto shot back as his smile got bigger. “Doing things in secret.”
“So, I’m just supposed to secretly marry you?” The Omega mused, tilting his head as his smile got a bit bigger.
“It wouldn’t be a secret.” Kureto replied, “I know you wouldn’t dare to get married without your friends there.” Guren found a soft laugh coming from himself. Okay, Kureto was right about that one. If Guren ever got married, he’d want his friends to be with him. “And the moment that I become King, then I have all the say, and no one could stand in our way.”
“I didn’t take you to be a dreamer.” Guren murmured as he smirked a bit.
“It’s not just a dream if I make it into a reality.” Kureto stated, “I just need a bit more time.” The Alpha’s arm tightened around him as Guren reached up, placing his hand onto Kureto’s chest as his own smile got a bit fonder. “But you never answered me.”
“You never asked.” Guren shot back.
Kureto’s smirk turned more into a genuine smile, “Guren Ichinose, will you marry me?”
Guren curled his fingers into Kureto’s jacket, pulling him forward a bit as he brought their lips close together. There was something so intoxicating about being around Kureto. How just looking into his eyes, and Guren knew that everything would be okay. There were times that it was like Kureto knew exactly what he was thinking or feeling, and it was the same with Guren.
“I think you already know the answer to that.” Guren murmured, parroting back the same words that Kureto had said to him. He watched as a sparkle came to Kureto’s amber-reddish eyes, and his smile grew bigger. “Yes.”
Kureto leaned in, murmuring, “It’s about damn time.” To be fair, this was not the first time that Kureto had brought up the idea of marriage to him without asking him outright even though Guren always knew it was Kureto saying it. Guren had always brushed it off, saying that it would never happen, and would change the subject. Guren could be a dreamer. He could be an idealist. But he also had to be realistic too. They both knew all those other times that they were pushing their luck. That there was always this chance that what they could fall apart and be taken away. What was between them only started to get stronger over the years.
It was like a fire that could never be extinguished. Burning embers that kept getting brighter and brighter as the time passed on. Each stolen kiss, each touch that lingered a bit too long, every intimate moment. It was all like fuel being added to the fire. Fanning the flames until it as out of control.
Why was Guren agreeing now?
He didn’t know.
Maybe it was because he was putting his full faith into Kureto. That he knew that one day, Kureto’s dream might be a reality, and he wanted to be there to see it.
Kureto pressed their lips together and the fire exploded in the back of Guren’s mind as the sparks ignited his veins. Guren knew he was insane for this. They were absolutely crazy, but at this point, who wasn’t?
The Alpha broke the kiss, pressing his forehead into Guren’s. “I’ll see you at the battlefield.”
“Is this why you asked me before?” Guren mused as he tilted his head, fluttering his eyelashes a bit, “Afraid you won’t ever see me again?”
Kureto just smiled at him, “Not at all.” The Alpha stated, “Because you will have me there.”
Guren let out a soft laugh, stepping back as Kureto dropped his arms, “Playing my knight in shining armor?”
Kureto hummed, “Don’t think I need too.” The Alpha replied as he looked back to him, “You could say that it’s a promise to always have your back.”
“You gave me that promise eight years ago.” Guren stated as he smirked himself, “Unless you didn’t mean it.” The Omega sighed, turning his gaze and eyeing the plans on the table before saying, “You should go unlock the door before someone thinks we’re up to no good in here.”
“That’s what my office is for.” Kureto shot back as Guren immediately turned a glance towards him. The Alpha just chuckled, humming as he turned to walk away. The Omega watched him go as he got to the door. Kureto stopped only momentarily as he unlocked the door. Kureto turned back to him, “Besides, I would rather you have something to look forward too after the battle.” Guren perked up a bit, eyeing Kureto as he saw that smirk again. Kureto had something planned. Kureto looked at him again, “I’ll see you out there.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Guren said back as his smile grew a bit. Kureto quietly left the room after that. It had left him completely alone and pure silence once the door had clicked shut.
The Omega bit down on his lip again, trying to hide his smile as he looked back down to the ring. It was no coincidence that Kureto picked this way. That he had picked doing it while they were in uniform and just before a mission. They didn’t mix their relationship with their work. They kept those lives completely separate. Just Kureto’s words were enough to tell him that. Kureto was making his own silent statement in the best way that he could. He was telling Guren that one day, it wouldn’t matter. That they could be entirely open. In and out of uniform. Lieutenant General and Lieutenant Colonel. Kureto and Guren. Hiragi and Ichinose. Without Kureto having to say it, the chain was meant to respect keeping that separation. Keeping it more between themselves and not outright saying it to anyone. Their gloves were skintight, and a ring would be seen through the glove. A ring on a chain could be hidden underneath his military jacket and shirt with ease. If there was one thing that Kureto Hiragi was good at it, it was keeping his promises.
Guren undid the clasp of his jacket, slipping the chain up his neck to let it fall underneath the collar of the jacket before dropping it down. The Omega clasped up his jacket once more and made sure everything was in place as he straightened his back.
Now, it was time to go debrief the mission, and then it was time to go face the real world.
The battle was raging on with causalities to both sides. Guren was injured himself after having sustained the typical injuries he would in this kind of fight. It wasn’t anything too serious at least. It shouldn’t take long for those injuries to heal themselves. It was leaving him more fatigued than in pain. They were quickly running out on time that they could use on the battlefield. It wouldn’t take long before their Cursed Gear Stimulants would lose their effect. Once those were no longer useful, they would be in a lot more trouble.
Despite the vampire in front of him, Guren temporarily moved his gaze around. The Omega focused more on his instincts for just a moment. He could feel them. His friends. He could smell their distress in the air despite their clear determination. Angry and frustrated. Protective and driving. Even with the distance, he was able to catch every single one of them. The closest to him was Goshi. Goshi was the one who didn’t have a physical weapon to truly fight with. He was better paired off with another one of them to help with defensive and illusionary tactics. Which is what he was doing for them right now. Goshi was singlehandedly aiding all of them while still dodging attacks coming in his direction. He wasn’t concerned. Goshi was smart and resourceful and knew how to fend for himself. It was just like their group of friends to have each other’s backs. Their back up should arrive quickly, and it would give them an even better chance. It would also give them the time they need to fall back and allow for their following reinforcements to handle the rest. If it didn’t get here soon enough, Guren might just have to resort to taking a second Cursed Gear Stimulant. Which he knew wouldn’t bode over well with the others. It might just have to be something that he had to risk.
Guren put his focus back ahead of him, twisting his wrist and cutting through the vampire that was in his way. With the vampire disposed of, he was able to see exactly where everyone was. They were handling themselves. Just like they had trained to do. They were still in a good formation that vampires couldn’t slip in easily between them without promptly having to face off against one of them. It was the numbers that they needed to deal with. They were severely outnumbered. It would seem to him that the vampires were already expecting this and were ready for them.
Guren twisted his sword in his hand, sheathing it back into place as he reached into his pocket for some spell tags. Just as the vampires were starting to approach him, the Omega leapt up, sending out the three spell tags and they connected with the same three vampires who were currently focusing on him. Sure enough, it had promptly distracted them as they attempted to tear them free of their body. Guren let out a sharp breath, landing back on the ground as he snapped his fingers. It sent off the explosions quickly and quickly turned the vampires into dust. They could really use that back up. There was a lot more than anticipated. Guren was starting to grow frustrated himself with his fight. It just seemed to never end. Everywhere he looked, there was a vampire coming after one of them.
Just as he reached for his sword, the Omega’s eyes widened as he felt a cold chill go down his spine and the impending sense of danger fell over him. Just as he went to turn his head and draw his weapon, the Lieutenant Colonel felt a hand grab at the back of his jacket, and he was pull straight off of his feet and thrown backwards. Guren couldn’t hold back the yelp of discomfort as his back crashed straight through concrete. The concrete cracked and crumbled underneath the force of the impact, covering him in dust and debris as he went straight through.
The Omega hit the ground hard, rolling across it until his body connected with another wall and that one had stopped him. Guren grunted from the impact as his head snapped against the wall. With the hit, it caused his vision to temporarily distort. Guren wheezed out for a second from the air being completely knocked out of his lungs as he attempted to push himself up onto shaky arms but collapsed back down onto his forearms. He coughed from the sting of his lungs and the taste of the dust that got into his mouth and throat. He blinked a few times, and he succeeded in amending his vision and regained his senses. He could taste a metallic, metal like flavor in his mouth as he coughed and he had quickly released that it was blood coming up and slipping out of his mouth that he moved to wipe away with the back of his sleeve. He coughed it out in an attempt to better clear his throat.
How did someone get behind him and he didn’t even realize it?
Guren sucked in another breath as he tried to fill his lungs which one caused him to cough again. It took a moment, but he managed to somewhat regain his ability to breathe properly. The breaths were slow and deep but kept catching due to the pain that he could feel in his chest. Slowly, he managed to push himself up onto shaking arms as he lifted his gaze. He was now inside one of the buildings that they had been fighting by. Though, it was one of the furthest away from what he could tell whenever he turned his slightly blurred vision towards the hole that his body had created in the wall. He was pretty sure that he broke a few ribs from that. Guren could feel the injuries already trying to heal, but his entire torso was screaming at him as he started to get back to his feet. The Omega braced a hand on his knee as he got one foot back on the ground as he took in another breath. He hasn’t taken a blow like that in a while. Guren squeezed his eyes shut for a second, hissing out as the movement caused that same shock of distress to go through his body. Each movement hurt, but it was slowly starting to dwindle back down to a more tolerable level.
The Omega’s legs were shaking underneath him as Guren started to get back to his feet. He swayed, grimacing again from the feeling of his body and he turned and pressed his back into the cracked wall of the building. Guren knew that he needed to get moving. He panted to catch his breath as he looked around. Coughing a bit more as he could feel the blood running down his chin from his mouth again whenever he coughed up more blood. The enemy had to be nearby. Unless they were still out on the battlefield and had chosen to separate him from the rest of the group. That could have entirely been a possibility. Guren grimaced as he still felt the pain in his chest as he started to push off of the wall. He needed to get back out there. He had confidence in his friends, but he also knew that he was the strongest among them. Guren needed to get back out there. His mind was already starting to go haywire.
Fight.
Protect.
Those words kept going in the back of his mind. They were going off like alarm bells as Guren hissed out in pain as he took a step forward. His ribs definitely didn’t agree with him at that moment in time. The Omega closed his eyes, sucking in another breath as a cursed slipped out between his lips. Maybe, it wasn’t just his ribs that had damaged to them. From the way that he was breathing, it was entirely possible that something happened to his lung or even one of his other organs. Guren curled an arm around his stomach, growling in frustration as he glared ahead. This was not in the cards for him whenever he came here. Their intel said that there shouldn’t be any vampire ranked above a common vampire here. Though, even a common vampire could inflict this onto a human body. For Guren, he was so used to taking hits and taking the brunt of the action that he was used to the pain. His tolerance for pain was quite high in his own opinion, so this should have been as simple as sitting still for a minute and being fine. It was taking a moment for him as Guren took in another deep breath, adjusting on his feet as he eyed the room for the possible enemy. Slowly, he was already starting to be able to move better as he could feel the injuries healing, but it was definitely going to leave him sore later.
Once he was sure that he could stand without falling, Guren started forward. The Omega paused as he started to feel the hair on the back of his neck standing and that same shiver went down his spine. The sense of danger washed over him as Guren quickly realized that he was not alone. The Omega jerked around, spinning on his heel as he came face to face with a man standing right behind him as he reached for the grip of his sword. Guren’s nose twitched. The one thing he did notice was it was difficult to pick anything up. To be fair, it was a lot better to be closer to a person to get a good fix on something like that. He should be at least picking up something off of him. Guren’s gaze moved over the man. He couldn’t see his face through the darkness of the building, but something about him was familiar to Guren. The brief glance happened within only seconds.
The Omega could feel his chest tightening as his fingers curled around the grip of his weapon. The second he did so, his belt was completely cut from his waist and jerked away from him completely within the blink of an eye. As he heard the clatter of his sword hitting the ground somewhere, a hand wrapped around his wrist and threw him towards the wall again. Guren barely managed to get his arms up in time to break a bit of the blow, and to keep himself from hitting his face directly into the concrete wall. The pain erupted through his arms and chest again as Guren gasped, biting back the sound as he made full contact with the wall. The Omega could tell that the toss this time was at less velocity than the last, but it didn’t stop the wall from cracking where his body hit. The Omega fell back, hitting the floor again as his arms screamed at him. The force was hard enough that it felt like it had fractured his bones from even that weaker attack was used to send him crashing into the wall again.
The urgency hit him as he looked up to eye his weapon on the ground. He held his hand out, ready to wield the blade straight to his hand. The Omega thanked everything that he had the ability to demand his sword to him no matter where he was by simply calling on it. Just as Guren was lifting his hand up and his demon’s name was about to slip from his lips, a foot came down on the back of his hand and forced it to the ground. Guren bit back the cry of pain as his hand slammed into the ground and the twinge ran up his arm and into his shoulder blade. A foot slammed right into his stomach within seconds, knocking the wind right out of him. It sent Guren immediately into a series of soft wheezes and a coughing fit as it felt as if something in his stomach had ruptured. Guren was desperately trying to catch his breath as the agony blistered through the entirety of his stomach. Before he could even suck in another breath, a foot landed on his back, level with his shoulder blades, and it had pressed him down to the floor. Even as he tried, Guren found that he couldn’t move his upper half underneath it. The pressure kept intensifying each time that Guren tried to move his chest, twist a bit to try and knock the leg off of his back. Everything he tried somehow felt like it was in vain.
The Omega felt the momentary panic hit him as he hissed out, “Who are you?” More weight came down on his back as the foot turned into a knee, and it was starting to constrict Guren’s ability to breathe. A hand landed on the back of his head, forcing his face down into the concrete but Guren could see through the hole in the wall. He could hear them. Even from here, he could feel them. Their distress. Their urgency. He needed to get back to them.
Slowly and silently, Guren had started to reach into his pocket. He needed to take another stimulant, but he also had spell tags in his pocket. If he could just reach both, then he could get himself out of this. His fingertips grazed his pocket as he could feel his heart rate starting to pick up. He could feel the fabric of his pants underneath his fingers. His senses were going into overdrive. Everything in him was screaming. The severity of his situation was already showing as he moved his leg just a bit to reach his pocket better.
There was something so… familiar to him. Guren just couldn’t place it. It was still so dark within the area of the building that they were located. He couldn’t rely on his sight to be able to try and identify anything about his attacker. He could only go based off of his gut instinct and his other senses. Still, even though, the man had not uttered a word, it was like Guren just knew that there was this eeriness that he couldn’t explain. It was poking at the back of his mind. Telling him about the severity of his situation and his need to get out of there, but somehow, he just knew that there was a bit more to this that he should know. Guren just had this feeling that this man was not supposed to be here. Guren could tell that instantly from a quick deduction. Even the way that he was dressed showed that he was not here with the vampires.
Guren knew that this was no accident. This had to be targeted. Despite Guren being more towards the middle of his Squad during the fight on the battlefield, Guren had been the one swept away. He was the leader, and anyone who knew the slightest bit about strategizing would take him out first. That was Guren’s first guess to why this was happening. The problem was, the second that he remotely tried to look, his attention was diverted by another attack forcing Guren to go on the defensive rather than offensive. At the same time, Guren wasn’t getting in any time to be able to even do that. Guren had to do whatever he could to at least defend himself and get away if he could. Even if it was just to stall to buy time.
As he reached his pocket, Guren inhaled sharply as a hand grabbed his wrist. His hand was jerked back and Guren bit back the pained scream as his wrist slipped out of place. The Omega could feel each of his ligaments moving and the tendons in his wrists and hand pulling from the way that his hand was being forced back to increase the pain level. He had dislocated his wrists before so casually and practically painless to him and it didn’t feel like this. There could be an even better chance that it wasn’t merely a dislocation, but this man had snapped his wrist. His hand was dropped and once it collided with the concrete, Guren let out a whine of pain from that fire that shot up his arm from it.
Guren let out a sharp breath, panting as he tried to focus on breathing. His arm was screaming at him. Pain-filled each time that he so much as moved a finger. It wouldn’t take long and that pain would be dull but that didn’t mean he had to like it right now. Guren could deal with injuries. It just complicated things whenever it was the heat of the moment, and he needed to be able to fight back. Guren tried to move, thrashing as much as he could and found that he wasn’t able to hardly move at all. At most, he could get his legs to move, but it wasn’t doing much except for hearing the sounds of his shoes scuffing on the floor. Slowly, he was starting to regain sensation back in his wrist and hand, but the area was still throbbing. The knee in his back was digging in more, causing pain to blister up his back. Suddenly, Guren felt a crushing feeling on his back, and it felt as if his spine itself had snapped. Guren couldn’t keep back the cry of agony that left him as he could feel the bone cracking underneath the force that was being placed against him. Guren tried to move, but it had left him almost completely immobile. Any attempt to move felt like it was just in vain. He could get his fingers and toes to move, but the rest of him wasn’t wanting to return that same favor. Guren’s breathing was picking up, catching in his throat with each one. Getting trapped within his chest before it could reach his lungs. He could feel more blood coming up, settling in his throat and mouth. Each time that he attempted to breathe, he felt himself choking on it.
The panic started to skyrocket in him. This had turned from bad to severely worse within the matter of seconds. Guren could barely twitch even a finger. Any movement hurt, but he had to do something. Anything. As painful as the injury was, Guren knew that the demon curse had already been activated since he could feel it working on his other wounds, and it was quickly working on yet another injury. It would focus on the worst first. If he kept getting injuries like this, he was going to end up… dead.
Guren could hear the others calling out for him. They finally noticed his disappearance off of the battlefield. Some calls of his name were further away. Others were closer. But all of them were clear. They were calling out for them. They were coming in quick succession. He could hear all of them. Each one of his friends as they yelled out. The panic laced within the tone of their voices. His eyes widened slightly from hearing the chorus of his name and just as he was going to scream out, a hand covered his mouth, and it was quickly muffled. The hand was close enough to his nose that it had stopped him from even being able to breathe.
The man draped over the back of him and Guren could hear soft shushing sounds in his ear. It was the first sound that he had heard come from his attacker. Something about the sound of it also rang familiar in the back of his mind. He was choking, desperately attempting to move his head in an attempt to breathe. Dots were threatening to cover his vision as it came in and out of focus. His lungs were burning in need of oxygen. Even as he screamed, Guren could barely hear himself. Once again, the rest of his senses were attempting to kick into overdrive. Right now, it seemed like his hearing was the best despite a static sound slowly trying to gain control. He could feel the distress of his packmates even more now. The spike in them that he could feel tingling within his own veins. Setting off that alarm bell shrieking higher in the back of his mind.
He needed to get to them.
Guren needed to… fight.
The Omega wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to get out of this one. At least, not without a little bit of help that was. Guren was starting to be able to see that a bit more. He had no idea what he was truly up against at the moment. The Omega couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he kept having this feeling. It was something inhumane. It had to be. To get the jump on him like this and practically immobilize him within a minute of encountering him, that had to be the case. It had all happened so quickly that Guren could barely register it. His body was in so much aching and agony at the moment that he was starting to even be able to feel the pain anymore. That his entire body had just gone… numb.
A hand grasped at the back of his hair, pulling his head back as Guren heaved behind the hand. That suffocating feeling was getting worse. Guren was already getting lightheaded from it. Guren heard that shushing sound again. It was oddly as if whoever attacked him was actively trying to sooth him. The hand didn’t remain there long before it was slipping underneath the collar of his jacket. The action caused Guren to jerk, trying to move his hips and the rest of his body in a way to throw the man off of him. He could feel the man reaching for the chain around his neck. Guren screamed out behind the hand again as the chain was ripped away from his neck. He could feel the clasp snapping away from his neck as it pinched against his skin. His heart was beating fast against his chest still as his gaze moved over towards his sword. Guren flexed his fingers, finally regaining enough mobility in his hand to do so, as he saw that his weapon was starting to tremble and shook within its sheath. If he could just get his sword back in his hand, he could change the tides of this. Maybe.
The hand returned back to his hair as he heard that quiet shushing sound. Quickly, the hand moved from his hair to touching at his forehead. As everything started to become distorted as his head started to pound. If his head wasn’t hurting before, it felt like his mind was splitting right into two. Guren could feel his consciousness starting to slip away. Guren tried desperately to cling to the tethers of consciousness, but it felt like it was getting so far away. That it continued to be out of reach from him. The throbbing in his head was getting worse, and an extreme fatigue was starting to take over. It could just be from the suffocation. That he was slowly getting deprived of oxygen enough that it was going to knock him out cold. Guren needed to scream. He could even attempt to bite down on the hand somehow to get it away from his face
Even as he heard the calls of his friends. There was nothing that he could do at that moment. It felt as if all of his energy had been zapped completely out of him. The hand that was on his mouth and nose slipped off and Guren was able to suck in a breath but everything around him was spinning as his head was slowly guided back to the ground. Guren was slowly beginning to lose feeling in his body. Everything started to sound so distant and away from him. More of that static noise was coming to his ears as his hearing started to distort.
Guren felt so… weak in that moment.
How did he go down so easily?
Guren barely even registered that someone was behind him. He should have had enough time to grab his sword or even a spell tag. To do something. Yet, none of that happened. This man had gotten the jump on him before Guren even realized what happened. The Omega was so angry at himself. Self-loathing started to flood through him. The rage of not being able to fight back or even attempt to do so crashed into him. Guren was a highly skilled fighter. His expertise on the battlefield was among the best. This never should have happened. He was so caught off guard by all of it that it completely played him for a fool.
Guren was trying to force his eyes to stay open. To do anything to try and remain conscious. He could feel the slightest bit of pain in his body whenever the man moved despite that numbness that had overcame him, and the demon curse quickly at work trying to catch up to the injuries. It had all happened faster than he even remotely had the chance to blink. Advancing so quickly before his eyes that all he could feel was the impending sense of dread that had consumed him. He didn’t have a chance to do a single thing, and he hated it. Guren should have been faster. The second that he had the inclination that something was wrong, he should have pulled his sword. Grabbed a spell tag. Anything.
Guren could feel his eyes growing heavier. His ability to keep his eyes open was slowing down as he could barely pick up his eyelids anymore. The Omega could no longer hear the sounds of his friends calling out for him. He couldn’t feel his body anymore. Not even the pain now. Everything was so distant from him. Soon, his eyes fluttered shut and he couldn’t get himself to open them again and he was greeted with nothing but pure darkness.
Chapter 2: In the Cold
Summary:
Kureto arrives on the battlefield to discover that Guren has mysteriously vanished. Meanwhile, Guren wakes up elsewhere facing a dire situation of his own.
Notes:
Hey everyone and welcome back to "Crimson Skies"! So, I forgot to mention this, but Saito will be referred to as the Second Progenitor. I know he is FORMERLY one. I just need another thing to occasionally throw in so I don't always have to use Saito, but also like he *was* once a Second Progenitor xD I think I can get away with it xD Anyway, nothing else to say, and on with the fic!
Chapter Text
Something was wrong.
Kureto could feel it before they ever got to the battlefield. There was an alarm going off in the back of his mind whenever they had gotten to the battlefield. Shinya had gone up to his little hiding spot and was already giving reinforcements to the Moon Demon Company. As they finished off the remaining vampires and had stood victorious, Kureto knew something was wrong.
He kept looking all over the soldiers. Looking for the familiar face of his lover and being unable to find him in the remaining, alive soldiers. There was a very noticeable absence. Guren. Kureto could hear the shouts of Guren’s name. The panicked and desperate tones that had even the Alpha on edge. Kureto had spotted each one of Guren’s friends. While they had injuries, they were alive and well but freaked out. He could smell their distress before he even so much as to even set eyes on them. It was lingering so heavy within the air that it was noticeable. Which told him that something went wrong. Whenever he didn’t spot Guren, he started looking over the deceased bodies. Looking for any signs of Guren. Guren’s friends weren’t grouped together. They were rushing around. Screaming out Guren’s name.
Shinya had eventually come out of his hiding spot from where he had perched up, but Kureto was left standing there with a ringing noise in his ear. He couldn’t see Guren. If Guren’s friends were calling for him, they didn’t know where he was. He had to be nearby. He had to be somewhere close.
Kureto walked across the battlefield. Looking at all the carnage that it was. The blood that was spilt onto the ground and pooling around the dead bodies. Dust and white clothing signifying where vampires had been killed. It showed all the signs of a battle. The Narumi and Aihara Squads were on the scene as the backup for the Guren Squad. Kureto had spotted them quickly as they were also looking for the alleged missing Lieutenant Colonel.
Where was he?
Where was Guren?
He should have been the first one that he had spotted. The only relief was seeing that Guren was not among the seen deceased. The battle appeared to have been kept to remotely in the same area. Which was exactly what was planned. Still, Guren was supposed to be here.
Kureto kept looking around, trying to see if maybe Guren had ended up in a different place. He could still hear those voices. Those calls of concern. They wouldn’t be doing that unless they were absolutely certain that something went wrong. Shinya had gotten up to his side, and instantly, Kureto could see the worry that came across Shinya’s face.
“Guren…” Shinya whispered as he started rushing ahead. Kureto took another look around before following. They had gotten to what appeared to be the main battle ground and Kureto took a chance to look around. They were only ten minutes behind the Moon Demon Company with five minutes between their reinforcements due to the Cursed Gear Stimulants. It was done specifically in waves so anyone with the medication in their system could fall back before the effects wore off.
Ten minutes.
The battle was over, and they had won, but Guren Ichinose was missing.
Kureto was able to put those pieces together in an instant based solely on what he was seeing. Guren should be standing right there. He should be standing among his friends, his family, his pack, and smiling about the battle and then going home to let all of his ashamed and guilt fueled emotions out behind closed doors.
But that wasn’t happening.
Guren wasn’t here.
Within seconds, Kureto already wanted to tear everything apart.
“Goshi?!” Shinya exclaimed as he managed to group together his friends, “Where’s Guren?” Shinya’s voice was full of duress. Concern and worry seeping off of him in waves that even Kureto could smell from where he was standing. Shinya wasn’t even attempting to hide it. Guren was just different whenever it came to Shinya. Kureto knew the reason behind it, but it wasn’t his place to say. Despite that, it was no secret just how close that Guren and Shinya truly were. They were as thick as thieves. It was never a surprise to see Guren and Shinya together. Even so much so that a rumor had started to spread about the two of them. “Where is he?!” Shinya exclaimed again, showing that same concern all over his face as he kept looking around despite addressing his friends.
Kureto momentarily looked over to them, seeing their distressed faces. Especially those of Mito, Sayuri, and Shigure. Goshi seemed to be keeping himself together for the most part, but the concern was within his eyes.
“One second, Guren was with us on the battlefield, and the next he was just gone.” Goshi replied with a shake of his head, “We can’t find him.” Goshi didn’t even have a smile on his face. Which was out of the ordinary for him. Guren always said that Goshi was the one who kept a smile on their faces. That he worked tirelessly to keep their spirits up. Even now, Goshi couldn’t do that. It was enough to cause another alarm bell to go off in Kureto’s mind.
“We noticed he was gone whenever our back up arrived.” Mito added in. “I could have sworn I had just seen him.”
“How could this happen?!” Sayuri exclaimed, “We were right there.”
“Guren-sama wouldn’t go down without a fight,” Shigure added, even her normally stoic face shining in her worry and duress. “He has to be here somewhere.”
People didn’t just… disappear.
The Alpha turned, stopping as he noticed a nearby building that was much further away from them. The scouting team had sent back surveillance imaging of the area before they had started the mission. Kureto had studied them all. Something was off about the building. Specifically, he was looking at the broken-down wall. Kureto narrowed his gaze. A small bell went off in his head as Kureto started to ignore all of those around them as he started off in that direction. It was a pretty good distance away, but it was close enough that if someone was inside, they should be able to see the battle going on.
Kureto couldn’t place it, but something in his gut was screaming at him to go this way. That he needed to check out this building. He needed to follow his instincts here. Right now, there was uncertainty about Guren’s whereabouts. Kureto knew he wouldn’t be fine until he saw Guren for himself. It could be that Guren was just injured and couldn’t move. But with the demon’s curse, he should have been able to move soon if it happened recently. Though, it would depend on the severity of the injury and rather or not Guren had lost consciousness or not. There were so many factors that could come into play. They were right, and Kureto would be the first to say it.
Guren would not go down without a fight.
Not unless… He didn’t stand a chance.
But it was Guren.
Guren was smart and he was calculated. He knew how to get around things with ease. Coming up with new plans on the spot to get himself out of countless sticky situations. Guren was an extremely effective Commander and thrived on the battlefield. Guren could handle himself underneath duress. Something else had happened here, and they just weren’t see it yet.
Kureto walked over, looking down at the broken-up concrete that was once the wall. It shifted underneath his feet as he walked over it, stepping over it as the smell of freshly broken concrete hit his senses. As he stepped into the building, he was hit with a wave of Omega distressed pheromones. It choked him instantly from the lingering undertone of a scent in it. Just the slightest bit of cherry blossoms and lotus flowers. It was lingering in the air just enough to tell Kureto that Guren had been in fact in this room and it was recently. He could smell the undertones of distressed pheromones, and the protectiveness laced in it. But also… fear. It was a strong mixture that showed over the normal, calming and soft scent that the Omega naturally had.
Kureto let out a sharp breath as his gaze locked to the furthest wall. The first thing he had noticed was the very clear indention in the concrete. Broken and splintered as if something had crashed into it. Pieces of the wall were still trying to crumble off of it. Small pieces falling down and hitting the floor from where the crater was. It was hard to see much of anything in the building. There were no exterior windows to allow lighting into the place, so it took a moment for Kureto’s vision to start adjusting to the change of lighting. Because of it, he could only use the light from the breakage in the exterior wall. It kept most of the room cloaked in darkness and left an eerie feeling behind of what could be lurking within the shadows.
The Lieutenant General went further into the large room and closer to the impacted wall. Guren’s scent was stronger the closer that he got to it, and it was primarily what the Alpha was focusing on. Guren had been here. That was just a fact. Kureto kneeled down as he got up to it and he was able to see red splotches on the ground. The Alpha reached out, touching the tips of his index and fore finger into it and lifted them up to get a better look. The red substance showed even better on the tips of his white gloved fingers. “Blood.” Kureto whispered.
Blood.
That was definitely blood, and Kureto knew exactly whose blood that it was.
Guren’s.
Kureto had quickly tried to deduce what had happened on the battlefield. There were a few possibilities. Guren could have ended up overwhelmed and separated, but the Lieutenant Colonel was extremely smart. He would have made sure to get closer to the others to get a form of back up. Though, knowing Guren, he would have preferred to take on the brunt himself. He could have been blindsided and separated that way. If he had to guess, Guren was thrown through the wall, and he had landed exactly where Kureto was currently. The way that the wall was showing the impact, Guren’s body would have connected with the surface and stopped here. The way that the blood was splattered didn’t indicate an injury like a stab wound from a knife or sword. It was more like from coughing. Just from the bit that Kureto could see using some of the outside light, it appeared more like that. A blunt force impact like that could easily cause an internal injury – and nothing new to any of them, and especially Guren – to cause that.
Kureto lifted up his gaze as he looked around. He couldn’t hear anything. The scent in the air was dull, so it gave no indication that Guren was still in, at least, this room. It was only lingering in the air enough to indicate that he had been here. The Alpha got back to his feet as he dropped his gaze and focused. He really needed his senses to kick in for him here. Any senses. Kureto had decided to tap into what instinctual senses that he could muster. Focusing more on the sounds around him. Forcing his gaze to sharpen so he could see just a bit better on the floor. Using his sense of smell to try and detect more about Guren’s scent. Pheromones were a strong indication of what could have happened, and they were involuntary and a natural reaction. Guren wouldn’t have been able to control that without putting most of his focus into it.
He spotted a few more blood droplets as he took a few steps. It was starting back towards the hole in the wall, and the way it was splattered told Kureto that Guren had tried to walk in that direction. He kept going until the trail stopped. Guren never made it there.
As he started down at the larger splatter on the ground, a sudden feeling washed over him as Kureto turned his gaze. That same gut feeling struck him as Kureto’s gaze lingered over the room. Through some of the light, his gaze caught the sight of metal. Specifically, the clip to a belt. The Alpha turned and walked over, kneeling down and his vision soon readjusted to the change of lighting of the room as he grabbed for the white belt. He picked it up, noticing that it was cut clean right next to the buckle. There was weight to it, quite a bit of weight that Kureto was familiar with. It was much lighter than his own, but he knew what it was.
Right before his eyes was… Mahiru-no-Yo.
Guren’s Cursed Gear.
The sheath skidded across the floor, scratching across the surface as Kureto’s gaze stayed locked to the sword. He examined the cut part of the belt. It looked jagged, as if something tore right through it. It should have stayed secured within the loops of Guren’s jacket despite that. It meant that it was pulled off of him. On the sheath had dust from broken concrete, only solidifying Kureto’s previous thought that Guren had been thrown through the building. That could easily force Guren down for at least a minute as he waited on his injuries to be taken care of. It was the only plausible theory that made sense to him.
Kureto got back to his feet, careful of making sure that he didn’t touch the sword at all. The Alpha looked around, feeling the fury starting to hit him. A rage started to bubble in his chest as he gritted his teeth. All of this was clear signs that Guren was attacked, but where was he? There was no way in hell that Guren would go anywhere without his weapon. Not on his own free will. Guren would know that this getting into the hands of the enemy was extremely bad. He wouldn’t carelessly leave it behind. Their Cursed Gear was a lifeline in this world. It was the one of the only true ways they stood a chance against the vampires. They had Enchanted Gear, but they weren’t nearly as strong as a weapon with a demon sealed inside of it. Kureto didn’t like the implications of any of this.
“Brother Kureto?” Shinya called out as he started to come through, Kureto only momentarily looked at him. Shinya’s eyes widened as the Lieutenant General picked up on exactly what Shinya was staring at. “Is that…” Shinya’s attention lingered on the belt in Kureto’s hand as the Lieutenant General curled his fist tighter around it. “Please tell me that is not what I’m looking at.”
“Guren’s sword.” Kureto confirmed as he returned his gaze around the room. This would be the perfect room to blitz attack someone in. It was secluded. It was dark. It was hard to see. It was far enough away from the battlefield that with an ongoing fight according… No one would hear a thing. Not unless they got close enough in a fight. Whenever someone was fighting, it was focusing on what was ahead of them. Staying alert and vigilant of their surroundings. Just the darkness alone would be unsettling because they knew what lurked in the shadows.
It didn’t take long for him to hear more footsteps and shocked gasps. Kureto just ignored them. Focusing more on accessing what he could see. From where he was standing and where he had seen the blood droplets, it was like Guren’s belt was thrown away from him. Though, Guren could have been attacked right here and lost his sword. If Guren had the chance, he would have called his sword to him. He had that capability. It didn’t matter where Guren was in the room, he could call Mahiru-no-Yo straight to his hand.
Whatever happened here was methodical and swift. It would have to have been. Judging by what he heard, Guren was there just before their back up would have arrived in the first wave but was noticeable missing whenever they showed up. It would take someone really strong and smart to get the jump on Guren like that. With Guren’s sword still in its sheath, it was like Guren didn’t even have the chance to pull his weapon. Kureto knew that Guren would only sheath his sword whenever he was using spellcraft and using his spell tags, but only in certain circumstances. A lot of it came down to Guren’s dominant hand usage, but he could easily use both hands if he needed it too. He could easily use them while holding his sword, but if he felt like he had the advantage for the time being or needed both hands, he would absolutely put Mahiru-no-Yo away to free up his hand. It was usually the case of having multiple targets from what Kureto knew. Guren could pull it off by having his sword in hand, but it could have been as simple as he needed his hand free.
The Alpha managed to spot an entry way out of the room and Kureto followed it. As he stepped into the hall, it was a bit easier to see due to some windows further away, illuminating the next room. Kureto started off down the hall as he could feel his heart starting to beat in his chest. The Alpha’s gaze dropped down to the floor, and he was able to spot blood droplets on the floor. It was leaving a trail that Kureto followed straight down the hall, through the next door and to another door. The door was open, and the Alpha took a second to survey the surface for any signs that Guren might have touched it. He didn’t see anything on the surface. Though, he doubted that Guren would go the opposite direction of where the others would be. He would absolutely try and get back to the others immediately. The only way Guren would have gone this way was if he had no choice. Which was a possibility. Guren could have gone in this direction in hopes of escape, but Kureto was putting that idea a bit lower on the list of possibilities.
The Lieutenant General stepped outside as he noticed that they were now in a nearby alleyway. Kureto kept his gaze locked to the ground, finding just a few more droplets of blood before it just ended. Leading right to a dead end in the middle of the space of the alleyway.
It was as if Guren just… vanished.
The trail just went… cold.
Kureto couldn’t even pick up the slightest bit of hits that Guren’s scent was around. It would be harder outside too. There were too many other scents of the outside world to have to combat whenever someone was moving.
Nothing here told him where Guren had gone.
“Brother Kureto,” Shinya growled, “What the Hell is going on?”
Shinya knew the answer to that. Kureto knew that too. Shinya was only asking it because he was in… denial. All the signs were clear. Kureto could call for an immediate search of the area. Just to see if Guren had in fact started walking somewhere. That he had went to get away or that his… body could be somewhere else. Kureto would have to do that just to cover all bases.
But in his gut… He knew.
Guren had been… captured.
Whenever Guren had started to come too, his entire body was aching. It felt as if he had been hit by a truck, ran over twice, then promptly hit by a train, or fell out of a twenty-story building straight to the ground. Either way, he was in a world of discomfort. The first thing he noticed was how in overdrive his other senses were. His hearing was ringing, making distorted white static noises as it tried to even out. He was overflooded with an extreme medical and sterile smell like that of a hospital through his sense of smell. For just a second, he thought that maybe he was at the Medical Bay back in Shibuya, but he didn’t hear any monitors or the sounds of voices. Even the smell was different. It wasn’t quite hospital like, but it was close enough that he kept catching the scent of a disinfectant.
He could feel something against his face and in his mouth. Like a cloth had been shoved between his teeth and was pinching against his cheeks. It choked him up instantly whenever he bit down onto it just to be certain that it was what he was feeling. The metallic flavor of blood was no longer in his mouth, but he could still taste a bit of the remnants of it. It made him want to gag, recalling what it felt like to be choking on his own blood.
He could feel heavy metal around his wrists. Pinching roughly into his skin. The slightest bit of a clatter of metal whenever he slightly moved and the pinching had started to get worse. Guren’s arms were chained above his head, but he was able to tell that he was laying down. Underneath him felt like a bed while his head was laying on a pillow. Slowly, everything was starting to come back, and he remembered everything. He felt his heart rate picking up once more. What happened to his friends? Did they find him? There were so many different questions going through his mind. All the possibilities of what had happened after he had lost consciousness. Anything could have happened, and that freaked him out.
The Omega inhaled sharply, starting to crack his eyes open. His vision was distorted at first and left everything completely hazy around him as he tried to focus. The room appeared to be dark around him, but he could make out some of it. He was staring at a wall. It wasn’t a wall that he recognized at all, but it was clearly older looking. Antique like. The room appeared to be rather large as Guren kept moving his gaze as it kept coming in and out of focus. It was so hazy as he tried to focus around. The Omega flexed his fingers, finding that he had movement in them again. It didn’t cause pain to shoot through his body, but it did leave behind a soreness whenever he did so.
Guren could also feel the rest of his body again. His body felt so heavy. Showing all the clear signs of fatigue from the battle that he was in. Well, a lot more than the typical fatigue. He had gotten so used to the demon’s curse being there to heal him. It clearly did its job, but it had to work in overtime in healing him properly. It also meant that it was going to leave him utterly exhausted. These kind of injuries could take days of resting to feel back to one hundred percent. Guren typically fell into the category that could cut that in half and take a good night’s rest and feel almost tip top shape by the next day. Considering how much abuse his body went through all the time and previously in the past, it was just something that he had gotten used too. Whenever someone faced as much as he did, pain was just something a person got used too.
Guren blinked a few more times, scanning his gaze around the room as his throbbing head leaned against his arm. The first thing he noticed was the tray on the table next to the bed that was covered in spell tags, gauze, blood-stained pads, a bottle of disinfectant, and some other medical tools. That was the smell that he was picking up. The bottle was still open. He couldn’t feel blood on his skin or even dirt and debris anymore. His chest felt tight as if it had been wrapped up. His senses were kicking into overdrive to the point that Guren was focusing on every single little thing around him. Every single sensation of touch, the smell lingering in the air, and what his body felt like.
Guren turned his gaze up and caught sight of his wrists. Sure enough, that metal feeling that he had and believing that his arms were chained above his head were correct. He could see the cuffs that were locked around his wrists and looped through the frame to keep his hands pinned where they were. The cuffs were thick and heavy. The chain was the same. It wouldn’t be easy to break out of them. Whenever he moved his fingers, they barely managed to touch at the metal of the cuffs. Though, he was quickly distracted with seeing the bandages around both of his wrists that was peeking out between the cuffs and the ends of his shirt. The Omega let out a sharp breath, choking a bit as he did figure out quickly that the cloth he was feeling in his mouth was indeed a gag meant to keep him quiet. He was regaining a lot more of his sensations now as more clarity started to come.
His vision finally fixed itself completely as Guren turned his gaze around the entirety of the room. It looked like a large bedroom. Most of the room was cloaked in darkness while part of it had light illuminating from outside. It wasn’t much as Guren had noticed that it was dark now, so it was moonlight flooding between the blinds and giving some light to the room to allow him to see his surroundings. Where the hell was he?
Guren jerked against the cuffs, uncaring of how it pinched into his skin again as he cursed behind the fabric. What did he get himself into now? Who or what attacked him? Guren’s breathing picked up slightly as he dropped his attention down to his body. He was still wearing his pants and even the two straps that were on his left thigh. His socks and shoes were gone. His military jacket was gone but his shirt was buttoned up aside from a few buttons and Guren was able to see the bandages underneath his shirt. Well, clearly, whoever was behind this didn’t want him dead if they didn’t kill him at the battlefield but also tended to his injuries apparently. Guren knew for a fact that this wasn’t any place within the confines of Shibuya. He didn’t recognize it at all. Let alone to the fact that his hands were currently bound.
Guren looked back up at the cuffs, trying to see how they would unlock. From the way that his wrists were held, he wouldn’t be able to dislocate his own wrist and slip out of the binding. There could be the possibility of slipping his hand free if he broke or dislocated his thumb to allow for bone to move with it. The Omega moved his arms a bit, trying to see if he had any leeway to pull himself closer. His arms and shoulder blades were screaming at him, but he should be able to get himself close enough to examine them for the best course of action.
“Somehow, you are still quite the interesting creature.” Guren’s blood ran cold as he heard that voice. He hadn’t heard that voice in eight years. The Omega’s eyes widened as he moved his gaze, and suddenly pure rage filled him. Guren jerked against the restraints, all rationality gone as he jerked towards his now apparent captor. The anger was showing all over his face, flaring within his eyes as he growled behind the gag. “Hey, now, why would you do that? You’re going to ruin all the work I did to tend to your injuries. All that is just going to aggravate them more.” Guren didn’t give the slightest fuck in the world. He glared as the voice started to approach, and he was greeted with his face as he finally stepped out of the darkness and into the moonlight to reveal himself.
Guren was met with a dark gaze and dark, slicked back black hair with just a bit of bangs falling neatly to the left side of his face and over his forehead. Standing dressed in a suit giving off the businessman appearance of the clothing that Guren managed to barely get a glimpse of before was…
Saito.
And that stupid fucking unsettling smile.
Guren heaved, falling back against the bed as Saito walked up towards him. The man looked down at him, giving him a smile as he said, “I’m going to take the gag out of your mouth, but only if you promise not to bite me.” Saito was laughing a bit as if he had cracked himself up with the statement. Oh, how Guren wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. What was Saito doing here? And why the fuck did he kidnap him? Guren knew this man was dangerous. This man had easily snapped Guren’s neck with just a back-handed slap. Having his lacky come after him and purposefully breaking his spine to make sure that these two could have a chat. Saito still spoke the same. That annoying, trying to be humorous way of speaking.
This man alone was more powerful than any vampire that Guren had ever faced or come in contact with. Being sired by the First Progenitor and ranking in at Second. While he told Guren before that he was no longer human and no longer a vampire, Guren didn’t know what to believe. All he knew for sure was that Saito was in fact something inhumane. Whatever the hell he may be. It made him exceptionally more dangerous. Only one of their encounters had Guren been on more of the upper hand. The rest, Guren was always left battered and broken or Saito had casually left before anything could be done.
Saito kept smiling at him as he reached for the gag and slowly removed it from Guren’s mouth. This man liked to talk. He would even be open with Guren. In the past, they had met on numerous occasions. Once, Guren even thought he was an assassin sent to kill him where Guren believed his name to be Makoto Kijima before he stated that he had no true name. This man sure liked to talk about his plans and listening to the sound of his own voice. Which was something that Guren could use.
But he knew he was absolutely fucked.
Guren knew that he was already stupidly overpowered.
“Now, now,” Saito murmured as he ran the back of his finger over Guren’s cheek. The Omega inhaled sharply, holding his breath as that finger slipped across his skin. “Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” Oh, that was the biggest load of bullshit he had ever heard. Saito didn’t care. Saito was the type of man who did whatever he wanted just because he could.
“What do you want with me?” Guren questioned.
Saito clicked his tongue, pulling his hand back as he laughed, “I just want to have a little bit of fun.” It made a shiver go down Guren’s spine. Thankfully, healed spine. “I’m bored.”
How is it that Guren could actually believe that?
“Let me go.” Guren snapped as he fixated a glare onto the man.
The Second Progenitor – well, Guren could suppose former at this rate if he went based off of Saito’s former words – just grinned again. “And why would I do that?” Guren sucked in a breath as Saito’s fingertips suddenly landed on his thigh. Saito tapped his fingers as Guren stared down at them. Whenever he tried to move his leg away, Saito grabbed it and forced it back just to return to tapping on his leg. “You’ve grown.”
“That’s called aging.” Guren growled as he curled his fingers and turned his gaze back up towards Saito. His heart was starting to pound in his chest again. Yeah, it was going to take a lot of planning to get out of this one. This was not going to be easy by any means. “I’m not sixteen anymore.”
“At sixteen, you were just starting to blossom,” Saito mused, “Now look at you… You’ve flourished.” With each word that Saito spoke, his nails tapped up higher onto Guren’s thigh, making it to his hip now. The Omega kept finding himself attempting to pull away from it, but each movement was in vain as Saito just kept going. “You’ve come so far since the last time the two of us have seen each other.”
“If you brought me here just to talk, just let me go.” The Omega snapped, “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” Guren jerked on the cuffs again, hissing as it dug in deeper and he felt this burning sensation now which prompted him to stop. “What the Hell do you even want with me?”
Honestly, he could believe this man fucking kidnapped him just because he was bored. Considering his past actions, which would be right up Saito’s twisted, fucked up alley.
“It doesn’t matter how much you struggle against the bindings or even if you think of harming yourself to get out. While as admirable as it may be,” Saito went on to say as he tapped at Guren’s hip. “I’ve used magic on them. I’m the only one who can release them. If you try and get out of them, the spell will activate, and your attempt will be hopeless.” Right, this bastard used spellcraft too. “Humans are so interesting in their magical techniques. It was just another one I’ve picked up over my very extended lifetime.” Guren huffed, glaring at Saito again as the Second Progenitor let out a laugh. “The way you look at me always brings me a good laugh. It’s like you hate me.”
“I do.” Guren retorted. “You seriously kidnapped me because you were bored?” That couldn’t be all. There had to be something else. Something that he was keeping to himself. Saito liked to play games and taunt. Stick in his weird sense of humor into moments were there should not be humor. “I have things to—”
“I’ve been watching you for a long time,” Saito cut him off as the Omega’s gaze returned back to him. “Keeping an eye on you and watching every single thing that you did. You are quite impressive on the battlefield. You’ve gotten incredibly strong.”
Guren inhaled sharply, feeling the anger flooding through him as he growled out, “You remember what you said about me once.” Guren sharpened his glare, “Maybe, you’re the pervert.” The Omega’s nails bit into his palms as he curled his fist even tighter. “Watching me like some kind of stalker. What are you? Obsessed with me?”
“You do still interest me, Guren.” Saito stated. “The Hiragi family has no idea what they truly have with you… And all they do is cause you suffering. They took everything from you, and you still fight on the battlefield for them.”
Guren gritted his teeth, snarling slightly as a low growl ripped out of him. Saito was really going to say that to him? “The same suffering you caused.” Guren snapped, “If it wasn’t for you, my clan never would have fallen out of grace and be treated like shit for generations. You did that.”
“Defending them now?” Saito questioned with a laugh, “How amusing.”
“I hate the Hiragi family with everything I have.” The Omega continued, “I want to watch them burn. But we both know that the Ichinose—”
Saito chuckled again, slipping his fingertips further up Guren’s body and towards his stomach. “Oh, Guren. Don’t be so naïve. The Ichinose and the Order of the Imperial Moon wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t just stand by and let the Hiragi family gain even more power by the dissolution of the Ichinose clan because the clan intergraded into the Hiragi family. Instead, now you have the Order of the Imperial Moon because of me. Your clan rivaled even them. That was too much power for them to have. You understand why I couldn’t let them. It was quite the sight to see back then. The Ichinose being ostracized and the Hiragi family continuing as if they were the good guy in the whole thing.”
“The Hiragi’s twisted idea of mercy was only because of what you caused.” Guren hissed out as he jerked his arms again, “You meddle in places where you shouldn’t.”
“Only when I need too.” Saito stated, “And it’s fun.”
“It’s your sick idea of fun.” The Omega growled. “You know how much pain and suffering that caused?”
“That pain and suffering has only worked to make you stronger, Guren.” The man went on to say, keeping that same stupid smile on his face that Guren wanted to smack off of his face. Guren did fault the Hiragi family for their actions even if magic was involved by Saito’s doing. Even if he orchestrated the entire thing. The Hiragi still played a pivotal role in what happened to the Ichinose clan back then. Guren would never forgive the Hiragi for all the pain and suffering they had caused to the Ichinose clan for generations. Putting his trust into the few that he had was something he had never imagined. Saito’s words were only causing Guren to get even more enraged. “You are stronger than any of them because of it.”
“Shut up!” Guren shouted but grimaced the second it caused an ache in his chest. The Omega panted, heaving slightly as he fixed his glare back on Saito. Oh, if he got out of these chains, he was going to beat the living shit out of this man. Well, he could try.
Saito’s fingers moved closer on his stomach, lingering over the lower part of his navel as his fingertips danced over his skin. “You’re still mad at me for that. What a shame.” Saito mused, “But that’s not why you’re being so defensive.” Guren choked on the air in his throat as Saito’s gaze moved back to his face. “It’s because you fell in love with one.” Saito’s amused look twinkled as he tapped his fingers. “While you were unconscious, I took a moment to look through your memories. You’ve grown quite fond of Kureto Hiragi.”
“Don’t you fucking talk about him.” The Omega murmured, shaking his head as he started to feel sick to his stomach. “Keep him out of this.”
“You’re making a mistake with him.” Saito stated.
The rage crashed right back into Guren again as he jerked forward, letting his fiery gaze connect with Saito’s. “Shut up.” Guren snapped. All the thoughts of planning his escape were out of his mind for that moment as all he wanted to do was kill this bastard. “You don’t know a single damn thing. Don’t act like you know anything.”
“You know you could never truly be with him,” Saito mused, “Not in the way that you want to be.” Guren sucked in another breath, watching as the man’s fingers traced up his chest and settled over where his heart was. “You desire for more, but you stop yourself because you know that you can’t have what your heart truly desires.” Guren clenched his jaw again, letting out a shaky breath as Saito tapped over his heart. At any given second, Saito could and would lash out. He didn’t have the slightest care about what kind of injury that he would cause. Just having his fingertips directly above his heart was a direct threat. “You will never reach your full potential remaining an underling to a Hiragi. Do you think that even if you captured the heart of a Hiragi that you really stand a chance of changing your future?”
“If you brought me here to ask me once again to join you, you can shove those words right back down your throat.” Guren replied, “I will never join you.”
“You have made yourself quite clear in the past, Guren.” Saito stated. There had to be more to why Saito had brought him here. Guren found his focus returning back to the fingers that were ghosting over his chest. The Omega stilled, trying not to move as Saito placed his hand down flat on top of his chest. “But I also can’t let you just ruin the work that I’ve already done. I’ve done far too much to let anyone ruin it now.”
“What is this really about?” Guren murmured, slowly moving his gaze back towards Saito’s face. He inhaled sharply, the beating of his heart crashing even harder in his chest as the man grabbed at his face. The grip was hard. Enough that it was already hurting. For just a split second, Guren thought that Saito was about to break his jaw. The Omega glared at his captor as Saito leaned in a bit and Guren was able to look more at those contact covered eyes. Even with the end of the world, Saito still wore contacts. Guren knew there were sharp red eyes hidden underneath those. He had learned enough about Saito to know that there was always more at play. That there was something else that he was after despite what he said. Rather he was forthcoming, or he kept it to himself.
Saito hummed, tilting his head, “I just want to have a bit of fun.” The Second Progenitor pulled back from him. As Saito turned his back to him, Guren quickly scanned his gaze around the room. The Omega was trying to find anything that he could use in his favor. He couldn’t feel his demon. Not even that low murmur in the back of his mind that would tell him that his demon was back there and lurking. Judging from the spell tags and bandages, Saito had used magic induced healing on him to help with his injuries on top of the demon’s curse. Which was typical even with them. “Vampires can really be so imprudent. Always falling for human trickery because they don’t care to look into human technology and looking down upon humanity. So… They never see it coming.” Guren turned his gaze back towards Saito as he saw that the man was picking up a few items. “All the things that could be done if they didn’t do so.”
“What do you want with me?” Guren questioned softly as he eyed the needle that Saito had grabbed. Guren’s heart skipped another beat as the Omega shuffled a bit on the bed. The cuffs didn’t allow him to go far. His body still felt so weak and fatigued. Guren wouldn’t be surprised if he had been dosed with something just to keep him even weaker than he should be. The Omega jerked the cuffs again, gritting his teeth in frustration at the fact that the cuffs were giving no give. “What the hell is that?”
What exactly were Saito’s intentions with him? The Second Progenitor turned back to him, giving him another smile as he grabbed Guren’s face again. The Omega immediately jerked his head, attempting to pull away from the grasp, but it just tightened the hold on his face even more. Saito simply pushed his head to the side, forcing Guren’s neck to be revealed.
Guren grimaced as he felt the needle being injected into his neck. It only took seconds before he felt a sting underneath his skin and hotness that blistered soon after. Just as soon as whatever it was that was injected into him, the needle was gone, and the Omega’s mind started to swim. Guren’s entire body relaxed despite everything. Saito shushed him again, petting at his hair as the Omega could feel even his hands starting to uncurl. He slowly felt each one of his muscles slowly starting to untense.
“Don’t worry,” Saito murmured, “It’s just something to help you relax.”
Guren turned his head, watching what Saito was doing. His back was once again to him as the Omega noticed all the vials that were sitting out. His heart started to slowly pick up, quickly moving to pound rapidly against his chest. Saito was going through them one by one. The Omega didn’t see if there was any sort of label on them. They all looked created, as if they were done in a lab. Saito grabbed the blue one and eyed it as he held it up. Saito turned back towards him, keeping that vial in his hand as he started to move over towards him. Using one hand, with his thumb, Saito opened up the vial. The Second Progenitor grabbed at his face again.
Guren felt that fight hit him again the second as Saito’s hand curled tight around his face. It was as if a wave of adrenaline crashed into him and Guren thrashed. Despite his screaming body, he kicked, throwing his head forward, anything. Saito’s grip onto got tighter as two fingers slipped between his lips and he could feel his jaw being pried open. Guren fought to reclose his jaw, but Saito put the rim of the vial to his lips. Seconds later, Guren choked and sputtered as liquid started to flow into his mouth and hit the back of his throat. Immediately, he choked on it as liquid splashed onto his face and through the corners of his mouth. Guren attempted to move his head to spit it out, but Saito’s hand clamped over his mouth and nose. While he fought it, Guren found himself instinctively swallowing. Saito waited until Guren had stopped fighting it before he took his hand away to allow him to breathe. Guren was left heaving, coughing as the fluid burned at his throat on the way down.
“Atta boy,” Saito murmured as he moved his fingers and tapped at Guren’s cheek. The Omega took in a shaky breath as the Second Progenitor started to wipe away the substance that was on his skin. “There, there… You did good.”
“What did you just give me?” Guren questioned softly.
“Eh, it’s nothing that you have to worry about.” Saito replied, “I’m just curious on something.” Saito placed the vial down as his gaze turned towards Guren briefly.
Suddenly, it felt like Guren’s veins were burning. As if his blood itself had caught on fire. The Omega’s eyes widened as his back curved off of the bed. The pain was blistering. Coiling throughout his body as his stomach knotted up. Saito stayed standing there, just looking down at him in curiosity as Guren panted in his attempt to breathe through it. Guren didn’t know how long it lasted, but each second felt as if he was thrown right into a burning fire. It took a bit, but finally, it felt like his body was cooling down and Guren settled back down as he heaved.
The Omega could feel his breathing evening out again as he laid there. Saito reached up and Guren pulled away from the touch, but it was in vain as Saito still placed his hand down onto Guren’s forehead. Saito started to sooth back Guren’s hair, pushing it out of his face as he said, “You took that even better than I thought.”
“Is this what you want?” Guren questioned through panted breaths, “You just want to use me as an experiment?”
“Oh, Heaven’s no!” Saito exclaimed as he pulled back, holding his hands and laughing, “I’m just researching.”
“Experimenting.” Guren mumbled as he sent a sharp glare towards Saito.
Saito hummed and turned away from him. “Okay, I’m experimenting.” Guren rolled his eyes as he turned his gaze back towards the other vials. They were all different colors. It must mean that they all did something different and had different properties. They also had to have some connection to each other. Well, with Saito, it could just be that he was doing whatever just because he could. “But you don’t have a problem with human experimentation. At least, not anymore. You used too, but ever since the world ended… You know.”
“Sometimes,” Guren murmured, “You have to do what you have to do to survive in a world like this one.”
“The times sure have changed.” Saito stated as he reached for a pair of scissors. Guren’s heart jumped again as the man turned to look at him. Once again, he was given that smile. Saito walked over, grabbing at the end of Guren’s left pant leg. The Omega squeezed his hands into fists again as Saito opened up the scissors. His breathing started picking up once more as he heard the first snip and the fabric split apart. With each snip, Guren’s heart started to race harder. The higher that Saito cut, the closer that the blade of the scissors got to his skin. Cool metal touched against him as the fabric started to fall away. As he got to Guren’s thigh, he just simply cut through the straps. Which took just a bit longer to cut through. Saito then turned his gaze towards Guren as he said, “Don’t worry. I’ll give you new clothes.”
“I preferred mine.” Guren shot back.
Saito chuckled. “I suppose you would.” Saito got up closer to Guren’s hip, cutting through the waist band as Guren sucked in a breath. He moved on, going to the right leg to repeat the process starting from the bottom. As he was doing so and could feel the fabric falling away, Saito began to speak again. “Guren, by the end of this… No one will ever see this coming.” The Omega’s heart returned to pounding as he felt the blade of the scissors ghosting over his skin. Every single snip made his heart skip a beat as the fabric started to move away, and revealing more of his skin.
Guren curled his fingers, and he took a moment to just take a breath. Attempting to breathe properly as his pants were cut away from him. The final snip of the scissors cut through the waistband. Most of the fabric had fallen away from him, but some of it was left remaining behind. Guren could feel the coolness of the air around him hitting his newly exposed skin. Goosebumps started to form as he shivered.
“Is this your plan?” Guren questioned, “Kidnap me… Experiment on me… For what exactly?”
Saito’s gaze moved back to him. Even though he couldn’t see the scarlet of his eyes or the expression that even a vampire could have, he knew it was there. It was calculating. Guessing. The eye contacts made him appear expressionless if he wasn’t doing anything with his face. It left him feeling unsettled as always. Saito’s face was still graced with that smile. An unsettling one that made Guren’s stomach twist up. Saito was staring blankly at him.
“All in due time.” Saito murmured as he used one hand to reach over for another thing that was sitting on the table. The Omega’s eyes widened slightly from seeing the needle. Saito looked to him, giving him another smile as Guren’s gaze remained locked to the needle. “We’re going to have a bit of fun together. Maybe, even learn some things.”
“I don’t like the sound of your idea of fun.” Guren murmured. He couldn’t even put venom in his voice as much as he wanted too. “What is that?”
“Honestly,” Saito stated with a hum as he turned his gaze to admire the needle. “I just mixed a bunch of things together and said good.” Within seconds, Saito jabbed the needle right into Guren’s thigh. The Omega inhaled sharply, hissing slightly from the sudden pain that flared in his skin. The Second Progenitor hit the plunger and injected the substance into the Omega. Saito’s gaze flicked back up towards his face, watching for his reactions, as he tilted his head in intrigue.
At first, Guren didn’t feel a thing aside from the pinch of the needle in his skin and an extreme coldness that flared underneath the skin there much like an injectable medication would do. Guren let out a soft, wavering breath as he felt himself relaxing before there was a shift. Intense burning coiled right through his body, flaring through his veins as his back curled off of the bed and a silent scream came out of him. His eyes widened as he felt all the air being pulled away from his lungs. The only way he could explain this feeling was someone sticking a hot piece of iron over the entirety of his body and holding it there.
Saito was looking at him with so much interest as Guren finally felt like he was coming down from it. Slowly, the burning was starting to dissipate, and his back fell back onto the bed as he panted. His breathing felt worse. His lungs burned with each breath that he took. Guren turned a sharp glare towards Saito as Saito just started to… laugh.
“Well, damn.” Saito spoke back up as he cackled. “You’re still conscious.”
Oh, how Guren wanted to just punch that smug and amused look off of the Second Progenitor’s face. Guren’s body was starting to grow more fatigued. His stomach was twisting up in nausea as the world started to spin around him. His body was starting to feel even more like lead as the burning sensation continued to diminish, and he was left shivering. The Omega’s breathing started to even back out as he turned his head, blinking a few times to correct his vision as he could feel a cold sweat building up on his skin.
“This might just get really interesting, Guren.” Saito mused as he looked over him and placed the now emptied syringe back down. Guren’s senses had started to go back into overdrive. Making Guren focus on the sounds around him. The aroma in the air. The sound of his breathing and beating heart. Even the sensation of touch was heightened. The softness of the bed and the blanket that he was laying on. His cut up clothing that tickled slightly against his skin whenever it moved against the surface of his body. “A normal human would have passed out from that.”
So, Saito did know exactly the combination that he injected Guren with. He just wasn’t saying it to him. Which was just like this man to do. Guren curled his fingers again as the frustration continued to build up in him. He had no idea how he was going to get himself out of this one. With him being at a disadvantage and being unable to spot Mahiru-no-Yo, this wouldn’t be easy. Saito had a lot of strength and power on him. If he used his head, he could get the advantage, but he didn’t have a way to even defend himself right now. There was no way he could take the Second Progenitor on with just his bare hands. Not unless he had spell tags. That would have been his only chance. Still, Guren had to take any chance that might come his way.
Guren never did think that Saito was going to resurface. It had been a long time since he had seen him. The man’s motives always seemed to be all over the place, and he never knew what he truly wanted. He was sure there was a clear motive in there somewhere and he just didn’t know what it was.
Guren choked once more as Saito’s fingers grazed over his newly bare thigh and started up towards his shirt. “Don’t touch me.” Guren hissed out as he jerked his leg. It didn’t faze Saito in the slightest. The Second Progenitor simply reached up, going for the top of Guren’s shirt and slowly started to undo the buttons of his shirt. He was being dreadfully slow with it. Taking his sweet time as he undid each button. Even taking the time to let his fingers ghost over Guren’s skin in the process. It was causing the Omega’s heart to start to beat harder. He knew that Saito could hear it, especially judging from the bigger smile that came to Saito’s face. Guren had to focus on staying calm. He had no idea what he had been drugged with, and he was certain that it was a drug. His body was strangely compliant with the thought of laying down. His body was relaxed despite the tension he felt. Guren could barely will his body to attempt to move.
Guren’s breathing kept picking up as one by one the buttons were being undone. His heart started to race as he felt the nails that ghosted against his skin. As the shirt was completely unbuttoned, it was left to slip down his sides. Guren let out a shaky breath as Saito’s hand landed flat on his stomach. The Omega was trying not to focus on it. Who knew what Saito really had up his sleeve right now.
Guren was having trouble breathing properly. Each breath that he took caught right in his throat. Saito’s fingers started to trace over his skin as the Omega bit down on his inner cheek as a way to try and remind himself to remain calm and levelheaded. He was at a severe disadvantage now. It was a gentle touch, but Guren knew better. He knew a bit of what this man was capable of. Every single time they had encountered each other – with the exception of a few – Guren had always ended up bloodied and beaten down. Unable to move.
“Calm down, Guren,” Saito murmured, “It will all be okay.”
Okay? None of this was okay. Saito was using his soft tone. Trying to coax him into a false sense of security. Guren knew better. Especially whenever it came to this man. Saito kept making soft shushing sounds at him as if he was soothing a crying child. While one hand remained ghosting over his skin, the other came up to his neck. Guren’s eyes started to widen as fingertips curled around his windpipe, threatening to press down against it. It was just the slightest bit of pressure, but it was enough to have the looming threat there.
The Omega had to hold back his panic. Years of training and being able to fight against things such as his own internal instincts, torture, and irrationality felt like it was starting to come undone. Guren had to focus more on that each time that Saito so much as grazed his skin. This man liked the sound of his own voice, he would monologue and talk endlessly, but there was still this unpredictable nature that came along with it. Guren couldn’t just believe a word that he said. Even if he appeared to be forthcoming.
“We’ve only just begun, Guren.” Saito murmured.
Guren really didn’t like the sound of it. Saito had never made a true intention to kill him in the past. Most of the time, it was either trying to sway him to his side or them just talking after Saito either attacked him or had someone else do it. The Omega doubted that Saito would bring him all the way here just to kill him. Guren didn’t like the implication that came with what Saito was saying. There were no words that needed to be said. All he needed was seeing the smile that was on Saito’s face. The unsettling, eerie demeanor of his body composure. Saito didn’t have to say a word, and Guren knew there was a lot more to what Saito had in mind. And he didn’t like anything about it.
Guren only knew one thing.
He was so incredibly screwed here, but he had do anything to… stay alive.
Chapter 3: Lonely Mirror
Summary:
The fall out starts to fall on the members of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army as Kureto begins contemplating how to get answers. Meanwhile, Guren, at the hands, of Saito starts to try and find answers to why Saito decided to abduct him.
Chapter Text
The aura around all of them was somber. Not a single person knew what to say or do. The disappearance of Guren was already starting to show its effects. Guren’s friends were taking it the hardest. Kureto could tell the way that they were blaming themselves over what happened. The only evidence of a possible abduction that they had was Guren’s sword and the blood left behind. Kureto kept running each possible scenario through his mind, and it was only working to infuriate him more. Kureto was ready to go on a path of destruction and destroy everything in his path until he learned the truth of what happened.
Almost immediately, search and scouting teams had been sent out within the immediate area just in case. The initial sweep had came up with absolutely nothing. No other signs of Guren. Not a hair fiber. Not a blood drop. Absolutely nothing.
It had left the lingering question on who or what could have managed to take out Guren without anyone so much as hearing a thing or Guren being unable to fight back. Kureto had ended up returning to that room, using the assistance of flashlights to try and get a clearer picture or to even see if there were signs that Guren fought back. And he found nothing. There was no lingering demon’s curse within the room to signify that he had drawn Mahiru-no-Yo, no magical traces to indicate that spellcraft had been used within the room. Nothing. The blood was minimal so it was the only saving grace to the thought that Guren might still be alive.
Kureto just had this gut feeling.
Guren was alive.
He just knew it.
Guren was out there somewhere. He was out there somewhere, and he was hurt. Kureto hadn’t been able to think clearly on the thought since. Kureto could just feel it. The Alpha had never felt anything like this before. He didn’t even know where to begin about remotely explaining what he felt. Kureto couldn’t make sense of it, and he didn’t think that he would feel right until he laid eyes on Guren again. This never should have happened. What exactly happened?
The trip was quiet, and it was tense. No one was saying a word. Kureto had spent the entire time glaring right towards Mahiru-no-Yo. Guren’s sword had been left behind. The signs of a fight. Specifically, he was staring at the tear in the belt. Their belts were reinforced. It would take a lot to cut through it or to rip it off. That was definitely a tear that he was staring at. It wasn’t cut. It was an actual tear. Someone was smart enough to make sure that Guren couldn’t get to his sword. Though, Guren could easily call the blade to him. The sword was still in its sheath. It meant that Guren never got that chance. The Omega wouldn’t just leave it behind. Even if he had to run. He would have made sure he could have gotten to it or rounded back for it.
Guren was… gone.
And he had vanished without a trace.
The air was so heavy in distress. The concern, worry, fear, and uncertainty that moved through it. Their faces were showing it. They were all in a state of shock. Tears were in their eyes. But Kureto was just numb. Sitting there completely motionless with the pure anger written on his face.
There was no way that a measly common vampire did this. Even if Guren had gotten overwhelmed in numbers, the Lieutenant Colonel could easily dispatch of them with a single blow. He could take on a whole troop of them by himself and not even get a mark on him. It would have had to take at least a Progenitor to take down Guren that swiftly. Even then, he wouldn’t have gone down quietly. That was where the biggest question came into play.
There were so many questions. Even with all the questions, they had a singular answer. Something bad happened. That was all that they knew. The sword. The blood. They couldn’t even confirm that the blood in fact belonged to Guren, but Kureto knew that it did. It was as simple as putting common facts together. No one wanted to believe it. Almost all of them were in denial. The anger would soon come. Shinya was sitting next to him completely seething, but otherwise, he was completely silent.
They would have to figure this out. There had to be a place to start. It was getting too late to risk staying out now. They would soon be overran by the Four Horseman of John and the vampires tended to lurk outdoors more at night than during the day. It was just safer to be in the walls of Shibuya.
Only, Guren wasn’t safe.
Guren was missing.
There could be the chance that one person sitting among them had a vital piece of information to tell them anything about the who was behind this. They were just so in shock that they weren’t thinking clearly. That nothing was transcribing into their minds as important. Even the tiniest detail could be the most important. This was calculated and meticulous. Whoever did this, did it with the intention of isolating Guren and taking him from there. There was no signs of a body. That alone was enough to give those sitting here hope that Guren was still truly alive. Kureto would conduct the interviews himself. They could know something and not even know it.
Eyewitness testimony could be highly unreliable, but whenever they had very little information – and basically none at that rate – it was all that they had to go on. It could have been something as little as feeling eyes on them. Just one minor detail that didn’t feel right throughout the entirety of the mission.
Despite the mission being a victory for them, it was a loss.
If they could figure out the who was behind this, they could start narrowing down possible locations to where Guren could be. Kureto didn’t doubt for a single second that Guren was still alive, and he was out there. That he had been taken somewhere. Even vampires would know that Guren held a lot of valuable information. His rank meant nothing compared to his knowledge. His position as the Head of the Moon Demon Company and leader of the Guren Squad was enough. He was the active Commander on that mission, and any vampire with a sense of understanding would have known that.
Only, there weren’t supposed to be any Progenitors. Just a large coven of common vampires that they needed to wipe out. Which, they had done. There had been no signs of a Progenitor or anyone from vampire nobility remotely living in the area. Progenitors were heavily guarded despite being on a totally different league compared to common vampires. It was about ensuring the safety and lives of the Progenitors. It was the same among them.
It had been hours since Guren was discovered to be missing. He could be anywhere by now. Hours of trying to figure out answers to questions that they wouldn’t be able to solve. Even now, no one seemed to know what to say. That if they dared to speak that it would become real. This didn’t feel real. None of it did. They were left in this purgatory of the aftermath.
Guren was the heart of his Squad. They were his packmates. He was the leader of their pack. A piece of them was missing now. All of them played a vital role into the success of their pack, but Guren was like the glue that truly kept them all together. Right now, they were just seconds from falling apart.
“Someone knows something.” Kureto cut through the silence. He could feel eyes on him, but he didn’t lift his gaze. Kureto kept his attention planted firmly on Guren’s sword. “Someone saw something and just doesn’t know it.”
“We’ve told you everything, Lieutenant General.” Mito stated.
“Even if it was small,” Kureto growled, “Even if it didn’t seem important the time… There is something that someone saw that could lead us to who did this.”
He could be called a fool for his reaction. For immediately jumping to the conclusion that Guren had been abducted. It was the only plausible explanation for what they had seen. Otherwise, where was his body? Even if Guren had the idea of leaving, there was no way in hell that Guren would up and leave his friends without certain circumstances. He would have to have a damn good reason to do it. But, Guren would not leave his sword behind. He would have left something else if he was trying to throw people off, but his sword was not one of those items. Guren was too smart to do that.
“None of us saw anything.” Sayuri stated.
“That’s the point.” Kureto growled, “You just don’t know it.”
“Brother Kureto—” Shinya started as he looked to him with a bit of anger flashing in his eyes. “Stop.”
“Don’t tell me to stop, brother Shinya.” Kureto snapped, “Or am I the only one that actually wants to find him?” It was an extremely low blow. Guren’s friends were blaming themselves. Shinya was beating himself up for not being there. And Kureto was being Kureto. It was a match made in hell. “Whatever or whoever did this… They did it in a way that no one noticed until it was too late. Guren was separated and isolated for a reason.”
“We don’t know that is what happened though.” Goshi went on to say, “I’m on board and agree with the idea that he had been taken. Guren wouldn’t just take off like that… But we have no idea what happened.”
Kureto dropped his gaze, letting out a sharp breath, “He was blindsided. Guren never had the chance to even call for help.” He lifted his gaze back up, looking to Mahiru-no-Yo once more. “Why didn’t he draw his weapon?”
“You think that a Progenitor was there.” Shinya stated.
“Possibly.” Kureto replied, “Our intel could have been wrong. With a war on the horizon, the vampires could be trying to gather information and decided to take him as a way to do so.” It was entirely a possibility of what happened, but it was still left up in the air. None of them knew what to do. What to say. Where to even begin. “Which is why all of you will go through cognitive interviews with me.”
“Do you think it will really help?” Shinya questioned. “Eyewitness—”
“What other choice do we have?” Kureto questioned instead of answering the Major General. Kureto knew that Shinya would tear this world apart to find Guren if he had the chance. Shinya was just working to keep his head on straight right now. It was something that they had been taught and conditioned to do. Bury all emotions and true feelings behind a mask. Shinya was doing it now just as Kureto was.
Kureto was so angry. It was taking everything in him just to bury his fury away. All he could think about was the last moment he had seen Guren. The smile that had been on his lover’s face. The chain that he had put around his neck. Kureto had made Guren a promise, and somehow, within less than an hour… That promise was already ceasing to exist. He wasn’t going to break that vow to him.
That feeling was still there. A gut feeling that was raging to life inside of him. Guren was still out there. He was alive. That’s what Kureto had to focus on. He had no proof other than what he felt. For all they knew, Guren was dead. He doubted it. There were too many other possibilities and positives to an enemy keeping Guren alive for him to think he had been killed.
“All of you will report to the Medical Bay for protocol medical evaluations.” Kureto went on to say, “From there, I will interview all of you myself one by one. We will tear apart every single second of this mission to find out what happened.”
“And you’re certain.” Shinya replied.
“I am.” Kureto wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince himself or the others. It might not even give them much to go on. It wouldn’t tell them where Guren had been taken too, but it could help narrow it down. Hell, they didn’t even know for sure if this was actually an abduction, but all the signs pointed to it.
He knew Guren. If Guren had still been there, even if he was hurt, he would have tried to notify them. He would have done everything in his power to get back to them even if he had to crawl.
The most important people in Guren’s life were sitting right here. Guren wouldn’t just leave them behind.
It was enough.
It was enough to confirm it for him.
Guren could not breathe. No matter how much he desperately tried too. Even whenever Saito had stepped away from him and disappeared, the Omega had been filled with a complete urgency to get out. Saito was playing mind games right now. He wanted to get into Guren’s head and make him question the reality of the situation. That was just not going to happen. Guren could go days being tortured and never break. He wasn’t going to let just a few words break him. A few injections of serums that he had no idea what they were. None of it. Guren would fight like hell to get out of this.
He just had to make sure that he did it with his… life.
The Omega was thinking of every possible way that he could possibly get out of this. Saito tended to stay near Shibuya and Shinjuku. At least, from what he knew. It was possible that he was still nearby. He didn’t know how long it had been between whenever he was attacked and when he was brought here. Even though he couldn’t see the time, he knew it had been hours. He had probably been passed out for hours alone before finally coming too.
His body still felt sluggish and heavy. Guren had to fight to keep his eyes open. His instincts were on high alert. His other senses were kicking in even harder. His sense of smell. Touch. Even his vision had sharpened. It was that instinct. Fight or flight. The one where people made reckless decisions. Guren had to be very careful about what he did and how he did it. Saito would be expecting everything. Guren just had to outsmart someone who had been alive for thousands of years. Simple. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so simple, but Guren was going to be as optimistic as he could be here.
All he could think about were the others. If they were okay. If they had gotten out of there. The last thing he remembered before passing out was hearing his name being called. It was haunting him. Taunting him in the back of his mind as he could hear those phantom calls even now.
The Omega’s attention was grabbed as the door opened back up and Saito came stepping into the room. Guren didn’t bother looking at him. Right now, he was trying to keep what composure he had. Saying the wrong thing could result in Saito doing something else to him just because he could. He could hear the tapping of his shoes. They were softer on the floor and echoing throughout the room. Guren could feel Saito’s gaze on him.
“Well, don’t you look comfortable.” Saito stated and Guren turned his gaze to him finally. The Second Progenitor cracked another smile, chuckling, “Oh, that fire in your eyes, Guren…” Saito leaned over, getting too close to Guren’s face for comfort as the Omega turned his head away. Saito reached out, grabbing his jaw to force the Lieutenant Colonel to look back at him. The grip was tight. Enough that it felt like it might actually dislocate his jaw if Guren attempted to move away. He wouldn’t put it passed Saito to do it anyway just as a threat. “Want to kill me?”
“The second I can.” Guren shot back.
Saito tapped at his cheek, giving out a taunting soft laugh. “Good luck with that.” Saito sighed as he pulled back from him. Guren let out a sharp breath, glaring in the Second Progenitor’s direction. “Hungry?”
“No.” Guren replied. He was. His stomach had that nausea that could be easily associated with hunger. The twist of his gut that kept telling him that he needed to eat something. Cursed Gear users had an exceptionally high metabolism. They needed more food than most to help sustain the demons that they were in a contract with. They burned through it a lot faster than any other ordinary human.
“I think you’re lying.” Saito mused as he turned his back to him. “I can hear your stomach growling from here.”
Right. Saito’s enhanced hearing. He would be able to catch sounds that Guren wouldn’t. He would even be able to hear Guren’s heartbeat without actually being near him. Any time that his heart raced before, he had seen the smile grow bigger on Saito’s face. It was as if the man was having the time of his life with all of this.
“I’m not hungry.” Guren said back to him.
“You’ll have to eat eventually.” Saito replied as he turned to face him, “Don’t make me force you to eat. You wouldn’t want to die from starvation, now would you?”
The Omega clenched his jaw. Food might make him feel better. It helped the healing process by giving his body more energy to burn. It would also probably help with the pounding headache that he had. Though, Guren was pretty damn sure that was from his head practically getting bashed in more than once. The Omega knew he had a concussion. He’s had them before and knew exactly what to look for. While he had been laying here, he had noticed that he couldn’t quite feel his demon. He didn’t hear their haunting voice, and his injuries weren’t healing as quickly. Well, he couldn’t necessarily go by his injuries. It had been clear that Saito had used magic induced healing on him.
Guren was fatigued. He could feel the weakness of his body. The muscles of his shoulders were sore and numb at this point from being in the position that he was in for so long. His bones ached especially in the places he knew that had been broken or, at minimum, fractured. His body was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat. Guren didn’t have to worry about infection typically but if he couldn’t feel his demon, he might have to think of the possibility it could happen. The demon’s curse should have infected his blood to give him an auto immunity. Still, it was in the back of his mind. Guren’s energy was zapped. He was so exhausted and desperately needing to rest and sleep, but between the uncomfortable nature of how he was chained down and the pain in his body, he couldn’t sleep. He didn’t think he could sleep anyway due to the fact that he was currently being held captive. His body was naturally keeping him in a fight or flight instinct. His mind was working to keep him awake so he could keep his guard up and not be in nearly as much of a vulnerable state. That would happen until inevitably his body gave out and he just passed out.
Saito’s motivations were still unclear to him. This man wanted something from him. It could be anything from information to just wanting to torment him. He had a bigger goal in mind, but Guren had to figure that one out. Experimentation seemed to at least be one of them. Now, that left the question of what he was trying to accomplish. Guren highly doubted that he was only here because Saito wanted to play a mad scientist. Human experimentation was nothing new to Guren. He, himself, had been a human experiment at one point. It was the reason he was able to withstand having a Black Demon Series weapon.
“Guren, do you know where the concept of Alpha, Beta, and Omega came from?” Saito suddenly questioned. That question felt completely out of the blue.
Guren turned his glance towards Saito, noticing the way that Saito seemed to genuinely be in thought. “We were taught it in school.” The more he could get this man talking, the more that he might be able to figure out what he truly wanted from him. Right now, Guren was at a clear disadvantage, and Saito was just waiting for him to do something. “It’s taught in biology and anatomy classes.”
“I meant the real concept.” Saito stated as he clicked his tongue. “Come on… Tell me. We have time.”
Guren let out a breath of frustration. If he was going to attempt to use this to gather intel on Saito’s motives, he had to play along. “Alphas are the top the hierarchy. Protectors… Fighters… The first in line.” Guren replied, “Betas are considered the best at being a right hand. The most entuned with their instincts and can give clarity.” Guren stopped for a second as Saito turned and grabbed for the case that was on the table. “Omegas… The bottom of the food chain. Believed to be the nurturer. Omegas are considered to be the most submissive. Staying back. Tending. Whatever the hell you want to call it.”
Saito hummed, “Well, I suppose that is close enough.” Saito stated before looking to Guren. “Back in the ancient times,” Saito became to explain as he crossed the room and Guren was barely able to see him now, but he was able to hear his voice. “The rise of lycanism started. These, Lycans were a race of their own. Neither human nor wolf.” Saito stopped for a second, humming to himself, “The story goes that a wolf consumed with a virus had bitten a human male exorcist, and he would later discover his newfound abilities and created the first Lycan. A hybrid of a wolf and a human. This man had much difficulty containing his newfound power… Turning himself into a beast in the process.”
“Now, you’re telling me a story.” Guren mumbled, “How fitting.”
“Anyway,” Saito continued on as he turned back to walk over to him and placed down another case onto the table. “He became known as the first known Alpha male.” Saito popped open the case, grabbing out a few items before continuing on, “So full of raging newfound instincts, he started attacking and assaulting human women. Forcing them to submit underneath him. Placing that same bite onto them. Any man who dared to attack him either was ripped to shreds or were bitten themselves. Slowly, one by one, all those humans were contaminated with the Lycan Virus. All the men that he had bitten, would become the first known Beta men. The bitten women became Beta women.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Guren questioned, “How would you even know?”
Saito merely looked at him before returning back to what he was doing. “The exorcist had a wife.” Saito continued on, ignoring Guren’s question, placing things off to the side as he went. “She couldn’t bear to see the pain and bloodshed. So, she sought out the wolf that had bitten her husband. When faced with the wolf, it tried to kill her, but she had gotten the upper hand and gravely injured the creature.” Saito grabbed another item, holding it up and looking it over. “Instead of killing the wolf, she tamed it. She nurtured the wolf back to full health. In return, the woman asked for one thing only. To have the power to stop her husband.” Guren frowned, letting his gaze linger on Saito. This man really loved to hear himself talk. “In return, the wolf granted her wish and bit her. With her new abilities, she confronted her husband and with the same nurture she had with the wolf, she was able to tame the beast that was raging inside of her husband. She would become the first Omega.” Saito placed down that vial, picking up another and examining it. “That night, the two would consummate their relationship and place the first known mating bond onto each other, and the Omega woman fell pregnant with a child. The Lycan Virus passed down from mother to her unborn baby. That baby would be the first born of its kind. To their surprise, the baby had been born female but also had a body similar to her Alpha father. She would become the first Alpha female. A few years later, the Omega woman conceived another child and that baby would be born a male, but just like his mother, became an Omega. Creating him into the first known Omega male.”
“Sounds like some grim fairy tale.” Guren stated.
“You could say that.” Saito replied as he turned his gaze to him and smiled. “On each full moon, the Alpha man found that he could not control his instincts and the beast inside of him would awaken. The Omega woman was the only one who could control the beast. In that state, the Alpha man would harm anyone except for his own mate and offspring. For the days of the full moon, she would nurture him. Staying by his side and making sure that he could harm no one.” Saito stated, “They were the first known Lycans. And with all the men and women that the Alpha male had attacked. They would become a pack and officially start the Lycan race. Procreating with each other and bringing in other humans who were not infected into their cause. Expanding their blood lines and the virus to anyone. Those born between a Lycan and a human found that their offspring still carried the virus but with less of it. Those Lycans were considered Betas or half breeds. Lycans born between an Alpha and an Omega were considered pure bred. Eventually, the true human race had died out. Not a single human had been born without the Lycan Virus after generations of breeding. As humans evolved and continued to procreate, eventually, the virus was no longer detectable, but the effects remained to what it is today.”
“What does that have to do with the concept of how our dynamics work?” Guren questioned, “That’s just an origin story. If you could even call it that. It just sounds like an urban legend meant to explain away why people are born with two genders.”
“You would be correct.” Saito stated, poking at Guren’s nose as the Omega growled slightly from the action. “Back in the times of Ancient Greece,” Saito became to explain as he crossed the room and Guren was barely able to see him now, but he was able to hear his voice. “In their new culture, they consisted of three social hierarchies that we know today. Alpha, Beta, Omega. In the old times, they had no name for it. Just pure breed and half breeds. Eventually, the Alphas were named for the beginning in honor of the first Lycan. Betas for the creation of the secondary turned Lycans that came from the Alpha’s bite… And finally… Omega. The last and the end. They were named as such due to the origin of their creation. Today, Alphas are considered to be socially dominant. While that is a trait in Alphas, many people will misuse the truth. Alphas were full of rage and the beast inside was something they could not tame alone. Betas… With their lowered instincts had an easier time serving an Alpha. They were considered the servants. The bottom of the instinctual hierarchy. Omegas, by nature, were lovers and nurtures. They could tame the beast of an Alpha. Omegas were named that because of their ability to end a beast. At the beginning, there must be an end. Alphas were instinctually protective over their blood and packs. Fighting and causing so much bloodshed with the raging beasts that controlled their very nature. Betas remained subservient to their Alphas. Following their every order and falling in line with them. Omegas were needed to calm the Alphas. There was nothing an Omega wouldn’t do for their pack… And that makes them far more of a threat than even an Alpha.”
Guren scoffed, “There is no way you can make me believe that Omegas were above an Alpha. You’ve lived in this world for thousands of years.”
Saito gave him another look, laughing as he turned to face him, “Have you ever wondered why Alphas work so hard to make Omegas submit to them? Why Omegas have always been considered the bottom of the hierarchy and submissive?” Saito walked back over to him, looking down at him as Guren kept staring up at him. “Because they were afraid of them. They didn’t like that an Omega had the ability to tame the beast. So, they sought to beat them down into submission until it was a social standard. As the years went on, Omegas were regarded as nothing more than for childbearing. For the Alpha’s use. History itself had been rewritten to place an Alpha above all. Alphas created wars, and Omegas fought to stop them.” Saito reached out, petting at Guren’s hair again. “Omegas were known for their pure instincts. Something so pure… So powerful… That they had to stop it by any means necessary.”
“And why exactly are you giving me a lecture?” Guren questioned.
“It’s not like you can go anywhere.” Saito stated, “So, you can lay here and listen to me.”
“I would rather not.” The Omega grumbled. “What does any of that bullshit have to do with me?”
“And whenever Omegas know that their pack is in danger… Whenever their kin is… Their mates… They became the most… dangerous.” Saito drawled as Guren heard his tone starting to shift. There was an allure to it. Like he was trying to coax Guren into listening to him. The Omega could feel his heart rate starting to pick up again as Saito started to lean over him. “Nothing like an Omega scorned.”
“Why does this matter?” Guren questioned quickly.
“You will learn soon enough.” Saito murmured as another smile cracked on his face. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”
The Omega inhaled sharply as Saito reached above him and suddenly his hands were released. He hated how in an instant, he let out a sigh of relief – and discomfort – from how his arms fell down onto the bed and into a more relaxed position. His arms were definitely numb from being pinned there for so long. Saito reached for the tattered fabric of his cut-up pants and pulled it away from his body. Guren momentarily felt his stomach twist up from it. The feeling of dread and uncertainty started to flood through Guren’s veins as the man grabbed at his upper arm and started to pull him off of the bed. Saito’s strength alone was enough to manhandle him straight off of the bed, leaving Guren no choice but to follow.
And his body screamed at him. Each movement sent another wave of pain and discomfort soaring through his body as Guren gritted his teeth. The second his feet hit the floor; his legs gave out and Saito practically held up all of his weight. The Omega gasped, hating the fact that a pained whine escaped him, as Saito’s arm curled around his back and forced Guren to stand up again. It wasn’t necessarily that he had pain in his legs, it was coming from his back and specifically the spot that had been broken before. That didn’t count the fact that he had been laying there for who knows how long either.
Guren stumbled over his feet as Saito started pulling him towards the door. For a split second, Guren thought of running. He was starting to feel a course of adrenaline hitting him at the thought of it. Guren wouldn’t make it far. He would never be able to outrun Saito without finding a way to slow him down. With the ache in his body and the way he was walking, that was just adding onto the uncertainty. The path was not clear. It wasn’t a chance that Guren could take.
At least, not yet.
Saito opened up the door, pulling it open before pulling Guren out of the room by his arm. The Omega’s heart was pounding again. No matter how many breathing techniques that Guren used in an attempt to keep himself levelheaded and with a calm demeanor, it just wasn’t working. He could see a bit better whenever they got out into the hallway and he let his gaze scan the area. They were in a home. It was rather large, so his guess would be probably a mansion.
“First, you’re going to bathe… Then, get dressed and have dinner.” Saito said as Guren found himself involuntarily leaning over into Saito for support. They had walked down the long hall with each excoriating step that Guren was forced to take. It wasn’t long until he had been led to another door. Saito grabbed the knob, twisting it, and pushed the door open. Saito’s hand moved from his arm to his back and Guren found himself being shoved inside the room. As he pushed him in, the Second Progenitor’s hand grabbed at the collar of Guren’s button up and the Omega heard the fabric rip.
The Omega tripped, hitting the floor hard as he managed to keep his head from hitting the tiles from catching himself on his arms. He could feel the cool air on his back down as the sleeves of his shirt fell down his arms, showing just how much of his shirt was now gone. Guren hissed out from the ache that came back to his bandaged arms, panting for a second as he lifted his gaze as a light was turned on in the room. The bright lighting made Guren flinch as the light assaulted his eyes and caused black dots to cover his vision. He squeezed his eyes shut before blinking a few times to let his eyes readjust. Guren lifted his head and looked around the room to see that he was now in a bathroom.
Saito crossed the room, leading for the shower that was on the other side of the room. He turned it on and Guren listened to the sound of the water droplets hitting the shower tiles. As the Omega’s gaze lingered on the water, it made him realize just how thirsty that he was. His throat was parched and begging for water. He forced himself to turn his attention away from it to look over towards Saito.
The man’s back was to him. The Omega looked over his shoulder, eyeing the door for a second as the thought crossed his mind. No. He couldn’t. Saito would hear him before he had the chance. Right now, he was unchained. Saito wasn’t doing anything. He was just standing there. It was as if he was tempting Guren with the chance. It would just be in vain. All Guren had to do was blink and Saito would be right in front of him. He wouldn’t even have the chance to get up.
Saito finally turned back around with a smile on his face as he mused, “I thought you would have ran by now.”
“I’m not stupid.” Guren growled, “I wouldn’t make it one step before you caught me.”
Saito laughed softly, “It’s good to see that you are still aware.”
“Progenitors are the strongest among the vampires,” The Omega replied as he started to push himself up onto his shaking, slowly waking up arms. “You said yourself that you were once a Second Progenitor. Your strength is unlike anyone has seen.”
“Oh, you make me so proud, Guren.” Saito mused as he held up his hands in delight. “You remembered so much.” Saito’s smile got a bit bigger as an almost fond expression came to his face. “Besides, in your condition… Even if I let you run, you wouldn’t make it out before your body gave out on you. Exhaustion… Fatigue… Hunger… Thirst… Humans are so delicate.” Saito stepped to the side, motioning at the shower. Guren could see the steam now. The large mirror on the wall was already starting to get a layer of condensation on it from the change in temperature. “Come on. Time to clean up. I’m sure you would like the filth of battle off of you. I cleaned you up for the most part, but I’m sure you’d like a nice, hot shower.”
“Fuck off.” Guren snapped.
“Now, now, Guren,” Saito drawled, “Is that anyway to speak to your host?” Guren knew the annoyance plastered onto his face instantly. There were so many things he wanted to say about that. The Second Progenitor started back across the room and came up to Guren’s side. He leaned down enough to grab at Guren’s upper arm to pull him up. Saito didn’t attempt to pull him across the room. Instead, he was just making him stand there. The sleeves of his shirt slipped off his hands completely and fell to the floor. Guren shivered despite the humidity in the air coming from the shower’s steam.
He was left in just his underwear and the bandages that were around his chest and forearms. Saito could had cut them too whenever he cut away his pants – for whatever reason he had for that – but he didn’t. His shirt was now in three pieces and useless. The Omega felt so… exposed. It made him feel vulnerable. Saito moved to start uncurling the bandages from his arm, and Guren just stood there. Contemplating his next move or something that he could do. Guren didn’t see a single opening and Saito was actively toying with him. It was putting him on high alert. Saito would be anticipating him doing something. If Guren was going to take a chance to escape, he had to wait. Wait and be patient. Patience would be his key right now whenever he was up against an adversary that he knew could easily kill him and overpower him.
The bandages on his left forearm fell to the floor, and Saito had moved onto the next one. Guren’s gaze dropped down to the skin of his arm. His forearm was covered in splotches of dark pink and reddish hues. The entirety of his wrist was bruised and the contusions continued down his forearm. The Omega was able to catch the finger shaped bruises there from where his wrist had been grabbed. He knew that the magic induced healing had to have targeted his bones at least. Guren also was aware that the demon’s curse had been at work before he had fallen unconscious. Normally, bruises would be gone within a day of getting them. Bruises were just blood underneath the skin from broken blood vessels that leaked underneath the skin. Their enhanced healing could easily fix the capillaries that had burst, but sometimes, it took a bit more time for the bruise to actually disappear. Though, they tended not to nearly have them as long. Bruises could normally stay up to two weeks but would be gone for them in just a few days to even the same day depending on the severity of the trauma.
The demon’s curse tended to after major injuries first. Demons had the intention of trying to possess the human that they were in a contract with, so they would want to fix any major injury that could typically be critical to fatal. Demons needed them alive to possess their bodies. It also meant that they would protect the human they were in a contract with if they could by focusing on the most severe first because of how quickly a superficial wound could be healed.
It felt so strange to look at his skin and see a bruise in the early stage of healing. Guren was used to seeing the end stages after this amount of time. Now that he couldn’t feel his demon, he couldn’t rely on that. Something just felt off. His gut was telling him to tread cautiously and not to be reckless whenever it came to injuries. Just a small warning bell in the back of his mind that continued to ring.
As the bandages of his right forearm fell away, he saw similar bruises there. He didn’t even want to know what his stomach and back looked like if he had contusions on his wrists. It freaked him out. Not the fact that he could see an injury. He got injuries all the time. They just healed so quickly that they were typically gone by the next day even if he had soreness in his body for a few days after. Even then, he was used to that and didn’t even feel it most of the time. What freaked him out the most was that he couldn’t feel his demon at all. His sword must not be anywhere near him if there was this much of a disconnection. Or it could even be what he was drugged with. That Saito – and knowing that Saito also helped in the creation of Cursed Gear due to the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights – knew of a way that could stop a demon. Like the Demon Suppressants that could be used to calm possession or help keep namanaris from switching to demonic personalities. It was entirely possible to make a serum that could stop the demon’s curse temporarily, and Guren had to go with that being one of the theories. That also put him at even more of a drawback. He didn’t have the security net of knowing if he was injured, his demon would take care of it. Guren just had this feeling that wasn’t going to be the case here.
Saito moved onto the bandages around his torso, and the Omega had held his breath as he felt the clawed nails starting to touch at the nape of his neck. It ghosted against his skin, causing him to shudder involuntarily from it. Slowly, Saito traced his nails down Guren’s spine, barely touching at his skin and it was causing him to hold his breath. Bit by bit, the bandages started to cut away, losing on his chest as Guren’s heart started to beat rapidly again. Saito was being painfully slow with doing it, and Guren was left there standing paralyzed in place. With each cut of his finger, the bandages loosened and started to slip away. The Omega lowered his gaze, watching the cut bandages fall to the floor until his entire torso was once again revealed.
“Your injuries were quite severe,” Saito mused, “I did quite the number on you.” The Second Progenitor then clicked his tongue, “You’ll just be sore for a while.” Guren kept quiet, curling his fingers into a fist before flexing them back out. Calm down. The Omega took in a deep breath and slowly released it as fingers traced over his back. “Now, why don’t you go on and take your shower.”
As much as a shower sounded great, Guren was not going to do it. The Omega stayed exactly where he was, but he didn’t particularly believe that his legs would get him very far. Right now was probably not the time to be stubborn, but he wasn’t going to do what this man wanted from him. Whatever that truly may be. He could feel eyes on him. Guren knew that Saito was staring him down. Guren didn’t say a word. Just standing there stiff.
“Are you really going to make this hard, Guren?” Saito questioned.
“Fuck off.” Guren snapped as he turned his head and sent a glare towards Saito.
The Second Progenitor laughed softly, humming, “Take them off.”
For a split second, confusion had hit him until he realized exactly what Saito was referring to. The only fabric left on his body, and the one thing that kept him with some of his dignity left intact. The Omega sucked in a breath, keeping his face straight in a mask, and shook his head. “Not happening.”
“I can rip them off of you if you prefer.” Saito stated. “Or you can make it easy and do it yourself.” Guren knew that logically, he should just comply with the demand, but the stubborn part of him was refusing to move. Refusing to do it and give Saito the small win of Guren complying with him. Still, Guren did not move. He didn’t say a word. Just a quiet act of defiance at the hands of his captor. Saito sighed, eyeing him as he smiled, “Are you sure that you want to make me do it?”
Guren didn’t want too. It was so humiliating. Guren had faced humiliation plenty of times in his life. He had been born an Ichinose and in the eyes of others, which was the green light to humiliate him as much as possible. Guren had taken it all in stride, letting it fuel an anger inside of him that he would one day use. Guren had already been stripped down to what he was in now. He knew Saito was telling him the truth about ripping it off of him if he didn’t comply.
Guren had no control over the situation. No way out. Every single thought that he had, Guren knew that it would just be in vain. The Omega turned his gaze, catching his reflection in the mirror. Just enough of the mirror was left clear of condensation that he could actually see himself. The air caught in his throat as he saw the mess that his skin was. He could see bits of his back which was covered in bruises. Guren couldn’t see even a bit of skin that wasn’t discolored in a way. His front wasn’t nearly as bad, but there were deep bruises over his stomach and his upper chest. There was bruising on his neck and onto his face. There was a contusion underneath his bangs that he could see poking out. Finger shaped markings were on his cheek while the other had a bruise running from his cheek bone down to his jaw. All of the marks appeared to be in the places that he could barely recall getting hit at. As he stared at his reflection, it was starting to come back more. Every single hit. The kicks. The way that he had been taken down so easily. His snapping bones and the disorientation from the head injuries.
With each bruise that he looked at, he remembered the pain that he was in at the time. While he was only sore now, the phantom pain was returning, and he could feel that ache in his bones. It was coming back to him in flashes. He knew that it wasn’t truly happening, but it felt as if he was being picked again, or his wrist being grabbed. How it felt to be pinned down, or to be thrown around as if he was nothing more than a ragdoll. In that moment, all he could think about were his shortcomings and all the possibilities of what he could have done to avoid this. As he blinked away the memory of the hand over his mouth and nose, Guren’s chest tightened as the Omega had to look away.
Even though he couldn’t see those injuries right now, he could still feel that phantom pain. The Omega kept his gaze locked to the running shower. There was really no choice here. He knew it might be a strange thought, but it was his only article of clothing, and it was a rather important one in his opinion. Saito wouldn’t hold back either.
The Omega slowly reached up with trembling hands as his heart started to thump harshly against his chest. Guren tried to keep his breathing level as he hooked the band. If he could set fire to Saito right at this very moment, he would do just that. Guren choked down his pride and dignity as he gradually started to push the fabric down, kneeling down with it as he grimaced from the twinge that sent shockwaves through his body, and pushed it down his legs before stepping out of them. The Omega straightened his back, sucking in a breath as he curled his arms around himself. Guren felt so vulnerable… so exposed.
Behind him, Saito just let out a soft laugh as he said, “Now, you can shower.”
“Fuck off.” Guren snapped.
Saito’s hand hit between his shoulder blades and the Omega gasped as he suddenly lurched forward. Guren slipped the second his feet hit the pool of water that had started to form at the edge of the shower, and he crashed forward. The water didn’t make it easy to break his fall as his body slammed against the floor with a hard thud. The Omega gritted his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut for a second as a wave of discomfort soared through his extremities.
Guren pushed himself up on his tremoring arms as he lifted his gaze. The hot water was beating against his back as Saito stood there and smiled at him. “Was that so hard?”
“Shut up.” Guren growled. The Omega let out a labored breath as he turned, curling his legs up to himself to give him some sort of coverage as he fixated a glare onto his captor. The water had started to beat over his head, wetting his hair and making it stick to his face. He hated how the heat of the water actually helped. How it started to sooth the aching muscles and tendons of his body as he could feel himself relaxing slightly underneath the spray.
“You have everything you need.” Saito went on to say, completely ignoring him as he motioned towards what was sitting on the shelf of the shower. “Body wash, shampoo, conditioner… If you need—”
“I don’t need anything from you.” Guren hissed out as he returned his glance back towards the Second Progenitor. Guren shifted a bit, finding that it was getting uncomfortable to sit in the position that he was in, but he was refusing to leave the position that he was in.
Saito laughed again, walking over and grabbing a black washcloth that was hanging up on the hook. The cloth was clearly still dry from what Guren could see. Seeing Saito grab for it and the fact that he was currently underneath water sent a chill down his spine as the Omega quickly shifted back to put a bit more distance between them. Saito stopped what he was doing to look as him as he cracked another smile, “Relax. You’re just taking a shower.” Guren didn’t trust a word he said, but he was surprised whenever Saito just set the towel onto his knee. “To help you clean up.” The Second Progenitor straightened his back, looking him up and down as Guren shuddered from it. “Unless you want me to help you.”
“No.” Guren said simply as he reached up and curled his fingers around the cloth. Saito hummed, seemingly pleased with Guren’s action as he turned to cross the room. He had walked over towards a bag that was sitting on the counter. Guren also caught sight of what looked like folded up clothes and a black body towel sitting next to it. Guren eyed the soaps that were sitting there, and for a second, he was hit with an eerie feeling as he reached out and started to grab the bottles. His heart skipped a beat as he looked over the labels.
“They are the ones you use.” Saito said as he started reaching into the bag and pulling items out.
“How did you know that?” Guren questioned. To be fair, Guren never switched the brands that he used. He had used the same ones for as long as he could remember. It was entirely possible that Saito had just known this entire time. The first time he had met Saito was in his apartment complex. At this point, it wouldn’t surprise him if Saito had broken into his apartment at some point and he just didn’t know about it. The Omega curled his fingers around the body wash, keeping his eye on Saito. Again, the Second Progenitor was remaining silent. Just quietly pulling items out of the bag and setting them down. “How long have you been watching me?”
“Your whole life.” Saito replied as if it was the most nonchalant thing in the world. The man turned towards him again, motioning at the soap, “Well, you better hurry. The water won’t stay warm forever.”
Guren let out a sharp breath, silently going about using the body wash on the washcloth to wash his body. He did it delicately. Careful of his healing injuries as he did so. It did not feel good moving around the way that he was, but the hot water was relieving some of the soreness and tension in his body and actually helping. Saito had turned his back to him again, as if he was giving him privacy, and just roaming around the room. Guren turned his gaze down, focusing a bit on the water as he could see the grime leaving his body due to the water and soap. There was the slightest hue of pink to the water to tell him that there had still been blood on his body somewhere.
It still left a feeling of unease in Guren, but he had used that opportunity to make sure he was completely clean before moving onto the shampoo and conditioner. It would be better to stand to do this, but Guren had decided to remain seated. Not only to keep himself concealed the best that he could, but also, he just didn’t trust his body in the water.
Guren silently washed his hair, watching as the suds of soap disappeared down the drain. He could feel the difference. Showering after a mission was always something that he had done. To get the sweat, grime, and blood off physically, but also to wash away the aftermath of the battle. It was soothing and calming underneath the water. As if the water had started to wash everything away. Everything that he felt. The feel of a fight against his skin. It would be cleansed away. Though, he would still have nightmares whenever he went to bed. They all had them, but it didn’t make it any less painful.
Guren had always accepted the idea that he could go into a mission and not go home. This was just not the way that he thought it would happen. There were risks to going out on a mission. Getting killed, captured, and so many more possibilities. He supposed that he thought he would die on the battlefield before he was captured. Not even an hour before that mission, he was smiling and thinking about what he would be doing after the mission. Then, it was all ripped away. In an instant, everything had changed. Did he get too content with the idea that he had enough strength to command the battlefield? That he had been so confident in his abilities that he didn’t think of the possibility of weaknesses showing?
Guren had to force every single one of those thoughts away as he finished washing his hair. He could feel Saito’s gaze on him again. Just how long had Saito truly been watching him? Was it just a coincidence that he brought up Kureto just hours after Kureto had surprised him with a ring? Saito had been behind the fallout between the Hiragi family and the Ichinose clan. Saito had been keeping tabs on him. Just… how did he know? There was no possible way that he had been in Shibuya. Their charmed wards would have notified them of a non-human presence in restricted areas of their settlement.
His mind had flashed back to the moment that Saito had grabbed for it. The very moment that he had ripped the chain off of his neck. Guren had it securely hidden underneath his clothing. So, how did Saito know it was there? Saito did say that he looked into his memories, but that didn’t explain the action beforehand. Unless the chain had been revealed during the very one-sided fight for Saito to realize it was there. That seemed like the most probable scenario.
It made him think of Kureto. It made him think of his friends. It made him think of Shinya. They had to be okay. As long as if they got out of there without issues, Guren could come to terms with this. He had fallen unconscious – well, knocked unconscious – so he had no idea what happened after the fact. As long as if they were safe, Guren could relax just a bit. Just enough that he might be able to get his head on straight.
Guren was pulled away from his thoughts whenever Saito walked over and turned off the water. He had the towel in his hand as he turned back towards Guren. Saito quietly held it out to him and Guren did accept it quickly. The Omega only took seconds on his hair, just enough that it would ring out and not drip everywhere, before he was wrapping it around his body. It was a rather large towel. It covered him completely even though he put it over his shoulders. The Second Progenitor didn’t wait for him as he immediately grabbed Guren’s arm and pulled Guren back to his feet.
Guren managed to regain enough balance that he wasn’t stumbling near as much as he was pulled over towards the counter. Saito had guided him directly to the folded-up clothing. Saito picked up the clothing and held them over towards Guren with a smile. “I did tell you I had clothes for you.”
Guren stared down at the articles of clothing for a moment. They were neatly folded together with a t-shirt on top. It appeared to be a blank white t-shirt. The other piece of clothing was black. The Omega looked back to Saito as he silently took them with a deep glare. Saito was getting amusement out of this. The Second Progenitor did release his arm, which allowed for Guren to turn and use the towel to keep himself covered. He had placed the clothes down and grabbed for the black piece first. As it unfolded, he was able to tell that they were shorts. He paused for a second whenever it made the t-shirt start to unroll and he realized it was only a shirt and pair of shorts. Guren turned his head, looking in the direction that he knew he had left his underwear at and realized they were gone.
“Looking for something?” Saito mused with the slightest hint of a laugh. Guren turned his head just enough to eye Saito. The Second Progenitor had them in his hand. Holding them up by the waistband as he clicked his tongue. “I think I’ll be keeping these.”
“Oh,” Guren decided to say, “You are a pervert.” He tilted his head, narrowing his gaze as he added in, “Were you projecting onto me back then?”
“It was just all in good fun, Guren.” Saito replied as he tilted his head. “Get dressed. Your dinner is waiting for you.”
Guren let out a sharp breath of frustration as he moved to put on the shorts. It was better than nothing. He was not in the position to even fight to get his clothing back. For all he knew, Saito was trying to beckon him into it. Guren didn’t feel like receiving yet another injury because Saito wanted to play stupid games with him. He had to weigh the risks over the pros in this situation. With the shorts secured onto his hips, he reached over for the t-shirt to put it on. Guren managed to keep the towel up enough that he was able to slip on the shirt without exposing more skin to Saito before it had fallen to the floor damp and used.
Guren curled his arms over his chest as he turned and shifted on his feet. It felt like it was gradually getting easier to stand on his own. That did work in his favor. Saito gave him a smile as he stepped forward, grabbing Guren’s arm again and saying, “Time for dinner.”
Guren had no choice but to follow him.
He needed to start thinking of probable ways to escape. Guren felt like he would know whenever he saw it. The perfect moment whenever he could take his chance and get out of this.
He just had to be patient.
Chapter 4: Reflection
Summary:
In order to try and find more information, Kureto speaks with the Guren Squad. Meanwhile, Guren finds himself in a situation with Saito that he never thought he would be.
Chapter Text
Guren had been lead down a rather extravagant staircase and downstairs. For a moment, Guren had wondered if he was the dinner considering he knew that Saito had to live off of blood. The Omega stayed silent as he was led to what appeared to be a large Dining Hall. The more that he looked around the place, the more that he was certain that he was in a mansion. It wasn’t one that he recognized, and without being able to see outside, he didn’t have a clue where he was. Honestly, he could be anywhere in Japan. Saito could have carried him all the way here or even used a car. It would have just depended on what Saito had decided.
The Second Progenitor had guided him over to a chair towards the head of the table and pressed down on his shoulder to make him sit in the seat. The ache in Guren’s body remained, but it didn’t get nearly as aggravated from it. Guren had to keep listening carefully to anything Saito said. Saito was being secretive this time around, but there had to be hints in what he had said.
He did notice that Saito didn’t chain him to the chair. Instead, he had just left the room. Guren let out a sharp breath as he had watched him leave the room. Just for a moment, Guren had thought about it. Get up and run. But there was this silent alarm in the back of his mind. Telling him not to do it. He hadn’t seen the entrance to the mansion or any other exterior windows and doors to tell him where he needed to go. Guren would waste more time just trying to find the exit and would be inevitably caught again.
A moment later, Saito had returned with a plate and a glass in his hands. Guren’s stomach grumbled the second he had caught the aroma of food. “Oh, I thought you would have tried to run for it.” Saito stated as he came up next to Guren and placed the plate and glass down. It was definitely… food. Looking at it made Guren’s mouth water, but the side of caution had caught up to him. He had no idea if Saito had slipped something into the food or the drink.
Guren just straightened his back, taking in a deep breath and told himself that he had done the right thing. It could just make things worse for him if he tried too soon. If he didn’t have some sort of solid plan, then it would just all be in vain. The Omega knew that he needed to eat. To take a drink of water. Something. But he didn’t trust it. Realistically, water was the most important. Guren didn’t move. He kept his hands in his lap as he stared down at it as Saito took a seat.
“Eat.” Saito stated, “I didn’t do anything to the food.”
“As if I would believe that.” Guren said back quickly.
“If I wanted to drug you or poison you,” Saito mused as he placed his elbow on the table and balanced his chin into his palm with that same stupid fucking smile. “I would just do it. I wouldn’t use a human trick of putting it into food or a drink.” Then, Saito’s smile got bigger. “Besides, it’s more fun if you see it coming. The panic… The distrust… It’s all there.” The Second Progenitor reached out to him and Guren pulled back away from the touch as Saito attempted to graze his cheek with the back of his finger. “The smell of fear and distress that comes off of you… The look in your eyes… The look of defeat because you know that you can’t stop me.” So, Saito was just taunting him now.
“Why are you doing this?” Guren questioned again softly as he lowered the gaze to the food. He didn’t trust this nice guy act. The shower, food, water, clothing… It was a method of control. Guren knew that it wouldn’t matter how many times that he asked that question, Saito wasn’t going to tell him. The way that he was being evasive and just skirting around it was enough of a tell. “This doesn’t have to do with Kureto and the Hiragi family, does it?”
Saito hummed, “Sort of.” Saito stated and Guren lifted his gaze back up. The Second Progenitor just shrugged as he dropped his hand and smiled. “You could say that it’s a nice little bonus.”
So, this was just about him. If Saito was telling the truth. It was still very vague in the way that he had spoken. Saito was being careful with what he said. Saito made a noise as he tilted his head, and the way that he was looking at Guren made the Omega very uncomfortable. Even though he could not see emotions in Saito’s eyes, he knew that look. It was something primal. Maybe it was just more unsettling because he couldn’t tell what emotion that it was. Not that vampires – or whatever the fuck Saito was – didn’t tended to lose human emotion, but they could still express something. It was the contacts that made it harder to tell. Even though the world was over, Saito still masqueraded as a human. It just made something more eerie about him.
There was one thing that he could deduce from the actions that Saito was taking. It was almost as sign that Saito was telling him that he was going to keep him alive. At least, for now. That could change at any moment. Especially if he didn’t know what Saito’s true end game was here. There could be a number of things that he was planning to do. Experimentation was clearly one of them.
“Eat your food,” Saito instructed as he motioned at it, “I worked hard on that.”
From hearing that statement, Guren had been tempted to throw it in his face. The Omega stared down at the food for a moment as their conversation from before came back to mind. “The origin story…” Guren started as he looked back to Saito. “Why?”
Saito looked intrigued as he leaned back in his seat and smiled, “It’s always good to know someone’s roots.” The Second Progenitor replied. There was something about the way that Saito had said it that really caught Guren’s attention. It had seemed so out of the blue before. One could say that Saito was doing it just to the pass the time, but Saito tended to have ulterior motives for everything that he did. “And it’s always nice to tell a story.”
Guren hummed in response, eyeing the food again as his stomach growled. The desire for food was catching up with him. The aroma of the cooked food was making his stomach twist up in desperation as Guren fought the urge. He could take Saito’s word for it, but he just wasn’t sure. The Omega eyed Saito again before he did eventually reach out for the chopsticks to begin eating. Right now, he had to play by Saito’s rules. If he wanted to even remotely try to devise a chance of escape or ensure his life, he had to take advantage of having food and water. It would help with the fatigue and giving him back his strength. Being fatigued while trying to escape was not ideal, but if he had to be, he could do it. Guren wanted to get out of this alive.
For now, be quiet and listen, and wait for the moment to be able to devise his plan.
Not yet.
After arriving back in Shibuya, every person involved in the mission had gone to the Medical Bay where they were subsequently cleared through their normal checkups. One by one, Kureto had started to take them into a private room and went over every single detail from the mission. Starting from the beginning whenever they arrived to the minute that Kureto had arrived. They needed to go through everything. It was a necessity over anything.
Word was already starting to spread around. The whispers about the missing Lieutenant Colonel and what had gone wrong. He meant it. There was a singular second where someone would have some sort of answer. No one just mysteriously vanished without a trace surrounded by people. There was something there, and he knew that there was. There was always information that someone didn’t deem relevant that could be the most important detail.
Kureto listened thoroughly to every single word. Asking question after question and even changing up how the question came across just in case. It was a tactic that law enforcement used. Changing the words up just enough to a similar question that would trip people up, but in this case, it was meant to make them rethink and go back over that information once more. It was not an interrogation. There was no need for that. It was just witness testimony. He knew how unreliable that it could be. One person could say one thing, and another could say the complete opposite, but it was both of their truths. It led to second guessing and trying to figure out the proper details.
Though, all their stories were lining up perfectly despite their separation on the battlefield. They each managed to corroborate with each other. But that was not what he was looking for. He was looking for their senses. The moment they realized something was wrong. If even for a split second, they felt wrong. They didn’t even need to be looking in Guren’s direction at the time to have been able to have caught sight of something. It could have even been through their peripheral vision.
One thing he was deducing is that there wouldn’t have been a lot of time between the Guren Squad’s front-line battle, to back up arriving, and within minutes, the final reinforcements arrived. It was perfectly stationed within five minutes of each other. There was a very narrow window for Guren to have been taken the way that he was. One common denominator was that everyone realized Guren was missing once their back up arrived. The initial search for Guren completely kicked off whenever the final wave of reinforcements had arrived and that is what Kureto recalled seeing.
He would have them close their eyes and think of all the sensations around them. The feeling of touch around them, the aroma that had been in the air, and any sounds that they might have heard. Relying just on the sense of sight alone was not going to help them. Kureto wanted to access their instinctual senses. Anything from being able to feel the others around them and being able to detect their scents despite the different types of smells around them. Accessing the feeling of their bonds among each other. Even the smallest thing from their instincts could tell them a lot.
Guren, Sayuri, Shigure, Mito, Goshi – and Shinya – were all exceptionally close. They held a pack bond among each other. They could sense things about each other that any other person wouldn’t be able to tell. The bonds of a pack and the instincts that were followed were still so mysterious, but Kureto had never seen it more at play than with those six. Packmates could silently communicate with each other, feel things regarding another packmate, and not even realize it. Whenever a pack was as close as they were, Kureto knew that their instincts flowed together. Even if they didn’t realize it right now, that connection to Guren could hold answers. It was just asking the right questions. It was about leading into the right guidance.
While questioning all of them independently didn’t seem to lead to anything – and Kureto was sure that after a bit of time, they could start to recall details that might have been left forgotten in the heat of the moment – he had decided to sit them all down together. That was one thing that this pack did. They did everything together. They lived together. They ate together. They fought together. Kureto couldn’t recall one time since the world had ended that one of them had actively been away from each other for more than a few hours at a time. If you saw one, you were bound to see another not long after.
In a moment like this, it was critical to look into everything. Kureto had to find an answer in there somewhere. He was still certain that one of them held the key. With all of them sitting there, and looking a bit more calmer now, Kureto had placed down all the statements that they had given. He had written all of them down so not a single thing would be left behind. All those words would be important, and he couldn’t chance forgetting them. Kureto had made a detailed map of where everyone had been standing in those final moments. Exactly where Guren would be. He mapped it out based on the distance between them and the building that Guren had been in.
No one would have heard him if he made a sound. If he had screamed, maybe there had been a chance, but they still had the issues of the sounds of the battle. No one had heard him. No one heard a thing. Though, going through a building, that would have made noise, and yet… No one heard it. And he knew that it was getting to them worse than anything else aside from Guren’s disappearance.
Kureto looked over them all. The difference was clear. There was a void among them. It was still shining in their eyes. The way that they were beating themselves up, trying to keep themselves from falling apart, and trying their best not to show it. They were still in shock. Kureto knew not a single one of them – including himself – had slept since it happened. The exhaustion was becoming clear on their faces between the bruises underneath their eyes and the clear signs of fatigue in their bodies. Kureto understood the feeling. It was the feeling of not wanting to rest, not wanting to sleep, until they had discovered what had happened. That they didn’t want to rest until Guren was right here with them.
They were all trained to try and fight a natural instinct, but whenever it came to pack, it was something that they could not control. Everything started to intertwine with each other to the point that even training didn’t matter. Natural instincts could be a weakness, but they could also be one of their greatest strengths.
Kureto curled his hands in front of himself as he looked them over once more, “I want to try one more thing with all of you.” Kureto stated.
“Why are we just sitting here and continuing to go through this over and over again instead of being out there looking for him?” Goshi snapped as he lifted up his gaze and shook his head. The anger was written all over his face. Out of all of them, he was the one who looked furious. There was no smile on his face. Guren used to tell Kureto all the time that Goshi was the joy of their Squad. The one who always tried to keep their spirits up, making them smile, and doing his best to help keep their morale up. Seeing the opposite was leaving a different feeling going through him. It was taking its toll on each of them in different ways. This had been the most outward expression so far.
“Until we get more information, we don’t know where to begin.” Kureto replied, “Starting rescue efforts has to be done with precision or we are can’t do a single thing to help him.”
“How exactly does repeating everything we did on the mission help?” Sayuri questioned, “We’ve been over everything.”
He could just be on a fishing expedition, but there was something in his gut that was continuing to tell him to dig more. To find that one piece of information that could lead him to where Guren was. He made a promise, and he couldn’t keep that promise right now. Kureto looked down at his hands, tapping his fingertips together, as he kept thinking about everything himself. Every single small detail kept replaying. He was only able to deduce certain things and possible scenarios. Was he just digging too much into all of this?
“Details are important to missions.” Kureto stated, “And even more important to bringing people home.” That statement made the others return to complete silence as the Lieutenant General let his gaze linger over their faces. “Right now, I need you to use your bonds.”
“Our bonds?” Mito questioned.
“Not a lot of people agree that it’s even possible.” Kureto went on to say, “But anyone who knows anything about instincts know that the bonds held between people can be a far better asset than one believe.” The Alpha man lifted his gaze and looked at Guren’s packmates. “You are the people who Guren cares about most in this world. You are the people he’s opened himself up too. Instinctually… The same should have happened. Now, with all of you sitting side by side, you are with your pack. You were all together whenever Guren disappeared. In a fight, instincts are on high alert. So, I want to try one more thing that only all of you can do.”
The others went completely silent. Not saying a word as they looked between each other. Shigure and Sayuri looked between Kureto and the others with a distrusting look while Mito and Goshi looked hesitant. Shinya was sitting next to Kureto, and it caused the others to look towards Shinya as a silent form of reassurance. After a moment, Shinya gave them a very subtle nod.
“What exactly do you need?” Shigure questioned.
“Everyone was taught that a pack is stronger together rather than alone.” Kureto went on to say as he straightened his back. “Go against your training. Don’t hold it back.” The Lieutenant General nodded, “Close your eyes and feel.” One by one, he watched their eyes starting to close. Kureto didn’t know if this would work. Tapping into someone’s inner instincts could be dangerous, but it was a different game whenever it came to a pack. “Forget about everything else and focus… What can you feel? Not physically… Not emotionally… Instinctually.”
Kureto kept recalling the feeling that he had before. Before he even knew that Guren was truly missing. That gut feeling that he had before he saw a thing. That was the feeling that he needed them to think about. The silence in the room was filled with tension. He kept looking over their bodies and trying to read through the different forms of expression on them.
“I need you to feel what Guren had felt.” Kureto stated. “Focus on him. What is happening to him? What can you smell in the air from him?”
It was the only thing that he could think of. If they couldn’t find answers in other ways, he had to think of other alternate forms. Right now, they weren’t thinking clearly, so they would go through this again. Kureto kept looking at their faces. Looking for other signs. Any subtle changes in their bodies that might tell them a bit more.
“Now,” Kureto went on to say, “What can you feel?”
“Determination.” Sayuri murmured.
“Protective.” Mito added in.
“Fight.” Shigure whispered.
Kureto’s gaze moved to Goshi, and the Lieutenant General had started to notice the subtle changes in his face. The blonde Alpha tilted his head a bit, shaking his head as he murmured, “Fear… Panic…” Slowly, Kureto could see all of their eyes starting to open except for Goshi’s as their attention turned to him.
Kureto leaned forward, listening intently as he added in, “I need you to focus on that, Goshi.” The Lieutenant General’s attention briefly went down to the map that he had made on the table. Goshi would have been the one closest to Guren before and after. Kureto looked back up towards Goshi and surveyed his face again. “What is drawing your attention towards it?”
Goshi tilted his head again like he was thinking deeply. “I’m not sure.” The blonde Alpha shook his head, “It’s in the back of my mind, but I can’t do anything about it.” Then, Goshi’s eyes opened as he nodded, “Familiarity.”
“Familiarity?” Kureto questioned.
“I don’t know.” Goshi murmured softly, “But I remember that.”
Kureto shared a quick look with Shinya. This might have helped a bit more than he would have thought. Instincts were irrational. Something that couldn’t entirely be depended on.
But what other choice did he have?
Guren hadn’t realized just how hungry that he was until he had eaten all the food. Saito had been watching him intently. The food had helped his stomach, and it did feel as if he had more energy now. The water had helped the parch of his throat. Saito had remained quiet throughout the entire thing. It was starting to keep the Omega filled with a sense of dread. It was even more unsettling that Saito wasn’t doing anything. Guren didn’t feel off about the food or the water. If there was something in it, he would feel the effects soon.
The plate and glass were left empty as Guren had returned his hands to his lap. He picked at the edges of the fabric. Even though he was wearing clothes, he still felt so vulnerable. He felt exposed still. Guren was sitting on the edge. The Omega was just waiting for the moment that Saito inevitably started up again. Guren didn’t dare to move even the slightest millimeter. The Omega kept his head straight but let his gaze wander. There were no exterior windows in the room. Just walls. Walls that felt like they were caging him in.
Guren turned his gaze whenever Saito stood up and the Second Progenitor gave a soft laugh. “Well, wasn’t that easy?” Guren eyed the plate, contemplating launching it right at Saito’s head, but that probably wouldn’t be the best idea. Saito moved around the table, grabbing at his arm again as Guren was forced to his feet. The Omega shifted on his feet. Even standing up felt a bit better after getting some food and water into his system.
Saito’s grip was tight on his arm as he started to lead Guren back down the hall once more. The Omega was taking the chance to pull in all of his surroundings. He needed to track everything. Guren needed to imprint everything into his mind. He was careful about not turning his head or letting Saito tell that he was attempting to look around. He was attempting to create a map in his head. Something that he could use for later.
Saito’s footsteps echoed the halls. The floor was cold beneath Guren’s feet. The Omega kept having that urge to run, but rationality and logic kept winning out. What he truly needed to keep his focus on was surviving whatever Saito might throw at him. Guren was led back to those same stairs, and the Omega stopped briefly as he looked at them.
“If you’re thinking of running,” Saito murmured as he leaned over and his lips traced Guren’s ear, “Don’t be so stupid. You know it’s entirely illogical. You can’t outrun me even if you tried.”
“I’m not going to run.” Guren replied.
“I wouldn’t even have to run to catch you.” Saito mused as he started back up the steps. Guren had almost fallen over on the steps from the way that the Second Progenitor pulled on his arm. It caused him to stumble, but he was able to regain his balance quickly as he followed. “You’ve been thinking about it this whole time.”
They got to the top of the stairs and Saito jerked on his arm again. Guren hissed out as he felt his shoulder jostle at the joint and pain flared up into his neck and down his back, but it ended almost immediately to leave behind a soreness. Guren took a quick look around, noticing that they weren’t heading in the direction of the same room that he had been in previously. Actually, he was being taken in the opposite direction.
The hall was long and dark but slightly illuminated by dimly lit lights. It was hard to see, but eventually, his eyes readjusted to the softer lighting. Guren found himself counting each footstep that he took. Each step had his heart pounding just a bit harder into his chest. He was led to another large door that took up the entirety of the wall. Right at the end of the hall. Guren let out a shaky breath as Saito reached forward and pushed the door open. The second that the door was opened, Saito’s hand moved from his arm and to his back.
Pressure followed and Guren found himself being shoved into the room. The Omega stumbled, finding that the soreness that his body was still in took over, and he crashed to the floor. He felt carpet underneath his arms as he pushed himself up and he was able to see most of the room due to moonlight. Moonlight was bleeding through the blinds of the windows. Guren surveyed the room and noticed that it was a large bedroom. Probably the Master Bedroom of the home. The room was so large and lavish looking. Even from where he was, there was still a good distance between him and the bed that he could see.
The door clicked shut and Guren quickly turned over and braced his hands on the floor. Saito stood there, smiling at him still as he reached up and pulled his suit jacket off. The Omega swallowed harshly as the Second Progenitor started to cross the room and threw the jacket over the back of a chair before starting to undo his tie. Guren slowly started to creep back. Moving ever so slightly backwards as he kept his eyes on Saito’s back. Briefly, Guren’s attention went to the bedroom door.
Guren jumped slightly whenever he heard a loud noise, and he looked back to Saito. The Second Progenitor turned to look at him and Guren was barely able to catch sight of his face due to the limited lighting. The Omega caught sight of the syringe in Saito’s hand, but he wasn’t able to see what the substance was. All he could catch was the plunger that Saito’s thumb was sitting on. Guren was already growing tired of being stuck with needles. Right now, needles didn’t mean anything good.
The panic slowly started to build up in him as Guren started to push himself backwards, using the momentum of his feet to push across the floor as he did so. Saito made a shushing sound, leaning forward as he took a few steps, “It’s alright. Just be a good boy and come here for me.”
“Fuck you.” Guren snapped as his hand slipped out from underneath him and one side of him hitting the floor as he could feel the friction of the carpet burning against his skin. Guren ignored it and braced himself back up.
A chill went down his spine as he saw the chains floating around Saito. Guren’s eyes widened as they shot out at him. He threw his arms up around him in defense – knowing full well that the attempt was futile – as one wrapped shot through where his arms were and curled around his neck. The Omega choked instantly, feeling his air supply being cut off. The chain burned around his neck, tightening as Guren felt it being tugged on. Instinctively, Guren moved to relieve the pressure. Following after it rather than fighting against it as he found himself on his hands and knees on the carpet.
Guren reached up, trying to curl his fingers between the chain and his neck as more panic started to rise up in him. He choked and tried to pull in another breath, but it was caught in his mouth and unable to reach his throat. Saito began to approach him as he murmured, “Just calm down.” Saito used his free hand, grabbing at the chain and pulled. Guren’s entire body lurched forward, the chain biting in the skin of the back of his neck. It felt like it was enclosing more.
For just a split second, he thought that the chain was going to actually take his head completely off. He could feel it pushing on the bone, threatening to snap it completely. All he could think of was the time that Saito had backhanded him and he had broken his neck. Guren could remember the way it felt to be completely paralyzed, wheezing in an attempt to breathe, all while his demon was working to heal him and keeping his heart going. That should have killed him back then, but it didn’t. It made a fear hit him. The fear of it happening again and being left in an even more helpless state. His vision had started to blur. Coming in and out of focus as he wheezed. His lungs once again screaming at him from oxygen deprivation. His limbs were starting to weaken as he could feel his fingers uncurling and his heart pounded roughly in his chest. Rapidly beating as he could hear the echo of the lud-dup in his ears.
Saito got up to him, allowing the chain to loosen and Guren gasped. The Omega sucked in a breath, coughing slightly as his lungs started to refill with air. He touched at his neck, feeling indentions in his skin where the chain had dug in. Guren froze as Saito’s fingers ran over his cheek. Ghosting over the skin and causing goosebumps to form in the area.
“Take off your shirt, Guren.” Saito commanded. “You make this easy and I won’t hurt you.” Guren managed to level his breathing out as he slowly started to reach for the fabric. Every snarky remark was left unsaid as his hands trembled as he reached for the fabric. The Omega slowly pulled it off, bunching up the fabric in his arms and holding it to his chest. “Come on. Stand up.”
Guren started to push himself up, tightening his hold on the fabric as the Second Progenitor reached out and forced Guren to turn before his arm curled over Guren’s front and pinned his arms against his chest and his fingers curled around his shoulder. “What—” Guren let out in surprise before the needle was jammed into his stomach. He inhaled sharply, the air catching in his throat as Saito hit the plunger. He was barely able to tell that it was a light blue liquid as it was quickly injected into him. A sudden warmth started to overcome him as the needle was carefully pulled out of his skin and a small trail of blood started to seep out from where it had been inserted. It wasn’t a burning heat like before. Just a gentle warmth as if he had been wrapped up in a blanket or sitting by a fire on a cold night.
Saito let him go and Guren shifted on his feet as he realized that his mind was starting to swim. The room twisted around him as he felt his body becoming so light and airy. It didn’t last long as his vision corrected, and he was able to feel his body again. Despite all of that, he still felt… weird. A sudden feverish feeling started to wash over him as Guren reached up and touched at his forehead. He felt lightheaded again.
“What did you just give me?” Guren questioned. His voice even had that tremor to it. Wavy just as he felt briefly. Guren had that urge to grab onto something to stabilize himself even though he wasn’t moving and he wasn’t swaying. It was just an odd feeling. It almost felt like a high or even an intoxication from alcohol just without the swirling vision. He knew that something was wrong, but he just couldn’t identify what. Guren knew that it was a drug. There was no other explanation considering that he had just been stabbed by a needle. The question was what Saito had just drugged him with.
There was a strange sense of compliance in his body. One that kept him relaxed and withdrawn. He had never been drugged with rohypnol before, but that was the closest thing to an explanation that he had. Guren could hear the sounds of his own breathing. Heavy and labored. His eyes were heavy as he tried to keep his focus. Saito’s footfalls were heavy behind him. Heels clicking against the carpet floor muffled, but he could still hear it perfectly as if it was a hard wood floor.
Hands landed on his biceps as Guren turned his attention down briefly. His gaze landed on the fingers that curled possessively around his arm. It wasn’t crushing, but it was firm. Guren’s heart started to race as Saito pushed against him, guiding him across the room before forcing him to turn. The Omega let out a shaky breath as Saito shoved him down. Guren was greeted with the softness of blankets and a mattress as the sudden movement made the world spin around him.
Guren’s gaze moved to Saito’s face. That unsettling, eerie smile continued to grace his face as Guren pushed himself up onto his arms. He started moving backwards, digging his heels into the mattress as he did so. Saito’s hand wrapped around his ankle, and the Second Progenitor jerked his leg back, forcing all the momentum that Guren had gained to stop right in its tracks. Saito’s grip tightened and Guren had to bite back the cry of pain as he felt his ankle shift. As soon as the pain was there, it was already starting to cease. Saito’s other hand moved, tracing over his chest with a delicate, ghosting touch.
The Second Progenitor traced over the curve of where his ribs ended before trailing down to touch over the small blood trail that had been left behind. Guren’s breathing picked up as he curled his fingers, trying to urge himself to stay calm. Saito wiped up the blood onto his fingertips before lifting his fingers up to his mouth. His tongue darted out, licking the substance clean off of his fingers. Saito smiled, humming as he murmured, “Your blood tastes divine, Guren.” Saito laughed softly, tilting his head as he added in, “I could drain you dry without thinking about it.”
“Thought you said that you weren’t a vampire anymore.” Guren said quickly to use it as some sort of distraction. The Omega was putting a lot of his focus into keeping his heartrate down and his breathing level. As long as if he didn’t panic, he could keep some clarity in his mind.
“I’m not.” Saito confirmed, “But blood can still sustain me.” Guren grimaced as a clawed nail cut the skin over his stomach. Guren felt the blood pool from the wound and started to slip over his skin. Saito leaned down and Guren inhaled sharply as Saito’s tongue moved over the fresh blood trail and lapped it up to clear the skin. Saito’s saliva… burned. Causing a tingle to his skin wherever it touched as Guren turned his gaze up towards the ceiling. Yet, for some reason, his body responded to it. Sending these strange sparks of fire up his back that Guren tried to plead to go away. Saito pulled back, leaning back to his full height as he loomed over the top of the Omega. “You’re afraid, but you’re not showing it.” How did Saito figure that out? Guren moved his gaze towards Saito’s face as the Second Progenitor looked at him with intrigue. “You have no idea what is happening to you, do you?”
His gut was starting to twist up violently. As if Saito had stuck his hand inside of Guren’s body and started to crunch up his stomach in his bare hand. The Omega could feel the cold sweat building up his skin. Guren didn’t know what was happening. It felt like his body was slowly starting to react in ways that he didn’t want to react. He didn’t get why his body was staying so relaxed. Guren kept feeling that need to tense up, but it just wasn’t coming. Was he given some sort of muscle relaxant? That wouldn’t make sense to where it was injected. There was more to it, but it had to be one of the side effects.
Guren inhaled sharply as Saito reached down to his waist. The Second Progenitor slowly started to unbuckle the belt that was around his waist. Saito moved to kneel onto the bed, and it felt like something suddenly snapped in him. The adrenaline started to pump through his veins as he started swinging. Though, the hits didn’t have real traction behind them. Guren was swinging blindly. Saito had just started to laugh, grabbing at his hands and wrists. Guren’s heart started to pound rapidly. It felt as if it had sparked a fire in him again and he couldn’t stop.
“Stop fighting, Guren.” Saito said quickly as he managed to catch both of Guren’s wrists into one hand and quickly pinned them down above Guren’s head. The Omega was breathing quickly as the panic did start to come. Guren desperately tried to pull his arms back, and free them from the grip that he had found himself in. It didn’t matter how much that he had worked to pull away from it or tried to break his hands free.
“What are you doing?!” Guren snapped, “Get off of me.”
“Just relax,” Saito murmured, “It will all be okay.”
That didn’t do anything to stop the urgency that he was feeling. The Omega was panicking. All logic and reasoning was gone, and he was overcome by the need to get away. So, instead of using his hands, Guren had started to use his hips and feet. Completely uncaring of the way that it was causing pain to the rest of his body. It had forced Saito to start moving to stop Guren’s thrashing. Each time that Guren’s body connected with Saito, he could feel the slightest surge of pain that could blister in the locations. Saito was just laughing. The laughs were haunting. Echoing back in his mind as everything else around him started to feel like it was going in slow motion.
Lud-dup.
Lud-dup.
Lud-dup.
Guren could sense everything. Every little sensation was hitting him at full force. He could see every single flex of his fingers despite how quickly he was actively moving. Watching as his fingernails scratched at the surface of Saito’s neck. The cold touch of Saito’s skin. The bellowing laugh that made Saito’s chest move and that unnerving smile fixated on him. He could see everything. He could hear every small noise from the hitting of his skin colliding with Saito’s. The lowest creak of the mattress springs underneath him and the wood of the bedframe that shifted.
Guren clawed, curling his fingers onto the base of Saito’s neck as he felt something underneath his fingertips. As he jerked his arms back to swing again, he was suddenly assaulted with a deep scent. The pheromones erupted around him in a shockwave as Guren sucked in a deep breath. It made his head spin the second that it reached his senses.
Alpha .
Connected to his fingers was a scent patch, now torn completely away from the neck of the Second Progenitor and revealing the unmarked scent and bond gland. It had made Guren freeze on the spot. It had stunned him as his eyes widened. He had never smelt that intense of a scent or pheromones coming from anyone who was no longer human.
Saito’s smile slowly started to morph into a smirk. “What’s that face for, Guren?” Saito mused. “You look like you have seen a ghost.” Guren inhaled sharply, holding his breath as Saito leaned in close. That scent was starting to become overwhelming. “Do you really want to know my name, Guren?” Guren stilled, his eyes widening slightly as Saito looked over his face. “Not very many who are still alive know it.”
“Fuck you.” Guren said quickly. Speaking had forced him to take in a breath and those pheromones caused his mind to spin again. The Omega sucked in a breath through his mouth to hold his breath once more.
Saito looked so amused with him as Guren felt the waistband of his pants being grabbed. Suddenly, the thought was racing across his mind. The implications of what might happen. Guren had to do everything in his power to try and keep it from happening. Which only prompted Guren to start back up. To start fighting again. Again, all it did was cause Saito to laugh at him. It sounded so taunting. Amused at Guren’s attempts to fight but knowing that there was nothing that Guren could do. The Second Progenitor pressed an arm down right at his shoulders, pinning Guren down onto the bed as his other hand gripped at the shorts and pulled them free. The cold air hit his skin as Guren tried once again to keep the fabric from going down his legs.
“No!” Guren screamed, “Stop!”
“It’ll all be okay. Just calm down.” Saito murmured as he moved enough to allow room for the fabric to be jerked free. It didn’t seem to matter how Guren moved his legs or fought against it, Saito managed to pull them away and discard them away. Guren gasped as Saito grabbed his shoulder and suddenly rolled him over.
Guren clawed at the bed, using the fabric to try and use it as leverage to pull himself away. “No.” Guren said quickly as he made the attempt to move away. Saito’s hand landed on the back of his head, forcing him back down onto the mattress. The wave of dejavu hit him as his mind went back to how Saito pinned him to the concrete. The taste of blood in his mouth and lungs despite it not being there now. The phantom taste of the metallic iron flavor hitting his taste buds. His heart started to pound even harder. To the point that Guren thought that his heart might just stop from the force of it.
Guren kept trying to move to get away. Every time that he attempted it, Saito pushed him down harder into the mattress. Saito moved his knee and planted it into the back of the Omega’s thigh before pushing it open. Guren gritted his teeth, grimacing at the flare of pain that went through his leg from the way that Saito had pinned it down. Nothing but panic and urgency to get away was hitting him. Guren’s heart was pounding so loudly in his ears that he couldn’t hear anything else. Saito’s grip on him felt like weights that were holding him down whenever a normal man’s grip would be something that Guren could get out of.
No matter what Guren tried, he couldn’t get himself to stop panicking. He threw his arms back in hopes of doing something or anything to try and get Saito to back off, but it was entirely in vain. Guren clawed at the bed, trying desperately to pull himself out from underneath Saito. He couldn’t move. Guren’s gut twisted up even worse as Saito’s nails traced over the curve of his shoulder blades, dipping down the curve of his spine.
“Stop!” Guren gasped out as he tried to push himself up. Even with all of his strength, he couldn’t move his chest.
“There is so much that you don’t know.” Saito drawled, “So much mystery in this world that you can’t even begin to comprehend.”
“Get off of me.” Guren said quickly. His voice was lacking everything. It was lacking that tone of confidence and defiance. It was boiling in desperation and a plea. Guren felt utterly helpless. He felt so vulnerable and exposed. Saito’s hand landed on his hip as Guren felt his heart skip another beat.
Saito draped over his back, clicking his tongue as he went on to say, “You have barely seen a glimpse into what this world can really do,” The Second Progenitor stopped speaking and Guren felt as if his mind was starting to become a haze again. Those pheromones were causing everything to start swimming within him. His instincts had started to go into overdrive as Guren squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to cling to what little clarity that he had preserved at the moment. Saito’s fingers curled into his hair, forcing his neck to crane as Saito’s lips grazed his ears. “I will make you into something that no one could even imagine.”
The Omega froze as he could feel pressure at his entrance as he shook his head, “You shouldn’t be able—”
“As I said,” Saito drawled, “So much that you don’t know.” The man—no, the Alpha scrapped his teeth across the exposed skin of Guren’s neck as the Omega sucked in a breath. “We’ve only just begun.”
No…
No…
No.
It took everything in Guren to withhold the scream as he could feel the penetration into his body. It sent waves of pain and fire shooting up his back as he flexed his fingers, curling them even tighter into the bedding. Again, it felt like time was slowing down around him. Everything started to feel so distant. His eyes started to widen as his ability to breathe was completely taken from him.
Guren could feel his body ripping. His skin starting to tear. Saito’s pelvis pressed into his backside as Guren’s face was pushed back down into the mattress. A stunned feeling washed over him as his brain slowly started to connect the dots on what was happening. This shouldn’t be possible. A new type of fear was starting to overcome him. He knew words were leaving his mouth, but he couldn’t hear a single one. A white noise quickly filled his ears as he stared at his own hand. How white his knuckles were as his fist curled into the blanket. Whenever he blinked, a face flashed before his eyes.
His father.
Again.
Shigure.
Again.
Sayuri.
Shigure.
Mito.
Goshi.
Once more.
Shinya.
Guren could feel his body jerking on the mattress. Being pushed forward as the twinges of pain sparked up his back. The sound of the air pushing out of his lungs as he was unable to take a complete breath. The heavy aroma in the air of a mix of Alpha pheromones and a deep scent that he didn’t recognize. The hand on the back of his head that kept him firmly in place.
He was so… powerless.
Helpless.
Hopeless.
No.
That wasn’t true.
It couldn’t be.
The pain that he felt was so different than anything else that he had ever experienced. It wasn’t just a physical pain that his body was going through. But instead like this single thread in him was so desperately clinging on.
He could feel nails digging into his skin. Cutting down into his flesh and the blood that followed. Yet, he felt no pain. It was as if his body had shut down. That it had gone completely numb. Fingers sprawled against his face. Grazing over his cheek as a fingertip caught against his lip.
This wasn’t happening.
Was it?
This was just a… nightmare.
It had to be. This wasn’t reality. It was his mind playing tricks on him. It just had to be. Every sound. Every touch. It couldn’t be real. Even as he could feel the pain starting to return. That cloud that had overcome his mind slowly started to dissipate. It felt so violating. As if every single safety and security measure that Guren had was being broken down. Leaving him with a feeling of hollowness as he felt the hips clashing into his own. Listening to the sound of the springs jostling with each one. How the soft blanket somehow felt like sandpaper rubbing against his skin.
No, no, no, no.
This wasn’t happening.
Cold washed over him. Icing his body straight down to the bone as slowly any and all fight that had been in him was leaving.
Then, he blinked again.
Kureto.
It completely took his breath away as his heart felt like it had stopped. God, why was he so weak? Why didn’t he do anything to stop this?
Guren’s body was pinned down. All the energy to fight was gone. Guren’s gaze dropped as he could feel a coolness ghosting over his skin and he was able to see chains. They slithered their way up his arms. Coiling and twisting around his wrists before tightening painfully.
There was fight or flight.
But apparently there was one more that no one ever spoke about…
Freeze.
Why had he frozen?
Guren had fought demons, vampires, Four Horseman of John, other humans, but he had never frozen like this before. But he had also never been violated like this before. An intimate part of him being taken advantage of in ways that he would not wish on anyone. He had been threatened before. It had been thrown back in his face more times than he could count. But it had never happened.
Until now.
As he blinked again, all he saw was himself. Standing before him with a blank, dead gaze staring down at him. Standing tall in his uniform with his sword on his hip. The reflection of himself that one felt like he could actually take on this world. The one who felt like he had the power to protect the ones he loved and cared about. The one who fought with everything that he had to keep ahold of what little light he had in his life. Guren could see cracks forming. Small ones that started to spiderweb to leave a broken image right in front of him.
Slowly, he could see that light diminishing as that image left his mind. That it was quickly becoming overcome by a darkness that he didn’t see coming. Even as the rest of the room came back into his line of sight and he was able to see the dark, dimly lit bedroom around him. Hearing the laughter in his ear that echoed hauntingly through his mind. It sounded so far away as if he was standing at the end of a tunnel and hearing it come after him, but he couldn’t run from it. That he was left standing there completely paralyzed as he heard that echo.
Then, the pain started to return. Like a fire that had been ignited in his body, and he could feel every single nerve in his body. The sound of his labored breathing as he tried desperately just to breathe properly. The pounding of his heart as it beat rapidly against his chest. The deep aroma of the Alpha’s scent in the air that was suffocating him. The hand that was on his hip and pressing down hard against the bone to keep him pinned in place and the one that was on the back of his head and tracing over his face. The body weight that was on top of him. How his body shook against the fabric and his face was pressed down. The ache in his hips and back as he felt the stretch of his body. How painful each movement was.
This shouldn’t be possible.
The one thing that they didn’t have to be afraid of with vampires or what the fuck ever Saito was.
Apparently… He was… wrong.
The remnants of his dignity… his pride… his… everything started to slowly rip away at the seams.
The hand on the back of his head slowly moved again, instead grabbing at his arm as he felt just a bit less of that weight on him. “Do you really think he loves you, Guren?” Suddenly, all Guren could see was gold before his eyes. It took a second for him to truly see what it was as his eyes widened.
The ring that Kureto gave him.
Hanging from the chain.
The chain was dangling out of Saito’s palm. Right in front of his eyes and taunting him as the powerful thrusts sent that painful fire blistering through him. He wanted to reach for it, and he tried but the chains only tightened more to keep them pinned down. All he could do was flex his fingers in his futile attempt to lift his hand.
“Stop.” Guren murmured.
Don’t lose himself.
Don’t lose faith.
He had to keep holding on.
He couldn’t… give up.
“Guren.” Guren went completely rigid as that very familiar voice came to his ears. The ring was moved out of his vision as Guren was able to lift his head and even get himself onto his forearms. An arm wrapped around his shoulders, forcing him to sit up a bit to look ahead of him.
That was… impossible.
Standing secluded and tucked away in the darkness was a form that he could barely make out. Guren’s heart nearly stopped as he caught that scent. One that always brought a safety and security net. One that he knew if it was around, there was nothing in this world that could get to him. Guren had his own strength, his own power, and he could defend himself… But that feeling was always something that rang in the back of his mind.
Whenever he blinked, he saw his face right in front of him. Fingers grazing his cheek in a familiar touch. Reddish-amber eyes burned into him with a ferocity that made a chill go down his spine. This wasn’t real. He wasn’t here. But… it felt so real. The hand touching his face was so warm. His scent was right in his nose. Filling his senses while his body tried to relax like it normally would.
Kureto.
Kureto was looking straight at him. A smirk that he recognized on his lips as he tilted his head, surveying him as he murmured, “You’re so weak, Guren.” The Omega inhaled sharply. This couldn’t be real. Just a trick of his mind. Or even more tricks. “You really think I could love someone like you?”
“Kureto…” Guren panted out. He barely heard the sound of his own voice. It was practically inaudible as his eyes widened from hearing Kureto’s voice. It was his voice. The same low, deep rumble that always had that tone to it. However, it was so full of ice and venom.
“You’re just a whore.” Kureto murmured as his smirk got a bit bigger. Guren felt like he couldn’t breathe. Being punched in the gut by just simple words. “I’m just using you. Using you to get what I want in life. Once I’m there, you won’t matter to me anymore.”
Guren shook his head. “That’s not true.”
It wasn’t. Kureto wouldn’t say that. Even if it sounded like him. It wasn’t him. It couldn’t be. Guren felt like he was going to be sick. His stomach was twisting up so violently. Kureto’s gaze moved over him. So… cold. Devoid of everything that he was used to seeing. That same cold and calculated look that Kureto would hold on the battlefield whenever he was staring down an enemy.
“I don’t love you.” Kureto stated. The words came out like ice. Cold and brutal as they stabbed right into Guren’s chest. The Omega’s heart clenched as he listened to those words. “You’re a valuable asset. Using you to your full potential and having your undeniable loyalty was all that I needed.” Kureto’s smirk became almost sadistic. Quirking up and pulling on his face as his fingers curled against Guren’s face. “Do you think I would ever love someone like you?”
It's not real.
Guren closed his eyes, turning his head away in hopes that it would go away. Even as if he felt a stab straight to the chest with each word. Like a knife repeatedly stabbing into his body but no blood came out. Instead, leaving these invisible wounds across his skin. The grip on his hair returned as he was forced to turn his head once more.
“Soon enough, all of my plans will come to life,” Kureto mused, “And look at you… You will be nothing. Just like you always where. Bowing at the feet of the Hiragi family, and in the dirt where you belong.”
“Shut up!” Guren screamed.
It’s not real. It couldn’t be. This wasn’t happening. Kureto would never say that to him. Not Kureto. Not the same Kureto who said that names don’t matter. No… It wasn’t real.
Suddenly, Guren’s head snapped to the side and the pain blistered over his cheek. It had stunned him enough that he reopened his eyes. Through his peripheral vision, he was able to see Kureto standing there, lowering his hand with that same smirk on his face. He could taste the metallic flavor of iron on his lips. Blood. His lip stung from where it had been cut open.
That… wasn’t possible.
How… How did he feel that?
If he wasn’t real…
How did he feel that?
Kureto’s smirk turned into a smile as he buried his hands into his pocket and murmured, “I don’t love you. You’re just a tool that I need to succeed. Nothing more.” Guren’s chest tightened impossibly so. It felt as if one after one a rock was being pressed down onto his body and burying him alive within it. Crushing down on his chest as his heart felt like it was being ripped right out of his chest. “You know you can’t win. I have to get rid of you before anyone else finds out. Just… give up.”
“No.” Guren whispered. He couldn’t. He couldn’t just give up. Guren had to keep… fighting. He needed to survive. His vision was blurring but not within the fog that he had come to know. Instead, it appeared almost like… water. It was somehow clear and distorted.
He could feel a wetness against his cheeks as he felt lips pressing into the surface of his skin. “You’re crying, Guren.” He could hear that soft laugh. The amusement that was laced in the words. Was he crying? Whenever he blinked again, he could feel the tears that fell down his face, spilling into his other eye that forced him to blink again. Somehow, it felt so grounding. Pulling him back into his harsh reality.
Guren found his shoulder being shoved as he was pressed face down back into the mattress. Everything bled out of his mind. A coldness washing over him as those words kept reflecting in his mind. Bouncing back at him and stabbing him again and again. It couldn’t be true. None of this could be true. All he could hear was Kureto’s voice echoing in his mind. It wasn’t true. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
All he wanted to do was scream. He lifted his head enough, being able to peek through his bangs and at the form of Kureto watching over him. Kureto would never say that to him. Never. He wasn’t real. Saito was playing a trick on him. That’s what it had to be. Kureto made him a promise, and Kureto was not a man to go back on his words. As he blinked again, what he could see of Kureto disappeared into the shadows. His cheek was throbbing. He could still taste his blood in his mouth.
If that wasn’t real…
Then how could he taste blood in his mouth?
Guren gasped as Saito’s hips snapped once more, and he could feel fluids spilling inside of his body. It took his breath completely away as he curled his fingers into the blanket. It wasn’t real. None of this. It was just an… illusion. It had to be. His mind was swimming. Everything around him was slowly starting to distort as his eyes grew heavier.
It couldn’t be real.
It just had to be a reflection of an illusion.
Guren laid there frozen even as he felt Saito pull away from him. Leaving him laying down on the mattress to listen to the sound of his own breathing. To feel the thump of his heart against his chest. The Omega stared blankly ahead as Saito moved around the bed, and he was able to see the blood on his sleeves and the front of his shirt. Guren’s back stung. It had a wet, stickiness to it. Each movement caused more pain to move through him, so he just didn’t move.
Still in Saito’s hand was that chain, dangling there and taunting Guren as he blinked a few times and all he could see was the second that Kureto had put it around his neck. The smile that had been on the Alpha’s face. The sincerity of his words. Saito was excellent at magic. It had to be an illusion and Guren was just too tired to make the difference.
Right?
Then, it all settled down on him. Coming crashing down onto him as the reality started to set in. Even if that was just an illusion, Saito still… Guren felt like he was about to be sick. The Omega slowly started to push himself up onto shaky arms as he turned his gaze and he could see the mess that his thighs were. The smeared blood that was across his inner thighs. The evidence of the assault was all over his legs that made the Omega even more sick to his stomach. Guren had to force himself to look away, but even that was interrupted as he felt a cold hand underneath his chin that was forcing him to look up. Guren felt so heavy. Disgusted in himself the more that it settled in. Angry at himself for being unable to fight back or do anything about it. Everything around him started to become distant as fingers curled around his chin. The entire room was spinning, and his focus was coming in and out.
Saito was staring down at him, pleased and amused as he murmured, “They are all going to turn against you.” The Alpha leaned in, his smile getting bigger, “Congratulations, Guren. You are fulfilling exactly what you were created for.”
What did he mean by that?
Though, as Saito kept speaking, Guren couldn’t make out a word that he was saying. His eyes were growing so heavy. Hard to stay open as his body slowly started to become more weighted down. Static came to his ears as the crushing reality crashed into him even more.
This couldn’t be happening.
This was just a nightmare.
It had to be.
Guren’s eyes started to flutter shut as the hand released his face and he felt himself fall against the mattress. As his body started to feel like it was giving out, he was still overcome with one feeling alone.
Don’t give up.
Stay alive.
Chapter 5: All You See
Summary:
Guren finds that Saito has more planned for him. Meanwhile, Kureto tries to find more information on what happened to Guren.
Chapter Text
Guren felt so ill whenever he had started to regain consciousness. He felt so sick to his stomach as the wave of nausea hit him. His body screamed at him. His abdomen, lower back, and between his legs specifically. Guren was laying on softness but even that wasn’t working enough to help in any way. Just for a moment, his mind was completely clear, and he was under the illusion that he was back home until it was ripped away from him the second that he had started to open his eyes, and it all came crashing back. It just made Guren want to get sick more. It was all true. It happened.
Saito had… raped him.
Guren started to push himself up. Trying to fight the urge to release the contents of his stomach onto the floor. The need to throw up spiked as he curled his fingers. Guren squeezed his eyes shut. Trying to take in a deep breath and slowly released it. In and out. Calm down. In quick succession, all he could see were flashes of Saito pinning him down. The pain shooting through his body with each snap of the hips that collided with his own. The way that he could feel his own skin tearing open. Guren opened his eyes, letting out a sharp breath as he stopped upon seeing the bruises on his thighs. Where Saito’s knee had been specifically. The skin was now erupting into hues of pink and red. The blood on his thighs was dried and starting to crack but discoloring his skin in pink and red. There were no cuts on his legs. No reason for blood to be there except for one.
Guren bit down on his lip, wincing as he felt the cut open skin. The Omega froze as the images came back to mind. Kureto. The way that Kureto had been standing over him. It wasn’t Kureto. It was just an illusion. He hadn’t really been here. He didn’t really say all those things. Guren was just in a vulnerable state that it had clouded his mind and took his focus away. That was it.
Guren fought that same urge to get sick. He had to think as if he was on a battlefield. Bury everything away and not let anything get to him. Keeping his head on straight and thinking of the next rational thing to do. Guren couldn’t break down. Not right now.
The Omega brought in another shaky breath as he pulled the blanket up to cover himself up. Guren looked around the room, his head throbbing from a headache as his gaze moved around the room. He had spotted the clothing he had been wearing before and with the use of the blanket covering him, he started to move towards it. He snatched up the black shorts first and quickly slipped into them.
The Omega grimaced with each movement. Each one stung, pulling against wounds and causing the ache between his legs to get worse. Guren didn’t even want to look. He didn’t want to know. Guren ignored it. Burying away every single thought and forcing a toleration to the pain as he grabbed for the discarded shirt. Guren quickly pulled it back on, dropping down the blanket as he looked around the room. He was still in the same one from last night, but he could see a lot better.
Daylight.
Guren listened for any sounds. He couldn’t hear anything. Just… dead silence. Guren slowly got to his feet, grimacing as his ankle rolled out from underneath him and the pain in his abdomen spiked. The Omega crashed to the floor, catching himself on his hands as he gritted his teeth in frustration. Saito grabbing his ankle came back to mind and it was as if he could feel those same fingers wrapped around his ankle and the mattress underneath his back. Guren had to force it away. Telling himself not to think about it as he lifted his gaze to the windows.
Daylight.
He could see sunlight. He could feel the warmth of it from where it was. It was coming through the blinds just enough to give light to the room. Guren felt a sudden surge in him as he pushed himself back up. This time, he was careful of his injured ankle. Right now, he had no idea if Saito fractured the bone, dislocated it and popped it back into place, but it was sore. Guren couldn’t put any weight on it without wanting to scream out in agony. Either way, he had to ignore it. Push through the pain as he stumbled and limped his way towards the windows. Each movement was even worse from the pain that he could feel at the most intimate area of him.
As he got to the window, he was able to look outside of the blinds. All he could see were trees. Guren felt his heart skip a beat as he looked it over but then he turned his gaze down. He could see the ground below. He was high up in the air. He knew that he was at least on the second floor. That drop was decently high, and it would hurt like hell, but maybe, he could get out the window.
Then, he paused.
A warning bell went off in the back of his mind as he let his gaze move over the glass of the window. He narrowed his gaze, putting his concentration on it. Saito would have thought of that. The man was meticulous. Careful in what he did. It took him a second because the sun was blinding him, making it difficult to see, but he finally caught sight of it. The shimmer of gold on the windows.
A ward.
A number of different things could happen if he touched that window. Guren slowly started to back up, that caged in feeling starting to overcome him again. It wasn’t that farfetched to believe that the entire home was actually warded. There could be a chance that he found an exit and still wasn’t able to get out.
He was… trapped.
There had to be a way out. A way that he could disenchant it. Guren knew that he wasn’t completely powerless, but there was this feeling flooding through him. With each step that he took back, he kept getting those memories flowing through his mind. The broken bones, the blood, the smells that kept assaulting his nose despite not being there, the violation of the assault against him. All of it. Guren slipped down to his knees, placing his hands on his ears as he murmured, “Stop.”
Breathe in and out.
Calm down.
Level his breathing and calm his heartrate down.
He couldn’t fall apart.
Guren pulled in a shaky breath as he dropped his hands as he looked up and looked over the windows again. The Omega needed to get out of here. Do anything that he could to escape from this place and get out. Guren was not going to let Saito break him. Yet, all he could see, or feel was Saito’s hands on his body. Pinning him down and holding him there was assaulting him. It was making his chest tightening as his breathing picked up.
He needed to calm himself down. How did Saito do that? He didn’t even know that it was possible. Saito had been a vampire once upon a time. Guren could even say that he probably still was. At least, adjacent to it. How was it possible for Saito to have… sex with him?
Oh God.
Guren wanted to throw up again.
The Omega could feel the sting in his eyes. He had never felt this weak before. This powerless. This violated. Guren’s skin felt so… dirty. Guren looked down at his thighs, picking at the crusting blood that was there. The only person he had been with like that had been… Kureto. The haunting voice came back as Guren felt the cold chill go down his spine. All of that felt so real. It was meant too. If it was an illusion – and if it was powerful enough – it was entirely possible to even feel an illusion. It was a trick of the mind. Guren knew that all too well. He had utilized them himself in the past. Goshi was a member of his pack and Squad, and he specialized in it. Guren knew exactly what an illusion felt like, but in that moment, it was as if it was truly reality.
It just couldn’t be.
Kureto would never say those words to him.
He would never do that to him.
Look at him like that.
It just couldn’t be true.
Guren took in another shaky breath as he looked at the mess that his skin was. He could feel the cuts on his back. They were sore and tender. Each movement caused them to pull and send that tingling sensation of fire over his skin.
The Omega put all of his frustration behind him as he planted his hands on the floor and started to rise back to his feet. As he did so, the last words Saito said to him were coming back to mind.
“Congratulations, Guren. You are fulfilling exactly what you were created for.”
What did he mean by that? What he was created for? Guren didn’t understand. Guren knew of Saito’s history with the Ichinose clan, and what he had done. Saito had said it himself. He injected his DNA into the baby that was born from the Ichinose Heiress in the story. That was at least twenty generations ago. Saito’s DNA, any Hiragi DNA, and even the Heiress’ DNA was long gone from him. Was that what he was referring to? It didn’t make sense. Even Saito himself had confirmed that both of them shared no DNA with each other. Between generations and bloodlines, it was all mixed up now. It just didn’t make sense to him, but it made sense to Saito.
This was about… him.
There was more at play that Guren wasn’t seeing.
What he was… created for.
No.
Guren was not a pawn in someone else’s game.
The Omega let out a sharp breath as he turned and looked back at the bed. Of all the things that Saito could have done to him… Why? Why that?
Fulfill.
It still left Guren in so much confusion. At the same time, he was so angry. Angry at Saito. Angry at himself. Angry at the world. Around each corner that he had ever gone, he was met with nothing but pain and suffering, and here he was now. Facing it all over again. Could he say that he had stood on top with the others?
Guren’s mind felt like it was spinning. This sense of wanting to pull away from his body. Just detach himself from everything and pretend that he didn’t exist. That he hadn’t been… Guren squeezed his eyes shut as the fury bubbled to life in his veins. Why was Saito doing this to him?
Alpha.
Saito was an… Alpha.
Guren had always guessed that he had modified his body or that he was born a Beta. Betas just tended to have softer scents. Something calmer compared to the storm that was an Alpha and the flood that was an Omega. Their scents, their pheromones, they were all softer or just harder to catch unless someone was up close and personal with them. It didn’t mean they didn’t have them. It was like their body’s own natural guard against primal instincts. Omegas tended to have a softer and sweeter scent. Something that was meant to be comforting or nurturing. While Alphas had a spice about them. Spice and stronger. Something that was meant to show command and protectiveness. Each played their own part in their own ways. Rather it was protection, nurture, levelheadedness. There was always something.
The second he had caught those pheromones and that strong scent, everything had changed in him. A new fear that came to life as the dawning realization of what Saito was planning had been there. And Guren had been in denial.
Saito had been wearing a scent patch. That’s why Guren could never pick up on it. Saito did always say that he was inclined to use human inventions. That had been invented to help people in times of war or even just for their own security. Some people wore them due to sensitivity. There were a number of reasons people would wear them. Saito didn’t need too but he choose too.
And Guren had been… blindsided.
Guren’s gaze lingered on the bedding. Specifically, the red splotches on it. Right where he had been laying in both places. It was dried and darkening. But it was there. A taunting reminder of what Saito had done to him.
“You’re awake.” Guren lifted his gaze up to see Saito standing at the door. He was now back in a clean and pristine-looking business suit. Not even a hair out of place on his head. A smile on his face as if he was greeting an old friend. “I should say that I’m surprised that you’re up and moving around. I’m sure your body feels like it’s in absolute turmoil.”
Guren’s heart skipped a beat as his entire body immediately went rigid. Guren took a step back, uncaring of his thrown off balance as he curled his arms over his stomach. He could still feel the place where the needle had been jammed into, and he was injected with a drug that he didn’t know. Saito was practically using him as a lab rat. Who knows what he had been injecting into him this whole time.
Guren kept moving, putting more distance between them in the large room as Saito stepped inside. The Second Progenitor’s gaze never left him. The Omega wanted to curl up, look as small as possible, but he fought against that urge. His eyes shined with defiance as he glared towards Saito. “Stay away from me.” Guren snapped.
Saito hummed, “Oh, you’re angry.” The Alpha man stated as he walked over to the edge of the bed and placed his hands down onto it.
“You raped me!” Guren screamed.
“It was a necessity.” Saito said quickly. “Calm down. It was just sex.”
“Fuck you!” The Omega shouted, the anger flaring into his voice. Just hearing those words sent an absolute fury raging through his veins. Still, the question was there on how Saito even could. Vampires shouldn’t be able too. At least, from their knowledge. Vampires only cared about blood. There was no history of them being able to do anything like that. Guren let out a shaky, angry breath as he stumbled on his feet slightly, but put his balance onto his uninjured ankle. He supposed that he couldn’t completely put it out of the realm of possibility since namanaris existed. They could be born rather than just infected. Demons also thrived on lust. Human lust but lust.
“You’re confused.” Saito mused as he tilted his head. Guren paused for a second, frowning as he shifted, curling his arms a bit tighter. “You had no idea that an immortal being was still capable of such an act.”
“At this point,” Guren said quickly with a shake of his head, “I don’t even care.” He was tired of questions and the what ifs. It happened, and nothing could change that.
“I tried to go easy on you.” Saito went on to say as he turned his gaze away from Guren and looked around. “Vampires, demons, everything else… Our strength is far superior to an ordinary human. Humans are quite delicate. I had to hold back.” Then, Saito’s gaze moved down Guren’s body and the Omega shifted in discomfort from the gaze burning into him. “And I still made you bleed.” Saito chuckled a second later, “But I am impressed with you.”
“Impressed?” Guren said in shock and disbelief as he shook his head, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Even with that,” Saito said with a tilt of his head, “It didn’t kill you.”
For just a split second, Guren wished Saito had killed him. That he had killed him before they ever got here or killed him after the fact. Just so he wouldn’t have to live with the thought of all of this.
“Am I supposed to say thank you?” Guren questioned back sarcastically as he took another step back. He sucked in a breath as the pain shot up his back again, but he quickly brushed it off. “Thank you for raping me and not killing me?”
Saito laughed, giving an amused smile, “You still haven’t lost that, huh?”
“I’m going to kill you.” Guren whispered, “And that is a promise.”
Saito hummed, tapping his fingers on the bedframe. “I forgot what it felt like to have sexual gratification outside of drinking blood.” Saito stated, “The way another body feels.” Guren held his breath as Saito crossed the room and got in front of him. He lifted up his gaze, glaring straight into Saito’s eyes. That scent was making his head spin again. He had never been effected by someone’s pheromones before. Except maybe Kureto but not nearly like this. It had to be how fatigued his body was. It was harder to keep himself levelheaded and under control. “But that isn’t the only reason I brought you here.”
Guren suddenly felt the fear spike in him again as Saito grabbed at the back of his head, taking a fist full of his hair into his hand. Guren let out a yelp of pain as his hair was tugged and he was pulled right off of his feet. Instinctively, he reached for his hair as his fingers curled around Saito’s hand. He kept trying to stay on his feet, but it was in vain as they kept slipping out from underneath him as Saito drug him from the room.
Guren tried desperately to stay on his feet. The hair at his scalp pulled harshly. It felt like his skin itself was trying to pry away. The Omega bit down on his lip to hide away the pained sounds that were threatening to leave him. Every movement hurt. It sent a fire coursing through his body each time that his hips or back hit the floor because he couldn’t keep himself up. Still, Saito just drug him along. Completely uncaring of what he was doing. Even using his hands didn’t seem to help as they would slip out from underneath him or go back to his own hair to try and relieve some of the pressure.
Saito had taken him to the stairs, and Guren gasped as Saito let him go and the Omega found himself free falling backwards. He rolled, trying to protect his head as his body rolled and crashed down the stairs. Each impact sent a new flare of pain through his body. His body bounced, connecting with the stairs before he crashed to the floor at the bottom of the steps. Guren let out a shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut and curling his arms around his stomach as he tried to breathe through it. The entire world spun a bit around him from the way that his head had snapped around.
Guren cracked his eyes open as he heard the footsteps approaching him. The Omega turned his head enough to see Saito coming down the stairs, a soft smile gracing his face, and his hand running across the rail. The Omega started to push himself up, grimacing as the pull of his muscles made more soreness go through him. Guren started to shuffle back in a futile attempt for distance as Saito kept getting closer to him. The Omega’s back hit the wall, and the feeling of being trapped like an animal came over him. Guren would not be surprised if he cracked a few more bones on the way down. There were sore spots all over his body from where he had collided with the wood. Guren let out a shaky breath as Saito got to the bottom of the stairs and kneeled down before him.
“It’ll be okay.” The voice was attempting to sound reassuring, but it was just taunting. Guren pulled in a shaky breath as Saito reached up to wipe some blood off of his face. Guren could feel a cut on his forehead. He didn’t know exactly when that injury happened, but it was at some point down the stairs. The Omega could feel the blood being smeared as he dropped his gaze. Just remain calm. Keep his head on straight. Think and calculate his next move.
Saito grabbed his arm, forcing Guren to his feet as the Omega gritted his teeth, finding that the world swam around him once more. It took a moment for it all to level back out. Saito had his arm in a crushing grip as he guided him to another door. Guren eyed it with suspicion. The Second Progenitor opened up the door and pushed it open to reveal nothing but a dark room to do him. Even though he couldn’t see inside of it, all that Guren was filled with was complete dread. The look that Saito gave him sent a chill down his spine. One that made Guren’s gut twist up and a lump to start forming in his throat.
The Alpha pushed him in and Guren stumbled into the darkness. He couldn’t see a thing as he reached out instinctively to catch himself. His hands hit something hard as he took in a deep breath. Guren could hear things fall over, a shift underneath him as he sprawled out his fingers. Wood. Like a table. Guren’s gaze swept the dark room in hopes of trying to see anything within it. Though, that chance didn’t happen since a light was flipped on. Guren grimaced as the light assaulted his eyes, and he was forced to squeeze his eyes shut.
The second he reopened them, his blood ran cold. All he could see where chains, knives, different forms of weapons, tables with straps on them, a chair with straps on the arms and legs, a medical table, needles, and so much more. Guren sucked in a breath, his eyes widening as he looked over everything. A heaviness came to his body as he looked at all of it. His gaze stopped on a tank. It was full of what looked like a pastel purple liquid, but it was big enough to hold a human body in.
Guren pushed himself up, looking down at the table to find even more objects in front of him. There were many that he didn’t know what they were, but they were definitely tools. He couldn’t even identify all of them. He lifted his hands up, feeling his heart starting to race once more as he started to take a few steps back.
“Welcome to phase one,” Saito said just as Guren turned and the Alpha back handed him in the face. Guren crashed into the floor as the impact made his ear ring and his lip bust open once more. The Omega let out a sharp breath, reaching up and touching at his face. Saito didn’t put a lot of strength behind that. Guren knew it.
“Phase… one.” Guren murmured, repeating back what was told to him as he lifted up his slightly blurry gaze.
Saito smirked at him, grabbing for his hair again. Guren was forced to his feet, instinctively rising to his feet as Saito pulled on the strands. “Take your clothes off, Guren.” Saito ordered. “This could get… messy.” Guren let out a shaky breath as the threat was looming in the air. It wasn’t a threat. It was just the truth. Briefly, he turned his gaze to everything that he could see.
Torture.
“What do you want?” Guren questioned. “Information?”
Saito hummed, “Not really.” The Second Progenitor stated as he tapped at Guren’s face. “I have enough of that right now.” What was Saito’s goal here? The Alpha did let him go as Saito nodded at him. “So, take off your clothes.”
Guren stood there, shifting on his feet. He didn’t want too, but he wasn’t going to have a choice, was he? The Omega closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he started with the shirt. Each small shift caused him discomfort as he pulled it over his head and let it fall to the floor. He kept his eyes closed as he pulled off the shorts. Standing in a way to keep himself concealed as he stepped out of them. He curled his arms over his chest, pinching at his own skin of his upper arm as he stood there.
Guren opened his eyes once more as Saito grabbed him and started to pull him into the room. This wouldn’t break him. It wouldn’t matter what Saito did. Guren was trained for this. He could go for days being tortured and not break at all. Saito pulled him to the wall where there were chains hanging from the ceiling. The Omega couldn’t fight back whenever Saito had grabbed his wrists and lifted them up to put them into the chains. Guren’s heart skipped a beat with each cuff. It left his arms suspended above his hair. Stretching out straight and straining at his shoulders as it left his back towards Saito.
Guren put all of his focus on calming his heartrate and keeping his breathing level. Trying to keep his mind on the goal. Surviving and getting out of this. Just endure it and be patient. Guren would find his opening. Somehow.
Saito reached around him and Guren was suddenly blinded from fabric being pulled over his eyes and being tied tightly around his head. Guren forced himself not to move. Do not panic. With the loss of his eyesight, Guren was forced to rely on his hearing. Trying to track where Saito was in the room. He could hear his footsteps. They were echoing behind him as Guren curled his fingers. Guren took in a deep breath, slowly releasing it as he forced his body to relax. If he was tensed up, it would be a lot more painful. If he kept everything relaxed, it would be better that way.
Suddenly, a sharp sting came across his back and Guren gasped as he bit down on his lip. He could taste more of the iron flavor of his blood from the open cut. It temporarily made his muscles tense as he felt the fire moving across his skin. Guren just let out a breath and prepared for the next one. Saito was going to torture him. That wasn’t going to change a thing. Sure enough, another one hit his back and the sound of the weapon hitting his back caused the sound of it snapping against his skin filled the room. Guren couldn’t let it get to him. Quickly, they started to pick up and Guren flinched with each one that hit him. It was getting harder to keep his body relaxed, but he was managing to do it. They were not timed. They were erratic and unpredictable.
The lashes continued as Guren tried not to focus on the building up pain. He could handle a lot. Guren knew it would be in his advantage right now. He could take it. Guren kept breathing through it. The lashes kept coming quickly. Hitting at different locations on his body. Between his back, his shoulders, his arms, his thighs, his legs. Each one sent a new flame of fire throughout him. He was managing to hold back each sound of pain that wanted to escape, but it took away from breathing properly. It was making his head spin, but he had to keep going.
He could not give up.
He could not stop now.
Guren would get out of this.
No matter what happened.
Guren panted as they came to a stop, and he was able to hear Saito approaching him again. Each step made Guren’s stomach start to continue to knot up. The Omega let out a labored breath as fingers touched over the throbbing welts on his back. He could feel them all. They were welted, broken open, and bleeding. He could feel the blood that was slowly moving over his skin. He knew that it wasn’t the worst. At most, they would need a bandage to help keep them from getting infected. It stung whenever they were touched.
“Suffering brings true enlightenment, Guren.” Saito murmured, “And I think you know very well what that feels like.”
In his life, all he had done was suffer. His entire life, it had been one thing after another. But enlightenment? Was this man actually… insane? Actually, that wasn’t a question. It was just true. This man was nothing but pure insanity.
“Enlightenment?” Guren questioned, taking the moment to get the relief to breathe. “Is that what you think?”
“What someone is able to do after pain and suffering.” Saito mused as Guren shuddered as fingertips ran up his spine and touched at the back of his neck. “While others fall, some still remain standing. Even stronger than ever.”
“Is that what you think?” The Omega hissed. “That somehow suffering can make someone stronger?” In his case, trauma had led him to where he was. “Is this your sadistic attempt at making me stronger?”
“You could say that.” Saito replied. Guren stilled. Saito couldn’t be serious. There was no way that this was the point of all of this. At the same time, which did sound exactly like something that Saito would do. “Your pain tolerance is high, isn’t it?”
“Shut up.” Guren murmured as he curled his fingers.
“You can be tortured for days, and you wouldn’t break.” Saito mused as he kept tracing at his skin, touching harder at the lashings. Guren just gritted his teeth whenever Saito did it. Refusing to make a sound. Refusing to let his body jerk away from it. “How long do you think it will take?”
“You can try all you want,” Guren replied, “But you won’t.”
Saito chuckled again, “You think so?”
“I know so.” The Omega snapped, “It won’t matter what you do to me.”
That soft laugh haunted him again. Saito pulled back from him and Guren was left to listen to the sound of him backing off. It sounded like Saito had put a good bit of distance between them. Guren shivered as he realized just how cold that it was in the room. Goosebumps were forming on his skin as he shuddered again. He hadn’t realized how cold that it was until now. Actually, it felt like the temperature in the room was dropping.
Once again, he could hear Saito’s shoes tapping against the floor. His arms were straining now. The muscles of his shoulders felt like they were shifting and pulling even harder against the bone. It was a stress position. It was meant to put strain onto the body. All he could think of now was what Saito had planned. What did he mean by phase one? It just left the questions of what Saito was planning on doing to him to come to mind.
The uncertainty was lingering in the air as he suddenly felt an ice-cold spray of water. Guren let out a surprised shout as the icy spray caused a painful sting. It was spraying him right in the face as he desperately turned his head to try and keep it from doing so, only for more to hit him straight on. Water started to spill into his mouth, flooding into his open mouth as water rolled down his face and between his involuntarily parted lips. The cuffs felt even colder. Biting even harder into his skin as he jerked. Even as he told himself to remain calm, he couldn’t do so. It had caught him completely off guard as he kept trying to move away from it. Specifically, it was pointing as his sides and above his head. Spraying down onto him in ways that no matter what way he turned, he was getting hit by it.
It came to a sudden stop as Guren panted, shivering worse than before as the Omega spit out the water that had gathered in his mouth and he sucked in a breath. The dripping water moved over the welts on his back, making them sting worse as he let out a labored, chilled breath. As soon as it stopped, it started up again. It was chilling him to the bone as each second got worse than the last. It was numbing his skin quickly but making each movement more sluggish but painful. This time, Guren closed his mouth, tilting his head down in hopes that he could remain breathing properly. His hair was quickly getting soaked, sticking to his face and remaining there weighed heavily by chilled water. The fabric on his face was soaked, leaving the cold on his face but pushing against his eyes.
Once again, the spray stopped as Guren sucked in a deep breath. His mind was spinning from the fact that he had involuntarily held his breath. Doing it without thinking about it as he coughed. The shivering was getting worse. His entire body felt like it was numbing and becoming so cold that it felt harder to move. His arms screamed at him from where they were suspended, but there was nothing that he could do.
Again it started up and Guren couldn’t brace himself this time as it sprayed him right in the face. All he could do was sputter as water flowed in his mouth and he was trying his best not to choke on it. It kept rapidly filling his mouth, sending a wave of panic in him as if he was completely submerged in water and unable to get out. It hit the back of his throat, causing him to choke and sputter as water splashed out of his mouth and back onto his face where the spray was becoming increasingly painful. It was becoming harder to breathe. Each breath that he took in was quickly followed by water that felt suffocating.
It kept repeating. Guren was quickly losing track of the seconds. They were getting closer together and felt as if they lasted longer. The more Guren strained, the worse that it got. It was getting harder and harder for Guren to even resist. His movements had slowed down completely becoming practically nonexistent as the spray just continued to beat against his skin. He couldn’t feel his body at this point. Each spray was just becoming expected as he waited every single dreadful, chilled second until it stopped. If he acted like he had at least fallen for this one, it could stop. At least, that is what he was telling himself.
The spray stopped once more and Guren was left violently shivering. His body was as cold as the room as the cuffs bit harshly into his skin. He was so cold. Those taunting footsteps got closer to him once more as Guren’s mind felt like it had gone far away. Pulling away from everything. Hands grabbed at the cuffs, letting them go as Guren crashed to the floor. The Omega remained curled up, shivering violently as the floor felt even worse. It was wet. It was covered in that icy water, making the floor slippery and even colder.
Guren inhaled sharply as fingers grazed over his hair, pushing it out of the way. The Omega couldn’t feel a single part of his body. It was all numb that even a twitch of his finger felt completely heavy. “You were created to do such great things, Guren.” Saito murmured, “But you can only reach that place if you find your true salvation.”
Salvation?
Is that what Saito thought would come from this?
It was almost laughable. Right now, Guren didn’t know if he even had the energy to do that. The cold water had practically zapped that out of him. Making it difficult to breathe properly. To feel his body. All of it.
“What you can become,” Saito murmured, “You have no idea the true darkness that looms within the Hiragi. You’ve barely seen the surface of it.” Guren wanted to say something. Bite back at what he was saying, but even as he parted his lips to try and say the word, his skin felt like it was pulling. “The Ichinose could stand tall, and all you have to do is accept it.”
Accept what?
This?
That he was somehow supposed to turn this suffering into more power? The events of Guren’s life led him down the path of desire for power and the yearning to get stronger. This was just showing him how much farther he still had to go. He kept thinking of the stupid mistakes that he had made, but he knew that it would never have stopped Saito from taking him. That he had been royally fucked the second that Saito decided to take him. His motivations were still unclear and all over the place. Guren was only finding snippets where he could believe that there were some truths within it.
Guren just laid there as arms slipped underneath him, and he found himself being pulled up into the air. Slowly, flashes were starting to return. Fogging memories that he couldn’t quite make out but all he could recall were arms underneath him. As soon as they were there, they were gone again as Guren could feel his body moving around. He could feel the movements and the way that Saito walked. Next, he felt something soft underneath him.
Guren tried to open his eyes, but it was stopped by the fabric pressing down on them. Guren was slowly starting to be able to feel his body again. It started with a twitch of his fingers. They were tingling as they worked to warm up. Saito moved his body, making sure that he was laying down. He felt heavy metal against one wrist as it was clicked into place, followed by his ankle on the same side. Guren pulled on his arm slightly, finding that he couldn’t lift it. It started back up on the other side, starting at his ankle and then his other wrist. Guren let out a deep breath as his head was grabbed and straightened out. Long fingers touched at his hair was pulled completely away from his forehead. A sticky pad was placed against his temple before it was quickly followed on the other side.
Guren grimaced as he felt a needle penetrating into his neck. After a few seconds, the needle was pulled out and Guren quickly felt the intense heat underneath his skin. Guren bit down hard onto his lip as he could feel his back curving. The ice of his body felt like it was slowly starting to melt away as his veins felt like they were ignited. Then, suddenly, it felt like electric went coursing through him. It made his body spasm on the softness as he started to jerk against his bindings. He felt like he had no control of his body as it kept intensifying.
As it continued on, he heard a soft murmur in his ear, “Just let go, Guren.” Saito whispered, “Fall into your desires… Fall into the bloodlust that you feel…” No, stop this. Second by second, it was getting harsher. Becoming excoriating as his head started to throb. The shocks he could feel felt like they were coming from where the patches were on his head. His body kept trying to twist and turn, jerking against the cuffs but unable to move on the surface. “The anger and pain that you feel… You can release it on all those who have ever wronged you. You can put a stop to this and show the power that you possess.”
Quit it.
This needed to stop.
“It’ll all be okay.” Saito continued, “Just let go. Let it all break away.”
Stop it.
Guren gritted his teeth, trying to resist against everything that was coursing through him. Biting back the cries of pain as his muscles spasmed and tightened up. Guren would not let him win. He would not fall for this. Any of it. Guren would not allow himself to break. No matter what Saito’s agenda might be. Guren was not going to fall victim to it.
“What you were created for,” Saito whispered, “You have everything right within your fingertips. All you have to do is take it. Grab ahold of the power that you have so desperately wanted for all of these years… And destroy everything that stands in your way.”
They had finally been forced to rest. Actually, Kureto had been sure that all of them had just passed out from pure exhaustion. They had to be careful about it. Exhaustion could lead to possession. The last thing they needed to be dealing with was a possessed soldier because they were just so dead exhausted on their feet and unable to restrain the demon.
Kureto’s dreams had been full of nightmares like usual. Only, these ones were different. Guren was front and center in all of them. His voice haunting him as Guren asked him where he was. Why he didn’t help him? Why he let him get taken. Kureto had awoken that next morning covered in a cold sweat. The Lieutenant General had to put it all into the back of his mind. Guren needed him focused right now.
Something had felt so wrong throughout the night, and Kureto just couldn’t explain why. Just this little thing in the back of his mind telling him that something more was going on. Painful. Kureto couldn’t place it, but he had to keep moving on. Kureto had to do everything in his power to bring Guren home.
Which meant, it was time for rescue operations. Even if he didn’t have a lot of details, even if he didn’t know everything, he knew enough. This was the last thing that needed to happen with an impending war on the horizon. Before they knew it, the vampires would strike against them due to all of their efforts. Kureto didn’t want to separate his focus, but he had too. Guren was that important to him.
Kureto had ordered scouting teams back out in the field. Squads from the Moon Demon Company such as the Narumi, Aihara, and Kusunoki Squads had volunteered to help with the search. They just needed to find that one more detail. Kureto kept running the interviews through his head. Every single word that Guren’s friends had said. He had them tap into their instincts and bonds. Feel what Guren had felt in that moment. Even if they were distracted, a bond was unwavering. Even if they didn’t mean for it to happen, a packmate just knew. It all came instinctually. It was why they were taught strictly to go against their own instinctual nature. To not feel. Guren was different. While he was closed off and he had that lone wolf mentality at times, he relied on his friends. He had created strong bonds with them over the years. If Guren had been in true danger – and Kureto knew that he had been – Guren wouldn’t have been able to control it. And that was exactly what the others had felt.
Their one mission right now was to find and rescue Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose.
Wherever the hell that he was.
Kureto had returned back to where the mission had taken place. Shinya and the Guren Squad had came with him. There was no fighting them on it, and Kureto wasn’t going too. Nothing was more dangerous than a pack on a mission. A member of their pack was missing. Not only the head of their pack, but the Omega of their pack. Pack dynamics were different with Omegas. Every single one of them were Alphas aside from Guren. Their protectiveness and loyalty to him was unlike anything else. So many people were still in disbelief that the lone Omega was the leader of his pack. Honestly, Kureto didn’t see why it would be a surprise. Alpha, Beta, Omega. If they were capable, that was their spot.
The only thing hinting that Guren had been abducted was Mahiru-no-Yo – that was now safely put away and in a safe location – and the blood and signs of a battle. A sample of the blood had been taken, and Kureto already knew what the lab would find. It would confirm that it was Guren’s. It would be the one piece of ammunition that he would need if anyone tried to claim this was anything other than what he thought. No other explanation felt plausible.
One thing kept coming back to his mind as he stood on the roof of the building that Guren had been in. Familiarity. That’s what Goshi had said. The others had said the usual things that came with a fight. Especially in a life-or-death situation. It was all something that could be picked up in someone’s scent of the pheromones that naturally released from the body. Familiarity was not one of them. Goshi had looked so sure of himself. Confused but positive. They had went through it more than once. Going through a play by play of the mission and having them solely focus on the instincts of their memory run center stage. In a high stake and stressful situation, it was entirely possible to pick up on the emotions of a packmate. Their training was to help block that out so they could focus. Whenever those walls came down, it changed things. Even if someone didn’t know it, they could sense that something was wrong with their packmate. It was just how entuned one was with their instincts. In a pack, it was a greater change whenever it came to another member of their pack.
Kureto had originally gone to the roof to see if he could find any blood or trace that Guren might have been taken up there. There was nothing that he could see. It left him staring down at the alleyway where he could only assume that Guren had been taken. Kureto didn’t need the proof to know. He just did. This did tell him one thing. Guren was probably never up here. Though, it was a good vantage point of the battlefield. Away from the alleyway, Kureto could see everything. He could see all the tattered and cut clothing of the vampires who had died there. Blood stains from where humans had been slain. Not a single person would have realized someone was up here. It gave him a perfect line of sight where Guren would have been standing at that moment. According to all reports, Guren’s back had been turned away from this.
Guren never saw it coming.
Honestly, he didn’t know what else he was going to get from here. It was clear that Guren was long gone from here. Maybe, he was just trying to figure out who did this. If they could figure out who took Guren, they could figure out where he had been taken. The only guess that Kureto had that made sense was a Progenitor. They would have the strength, stealth, and power against Guren to be able to blindside him and take him down quickly and quietly. There was only one person that Kureto knew that could take on a Progenitor alone and win.
His own father.
But his father no longer went onto the battlefield. No ever since the accident that took his arm. With his father getting sicker every single day with the Apocalypse Virus, it was only a matter of time.
Guren was strong, but not even Kureto could take on a Progenitor alone. Not without some form of back up to assist him. Kureto could be honest with himself about it. That was the difference among them. From their intel, there was no Progenitors in the area for miles, but it didn’t mean one couldn’t have gotten here and attacked. The vampires could just as easily have eyes on them as they did to the vampires. Even then, Guren would have put up a hell of a fight. Whoever attacked him had to be one incredibly strong adversary.
Unless...
It was an enemy that Guren had already faced before.
It clicked for Kureto in that moment as he stared down at the alleyway. Guren being blindsided to the point that he couldn’t even draw his weapon could entirely be plausible if he had already fought against whoever took him. That his abductor knew how Guren fought and strategized around it.
“Brother Kureto?” Shinya’s voice rang out from behind him. “What is it?”
“Goshi said that he felt familiarity through his bond with Guren.” Kureto stated as he turned to look at Shinya. “What if Guren knew who attacked him?”
“Possibly, but every vampire and demon Guren has ever faced is either dead or sealed away.” Shinya said before he exhaled sharply walking closer to Kureto as he looked over the edge himself. “Pack instincts are as unreliable as eyewitness testimonies are.” Shinya went on to say, “Besides, realistically, familiarity can mean more than one thing. Familiarity to our friends… to fighting… It could have been anything if that is what it was.”
“I know.” Kureto stated, “But it has to be something we can chance.”
“Instincts are unreliable in general.” Shinya replied, “They are irrational and unpredictable.” Kureto knew this. It was all things that they had been taught for years. “Besides, being able to feel what a packmate felt is generally unheard of, is it not? It’s all about scent. There is no known use of a bond being used to detect emotions of a packmate. Not unless in extreme cases if I’m not mistaken. Even then…”
“Yeah.” Kureto stated as he looked back down, “But we’ve all heard the stories.”
“More like fairy tales and urban legends.” Shinya added in. Shinya sighed next to him, the anger flashing on his face. “I want to find him. I will destroy everything in my path if I have too… But is this really helping?”
“Maybe.” Kureto replied, “If there isn’t any spots of blood on the top of these buildings…” His gaze lingered on the same spot he had been standing in before whenever he noticed the blood trail went cold. “Guren wasn’t taken up.”
“We all would have seen something.” Shinya stated, “All the soldiers saw nothing.”
“I just needed to confirm my theory for myself.” Kureto started up again as he moved to take the fire escape down back to the ground. Shinya did follow behind him. His footsteps echoing on the metal of the fire escape as they climbed down. “Maybe, there was no need to actually carry him away if…” Kureto jumped down once he got to the lowest level and stared down at the dried blood droplets on the ground. “There was something to transport him in.”
“You think a car was here?” Shinya questioned as he dropped down next to him and stood back up to his full height.
“It makes sense to why no one saw anything.” Kureto replied, “And why the blood trail stops cold.” The Lieutenant General looked around, shaking his head, “If he had been carried off, there should have been some evidence of that somewhere.”
“Bring Guren out the back so no one sees from the battlefield,” Shinya said, thinking out loud as he looked to the door before back to the blood trail, “Put him in a car or truck here. Probably the trunk so no one could see inside.” Shinya let out another sharp breath and shook his head, “But no one heard a vehicle or saw one leave the area.”
“We were approaching in our own.” Kureto stated, “They could have easily mistaken the noise for us.” Then Kureto pointed down the other side of the alley, “Drive out that way and it’s a clean getaway from the direction we were coming in. We had a complete view of the tops of the buildings on foot and in transports. That way was a blind spot.”
“Or they were moving too quickly for Guren’s blood to leave behind any evidence.” Shinya added in. That was also a possibility. What they did see was more like walking. It could be entirely possible that they weren’t finding any more signs because of how fast that vampires move. And Kureto hated it. “But one thing bugs me no matter what theory we come up with.” Kureto hummed as he turned his gaze back towards the Major General. Shinya looked around, shaking his head as he raised his arms. “Why Guren?”
“Commander of the mission.” Kureto stated, “At least, the face of it during the main portion of the fight.”
“That makes sense,” Shinya said, “And I’ve thought of that… But I don’t know. Something is bugging me about this. It’s too clean. Too meticulous. Like it was planned.” The Major General looked around the alleyway again. “Progenitors are flashy. They are smug and arrogant. They wouldn’t care about going straight into the fight and attacking someone there. Why take the time to separate Guren away from everyone and to take him here?” Then, Shinya’s gaze went back to him as a flash of understanding came. “But you have thought of it too.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to the why.” Kureto stated, “Only the who. Who would have the ability to take Guren down so effectively.”
“It doesn’t make sense and that’s what bothers me.” Shinya replied, “Going on the theory that Guren was captured off of the battlefield… Why go to great lengths to hide?”
“Keep us from identifying the who so we can’t find where Guren had been taken.” Kureto said back, “Which is exactly our issue.”
“Every single theory that we have makes it sound like Guren was targeted.” Shinya hissed out in annoyance as he kept looking around. “None of this makes sense for a Progenitor to do. We’ve faced off against plenty of them. We know enough about vampire nobles to know how they act.” The Major General motioned down to the blood stain on the ground and shook his head, “What Progenitor would take the time to wait for the perfect moment to strike the acting Commander, separate them away, and stash them away in a car?”
“The problem is that we don’t know.” Kureto shot back as he looked back up towards the roof. The alleyway was big enough for a car to fit into. It wasn’t that far out of the question. They had two probabilities of how he just ended up vanishing whenever it came to the blood he left behind, but it still truly didn’t give them answers. “Now the question is… Did he get attacked for being the Commander… Or was he targeted specifically?”
“Who would target Guren specifically?” Shinya questioned. “How would they even know he would be here if that was the case?”
“We have a war looming over our heads.” Kureto stated. “The vampires could be gathering intel on us just as much as we are to them. Guren is the leader of the Moon Demon Company. Taking out the leader of the Vampire Extermination Unit’s most elite unit? That can shift favor into the vampires’ hands.”
“Only insiders with the Japanese Imperial Demon Army would know that.” Shinya replied, “On the battlefield, Guren is Guren. The leader of his Squad. It’s not just publicly known that Guren runs the entire organization.”
“I know,” Kureto stated, “And that’s what bugs me. It’s only one theory that I have.” He hummed for a moment as he looked around the alleyway again. This felt targeted. It could simply be because Guren was the acting Commander. “Another thing that bugs me is that Mahiru-no-Yo was left behind.”
“Disarming him.” Shinya said back, “Taking away his method of defense and eliminating a threat.”
“Yeah,” Kureto agreed, “But wouldn’t the vampires want to get ahold of what humans have been using to kill them?” As the question left him, he looked back to Shinya. Whatever Shinya’s initial thought had been looked to be long gone now. “Whoever attacked him knew to get it away from him to gain the upper hand… Nothing about this makes sense. It’s an answer that could explain away everything, and yet… It’s illogical and without reason.”
“It depends on what route we decide to go down.” Kureto stated, “Do we believe he was targeted for himself or because he was leading the mission.”
“There are too many possibilities to know for sure.” Shinya replied. “But… There’s too much about this that points to it being a targeted abduction. Why go to these lengths for something that would apparently be on the fly?”
“That’s what’s wrong here.” Kureto stated as he looked back down the alley. “Who would do this? And how would they know that Guren was here?”
At the moment, this was all speculation and theory. They had no proof of any of this. It was so infuriating to just go through and make theories based off of the few things that they knew. It didn’t help them with much of anything. Especially if they couldn’t do a thing about it.
Kureto let out a sharp breath, murmuring, “It only makes sense if Guren knew who attacked him.” Kureto added in. “If someone knew his fighting style or knew how to interpret his next move… It’s the only thing that makes any probable sense.”
“It sounds like a stretch,” Shinya muttered, “But possible.”
There was still so much of this that didn’t make the slightest bit of rationality to him. There seemed to be no logic or reason that seemed to just fit into it. It was all just speculation. Guren didn’t just disappear without a trace. His sword and his blood was the proof that something was happening. It was the trace that they needed to know. The question could still have been there if Mahiru-no-Yo hadn’t been left behind. It felt all deliberate. The more that he kept thinking about it and trying to put some rational explanation to what happened here, there wasn’t anything that truly made sense. Even saying that Guren might have been familiar with whoever did this to him seemed so farfetched.
“Now… We just have to find him.” Shinya said, practically parroting the words that Kureto was thinking in that moment.
They had too.
Guren was out there, and they needed to find him.
Just… where did they begin?
Guren was so out of it. Everything throbbed and screamed at him. It felt entirely hard to move his body whenever he slowly started to open his eyes. His vision blurred in and out of focus as he could feel the movement of walking. Everything felt so numb around him. Guren could not feel his body. His mind was clouded over in a haze and completely exhausted.
Guren had no explanation to what he felt right now. The way that his body felt completely like led. In a state of shock that he couldn’t move in. Everything felt distant around him. Guren could feel every single tug of his skin of his new injuries that were there.
Guren was trying to stay awake, but his eyes kept closing on him. It felt like it had been hours of that relentless shock and pain. The taunting words and murmurs into his ears that seemed to fade away through a white noise. The Omega felt a softness back underneath his back as his head lulled to the side.
Everything around him felt so distant and far away. The fibers holding his mind together felt like they were swimming, and he was unable to grasp onto it. Guren could barely move his body. With the distance around him, Guren was just trying to keep grasping to the sense of reality that he still had right now. Guren was in this state of consciousness that nothing felt truly real.
Guren turned his head, looking up towards the man who loomed over him. The eerie smile was fixated on him. The Omega could see the fangs peeking out that made a shiver go down his spine. His eyes started to grow heavier as hands landed on his thighs and started to spread his legs apart. Slowly, his eyes completely closed, and his head lulled back to the side.
Guren grimaced as he felt the wave of pain that started to surge through his body. The Omega let out a shaky breath, unable to do anything from the way that his body refused to move. To do anything. His head was still pounding, throbbing harshly against his skull, and his stomach was doing turns.
Only one thing went through his mind in that moment.
Just hang on… Don’t give up.
He couldn’t give up.
No matter what happened to him, he was not going to let Saito break him.
Chapter 6: Of A World You Made
Summary:
Guren's torment at the hands of Saito continues as he tries to figure out exactly what Saito has planned for him. Meanwhile, Kureto continues trying to work to pinpoint what happened to Guren and to bring him home.
Notes:
Hey everyone and welcome back to Crimson Skies! So, sorry for taking so long to update. I had all this stuff ready and then I pulled a dumbass move and ended up fracturing my arm like an idiot. I'm fine. I just very much feel like an idiot because that was a very dumb way to get hurt 🤣😂💀💀 I'm updating from my phone which gave me problems in its own between needing to get into the cloud and the fact I was logged into my main rather than this one and didn't remember my passwords 💀 Guys, I am a space cadet. Don't mind me. Every time I've tried using my laptop recently for more than just chatting on Discord, I have made the entire thing go haywire. I have still been trying to work by doing it one handed, so we shall see how it goes from here. I'm stuck in a sling for six weeks, and I don't want you guys to have to wait for that long for chapters I already have written. I'm handing my laptop over to a trusted friend so she can do the updates for me because this stuff is so much easier on a laptop than a phone 😂 If anything, I have drafts of things I have been working on for a while waiting to post, and I could start posting those while I'm recovering and hopefully not tripping over thin air like I always tend to do and hurting myself again. If I missed a formatting thing, I'll fix it later or have my friend do it for me. It's hard to tell on a phone. Anyway, sorry for the long wait, and I will see you guys next time. On with the fic!
Chapter Text
Guren didn’t know how many days that he had been here. Everything was starting to become this giant blur of a haze that he couldn’t quite make out anymore. His body was littered in different markings. Cuts, bruises, lacerations. It was endless. It was hard to see where his skin was compared to the discoloration that seemed to be painted all over his body. Saito had assaulted him again. Repeatedly. Guren had already started to lose count of how many times that he did so. His skin was covered in a mixture of blood, grime, and fluids. Coating the inner parts of his thighs with this permanent reminder of what Saito had done. Everything that he thought was impossible was slowly starting to tell him was possible. A reminder that he was powerless to stop what Saito was doing.
It was as if his brain had completely shut down. Trying desperately to shield him away from what he was facing. A deliberate dissociation whenever his hands would be strapped down. Or he would feel a knife against his skin and within seconds, a tongue lapping up the blood that spilled from the wound. Saito had been using magically induced healing on him. It was as if he was purposefully tending to the injuries just so he could inflict more. Guren was also pretty sure more of his bones had been broken. Specifically his arms, ribs, and within his legs. Any time that he attempted to fight back, Saito would take whatever the closest limb was into his hand and put it into a crushing grip.
Guren would not let this break him. He refused to do so. He would not break. Guren was being patient. Listening to every single taunting, amused word that left Saito. Gathering as much as he could to try and put the pieces together.
What he was created for.
Fulfill whatever that meant.
Turn against the Hiragi.
Embrace his power and his name.
Suffering and enlightenment.
Salvation.
They were all small pieces to a puzzle that had been placed out before him but purposefully had missing ones so he couldn’t put it together. None of it made sense. Not completely. Saito seemed to be throwing everything at him. Physical torture. Sexual torture. Mental torture. Using illusions to try and trick his mind. It was endless so far. The only time something didn’t seem to happen was if he was asleep or Saito was forcing him to eat. Though, the food was scarce and limited. Just enough that Guren wouldn’t starve but very little to give him the fuel that his body needed. Water was the same way. He would have to endure one of these little torture sessions to even hope to be given some.
Saito had been injecting him with that unknown substance regularly. Each time, it ended the same. It felt as if his body was on fire. Each time that Saito pinned him down and assaulted him, a needle would be jammed into his stomach. Everything in him kept telling him to fight back, to keep resisting, but there was another part that was telling him to comply. To not fight back. Survival could depend on whatever action that he took. Saito was the biggest wild card that Guren had ever seen. So unpredictable to a point that it was hard to decipher what his next move might truly be, and it could be multiple. Saito thought of everything.
Saito was not afraid of hurting him. He didn’t even seem to care if Guren might end up on the brink of death. Though, he seemed to only pull back if it might actually kill him. So, clearly, Saito wanted him alive but was taking every measure possible to try and break him down. The taste of blood just seemed to be a permanent fixture on his tastebuds now. The only time that he wasn’t cuffed down was whenever Saito was transporting him somewhere. Saito did seem to truly believe that Guren wouldn’t take off on him, yet, he always took precautionary measures to make sure it didn’t happen.
Guren barely wore the clothes that were given to him. The remnants of his still laid somewhere within the home. He hadn’t seen even a thread of his clothing since they were cut off or ripped away from his body. The only time that he appeared to be allowed to wear clothing was if he was given a meal. From what Guren would guess, it was only once a day. But everything was so blurred together that he didn’t even know how many that had been.
Currently, Guren’s face was pinned down into the mattress as Saito’s hips snapped against his. Guren kept telling himself to just detach from his body. Just let his mind venture of and he was anywhere but here. That he wasn’t being violated in one of the worst possible ways. In those moments, all he could hear was his heartbeat or his breathing. Labored and forced as he tried to cling to any remnants of his sanity. He lost if Saito managed to make the cracks in the foundation break away completely.
Just… hold on.
If Guren could survive his entire life, he could survive this too.
In that moment, all Guren could do was allow his eyes to shut as he let his mind drift off. Don’t think. Don’t feel. Just let himself go into the depths of his mind. Just thinking about them seemed to be the only thing holding him together. Keeping him from falling right over that edge. Guren needed to get back to them. What was he even fighting for if he couldn’t do that?
Guren gasped, letting out a sharp breath as he felt the very familiar fluids spill into his body. His body trembled as the disgusted feeling overtook him. The Omega just wanted to scrub his skin. Scrub it clean until he couldn’t feel Saito’s hands on him or feel him on him. He remained laying there as Saito pulled away from him and he could hear the Alpha redoing his belt. Guren slowly pushed himself up, revolt coiling in him more as he felt the fluids seeping out of him and painting onto his inner thighs. The Omega grabbed the blanket, pulling it up to cover himself as he stared down blankly at the bedding. Nothing beat the first time, but it still felt like a part of him was being taken away each time.
Saito sighed, having a pleased look on his face as he readjusted his clothing and leaned back against the table that was across the room. The Second Progenitor tilted his head in interest as he mused, “You certainly are something special, aren’t you, Guren?” Saito placed his hands on either side of his hips as he leaned back on the table. Guren stayed quiet as he eyed Saito through his bangs. “And, yet, you give your life to people who couldn’t care less about you.”
“You have no idea what you are talking about.” Guren said quickly. “You don’t know them.”
Saito hummed, reaching over and opening up a small box. Guren’s heart skipped a beat as he saw the chain with his ring on the end of it. “Why is it that he gave you this on a chain? Instead of putting it on your hand?” Saito knew the answer to that. Especially if he had looked into his memories. He knew exactly why Kureto had done it. “He keeps you a secret.” Saito chuckled swinging the chain as if the ring was a pendulum swinging back and forth. Taunting and playing with it as he kept his eyes on Guren. “You’re the forbidden fruit to him. Something he can’t have but takes away just because he can.”
“Stop it.” Guren snapped, “Just shut up.”
“His little promise to you is something that he would never be able to keep.” Saito mused, “Do you really think anyone would truly accept you?” Guren gritted his teeth as he looked away. He sucked in a breath as Saito crossed the room, coming up next to him as he leaned in close. Guren could feel his fingers ghosting over his cheek as he tucked some of Guren’s hair behind his ear. “What do you think he would think of you now?” Guren lifted his gaze once more as Saito practically held the ring up as if trying to beckon Guren into grabbing it. “If he knew… Do you think he would still want you?”
“Shut up!” Guren screamed, throwing out a fist towards Saito’s face but it was caught. The Omega stilled, staring down at his closed fist before looking back to Saito. The Second Progenitor hadn’t done anything yet. Just holding his fist in a grip to not let him move his arm but threatening to squeeze it.
“He’s just going to break your heart in the end.” Saito went on to say, looking over his face. “He’s going to leave you shattered.”
“You don’t know him.” Guren said quickly. “Say what you want, but I know what kind of man that he is.”
“Whenever you are no longer a use for him… He is going to get rid of you.” Saito mused, smirking a bit as his fingers curled around Guren’s fist. “I have carefully crafted your future for you. All you have to do is walk down it.”
“That is never going to happen.” Guren hissed.
“For generations,” Saito murmured as he reached up with his free hand and touched at Guren’s face. The Omega kept himself still. Telling himself not to move. Not to pull away. One thing that he knew about Saito was if he was monologuing, he wasn’t hurting him. “The Hiragi have abused and humiliated the Ichinose. You have suffered for so long.”
“Because of you.” Guren shot back. “If you had just left us alone, none of this ever would have happened.”
“That never would have changed the cruelty that comes with the Order of the Imperial Demons.” Saito said quickly, shaking his head, “They look down on everyone. Even your precious Kureto doesn’t see you as an equal. He just sees you as a loyal servant. Even if he tricked you into his bed.”
“He didn’t trick me.” Guren snapped.
“He’s going to end up killing you.” Saito drawled. “But it doesn’t have to end that way.”
“He wouldn’t.” The Omega said back in a soft voice, shaking his head as he turned his gaze away.
“If the Hiragi family knew,” Saito continued with a click of his tongue, “They would execute you.” Guren looked back to Saito again. “Execute you for showing such weakness… Execute you for being too strong… Execute you for being something that they can’t control.”
“They can try.” Guren shot back as he tilted his head, “But they won’t.”
“You sound sure of that.” Saito replied. He wasn’t. But it hadn’t happened so far. The end of the world had changed quite a few things. If the world hadn’t, it might be entirely different. “You were set up in a world to fail, and somehow, you have thrived.”
“I pulled myself all the way there.” Guren said quickly, “I did that.” His chest tightened as he curled his fingers. “Blood, sweat, and tears… That was all me.”
“And you’ve done beautifully.” Saito murmured, “But what if I told you that you could be even greater. Something that even the Hiragi would fear to go against.”
“I’m not becoming like you.” Guren said quickly.
“Oh Heaven’s no!” Saito exclaimed, pulling back from him quickly with a smile and a laugh. “I could turn you if I wanted too. You would be so much superior to them.” Saito chuckled for a second as he held out a hand and Guren looked at the ring that was dangling above it. “Something human… But something that they can’t stop.” Saito released the chain and gave another soft laugh. “You have been underestimated time and time again. Your dream is to overthrow the Hiragi family and break the hierarchy that they have set into place. That is quite the death wish.”
Guren curled his fingers into the blanket harder as he gritted his teeth, “Quit.”
“In my very long lifetime…” Saito continued on as he turned his back to Guren and started over to the windows where nightfall was bleeding through the blinds. Saito’s gaze remained locked outside as he continued to speak. “I have had many dreams and convictions. I have set out to do many things, but I believe this will be the hardest task yet.”
“And what exactly is that task?” Guren questioned.
Saito hummed, looking back to him, “Oh, you don’t need to know that.” Saito replied, cocking his head with a smile, “We just have some things to do first.” Saito looked away again, shaking his head, “Nothing is more terrifying that an Omega who can’t control themselves… Something so… instinct driven. Rationality gone within the blink of an eye.”
“Instinct driven?” Guren whispered. He knew that Saito could hear even, no matter how softly he spoke. For a moment, he was confused, and then he thought of the story that Saito had told whenever he was first here rather that was the first or second day. The origin.
“The old ways are long gone.” Saito replied, “But I was alive whenever Alphas would wage war against each other in a battle of dominance… Betas following their lead… But Omegas… They were the valuable tool that was in their arsenal.” Saito chuckled again, “An Alpha could be calmed by an Omega… But who could calm an Omega who was lost in their instincts? Battling against an unseeable force?”
“What are you going on about?” Guren growled.
“Bonds, packs, mating, instincts,” Saito continued, ignoring what he said, “They are all a vital part of what makes a pack… What makes a person and their place in this world.” Saito’s smile got bigger and even more unnerving as he did so. “Omegas… Getting lost in their instincts was practically a death sentence for others. Something that was so uncontrollable. Omegas were certainly something else. A force to be reckoned with that could leave a trial of violence in their wake as they fought to protect their packs, their kin, their mates. Nothing could stop an Omega. Not truly.”
“That’s history now.” Guren stated, “It’s not possible.”
“Anything is possible,” Saito replied, “Especially if you know where to look or how to trigger it.” The Second Progenitor turned to look at him, smiling a bit more, “You’ve lost yourself to instincts before. You know what it feels like.” He did. That was no lie. It had happened more than once actually, and it revolved around his father and his friends. Those gruesome images came to mind as he had to force it back and not think about it. “What if I told you that it was possible for that to be stronger?”
“That’s a dangerous game.” Guren murmured, “I’ve heard people have gone insane because of it.”
“Because it’s no longer taught how to control it.” Saito replied, “Humans became so scared and timid of the true extent of what someone’s instincts can do and afraid of even more wars and bloodshed that they stopped teaching it all together.” The Second Progenitor looked so… entertained. “Most people are taught not to even fall into that side of themselves. To never let loose. Now, usually those are rages or frenzies that someone can come back from. Just a high surge of uncontrollable emotions that temporarily taps into that state.” Saito leaned back, smiling a bit more, “Instincts go beyond your comprehension. The way that packmates can feel the bonds and emotions of those they are bonded too… Being able to use those same senses through a bond to be able to track down a packmate or a loved one… Protective states in dire situations where someone can be the greatest weapon with just their bare hands. Humans never lost that. It’s locked away in years of burying it away and acting as if it does not exist.” Saito laughed holding up his hands, “One could even sharpened their senses. Sight… Hearing… Smell… All of it. Only, the world is afraid of those dark times returning. Times of catastrophe in pack wars.”
“Bonds.” Guren murmured, “Is that your game?”
“Bonds are certainly something else.” Saito replied, “Blood bonds are the strongest. A natural bond that is formed between parent and child and extends as the bloodline continues. Mating bonds that tie two people together. Where instincts prevail. Imprints being an unbreakable vow between two souls… The perfect soulmate. Pack bonds of family and friends. How a family doesn’t always have to be blood to be seen as one. The bonds that people hold… can be the greatest strength and the greatest weakness.”
“So, I’m getting another history lesson.” Guren mumbled as he shifted.
“Everything is calculated.” Saito said back, “Every single fiber within this world is all tied together.” Saito started to approach him again as his smile got bigger and a more fanatical look came onto his face. “And nothing in this world is more terrifying than an Omega who has lost control.” Guren’s heart skipped a beat as Saito suddenly loomed over him, crawling over him as Guren leaned back and started to move backwards to get away from him. The Second Progenitor reached out, grabbing his face as he smiled, “They will never find you. Not until I allow it. Until I think you’re ready.”
“Ready for what?” Guren questioned.
Saito shushed him softly, his gaze lingering over his face. “You will know soon enough. Until then, I will break you in every possible way until nothing is left.” Guren had been shoved back down onto the bed as the blanket was ripped away from him and his head was pulled back, forcing him to crane his neck and reveal it to his captor. “Only once you are broken… You will become something that no one can stop.”
Guren was not going to let that happen.
He refused to break.
No matter what.
Saito would not break him, and Guren would make it out of this alive.
Even though they had returned back to the site of the previous mission, it still left many unanswered questions. Kureto had kept walking back through everything. From the testimonies of those who had been on the battlefield, what he had seen visually himself, the bit of pushing towards the bond of Guren’s packmates. The more that Kureto looked at everything, the more it truly looked so deliberate, and he was starting to put a lot of thought into what Goshi had said. Familiarity. That was a strange thing to say in this world. Was it a Progenitor who set out to get revenge on Guren? Was it a set up against the Japanese Imperial Demon Army? One thing that he was absolutely certain of was that this was an abduction. Guren had been captured on the battlefield. Kureto would not believe for a second that Guren would take off on his own without his Cursed Gear. It was practically a lifeline in this world, and the way that his belt was left only told him that someone else had done it.
They were still left with them with absolutely… nothing.
Nothing to track down Guren.
Nothing to indicate who took him.
Absolutely fucking nothing.
And it was infuriating.
Still, he had practically vanished without a trace. They barely had a trace of him. The blood had came back and it was confirmed to be Guren’s. Just like Kureto thought it would. He didn’t have a single doubt that it would be his. Still, even with this newfound evidence of Guren’s disappearance, it still didn’t tell them anything. They were still left to put together the pieces of what happened.
Guren’s blood and his sword.
The only things to tell them of what might have happened, and it gave very little to what they could possibly use in the slightest. All of it was pure speculation. They had nothing to prove any theories aside from how it might have happened. It was a barely a trace of him and only proved that he had been there. It could have been planted there as a method to make them question everything. It was just enough proof that he needed for no one to question him on rescue efforts. Putting the resources into tracking down Guren’s location and abductor. No one could question if he just took off. Anyone with common sense would understand it. Everything that Guren could defend himself with was with them with maybe the exception of spell tags but that only went so far. It left only Guren’s physical strength and stamina and his wits. Guren was incredibly smart. Kureto knew that he would do everything that he could to stay alive. That he would be waiting for them if he couldn’t escape.
And that was exactly what Kureto was doing. He was organizing every single effort possible. Using scouting teams to help continuously track down the known Progenitors and their locations. The Moon Demon Company were constantly heading out and fighting against different vampire covens and dens in hopes that Guren might be among the hostages who were being held by the vampires there. So far, there was no luck in finding anything. Kureto went out himself. Trying to find answers and looking for those who held more power. Guren’s friends were often with him. Following behind him with Shinya. If he went with what he had learned from Goshi and the others, Guren had to have known his attacker. It was entirely possible over the years that Guren had came in contact with multiple Progenitors how had gotten away without being killed who might have gone back with a vengeance.
Even with all of that, Kureto’s mind kept going right back to what Guren’s friends had said. Using someone’s instincts were not common. They were unreliable because not everyone understood exactly what they were feeling or how having a pack bond with someone could truly effect another person. Kureto held no pack bond to anyone. He didn’t know what it felt like. But he knew that if anyone would, it would be the people among the Japanese Imperial Demon Army who truly held a pack bond. They displayed all the notable signs as an instinctually established pack. Going all the way from behaviors to small subtle changes. With that being known, Kureto knew that the familiarity that Goshi spoke of could have just been among the pack. Among the battlefield and the familiar feeling of fighting and being in a life and death situation. Guren had been in plenty of those. But Kureto was not going to take anything off of the table right now.
Word was starting to spread. The hushed whispers that would follow Guren’s friends or anyone associated with him. The looks that would be cast in their direction. Those who Guren had influenced were showing stages of disbelief and grief over the Lieutenant Colonel’s disappearance. While there were some that questioned whether Guren had actually been captured or not. If he had just taken off on his own. Kureto had even heard some murmur about how they wished they could do the same thing whenever they thought no one could hear them. Guren’s absence was quickly starting to show its effects. People are started to grow more weary. Quieter. The Moon Demon Company soldiers had changed. Either completely hellbent on trying to locate their Commander or utterly devastated at his disappearance.
Kureto felt like he could barely sleep. That he only did so whenever he had reached the point of exhaustion that he could no longer even keep his eyes open and then awaken a few hours later feeling just as exhausted as before. Nothing felt the same anymore. His bed felt too cold. Too empty. Whenever he was so tired, he kept thinking that Guren was going to come through that door. Asking him why he hadn’t slept yet or saying that he needed to get some sleep. Then, they would spend hours not sleeping as they spent that time together. Rather it was by talking, just laying there, or other activities. It was starting to take its toll. He was seeing Guren in everything. Which only sparked that need to find him even more.
He had tried everything that he could possibly think of. Using pack bonds and dynamics. Utilizing intel that they had gathered on the vampires. Even spellcraft to use a tracking spell in hopes of narrowing everything. He’s even tried using Raimeiki’s abilities. So far… Absolutely fucking nothing. It felt like he was quickly starting to run out of options. Kureto was determined to do this even if he did exhaust every single resource that he had to do so. There had to be something that he was missing.
This place wasn’t the same without him.
Kureto couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe. But he had to keep moving. That is what he was supposed to do. What kind of man would he be if he just gave up? That was never going to be an option. He would not stop until he found him. Impending war or not.
But with the impending possibilities of war looming over their heads, it was directly cutting down what resources that they had. He still had to think of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. He was the Lieutenant General. If he was going to lead these people one day officially as the Head of the Hiragi family and in turn the General, he had to show that no matter what, he could be counted on. That also meant that that Guren was still counting on him. Counting on him to find him and bring him home.
Rescue operations weren’t just merely taking forces outside of the walls. It was careful planning. It was making sure that they had all the right information so they would be able to act accordingly and make sure people got home alive. Kureto wished it was as simple as being able to launch a mission and find him. Not with so many uncertain variables that they were still just trying to sort out. It would be different if they had Guren’s exact location or even who it was behind it.
Currently, they were in an intel meeting. Kureto was listening to everything regarding the vampires. Any piece of information might help. Most of what they were talking about were successfully taken down and the hostages who had been freed. It wasn’t going to be that simple. Kureto was more interested in the Progenitors. That felt like the right route to go.
The Alpha’s gaze turned the room as one of the other members of the Top Brass spoke. His gaze landed on the lone empty chair. The anger flared into him as he stared at it. Guren’s empty seat. He should be sitting there right now. Napping away the entire meeting before waking up to say just give him all of the reports and he would read over them. Now, it was just sitting there completely empty. It made more frustration hit him. They kept hitting dead ends.
Surprisingly, Tenri had been completely silent about the entire thing. He was aware of the situation, but he hadn’t said a single thing. Kureto didn’t know what his game plan was here. Why he was being so quiet. Why he didn’t even utter a single word or insult about the situation. Just pure silence. Right now, Kureto didn’t want to hear whatever degrading thing that Tenri might be thinking of. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Tenri occasionally looking over to Guren’s empty seat with an unreadable expression in his eyes. Kureto just ignored it.
Kureto finally turned his gaze away as he flipped the papers of the reports on the table. It was nothing that would be helpful in locating Guren, but it was all helpful in being prepared for a war. They were going to have to start planning. Especially if the vampires decided to wage war against them. The Moon Demon Company were going to be vital in this, but there was a big problem. They listened to Guren, and not a lot of people among them were truly on the side of the Hiragi family. There was a reason they listened to Guren and Guren alone. However, voicing that could put the Moon Demon Company in jeopardy whenever they were needed most. It also brought the issue of making sure that they knew that Guren would want them to continue on. Want them to complete what they have been fighting for while also working to bring home their Commander. Guren always had the goal in mind with no matter of the cost. And that is what Kureto had to do now.
It felt like a piece of him was missing. A void that had been created that he could not fill. It was just supposed to be a simple mission. Something practically routine at this point. Now, Kureto couldn’t even think of going into his home without expecting Guren to be coming through the door or wishing that he was just there. Guren was the one thing that Kureto felt like he could be selfish about. Where it wasn’t about the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. It wasn’t about the Hiragi family. It wasn’t the Order of the Imperial Demons. Sure, their initial connection to each other was just that. Bringing in Guren as his righthand man. It had completely changed. Guren had come into his life in ways that he never could have foreseen, and now that it seemed out of reach, Kureto was ready to destroy everything in his path to get it back.
“There does seem to be more troubling movement from the vampires located in the Kansai region,” One of them went on to say. “But nothing so far to suggest that they are going to move here towards the Kanto region.”
“The Progenitors and other vampire nobles might not even attempt to come out of hiding,” Another started, “There have been no movements to indicate that the Progenitors have started to do anything.”
“They’re all in the underground vampire capital.” Shinya replied with a shake of his head, “Sanguinem is the most guarded location for the vampires who reside in Japan. It’s where their top nobles would be.”
“And we have no known locations of any of the others who don’t reside there.” Another quickly added. “They could be anywhere.”
“The higher the rank, the more likely they would be at the capital.” Kureto stated as he flipped another page. “We know that a Third Progenitor is their reigning Commander while the rest of them lead their own factions. It’s a hierarchy among them.” Just like it was here. It was the same thing there. The higher the ranking, the more notable that they were even among the rest of them. “Pinpointing their locations isn’t easy. They are overly confident in their abilities that they don’t tend to just move around, but they are still heavily guarded by regular vampires.”
“That doesn’t give us anything on their probabilities of declaring war.” Tenri stated. “How are you certain that they are ready to take such a step?”
“Due to the movements in the Kansai region.” Another member of the Top Brass quickly said. “According to scouting teams, they are moving a lot of vampiric weaponry and more of those bloodsuckers towards their main settlements.”
“They are also entrapping more humans.” A second added in, “They are getting closer to the Kanto region and even closer to Shibuya and Tokyo while they do so. Their settlements in the Kanto region are much smaller, but they are gaining numbers even closer to our settlements.”
“They are starting to pop up even more uncomfortably close to Shibuya.” A third stated. “They are starting to pick off members of the Patrol and Scouting Teams.”
Across the room and at the table right across from where Kureto was sitting, Seishirou had scoffed. Quickly, eyes had started to move to him as Kureto straightened his back. “Is that funny to you, brother Seishirou?” Kureto questioned, “That our soldiers are being killed by vampires?”
Seishirou had a smirk on his face as he leaned back in his seat, fixating his darker amber gaze on Kureto. “And apparently the Ichinose scum was among them.” Then, Seishirou scoffed as amusement came to his face. “Maybe, he was picked off too.”
Kureto clenched his jaw as he sharpened his gaze, “Are you suggesting that Guren was picked off by a measly weak bloodsucker?” Kureto growled, “That he had fallen so easily?”
Seishirou let out a sharp breath, looking as smug as ever as he tilted his head. “He’s a weak link.” Seishirou stated, “He went missing on the simplest mission possible for the Vampire Extermination Unit.”
“Says the guy who won’t step foot outside of the charmed walls of Shibuya.” Kureto shot back as he watched Seishirou’s gaze narrow. “And we both damn well know that Guren wouldn’t go down to a simple common vampire.”
“We are wasting valuable resources on a wild goose chase in trying to chase theories.” Seishirou snapped as he slammed his hand down. “We have a threat of war against the Hiragi family, and you’re more interested in chasing after an Omega bitch who means absolutely nothing.” Then, Seishirou smirked, “Maybe the vampires wanted a piece of him too. At least for them, his blood might be worth something.”
Kureto growled softly and he watched Seishirou’s entire demeanor switch. The way that he was suddenly leaning back in his chair, scooting back to attempt to make distance as his eyes widened and he started to falter. Kureto slowly started to stand up as he felt a hand land onto his forearm, but he ignored it. “Don’t speak about him like that.” Kureto growled as he curled his fingers. “Guren Ichinose has done more for this Army for the Hiragi family than you have.” All the anger was flaring within him as he shook his head. “That Omega bitch will fight tooth and nail even for someone like you.” The more that he spoke, the more that Guren’s face came to mind. “Guren would want us to keep focusing on the war against the vampires. That was the entire reason he was even out there in the first place. While you sit here on your ass like a coward.”
“Enough!” Tenri’s voice suddenly bellowed and Kureto’s gaze moved towards him. Tenri stood up, looking between the two of them. “There will be no more of this. You understand me?”
“Father?!” Seishirou exclaimed, “But—”
“Nothing more.” Tenri snapped. “You are all dismissed.” Tenri’s gaze then moved to Kureto as he said, “You stay behind.”
One by one, the others had started to pack up their items to leave was Kureto kept standing there. He had returned his gaze to Seishirou who had practically fled the second he realized that Kureto was glaring at him again. Kureto clenched his jaw as the others had finally made their departure, and it had left him completely alone in the room with his father. He hadn’t meant for his outburst. It just sort of happened. It was hard to think straight. Kureto’s gaze moved back to Guren’s seat as that feeling hit him again and he let out a sharp breath as he looked away.
Tenri had started to move around the room. His cane hit the floor, and the sound echoed through the room as it tapped against the surface. Kureto watched him. Tracking each one of his movements as he walked. Tenri came to a stop right at Guren’s seat. The Lieutenant General curled his fingers against the surface of the table as Tenri stared down at it then tapped the edge of his cane against it.
“There has always been one thing that you’ve always had difficulty with, Kureto,” Tenri mused as he looked back up, “It was your anger.”
“I apologize for my outburst, Father.” Kureto stated, “But I meant every word.”
“I know you did.” The General replied as he turned completely to face him. “And to be an effective leader and Head of this family one day…” Kureto had to fight the spike of anger that wanted to hit him again. “You will never be the leader that you think you will be.”
“Father,” Kureto started as he straightened his back and brought his arms to his sides. “Brother Seishirou was looking to pick a fight rather than actually focusing on the meeting.” And Kureto had fallen for the bait. Knowing Seishirou, it was just him making comments like he always did, but this was definitely different. It hit more close to home now more than ever. “One of our best soldiers was taken.”
“You have no true proof of that.” Tenri said back with a slight shake of his head.
“Guren would not have left Mahiru-no-Yo behind willingly.” Kureto interjected, “And he especially wouldn’t have left his friends behind or the Japanese Imperial Demon Army.”
“You sound certain of that.” Tenri stated.
“I know so.” Kureto immediately shot back. “He wouldn’t.”
“He is an Ichinose.” Tenri mused as he tapped his cane against Guren’s chair. “It’s no secret of the distain that he shows and feels about the Hiragi family. Even after all these years, he can’t hide it.” Tenri finally looked back over to him, giving him a calculated look through his one eye. “He could have seized an opportunity to leave. Guren has shown that he is rather smart in the past. He knows how to manipulate a situation.”
“Are you trying to get me to think of the possibility that he might have just left on his own?” Kureto questioned, “Shouldn’t you be angry?” He decided to go with as he tilted his head. “If he ran away, that is in direct defiance of the Hiragi family. He wouldn’t dare do so whenever there are still members of the Order of the Imperial Moon who reside here in Shibuya.”
Tenri chuckled, “I’ve always despised that defiant attitude of his.” The General retorted, “But even I know he would be a fool to do so.” Kureto paused for a moment. Did that actually sound like Tenri was agreeing to the idea that Guren had been abducted rather than just running away? “The problem is that no one saw a thing. No one to prove or disprove that theory.”
“He was taken.” Kureto replied, “That I know.” Guren was supposed to come back with him that night. They had plans. He would have noticed if something was wrong. Guren would have agreed to… marry him if he was wanting to leave. He would have made a joke about it and brushed it off rather than accepting it. “I’m not taking resources away from focusing on an impending war. The more information that we gather on the vampires works in our favor for a war. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”
Tenri was just watching him. Not saying a single word as he started to walk around the room again. Kureto kept watching every single move that he made. The General grabbed for a book that had been sitting by him on his head table as he turned back towards Kureto. “You are no good to anyone as a leader if you get lost in your anger… Within your instincts.” Tenri stated, “I’ve trained you better than that.” Kureto remained silent as Tenri approached him. “It makes you lose focus. You’re no good to anyone and especially not him if you don’t stay focused on your task at hand.” That statement had caught Kureto by surprise. Not necessarily from what he was saying, but how he had said it and the specific words that he had used. The General eyed him as he placed the book down right in front of where Kureto was as the Lieutenant General’s gaze settled onto it. It was a spellcraft book. Specifically, this one came from Tenri’s personal library. Kureto had only seen it on a handful of occasions. “This book contains the most powerful Hiragi magic literature that has been passed down for generations.” Tenri tapped his fingers on the book as he continued, “The spells written in this book are stronger than any of the ones at your disposal, but they can come at a cost.”
“A cost?” Kureto questioned.
Tenri ignored his question as he opened up the book, flipping almost to the middle before flipping a few pages and stopping at one. It was another tracking spell. They were all written within the Ancient Language as Kureto’s gaze scanned over it. “The amount of power that one must possess to use these…” Tenri drawled as he tapped his fingers on the page. “The spells contained within this book have been entrusted to each Head of the Hiragi family since its creation.”
“A tracking spell.” Kureto decided to say. He was confused, and he felt rightfully so. Why was Tenri doing this? Kureto eyed his father again as the General kept staring at him. “I’ve tried that.”
“This one is much more powerful, and it can track even greater than any common tracking spell.” Tenri stated. “If he’s alive, even if he’s dead… This spell can find him.”
“Why are you doing this?” Kureto questioned.
Tenri didn’t answer him, instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial. Kureto’s attention immediately went to it as he saw the red substance that was inside of it. Tenri held it out to him without saying a word as he took it. The Lieutenant General looked it over as he realized it was blood. This specific vial would have came from their lab. On the label was written:
ICHINOSE GUREN
OMEGA, MALE
BLOOD TYPE O
“You mentioned a cost.” Kureto stated as he kept staring at the vial. This was Guren’s blood. For just a moment, his mind jumped back to the blood that he had found before. The blood splatter and droplets that led away. The one thing that proved without a shadow of a doubt that Guren had truly been there. That his sword wasn’t just planted there even though they all knew that was proof in itself. His fingers tightened around it as he gritted his teeth.
“These spells can kill you.” Tenri replied, “Which is why only those who have the power can use them.” Tenri then tilted his head as a bit of a calculated look fixated on him. “Now the question is, is he worth your life?”
Kureto looked back down at the book. This could be something that he could use. The cost could be great if what his father said was true. It still left him the question on why Tenri would even give this to him. Why he would allow Kureto to risk it all for Guren? Why he would give something to help? It seemed out of the realm of possibility whenever it came to his father. This man always had an ulterior motive, but Kureto might just have to fall into that trap.
Kureto didn’t say a word as he stared his father down as he reached out and closed the book before picking it up. Without saying a single thing, Kureto turned and started out of the room.
Saito had taken him back to that room, standing there as he ordered Guren to pull off his clothing. Phase one as Saito called it. He still didn’t quite understand what Saito had meant by it. He clearly had a plan. Guren kept thinking of what he meant by instinct driven. Guren had been lost in instincts plenty of times, but he had always managed to pull himself out of it. His best way to explain what it was like was being lost in emotions. Overwhelming pain and anger. Heartbreak. Then, there were the instincts and urges that came with his secondary gender in his heats or nesting. Heats were the worst. Though, Guren could still handle himself and keep a sense of clarity. Instincts were seen as irrationality. Most people didn’t even believe that instincts could connect with bonds. That bonds could connect with other people in a more intimate way. Guren knew there was some merit to it. He knew what it felt like to feel the emotions of his friends, but it always tended to be scent based. Just a feeling that would wash over someone whenever that scent hit their nose.
So far, every time that Guren was brought to this room, Saito had used a different method. It was as if Saito was purposefully finding different ways just to physically harm him and maximize the pain. He was relentless with it. Guren was barely getting any sleep. At most, he would guess that it was just quick naps before Saito would be waking him up again to start all over. He was so… tired. Guren was certain that it wasn’t just Saito’s doing for the lack of sleep. Guren’s instincts knew he wasn’t safe and that there was a threat looming over him, so it would keep him awake and on alert at all times. Ready to wake him up on a whim with the need to fight. It was getting worse the more that it happened. The extreme need to lash out the second that he started to gain back some consciousness. Guren knew that he was quickly starting to become deprived of sleep. Even if he was being forced to stay awake.
The injections that he was being given were a constant. Just about every single that he was awake. It always felt as if he was burning alive for minutes on end before it would calm down. Guren kept trying to figure out what they were for. Saito was not giving any information to what they were, and just going from his own knowledge, he didn’t recognize the symptoms at all. He probably would never be able to figure it out. Either way, Saito did it without fail.
Very light cuts were being drug across his skin. He could feel his blood slipping over his skin. Every time that the blade slipped across his skin, it brought a new sensation of pain. It was burning as his skin as cut open as if it was just simple paper being cut by scissors. There was no pattern to it. Simply, just moving across his skin as Saito looked down at him as if he was surgeon carefully working on a surgery and Guren was his patient. Guren was on his back, so he could see everything.
The tip of the blade would trace his skin, threatening to push down harder to once again slice his skin. He had cuts on his arms, his chest and his thighs specifically currently. They were small and superficial. Nothing that couldn’t just be bandaged and heal on its own without the help of sutures to keep the wound closed. It was meant strictly to cause him pain. Guren had already lost count of them. The straps were biting into his wrists from where they were pinned by his legs. Saito was tracing the knife over his arm, humming and smiling away as he let the threat of digging the blade in loom over him. Guren sucked in a breath as the blade sliced the skin of the top of his forearm. Saito lifted up the blade, giving him a gleeful look as he chuckled, “You take pain quite well.”
Guren’s gaze stayed on the wound, watching as his blood slipped over his skin. Saito’s thumb traced over it, picking up the blood that had gathered on his skin before lifting it up and licking the substance clean off. “If you just want to drink my blood,” Guren said as he tilted his head and revealed his neck, “There are faster ways to get it done.” Guren knew that it was stupid to say it. Practically offering himself up. It had just slipped out with ease before he really had the chance to think, but it did get Saito to stop.
Saito just laughed. The amusement went over his face as he shook his head, “Now, now, I’m not looking to kill you.” The Second Progenitor placed the blade down as he leaned over towards Guren’s face. The Omega held his breath as all he could catch were those pheromones. Since the second that Guren had ripped off that patch, Saito hadn’t recovered it, and it made Guren’s head spin each time. “Well, you have tried to kill yourself many times, right? Is that what you are wanting me to do? You can’t do it yourself, so you want someone else to do it for you.”
“Fuck you!” Guren shouted.
Saito reached forward, grabbing Guren’s hair and jerking his head back. The Omega grimaced immediately as the pain shot through his scalp. “There’s not need for that.” Saito mused, “We’re just having a friendly chat.”
“A friendly chat?” Guren murmured as he let his gaze move back to Saito’s face. “Is that what this is?”
“We have all the time in the world right now.” Saito said back to him. “But instead you want to talk to me like that? Though, I think it’s rather colorful.” Guren inhaled sharply as Saito grabbed for the knife and lifted it back up. The Omega completely froze as the tip touched at his neck and the Second Progenitor ghosted the metal across the skin of his neck. “I could do it. At any time, I could decide to just dispose of you. Do you really want to take that chance?” Guren remained silent as he could feel the blade teasing at the vein in his neck. Specifically, Saito was ghosting over the carotid artery of his neck. If he cut that, Guren would bleed out in minutes. “Just one slip and you would die.”
Guren didn’t move. He didn’t jerk away. Even though the instinct to move was there. The Omega curled his fingers as he didn’t even dare to take a breath. He promised himself that he was going to get out of this alive. He couldn’t break that now. No matter what he was thinking or what was going through his head.
Saito lifted up his other hand, reaching into his jacket as Guren watched him through the corner of his eye as he pulled out the chain again. The Second Progenitor laughed softly once more, watching Guren’s face intently. “You want this, don’t you?” Still, Guren didn’t say a word. His mind was already trying to spin as his lungs begged for air. He kept holding his breath. Not daring to move. While his attention was taken, the knife suddenly dug in just above his collarbone in a quick swipe. Guren just bit down on his lip, refusing to move, refusing to make even a sound as Saito let out another pleased laugh.
Guren only felt the relief hit him whenever Saito had finally pulled back from him and dropped the knife back down. The Omega’s gaze stayed on the ring at the end of the chain as he felt something poking at the back of his mind. For just a second, everything felt so distant until Saito slipped it back into his jacket and out of sight. Guren let out a sharp breath as he felt his body starting to lose the tension and he started to relax. The Second Progenitor returned to his side, undoing the straps that kept him on the table. Guren’s wrists screamed in relief as he could feel circulation returning to his arms as they were released.
Guren’s body was screaming at him as Saito grabbed him by his hair to pull him up. He had no choice but to follow as Saito looked over his face. Guren hated that he couldn’t figure out what Saito was thinking. The contacts blocked it all. Not that he really thought that Saito’s true eye color would tell him anything. Saito grabbed at his face with his free hand as Guren kept his gaze burning straight into his captor. Just a look of defiance. He refused to let Saito break him.
“It’s been days of this,” Saito murmured, “And you still have that fire in your eyes.” Then, he chuckled as he tapped at Guren’s cheek. “How beautiful.”
“Maybe you’re just not trying hard enough.” Guren shot back and then mentally slapped himself for it. Sometimes, his own words might actually come back to bit him in the ass if he wasn’t careful with it.
“Don’t worry,” Saito said, “I’ve barely gotten started.”
Guren gasped, biting back a cry of pain as the Alpha man jerked him forward. Guren stumbled over his feet but managed to stay upright as Saito dragged him across the room. His gaze moved over every single torture device in the room. All the possibilities of what Saito might do came to mind. He didn’t like a single one, but Guren had endured years of suffering and abuse and training on top of it to keep from breaking. Guren’s heart skipped a beat as he saw what Saito had pulled him up too. On the floor was a grate revealing nothing but darkness underneath, but it clearly wasn’t a floor. Saito used his foot to lift the grate up with ease, but it was clear it was heavy. It was a thick metal that would probably take the minimum of two humans to pick up or maybe even more. What Guren hated even more was seeing the darkness that was underneath it, unable to see what might be looking there.
“The things humans can do whenever their lives are at risk,” Saito went on to say, “Or the lives of others… It’s like a wave of adrenaline. Humans have been known to do unimaginable feats whenever lives are in danger.” Guren took in another deep breath and slowly released it as he got himself to calm down. “Some run towards fire… Some run towards gunfire… Some even face superior beings.” Guren slowly turned his glance towards Saito as he saw the knowing smirk on the Alpha’s face. “In the end, all humans have a breaking point. That’s whenever instincts start to truly kick in. The desire to fight for their lives.” Saito forced Guren to turn on his feet as he let his hair go but grabbed at his arms. Saito reached up, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes as he added in, “You will see it. To be faced with such a pure instinct that even in the face of death, death will fear you.”
Guren didn’t have the chance to say anything back as Saito shoved him backwards. The Omega let out the shocked sound as his feet were swept out from underneath him and he found himself crashing down. His stomach dropped as his heart skipped a beat as he realized he was free falling. His hands scrapped against what felt like rock as he could feel them digging into his skin and causing a burning sensation on his palms. Then, he hit the ground hard. Pain surged up his back as he suddenly felt as if he couldn’t move at all. It had knocked the air completely out of his lungs as he wheezed in a breath and his eyes widened as he struggled to breathe. He was practically curled up and he was certain that another bone had snapped during the course of that. Guren just laid there at first as the pain surged through his body. The Omega tried to pull in a breath, but it felt difficult to do so as even taking a breath caused aching. It felt like the breath was catching and making that pain spike within those seconds.
Guren slowly started to gain a bit of the feeling back into his body as he started to push himself up. Each movement felt worse than the last. He could feel all of his injuries now. Each cut on his skin pulled as he could feel some of them breaking back open. The Omega pulled in another labored breath, barely managing to actually fill his lungs as his gaze moved around the pitch-black area. The Omega flinched as he heard the loud bang from above him. The sound echoed down towards him as Guren could feel his heart starting to pound harder against his chest. He was forced to use his sense of touch to try and get up. He placed his palms flat against the surface as he started to rise to his feet. Guren craned his neck, looking straight up towards the gate as he could hear shuffling sounds from above him.
Guren shifted on his feet, using the surface of the wall to keep himself balanced better as he kept looking to see if he could see anything. All he could hear were those shuffling noises. Then, everything got eerily silent. The Omega had finally gotten to the point that he could feel like he could breathe a bit better as the hair on the back of his neck started to rise and the sense of danger overcame him. The Omega picked up the slightest cascading sound as he narrowed his gaze. Guren frowned slightly, and focused harder as he heard a creaking sound. What was that? The creaking sound got louder before suddenly he felt a coldness hit him as water dumped over his head. Guren let out a shocked gasp as he instinctively reached up to cover his head. Guren coughed and sputtered out the water that had gotten into his nose and mouth. It immediately soaked his hair and started to run down his body before pooling at his feet. The creaking sound got a bit louder, and he picked up that swooshing sound again. Running water.
Guren let out a quick breath as he shivered slightly. Quickly, that creaking happened again and another splash of water dumped over his head. What he was standing in was not very wide, but it was definitely taller than him. The water was starting to come in quick succession, dumping over his head and continuing to start to fill the area around his feet. The panic had started to rise in him as Guren pressed his back as much as he could into the wall of the – he supposed the closest thing he could call it was – well. The Omega looked up during the brief pause as his eyes widened. There was a grate over the top of this well that he was in. He wouldn’t be able to get out if this was completely filled with water. Each time that the water dumped onto him, Guren had to hold his breath to keep it from getting into his mouth and nose. He tilted his head down, to make sure that if it hit him, it wouldn’t have an easy time getting there. The Omega forcibly held back every single sound that attempted to leave him as water kept pouring into the well. It didn’t seem to matter where he was standing as the water kept spilling over his head.
The well was starting to fill up quickly. It was already at his shins and quickly rising to his knees. Guren felt as if his heart was going to pound out of his chest, but he had to work to keep himself calm. Panicking would only make this worse. The threat of drowning was looming over his head. Actually, he was pretty sure that it was a goal in mind for Saito. He was trying to keep his head away from the water, but each time, the water managed to slip over his head, and it would cause him to jolt. The water was rapidly rising as Guren tried to think. Think of any plan. He was not going to get out of this easily. Actually, he didn’t think he could. Maybe, he could push the grate up, but that would be difficult to do submerged in water with no way to touch the bottom. That was if Saito’s intention was to fill it.
The fact that Guren would even stand right now felt like a miracle. The fall was quite high and the way he fell could have done a lot more damage. It could have even killed him if he had landed on his head and neck. Though, Guren might still have an advantage because of his demon contract. Guren hadn’t heard a single thing from his demons. Nothing. No attempts at possession. Not even a word. He would say that he wasn’t having nightmares, but they were different. He was having nightmares. Just not one inside of a demon’s thrall. His injuries weren’t healing like they should be. The only thing that was helping was Saito’s intervention. It was like, somehow, Saito had made him entirely reliant and dependent on him whenever it came to his injuries.
The intrusive thought of just hoping that Saito would drown him hit, but he had to push that right out of his mind. Being killed would be a mercy compared to continuous torture, but he had vowed to himself that he was going to make it home. That he would get out of this alive. But being stuck in here was putting a sense of dread and uncertainty into him. Saito could kill him here. There was a chance that he could die.
Guren changed his strategy. Turning to put his back towards the water and pressed his cheek into the wall. It gave him just a little bit of leeway. The water was no longer going directly into his face to send him immediately into a coughing and sputtering fit. Instead, it was now hitting the back of his head as well as his back. It would probably only be a temporary fix. As long as if he remained calm, he could control a bit of this situation just for a bit longer. The water was burning the cuts on his body as it cleaned away the blood. He could feel the new scrapes on his shoulders and arms as well as the other places that his body had connected with the walls of the well on the way down. Each time that the water came down, it did cause the wounds to sting.
The water was splashing behind him, and now above his knees. Guren focused on his breathing. Closing his eyes as he listened to the sound of the creaking of what he would guess was a bucket that the water was going into. The room had been so dimly lit before that Guren was sure that he had missed quite a few things that were actually in the room at this point. He doubted that Saito was just standing there manually doing it. It sounded like a pully system or something along the lines of it. While the water was cold, thankfully, it wasn’t ice cold. Guren could still move around but he was starting to feel the effects of being in colder water long term. The freezing feeling that was coming over his body and violently shaking from it dropping his body temperature. It was enough that it was slowing his movements down. Thankfully, it wasn’t nearly cold enough to make him succumb to hypothermia quickly. Though, it was still entirely a possibility depending on how long Saito kept him in it.
The more that the water continued to rise, the more that Guren could feel that desperate need to get out hitting him. Even as he tried to keep himself calm and levelheaded, he was slowly starting to fall victim to need to fight his way out of this. Guren needed to continue to think rationally but was getting a bit harder to do with each splash of water that he heard and it was now starting to hit him more and more.
Soon, the water was at his hips. Guren could feel his other senses kicking into overdriving. His hearing. His sense of smell. His mind was slowly starting to become a haze. Guren cracked his eyes open as he felt that fight or flight instinct. Don’t panic. Stay calm. Slowly, he was managing to get his heartrate to go down despite the situation. His mind continued to haze over as he turned his gaze up. The Omega curled his fingers as his fingernails clawed harshly against the stone to the point where it felt like his nails were breaking. His eyes started to burn despite being able to see nothing and water was currently not getting into his eyes. For just a moment, it felt as if he was on a high. A high that he could never explain or felt before.
In that moment, Guren was hit with a face full of water. The Omega sputtered, turning his head away as he spit out a bit of the water. It jolted him enough that it had grounded him back to the reality of everything. The water was quickly rising on him, and he could feel the water pressure starting. It wasn’t a lot by any means, but it was changing his movements. It was making it a bit more difficult to move around. It left the Omega no choice in using his arms to keep blocking his face with his arms to protect his airways. It was like the water was getting quicker and it was giving him less time to think this through. Not that he really had anything that he could think through. There was no escape from this. He couldn’t see it, but he could assume safely that the water being poured into the well was aimed at the middle. So by the time that Guren got to the top, he would continuously be getting a face full of water each time unlike being able to get away from it like he could now. That was the moment whenever he needed to remain the calmest. Staying calm was crucial. Even if it was getting harder to do so.
The water was now moving up his back and rising even quicker than it was before. He paused as he heard something above him. Voices. He could hear multiple voices. Guren strained to listen, but it was hard to really pick it up with the continued splashing of water. “Guren—” The Omega inhaled sharply as he heard that voice. For just a moment, his body completely relaxed. That was until his situation at hand was taking over. It was just a figment of his imagination. It had to be. With that water level in the meantime was quickly reaching his shoulders. Guren dropped his hands feeling the surface of the moving water as he grazed his hands across it. He could already feel his feet threatening to lift up.
He had to brace himself. This was the moment that he needed to remain calm and collected. Guren wondered if Saito was waiting for him to start freaking out. To start panicking. The Omega closed his eyes as the situation kept dawning on him. He really was just at Saito’s mercy right now. He kept hearing… his voice. Kureto’s. Guren had to keep telling himself that it wasn’t real. That it was just one of Saito’s tricks. It was so muffled, but he was able to distinguish the tone. Almost more than he probably should.
Guren, instead, just kept his eyes closed and the images of his friends and loved ones kept coming to mind. He had to stay alive to get back to all of them. That was his goal here. He kept thinking of them even as the rising water and pulled him off of his feet and he did kick his feet to stay towards the air that was remaining at the top. He could feel the grate starting to graze his head. It was happening so quickly now that he wasn’t even sure if a bucket was still responsible or it had just been sped up. Since he could no longer touch the bottom, he had a lot more difficulty keeping it out of his face. Leaving him to have to fight the water from getting into his nose and mouth, but at certain moments, it kept doing so. The Omega already found himself starting to choke on water, forcing it out of his mouth before the process would repeat. Instinctively, because of the space and water, he started to tilt his head back.
Which was where he made a mistake, and he knew it. Sure enough, the water dumped straight onto his face, leaving him unprepared. The timing was inconsistent, so it was hard to pinpoint exactly whenever it would come rushing down. It was leaving it much harder to breath or properly pull in a breath of air without getting water into his mouth and nose. This time, he was able to at least brace himself for it, so it didn’t jar him as much. He could feel the grate against his hands. The water that splashed down onto it. Without much of a thought, he curled his fingers around the grate cover. With a final chance, Guren sucked in a deep breath before more water splashed into his face.
Quickly, he had no choice but to go underneath the water. He could hear the water hitting the top. The muffled sounds and the strange hum that seemed to occupancy being underwater. He was already exhausted. The cuts on his body made movements hurt in certain places as he realized just how strategic they were placed. Purposefully to make him instinctively move to stop aggravating the wounds while he struggled in the water. Even though he had been trying to fight it, he could feel his heartrate picking up. His lungs started to burn from holding his breath. It wouldn’t matter if he tried to go for more air. It would just cause water to come into his mouth. That was his instinct. Go up for air but he would only be met by more water. It was a torture tactic that no matter what he did, he was left utterly helpless to the trap that he was in. Guren knew that he was not going to be able to hold his breath forever. How long was Saito going to keep him in here?
And just for a moment, Guren thought he was going to die there. That this was going to be his watery grave. He heard drowning was painful. His body would react long before he truly suffocated, but he might end up just passing out from oxygen deprivation before he drowned. Either one of those choices already sucked.
Guren could feel his head spinning as he fought the urge to take a breath. The Omega could feel his body giving out. All the hours of torture and lack of sleep were catching up to him. In those seconds, he could see those images again. The smiles of his loved ones. He could even hear faint, phantom calls of his name. Guren could slowly feel himself losing consciousness. His fingers had slipped away from the grate as he was left to float in the water. As he felt his consciousness slipping away, he could no longer control holding his breath as his lips instinctively parted and the water started to fill his mouth. He choked, unable to get it out as within those final seconds, he did feel helpless as he started to pass out.
The last thing he remembered was his entire body going completely limp as he felt his consciousness being pulled completely away and the water had kept him paralyzed in place.
Even if the grim reaper came to take him away, to take his hand to face his death, Guren wouldn’t take it.
Guren was going to live even if it felt helpless.
That is what Guren had to believe right now.
Saito stood there, an amused smile on his face as he stared down at the water. He could see him. Floating in the water and completely passed out. Guren looked so peaceful. He had to admit that it was quite impressive that Guren didn’t panic. That he had managed to calm himself down even throughout the entirety of what was happening.
The Second Progenitor hummed and reached over to turn the valve to shut off the water. He had perfectly constructed this room and the way that it was lit to make sure that his captive never knew what to expect. That there were certain things that he could not see. Guren really could take the torture. It had been days of this, and Saito barely saw the cracks in the Omega’s psyche. It was going to take a lot more if he was going to break him down underneath physical and psychological tactics.
The water came to a complete stop as he looked up at the bucket that was perfectly concealed in the darkness. It was hanging in the rafters of the ceiling and just out of the line of sight that the Omega would have had. He chuckled for a second as he kneeled down and grabbed the water-soaked grate off of the well. Saito reached down and hooked his hands underneath the Omega’s arms and pulled him out of the water.
It was clear that Guren was in fact unconscious and not breathing as he laid him onto the floor. His black hair was sticking to his face as his head tilted to the side. Through his parted lips, some of the water that had collected there started to spill out. Saito kneeled down, reaching out and placing one palm over Guren’s chest. Carefully, he pushed down a couple of times. It only took a few times before Guren suddenly sputtered and coughed out the water. His eyes had started to move behind closed eyelids btu he remained unconscious. He hadn’t been deprived of oxygen too long. Saito knew he would be fine. Especially with his intervention. It would all be okay.
He could hear the soft, labored breaths from the Omega as he lifted his gaze to look over towards the tank. It would take a while for Guren’s mind to start breaking. He would reach his limit, and it would inevitably happen. It didn’t matter how strong someone’s will was. They all broke in the end.
Saito supposed that he was going to have to start the next part of the process now rather than later. It was going to take a while to get Guren to where he wanted him to be. It was going to be a necessity at this point. They were going to be on a bit of a time crunch soon enough. The Alpha turned and slipped one arm underneath Guren’s legs and the other underneath his back to pull him off of the ground. Saito pulled his captive to his chest as he smiled and walked over towards the tank. With his ease, he was able to hit the few buttons that he needed as the tank activated.
Soon enough, Guren would be exactly what he had been created for.
Saito turned his gaze back towards the Omega and smiled.
“Soon.”
Chapter 7: With No Mercy
Summary:
Kureto takes the resource that was given to him by his father. Meanwhile, Guren's captivity continues as he realizes that his situation is turning even more dire than before.
Chapter Text
Kureto had the material in front of him that came from his father. At the moment, Kureto was still trying to just process why Tenri was doing this. Why he had handed this to him. Honestly, he just didn’t get it. He had spent a lot of time looking over the material that he had been given. Researching what he could see and what he could do. The spell was not the same as the ones that he had. This was clearly something more. It did show to have more risks to it than typical spell craft would. The type that had been classified and not taught to anyone due to the consequences of what could come from this magic.
It was a major shock that it was coming from Tenri of all people. Tenri could say fuck it because it was Guren. Because Guren was an Ichinose and from a lowly branch that he could finally get rid of him. There had to be some other motive that Tenri had in mind for why he was giving his help. Tenri didn’t just give his help without gaining something in return. There had to be a catch that Tenri just wasn’t saying in that moment.
Tenri had a lot of resources, and a lot of resources that Kureto didn’t have. He could use all of those to his advantage right now. He could think of the consequences of this later. This was about trying to think two steps ahead. The issue was getting passed that first step and locating Guren so they could get this all figured out. They were still operating underneath speculation with no true sign for what actually happened. It was rather or not someone who believed which theory, and the theories that Kureto had been hearing were mixed. Anyone who knew Guren knew that he wouldn’t have purposefully left his friends in a dangerous situation without ensuring that they would absolutely get out of it first. Mahiru-no-Yo had been left behind. The only positive to that situation was knowing that a Black Demon Series Cursed Gear was not in the hands of an enemy, but there were a lot more negatives outweighing that single positive. But for Tenri to actively be someone to give Kureto a resource to help Guren, he had to weigh the pros and cons of it. Right now, he wasn’t seeing any cons to it.
It could be that he was just being completely blinded by the fact that Guren was not here. That he had no sense of clarity until he knew for certain what had happened. It was unlike anything that Kureto had ever felt or done before. Was it wrong to say that Guren was the one person Kureto thought that he didn’t have to worry about losing on the battlefield? Guren was so incredibly smart and strategic that he was able to get himself out of situations that most people couldn’t. Adding on the power that he possessed, and he spent a long time making himself stronger, Kureto didn’t think that Guren would be the person to fall into this situation.
And that was a terrifying thought realistically.
If someone like Guren could disappear with barely a trace to prove that something happened to him, a lot of the soldiers had a lot of work to do. It was showing more of the dark sides of what was coming if this was somehow connected to the possibility of an impending war. Guren was a vital piece in making sure that they came out on top of this war, and Guren was gone now.
Kureto was back home with that book in front of him and flipped to the right page. The vial of blood was sitting next to it and Guren’s name practically burned into his mind. The label was taunting him. Just reminding him that Guren wasn’t here. The bed behind him remained made. He hadn’t slept in it since that day. The previous night, Guren had been in his bed, and he was sure that the pillows and blanket would still smell like him. Right now, he just didn’t touch a bit more of that clarity that he could have right now. He needed to get his head on straight so he could work to start up rescue operations. They needed to find him. Rather it was bringing back one of their best soldiers or just bringing back a vital member of Shibuya.
Kureto had reread the spell multiple times at this point. Memorizing it and what needed to be done. The vial of blood was clear. Instead of drawing the spell circle in chalk like they normally would, it needed to be done in Guren’s blood. He also needed one of Guren’s shirts or a piece of fabric that had been worn by him like a sash to put some of his blood on to be used as a map.
It all seemed simple enough, but there had to be a catch to it from Tenri’s warning. He had hung the warning that it could kill him in the air, and that could be possible. There would be a reason that anyone other than the Head of the Hiragi would have these spells tucked away. From a quick glimpse of the rest of the book, there were a lot of highly powerful spells all ranging from brainwashing, mind control, slave crests, and more. Those were not common spells at all. Which told him this tracking spell had to be a lot different from the ones that they knew.
Kureto had to make sure that this was all done perfectly. He could not risk anything going wrong if he wanted to be able to use it to its fullest capabilities. This could be one of his only shots at truly tracking down Guren. He had everything that he needed. He had one of Guren’s button-up shirts that had been previously worn by him that Guren had left here and instead put on a new uniform. Guren was supposed to retrieve the shirt whenever he came back here, but Guren never made it here.
All the plans that Kureto had for that night were left forgotten. Kureto reached over for the shirt that was sitting on his desk. The Alpha looked down at it as he held it firmly in his hands. Guren’s scent was still heavily laced in the collar. It had been the shirt he had been wearing underneath his uniform. Kureto could be honest with himself. He didn’t want to get blood on the shirt. Sure, he knew that Guren – and his friends, especially Sayuri and Shigure – knew how to get blood out of clothes, but it was the reason behind it. It was a strange thought to have in that moment. This was a clean shirt despite being worn. It showed no signs of being dirty or typical blood and grime that came from being on a mission.
The shirt was meant to be the canvas. With the only stipulation being that it had to be worn at one point by the person they were tracking and their blood used on it. The spell was supposed to create a map on the surface of the shirt out of blood and act as a compass to where the blood’s owner currently was.
Kureto brought the shirt to his nose, closing his eyes as he inhaled the scent. He kept thinking of all the times that Guren would become bashful about his scent. Guren never did vocalize it. It all showed in his eyes. How he would react whenever his scent was mentioned. Kureto had a pretty good idea of why he reacted that way. Everything about Guren had once been used to either insult him, be used in a form of humiliation and degradation, or just general harassment. Anything about him had been used against him at some point. His name. His dynamic. His scent. Everything. Guren always seemed more thrown off whenever someone complimented him rather than degrading him. He would always get a bit of a blush of redness across his cheeks whenever it happened. Kureto really liked Guren’s scent. It was so alluring. It was calming. It was like… peace and harmony. It was like attending hanami – otherwise known as viewing cherry blossoms, and one of Guren’s main scent factors – that took place during late March to early April. It always felt like a strange coincidence for him to make that connection in his mind.
Hanami… whenever cherry blossoms bloomed.
Guren’s scent was cherry blossoms and lotus flowers.
Kureto had cracked the joke one time about Guren’s scent matching up with a recognized season in Japan being around Kureto’s birthday. One could say that it was possibly fate that it had happened. It was always a thought that came to Kureto’s mind. What were the odds of that?
The Alpha pulled the shirt away from his nose as he stared down at it again. Kureto reached for the vial of blood, knowing what he needed to do. It didn’t matter what cost might come with this. This was currently within his hands, and it gave him a chance to do something with it. So, Kureto needed to use it. The Lieutenant General grabbed up the book as well just to make sure that everything went perfectly despite how many times he had read it over that he was practically already chanting it in his hand. He had the spell circle perfectly imprinted into his mind, but he still didn’t want to chance messing it up.
Kureto walked out of his bedroom and went for a place where he could easily clean up blood. Specifically, he went for his training room. They had sparred quite a few times within the room, but it had a place where it would be an easy clean up. He knelt down, placing down the items as he used the moonlight from the windows to look at the book.
Kureto looked over the spell circle again before he popped open the vial. The metallic smell hit his nose immediately. The iron like scent that came with blood specifically. There was oddly quite a bit of blood within the vial. It would be plenty to do this. The opening of the vial was big enough that he could slip two of his fingers into the top just enough to coat the tips of his fingers. With that being done, he got to work. Painting it with his fingers would be more precise than trying to draw it by tilting the vial over and risk either messing up or using up all of it. Even the smallest splatter could mess it up. That was out of the question.
Kureto was close and meticulous with what he was doing. Making sure that it was painted well enough as if it was drawn on the floor with chalk. It was taking quite a bit to do it, but he was managing to get it done. It took him a while. Kureto had made sure to take direct references from the book just too make sure he didn’t make even the smallest bit of an error.
It felt like it had taken him a long time to complete it. Being alone to do this was probably not a good idea, and he knew that, but just in case, he didn’t want to either give false hope to Guren’s friends or something go really wrong and someone else gets hurt in the process. Kureto could handle himself. He survived the Hiragi family and his father and could possess Raimeiki as his demon. He could handle whatever this spell could throw at him.
Kureto finished the spell circle as he stared down at it. Making sure that even the smallest detail was correct. It was a perfect replication of the one that was in the book. Kureto turned his gaze towards Guren’s shirt before he picked it up. The Alpha held up, folding it and making sure that the back of the shirt was spread out before placing it down neatly in the middle of the spell circle. With the vial of blood in hand, Kureto took in a deep breath and slowly released it.
“I have a bad feeling about this, Kureto.” Raimeiki’s voice echoed within the back of his mind. There was a twinge of concern in her voice. Which wasn’t often associated with demons, however, Kureto’s demon actually liked him, so he was among the very few that had good relationships with their demons.
“Do you know the spell?” Kureto questioned.
“I have a familiarity with it. A powerful tracking spell from what I can tell. The ability to locate anyone alive or dead.” Raimeiki’s voice continued, “But I’m still getting a bad feeling about this one. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Well, I have a demon.” Kureto stated, “Just focus on making sure my heart doesn’t stop.”
Raimeiki’s soft laugh echoed in his head. “You were never one to back down from something that you want. It’s one thing that I really like about you, Kureto.” Then, Raimeiki gave another soft laugh, “Oh, and that lust you gain around that pretty thing. Such a strikingly beautiful Omega that gets you going just by looking at him. I have to admit that I’ll help you in any situation that brings him back since in turn… Your feelings for him gives me more power.”
Kureto had to refrain from rolling his eyes. “Are you done?” Kureto questioned. “You say you want to help me in every way possible and then question why I am doing one thing. Seems counterproductive to me.”
“Just tread cautiously, Kureto.” Raimeiki warned again, “I’m getting a bad feeling from looking at this spell. It’s different from the others I’ve seen.”
Raimeiki went quiet in his mind as Kureto looked back down at the spell circle that he had created. His gaze lingered over the pristine white fabric of Guren’s shirt. Guren still had that habit from school where he would carry an extra uniform with him or have one in his office or wherever he might go. Kureto’s home had never been an exception to that. Blood on their clothing was nothing new, but something just didn’t sit right with him doing this. He just had an off feeling entirely. They had already tried other tracking spells. Not any as sophisticated as this, but they still worked relatively the same. They could track a person alive or dead. So, the question would have been… Why didn’t they work? And could a more sophisticated and clearly more powerful spell work?
The Alpha stared down at the shirt as he placed his free hand down against the outer circle of the spell circle, careful not to break the line of blood as he settled his fingertips onto it as he held up the vial of blood. Almost instantly, the spell circle had started to illuminate. Guren’s blood quickly started to shine with a golden hue as he tilted the vial and spilled some of the remaining blood onto the shirt and recapped it to slip it into his pocket before placing his other hand down perfectly aligned with the other and spaced nicely apart. The golden glow started to brighten and quickly started to shine over the entirety of the sigil.
Within seconds, it felt as if Kureto’s veins were on fire. The burning sensation quickly moved up his arms and surged through every single vein in his body. The Alpha felt completely paralyzed into place. Kureto sucked in a breath as it felt as if his body turned completely to stone. He couldn’t move anything. At first, his entire body went… cold. The temperature of his body rapidly started to drop as the goosebumps started to form over his skin. It chilled him to the bone as the spell circle brightened.
As the chill remained, his veins felt as if they were even more on fire than before. It felt as if his blood was starting to boil. Kureto’s heart started to clench in his chest. It felt as if fingers curled around his heart and had slowly started to squeeze it. The Alpha couldn’t pull in a single breath as his chest continued to tighten. Weights felt like they were being pressed down onto his body as his blood continued to bubble. His skin had started to turn pale in contrast to the blue of his veins. Kureto’s entire body had started to flare. Pain started to surge through his body as his heart clutched again. The pain getting more and more intense as he could feel a wetness coming to his throat.
Kureto coughed, trying to keep his focus slowly on the spell that he was doing. Kureto could not afford to stop anything now. His chest continued to tighten with each passing second as he grimaced as cuts started to form on his skin. Slicing across his arms and blood quickly moving through the wounds and down his skin. It sent a shockwave throughout his body and down to his bones. His bones felt as if someone was grabbing them and they were trying to cave in on themselves. As if pressure was being pressed down onto his body. His bones felt like they were trying to bend underneath it, but he refused to let himself waver.
Kureto gagged on the metallic taste that was starting to flood into his mouth. His ears started to muffle as he felt something warm slipping down his face from his ears. Pain started to move through his nose. It was hard to try and pull in air through his nose as it was quickly starting to slip out and down his skin. His vision blurred red as Kureto blinked it away and he felt a wetness slipping down his cheeks. He coughed, sputtering out what was flooding into his mouth.
Below him, the blood that was on the shirt had started to glow. It had completely blinded Kureto as he tried to keep a grip on himself. The pain continued to ripple through him, surging through every single vein as his body burned. Kureto refused to let himself fall to it, even as his arms gave out, but he made him get back up. Kureto kept his blurry gaze on the shirt. The red substance moved over the fabric within the golden glow, and Kureto kept pushing himself on.
The pain was excoriating, but he did not let that stop him. Even as if it had felt like it had paralyzed his entire body. More cuts started to appear over his skin. Crossing over each other and within different places on his body. Kureto felt like he was suffocating. Choking on the metallic, iron flavor in his mouth. It had started to block his airway as even his lungs felt like it had started to fill up. Kureto wheezed, coughing again as he attempted to sputter out what was blocking his throat. It felt as if he was… drowning.
Kureto was practically blinded by the shining gold. Tenri had mentioned a cost, and well, this was certainly unlike anything that he had felt before. He could feel Raimeiki trying to resist it. Working quickly on the cuts that started to appear on his skin and combating the way that it felt like his heart was being crushed.
“Kureto, you need to stop. The spell is trying to kill you.” Raimeiki’s concerned voice suddenly echoed within the back of his mind, and Kureto quickly ignored him.
Suddenly, everything went dark. Kureto choked as he was immediately sent into a coughing fit with the slightest ability to breathe again. The weight on his chest was slowly starting to leave as his heart tried to return to a normal rhythm. The Alpha panted, squeezing his eyes shut as his entire body was left in fiery pain and aching. He pulled in a wheezing breath as he coughed again.
Kureto lifted himself back up as his gaze settled onto the shirt. There were spots of blood on the shirt, but his eyes widened as he noticed that the shirt was covered in burns. In every single place that Guren’s blood had gone, it was left scorched. Every movement that he had seen before of the blood seemingly trying to draw on the fabric was now burned away. Kureto stared at it in completely disbelief as he fell back and leaned back on his arms.
That was… impossible.
Kureto’s gaze momentarily turned down to the book to read over the words of how the results should have shown. His eyes lingered over the ancient words as his heart skipped a beat. This couldn’t be possible.
On the given fabric, a map shall appear written by the blood of the blood owner. The map and subsequent blood shall be used as a compass to locate the blood owner. It does not matter distance or time, the map will reveal the precise location of the blood owner even in death.
Sacrificed blood shall burn away if the bearer of the blood does not exist. The source of the blood is henceforth untraceable and unable to give a location. If the blood burns, the blood’s carrier does not exist in the realm of this world.
This couldn’t be real.
Something was wrong here.
“He doesn’t…” Kureto murmured as he turned his gaze back to the charred shirt. “Exist.”
That was wrong. Kureto knew that it was. Guren existed. He was very much real. He didn’t understand. Yet, it was written right there. There had to be something out there that was causing them to be unable to locate him. Spellcraft. Wards. Something. It just didn’t make any sense. Kureto looked at the spell circle that he had drawn and noticed it had burned in the same fashion. There had to be some mistake here. Was the blood that they had contaminated somehow or was there a different reason that it would seem as if Guren didn’t exist. That he was… untraceable.
Kureto pushed himself up, stumbling on his feet. There had to be an explanation for this. A reason why. This shouldn’t be possible. The strongest tracking spell that they had didn’t even work. Kureto coughed again, lifting his hand up and coughing into it. He pulled his hand back and noticed the blood on his hand. The Alpha lifted his gaze and caught his reflection in the mirrored wall. On his faces were trails of blood coming from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The exposed skin that he could see were riddled in cuts that were still healing and disappearing while it left the evidence of blood behind. Could it have been because he bled into it? That he somehow contaminated the sample? No, that didn’t seem right. The way he was positioned shouldn’t have let any of the blood get into the spell circle. At least, until he had coughed and that had ended up on the shirt but that was after the spell had stopped. It just didn’t make sense to him. There was none of his blood on the spell circle itself. All the blood that had been there had been burned away and left charred marks behind.
There had to be an explanation.
Guren was out there somewhere.
And someone was making it to where they couldn’t find him.
Whenever Guren had started to come too again, Guren had felt worse than he had before. His head felt like it was trying to split open and his body just felt awful. His entire body was aching and sore but surprisingly, he didn’t feel any actual pain. All the pain seemed to be located at his skull. He did notice that he was back in that bedroom again. The Omega felt so drained and tired.
So, Saito didn’t kill him.
The memory came flooding back as he recalled the water dumping over his head and gradually getting higher and higher on him. The subtle fear in the back of his mind that it might have actually been the end. He could remember the taste of the water in his mouth and how it was flooding into the back of his throat and choking him. It flashed before his mind so vividly that he could practically taste the water in his mouth again.
Guren was so tired. It felt hard to keep his eyes open as he reached up and touched and his pounding head. He just felt so weird. He didn’t even have a proper word to put on it. His senses were in overdrive. He could hear every small creaking sound. He could pick up the most subtle of scents in the room. What he was picking up most were the Alpha pheromones that made his stomach churn, and the scent laced in the fabric. Yet, somehow, the pheromones were soothing him in ways that he despised. Keeping his body relaxed despite how much that scent truly revolted him. He could feel even the smallest thread against his skin. His vision was blurry. Coming in and out of focus whenever he tried to look around. Despite the inability to focus, whenever it was clear, he noticed how sharp his gaze was. Slowly, more clarity and awareness was coming forward as he started to wake up.
Guren could feel a layer of sweat on his body. How hot that he felt. He panted slightly as his stomach twisted up and he rolled over onto his side as he placed a hand against his stomach. His mind felt cloudy at the same time despite the clarity. The Omega pushed himself up, feeling sick to his stomach as he choked back the need to just get sick everywhere. He let out a shaky breath as he braced himself up.
Guren noticed very quickly that he was still completely naked. He didn’t even see the clothes that he had been wearing before. His injuries had been bandaged, which were the only things that were currently on his body. Without thinking much of it, he had grabbed the blanket and pulled it over his shoulders to cover himself up. As he did so, the fabric ended up by his nose as he paused.
Alpha.
He tilted his head, leaning a bit towards it as he found himself fixating on it. It once again started to attempt to sooth him as Guren’s eyes fluttered shut and he was feeling more of that cramping feeling in his stomach. His thighs were sticking together uncomfortably as he shifted them a bit from the sticky feeling that was there. Then, it crashed into him. Guren’s eyes shot open as they went wide and his heart practically stopped beating entirely.
No.
Please… no.
That was the last thing that he needed to happen right now. Guren had almost thrown up right then and there as the realization hit him. He didn’t know why this made him feel more fear than anything. This was the most vulnerably state that he could be in.
His body was going into… heat.
Guren jumped as he heard the door open up and he looked over towards it with wide eyes. Everything else didn’t matter as he practically flung himself backwards, starting to shuffle back on the bed as Saito came into the room. The Second Progenitor stared at him, clicking his tongue as he mused, “Well, ain’t this a pleasant surprise, Guren.”
“Stay away from me.” Guren said quickly.
Saito hummed, giving the appearance that he was thinking before shaking his head with a smile, “No. That’s not going to happen.” Guren’s heart was racing faster than it had been the entire time he had been here. He couldn’t get himself to calm down with each step that Saito had taken closer to him. “I noticed something interesting whenever I looked into your memories, Guren.” There was this newfound urgency in him as he kept moving to put distance between them. Saito was staring at him with emotionless eyes but that eerie smile as he clicked his tongue. “You’ve never been with anyone like this.”
“So what.” Guren shot back. “And I’m not starting now.”
“If you really loved Kureto Hiragi,” Saito mused as he tilted his head, “Why didn’t you let him?”
Guren stilled as those words hit him. The Omega let out a labored breath as he shook his head, “Keep him out of this.”
“You’re afraid.” Saito murmured as he got closer to him. Guren gasped as Saito grabbed at his ankle and pulled him forward. Quickly, Saito’s hand landed on his neck, not putting a lot of pressure against it but enough that it kept him pinned down with that looming threat over him. “Your heart races every time he’s mentioned but it races even more whenever you can see uncertain death right before you.” Guren’s nose twitched as the strong incense of Alpha pheromones and Saito’s scent reached his nose. He tried to hold his breath just to keep himself from inhaling it. His head was starting to swim.
“Fuck you.” Guren growled as he reached up and clawed at the back of Saito’s hand. The Omega had to focus on trying to calm himself down, but it was exceptionally hard to do whenever his mind was starting to cover with a haze. Guren kept trying to hold his breath, especially as Saito leaned in close to him. He could feel his body temperature starting to rise more and more with each passing second. His lungs started to get that burning sensation to them the longer that he was holding his breath. Saito was purposefully leaning in closer. Looking more amused with each passing second as he lingered over the top of him.
“There is nothing wrong with something so natural, Guren.” Saito mused. Guren flinched away whenever the Second Progenitor reached up to sooth at his hair. His contact covered eyes moved over his face as he cracked a bigger smile. “You’re already starting to become entuned with your internal instincts. You can feel it, can’t you?”
Guren kept trying to get away from him. Pulling his head away or turning in a way that would keep Saito from him. He was making his own head spin from the way that he held his breath. By instinct, he had pulled in a breath, and he was immediately hit by those pheromones. It made his head spin worse as he found some of that need to fight leaving his body despite how desperately he wanted to start just lashing out.
The Omega’s stomach twisted up as he stared to feel worse with each passing second. He wanted to shove Saito away, but he knew he wouldn’t be able too. The attempt would be futile. Guren knew that he barely had any energy left to do anything. That fight or flight instinct was attempting to kick in, but everything felt like it was in vain. Saito’s hand was still clamped firmly around his neck, threatening to squeeze tighter any time that he moved. Nails were digging into his skin as Guren panted. Unable to hold his breath now that panic was starting to settle in just a bit more.
Guren needed to get away from him, but his mind was quickly being covered in that fog of… Alpha. Something inside of him felt like it was practically… purring. His body was getting entirely too hot. The temperature of his body felt like it was skyrocketing as he could feel more sweat building up onto his skin. He just wanted Saito away from him. Even though he was laying down, the entire world was spinning around him.
“Just cave into your instincts, Guren.” Saito murmured. Guren squeezed his eyes shut as Saito leaned down, his nose grazing across Guren’s cheek as the Omega could feel his heart pounding just a bit harder in his chest. He knew that Saito could hear it. He probably could feel it too underneath his fingertips. Guren couldn’t allow his resolve to break. He was still very much in a dangerous situation, and now, within an even more vulnerable position than before. It would be harder to defend himself, but it didn’t mean that he couldn’t.
Guren couldn’t let himself do that. Honestly, he didn’t know what would happen to him in this state. He had never experienced it with another person. He made sure everyone stayed away. The horror stories of what could happen were taught to them. The things that could happen to them if they weren’t careful. How delicate instincts could be at times. Guren had to attempt to keep his mind with some clarity, but it felt like it was getting harder the longer that the time passed.
Guren inhaled sharply as he could feel fingers creeping over his thigh. Claws grazing against the sensitive and pained skin. “Stop.” Guren gasped out the second that Saito’s fingers started to graze at the intimate parts of him. A sting being lift behind as nails scrapped over the surface. That paralytic feeling felt like it was trying to come back.
Much to his surprise, Saito did pull back from him. Staring at him with an amused look on his face. Guren didn’t dare move at first as the Second Progenitor moved off of the bed. The Omega released the breath he had been holding as he pushed himself up onto his trembling arms. His gaze tracked Saito as the Alpha walked across the room. There was no way that he was just stopping. There had to be something that Saito was up too. Guren did take the chance to cover himself back up. Guren’s stomach started to twist back up as he saw that Saito was moving to take off his suit coat. The Omega shuffled back, taking a second to eye everywhere in the room with the thought of just bolting.
Saito placed his coat down over the back of the chair, grabbing something off of the table, as he turned back towards him. A smile was gracing his face again as he said, “A heat is quite the vulnerable time for an Omega like yourself.” Saito undid the clasps of his sleeves and slowly started to roll them up. The impending sense of danger once again started to wash over Guren as he moved to put more distance between them. “It’s such an intimate thing.”
“And not something that I want with you.” Guren said quickly as he shook his head.
“Now, now, Guren,” Saito mused, clicking his tongue as he got to the other sleeve, “That is not necessarily something that you have a choice in.” Saito walked over towards him and Guren sucked in a breath as the Alpha reached out and grabbed his face. It forced Guren to look back to him. “You don’t even have the energy to run away from me right now.”
“Don’t touch me.” Guren snapped.
“As much as I like to see this side of you,” Saito murmured as he leaned down. His lips grazed over Guren’s, and the Omega felt like he was getting sicker to his stomach. The knot continued to twist up in his stomach as Guren attempted to turn his head, but he couldn’t. “I suppose you could say whatever you wanted, but it’s not going to stop me from putting all of my plans into action.”
“What plans exactly?” Guren questioned quickly.
“That is not for you to know at this moment in time.” Saito stated, “Haven’t you figured out that I’m not going to tell you yet.”
“Coming from the guy who easily talks as if he’s talking to a brick wall.” The Omega shot back. It was getting harder to breathe. The pheromones lingering into his senses were making the room around him warp and twist once more. He found himself almost subconsciously trying to lean into it, but he fought against the urge. Guren’s gaze dropped down to what was in Saito’s hand. A syringe. It was filled with that same liquid as before. “So, whatever it is, it’s pretty big… Isn’t it?”
“You are very intelligent and know how to use your intuition.” Saito mused, “But that doesn’t stop the role that you play in all of this.”
“My role…” Guren murmured as he lifted his gaze back up. “Isn’t what you say it is.”
“You could always follow me.” Saito stated, “Come stay by my side.”
“Not going to happen.” The Omega growled. “I will never stand by you.”
“You say that now.” Saito replied, “But the second that all of your loved ones turn against you… The Japanese Imperial Demon Army… You will see everything that I am saying.”
“They wouldn’t.” Guren whispered, “You don’t know them.” The Omega let out a shaky breath as he could feel the cramping in his stomach getting worse and the fluids that were trying to stick to his thighs. The sweat was building up more on his skin as the fever started to rise once more. “Even when I pushed them away… They kept coming back. You think they will just turn their backs on me?”
“You’d be surprised how quickly humans will turn against each other.” Saito replied, “I have been alive for centuries. I would know.” Saito tilted his head, his gaze lingering on Guren’s face again as he murmured, “Just fall into your instincts, Guren. Embrace that part of you.”
“There is nothing to embrace.” Guren snapped. “You’re fucking insane.”
“Seeing is believing, Guren.” The Alpha said back to him, “Once you see it, you’ll know I’ve been telling you the truth the whole time. I have carefully cultivated everything for all of these years. To come to a moment where every single desire I have ever had will come true.”
“This is all for your own selfish gain.” The Omega murmured as he tried to get the room to stop spinning around him. “And you think humans are so awful… Look in the mirror at yourself. You’re nothing but a monster.”
“Humans are far more greedy creatures,” Saito replied, “Every choice they make that is laced within sin and their own selfish desires. You would know that, wouldn’t you, Guren?” Guren’s heart skipped a beat as Saito’s nails started to dig into his cheek. “You broke one of the biggest taboos that ever existed. You carry the burden of one of the greatest sins directly on your shoulders. You suffer alone.”
“Shut up.” Guren growled.
“Your own desires and obsession to bring your family back to you… Destroyed the world and killed billions of people.” Saito mused. Guren’s chest tightened as that overwhelming guilt hit him once more. He never stopped thinking about it. The guilt and remorse that he felt over it. The deep-rooted feeling wishing that he had never done it and he could reverse what he had caused. He had been so… numb at the time. The only thing he wanted back at the time were his friends. He should have died that night, but he didn’t. Everyone else had died and he was left alive with a devastating choice to make. Guren could feel the sting in his eyes, but he refused to let the tears form. He quickly blinked it away as Saito laughed. A soft, gentle laugh that sounded almost manic. “I know that I am a monster, Guren… But humanity are monsters in their own right. There is not a single person alive who doesn’t have their own selfish wants and desires.”
“It’s called being human.” Guren hissed.
“Your entire life,” Saito murmured, “All you have done is suffered, and yet…” Guren froze as Saito lifted up the syringe and the needle tapped just above where his heart was located. The Omega held his breath as Saito continued to speak, “Your heart remains kind.” Saito’s lips turned back up into more of a smile again, “You could have snapped by now. Most humans do. Yet, here you are. You haven’t done so.”
“Shut up.” Guren said again. “The only one causing suffering right now is you.”
“All humans have their breaking points.” Saito murmured, “Everyone breaks… Everyone.”
Guren was not going to let Saito break him. That was one thing that he refused to do. It didn’t matter how many times that Saito tortured him. What cruel thing that he could do. How much that he would have to face. His life was nothing but suffering at the hands of another person. Did Saito really think he could break him if Guren hadn’t this far?
“I won’t break.” Guren whispered. “And that is a promise.”
“You broke that night.” Saito replied, “The night you destroyed the world and set off the virus that killed off the vast majority of humanity. You are the bringer of the Apocalypse. The great sin that you carry was your own doing.” Saito laughed again, “You played God that night, and you brought the wrath of the Heavens down onto this world.”
“Stop.” Guren hissed out, “Just shut up.”
“It had always been his plan.” Saito murmured. Guren stilled as that statement settled in. What did Saito mean by… his plan? He wasn’t talking about himself unless he was talking in third person. Saito had informed him of the destruction of the world. He didn’t have to do that, but he was clear about it. Even making his intentions known that he wanted Guren to betray the Hiragi family and turn to his side. It would appear at face value that Saito was the ringleader whenever it came to the experiment, but this gave a bit more to that. It was just the way that he had said it that really captured Guren’s attention. “I will systematically tear everything apart… And it all starts with you.”
Guren gasped as the needle suddenly jammed right into his abdomen. The pain flared at the location as Saito hit the plunger and sent the serum into his body. Immediately, it caused his entire body to burn as every sense in his body started to intensify. The area around him swam more to the point that he couldn’t even see Saito clearly.
Guren fell back against the bed as all the energy drained from his body. His body felt so heavy as it fell back onto the bed. He could feel every fiber of the blanket against his body and the heaviness on his chest. Saito was looming over him, staring down at him with that expressionless eyes that sent a chill down his spine. The Omega tried to get his body to move, but his arms felt so heavy.
Guren’s heart started to race once more as he could see Saito undoing his belt. His breathing began to pick up as that need to get away hit him once more. At most, all he could do was get his fingers to twitch. Saito’s hands landed on his legs, moving them apart as Guren whispered, “Don’t.” He couldn’t even get himself to speak. His head kept swimming. The pheromones choking him more as Saito moved between his legs.
Why couldn’t he just fight back?
Then, the pain came. Saito’s hips snapped quickly against his and Guren had to bite back the scream as the pain flared right up his back. He could feel his skin tearing apart once more as the Alpha’s nails curled into his thighs. Saito’s eyes were right on him as Guren felt his blood run cold. That gaze burned into him as Saito pulled his hips back before snapping them forward once more. It pushed the air completely out of his lungs as each one turned more excoriatingly painful than the last.
The thrusts into him were powerful. Strong and fast as Guren couldn’t get the chance to pull in a breath. His entire body trembled and jerked each time that Saito’s hips clashed into his pelvis. The disgust and revolt quickly started to consume him. He could feel his body tearing despite the fact that his body was actively trying to combat against it. The natural lubrication of his own slick did nothing to help him. The disgusting sounds that quickly followed whenever Saito would thrust into him.
Somehow, he could feel his body starting to regain its ability to he was able to move more of his fingers and his arms as he started to slowly lift them up. Saito was leaning over the top of him, draped over his front of his hips harshly clashed into his. The movements were weak as Guren tried to shove against Saito’s torso, but Saito’s inhumane strength was winning out. Even attempting to move Saito’s hands didn’t work as Guren managed to start attempting to thrash as a means to get away.
His instincts were screaming at him within the back of his mind. Telling him to get away. Saito simply just pinned him down again. Catching his hip with one hand and one of his arms in another. Guren’s eyes stung as the desperate need kept coiling to life. His lungs burned with their need for air. The lack of oxygen was making his head spin worse as the Alpha pheromones kept choking him even more. Making a part of him want to stop resisting all together, but that other part that was taking the charge and wanting to fight his way out.
He felt like he was in a cage. Unable to break free of it and get out of it. That he was being chained down and locked away with no way to escape. Saito’s strength was showing in every single movement. Guren felt as if he was being crushed. The grip on his arm was so tight that he felt as if the bone was threatening to snap all over again. The one on his hip was just as crushing. Saito’s gaze was still burning into him. As if he was watching Guren’s reactions. There was something different about it this time. Saito had attacked him from behind on all of the other assaults. It brought a shadow of fear over him because everything that Saito did was meticulously planned. It could be that Saito just wanted to look at his face or didn’t want to bother with flipping him over. Or maybe he was daring Guren to fight back. Guren just didn’t know.
A strange feeling started to overcome him as Guren’s mind continued to warp around him. The feeling of his entire body was changing as every sense kicked up and it was a lot sharper than before. The sting in his eyes was worse than it had been as he curled his fingers. Something felt very, very wrong about this. It was unlike anything that he had felt before, and he had no true words to even begin to explain what it was. It wasn’t that his body was reacting to Saito, it felt like something else entirely.
The hand that had been on his hip traced up his side as Guren’s heartbeat started to pick up once more. Guren’s body felt entirely too hot. As if he was actually burning alive. His heats had never acted like this before. The sweat was building up worse on his skin as Guren’s eyes grew heavier. He felt like he was actually going to pass out now.
Guren’s stomach twisted violently once more as a wave of extreme nausea started to take over. Saito’s hand moved, clamping over his mouth and forcing his head to the side. The Omega couldn’t fight against it. Even sort of resistance was immediately overshadowed by Saito’s strength alone. Guren shivered as he felt Saito’s fangs scraping at his neck. “Stop.” Guren managed to gasp out. Saito had yet to bite him yet. Those fangs were dangerous. Even if Saito wasn’t a vampire anymore, he still had a bloodlust. He still craved human blood, and he had shown that to Guren already. The thing with vampires is that once they drank from a human, they usually didn’t stop until the human was dead. It was harder for them to control that thirst.
Guren shuddered again as Saito’s tongue grazed over the skin of his neck, but within seconds, sharp teeth penetrated into his neck. The entire world went completely still for him as his heart clenched in his chest. Squeezing tightly as his eyes widened. Within seconds, it felt like everything around him was changing. A sudden surge of instincts hitting him and a shift in gravity as his mind started to completely distort. Guren could feel blood slipping down his neck from where Saito’s fangs had broken his skin open. Spilling down his neck and into the curves of his neck, collarbone, and shoulder.
Everything started to pull away from him as he could feel the fangs that were in his neck. Penetrating deep into his skin as he grew even more lightheaded. His chest tightened as everything grew distant, and it was harder to feel his body. It felt as if in that single moment, everything around him had changed.
As the seconds ticked by, Guren could no longer feel anything. He couldn’t feel what Saito was doing to him. He couldn’t feel the bedding underneath him. He felt absolutely… nothing. Everything was shifting in his mind. Little strings that were pulling together and other fibers that were snapping completely apart. Saito’s scent reached his senses. Unlike before, it was trying to calm him. Tell him silently to relax and that everything was fine.
What… What was happening to him?
Slowly, Saito pulled away from his neck and Guren turned his head as he released a breath. He could see his own blood on Saito’s lips and the trail that was spilling out of the corner of Saito’s lip. Trailing down over his chin and disappearing as Saito licked his lips clean. The eerie smile on Saito’s face was telling.
Then, the realization struck him.
The… location where Saito had bit down was not the vein in his neck that vampires would typically aim for. It was lower. More at the curve of his shoulder and at the base of his neck. The horror quickly consumed him as the dots started to connect.
No… Please no.
Saito didn’t just bite him to drink his blood… No, he did something else. Another thing that shouldn’t have been possible. Only, Saito had been proving to him all along that the seemingly impossible was possible.
Saito snapped his hips again and Guren gasped as the Alpha’s seed suddenly spilled inside of him. Guren was left completely frozen and disoriented as the revelation struck him. This couldn’t be happening. Saito reached down, using the back of his finger to wipe underneath Guren’s eye as the Omega realized what he was doing.
His… tears.
He was… crying.
Everything that he was feeling was starting to make even more sense as he shakily rose his hand to his neck and felt the bite there. The precise location that it was put in place. His… bond gland. His fingertips stung the wound, but that pain wasn’t like anything that he felt in that moment. It felt as if his heart shattered in an instant. Guren’s blood ran cold as he pulled his hand away and his entire body felt like it was giving out. The world around him started to disappear as he could feel himself becoming detached from his own body in pure denial of what Saito had just done.
This couldn’t be happening.
Please tell him that this was just a part of a nightmare and he was going to wake up. Even if it was just for a repeat of all the cruel and vile things that Saito had been doing to him. Anything but this.
Saito had… bonded him.
Saito stared down at his captive. Guren remained unmoving, a blank, instinctually filled stare fixed straight ahead. The Omega looked entirely numb. He continued to stay unmoving, not even twitching as he laid there. Bloodied and bruised. His gaze was so distant as if he had pulled right out of his mind and dissociated away. Even if Guren denied it, his mind was already starting to fracture. He was falling and falling further with each passing moment, and soon enough, he would be something different. It was a lot of work, and Guren was showing his resilience the longer that it went on.
Everyone has a breaking point, and Guren had his.
It was just getting Guren to that point. Soon enough, he was going to completely shatter and there would be nothing left of him. He would be the former shell of himself and everything that Saito had planned would come to light.
Saito remained standing there, looking down at his new… mate. The new mating bond mark was in clear view on Guren’s bloodied neck. Guren was out of it. Saito was sure that Guren had pulled away so much that he had absolutely no awareness anymore. His eyes were so dull and lifeless despite the rise and fall of his chest. The heat pheromones were still lingering all over him and into the air. Guren did have such a precious, alluring scent. Something so magnificent and beautiful. The heat pheromones that laced within the scent were sweet and strong. Guren had tears in his eyes and tracks that moved down his face. The Omega couldn’t stop the tears. They were streaking down his face and unable to be stopped. Saito had to admit that Guren was quite beautiful whenever he cried. A human emotion. Tears could mean a lot of things. In this case, Saito knew why they were.
From this moment on, they were going to go in fast into the next stages of his plan. He didn’t have long to get everything done before someone would realize something. Right now, Guren was so full of new instincts that it had to be overwhelming to the human. One would have thought he was dead if Saito couldn’t hear his heartbeat. The Omega’s heart was racing. Thumping quickly and a lot faster than a regular rhythm. His breathing was just as quick and labored but it was silent.
There was blood all over Guren’s skin. Between reopened and aggravated wounds to the fresh blood that coated his thighs and neck. The sweet smell of his blood was pulling him in. Making him want more of a taste of it. For centuries, he was able to easily control his bloodlust, and even he could admit that the taste of Guren’s blood wanted to send him right over that edge and get more. The smell of it alone made him want to go haywire. It was enough to drive a person insane. Saito had plenty of self-control. Killing Guren just because he wanted more of his divine blood wouldn’t do any good for any of his plans.
Guren was perfect for this plan. A perfect creation to be able to carry on this feat. It had taken a lot of careful planning and consideration, and he was finally able to put it all into action. He had kept an eye on Guren for all of these years and then their first true meeting was certainly one for the books. Guren did not even hesitate to attack him whenever he thought Saito was an assassin. In those split seconds, Saito knew that Guren was perfect for this. Even more so after seeing him destroy the world for his loved ones. Once Saito was done with him, Guren could destroy everything in his path. All the plans that he had were going to be achieved.
Saito let his gaze linger on Guren for a moment longer as he noticed that the Omega was finally falling asleep. His eyes were starting to flutter shut and his breathing started to become more even. A gentle rise and fall of his chest to signify that he was moving into sleep.
The former Second Progenitor turned, grabbing up his jacket and slipping it back on, and started out the door. He redid the buttons of his shirt, making sure that everything was perfectly in place as he also fixed his mused and tousled hair. Saito straightened out his coat once more as he went down the hall. He slipped his hand into the jacket, pulling out what he kept concealed within the pocket of his coat.
In his hand was a photograph. One he had taken of Guren not that long ago. It was a nice photo of him. Guren had no idea that it had even been taken. The bright violet eyes that twinkled just right and the smile that was on his face. Saito hummed to himself as he slipped it back into his pocket. A smile stayed on his face as he traveled through the home and walked down the stairs. He turned off into the opposite direction to head to the other side of the home where he kept the rest of what he was currently doing.
Saito walked down another set of stairs and started into the darkened halls. He hummed to himself as he continued down it. He rounded another corner before getting to the room that he wanted. The Second Progenitor opened up the door, looking at the massive laboratory that was in front of him and all of the tanks that filled the room in passages of their own. He simply just started into the room, not minding the tanks as he walked passed them to go to the small control room that was within the depths of the much larger room.
Saito opened up the door, revealing the small space to himself. He flipped on the light and quickly, his gaze moved over the walls before he went over towards the computer system that was set up. Saito took a seat down. He hit the keyboard as the system woke up and all the screens started to light up. His result data was displaying on the screen. The Alpha took a quick look over it before leaning back in the seat. Guren was going to be asleep for a while. Everything was already running smoothly from what his date was telling him. He knew it was just from Guren’s reactions to him. He reached for a file, opening it up and reading over the contents for a moment. It was definitely working. The changes have already started within the short bit of time that Guren had been with him. It was only a matter of time before everything fell perfectly into place.
Saito flipped the page, continuing to hum to himself before releasing the papers and closing the file. He threw the file back onto the desk as his gaze dropped down to the photographs that he had sitting there. Also on the desk was Guren’s military jacket. The cherry blossom pendant was in full view of him. The bars that represented the rank of Lieutenant Colonel were also in full view. Splotches of blood stained the fabric. It was hard to see on the black fabric of it, but it was definitely there. It was still covered in dust from concrete. Saito’s smiled quirked up into a smirk as he reached back into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out the ring that he had ripped away from Guren’s neck. While the chain was still intact, the clasp was broken with pieces of hair stuck in it. Guren’s hair. Saito could say that it was quite the beautiful ring. Thoughtful. Just another human sign of companion shift. A ring symbolized something never ending. At least, it was supposed to. Sometimes, it didn’t always work out that way.
Saito wondered just how far Kureto Hiragi would go to get Guren Ichinose back. He chuckled for a second as he curled his fingers around the chain. They would never find him. Not without Saito’s say so. Saito had taken all the measures to make sure that never happened. He needed his time and isolation with his newfound mate. The purpose of centuries’ work was finally coming together. It had taken a while to get here. He needed someone suitable, and that person was… Guren.
With the thought crossing his mind, Saito pushed himself up and started out of the room. He slipped the ring back into his pocket as he moved his way through the aisles of tanks to get to where he wanted to go. Saito had made it to the back, tucked away in a corner deep within the room, he stopped and stared at the tank.
It was time.
Chapter 8: And They Call
Summary:
Kureto is left stumped at the failure involving the spell from his father. Meanwhile, Guren continues going through his heat.
Chapter Text
It had been a few days since Kureto had tried that spell and it had taken almost all of those days to feel like he was back at one hundred percent. The spell circle was still charred into his floor. The shirt was still burnt. Everything that he had tried had all systematically failed. This couldn’t be true, and he knew that it couldn’t be. There had to be something wrong. So, Kureto had taken the vial of blood that had been handed to him to have it ran against Guren’s DNA just to be sure that he had in fact used Guren’s blood for it. He was just waiting for those results to come back to him. He was going to be furious if it wasn’t actually his blood, but he had no other explanation to why it wouldn’t work. Why it would give that specific result back. To even have that result meant that there had to be trial and errors in the past where they had an inconclusive result.
Didn’t exist.
That’s what it tried to say. That’s what the result had said, and even Kureto didn’t understand how that was possible. Didn’t exist. There was something entirely wrong and he just couldn’t figure it out. The spell should have worked rather Guren was alive or dead, and Kureto knew in his gut that Guren was alive. It didn’t make sense for a result like that. He had kept running all of the possibilities in his head, and not a single one felt like it truly made sense to the situation. Even Raimeiki seemed to be at a loss for how it would happen.
With himself back to one hundred percent, Kureto was right back into the fray of trying to narrow everything down. He was using every resource imaginable. He needed to start rescue operations, but it was still hard to do whenever they didn’t have an area to narrow it down. He needed something to help him. Something that could prove it enough that would truly spark the need to set this off for the ones who were not on board. To many, Guren was just another casualty on the battlefield, and he refused to allow that to happen. He was not, and they knew it. Not like this.
Kureto was using everything. Even if it meant using Guren’s friends to do so. They would stop at nothing to bring Guren back, and that included using them to do so. Kureto was going through everything with them. He knew they were continually going over it. Trying to piece together where they might have went wrong. What they could have done differently. It wasn’t the same without him, and he could see the effects of his absence among his friends. It hit them hard. They looked like shells of themselves. Hurt. Anger. Disbelief. Guilt. There were so many emotions on their faces. He had taken this to Guren’s friends. Told them what he had done and what the result had been. Even they were left completely stumped at it. But also… devastated. He knew that they were all thinking of the worst-case scenario. Right now, it felt as if Kureto was the only one who believed that Guren was alive out there. He knew that wasn’t the case, but it sure as hell felt that way at the moment.
This didn’t mean he could stop. He couldn’t. Kureto had already planned the rescue operations through. He knew what he needed to do. Kureto just needed that one single piece of evidence that would help point into the direction that Guren was in. No matter what these results were, Kureto wasn’t going to let them stop his ambition. There was no stopping at this point. He had to keep going.
It was already getting… exhausting. That was one thing that he could admit too. It was exhausting, but it would be worth it. It didn’t matter how much he exhausted himself. He would go again and again and again until he had found the answer. If there was one thing that a Hiragi didn’t do was give up. Giving up was not an option. Even if there seemed to be no horizon. No hope that would lead to where he needed to go. It was out there, and he just needed to look for it.
There had to be other reasons why they were having such difficulties getting any of this done. There had to be something blocking the path. A reason behind why they weren’t able to narrow down Guren’s location. They were slowly gathering intel – which was also vital to the impending war and would be useful there too – that could possibly start narrowing it down. A lot of it looked to be specific to the Kansai region. Kureto was aware of Sanguinem. The underground vampire capitol. Its precise location was the hard part to narrow down, however, he knew that attacking the place without certainty and enough forces was just a death sentence. He didn’t think even Sanguinem had everything to mask Guren’s whereabouts the way that this was happening.
There were still faint marks underneath his jacket and shirt. Ones that had been left behind whenever the spell had gone into effect and systematically turned into a failure. While they didn’t hurt and they had healed, it was clear that it had done a significant amount of damage that Raimeiki was still trying to catch up with. It probably didn’t help a single thing that Kureto was spending more time awake and losing more sleep with each passing day. The less energy that they had, the less that their demons could do and the more susceptible to possession that they were. It was just a risk that he was having to take.
It didn’t stop him from thinking about it. Thinking about how a spell this powerful could fail with an inconclusive result. So, it had left Kureto going back to square one. Familiarity. There was something that was still bugging him about it. Instincts could be highly subjective and even unreliable, but Kureto had a feeling about this one. Speaking it over with Shinya had reinforced the idea in the back of his mind. Kureto felt like the answer would be in Guren’s history. He just wasn’t exactly sure where to look.
They were all in Kureto’s office. He had everything that they currently had spread out onto the table. Kureto had started thinking back on everything that Guren had ever said. Something that might not have seemed important at the time but could be now.
“Don’t you think that you should rest, brother Kureto?” Shinya questioned.
The Lieutenant General didn’t bother looking up as he said, “I’ll sleep tonight.” Kureto flipped the page as he read over the next words. “We still have a few hours until sundown, and we need to get this done.” The last few weeks had been nothing short of exhausting. He doubted any of them had gotten a good night’s sleep – if they could even do that with the constant nightmares from their demons – since Guren had vanished. He flipped another page as he went over the list of known Progenitors and what they knew about the ranking system involved with Vampire Nobility. The higher the ranking, the stronger that the Progenitor would be. They had all difficulty up against a Progenitor. They were the strongest force within the vampires. Tenri had been the only one among them who could go against a vampire Progenitor and win… alone. The rest of them needed the minimum of another person on their side and up to five – maybe more depending on who it was – people to get it done. As he looked over the information they had, he stopped as he got to a few reports that had came from the lab from their test subjects that they held. “Something that doesn’t make sense to me is how Guren’s blood wouldn’t work during the spell.”
“It was a risky spell.” Shinya replied, “And you did it alone.” The Major General went completely silent as Kureto did finally raise his gaze and looked over to him. “If it was Guren’s blood.”
“It did come from my father.” Kureto went on to say as he looked back down, “But I don’t believe my father would risk purposefully sabotaging a spell whenever he knows I’m the strongest soldier he has.” That wasn’t necessarily the complete truth, but Kureto was ranked the highest among all of them. There was a reason that even just because Guren was stronger than him that he could never beat him. “But to cover all the bases, I had it ran anyway just to be certain.”
“What would have caused a result like that?” Mito questioned as she leaned forward, “For the result to say that he… doesn’t… exist.” She barely managed to get the last part out.
“Maybe something went wrong with the spell, and it had nothing to do with Guren-sama.” Sayuri murmured, “That could be a possibility, right?”
Kureto turned his gaze towards her, and he watched her sink back in her seat quickly as he downcast his gaze once more. “I did the spell perfectly.” Kureto replied, “And that is what I’m trying to figure out.”
“If the spell works for someone who is alive or dead,” Shinya mused as he reached forward and grabbed for the book. His blue gaze quickly scanned over the page as he clicked his tongue, “Maybe it could be as simple as altered DNA or… brother Kureto’s blood mixed in with Guren’s and made a new composition.”
“Possible.” Kureto admitted, “But I did make sure to place myself that it wouldn’t happen.” He paused for a second as the former part of Shinya’s words hit him. Altered DNA. He stood up, heading over towards the cabinets that he had in the room as he quickly opened up one of the drawers and started digging through it. He grabbed out the file that he was looking for and flipped it open. “Unless… Guren’s DNA has been altered.”
“That’s not possible.” Shigure said quickly, “Right?”
“Actually,” Kureto went on to say as he placed that file down and grabbed for another, “It is.” He opened that one up and read over the contents quickly. “Mahiru.” The tension in the room had immediately spiked at the mention of his sister’s name. She was just commonly not spoken about. She was a very… touchy subject. “Mahiru was born a namanari, but it started truly in puberty.” He went on to say as he looked over the information. “What we know about namanaris are that they can be born, turned by infection, or by touching unrestrained Cursed Gear. Their DNA changes from human to namanari to demon over time.”
“Are you saying that Guren is a namanari?” Goshi questioned.
“Not at all.” Kureto replied, “Even if he was, this blood would have been drawn the last time he was in the Medical Bay.” Kureto flipped another page, “Besides, Guren isn’t a namanari. He wouldn’t have been able to hide that from me.”
“Mahiru hid it.” Shinya replied.
“Until she couldn’t.” Kureto shot back. “Guren isn’t a namanari.” He knew that none of them believed that he was. They were just going over a theory was all. “It’s more of an example of altered DNA. Human experimentation can cause it. Someone’s composition can be changed entirely if you know what you’re doing.” Kureto flipped another page, stopping as he found what he was looking for. “Vampires were once human too, but their DNA would contain the vampire virus from their sire. It would change their DNA too. Humans, vampires, demons, and namanaris all have different DNA compositions.”
“Are you saying that you think Guren might have been… turned?” Shinya questioned as he leaned forward. “Into one of the bloodsuckers?”
“I don’t know.” Kureto admitted, “But it’s possible.”
“Guren-sama’s blood was tested, wasn’t it?” Sayuri questioned, “The blood that was found at the battleground… Wouldn’t it have shown the vampire virus?”
“Yeah.” Kureto confirmed as he closed up the file before closing the filing cabinet. “It doesn’t mean that he wasn’t changed after. If that is what happened, and I can’t count out that possibility.” He shook his head. Something didn’t feel right about that either. “But I don’t think that’s what would have happened.”
“Vampires close ranks like we do.” Shinya replied, “They wouldn’t just turn anyway and especially not someone from the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. They would rather kill him for his blood first.”
“Just have to state the possibilities.” Kureto went on to say as he crossed the room and placed the files down. “The most likely scenario is that Guren is being tortured for information regarding the impending war.”
The entire room went quiet as Kureto heard a knock at the door. A second later, it opened up and Aoi stepped into the room. “Sorry to disturb you, Lieutenant General Kureto, but I have the test results that you asked for.” Kureto held his hand out towards her as she walked over and held out the file to him. Once it was in his hand, she gave him a bow and moved to step out of the room.
Kureto immediately opened it up and looked it over as he heard Shinya say, “Well, was it Guren’s blood in the vial?”
DNA TEST ANALYSIS REPORT
SAMPLE A tested against ICHINOSE GUREN’s blood panel and DNA panel.
BLOOD TEST SUBMITTED – REPORT
ICHINOSE GUREN
OMEGA MALE
AGE: 24
BLOOD TYPE: OTEST | RESULT
HUMAN | POSTIVE
NAMANARI | NEGATIVE
DEMON | NEGATIVE
VAMPIRE VIRUS | NEGATIVE
APOCLAPYSE VIRUS | NEGATIVE
HCG | <0.02 mL | NEGATIVE
DEMON CURSE | NORMALTest indicates that SAMPLE A is a 99.9% match to ICHINOSE GUREN. The test has indicated that SAMPLE A is a direct match to ICHINOSE GUREN. Submitted in the report are the DNA panels pulled from SAMPLE A and ICHINOSE GUREN on next page for comparison.
Kureto let out a sharp breath as he sat the file down onto the table and momentarily felt his anger spike from seeing the result. “Yeah.” Kureto confirmed. “Ninety-nine percent match. It was his blood.” This didn’t make sense. Actually, it made the situation a lot worse as the other scenarios came to mind. Why would the spell not work then? “There has to be some other explanation.” At the moment, he knew that none of them wanted to say it. It was looming right over their heads. His gaze dropped down to the book that the spell had been in as he reached out for it. He flipped it open as the curiosity hit him. “Unless… There is something blocking even magic.” He murmured.
“Like a ward?” Shinya questioned.
“Just like a ward.” Kureto stated, “The wards on Shibuya are extremely powerful and can hold back the Four Horseman of John and mask our presence to them while holding them back. It also allows us to know if vampires are within the confines of our stronghold.” Honestly, he was angry at himself for not thinking about it until now. “It could be possible that there is magic out there that is making it impossible to track Guren down through spellcraft.” As he looked back down at the book as he flipped to a page that gave one of the strongest ward spells that they had, he hummed to himself, “But who would have that kind of power?”
Could it be possible?
It could explain… everything.
Saito stared up at the building that he needed as he smiled. Everything so far was all going according to plan, but he still needed a few pieces to make sure that everything went as smoothly as possible. The former Second Progenitor made his way into the building, uncaring of anything else around him as he made his way inside. He took a quick look around, knowing that he was completely alone.
One by one, all of his pieces were continuing to fall perfectly into place. His ambitions would be seen soon enough. It would work in the way that he pleased. He would destroy everything that had been built for generations, and he wouldn’t have to lift even a single finger once it was all set into motion.
It was dark out, but he could still see everything perfectly. He could hear even the smallest sound. The world was so quiet. It was rather peaceful if one didn’t know of the horrors that lurked in the darkness of the world. Saito kept walking, humming to himself as he looked around. Nothing in sight that would stand in his way. Not that it would really matter. He could take care of it with ease if he needed it too. It would just be easier to walk in and out and not have to worry about a single thing. It would be fine in the end. Saito had this planned perfectly. He had thought of every single outcome possible. He slipped into the place that he needed and smiled a bit as he reached into his pocket.
Perfect.
By the end of this, no one would have seen any of this coming, and that was just what he wanted to see happen.
Guren’s body felt entirely too hot. His entire nervous system felt like it was on fire. That someone had put him right over open flames and he was slowly burning alive. He had barely moved. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t drink anything. He felt so fatigued. Everything around him was nothing but a haze that he couldn’t hardly make out. It felt so hard to breathe. Each breath felt like it was stabbing him right in the chest as he stayed curled up on his side. His hair was sticking to his face while a thick layer of sweat covered his body.
His neck was throbbing. The Omega knew that he was deep into denial. Even whenever he touched at his neck and he could feel the mark that was still there. It was painful to the touch. But he was noticing the changes. The way that he would bury his nose into the blankets. How he found this strange pull inside of him where he would be watching the door. Guren kept wanting to tell himself that maybe it was just the hormones of heat talking. That his mind was so clouded and warped at the moment that he thought that was what happened. Saito had fangs. He did drink human blood. It could have been that Guren had just panicked and assumed that is what Saito had actually done. That is what Guren wanted to believe.
He hadn’t seen Saito since it happened. He felt so disoriented and out of it. The entire room would spin if he attempted to sit up. So, he kept just laying down. His body felt so weak and fatigued at this point that he couldn’t do a thing. He had never felt this way during his heat before. This was far worse than anything that he had ever experienced.
Guren couldn’t scream. He couldn’t cry. He couldn’t even feel anger and hatred. His entire body had just essentially shut down. His mind had quickly followed. Guren felt so sick. He had actually gotten sick. Rolling over to the edge of the bed and releasing all of the little bits of contents of his stomach onto the floor. He didn’t think he could keep anything down even if he tried. His body felt excoriatingly hot. He was pretty sure that his organs might actually start to be giving out and he could succumb to dehydration if he didn’t get some water in his system.
Still, everything around him was so distorted. Guren kept seeing things that weren’t really there. He had seen the faces of his friends. He had seen Kureto. All of it was within the same room that he was in. It just kept getting worse the longer that he laid here. His mind was already in such a deep haze that he didn’t know how much longer that he was truly going to have any sort of clarity for. His mind was playing tricks on him already. Saito had actively been trying to get into his head. He couldn’t trust a single thing that he saw. None of it was real, and he knew that.
Guren’s eyes were so heavy. Honestly, he was still trying to figure out if he was actually conscious or if he was actually awake. He’s had nightmares every single night since he had gotten here, and it was always of what happened in this place. Even in his sleep, he couldn’t escape from what Saito was doing to him. His breathing was still labored. Pulling in shaky breaths that never felt like he was getting enough oxygen. As much as he wanted to stay covered up, having even a sheet over him felt like too much.
With a trembling hand, Guren touched at his neck again. He could feel the mark there. Even now, he kept trying to rationalize it. Just telling himself that it was not a true mark on his neck and it was just a healing vampire bite. Those marks could stay for a while even with a demon helping them heal. That had to be what was happening. That he was thinking too much into it. The blood on his skin was dry and crusted over. He could feel it flaking away underneath his fingertips. The wound still stung. An icy, numbness washed over him again as he touched at the bite before dropping his hand away.
Guren let his eyes close as he kept pulling in deep breaths as a way to try and fill his lungs with air. It didn’t feel easy at all, and it was driving him absolutely insane. It had been a long time since he felt anything that remotely felt like this. Not within his natural heats or even with typical sickness. Cursed Gear users did not get sick. It had been so long since he had gotten sick that he couldn’t remember what it truly felt like. He wouldn’t even say that this felt like that, but it was the closest example of it that he had. Not moving felt like the best thing to do. He didn’t feel like he even had the energy to roll over. So, he was just staying on his side and not moving unless he absolutely had too.
Guren wasn’t sure if he had fallen asleep or not because whenever he opened his eyes, someone was standing in front of him. He probably would have if he had the energy to do so. The room was still darkened, which he was thankful for in a way, but he could see a figure of someone not far from him. His vision was still very hazy as the figure got closer to him.
Even though he knew it wasn’t real, a soft smile came to his face as he let out a shaky breath. “Dad.” He whispered. Soft, light eyes stayed on him as he saw his father’s smile. A hand reached out, soothing his hair back as Guren found himself relaxing. Guren knew it wasn’t real. It had been so long since he had seen his father’s face that he had almost forgotten what he looked like. “You’re not real.” Guren whispered. Of course he wasn’t. Guren had been seeing so many figments of his imagination that he could hardly decipher what was real, what he was possibly hallucinating, and what could be one of Saito’s tricks.
The hand continued to brush at his hair as he heard a soft murmur of, “You’ve spiked a high-grade fever.” His voice sounded so… real. Guren almost couldn’t register that it was his voice. It had been so long since he had heard it. This wasn’t real. His mind was just making up every possible scenario as a way to calm him. Or it was a trick. It had to be, and he knew it.
“I’m in heat.” Guren whispered. “I feel like I’m going to get sick.” Yeah, he was going crazy at this point. He was talking to a literal hallucination. His father had been dead for over eight years. Even as much as he wished it was true, he knew it wasn’t. It was just strangely… calming. Guren could feel himself relaxing more and more with each sooth of his hair. It reminded him of all the times whenever he was little that his father would do the same thing to him whenever he was sick. Only, Guren wasn’t sick. He knew that. “I don’t know what is going on with me.”
“You’re in a heat haze.” Sakae replied. “Omegas even in heat have a way to regulate their body temperature even if they spike a fever. You can’t regulate your body right now.” Guren’s eyes fluttered shut as he felt something cool touch his forehead. “You’re body is in withdrawals. We need to find a way to cool you down before your temperature gets too high.”
“I’m fine.” Guren murmured. A cool shower – not necessarily ice cold – would help greatly, but he didn’t have the energy to get up, and he didn’t actually know where that room was. For all he knew, the room was set up in a way that if he tried to leave, something bad would happen to him. Guren opened his eyes again letting out a shaky breath as he saw his father’s eyes again. “I miss you.” Sakae’s soft gaze was on him, but he didn’t say a word. Was he actually awake or was this just some dream that he was having?
Sakae kept looking at him for a moment, “You need to drink some water. You’re becoming dehydrated.” Guren knew that, but he didn’t think he had the strength to get up right now. Maybe, if he forced it. His mind felt so foggy that he couldn’t do much of anything about it. “Sit up and take a drink.”
Guren let out another shaky breath as he started to push himself up onto trembling arms. It wasn’t easy from how fatigued his body was, but he had managed it. His gaze moved towards the table as he reached over and grabbed the water. The water bottle was cold against his hand. Clearly, it had been freshly chilled. The Omega had noticed that it was already open, and all caution was thrown to the wind as he took a drink from it. It felt extremely good on his parched throat. Guren had been careful not to just down the water. Instead, taking small sips of it. It helped a bit, but he knew that it wasn’t enough. He had almost dropped the water bottle whenever he tried to set it down, but it landed back on the bedside table.
Just sitting up was making everything around him twist and turn. At one point, he was probably going to lose consciousness and have a hard time waking back up at this rate. Guren fell back against the bed again, panting as he stared at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. He turned his gaze slightly, noticing that Sakae was still there. He wouldn’t be for long. He’d disappear too. Still, it was so comforting to see him. It had been a while since he thought about him, but this felt like one of those moments where he wished his dad was still alive and he could see him again. Maybe, his mind just knew what he needed at the moment.
“Rest.” Sakae murmured. “Rest will help.”
Guren was flooded with emotions. His chest tightened as he felt a wetness come to his eyes as he shook his head. “I’m so sorry.” The Omega whispered. It felt like he was so overcome with different waves of emotions that he couldn’t keep it in.
Sakae kept looking at him. That smile never wavering. A soft and gentle smile that always gave Guren such warmth. That smile was like a security blanket. It made him want to break down all over again as he felt the tear slip out of his eye. Sakae had reached forward, wiping it away as he said, “What are you sorry for?”
“It’s my fault.” Guren murmured with a slight shake of his head. There were so many things that he wished he could say. During their final goodbye, all Sakae wanted to do was part ways with a smile. Guren couldn’t do that. He was too overwhelmed with what was going on that all he could do was cry and tell his father how happy that he had been to be his son and how proud that he was. There were so many things that he blamed himself for. With his father. With his friends. With all of this. With just having a moment of quiet, it felt like it was all being built up. “I should have stopped it.”
“Rest now.” Sakae muttered back to him. “You need your strength.”
Guren’s eyes were so heavy. All of his instincts were circulating and incoherent to the point that he had no idea what was happening anymore. The hand was back and soothing his hair once more and Guren found himself being lulled to sleep. The last thing he saw was the fuzzy image of his father’s face before his eyes completely slipped shut and he lost complete consciousness.
Saito walked through the quiet halls of the mansion has he got back to the room that he specifically wanted. Even from outside of the closed door, the room reeked of heat pheromones. Guren’s natural scent was blossomed and laced throughout it, giving an allure to it that only an Omega could do. He opened up the door and stepped silently into the darkened room. It didn’t take him long to find Guren’s curled up form laying on the bed.
He could hear his labored breathing from where he was. The way that he was struggling to breathe properly. How hard that he was breathing. His heart was racing. Rapidly beating much faster than it should be. As Saito walked over, he saw how flushed Guren looked. His skin was pale but flushed. A thick layer of sweat over his body. It was very clear that Guren was in a heat haze. A very dangerous situation for an Omega to be in. Unable to control the heightened fever that came along with a natural heat, and not just merely the elevated temperature that could still make their skin flushed but a dangerous level. Considering everything, he wasn’t surprised. With everything that Guren’s body was going through, it couldn’t compensate for it. Added stress on top of everything had sent the Omega right over the edge.
Marks littered the Omega’s pale skin. Old wounds that were healing over. Bruises that painted his body. Wrists that were completely rubbed raw and broken open from restraints that had been used and Guren had fought so desperately against them. Dried blood still remained over his thighs and neck. The bond mark was in clear view for him. Saito wondered just how far in denial that Guren was. There really was so much that humans didn’t seem to care to understand about their adversaries. To be fair, even vampires wrote off humans naturally. There was so much that humans didn’t comprehend or care to understand about the origins of their world.
It made him wonder how long it would take for the beast to awaken whenever he realized what happened to his precious mate-to-be. It really would be a beautiful sight. All that hard work down the drain in mere seconds.
Saito went to the side of the bed and stared down at his… mate. Guren was his mate now. This was always what it was meant to be. Years and years of planning were finally coming together, and he was fast at work to get everything done that he needed to accomplish. All of his ambitions in this world would soon come true. Guren was going to be completely consumed by irrational instincts right about now. He probably didn’t have a sliver of comprehension or clarity right about now. He would be so far gone into his instincts and that special little subspace that he wouldn’t even realize anything that was around him. Even the best of the best at control couldn’t keep control for long under the right circumstances.
The Alpha reached up, undoing the buttons of his jacket and pulled it away before throwing the jacket onto the bed. Within seconds, he had seen it. The way that the Omega’s interest perked even in his deep slumber. His instincts were rewriting themselves. Soon enough, Guren might mentally still see Saito as his abductor and captor, but his instincts would not. It was all careful planning and putting every single piece into place. That was exactly what Saito wanted. It would tear the Omega’s mind apart. It would take a long time to truly break Guren Ichinose, but Saito knew how to do it. It was systematically prying apart every single fiber that Guren had and rewiring them into the places that he needed them to be. Now, it would be time to enter into the next steps of his plan. Putting those touches together before enviably, there would be a time that Guren could not control himself.
Saito undid the cufflinks of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows to reveal the scent glands that were on his wrists. It had been a long time since he had walked around without scent patches covering up his natural scent. It was quite easy to just masquerade as a Beta man to most people, and a scent could be quite the intimate thing to most people. Humans didn’t even believe that someone who was inhumane could have one. If they were alive during the formation of secondary genders, they had one. They had a secondary gender of their own. Most vampires just didn’t act on them and instead followed their vampiric instincts instead. If a vampire got in touch with their other instincts, they would be quite the unstoppable creatures.
Right now, he needed to make sure that Guren’s organs didn’t start shutting down due to the dangerous temperature of his body. That wouldn’t do any good if that was the case. There would be no point in what he had done if he just let Guren die now. He wasn’t about to let all of his plans go down because of it.
Saito reached out, carefully scooping the Omega up into his arms. It was easy. There were perks to having superior strength. Guren’s dead weight would be difficult for most humans to carry him by themselves if they weren’t already physically strong or having another person to assist them. Someone like him, it was as if picking up a simple glass. Guren did not regain consciousness whenever Saito picked him up. Which told him immediately that Guren was reaching a danger zone. It should have at least stirred him. A heat haze in an Omega was often displayed like a heat stroke if not almost the exact same. Saito knew what to do whenever it came to it. Living with humans made it easy to learn more about them as well as needing to have the knowledge for his own plans.
Guren’s head lulled against his shoulder as he listened to more of that breathing. It wasn’t a good sign. None of it was. Though, Saito knew that Guren would get passed it as long as if the course of treatment was appropriately done. The Alpha had walked straight into the conjoined bathroom and flipped on the light. The light didn’t even faze the Omega. He was completely out cold. Saito walked over towards the shower and turned it onto the coldest setting. There was a tub in the room, but it would take longer waiting for it to be filled up to the right amount and precious time lost. So, he instead went with the next best thing. Human Omegas were known for taking cold showers whenever they were in heat just because it helped with the feverish symptoms they would have. Using a cold or ice bath was a common tactic used in heat stroke victims to help cool them down. It was one of many, but it would work for now.
Saito stepped into the cold spray, completely uncaring of the temperature himself since he couldn’t really feel it as he turned and sat down with the Omega in his lap. He had heard the slightest gasp suddenly come from Guren as the cold spray hit him, but he didn’t start to stir. Saito kept one arm around him as he used the other to undo the top buttons of his shirt and pulled them away from his neck. He had positioned Guren’s body to make sure that it stayed underneath the spray. He could already see steam starting to come from Guren’s body from how hot his body temperature was compared to the cold water that was now hitting against his skin. The spray practically covered him completely from how Saito had Guren curled up.
Saito maneuvered Guren’s head towards his neck, making sure that his nose was directly by his scent gland, as he went about cleaning away the sweat that had been on his body and watching the water turn from clear to pink as blood started to wash away from the Omega’s skin. He could feel just how quickly Guren’s entire body relaxed. Saito turned his gaze, watching the flutter behind Guren’s eyelids. The way that his long eyelashes kissed his cheeks and the slight part of his lips that let small breaths come out. The same labored, quick, and heavy breathing that Saito had identified from before.
As the water beat down onto the both of them, Saito just smiled as he leaned back against the tile. All the pieces were going to fall together perfectly. It was already starting through the smallest of signs. Soon enough, even Guren’s own mind was going to turn against him, and he would have nowhere else to go.
Whenever Guren had came too again, he still felt completely dazed. The entire room was still spinning around him, but he was able to have just enough grip on himself that he was able to pick out a few things. He had noticed a coolness against his forehead first. As if a damp, cool cloth had been placed there. The room was much darker than before. Purposefully with the lights turned down lower to live just a dim light for him not to be plunged into complete darkness.
His entire body ached and screamed at him. Guren’s stomach was twisted up violently. Each movement sent a new wave of discomfort and agony through his body. Everything around him started to feel even more indistinct the longer that he remained awake. Guren wasn’t actually sure if he was truly awake or not. His body felt so heavy, and his mind was swimming. It felt like he was in some sort of trance that he could feel every agonizing movement in.
His skin was still covered in a thickening layer of sweat. Each breath came out heavy and labored as it grew more difficult to breathe properly. His breathing was rapidly. Small little pants of air that he was trying to take in. His skin felt more flushed than usual. Heated more than it should be. This didn’t feel normal. It couldn’t be right. Everything about the symptoms he was having didn’t make sense to him. Yet, somehow, he felt better than before.
His thighs were slowly getting coated in his own body’s natural slick. Guren hated the feeling, but there wasn’t anything that he could do about it. It was sticking annoying to his skin and making it uncomfortable to keep his legs closed as much as he wanted too. He hated the ache that came with it. Guren knew what his body was lack in moments like these, and it was nothing like what he was feeling right now. The symptoms shouldn’t be this severe. That’s what didn’t make sense to him.
Guren’s stomach knotted up again as the nausea hit him, and he barely was able to roll over in time to release the contents of his stomach out. The bile stung at his throat as it involuntarily made tears come to his eyes. The disgusting taste flooded over his tastebuds as he retched. To his surprise, there was a trash bin waiting there that he somehow actually made it into it. His body trembled. Shaking violently as he held himself up just enough to be able to do it. There wasn’t much on his stomach to begin with, so it left just stomach acid coming up that made the burn worse. After a moment, he was able to start catching his breath whenever it began to pass. Guren closed his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath and waited for his stomach to settle. Even just sitting up made everything around him spin and his stomach continuing to ache.
Guren finally cracked his eyes back open as he lifted his gaze and looked around. He didn’t know what he was expecting to see differently. It was the same room that made him want to violently lash out at anything that came near him. He had to keep reminding himself not to just break down. That he would be okay. That he was going to withstand this, find a way out, and get out alive. He had too. Otherwise, why go through all of this? Well, if Saito didn’t kill him first. Even if it was by accident. Though, he could say that it might feel like a blessing at this point.
Guren’s arm gave out and he crashed down into the bed as the room spun around him some more. He was so disgusted with himself. Completely revolted by everything that was going on around him. He was so angry. He wanted to scream. Nothing came out. A weakness and fatigue was over his whole body as he rolled back over onto his back even as it made the ache in his lower back worse as he did so. On the bright side, at least it seemed like the hallucinations were done taunting him for now. It could entirely be that the hallucinations weren’t actually that. That they were actually illusions created by Saito. He wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference, and he knew that. There were no signs of them being illusions, but to be fair, he wasn’t exactly in a state where his mind was the clearest. Guren barely had clarity now. He had just enough recognition to know that this wasn’t just a figment of his imagination, or a nightmare and it was truly his situation at hand. His mind could entirely be making him see things just to make him feel better within the shitty ass situation that he was currently facing.
Guren’s gaze lingered on the ceiling as he dropped his hands. The Omega paused as he felt a cloth underneath his fingertips from where he had previously been leaning up. Guren turned his head and curled his fingers around it. He hadn’t noticed it until now, but it had clearly been what he had felt before on his forehead. It was a folded up, cold, and damp cloth. It felt nice in his hand compared to the fever like feeling that he was having now. Guren had never spiked such a high fever in heat before. Just thinking about being in heat made Guren want to get sick again. The Omega wanted to keep denying that it was happening at all. Guren let his gaze linger on that cloth for a moment longer before he dropped it down onto the bed.
That little bit of clarity that he had already felt like it was pulling away from him. That he would quickly lose himself into his senses even more. That dazed and disoriented feeling was still there, but Guren tried his best to try and get through it. The Omega shifted again as the ache got worse between his legs and his stomach knotted up in cramps. He hated this. He didn’t care for what he felt like in his past heats before, but this felt insufferable. At least, he had just enough grip on himself that he could keep ahold of what little that he had.
Guren’s attention was grabbed as he heard the door opening up, and it felt as if the smallest wave of adrenaline crashed into him. He curled his legs up to his body, pushing himself up and moving away on the bed. His gaze caught Saito’s figure immediately. He knew that it was him the second that the choking pheromones loaded his senses. Then, there was a change. One that made Guren even more confused than before. Instead of Saito’s pheromones and scent immediately putting him on edge and high alert, his body had… relaxed. He could feel the tension leaving his body despite how much that his mind screamed at him. He could feel Saito’s gaze on him as Guren reached out for the sheet and was completely uncaring of how hot that he felt. The Omega pulled it up and covered up his body as he bunched the fabric in his hand.
“I should say that I am surprised to see you moving around.” Saito mused as he started to walk closer. Each one of his footsteps made Guren’s chest tighten more as his disgust grew. He sucked in a breath, holding it there as the Alpha got up next to him. Guren clenched his jaw as clawed fingers reached out to touch at his face, grabbing it, and pulled Guren a bit closer to him. The Omega had no choice in following. The grip on his face was crushing. He could feel his jaw shift underneath it from the way that Saito had grabbed his face. His lungs were getting that burning sensation to them the longer that he held his breath. It made his head spin just a bit more as Saito forced Guren to completely turn his head to look at him. “But it also is a good thing that you are. The heat haze is starting to lower which means your fever should break soon and you will have a regular heat temperature.” Guren was only in this situation because of him. They both knew it. Saito looked entirely amused at Guren’s suffering and the torment that he was putting him through. “Just take a breath. No need to hold it.”
Guren didn’t do it because Saito had said it, but he had instinctively taken one whenever his body couldn’t handle it anymore. The Omega froze the second that Saito’s scent lingered in his senses. His stomach fluttered in a different way that had completely caused the disgust to consume him more. Guren didn’t like this feeling that was coming towards him. It was as if everything around him was changing and he didn’t have the power to stop it. His mind started to swim again as Guren’s gut twisted up. The Omega wanted to pull away, but he found that he couldn’t, and it wasn’t because of Saito’s hand grabbing his face. There was a strange sense pulling him forward. He could feel his hold on to what little bit of clarity he had was starting to slip away. Guren hated this. It made him want to get violently sick but also turn that same violence on Saito without a care that this man could in fact kill him instantly if he wanted too.
“Oh, how you must not understand at all what you are feeling right now.” Saito mused. Guren desperately wanted to pull away. To tell Saito to just fuck off. Saito’s tone was too sweet. It had this tone to it that was trying to act as if he was being kind and caring but it was also a taunt. Honestly, Guren didn’t completely understand what was happening to him. He had never felt this way before, so he had no idea what he was truly experiencing. This was all new to him. “It scares you.”
“I’m not scared.” Guren said quickly. Was he? Fear was nothing new to him. He was only human. All humans could feel fear in one way or another, and it would just depend on how he showed it. He couldn’t let fear paralyze him in place. Not in this world. Not in his life. Fear was not a weakness in his opinion. It could be a driver. Something to push someone forward. If he had to be honest with himself, he knew that there was fear somewhere inside of him. Scared of the situation. Scared of what he could be facing. But he couldn’t let that come forward.
“You mastered the art of deception.” Saito went on to say, “It’s hard to detect whenever you’re being truthful or deceiving.” Guren turned his gaze slightly away as he let out a labored breath. “I’ve been alive for centuries. I know all of the tricks.”
“Who said it was a trick?” Guren questioned as he lifted his gaze back up.
“Right now,” Saito murmured as he leaned down and the Omega kept himself completely still as the Second Progenitor looked over his face. “You can’t even hide it.” Guren didn’t say a word. He decided that going with silence was the best thing to do at the moment. The Omega focused more on keeping his heart rate down – which wasn’t easy since the symptoms he was experiencing already caused it – and attempting to keep his mind clear at all costs. “You don’t know why you’re suddenly so relaxed around me.” The Omega’s stomach churned in disgust as Saito’s hands moved to run down his arms. He didn’t push away the sheet that he had pulled over him, but he could still feel it.
“Shut up.” Guren said quickly as his heart started to race just a bit more. He just wanted it to stop. He wanted Saito to get his hands off of him. Please. His mind swam more as Saito leaned in closer and more of that sense was involuntarily filling Guren’s senses. He hated that his body wanted to relax more. That it wanted to just lean into it rather than away from it. He cursed it. Mentally, he knew he needed to do and what he wanted, but it as if his own instincts were turning against him and it made him sick. As Saito’s hands moved down his arms and towards the front of the sheet, he let out a soft, “Stop.” He didn’t have the energy to fight. As much as he wanted too. He wanted to beat the living shit out of Saito until he couldn’t move, but considering Saito wasn’t human, that wouldn’t be an easy feat without something else in his arsenal other than his hands and feet. Guren turned his head as Saito’s lips went to graze his and instead he felt them against his cheek.
“You’re not fighting against me anymore.” Saito murmured. Guren could feel every single word that he say from the way that his lips would brush against his skin. It made him shiver as he curled his fingers more into the sheet that was covering him. Guren just wanted to lay back down, but the instinct of knowing that he was in a vulnerable position and with him was keeping him from doing so. Mentally, he didn’t feel safe even if there was that trying to sooth him. He didn’t trust it at all. His mind had to be playing tricks on him. Making him either do or see things that were not actually there. He was just telling himself it was because he didn’t have the energy to fight back. That his body had finally caught up to the fatigue and had left him in a place that he was struggling to get out of.
Staying calm.
Trying to keep his mind clear and think rationally.
Do everything that he could to get out of this alive.
Those are what he needed to focus on. Just because Saito was stronger than him didn’t mean he couldn’t beat him somehow. No one was invincible. There had to be something that he could do. Spells, using a weapon, anything. All of the advantages that he could have, Saito had taken from him, so it was a lot more difficult to try and find his way in. Guren didn’t have many options here. Mostly, all he had was his patience, intelligence, and strategic abilities helping him out right now. Guren did already think of the possibility that Saito was keeping him sedated with a mild sedative as a means of control rather than to actually keep him incapacitated. Saito already knew that he had the physical strength on him by a tenfold. He wouldn’t need to keep him drugged as a means to keep him from fighting back or running away. If he was truly doing it, it was for the means of keeping him mentally restrained. Keeping it to where he remained incoherent and unable to rationalize or think of a possible plan. It was incredibly smart, and not likely something that a regular vampire would do. Saito didn’t underestimate humans. Saito was not underestimating him, and it did show. He wasn’t entirely cocky about it either. He was calculating. Watching for everything that Guren could possibly do. And that made this situation more dangerous than anything else.
His mind swam more as the cramps took over his stomach again. The Omega felt nauseated as he felt more of the slick building up on his thighs. Even as much as he wanted to deny what was going on, just the physical symptoms alone were enough to tell him otherwise. His body was reacting, and he hated that even more than anything else. It was as if Saito being right there was actively making something shift inside of him and changing everything around him. Guren desperately wanted to hang on to the ropes of what he little bit that he had left. It just wasn’t working, and he knew that. It was driving him absolutely insane. Guren didn’t like how his body seemed to react the closer that Saito got to him.
Guren inhaled sharply as Saito grabbed the sheet, and he knew that holding onto it would be in vain. The Alpha started to pull it back, slipping the fabric over his shoulder as the Omega’s heart started to pound just a bit harder. Keep himself calm. He could get through this.
“It would be easier if you just allowed yourself to let go to your instincts.” Saito murmured. “You don’t have to keep lying to yourself.”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?” Guren whispered as the fog continued to come over his mind. Right now, he was clinging. He knew that. Guren could just let himself fall completely, but he wasn’t going to do that. “Lying to myself?”
“You’re already in denial.” Saito drawled. “You’re my mate now.”
Guren felt like he had been metaphorical punch in the gut. Mate. It made his neck burn at the wound that remained on the skin. The phantom pain of having his skin broken open by fangs came back to mind. The Omega shook his head, whispering, “I’m not your mate.” The air hitched in his throat as Saito’s fingers touched his neck right over the throbbing area.
“You can deny it all that you want.” Saito replied as he smiled. His gaze lingered on Guren’s face as he tilted his head. “You know it’s true. We’re tied together more than ever before now.” Guren dropped his gaze as Saito turned his hand and grazed the back of his finger against Guren’s cheek. “Do you really think that those humans would want you back now?”
“Shut up.” Guren snapped. Guren was trying to think of everything that he could possibly do right now. Saito was playing with psychological warfare. Guren couldn’t let himself fall for it. The Omega started thinking about his friends, and it made that longing hit him. He wanted to see them. He had to keep fighting against this so he could get back to all of them. “You don’t know a thing about them.”
“Oh?” Saito mused, “Would it be how… No matter what you do, they are still right by your side even whenever you feel like you don’t deserve it?” That strong a chord in him. Guren had to remind himself that Saito said he had looked into his memories. Nothing was safe right now. Every single thought and memory he had Saito had seen. “We’ve only just begun here… And by the end of it… You won’t have them anymore.”
“Then…” Guren started as he finally lifted his gaze back up, “You don’t know my friends.”
He meant it.
Guren had to keep fighting against this.
He would get back to them. No matter what he had to do.
Saito responded by moving his hand and grabbing at Guren’s neck. The Omega choked as he was pushed backwards, and his back hit the bed. Saito didn’t know a thing. Guren could endure all of this. It didn’t matter what he did. He was not going to let this man take everything from him.
What else would he be fighting for if he allowed that?
After hours of continually going through everything, they had finally called it a night as nightfall came and the world was quiet around them. Kureto had walked back home to the quiet of his home. The house was entirely too quiet at night. There were no sounds of Guren moving around or his quick, witted words that he would speak whenever it was just the two of them. It was just… silence.
Kureto was exhausted. He knew that he needed to sleep. Getting sleep would be important to having the energy and strength to take on all of this. But that feeling of insomnia was still strong in him. Kureto could not allow himself to fall apart and let it be known. He was a leader. Those underneath him relied on him to lead them into the next part of this. It was just a bit hard whenever his thoughts were elsewhere, and for the first time in his life, he was truly struggling on compartmentalizing all of it.
The Alpha got to his bedroom as a sudden eerie feeling hit him. Nothing looked disturbed or out of place. Actually, it looked completely normal. It was just a feeling of unease that had washed over him. As if someone had been in here whenever they weren’t supposed to be.
Kureto didn’t take off his belt like he normally would whenever he would entire into his bedroom. Instead, he reached for the grip of Raimeiki as he started to look around his bedroom. Something just didn’t feel right. The room was clearly empty, but something kept poking at the back of his mind. It was so quiet and still in the room. Kureto quietly leaned over and flipped on the light and his room immediately illuminated in light. With the additional light, he couldn’t see anything that would tell him that someone had touched any of his belongings.
Then, his gaze settled onto his bed. A small box was sitting there that Kureto knew that he didn’t put there. It had a string on it almost as if it were shaped like a… bow. Kureto let go of Raimeiki as he cautiously started to approach it. He stared down at the purple-colored ribbon that was wrapped around the box and the neatly done tie at the top. The Alpha felt his heart skip a beat as he looked down at it. He reached out, carefully grabbing the end of the ribbon and pulling it. With ease, it came free, and the ribbon slipped over the surface of the box. Boxes didn’t magically appear in someone’s room. Someone put this here. Kureto knew that he didn’t. It looked deliberate. The way that the box was, the ribbon on it… It was almost like a… present.
Kureto felt his chest tightening as he pulled the ribbon completely away and pushed up the lid of the box and pushed it away. Instead, he spotted an envelope with HIRAGI KURETO written on the front of it in neat writing. It wasn’t handwriting that he recognized either. He picked up the envelope as he turned it over to look at the back. It wasn’t sealed. He used his index finger to push it up and saw a similarity-colored piece of paper or card inside. Kureto pulled the card out and revealed a single word to himself.
Checkmate.
Kureto felt the confusion hit him for just a second as he turned his gaze down towards the box. Inside there were four items. His chest got just a bit tighter as his heart clenched. He gritted his teeth as he placed down the card and slowly reached in for the first item. Tied together with a small purple ribbon looked to be a lock of black human hair. It was neat but the appearance was almost as if they had been ripped out of someone’s scalp. He stared down at the lock, the worst-case scenario coming to mind as he looked back into the box. There was a small box, a polaroid photo that was upside down, and a tape.
Kureto placed down what was in his hands so he could grab out all of the items. The tape, he placed off to the side, as he grabbed for the upside-down photo. Kureto almost didn’t want to look, but he still flipped it over. It felt as if the world had stopped upon seeing it.
In the photograph was Guren. He was clearly unconscious with his eyes closed, blood covering over his forehead and down into his eyes, and trails of blood coming from his nose. In his mouth was a gag and his arms were bound in front of him by what appeared to be handcuffs. Around the gag, Kureto was able to see blood on Guren’s chin and down the corners of his mouth. There was a part of him that tried to deny what he was seeing. Saying that it could be work of a computer program and it wasn’t actually Guren in the photograph. But it was a polaroid. That right there told him that this was… genuine.
The whole world felt like it was bleeding away as he stared at it. Kureto almost ripped up the photo right then and there, but rationality told him otherwise as his gaze momentarily moved towards the video tape. He almost didn’t want to know what was on that tape. Instead, Kureto looked towards the small box.
Kureto curled his fingers around it, unsure of what he would actually find inside as he started to open up the box. What was left of the world shattered around him as he grabbed the chain that was inside and revealed the final item to himself.
Guren’s ring.
Chapter 9: A Liar
Summary:
Saito continues on with his experimentation on Guren. Meanwhile, Kureto decides to look at what is on the tape. Later, Guren starts to come too in the mist of his heat haze.
Chapter Text
Saito had been watching over Guren. The Omega was still pretty deep into the thralls of a haze. There was no recollection in his eyes. His skin was glistening in a thick layer of sweat. His face was flushed over and his breathing was still labored and uneven. The cold showers and continuous cloths were just temporary fixes. Even whenever the Omega was awake, Guren was nothing sort of delirious. He couldn’t necessarily have his new mate dying on him now, so he had been making sure that everything was taken care of.
Guren wasn’t fighting him right now. Though, he probably would once more whenever he got a bit of his clarity back. He should be nearing the end of it if Saito’s calculations were correct. Saito was using it to his advantage in the meantime. It was pretty clear to him that Guren had never fallen this hard into instincts before. Soon enough, Guren would realize what he was going through. Instincts could be quite the touchy thing. Especially for humans.
Saito took a quick look towards his mate as he placed the vials of blood into the container. So far, everything has been working out just the way that he thought it would. Guren was doing exactly what Saito believed he would do. It didn’t matter about strength and power. Guren had the intelligence and ability to get himself out of a sticky situation. Guren had one major weakness. His weakness were the people he called a family. Keeping him weakened and disoriented was the best plan to make sure that Guren couldn’t attempt to think of an escape route. Not that he would really be able to get away anyway. There were too many factors outside of the protected walls of Saito’s home that Guren would have to overcome. Not to mention that he was hours away from his beloved packmates.
Whenever Guren came too, he knew that he would have to use other measures to continue to break him down. Guren was proving himself to be quite difficult. Saito was always up for a challenge. It shouldn’t be that much longer until then. Rather Guren wanted to admit to it or not, Saito’s presence was the one thing aside from his general first aid that was keeping Guren was reaching a state that he couldn’t come back from.
Saito turned his gaze back towards Guren whenever he noticed movement. The Omega was moving around. Clearly showing signs of discomfort as the heat pheromones filled the room. They were strong. Incredibly so. Saito’s nose was quite sensitive to it. Compared to a human, Saito’s senses were much sharper and could pick up even the weakest of scents. Saito reached over, placing his hand down onto Guren’s burning forehead. It made the Omega still and relax as Saito smiled.
“You are quite the beauty.” Saito murmured, “You’ve never been in such a vulnerable position.”
Guren’s unfocused gaze moved up to him. The Omega had hardly spoken in the last day since Saito had gotten back. Guren’s condition would worsen the longer that he was away. Which was normal whenever it came to mate withdrawals. Guren probably didn’t even realize just who he was looking at right now.
“Now if you would just fall into your instincts.” Saito mused as he lowered his hand and caressed at Guren’s face. The Omega was tracking his movements. “But that will happen soon enough, won’t it?” Guren didn’t respond to him, but his gaze did move up towards him. “You have absolutely no idea what is going on right now.” There was no recollection in Guren’s eyes. It was as if he wasn’t even conscious and his body was just moving. Saito would not be surprised if Guren couldn’t remember this at all. Though, Guren was already starting to respond to him. Now, if he could just get that to happen whenever Guren did have that clarity. He supposed that humans who were trained against their own instincts and were never truly taught them would have difficulty doing so.
Saito used his other hand, reaching out towards the case and grabbing the vial of serum and the needle that he needed. He pulled his hand away from the Omega and uncapped the syringe before putting the needle into the vial and flipping it upside down. He drew out some of the serum, filling the syringe to the appropriate dosage that he needed before placing the vial down and ensuring that no air had gotten into the syringe. The Alpha man turned back towards his mate as he used one hand to force Guren’s back onto the bed once more. The Omega was in no state to fight back against him. Not that he would right now. He turned the needle, going towards Guren’s navel and slipped the needle just where he needed it. Guren didn’t even grimace. He didn’t make a sound. Saito hit the plunger and sent the serum into Guren’s body before slowly pulling the needle out. He slipped the cap back onto it before placing the used needle into the container and looked back towards his mate.
Saito reached over, soothing some of Guren’s hair back as the Omega’s gaze moved to his face. He could see how heavy Guren’s eyes were. “Rest.” Saito stated. “It’ll be over soon.” Guren’s eyes had fluttered shut a second later and Saito waited a moment before pulling away from him.
How long would it take before Guren’s mind had fractured enough? For someone to have suffered as much as he did throughout his life and still had a kind heart, it was quite intriguing to see where the breaking point would be. Everyone had a breaking point. That one second that everything came crashing down, and he no longer had a choice.
Once Guren was out of his heat haze, they would start back up. There was still more to do. More pieces of his plan that he needed to put into place. It was systematically tearing apart every single piece and rewiring all of it. It would take a lot of conditioning and reworking every part into the place that he needed it. Guren was a person who was fueled by his own emotions and desires. It was just human nature to do so. Humans were inherently selfish in their own ways and still showed kindness to a world that was much darker. Guren was the person who activated the Seraph of the End. He was the one who took that final step to bring the world to an end. Everything he had gone through had put him into that position. At the age of sixteen. Someone so young who was forced to grow up too fast. Who had already lost so much that he treasured. Who could really blame a kid for wanting to just have one thing back? Guren carried that burden on his own. Sworn to secrecy and unable to tell anyone about what he had done. Guren was remorseful. He felt so… guilty over his actions on that night. Everything that Guren Ichinose had done to date was exactly why Saito knew that he was the one.
Saito’s gaze dropped down to the healing bond mark on Guren’s neck. The Omega would continue to deny it, but he wouldn’t be able to resist it for much longer. The longer that Saito kept him, the more that Guren wouldn’t even realize that he had fallen. It mark was healing up nicely. It would leave behind the very noticeable mating bond mark, but there were no signs of infection. Saito had been careful with Guren’s injuries. Any open wounds, he did make sure to disinfect and start the healing process. It was just a needed circumstance in order to break Guren down.
Guren didn’t necessarily respond to physical torture in the way that Saito thought he would. He thought after a few days, Guren would start showing the normal signs. Though, he supposed that the Ichinose had trained themselves against torture. Though, physical wasn’t the only torture method. Saito was starting to believe that he might actually have to change up his strategy a bit to really break Guren’s mind down. If he wanted to get him into the place where he needed him to be, he needed Guren’s psyche and ego systematically crushed. Guren couldn’t last forever though. There would be a point that the physical torture would get to him.
Maybe, he really did need to change this up. Psychological? Emotional? Guren was quite an emotional person even if he had quite the flippant attitude that he had. Guren did set off the Apocalypse Virus, knowing that the world would end if he activated the Seraph of the End, just to have his friends back. Looking back into Guren’s memories, he had seen all of the thoughts. The times that Guren wished he had died. Even still wishing for death. Yet, something kept him going. He was clinging on to something that kept everything from breaking him down.
Saito smiled, “That’s what keeps you going.” The Alpha murmured as he let his gaze return back to Guren’s face. “Your friends are your reason to… live.”
A smile came to Saito’s face as it hit him in that moment.
He knew what would truly break Guren Ichinose.
Kureto didn’t sleep a wink. Even as night turned into sunrise. He had sat on the edge of his bed and stared down at the items that were now in his possession. How did this get here? Kureto knew that this was the real deal. The only person who should have had possession of this ring was Guren. He was wearing it whenever he had left. Kureto was ready to go on a rampage. Destroy everything in his path. Right now, he had complete proof that Guren had been kidnapped. It was right within his hands. Kureto didn’t need to test the hair to know that it belonged to Guren.
He had held the ring in his palm all night and the photo in the other. Guren wasn’t wearing the ring in the photograph. His jacket was gone and there was blood on the white button-up shirt that he was wearing. It was clear in the photo that he was being transported somewhere. From the area around him, it almost looked like a… car trunk. In a way, it proved their theory that Guren might have been put into a car after he disappeared. It didn’t make Kureto feel any better. All it proved was their worst fears. Guren had been in fact abducted.
The ring put him the most on edge. This was given back to him. All of this had been addressed to… Kureto. Whoever did this had intimate knowledge that they shouldn’t have had. The biggest question still remained of who. Who would be able to break into Kureto’s home and leave this behind? Were they wrong that Guren might have been abducted by a vampire? That had to be impossible. Guren could easily fight his way out against another human. The state that he was in the photo clearly showed all the signs that he had been beaten. Physically beaten down to be specific. The evidence was all over his face and not a single one of Guren’s friends said that Guren had blood on him whenever they last saw him. This would have been something they had spoken about.
With further examination of the photo, Kureto could see dust on Guren’s hair. The whitest powder that typically came out of concrete. Everything in the photo just proved all of what Kureto was saying that could have happened. There was even blood on Guren’s sleeves. Underneath the sleeves and the locations of his wrists and forearm specifically. As if the skin had broken open underneath and seeped into the fabric.
The ring felt so heavy in his hand. It was the same ring that Kureto had specifically picked out for Guren. It was the same one that he saw Guren admiring with a soft and gentle look in his eyes. The same chain that he had put it on so Guren could wear it whenever he wanted to and no one would know until Guren wanted them to know, but to also keep it out of the way. The clasp was broken. Not a typical break but showing signs that it had been ripped off of Guren’s neck. There was even hair caught within parts of the clasp showing more evidence that it had been jerked off of him rather than taken off or somehow breaking.
Kureto kept eyeing the card and the tape. It was a video tape. One of those that came from a handheld camera. Just from seeing the photo and seeing the tape, Kureto didn’t want to know what might actually be on it. These items being in his possession now and left for him, specifically addressed to him, meant that someone was taunting him. That they wanted him to know what was happening. What they were doing to him. This was certainly not what he was expecting. The question was how this got here. Who would have done this that would have known about the ring and the significance to Kureto. Kureto didn’t know a single person who would do this to Guren who would have known that he was romantically linked to Kureto. What really caught his attention was the note.
Checkmate.
It was directed at him. His name was written on the envelope that the note was left in. This was meant to check him. Please do not tell him that Guren was kidnapped because of him. Someone who wasn’t supposed to know… knew. Kureto didn’t want to say that this was about him, but it was definitely directed. He kept looking at all the items. They were specific. Taunting and gloating. Every single item was deliberate in their own way. The only thing he didn’t know for sure was the tape. Kureto kept eyeing it, but that subtle thought was in the back of his mind. From the photo, he could only imagine what was on that tape, but even then, he didn’t want to know. But he had too. He needed to know what was actually on that tape. At the moment, he was the only person who knew about this.
Kureto should be completely on edge. He should be storming through Shibuya to figure out who had put this in his home. This was placed inside of his home. His safe place. No one entered his home without permission. Whoever took Guren put this here, and that left more questions than answers. Kureto would have to take these items to the others. Show them exactly what he was seeing now. Right here was absolute proof that Guren had been abducted, and the person who had taken him was taunting them. Taunting him.
Kureto had no choice.
He had to see what was on the tape.
The Alpha finally placed down all the items before heading towards his closet where he kept boxes put away with different things that he had kept from before the world ended. Kureto opened up the door and kneeled down to open up the box that was inside. He dug through every single item to locate what he was looking for. It took a while but eventually he found it. A handheld camcorder. It was an older model that did have a tape holder on the side. Still in the box was a newer model of the same type of camera, but this was the one that he needed. He hit the button to make sure that it could power on and that he had all the cords that came with it. Thankfully, it did turn on and showed the error message for not having a tape inside.
Kureto stood back up, ignoring the mess that he made in the closet and headed back over to his bed to pick up the tape. The Alpha took in a deep breath as he contemplated it one more time. No. There was no contemplating this. He needed to see it. This tape could have an answer that he was looking for. Still, he couldn’t think of all the things that could be happening on that tape. What he might see. It was just something that he was going to have to do.
Kureto opened up the door to the tape holder and made sure that the tape was in the right place before closing it up. He did notice that the tape was already rewound. So if the tape had been recorded on, it was already right back at the beginning. Once it was clicked into place, he took in a deep breath and released it as he clicked the play button.
On the screen, Kureto was greeted with the outdoors. The Alpha focused in on it as he realized exactly what he was looking at. The air caught in his throat as he realized it was the location of the mission that Guren had disappeared on. Within seconds, the frame was focused and all he could see was Guren. The Guren Squad was in perfect formation. They were each overwhelmed but still managing to keep themselves from being killed. His gaze had locked firmly onto Guren’s form. The way that he was fighting. In that moment, Kureto was able to recall everything that was said to him by the others. How they explained the fight. It was just as they said. Guren was standing exactly where it was said that he was.
Kureto kept looking over Guren’s face. He could see the determination written all over it. It was as if the frame had zoomed in on Guren. While he could see everyone that had been with him, the primary focus of the tape was Guren. It was clearly taken from afar. Someone had been watching them. It was clear that it was the person recording the video. Whoever was recording this was the person who took Guren.
“Show me your face, bastard.” Kureto growled as he kept looking at it. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Guren. Guren was fighting as hard as he could. So were the others. He could see Guren speaking to the others – most likely calling out orders and new formations – but it wasn’t picked up on the audio. All he could hear was the white noise of wind.
Then, Kureto felt his blood run cold as he heard a soft laugh. The camera was still focused in on Guren. The way that the camera was framed was acting as if someone was admiring Guren. Suddenly, a voice came over the small speaker that was on the camcorder. “He’s flourished. He’s gotten so much stronger over the years, hasn’t he?” Kureto completely stilled from hearing that. He didn’t know that voice. But it was starting to make the dots in Kureto’s brain connect. It was someone who knew Guren. “Such a strong and capable Omega. He’s defied all the odds that this world had to offer him. Yet… He’s still stuck in a world that he should not be in.”
“Bastard.” Kureto growled.
“Just how far are you willing to go to protect him?” Kureto felt his blood run cold. Initially, the video gave off far more stalker tendencies. It would be the only thing that made sense to know how someone would know about the ring. This… This was deliberate. The way the words were said had completely frozen him. There was something going off in the back of his mind about it. “How far are you willing to go to get him back?” There was a tease to the voice. A taunt. This tape wasn’t about Guren… It was about… him. Kureto’s grip on the camera tightened as he heard that laugh again. “You’ll never see him again. The Guren Ichinose standing on this battlefield will die today.”
“Who the Hell are you?” Kureto growled. It was as if he was standing there right at that moment. Completely powerless to do a thing as the camera shifted.
“An Ichinose and Hiragi standing side by side…” Then, Kureto heard a tongue click as if it was done in amusement. “That is something that I cannot allow.” Another soft laugh came through the audio. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him. This is checkmate.” Kureto felt as if he was about to snap the camcorder right into two from hearing that. “Kureto Hiragi.”
As the tape completely went black, Kureto was left standing there, staring at it with anger filled eyes. He hated how he felt relieved not to see something truly heinous on the tape, but the implications of everything from it had his anger rising. That was the final moment that anyone had seen Guren alive. This was more than they had before. It showed clearly that someone had been watching Guren that day. Even though the tape had faded to black before it happened, Kureto knew what happened just moments later. It was whenever Guren was separated from the others. Kureto had almost destroyed the camcorder in his hand purely out of frustration. The tape told him so much but told him so little at the same time.
Out of frustration, he slammed the camcorder’s screen shut and threw it onto the bed. Kureto pushed his hands through his hair as he looked back down towards the items on his bed. As he did, his blood ran cold. The lock of hair was gone. The Alpha frowned, looking around to see if he might have placed it somewhere else, but he recalled placing it on the bed with the rest of it.
Kureto’s gaze quickly moved towards the envelope and the card. The stunned state began to hit him worse as he saw that there was no ink on the envelope. He pulled out the card to reveal the same thing to him. Nothing. Even though he knew it had said Checkmate, that word was no longer on the card.
Kureto reached out for the photograph in his stunned state and flipped it over to reveal that the photograph no longer held a photo. Instead, it was just a white surface. “What the Hell?” Kureto questioned softly as he looked it all over. A photo of Guren had been on this. What happened to it? What happened to the card? Where was the lock of hair? Everything that proved Guren had been kidnapped.
What the Hell was happening?
Guren finally felt like he was coming down from it. He didn’t know how long he had been in this heat for. Days? He wouldn’t be surprised if it had been days. Everything was so blurred together that he didn’t know what was happening anymore. Everything was such a blur and so twisted up that Guren couldn’t keep track of anything. It was hard to tell whenever he was conscious and aware or if he was actually unconscious and just having a vivid nightmare of the situation he was in. It was all twisted up that Guren really didn’t know what was real and what was fiction. For all he knew, half of what he was seeing was just an illusion and he was so fatigued that he couldn’t quite make it out.
He had barely been able to eat anything or even drink water. His body still felt so entirely hot that he couldn’t regulate his temperature, but whenever he woke back up, he was just a bit cooler and didn’t feel as sweaty. Still, his mind still didn’t feel completely clear. His thighs were coated in his own slick and fluids from each time that Saito had his way with him. Guren had no energy to fight him. He felt so helpless whenever it had taken over. Saito already had physical strength on him and adding in extreme fatigue, Guren really stood no chance.
He had never felt so helpless and powerless before. The only time he felt remotely close to this was whenever he was a small child, but even then, it didn’t feel quite like this. This was entirely in a league of its own. The only thing that Guren could think of was because of how long it had been and Guren had gotten stronger. All that hard work on himself, and he still ended up feeling so weak.
Guren still felt as if he was in this abnormal purgatory of being unsure if he was actually awake or not. The Omega still felt so feverish and out of it. What he didn’t understand is how he felt clarity whenever Saito was around, but whenever it was just him, he felt like he was hallucinating. Guren just wanted this to end. This was a feeling that he never wanted to have. It was something completely unknown to him. Everything felt so real, but at the same time, it all felt like nothing more than an illusion that he was in.
Guren was trying hard to find strength in his body. Do anything to be able to just have that rationality back. Everything really felt as if it was a haze around him. He was trying, but it just wasn’t working well enough. He felt so sick to his stomach. His head was pounding, threatening to beat right out of his skull. The Omega’s vision was blurring as he cracked his eyes open and looked around the room. He just needed this to end. At this point in time, he wouldn’t even care if Saito took him back down to that torture room, at least he would have some clarity.
He could hear every single sound of his breathing. How labored and hard that he was having to breathe. A cloth was on his forehead. Damp and cold. However, he could barely feel the coolness of it. He did feel as if he was coming down from it, but it was slow going and taking time where he was jumping in and out of everything.
Guren blinked a few times, trying to get his vision to correct as he looked around the room. It was so dark. He could barely see the light through the blinds. It had to be nighttime right now with how dark it was in the room. The curtains had appeared to be drawn, drowning out even more of the light that could be coming in. It was taking up a bit, but it felt as if he was starting to regain just a bit more of his bearings. He had to be hitting the end of this. Guren had never experienced a heat haze before, but he knew it could be dangerous if not taken care of.
A heat gaze was exceptionally dangerous for an Omega especially if they were alone. A lot of it had to do with being unable to cool themselves down and left in a delirious state because their bodies were trying to shut down to preserve themselves. It was exactly what was happening to him, but he never thought he actually would. A lot of it had to do with the stress that his body was going under and all the torture and experimentation from Saito. It just had to be. It was the only explanation for why he would experience a heat that could be dangerous like this.
Guren’s skin felt gross. At that moment, all he wanted to do was take a shower and wash it all away, but he was at the mercy of his captor. Guren would not have a choice unless Saito allowed for it. It was already humiliating and degrading enough to be in this position as it was. So much had happened in his life that he didn’t know what he could truly say was the most humiliating thing to happen to him. The most degrading. It all built up to a point that he didn’t know anymore.
Mate.
That’s what Saito kept calling him.
That couldn’t be possible, right?
The Omega pushed himself up, pulling the cloth away from his forehead as he felt the lightheadedness hit. Everything spun around him temporarily as he planted his hands down and brought in a sharp breath and slowly released it. He still felt utterly awful. At least his body wasn’t feeling nearly as heavy right now. The clear signs of fatigue were still there.
Guren started to move, not giving it much thought at all, as he slipped out of the bed. His legs gave out as soon as he stepped out of the bed. The Omega caught himself on the floor and his arms ached from the impact. Guren let out a breath of annoyance as he pushed himself up again. His legs were trembling. Trying to keep him steady but having a hard time doing so. Guren’s gaze swept the room again. The room felt strangely calm. It had that soothing atmosphere of a bedroom, but it was nothing like that. The Omega’s gaze settled on the bed and the sinking, revolted feeling hit as he took a step back. Guren stumbled into a nearby table as he cursed from his shin hitting the wood. He paused as his hand hit fabric, and he dropped his gaze to see clothes. Guren didn’t have to think about it as he grabbed a hold of them and moved to put them on. He used the nearby furniture to help him stay stabilized as he slipped into the clean shorts and t-shirt. Having clothing on didn’t really help the feverish feel of his body, but it felt so good to be in clothing again.
The Omega’s gaze moved back towards the window as he moved to walk over to it. Carefully, he opened up the curtain enough to see the blinds. With the use of two fingers, he pushed up the blinds. Just like he thought, it was nighttime out. That wasn’t what really got his attention. The first thing Guren noticed were the bars on the windows. Purposefully built in a way that he couldn’t even slip his hand through it. The alarm immediately went off in the back of Guren’s mind and he didn’t even chance touching it. There would be no way in hell that Saito would just leave him here alone and unrestrained if he thought that Guren could escape. Most likely, the bars on the window were a trap. Guren didn’t have a single doubt in his mind that Saito was going to pull a fast one on him. Trying to allure him into an entrapment and Guren would be right back at square one.
The Omega turned his attention towards the door. The temptation was there. Guren slowly started to approach the door. Being careful of anything that might be booby trapped in the room. He felt so on edge as he wavered slightly on his feet. Guren got to the door and panted for a second as that dizziness came back. The Omega hesitated to reach for the door handle. He found himself staring at it and wondering whether it was charmed or not. He couldn’t feel or sense any use of magic on it, but it didn’t mean that Saito didn’t use something else on it. Still, he needed to try.
Guren carefully reached out and grabbed the knob. There was that momentary relief from nothing happening. The Omega released a soft breath as he slowly opened up the door. He tried to keep it as silent as possible. Guren’s heart started to pound just a bit harder in his chest as he peeked around the edge of the door. He was greeted with a dark hallway. The Omega pulled in another deep breath before slipping out of the room. Silently, he closed the door behind him. Guren couldn’t hear a thing. It was so quiet.
Guren tried to keep his footsteps as quiet as possible as he moved down the hall. He was being cautious of every single place that his feet would land. Just to be even safer, he stayed closer to the wall. He felt for the floorboards. For anything that could be off. Even with the few steps that he took, Guren could feel just how truly lightheaded that he was. Guren placed a hand on the wall as he kept moving forward. He could not stop. It was as if something was driving him forward now. Each step that he took was in a haste. Guren’s heart rate started to pick up. The more that he walked, the worse that he felt.
Guren had to ignore it as he got down the hallway. The Omega stopped as he got to the stairs, and he just listened. Listening for any sounds that Saito might be nearby or in the home. While he had barely seen any of it, he knew that this home was huge. As he looked at the stairs, all he could see for the moment was being thrown down the stairs. How it felt that his body connected with the hardwood. Guren had to force that feeling away as he pressed his back into the wall to start down the stairs. The Omega was practically holding his breath as he crept down the stairs. He didn’t even know what he was actually doing right now. His feet were practically just carrying him.
Guren got to the bottom of the stairs, and he peeked his head around the corner. Again, he was greeted with that eerie darkness. Shadows lurked within the corners and barely any light came through to illuminate anything. Guren gripped at the wall. This was probably a very stupid decision. Right now, it didn’t feel like a decision rather than a last second thought that decided to come true. The Omega stepped around the corner and took a quick look around before carrying on. That feeling was getting worse. The longer he roamed around, the more that his head swam, his body started to feel heavier, his stomach twisted up. The shorts were starting to stick to his thighs again as he felt the layer of sweat on his brow and forehead. The Omega let out a shaky, soft breath as his shoulder hit the wall. Something didn’t feel right about all of this. Just the fact that Guren was able to do it in the first place.
The Omega took a few more steps. Making it further down the hallway. Guren could feel the hair on the back of his neck trying to start to stand. A sudden wave of adrenaline hit him, and he bolted. Taking off down the hall as fast as he could. Guren quickly found himself going through weaving hallways. He took a quick look over his shoulder, still not hearing or seeing a thing, but it didn’t stop him as he turned to another hallway and came to another door. Guren opened it up quickly and started down the stairs.
His legs were carrying him as fast as they could. Guren looked over his shoulder again as he rounded the hall. That sense was still there. The one that was telling him to put distance. Guren went around another corner before his gaze settled on a door. Looking over his shoulder once more, he still didn’t see anything, but he opened up the door and stepped inside. He closed the door behind him, turning and pressed his back into the surface before letting out a sharp breath. Guren felt at the door until he found the lock and quickly flipped it.
The Omega’s heart nearly stopped the second his gaze moved around the room. The room didn’t have lights on but there was lighting from what appeared to be… tanks within the room. Guren sucked in a sharp inhale as his eyes widened, and he took in the room. There were so… many. The Omega took a step forward as he looked around at the tanks in shock. What exactly had Saito been doing? The closer that he got, he realized there was something inside of all of them. Guren wandered the room, taking quick glances at everything that he saw.
“What the Hell?” He questioned softly as he stared around in shock. Guren couldn’t tear his gaze away. The tanks were all filled with different colored liquids. Some were blue. Others were green. While more were orange. He could see more colors distributed throughout the room. Those were just the primary ones that he could see. They were just like that tank that was in the room that Saito would take him too. Guren didn’t touch a thing in his shock. He kept looking around as he progressed through the room. The room was large. Everywhere he looked, he couldn’t see an end to the room from where he was.
Everywhere he looked, it was just the tanks. Guren turned his gaze and noticed another door. The Omega went for it, trying to ignore that feeling of unease that was still washing over him. The door was unlocked whenever he got to it, and he opened it up to see that it looked like a control room. He spotted monitors that appeared to be off, and what would appear to be an office. Guren looked around the room, and his gaze settled on a stack of files. The Omega didn’t put much thought into walking over towards it. Guren quickly read over the neat handwriting that was on the files and stopped as he noticed one.
The Beast.
Guren’s heart skipped a beat as he recalled that origin story that Saito had spoken of. “The beast inside.” Guren murmured as he opened it up and looked over the contents of what appeared to be reports and statistics. He looked over the first page before flipping to the next. Even as he read the information, he couldn’t quite understand what it meant. It was almost like a riddle.
Guren jumped as he heard a noise behind him, and he quickly closed up the file. The Omega could feel his heart thump against his chest roughly as he felt himself instinctively holding his breath. As if that would truly make a difference. Quickly, Guren ducked out of the room and looked around. There wasn’t really hiding. He was as good as caught and he knew it. That was if it was Saito he had heard. It could be that he was thinking any sound that he heard was him. Guren went as far as he could go before he ducked down. This felt really stupid to attempt to do. He was hiding from a being that could find him just by his heartbeat or even the smell of his blood. It would never work, and he knew that. As he kneeled down, for just a brief moment, the entire world spun around him. The symptoms were trying to catch up with him again, and he could feel them quickly approaching.
Guren had used the tanks to keep himself hidden, and he hoped that the sounds in the room might sound out the beat of his heart, but he knew there was a slim chance of that. He bit down on his lip as he heard approaching footsteps. What was Saito going to do to him once he discovered that Guren had left that room? Shackle him down from now on? He really didn’t think this through. Guren focused on keeping his heartrate down. Trying to ignore how his gut was now twisting up as he curled an arm over his stomach. There was that very subtle thought in the back of his mind. Saito was meticulous with what he did, and he didn’t have the slightest care in the world about harming him. Guren could only imagine what that man could come up with.
Each time he heard that noise, Guren inched a bit backwards. Through the corner of his eye, he had started to look for anything that he could potentially use. Spell tags. A weapon. Something. The Omega slipped underneath a table. The noise from the tanks were rather loud, so it might really be the only hope he had at the moment and could only hope that the aroma in the room might work to mask over his scent until he figured out a game plan. As the footsteps got close to him, Guren held his breath and placed a hand over his mouth. Just stay calm. Focus on keeping his heartbeat steady. The footsteps stopped and Guren bit down on his lip.
Stay calm.
He needed to… stay calm.
The Omega only relaxed slightly whenever he heard the footsteps moving away and the echoes weren’t nearly as loud. Guren didn’t dare come out of his small hiding spot. He needed to wait just a moment longer to actually make sure that the coast was clear before he decided to take off. Guren turned his gaze up, looking over the tanks that were nearby. It looked like humans were inside. Eyes closed and floated within the liquid that was inside. They had to be more experiments. On the tanks, he could see the screens that showed heartbeats and vital signs. These people were… alive. It made Guren’s gut twist up as he slowly came out of his hiding spot, and he found himself focusing on the monitors. The aroma of the room was deep and sterile. It smelled heavily of medicinal and herbs. Guren moved a bit closer to one of the tanks as he reached up and touched at the tank. There was someone inside of this. Inside of the one in front of him was a female. He couldn’t see her face, but her hair floated around her like a cloak within the blue substance that she was in. He looked at all the buttons on the tank. It all looked similar to the one that was in that one room. What exactly was all of this?
Guren knew that he needed to stop looking and just get out of here. Saito, if he hadn’t noticed him, would eventually realize he was gone. Either he could try and make an escape or appear as if he didn’t leave that room. Guren knew he needed to think of something quickly. Yet, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from what he was looking at either. Something kept poking at the back of his mind the closer that he was looking at it. Something was just… off. Suddenly, a feeling that he couldn’t recognize hit him and his heart skipped a beat as he took a step back. As he kept staring, the monitor had started to show changes in the vital signs. The heartrate on the monitor started to pick up before it was screeching.
Guren jumped back, crashing back into a table as his eyes widened. The noise started to feel like it was piercing straight into his ears causing him to lift up his hands to cover them up. The monitor kept getting louder, and he knew that he needed to get out of there, but he was paralyzed in place as he stared at the tank. He couldn’t explain what he felt as he choked and stared at it.
“You are supposed to still be in bed.” Guren turned, gritting his teeth and taking a step back as Saito stood at the end of the aisle of tanks. Saito was just staring at him. Giving him that same smile and emotionless gaze. “You’re still experiencing a heat. You should be resting.”
“What is all of this?” Guren questioned as he took a step back. He felt closed in. Behind him was even more tanks but he was certain that there would be a wall behind him somewhere. It was just hard to particularly see. Either way, he felt completely caged in as he kept his eyes on Saito.
“You weren’t supposed to see this.” Saito stated. A darker look came to his face, but his smile never wavered. It brought that unsettling feeling back to his stomach as he took another step back. “Don’t do anything stupid, Guren.”
Guren wavered on his feet. Feeling a bit more lightheaded by the second, but he could also feel that slightest bit of adrenaline that was trying to come forward. What surprised him a bit more was that Saito didn’t do anything yet, but he couldn’t let his guard down. Saito took a step forward and Guren quickly moved his gaze around for anything to help him out in this situation. He was not in a good position right now. Not in the slightest. The Omega couldn’t spot anything that he could potentially use.
“Guren,” Saito said with a click of his tongue, “You need to go back to bed.”
“No.” Guren murmured as he shook his head and took a step back. “Stay away from me.” Guren didn’t understand why it was happening. The closer that Saito got to him, the more that his body relaxed. The more that the symptoms felt like they were trying to stop. Still, every alarm went off in his head despite how his body was reacting. There was this urge in the back of his mind. One that told him to just calm down and do as Saito said, but he fought against that.
“Don’t make me do this the hard way, Guren.” Saito warned.
Guren took another step back as he shook his head. “No.” He said again. Each step that Saito took was soft, but it sounded like it was echoing. With every step that Saito took, Guren’s heart started to pound just a bit harder. There was a pull inside of him, but he had to ignore it.
“Guren,” The Alpha drawled, “Why are you trying to fight it so hard?”
“Just…” The Omega reached up to touch at his head that was trying to throb again. He shook his head, inhaling sharply as his gut twisted up and that haze was trying to flood over his mind once more. “Shut up.”
Saito’s gaze moved up and down on him as Guren kept just trying to clear his mind. Saito kept getting closer to him. His body kept trying to relax the closer that Saito got. His scent was reaching his nose and despite how revolting it was, it calmed him. Guren found himself freezing in place the second that the Alpha got up to him. Saito’s smile got bigger as he shook his head, “What are you doing out our bedroom, Guren?”
“It’s not our bedroom.” Guren growled as he let out a shaky breath. Saito’s scent felt like it was choking him. His mind was starting to swim as his stomach twisted up.
Mate.
Guren squeezed his eyes shut as he shook his head. Stop it. Just fucking stop. Saito grabbed at his face and the Omega hated that his body responded to it. Why was his body responding? “Well, it is our bedroom, Guren.” Saito replied as he tapped at Guren’s cheek with his clawed nails. They were threatening to dig in. “You’re still trying to deny it.”
“Fuck you.” Guren growled. The Omega jerked away, finding it inside of him to do so. Saito did let him go as Guren took a few steps back. “I’m not denying anything. You really think that just because you did all of this that I would just accept it?”
“You’re going to make yourself sick again.” Saito replied as he straightened his back and kept his gaze locked down onto him. “You really should be resting.”
“What do you even want from me?!” Guren snapped, “I’m not just going to be another one of your experiments.”
“You wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for me.” Saito said back to him as he stepped forward and his face started to get darker. A chill overcame the room as Guren kept his glare fixated on the Alpha. “All you have to do is nothing, and you will be fine.”
“As if torture is nothing.” The Omega hissed.
“And you have been doing beautifully!” Saito exclaimed, laughing as he held his hands out next to him with a bright smile. “You really have come such a long way.”
Guren let his gaze move around without moving his head as he focused on that tank again. Saito had reached out, clicking a button on it, and it had silenced the machine. His gaze went back to who was inside as he kept trying to get a look at her face. “Who are these people?”
Saito didn’t say a word. He turned his gaze at him. Saito liked to talk. Even going into full detail on his plans or whatever was on his mind. He was keeping himself quiet. Guren could see that. Saito didn’t want him to know. That’s why he wasn’t talking. This was the same guy who would gloat and throw out his plans for everyone to hear if given the chance. Whatever he had in mind, it couldn’t be good. What exactly had Saito been doing for all this time? Did every single one of these tanks have someone inside of it? He had seen others, but this was the only one he had looked at closely.
“You’re not going to tell me.” Guren murmured.
“You don’t need to know.” Saito shot back. “Right now, all you need to care about is… you.” The way that Saito said it made another cold chill go down his back. The smile was back on Saito’s face as the Second Progenitor turned completely towards him. “Don’t make me do this the hard way, Guren. If you thought your injuries before were bad, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
To be fair to himself, it probably wouldn’t be the best idea to pull a stunt. Saito was already backing him into a corner. Before Guren even had a chance to think it completely through, the back of Saito’s hand crashed into his cheek, and the Omega found himself being thrown into a nearby tank. His face blistered in pain as he brought his arms up to break his fall. The glass cracked underneath the force, and it shattered as Guren fell backwards. Orange liquid came out of the tank and started to coat the floor. The shards of glass cut at his arms, and a few pieces had remained embedded in his skin.
Saito stepped forward and looked down at him as he clicked his tongue, “Are you done with all of this yet, Guren?”
The Omega grimaced as Saito reached down and grabbed at his hair, forcing him to his feet, and making him stand up. Guren followed it with instinct to keep the pain lessened from how hard the tug was. The Omega’s head swam once more as the Alpha stared him down. Saito’s other hand grabbed at his face again as he smiled and leaned in. Guren wanted to pull back, but the scent that reached his nose only caused that haze to start coming over his mind again.
Stop it.
Stop it.
Saito tilted his head, brushing their lips together as he murmured, “Just let go, Guren.”
Guren hated it. His body kept trying to relax. To lean into the touch rather than away from it. The haze was continuing to flood over his mind as he felt the room spinning around him.
Mate.
Guren kept trying to shake it off. No. Because that was not true. Even if his neck burned at the location of his bond gland. Guren hated this feeling. He wanted it to stop, but it felt like he couldn’t control it.
“If he knew,” Saito mused as he smiled a bit brighter, “Do you think his heart would shatter?” Guren inhaled sharply. Kureto. Saito was talking about Kureto. Guren went rigid as Kureto’s face temporarily flashed before his mind. “What happens whenever someone checks the King, and they don’t even know it?”
“Keep him out of this.” Guren said quickly. His heart had started to pound against his chest again as he felt the disgust hit him. What would Kureto say if he knew about all of this? It just made him think of all of them again. If they were okay. What they were doing. Guren could feel a sting in his eyes as he bit down on his lip. All he could feel was anger and frustration.
“You’re still defensive of him.” Saito mused.
“You don’t know a thing about him.” Guren replied as he lifted his gaze once more.
“I know plenty.” The Alpha answered as he tapped at his face again. Saito’s hand turned and the back of his fingers grazed Guren’s cheek. “I wonder if he likes the little present I sent him.” Guren’s heart felt like it had stopped as his eyes widened. Saito’s smile became more sadistic that had Guren chilled to the bone. “Maybe, he’ll realize that you were never his to begin with.”
“What did you do?” The Omega questioned, barely finding his voice as all the endless possibilities came to mind.
“Just a little bit of this… A little bit of that.” Saito went on to say as he smiled. “I wonder how angry he is going to get.” The Alpha laughed softly, “I hear he’s a bit territorial of what he believes belongs to him.”
Guren’s stomach knotted up as he felt like he was going to get sick again. Then, he froze as his gaze moved behind Saito and towards that room he had been in. The monitors. Saito knew about the ring. It meant that Saito had been watching him. Which wasn’t necessarily out of the question since Saito had done that exact thing before.
“I belong to no one.” Guren whispered.
“That isn’t true, now is it?” Saito questioned. “You are my mate now.”
“I’ll never be your mate.” The Omega hissed as he felt the anger hit him.
“I think the bond mark proves otherwise.” The Alpha retorted. “A bond is a connection between two. It’s a concept as old as time. Physical, emotional… Does it really matter?” Guren swallowed harshly as he curled his fingers. All he wanted to do was lash out. “You’ve been imprinted on. You’ve formed emotional instinct pack bonds. You’ve held a blood bond. Yet… You’ve never truly experienced what it is like to be physically and instinctually bonded to someone.” Guren remained silent as Saito kept looking over his face. “You can keep denying it all you want, but you’ll see… You’ll reach horizons you never knew that you could.” Saito lowered his hands, placing them on Guren’s bleeding arms as he walked around him. That haze continued to try to cloud his thoughts. That same word playing in his mind on repeat. Saito pressed into his back as he inhaled sharply. “The strongest bond someone could feel is in the family one creates.”
“You’re not my family.” Guren snapped, “They are.”
“If you say so.” Saito whispered directly into his ear. “Did you think you would get a fairy tale ending?”
“I don’t believe in fairy tales.” The Omega murmured with a shake of his head.
“Oh, right,” Saito drawled, sounding more amused, “All the humiliation and every single painful moment of your life that you have suffered.” Saito’s grip on his arms tightened. “What a true damsel in distress.” Guren clenched his jaw as his fingernails bit into his palms. “You’ve chosen to find light in the darkest of places instead. Someone who would probably be dead right now if you hadn’t worked as hard as you did for all of these years.”
“And whose fault is that?” Guren snapped. “If you had just minded your own damn business—”
“You really need to let that go.” Saito stated, cutting him off. “I made you stronger.”
“I didn’t exist five hundred years ago.” The Omega hissed out. He paused as the words left his mouth, and one thing that Saito said to him came back to mind. What he was created to do. “You planned this.”
“For five hundred years.” Saito said with a soft laugh, “Did it finally click for you? Took you long enough.” Then, he hummed, “Well, I guess the drugs have kept you a bit loopy.”
“What you created me for.” Guren murmured, “Why did you pick the Ichinose?”
“Because the Ichinose rivaled the Hiragi, of course.” The Second Progenitor replied. “Out of everyone born into the Ichinose clan, you were different from all of them.” Guren felt his chest tighten, remembering what he had been told time and time again whenever he was younger. The emotions and memories started to crash into him as he let out a shaky breath. “The greatest to ever come from the Ichinose clan. Far superior to any of those who came before you.” Saito’s nails moved down his arms, tracing into the blood from the wounds on his arms. “The blood in your veins in pure now.”
“Was that your plan?” Guren questioned, shaking his head as he tried to ignore the sting that came to the wounds that Saito touched. “To breed your mate.”
“You could say that.” Saito replied. “It makes me wonder what dear old Father would say right about now.”
“Father?” Guren questioned.
“You don’t know the secret behind the Hiragi family, do you?” Guren’s eyes widened as he heard Saito laugh softly again. “There is a reason they remain at the top of humanity even as the world has fallen.” Saito was definitely implying something with this. Just what? It made him think of the Ichinose clan, and everything that he had learned. Was someone, no… something else behind the Hiragi family? “You are a threat to them now.”
Guren could have laughed. A soft one did leave him as he shook his head, “I’m not a threat to them.” His voice was soft. All he wanted was to bring change. Honestly, he didn’t know if he would ever see that day. “In their eyes… I’m just scum.”
Saito’s lips brushed his ear as he felt more of that smile again. “That’s why they will never see you coming.”
“I won’t do whatever you want me to do.” Guren hissed softly, “I might despise the Hiragi family, but I won’t turn my back on my friends or Kureto.”
“You will.” Saito replied, “You will be left with no choice.” Saito laughed softly again as Guren shook his head and muttered out a denial. “All you will have is me. I’m your mate, Guren. You’ll find your comfort… Your security… Your safety… With me.”
“That is never going to happen.” The Omega growled.
Guren froze as Saito raised up one hand, cutting his own fingertip with his nail. Guren’s gaze immediately locked to it as Saito held up his bloodied finger and leaned it closer to Guren. The Omega, on instinct, leaned away from it. Knowing what that could do to him. “With one drop, you’ll never be able to leave me.” Saito mused, “One drop… And you will be tied to me for all eternity.” Saito’s other hand grabbed his face and Guren attempted to jerk away as Saito brought his hand closer. His heart started to pound against his chest the closer that Saito’s cut finger came to him. His eyes stayed firmly locked to the blood. “I could do it, you know. You’d never have the power to stop me. You’d be ranked… seventh… eighth… The power that you could have.”
“I won’t become a monster like you.” Guren snapped as he jerked away again, but he barely budged from Saito’s grip on him. His heart nearly stopped as Saito’s hand lingered just before his face. Becoming way too close for comfort. Guren completely froze as the cut finger slipped over the curve of his bottom lip before tracing across his cheek and down his neck to his bond gland.
For a moment, it felt like the world had stopped. He waited for his heart to stop beating entirely. Saito laughed again. A taunting and eerie laugh in his ear as Guren went to reach up for his own mouth but froze at the thought that he might make a mistake by doing so. Don’t do anything. Don’t move at all.
“Your fear just intensified.” Saito whispered. “You couldn’t hide that just now.” The Alpha kissed at his neck and Guren just held his breath. He was breathing, and that was the one sign that no blood had gotten into his mouth yet. He didn’t dare move. As long as if he was actually breathing, then he knew that he wasn’t infected by the virus that was within Saito’s blood. “I’ll turn you one day… And you will never leave my side after that.”
Chapter 10: But You Won't Surrender
Summary:
Kureto is left stunned at what he had seen. Meanwhile, Guren faces the punishment for leaving the bedroom.
Chapter Text
Kureto had kept trying to figure out what happened. He had torn his room apart to try and find that lock of hair. He kept looking over the note to see if maybe his eyes were just deceiving him. There was no note anymore. It was just a blank card and envelope. The only thing remaining was the ring. It was sitting on his bed and practically taunting him. But everything that was proof was just suddenly gone. He remained up for hours just to try and figure it out.
In his haste, Kureto had grabbed the camcorder that still had the tape inside of it. Kureto turned it back on, staring at it through a hyper focused gaze as he rewound the tape back to the beginning. Once it was there, he clicked the play button and all he was met with was nothing. Just… static. Kureto let out a sharp breath as he stared at it in disbelief.
This didn’t make sense.
Maybe he would have thought that he might have imagined it – which he doubted he would imagine any of this – if it hadn’t been for the fact that the ring he put around Guren’s neck was sitting right on his bed as proof that it in fact happened. Even the box was sitting there. The small black box the ring had been in. The envelope and card. The tape. The polaroid. They were all here. That voice was echoing in the back of his mind. The words that were said. It was a direct taunt to him.
He didn’t just make this shit up.
He had seen it.
Kureto placed the camcorder down as he reached over for the ring. Kureto brought the ring into his hand as he looked it over. The ring was real. It was exactly the same one. The same golden band. The same amount of diamonds that were encrusted into it. The same chain. Everything was right down to the smallest detail. It had been a quick flash, but he remembered Guren’s smile. The way that his eyes lit up the second that he realized what it was. The soft and gentle look that he had.
Guren had been wearing this whenever he had last seen him. He had been wearing it on that mission. The ring was never found on the battlefield, which meant it still had to be with Guren. If it was here along with the items that he had seen, Guren’s captor had put it here. The person who had taken Guren was taunting him.
Checkmate.
The bastard had called him out by name.
Kureto touched at the chain, lifting it up before pausing as his fingertips ran over the clasp. His gaze fell onto it as the confusion hit him even more. The clasp… wasn’t broken. That didn’t make sense. Kureto had seen it. It had been broken. It had been snapped as if it had been ripped off of Guren’s neck. Even the hairs that had been entangled in the broken clasp were no longer there.
“What the fuck?” Kureto questioned to himself as he looked it over. He could have sworn it was broken. Even the fact that it was in his hand was proof enough that someone broke into his home and put it here. He didn’t just make this shit up. He had seen it with his own eyes.
Something was going on here.
Just what the actual fuck was happening?
Without much of a thought, Kureto had started to throw everything into the box that had been left here. Maybe, he was just seeing things. That he somehow was trying to deny everything that he had seen. That he didn’t want to see it, so his mind was playing a trick on him.
He needed a fresh set of eyes to look at this.
They had barely been able to sleep since Guren had gone missing. They had practically been forcing themselves to get sleep because without rest, they were no help to Guren. Wherever he was. Unlike the others, Shinya just had this feeling. He couldn’t really explain it. Shinya had never noticed something like this before. Without Guren here, nothing felt truly right. They all felt guilty. They all blamed themselves for not noticing anything. Shinya was so angry at himself for not being on the battlefield sooner. For not being there in time to stop this from happening.
He had made one vow to himself in his life once he had figured out his purpose for living. Protect his friends. And he couldn’t even do that. Guren was gone. They had no idea where he was. If he was truly alive. But Shinya knew. He could feel it. Guren was still alive out there somewhere. He couldn’t explain it. He just knew.
They had been sticking close together. Continually trying to piece everything together. There were vital seconds that they might have not realized they knew. Shinya knew that. He kept replaying that moment in his mind. Seeing their faces and realizing that something really bad had happened. The tears in their eyes. The franticness of their voices.
Guren was the last person they would ever expect this to happen too.
Guren’s absence was showing. It was effecting the Moon Demon Company. It was effecting the students that he was the homeroom teacher for. He had noticed just which kids it seemed to hit the hardest. Yuuichirou Hyakuya being one of them. That kid was damn near on a warpath of demanding Cursed Gear just to go find Guren. The Narumi Squad was working nonstop and taking up even more missions to put themselves out there. Guren had influenced a lot of people.
Kureto had been trying to get them to focus on their bonds. That was pretty unheard of nowadays. It was also unreliable. Kureto seemed to just be grasping onto anything that he could. Shinya supposed that he could understand it. They were all doing it. Shinya wasn’t sure about it, but he kept finding himself focusing on it. Kureto had brought it up. How Shinya imprinted on Guren. That was true. The bond between him and Guren was different than the one he would have with anyone else. It was a pack bond but stronger. Being able to truly feel someone through a bond was a thing only in stories. Though, it was pretty undeniable whenever a packmate could just know if something was off about another member of their pack. So, maybe, it really did have weight to it.
Guren was his best friend. The person that he was closest to in this world. His partner in crime. Guren was a person that Shinya couldn’t live without. Bonds had nothing to do with that. Guren was his person. Guren was the person who understood him in ways that no one else would.
And Shinya was ready to destroy this world to get him back.
Call him selfish, but he couldn’t lose him. He could get angry with him. He could be upset with him. No matter what he felt, Guren was supposed to be right here with him. With them. With all of them. He would watch the world end again just to bring Guren back to them.
Shinya kept wondering if he missed something. He was going over everything again. Nothing truly made sense. It was literally as if Guren had just disappeared off of the Earth completely. They had Mahiru-no-Yo in a safe place. They had all the information from Kureto. They had what they knew from the battlefield. Yet nothing concrete to tell them what happened. People didn’t just disappear and couldn’t be tracked. They had their theories but at the end of the day that’s all it was… theories. Theories didn’t tell them where Guren was, and feelings didn’t prove he was alive.
Even with those thoughts in his mind, Shinya had kept going over everything again and again in trying to find anything that they might have overlooked. It couldn’t just be Kureto doing this. There had to be something there that even he was missing. It didn’t seem like it, but he kept having this feeling. Kureto was working this hard. After Kureto had mentioned it, Shinya had kept thinking about what Goshi had said. He had seen the look on his face at the time. He looked as if he genuinely believed it. It could be interpreted in so many ways, and even Kureto was pushing a certain narrative. Which had Shinya thinking about it as well. Shinya was quietly flipping through the pages of reports that they had.
Shinya’s attention was grabbed from hearing a pounding at his front door. The white-haired Alpha exhaled sharply as he closed up the file that he had been looking at before moving to head to the door. The pounding didn’t stop once. It was as if someone was smashing practically their entire body weight into the door from the way that Shinya could see the door shifting underneath the force.
“I’m coming!” Shinya exclaimed. He opened up the door, going to say, “Why do you have too—” He stopped speaking as he saw Kureto standing there. Kureto looked like an absolute mess. His hair was in disarray compared to its normally slicked and neat appearance as if he had been pulling at his hair or had a bad case of bed head. The older Alpha had incredibly dark and deep purple circles underneath his eyes. Even his uniform was disheveled. Hooked in his arm was a box that immediately grabbed Shinya’s attention. “Woah, what the hell happened to you, brother Kureto?”
Kureto swept passed him, basically forcing his way into the house as he said, “Someone was in my house.” Shinya crinkled his nose as he picked up on the pheromones that Kureto left off. They were in between extremely pissed off, annoyed, and sour.
“What?” Shinya questioned as he closed the door behind him. He followed Kureto into the living space as the Lieutenant General dropped the box down onto his covered coffee table and started to pull things out. “Brother Kureto? Are you okay?”
“Someone was in my house.” Kureto repeated, “Someone was in my house and left this.” Shinya’s gaze dropped down to the box as he saw the items that Kureto was pulling out. He spotted the back of a polaroid photo, an envelope, and a camcorder. Shinya frowned as he looked it over and Kureto turned to look at him. He had never seen that look on Kureto’s face. There was almost this desperation in his eyes. A frantic look as Kureto let out a sharp breath. “Whoever took Guren did this.”
Shinya reached out, taking the polaroid and the frown deepened as he saw that the polaroid was blank. Nothing on it to indicate that a photo had ever been developed onto it. His gaze moved over to the envelope, and he saw a card that was on it. Both were completely blank. Not a single sign that a pencil, pen, or anything had been used on it. Just blank stationary. Shinya kept looking over Kureto’s face as he shook his head, “When was the last time you got some sleep, brother Kureto?”
“Brother Shinya,” Kureto snapped, “I’m being serious.”
“There’s nothing on it, brother Kureto.” Shinya stated, “It’s blank.”
Kureto’s face changed. The disbelief was clear on his face as the Lieutenant General looked away as if he was trying to piece something together. “I saw it.” Kureto went on to say. His voice was lower as if he was trying to convince even himself. “It was a photo of Guren. It was him. The fucking note said checkmate. It had my name on it.” Kureto reached down for the camcorder, practically heaving as he opened it up and clicked the buttons. Shinya looked down at it as all he saw was a screen of static. “The video… It had a video of the battle. The guy who did this was talking on it.”
“Brother Kureto,” Shinya said carefully as he shook his head and looked back towards Kureto’s face. “There’s nothing there.”
“It was there,” Kureto growled, “It was there and then it was gone.” The older Alpha let out of a soft breath as he shook his head, “Just like Guren.”
Shinya wanted to believe him, but Kureto’s behavior was almost erratic. Frantic to be believed or have some confirmation that he saw something that was clearly not on the items he was holding. Shinya had looked back to the blank photograph to see if there was maybe something there, but it was just a blank polaroid film.
“Brother Kureto,” Shinya started again, “There is nothing here.”
“It was here.” Kureto went on to say, “A photo of Guren. He was beaten and bloody in it.” Kureto’s eyes were moving agitatedly as if he was recounting details. “There was blood coming from his nose, mouth, and ears. I saw it. His hands were bound… I think by handcuffs… And he had a gag in his mouth. There was concrete dust in his hair. It was right there on that photo.” Shinya’s gaze moved back down. That was pretty descriptive for something that wasn’t actually on the film. The film looked unused and showed no signs of ever being used. “It was there.” Kureto snapped again. “And the video… It was exactly the way that the everyone described the fight but—”
Shinya sighed, shaking his head as he dropped down the photo, “You look like you haven’t slept in days. We all know that sleep deprivation can cause…” He didn’t want to say it, but Kureto knew what he meant. The Lieutenant General looked at him, giving him a sharp glare and a look of disbelief. “When was the last time you slept?”
Suddenly, Kureto just started to laugh. A low rumble as he shook his head. “I’m not hallucinating shit, brother Shinya.” Kureto murmured as he sank down on the couch. “I saw it.” The laugh sounded so manic. As if Kureto was actually on the brink. It sent a chill down Shinya’s spine as he watched Kureto’s entire body language change. Kureto looked dead on his feet. He looked utterly exhausted, and as if he hadn’t slept in days. The look on Kureto’s face did scream that he wanted to be believed. That he was in his own state of shock and disbelief. “I know what I saw, brother Shinya.”
“I get that,” Shinya replied, “But there is nothing here.”
“I watched the video…” Kureto murmured as he put his head into his hands, “And suddenly… it was all just gone. I stared at that fucking photo all night. It was there.”
Shinya let out another sharp breath as he looked back to the items. He didn’t want to say it, but it could be that Kureto’s mind was playing a trick on him. That he was seeing something that wasn’t there. That he so desperately wanted a sign of what happened to Guren that he had made something up in his mind. “Brother Kureto…”
“You don’t believe me.” Kureto’s voice had gone so low that Shinya barely heard him speak.
“I want too,” Shinya said with a shake of his head, “But there is really nothing on any of this.” He sighed as he sank down to sit down next to his adoptive brother. “Brother Kureto, I want to get him back too… But you need to sleep.”
Kureto looked back to him, “Sleep has nothing to do with this.”
“You look like you haven’t slept in days.” Shinya stated. “You aren’t thinking clearly.”
Kureto laughed again. “I know what I saw. I’m not hallucinating—” The Lieutenant General cut himself off, letting out another laugh as he ran his hand through his hair. “I saw it.” It was as if Kureto was really trying to convince himself, but Shinya didn’t see a thing that would convince him. “Whoever took Guren broke into my house and left this for me.”
“Brother Kureto…” Shinya said with a soft sigh, “I think you believe what you saw, but it wasn’t really there.”
“Really?” Kureto questioned as he looked back to Shinya and reached into the inner part of his jacket to where a hidden pocket would be. “Then why was this there?” Kureto pulled his hand back out and turned his exhausted gaze back towards Shinya. The Lieutenant General uncurled his fingers, and a chain fell down and revealed a ring to him. Shinya didn’t recognize it.
Shinya frowned again as he shook his head, “Why does that matter?”
Again, it just seemed to prompt Kureto into laughing. “Why does it matter?” Kureto repeated as he shook his head, “Kureto let out a sharp breath as his gaze moved over Shinya’s face. Shinya got a good look at it. It was a ring on a chain. The clasp was perfectly intact, and the ring looked brand new.
Shinya sighed, standing back up as he rubbed at his face, “Damn it, brother Kureto.” Shinya said back, “What does a ring have to do with any of this?”
“This belongs to Guren.” Kureto snapped. Shinya paused as he turned back towards Kureto, and his gaze moved to the ring.
“Guren doesn’t wear a ring.” Shinya replied as he rubbed at his forehead. Hold on… There would be one reason that Guren would wear a ring and especially on a chain. It would have been something easily concealable underneath clothing. No one ever would have seen it. Shinya focused on it a bit more as he murmured, “Is that an engagement ring?”
Kureto let out a sharp breath as he looked back down towards it with his worn-out eyes. “I gave it to him.” Kureto’s voice had a different tone to it entirely. One that Shinya had never heard Kureto speak with. It was something gentle and fond.
Shinya knew about Guren and Kureto’s romantic relationship. Guren couldn’t keep it from him. Shinya had figured it out quickly before Guren had finally admitted to it much later. Eventually, Guren was a bit more honest about it. Shinya let out a soft breath as he looked over the way that Kureto was staring at the ring. Kureto never really showed emotions. Not unless they were amusement, observing, or anger. Otherwise, it was hard to tell what he was feeling. Right now, those walls were coming down and Shinya knew it was because Kureto had to be dead tired right now. He looked so worn-out and drained.
“I gave this to him just before the mission.” Kureto said as he curled his fingers around the chain and held the ring between his fingers as if he was showing it off. He held it up, turning his gaze back to Shinya. “And he said yes.”
“You proposed to him?” Shinya questioned.
“He said he’d marry me.” Kureto murmured as his voice kept getting softer and this rumble had started to emerge. The room started to change around them. Pheromones coming from Kureto started to flood into the air that choked even Shinya. “He was wearing this whenever he left to go on the mission. Guren would have been wearing this whenever he was attacked. So, how could I have it back?”
Now, that Shinya couldn’t refute but seeing the bit of the clasp, it was as together and unbroken. It didn’t show any sign that it had been on somehow. It could be that it was merely taken off. Realistically, it was if he believed Kureto’s word on this or not. Shinya had no true idea if Guren had truly been wearing that whenever he disappeared.
“Brother Kureto…” Shinya didn’t know what to say to him. He wanted to believe him, but he was looking at the facts here. Sleep deprivation could do a number on someone.
Kureto laughed again. It was so breathy and seeping with disbelief. As if a situation had came down on him and the only reaction he had was to laugh. Kureto curled his fingers around the ring as he looked back up and just stared off into space. “He agreed to marry me… And then he was taken.” Kureto murmured, “And the bastard who took him called me out by name. Whoever did this… They are taunting me. They want to fuck with my head.”
“You don’t have proof of that, brother Kureto.” Shinya said. He sucked in a deep breath, realizing that he might have said the wrong and probably insensitive thing, before slowly releasing it.
“I know what I saw.” Kureto growled as his sharp gaze moved back to Shinya. “Something is going on here. It was there, and now I know for sure that someone has him.”
“Brother Kureto, you look like you are about to collapse at any second.” Shinya said back quickly, “I want to believe you, but look at you! When was the last time you even slept?”
“I haven’t been able to sleep.” Kureto snapped, “Not since someone decided to kidnap my fiancé.” There was sarcasm laced in his voice with a hint of a matter-of-fact tone. Kureto looked away again, eyes rapidly moving. “The bastard broke into my house and who knows what is happening to Guren right now.” The Alpha laughed again, “Whenever I find this son of a bitch, I’m going to tear him limb from limb.”
“Damn it. You can’t be doing this!” Shinya growled as the anger hit him. It made Kureto’s gaze turned to him. “You really think this is going to help anything?!”
Kureto pushed himself up, shaking his head as Shinya picked up the anger coming off of him. “I won’t rest until I have him back.” Kureto said as he looked back to Shinya. “Rather you want to believe me or not. I know what I saw.”
“You damn near killed yourself the other night over a spell you didn’t even think of the consequences of.” Shinya said as he shook his head, “You look like you haven’t slept in days. This isn’t helping anything. Weren’t you the one telling us that we needed to rest so we would be useful?!”
“So what.” Kureto growled. “I would have thought you would have believed me since you and Guren are so close.” Kureto took a step forward and Shinya could feel the chill go down his spine from the glare that Kureto had fixated him. “Especially since you imprinted on him. That you would be someone who would be bashing down every single door to find him.”
“Not like this!” Shinya exclaimed, “We are no good to Guren if we dead on our feet to the point of fucking hallucinating!”
Shinya didn’t even flinch whenever Kureto’s fist came directly by his head and made contact with the wall that was behind him. “I didn’t hallucinate what I saw.” Kureto hissed. “I didn’t make this up.”
“Brother Kureto,” Shinya started with a shake of his head, “It’s really hard to believe that something was there whenever it clearly wasn’t.”
“Why would I make up proposing to him?” Kureto growled. Shinya paused as he looked over Kureto’s face. Kureto’s entire demeanor shifted. There was this animalistic look to his eyes as the pheromones that he let off was trying to crush down onto the white-haired Alpha. “Why would I make up any of this shit? Do you think I want to see an image of Guren being beaten down and bloody. There was blood all over him. I will never get that image out of my head.” Kureto’s voice started to have a growl to it. Becoming deeper and more pronounced. Shinya narrowed his gaze as he listened to Kureto’s words. He was being truthful about it. The one thing about the Hiragis though, they were all perfect liars. Kureto could easily make up evidence, but Shinya didn’t think he would about this. Especially not about Guren. Not unless… He was trying to get more swayed to the side of believing that Guren had been abducted in order to get his father not to stop any rescue efforts because of the impending war. Kureto’s words were raw. Seeping in a tone that Shinya would not normally associate with Kureto. “I did not just hallucinate this.”
Shinya’s gaze moved back to the chain that was wrapped around Kureto’s palm briefly before going back to Kureto’s face. Kureto looked dead on his feet. He did appear as if he was about to pass out at any moment. Shinya wanted to believe him, but it was hard too.
“Brother Shinya,” The older Alpha’s voice had a deep growl to it once more as Shinya inhaled sharply and his eyes started to widen. Within Kureto’s eyes, he saw the way that red was trying to bleed into the normal reddish-amber. “This isn’t just exhaustion. I don’t know what is going on, but something happened.”
“Brother Kureto—” Shinya started but his voice was cut off as suddenly Kureto’s fist slammed into his jaw. It made his ear ring for a moment as he reached up to touch at his busted lip. He straightened his back, touching at the blood that was now on his lip. The Major General turned his gaze back to his adoptive brother and shook his head. Kureto looked out of it. “With the risk of being maimed or even killed by you…” Shinya pulled his arm back, balling his hand into a fist before throwing all of his weight into a punch. Kureto stumbled back, crashing into the coffee table before managing to stay on his feet. “Calm the fuck down!” Shinya stalked over to Kureto, not even caring anymore as he grabbed the front of the Lieutenant General’s jacket and snapped, “You need to get some rest! You haven’t let yourself properly rest even after you did that damn spell. You are running purely on fumes.”
“Let go of me.” Kureto growled as his changing gaze lingered on Shinya. “Don’t make me hurt you.”
“Do it!” Shinya shouted, “You need to get your anger out?! Fine! I can take a hit! I don’t care at all!” His own anger and frustration about all of this was starting to show even more now. To the point that he couldn’t control it. “I want Guren back just as much as you! You don’t think I haven’t thought of the millions of things that could be happening to him?! But damn it!” Shinya heaved as he shook his head, “You are going to get yourself killed before you get the chance if you don’t fucking get some damn sleep!” Shinya jerked at Kureto’s clothes, uncaring of everything else as he practically hauled the older Alpha towards the couch. Surprisingly, Kureto didn’t fight it as Shinya shoved him down onto the couch. “Now lay down and get some fucking sleep.”
“I don’t need sleep,” Kureto growled as he turned over onto his back and glared up at Shinya, “I need to find him.”
“Guren needs you to get some rest.” Shinya shot back, “What are you going to do if you find the guy who did this, and you are running on left over exhausted fumes?!” Kureto’s lips pressed together into a fine line as Shinya straightened his back and wiped at his bottom lip. “For fucks sake, brother Kureto… You are not being the man that Guren needs you to be right now.”
Kureto slumped back against the couch, heaving as he shook his head, “I know what I saw.”
“I know that.” Shinya said, letting his voice get softer, “But you are not thinking clearly right now.” The white-haired Alpha crossed his living room, grabbing for a blanket that Guren specifically liked to use whenever he was here and Shinya had thrown over him the many times that Guren had crashed out at his home due to his own overworked exhaustion. He puffed it out, throwing it over Kureto as he noticed the immediate change in the Lieutenant General’s entire demeanor. The way that he practically melted as the exhaustion started to show a lot more clearly. “Get some rest. Guren needs you at your best.”
Kureto reached up, placing a hand over his eyes and curled his fingers. “I don’t get it.” Kureto’s voice was starting to lose that tone to it as more of the fatigued sound came. “How it could be there… and then it was just gone.”
“I don’t know.” Shinya said back, finding himself relaxing a bit as he was sure that the other was calming down now. “But you don’t have your head on straight, and you are damn near about to waltz right into possession at this rate. Guren doesn’t need that. He needs you.” Kureto’s gaze moved back to him, but he remained quiet. “Guren would tell you the same thing right now. Get some sleep.”
Kureto looked like he couldn’t fight it anymore as his eyes were starting to grow heavier. He dropped his hand as he whispered, “I proposed to him, brother Shinya…” Kureto shook his head slightly as he let out a sharp breath. “And he said yes.”
“I know.” Shinya replied softly. Kureto’s eyes looked like they were getting heavier as he watched Kureto lift up the ring to look at it. “You put that on him?”
Kureto nodded. “Just before we left.” Kureto murmured. The Lieutenant General’s eyes lingered on the ring as he let out another soft, breathy laugh. “I told him I would make this a world where he wouldn’t have to fear a thing… I made him a promise, and I intend on keeping it. Once I become King… I’m going to marry him.”
“You can’t do that if you get yourself killed before you have the chance to do so.” Shinya replied as he walked forward and carefully pulled out one of the additional pillows so it would force Kureto completely onto his back and he’d be in a more comfortable position. “If you want to keep your promise to him, you have to do this at full strength.”
Kureto dropped his hand as Shinya noticed the way that he struggled to keep his eyes open. “I know what I saw.” He repeated once more. “Someone knew. Someone who shouldn’t.”
“And we will figure that out.” Shinya replied, “After you get some sleep.”
Kureto had murmured something else, and to Shinya it almost sounded like he had said Guren’s name. Kureto’s eyes couldn’t stay open anymore as Shinya watched him drift off into sleep. He knew what it was. Kureto’s body had practically just gave out on him, and he could no longer keep himself awake.
As Shinya moved to start picking up items that they had accidentally knocked over, he paused as he looked at the blank photograph. He hummed for a moment. He didn’t think Kureto would make up some elaborate thing like this, but he didn’t know what the explanation would be. His gaze moved back to Kureto’s hand where he was practically clinging to that ring like a lifeline.
Shinya wanted to believe him.
He really did.
He just didn’t know what to make of this.
Guren couldn’t get that feeling off of his lips. He knew that he didn’t get infected as he could feel his heartbeat. He was still breathing. Guren kept feeling for his own pulse just to make sure that he did in fact still have a pulse and his mind wasn’t just playing tricks on him. Saito had taken him out of the room not long after. The threat was still echoing in his mind. The fact that Saito practically promised that he would turn him one day. It put this urgency in him. One that kept telling him that he needed to try and escape. Would it be possible? He had left that room once and ended up in a place that he shouldn’t have been in.
It could have been seconds away from being turned. That actually sounded like a true Hell more than anything to him. It felt like some damn miracle that he wasn’t. Saito was toying with him. Fucking with his head of saying that he could systemically kill him but also enslave him to him. As if all the bullshit that he was doing to Guren wasn’t enough. That thought actually petrified him in ways.
Guren looked down at the shackle that was secured around his ankle. He only knew it was there based on feel rather than being able to actually see it, but he could visualize it in his mind. Saito had brought him to a small concrete room with nothing but a chain on the wall with the shackle that he was now in after the stunt. Saito had practically ripped the clothing that he was wearing off of him before shoving him into the room and restraining him.
Guren wasn’t sure how long he had been in this room. It was nothing but pure darkness. The room was stuffy and made it feel hard to breathe. The concrete scratched against his exposed, abused skin. It was so quiet that every single noise felt like it was piercing into his ears. The Omega found himself hyper focusing on everything. Despite the musk and thickness of the air, he could pick up this aroma that was in the air. Something that was making his head spin. His body felt so heavy the more that he kept catching the scent.
The room was so cold. The concrete made him shiver and it was so course against his skin. It aggravated the wounds that he already had. Guren felt completely chilled to the bone and unable to get warm. It had left him curled up on the floor. With the room being so dark, Guren was left in a state of being unsure if his eyes were opened or closed. Occasionally, a loud noise would fill the room. Blasting loudly to the point that Guren felt like his eardrums were about to burst. He was forced to cover his ears whenever it would happen, and it felt like it would continue on for hours. They were always different frequencies. It would make his head start to pound until it felt like his brain was entirely going to split into two.
Saito was withholding food and water from him too. Leaving him in a more weakened state than before. Guren’s stomach was twisting up violently. Growling in hunger and desperate for food. At this point, his body would be going into preservation mode to try and keep him functioning. His head was in a constant state of aching and pounding.
Guren could feel the cold, course concrete underneath his fingertips as he laid there. His body was so fatigued at this point, but at least it felt as if he was completely out of that heat now. He wanted to scream but he felt like he had no voice. He wanted to cry, but no tears would form, and even if he did, he also didn’t want too. He wanted to fight back. There were so many things that he wanted to do, but he did not have the strength to do so. His body was so fatigued from all of it that he was trying to catch up to everything that was happening.
Every sense in his body felt like it was sensitive and overly stimulated. Due to the quiet – whenever nothing was somehow blasting into his ears – he was focusing on sounds more. If he even heard the smallest sound, it was as if it was cranked up to full blast. Every touch felt as if he could make it out by touch alone. Despite his vision being dark, he kept trying to look around. He could taste even the smallest of things in his mouth from dirt to the dryness of his parched mouth and throat. His body kept aching with even the smallest movement. His stomach twisted up in knots and begged for food. The shackle on his ankle was so heavy and he was sure that his skin was broken open and raw. The skin around it had gone numb, but anytime that he moved, he would get a sharp pain in the area. The Omega could swear there was some kind of air conditioning in the room. He could practically feel each and every single individual goosebump that was on his chilled and cold skin. He kept hearing this soft hum from time to time and he felt colder whenever he heard it. The noise felt like it was driving him crazy. He was also certain that there had to be some sort of ventilation in the room. Even though it felt so hard to breathe and there was a heavy musk in the air, he hadn’t suffocated, so fresh air had to be coming in at some point.
His mind was swimming any time that he moved. Guren felt as if he was placed back into a state of disorientation. The room was not helping. This was just yet another torture method. It was not only solitary confinement, but there were also other types of torture methods that he could pick out Saito using. If he was right about air conditioning in the room, that was one. The sounds were another. Controlling and withholding the food and water was another. Saito really was stacking everything on him all at once.
Guren felt like he was out of it. Dazed and disoriented whenever he heard a sound a bit away from him. It made him flinch as he covered his ears from it causing a sharp pain to go through his head. Suddenly, he felt his body relaxing as something familiar washed over him. He heard a soft shushing sound as he started to lower his hands from his ears. It had been happening again ever since Saito brought him in here. Only, this time it was just voices. Voices of his friends. Either, he was hallucinating again, or Saito was playing with his mind. Despite that, it still made him relax whenever he heard it. Sometimes, it even felt as if their hands were on him.
“It’s okay.” He heard it softly. His father’s voice. The soft baritone that always soothed him whenever he was younger. Guren knew it wasn’t real, but he could seek comfort in it anyway. “You’ll feel better soon.”
Guren gasped softly as he felt something touch against his forehead, which prompted him to turn his head in that direction, and then a slight prick of pain in his neck. Within seconds, his mind was swimming more. Guren’s eyes fluttered. At least, it felt like it. Guren shivered from a wave of cold hitting him and he found himself curling up on instinct to attempt to keep what little warmth he had in his body.
“Dad…” The Omega whispered. It wasn’t real. It sounded so distant to him. Just like a faint memory playing in the back of his mind. In that moment, all he could think of was whenever he was little and he had fallen ill. How his father stayed by his side, soothing his hair back and telling him that he’d feel better. That he was okay and to rest.
Despite how cold he was, he had sweat on his body. That didn’t feel like it should be possible. His entire body would tremble, and his body continued to ache. It was at the point it was making him feel nauseous and having the feeling that he needed to throw up but had nothing on his stomach to do so. He could feel the tightness in his chest and how his heart would race. It felt just like… withdrawal symptoms. There was this feeling inside of him. One that he didn’t know that kept having this yearning. Calling out to something that he didn’t want, and he desperately tried to ignore. It felt as if his body was seeking out something. That it was begging for him to just cave in and give in. Guren didn’t want that. He didn’t even know what all of this was at this point. It could be a mixture of just about anything. So much had already been happening to him without a finger being raised against him that it felt like it was driving him crazy. Guren kept trying to name off the symptoms in his head, and he couldn’t pinpoint it truly to a single thing.
“What is happening to me?” Guren murmured. His voice had cracked from the dryness of his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut as he curled his arms around his stomach as the cramping there got worse. He just wanted this to stop. Guren had felt this bad in a long time.
Starvation.
Dehydration.
Sleep deprivation.
Sensory deprivation turned sensory overload back to deprivation.
Those were to only name a few things that had happened since coming into this small room. Any of those alone could lead to the symptoms that he was having right now, and it was definitely a mixture of all of them. Guren just had to try and keep his head on straight, but it was really hard too. But there was this other feeling in him. Something… instinctual. Unlike anything that he felt before. Any time he so much as focused on it, the symptoms got worse.
“You’re in pain.” The voice was sympathetic. Guren let out a shaky breath as he shook his head. As much as he wanted to seek comfort from it. He had to keep reminding himself that it was just a trick. Rather it was from his own mind trying to keep him calm, or it was Saito’s doing to try and break him.
“Everything hurts.” Guren still ended up saying. At this point, he really was just talking to himself. “I just want it to… stop.”
He was so… tired.
Guren just wanted this to stop.
Everything felt like it was slipping away around him. Like is body was shutting down as he could feel himself losing consciousness. “Rest now…” It was so soft and gentle. Trying to lull him into security as Guren felt his head turning to the side even more. “You will feel better.”
Even though he knew it wasn’t real, Guren did allow the voice to sooth him right into sleep.
Whenever Guren startled awake, it wasn’t because of a noise or feeling something touching him, but rather as if eyes were on him. The Omega let out a sharp breath as he realized that he was still in pure darkness. It felt as if a small wave of adrenaline hit him as he pushed himself up, his heart pounding, as he slipped across the floor. He had no idea if he was truly putting distance between himself and what he knew was Saito as he felt the cold concrete against his back whenever he hit the wall.
“Calm down, Guren.” Saito practically purred. “I was just checking on you.”
“Stay away from me.” Guren said quickly. At this point, why was he even saying that anymore? It was completely useless, but it slipped out with such ease. His mind swam more from sitting up and he felt his chest tightening from hearing Saito’s voice. Something was once again screaming in the back of his mind as he squeezed his eyes shut, biting down onto his inner cheek as he leaned his head against the wall.
“The withdrawal symptoms have already set in.” Saito stated and Guren could hear his footsteps. They were so loud in his ears, and it prompted him to place his hands over his ears just to attempt to keep the sound from evading into his mind. They sounded so loud despite being so soft. Even the sound of Saito’s voice felt like it was piercing into his eardrums, but it didn’t hurt nearly as much as he found his body attempting to involuntarily relax at the sound of it. “That’s pretty normal for a new bond.”
“Shut up.” Guren snapped, “I’m not your mate.”
“Right now, you are experiencing clear bond withdrawal symptoms.” Saito went on to say, completely ignoring what he had said. Guren let out a sharp breath as his stomach twisted violently. Still, he felt this pull and he desperately tried to get it to go away. The longing and yearning that struck him that made him feel so disgusted in his own skin. His neck burned right at the location of his bond gland. It was just the stark reminder of what Saito had done. Something that he truly thought was impossible. “Eventually, your instincts will adjust to the newfound bond, and your hormones will level out, so you don’t have extreme withdrawals… But the more entuned in with your instincts that you are… The more likely you’ll still experience them.”
“This was all apart of your plan?” Guren questioned, “Try and beat me down and break me?”
“Well, partially.” Saito admitted, “It’s an unfortunate necessity.” Saito was much closer to him now. Guren turned his head away as Saito continued to get closer. That scent was making his head spin and forcing a warmth to blossom to life in his chest that he didn’t want to be there. “I can make some of your pain go away.”
“Not interested.” Guren shot back, his throat hurting from speaking again. It was so scratchy. He shivered again from the coldness in the room, and he coughed as it hurt his lungs from the force of it. From what he could tell, Saito was standing pretty much in front of him.
Guren’s nose twitched as he picked up the smell of food. It made his stomach growl, but out of pure stubbornness, he turned away. He was sure that Saito could see him, and what he was doing. Saito was staying quiet at the moment.
“How about you get some food and water into your system first?” Guren clenched his jaw. He knew that he needed to eat. That he needed to get some water into his system. The stubbornness was starting to hit him as he curled his arms tighter around himself. “Guren…” Saito drawled. “You know you need to eat.” The mention of food once again made his stomach growl. The Omega’s nose twitched again as the aroma of food got closer to him. “I know you want it. You don’t have to be so stubborn about it.” Guren sucked in a breath as he felt his bangs being brushed out of his face.
The Omega paused as that feeling erupted to life in his chest. He hated that he could feel this warmth trying to come over him. It made him want to pull away, but at the same time, he was utterly paralyzed in place. That yearning came back as he felt the slightest throb in his neck again.
“How have you are being ravished by withdrawals.” Saito mused. “You’re still that far into denial?” Guren grimaced as a lantern suddenly turned on and the light was harsh against his eyes. It took him a second to correct his vision as he lifted up his gaze. Saito was kneeling before him, crouched down in front of him with a bento box sitting down on the floor and a water bottle. Guren turned his gaze away again. He didn’t even want to speak to him. “Not even going to give me attitude?”
“You’re not worth the energy.” Guren said back as he turned his gaze back towards Saito.
Saito gave him an amused smile, “Now, now, Guren.” Saito started with a click of his tongue, “Is that really what you’re going to say to the person who holds your life in their hands.”
“That happens every single day.” The Omega shot back. “Do you really think that makes you special?”
Saito laughed softly as he leaned back a bit on his legs as he kept staring straight at Guren. The Second Progenitor’s smile got a bit bigger. “It’s not everyday that you fight against someone like me.” Saito replied. “Everything you face out there is no where near the strength that I have.” Saito was right about that. They both knew it, but Guren was still going to be stubborn on his thought. He meant it. What made Saito special about being the one to hold his life in his hands whenever Guren faced death every single day even without him? Saito tilted his head, humming, “But I never said I was special.”
Guren’s heart skipped a beat as Saito moved a bit closer to him. The Omega found his mind spinning once more as that scent reached his nose. More of that warmth started to blossom within his chest as Guren felt this cloud come over his mind. He kept finding himself wanting to fall into it, but Guren kept fighting against that urge. Saito’s gaze didn’t leave him, but that scent was getting sharper.
Mate…
Mate…
Mate.
Guren closed his eyes, biting down harder onto his inner cheek as he held his breath and turned his head. Yet that feeling was still there, and it felt like it was getting stronger with each passing second. Just fucking stop it.
“Oh, how you must feel right now,” Saito purred. Guren could feel his gaze moving over him. The Omega kept trying to put distance, but he didn’t really have anywhere to go. Even though Saito hadn’t touched him yet, he could feel the goosebumps that formed. “The withdrawal symptoms must be painful. The early stages of a bond are important, you know.”
“Fuck you!” Guren snapped as the anger and irritability took over. He fixated a glare on Saito as he snapped, “I don’t give a fuck if you bit me.” He did care. He cared a lot, but right now, he was so angry that it was flying right out of him without having a chance to think about what he was saying. “Do whatever the hell you want to me. I’ll never give you what you want. You’re just a monster at the end of the day, and that is all you will ever be.”
Saito’s face had that appearance of amusement due to his smile, but the rest of his face was expressionless. One of those unsettling looks that was unreadable. “You think so?” Saito questioned as he tilted his head. Guren sucked in a breath as Saito leaned in close to him and that haze came over Guren’s mind again. A shadow that was lingering over every single thought and feeling that he had. “You’re the one having withdrawals right now.”
“And whose fault is that?” Guren questioned.
“What can I say?” Saito mused as he laughed softly, “You are only living up to what you were created for.” There was that statement again. Saito had said that before. There was only one thought that came to mind whenever Saito would say it. It was clear that Saito intended on keeping him. At least, for now. What exactly did Saito truly want from him? That part was still so unclear to him. Saito reached out and Guren tilted his head as far back as it could go as the Second Progenitor’s fingers lingered over his cheek. Not quite touching him but threatening too. “You’ll accept me as your mate soon enough. It’s not like you really have a choice in the matter. Didn’t the Japanese Imperial Demon Army destroy everything in relation to an Omega’s body?” Guren went completely rigid. That thought hadn’t even crossed his mind until now. He knew it was showing all over his face as Saito’s smile got bigger. “Does that scare you?”
Guren tried to formulate the words. Was he scared of the thought of that? Without a thought, he reached up and placed a hand over his aching bond gland. It was practically throbbing. Saito was right though. Everything was destroyed if the Japanese Imperial Demon Army got their hands on it. It was direct orders from the Hiragi family.
Guren’s mind had started to go blank as he realized that Saito had tilted his head to the side and he caught a bigger whiff of Saito’s scent. It was right there. Right under his nose. The Omega tried to fight it, but he felt himself so fixated on it. How could a monster smell so… alluring?
“You feel it, don’t you?” Saito questioned softly. “That pull that you can’t explain.” Guren lifted his gaze back up as Saito’s eyes stayed locked to him. “Your instincts identify me as your mate, but mentally you aren’t prepared for that thought. You will be soon enough.” The Omega shook his head as Saito spoke. “And whenever you’re not near me for an extended amount of time… It hurts.” No. Guren was just delirious right now. He was seeing things that he shouldn’t. Feeling things that he shouldn’t. Hearing things that he shouldn’t. All because of what this bastard was doing to him. “You are in a lot of pain right now, but you’re not showing it.” Guren tried not to focus on how that sent was making his head spin even more with each passing second. “But you are finding yourself drawn to me… Your instincts are calling out to me every single second I am away from you.”
Guren could feel his heartrate starting to pick up as his gaze darted down towards Saito’s neck. The scent was getting even stronger. Filling his senses to the point that he couldn’t focus on anything else. Guren found himself leaning forward slightly before he caught what he was doing. The Omega jerked back, grimacing as his back scratched against the wall. The action made Saito laugh softly. Guren tried to get a grasp on himself, but it just made his pounding head hurt worse as his stomach continued to twist up into violent knots that made him nauseated.
“I can’t have you dying on me right now.” Saito murmured. Guren leaned away from his touch whenever Saito tried to touch his face. Guren knew that it would end up being futile at some point during this. Saito wasn’t immediately moving forward, so Guren was taking the small win while he could. “You need to eat something and get some water into your system.” Guren looked back to Saito’s face as the Alpha man kept smiling at him. “Your mate will take care of you, Guren.”
“This is… taking care of me?” Guren questioned, “I don’t need anyone to take care of me.” The Omega wasn’t sure what caused it to surge in him as he leaned forward slightly and let out a sharp breath, “I don’t need an Alpha.”
“Well, you have one.” Saito shot back. “With me just being near you, you’re already starting to lose some of the symptoms. I can make them go away.”
“No thanks.” Guren replied with a slight shake of his head, “I’m fine.”
Saito hummed as he leaned away, dropping his hand and stood up. Guren felt the confusion hit him as the Alpha turned and started towards the door. The room was barely illuminated by the lantern’s light, but it was enough that he could see the door. Saito moved towards it and suddenly Guren’s chest tightened as if someone had reached right into his chest and crushed it. The further that Saito moved away from him, the worse that it started to feel.
Guren found himself doubling over as if someone had just punched him in the stomach. His eyes widened as his forehead touched the cold concrete floor. The Omega placed a hand on his chest, clawing at his own skin as that feeling continued to consume him.
Mate…
Mate.
Guren squeezed his eyes shut as those words kept replaying over and over again in his head. He liked not having Saito’s scent so up close and personal with him, but it was as if the second he moved away, everything came crashing back. The pain in his neck got worse as he used his other hand to cover it. He heard Saito stop moving as Guren lifted his head up. What the actual fuck was happening to him? He had never felt like this before.
He could hardly see Saito’s face, but he could see just enough that he noticed how the Alpha smiled. “That is the physical symptoms of your instincts. Much like what would happen in your heat… Or your need to nest… Gain emotional and physical comfort from your packmates and something just feels wrong until you do.” Saito stated, “Those are your withdrawals from my bond.” Guren felt like he couldn’t breathe. A weight had been placed on his chest, crushing down into his lungs as he clawed at his skin. “It physically pains you.”
“What did you do to me?” Guren hissed out through the pain that was flaring through his body. “This isn’t normal.”
“It’s very normal.” Saito replied, “I’m sure you’ve felt something similar before.” Guren hadn’t. Not what he could ever recall. “Being away from the packmates that you call family… It’s like your heart yearning for them.” The images of his friends came to mind as Guren squeezed his eyes shut again. The Omega shook his head as he tried to just take in a breath. “Do you want the pain to stop?”
“Stay away from me!” Guren snapped whenever he heard Saito take a step forward. Saito continued to move forward, and the Omega let out a shaky breath whenever Saito kneeled down in front of him. Guren tried to move back, but he froze as Saito’s hand landed on the side of his face. The room once again started to spin as he felt his body being forced to relax. Guren’s eyes widened as suddenly everything started to melt away. All he could focus on were Saito’s eyes.
His mind felt like it was going into a completely different state. Almost as if he was on a high that he couldn’t explain. His body started to feel so… light. All the tension starting to melt away. Guren just wanted it to stop. But he couldn’t move. The Omega felt as if he had been paralyzed in an instant. Everything around him had started to spin. His eyes started to sting as that mantra started back up. Repeating itself over and over again. That scent washed over him again, and Guren desperately wanted to pull away. Slap his hand away. Something.
But he couldn’t explain the sudden warmth. How his body tried to tell him that he was safe. That it was okay. He knew better. That wasn’t true. He wasn’t safe. It did feel as if the pain was attempting to subside. At least, just a little. Guren hated this. He wanted to pull away, but instead, he found himself leaning in.
Stop it. Stop it, body, stop.
Guren’s eyes fluttered shut and the self-loathing started to hit as he found himself being pulled forward until his body was flushed against his captor’s. All of the adrenaline he previously had melted away. Please… Stop. Guren cracked his eyes open as he realized that Saito had perfectly made sure that his nose was pressed into his neck. It did feel as if his body was calming down. That every ache that was in his stomach was slowly trying to stop and he felt like he could breathe again. Which only made him hate himself that much more. Why was this happening? Why did it have to happen? Guren despised this so much. He didn’t want his body to react this way. It felt almost like this purr was in his chest. Something that was satisfied by this. Guren didn’t want this. The sting got worse in his eyes as it felt like his mind was entirely starting to detach from himself. That his body was floating away as his eyes fluttered shut.
“Just fall into your instincts, Guren.” Saito’s voice was low in his ear. “You feel it, don’t you? You can continue to live in denial… Or you can accept your life now.”
Guren didn’t want this. Any of this. The entire world felt like it was spinning as he tried to make sense of exactly what was happening to him. Whenever he cracked his eyes open again, even his vision was starting to disorient once more. His mind felt as if it was tearing apart at the seams at the mere thought of any of this. As he focused on the door, his gaze dropped to the bit of light as he saw a shadow move by before his eyes slipped shut once more and Guren couldn’t feel a thing anymore.
He just wanted this to… stop.
Chapter 11: And They Can Choose to Run
Summary:
Shinya contemplates if what Kureto had seen was true or not as he goes seeking answers. Meanwhile, Kureto tries to figure out what is going on. Later, Guren faces Saito again.
Chapter Text
Shinya had been going back over everything that Kureto had showed him. There was nothing there for him to see. Kureto had been so passionate – with a lack of a better word – about it. It was clear that everything had finally caught up to the Lieutenant General and he just needed to sleep. Shinya believed that Kureto had seen something, but he wasn’t quite sold on the idea of how something could just disappear. It had to be Kureto’s mind playing a trick on him, right? That he had been so consumed by the idea of desperately trying to find Guren that he was seeing things that weren’t truly there.
That didn’t feel like Kureto though. Kureto wasn’t one to just hallucinate or make something up without reason. Shinya couldn’t count out Raimeiki’s involvement either. Shinya wanted to believe him. He did. It was just hard too. Kureto’s behavior at the time was definitely erratic to say the least. He was showing signs of sleep deprivation, and his body was in a desperate need to sleep.
Once Kureto had fallen asleep, he was out cold. Shinya had purposefully picked a blanket that he had in his home that still had Guren’s scent on it. The entire time that Kureto had laid there, his hand had been curled hard around that ring. It was as if Kureto was clinging onto it like some sort of lifeline. That one item had something telling him to listen to what Kureto was saying. Kureto was not a person to get desperate. It was out of character for him in the way that he had behaved whenever he came here, but the anger was not. Kureto was pretty notorious for having a slight temper. Especially whenever someone threatened his power.
The only problem was, Shinya couldn’t see what Kureto could see. Even Kureto said it was no longer there. That something had been on each of the items and then it had just disappeared. Shinya had never heard of such a thing happening. He didn’t even think that magic could do something like that. Though, that ring was entirely a different story. Kureto was so sure about what he had seen. He was so specific. The amount of detail was enough to start swaying Shinya into trying to figure it out. He just had to be realistic here.
Shinya never thought that he would see the day that Kureto acted like this. Kureto had been the stronghold before. The one that was keeping them thinking straight. So many of Kureto’s actions were reckless. He damn near killed himself over a spell that he had no idea would work or not. He was working himself into the ground in trying to track down Guren. Don’t get him wrong, Shinya wanted the same thing. He had this desperation inside of himself to find Guren. Guren was his best friend, and the one person who truly understood him. Kureto had been the one telling them that they needed to stay rested. That they needed to stay at their best to be able to help Guren in the end.
And Kureto was now the one crashing and burning.
Kureto needed rest. He would make a mistake that he wouldn’t want too in the end if he didn’t. Shinya couldn’t allow that to happen. Even he knew that Kureto would stop at nothing to bring Guren home and Shinya was sure as hell going to use him to do so. Shinya knew that Guren wouldn’t want Kureto to be acting this recklessly. At the same time, it felt exactly like something that Guren would do. At the same time, Kureto’s actions had truly caught Shinya’s attention. The lengths that he was already willing to go. Even the way that he had held onto that ring. Kureto sounded out of it, and he definitely was. It had been so obvious to him just how sleep deprived that Kureto was. Shinya doubted that he had gotten much sleep at all within those days.
Shinya had looked at every single item that Kureto had brought. The polaroid was completely blank. It didn’t even appear as if it had an image on it at some point and just failed to develop. The card and envelope didn’t show a sign that a pen or pencil had gone across the surface or even a small indention to signify that something that touched it. The video tape was nothing but static as if nothing had been on the tape. Still, Shinya kept looking over it trying to see if he could find exactly what Kureto was talking about. To anyone, these really would look like nothing, but Shinya kept trying to find the signs himself.
While he had been looking over them, all he could think about was what Kureto had done in that moment. The anger was nothing new. That was exactly something that Kureto was prone to doing. It was the moment that Kureto had lashed out at him. The anger was very different. Shinya just didn’t know how to explain it. It could be that Kureto was just tired and everything had spilled out. Shinya was trying to find any possible explanation that would confirm what Kureto had seen. There was nothing that Shinya couldn’t figure out, but this one was definitely not help the case.
It had been a few days since that incident. Kureto’s behavior had changed after that night. Kureto had gotten the sleep that he needed, but even Shinya could see that something was off. Everything about Kureto had changed. Shinya couldn’t pinpoint it, but at this moment in time, Shinya knew there was no one better to be able to find Guren.
Shinya couldn’t really explain it either. There was just this feeling inside of him. As if something inside of him kept pushing him forward. One that was telling him not to give up or give in. That Guren was out there, and they would find him. The more that he focused on that feeling, the more it felt as if he was in… turmoil. It made Shinya think of what Kureto had them do. The way that he had tried to tap into their bonds. Their instincts. It wasn’t truly possible, was it? Being able to use bonds in such a way. He had heard of the stories, but nothing any more than that.
And it was that same feeling that led Shinya right to Guren’s home. The white-haired Alpha stepped into the quiet home. It had been weeks since Guren had been here. Weeks since they had seen him. There was no true way to know if Guren was still alive other than just a gut feeling that he had. Shinya wanted to believe that Guren was still alive but the more time that went on, it felt like that idea was going further and further away.
That Guren was right out of their grasp.
That he was out there, and he was calling for them, and yet, they couldn’t hear his voice.
Shinya looked around the home. It was dark from the lights being out despite the falling sun letting some light come through the blinds. Guren’s scent in the home was fading away. Showing all the signs that he hadn’t been in it recently. It felt like a punch to the gut walking into the home. It was too eerily quiet. The air was stale. It felt like walking into a place that was frozen completely in time.
Shinya kept looking around the place as he walked in. Guren’s home was neat and orderly. In a way, it wasn’t personalized to him at all. Just a place for him to come home too to rest. This all felt so wrong. Guren should be here. Why did this have to happen to him? For Guren to have already been missing for weeks without any significant sign of him, it was bringing a lot of doubt on the probability that they would actually find him.
Shinya wanted to believe Kureto. He really did. Right now, he was looking for those signs. For something that would tell him what happened here to why Kureto had reacted the way that he did. All the detail was very compelling on their own. Kureto had seen something. Rather it was actually what happened, or it truly was a figment of his imagination. Yet, Shinya couldn’t stop thinking about it. How did something manage to cause that reaction out of Kureto? Enough that he couldn’t sleep. Enough that he had practically gone ballistic even if it was just slightly.
Shinya wasn’t sure why he was here. Was he just looking for something to bring him just a bit closer to Guren at the moment? The Hiragi family – and ultimately Shinya – had always been taught to hide their emotions. That they didn’t matter. That emotions made someone… weak. At least, that is what they were told. Shinya never believed that. Not truly. He was proven wrong about it anyway. Instincts? Didn’t exist. Emotions. Same thing. It was hard to get all those years of knowledge out of his head. He felt like Kureto was onto something.
Shinya walked through Guren’s home, eyeing all of his belongings that he was able to pick out, and every individual item that he had left out before. Nothing about this situation made any sense. The white-haired Alpha reached out and grabbed the jacket that was sitting on the back of the couch. The night before Guren disappeared, he had been so tired whenever he got home. Yet, he was being Guren. Shinya stared down at the fabric for a moment before placing it down.
Kureto was going to end up killing himself at the rate he was going. Shinya couldn’t let him do that. It would upset Guren. A different side of Kureto had come out ever since they had learned of the relationship between the two. Shinya had his reservations and concerns whenever he found out, but all it took was seeing the way that Kureto looked at Guren. The fact that Kureto had even allowed himself to show it was enough to prove it to Shinya. Now seeing what Kureto was willing to do, he had no doubts in his mind. Shinya was just trying to tell himself back then that he was being overly protective. That he couldn’t risk losing what he had. Shinya’s friends meant everything to him. And Shinya would do anything for them.
The problem was, he had no idea what to do here. Kureto seemed to be on the brink of absolutely losing it. Their friends were breaking themselves down but trying to remain strong and stand tall. Shinya… he didn’t know where he stood. It was almost as if he was in his purgatory that he didn’t know how to leave. In denial but also completely prepared to burn the world to the ground. Just… unable to get there.
Shinya left the family room and had started back towards Guren’s bedroom. Instincts. Shinya had imprinted on Guren whenever they had met. The second he looked at him, it had happened. Only, Shinya didn’t realize it until much later that it had been what happened. He had to be told. They were taught against instincts, and yet, he was thrown right into one of the biggest instinctual bonds someone could have outside of a mating bond or blood bond. It had only gotten stronger over time.
The white-haired Alpha opened up the door and stepped into the room. For a second, Shinya was half expecting Guren to be laying in his bed fast asleep after crashing out. Guren was pretty notorious for his sporadic naps as it was. Shinya almost laughed at the thought. What if this had all just been a fever dream and Guren had fallen asleep somewhere? That wouldn’t be funny, but it was to him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t true, and he was greeted with a completely empty and dark room. The bed was made perfectly presumably from whenever he crawled out of bed that morning and got ready for their mission. Even his night clothes that he had most likely worn to bed were in the basket and the only things in the basket. Guren’s scent was heaviest in this room. Even then, it was clear that it was fading away from time.
Shinya walked further into the room and looked around. He didn’t even know why he was here. What had brought him here. The white-haired Alpha let out a sharp breath as he turned and sat down on the edge of the bed as he curled his fingers in front of him and leaned his arms against his knees. For a moment, Shinya closed his eyes and just thought. He tried to feel. Feel anything.
Kureto had tried this same thing before, but Shinya didn’t do it. He didn’t in that moment as he watched the others. They were the ones who had been there whenever it had happened. They had no proof that Guren had been taken whenever reinforcements arrived. By the time they had gotten there, everyone was already searching desperately for Guren. For all they knew, Guren had been long gone before they arrived.
This entire thing infuriated him. It made him so angry to think that someone had hurt Guren. That they had taken him and who knows what was happening to Guren right now. It took everything for Shinya not to get pissed off about it. Whenever he thought about it, what Kureto had told him only added fuel to the fire. How could he believe something that he couldn’t see? Something that they had no proof of actually being there. Shinya wanted to believe, but it was hard too from seeing how Kureto had been acting and what he was doing. All those details were stuck in his head. They all thought of what might be happening. It didn’t feel like a coincidence that they had the possibility of a war and the leader of the Moon Demon Company – and considering it was the most elite unit for the Vampire Extermination Unit – had disappeared and presumed abducted. Shinya hadn’t tried anything himself because he didn’t know if it was truly possible.
Shinya reopened his eyes and turned his gaze over to Guren’s nightstand. Sitting on the surface was a necklace that Guren would wear from time to time if he was just wearing casual clothing and a bracelet that he has had for as long as Shinya could remember. The white-haired Alpha reached over and grabbed the bracelet specifically. Shinya moved back to the position that he was in before as he ran his thumb over it.
“Guren…” Shinya murmured out loud to himself, “Where the hell are you?” Shinya curled his fingers around it, gritting his teeth as he shook his head. While he wanted to believe Kureto, there was a part of him that hoped it wasn’t true. The fury hit him for a second as his grip strengthened around it. “Damn it… What the hell do I do here?!” Shinya growled underneath his breath.
He could feel it coming to life in his chest. This feeling that he could never make sense of. It was something so… strong. Something that would allure him in. The bracelet was biting into his palm enough that it was becoming uncomfortable. The more that he felt it, the more that the anger was coming. The more that the emptiness came.
Familiarity.
What the hell did that truly mean?
Was it truly possible to feel instinctual bonds in that way? To be able to tap into something unseen to the naked eye that someone could actually feel another person? They were a pack. They were a family. One of their family members was missing. He was in trouble out there somewhere. And they were busy falling apart. They were fighting against fucking feelings. Feelings wouldn’t bring Guren back. The more he kept thinking about it, the more that he kept picturing the last time he had seen Guren in his mind, that warmth in his chest was rising. Starting as a small flicker before slowly starting to ignite and then turning into a raging inferno.
“Damn it!” Shinya roared as he stood up, “Where the hell are you!?” The Major General felt something hit the back of his foot and he heard the shifting of items that made him stop moving.
Shinya turned his head and his gaze lingered to the underneath of Guren’s bed. His eyes landed on a box that was hidden underneath the bed as Shinya kneeled down to see the edge of the box. That was strange. He was pretty sure that Guren never kept anything underneath his bed. It would be too obvious of a hiding spot, but something was pulling his attention to it. He turned and reached for the box as he pulled it out. From the movement, he could hear things shuffle inside of it. The box was decently heavy.
The Major General’s gaze fell down onto it as he frowned. Something was telling him not to open it, but at the same time, something was telling him to open it. The entire time he stared down at it, all he could think of was what he had just seen and what Kureto had told him. Something wasn’t adding up here. Shinya just didn’t understand it. He needed to understand it. That was the problem. He could use logical reasoning here, but even that felt illogical somehow. Shinya didn’t think he was thinking rationally right now after all of that. His mind felt just as exhausted as his body felt.
This box felt as if it had been placed there to urge someone to look at it. It didn’t feel like something Guren would do. It just felt off to him. Whenever he touched the box again, all he saw was Guren.
Familiarity.
Goshi had said it and Kureto was running with it. That Guren was familiar with who might have taken him. It made Shinya’s gut twist as he let out a sharp breath. After what Kureto had said, Shinya needed to find answers of his own.
Slowly, he started to open up and the box and the second that he looked at the contents that were inside of it, he froze. He wanted to rationalize it. Give every single excuse to what he was seeing. But his mind had came to a screeching halt. Inside of the box was a camcorder, a polaroid camera, a box of polaroid film, a spool of purple ribbon, a stack of blank cards, matching blank envelopes, and a pair of scissors.
Shinya’s eyes went wide as he stared inside of the box. This was just a coincidence… right? The Major General leaned back as he looked down to his hand and opened up his palm to look down at the bracelet. Shinya had shoved the thought away as soon as he thought of it. As his gaze moved back to the box, all Shinya could think of was one thing.
There had to be more going on here than they knew.
There was no way that this was happening.
Not like this.
In his shock, Shinya had closed the box and stood up as he stared down at it. No one could see this. He didn’t even know what to make of it. It couldn’t be. It just… couldn’t. It felt too deliberate. As if someone was supposed to find it. Shinya knew Guren. If he was trying to hide something, he would do a lot better job than that.
Something major was going on here.
Shinya knew that for a fact.
Kureto felt a lot more rested than before. He had finally gotten much needed sleep, but there was a part of him that was so frustrated with everything. Kureto had seen the items again. They were blank. He didn’t understand it. He knew he didn’t make it up, but he felt like he was going insane trying to think about it. Kureto knew what he had seen. It had proved to him exactly what he thought. Someone had abducted Guren. Guren had been captured, and he was out there somewhere. He was out there, and he was being tortured. He just didn’t have the proof for anyone else.
It had been days since the night he had taken it to Shinya. He was keeping Guren’s ring on him. The ring belonged to Guren and no one else. What he didn’t understand was how the hair could disappear out of it and the clasp was suddenly fixed. The clasp had been broken, and black hairs had been knotted up into the clasp. He didn’t just make up that detail. Why would he imagine that? Even before he had seen the tape?
Someone was messing with him.
Someone was trying to fuck with his head and get him to doubt himself.
Kureto had to believe that right now.
But he wasn’t going to let it detour him from what he needed to do. He was going to bring Guren home. End of discussion. No one had to believe him. Even Shinya didn’t look like he believed him. It had made Kureto so angry. Of anyone not to believe him, it was Shinya? Shinya had imprinted on Guren for fuck’s sake. Their bond was one of the strongest bonds there could be that rivaled closely to a physical or blood bond. It was something strong, and it was clear. Shinya was doubting it even if he wasn’t saying it. Kureto thought if anyone would believe him, it would have been him.
Now that he had gotten some sleep and he was a lot more alert, Kureto knew that he probably looked a bit… insane at the time. Even Kureto couldn’t justify his behavior. It was sleep deprivation and just pure stress talking. Yet, he couldn’t get the image out of his head. It had been so clear. That voice was also taunting him in the back of his mind now. Kureto was sure if he heard it again, he would know it. It wasn’t a voice that he recognized. But the video itself gave a clear implication that what they had heard from Goshi was true.
Guren knew who did this to him.
Just who would do it to him?
That was the question now.
So, Kureto was going through every single file that he had. Every single report that Guren had ever written. Trying to recall every single conversation about an enemy that they ever had. Someone who would want to harm Guren. That list was annoyingly… long. Though, it was a bit easier to start narrowing everything down due to Guren. Guren was incredibly strong. Whoever did this had to be stronger than him or at least knew how to outwit him to get the job done.
What he did know was that Guren had been targeted, and somehow, it was someone who knew about them. Now, that list was short. So short that Kureto had already crossed out every single name.
Shinya Hiragi.
Sayuri Hanayori.
Shigure Yukimi.
Mito Jujou.
Norito Goshi.
Five people. The five most important people in Guren’s life. The only ones that Guren decided to tell about them who would have known about them. Just the voice alone was enough to mark that list away. How could Shinya be involved – and Kureto doubted he’d ever do something like it – if he had been with Kureto the entire time? And there were multiple witnesses to the rest of them still being on the battlefield? The only way it could make sense was if one of them were working with someone else. Shinya wouldn’t do something so stupid. He knew that Sayuri and Shigure would never harm Guren. Mito was definitely in that list. Goshi wouldn’t do it either. It just didn’t make sense to think that one of them could play a double agent for something like that. All five of them were extremely overly protective of Guren. They wouldn’t hurt him. They wouldn’t conspire against him.
That meant someone else, someone who shouldn’t know, knew.
Raimeiki had confirmed that she had seen the same thing that he had seen through his eyes. Even his demon didn’t have an answer for what had happened or why it had disappeared. It was really like magic. The problem with that thought was Kureto couldn’t feel a single trace of spellcraft on the items. Kureto might have thought that he had just been exhausted enough from everything that he might have dreamed it up if it hadn’t been for Guren’s ring.
Guren was wearing it the last time that Kureto had seen him. It would be impossible for Kureto to have it back whenever Guren wore it on the mission. He had no explanation for how he had seen a broken clasp and it was suddenly fixed.
The only plausible explanation that he had was that maybe the items had been enchanted but only to show it to him and the second he touched all the items, it disappeared because of it. If there was no active spell to find, then there wouldn’t be remnants of it. It seemed plausible but he wasn’t quite sold on that. The ring was the one thing that was telling him otherwise. He remembered that so clearly. The clasp had looked like it had been ripped off of Guren’s neck. Kureto didn’t see Guren taking it off otherwise. Well, unless, he had been forced too. Even then, why make it appear as if it had been?
That voice was echoing back in Kureto’s mind. He had been reciting it to himself word for word. It was important. It was important enough for the bastard behind this had sent it to him and then went through the trouble of hiding it. Was it supposed to make Kureto feel as if he was going insane? If so, why send the ring to him? Especially since Kureto knew he had put it on Guren. It just didn’t make sense to him at all. Though the probability of making him look like he was losing his mind might be the answer behind it. Now that Kureto had more clarity, it was the one thing that made sense to him now.
Kureto was spending a lot of time looking at the ring. The last time he had seen Guren’s smile. As he thought about it, all he could think of was the high probability that someone was stalking Guren. Probably for years from what he had heard on that tape. Something didn’t feel right about this though. If magic was somehow involved in hiding the evidence that he had seen, he would have felt it. Raimeiki would have recognized it. So why did it change.
“You’ll never see him again. The Guren Ichinose standing on this battlefield will die today.”
Those were the words taunting him the most. Kureto didn’t have a shadow of a doubt that Guren was still alive out there. Especially from the other things that he heard. But what did that mean? It felt as if everything that had happened so far was so malicious in the way that it was done. Kureto could even say it was an attempt to isolate Kureto away from the others. Make him appear as if he was losing his sanity due to this and having people doubt him. Just who would have the ability to do something like that.
Kureto had the ring in his hand. He kept running his thumb over the clasp. It just felt off. Kureto couldn’t place it. It looked like the clasp that was on it, but it didn’t feel right. Trying to think of every possibility was tiring in its own way. Every route they have attempted to take didn’t work.
It was really as if Guren just fell off of the face of the Earth and disappeared. That he didn’t exist. Magic should have been able to help them. What he had witnessed and seen shouldn’t have been possible without some trace of it. It was driving him crazy.
Kureto couldn’t stop though.
What kind of leader would he be if he failed Guren now?
Kureto walked into his home and kicked the door shut behind him as he said, “Raimeiki, is it possible for magic to be completely untraceable?”
He felt the familiar chill of knowing that his demon had manifested behind him as he heard, “Not that I have seen. There is usually something… But there is always the possibility.”
The Lieutenant General hummed. “Someone has been watching Guren this whole time.” Kureto went on to say as he kept staring down at the ring in his palm. “They wanted me to know but didn’t want anyone else to see what I did. Nothing about this truly has a logical reasoning behind it.”
“Why do you think that is?” Raimeiki questioned.
“The problem is…” Kureto started as he let his voice trail off as he went further into his home and rounded the corner. “I can only think of the possibility that someone is trying to set me off. It’s a taunt but it’s isolated to only me. The question really is the why.” Kureto hummed again as he kept running it through his head. Who would have known? “I’ll take good care of him…” Kureto said as the voice echoed in his mind. “How far am I willing to go?”
“You’re already being reckless enough, Kureto.” Raimeiki stated, “If someone is trying to provoke you, you can’t let it happen.”
“I know.” Kureto stated, “But Guren is caught in the crossfire.” The Alpha curled his fingers around the ring as he lowered his hand and glared at the floor. “Guren was targeted… But why? It doesn’t feel like it’s about the impending war anymore. It’s more than that.” It was as if the pieces of the puzzle were in front of him, but he didn’t have all of them to put it the full picture together. “The way that bastard spoke about Guren… It was like he was admiring him.”
“It gave me the impression of a rival for a mate.” Kureto froze as he heard Raimeiki’s voice echo and those words settled in. He lifted his gaze and turned to where Raimeiki had manifested for him to see her. She was smiling at him with a pointed look in her eyes. “As if Guren was the prize.”
Just as Kureto was about to point out the ridiculous nature of the statement, he stopped as it felt as if Guren’s ring got heavier in his hand. Was it just a coincidence that it was the same day that Kureto asked Guren to marry him? “You’re kidding, right?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Raimeiki shot back.
Fair point.
Kureto exhaled sharply, “If that was the case…” Kureto started with a shake of his head, “Why not go after him sooner?”
Raimeiki hummed and shrugged, “I’ve seen many things and many developments within humanity over the years, and lust and envy are some of the greatest driving forces that one could have.”
As Raimeiki’s words settled in, that voice once again came back to mind once more.
“How far are you willing to go to get him back?”
“You think whoever took Guren is challenging me?” Kureto questioned.
“It’s possible,” Raimeiki replied, “You are up against something extremely powerful. Being unable to track him through spellcraft and what we have seen. Whoever is doing this is highly skilled in what they do, and they clearly have no intentions of letting that sweet human go. That is if he’s still human.”
Kureto went rigid as that thought flashed in his mind. The statement that the Guren that he knew would have died on that battlefield and the failed tracking spell. But the fact that the blood he had used was in fact Guren’s. It was an inconclusive result. Was it possible? Kureto didn’t want to think about it.
“No,” Kureto said quickly, “Even if that was the case, I don’t think someone this organized in what they did would pull something like that and make it possible for Guren to make his own escape with more power.”
Raimeiki smiled a bit more as her eyes twinkled, “True.” Raimeiki then tilted her head as her smile got a bit bigger, “It could just be incredibly powerful magical wards intercepting all of your attempts. Magic that is even older than the one that you used.”
“The Hiragi family is the oldest known magical sect still in existence.” Kureto replied. “And inhumane beings such as vampires don’t typically use spells.”
“It seems you’re left with three options,” Raimeiki went on to say as she held up three fingers, “One, Guren is no longer human. The Vampire Virus and the Demon’s Infection alter a human’s DNA and genetic code.” She lowered a finger as she continued on, “Two, ancient and possibly even more powerful spellcraft is at play with being unable to track him through magical intervention as well as the possibility of using it to create the illusions of what you had seen in the box or even mask it. This is probably the most reliable and reasonable explanation on how you were tricked.” She lowered her second finger as it left just one up, “Three… Guren’s body is no longer his own.”
“No longer his own?” Kureto questioned.
“I would have sensed it so it’s highly unlikely.” Raimeiki replied, “So, I would not even consider it truly an option.”
Kureto scowled as the question was avoided but at least he didn’t feel like he was going insane right now. The Alpha lifted his hand once more to look at the ring. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“Because it isn’t.” Raimeiki stated, “And we both know that.” Raimeiki came to his side as she slipped her hand over his and he saw a golden glow come from her palm. “It’s been tampered with. It’s hard to tell but it’s not what it seems.”
“And what exactly do you think it is?” Kureto questioned.
“I can’t be certain but it’s barely there, but it’s only located at the clasp of the chain,” Raimeiki went on to say as her demonic eyes lingered on her hand, “Hold on a second…” Her voice trailed off as the glow started to intensify and after a second, her eyes lit up and her smile got bigger, “Oh, this is powerful magic. I didn’t even notice it until I focused on it by touching it myself.”
Kureto looked back towards Raimeiki’s face as he noticed the smile on the demon’s face as she pulled her hand away. As she did, Kureto looked back down to his palm to see a broken clasp and the hairs knotted back within it. “What the Hell?” It was only there for a second, but it returned to looking as if it was unbroken once more. “Raimeiki, what the Hell is going on?”
“This wasn’t done by something that is vampire or demon,” Raimeiki mused, “Something… stronger.” Raimeiki lifted her gaze as Kureto noticed that look come to her eyes, “This magic isn’t anything a human has ever seen before.”
“And what exactly does that mean?” Kureto went on to say as he turned his gaze back down to the ring in surprise. “How did you do that?” Kureto was getting really tired of his demon hiding so many things from him. He could suppose that she was a demon, and demons always had ulterior motives of their own. Even if they bonded with their demons and could say they had good relationships with them, they still had to be cautious. They were demons at the end of the day. They had one goal in mind, and they would take advantage of it at any time. Of course, Raimeiki wouldn’t tell him everything until he truly needed it or it was suitable for her own desires. “This isn’t normal magic, is it?”
“I have many abilities, Kureto. I could barely break through it just enough to see the truth.” Raimeiki replied, “And if I’m right about this… Guren is in far more danger than we originally thought.” As Raimeiki looked back to him, she added, “And so are you.”
Guren didn’t know how many days that Saito had kept him in here. It was the same repeated cycle. The pitch-black darkness, the piercing sounds, the cold, all of it. Occasionally, Saito would come into the room with food and water, or he would wake up to a lantern on next to him with those items next to him. Guren felt like he was going crazy in this room.
Every time that Saito had come into the room, he had assaulted him. Rather he was pinning Guren straight onto the floor, against the wall, it didn’t really matter. It would always happen. Guren would find himself pulling away from his own body in those moments. His mind venturing off every single time that Saito took advantage of his body. The Omega’s body felt gross. Covered in fluids, his own blood, sweat, dirt and grime of the room.
He kept seeing them. Well, hearing them. Their voices. If the lantern was in the room, sometimes, he would see their faces. Always the same ones. Shinya. Sayuri. Shigure. Goshi. Mito. Kureto. Sakae. At this point, Guren did feel as if he was losing his sanity. That he was falling either for illusions or just hallucinating entirely. He felt so out of it most of the time whenever Saito wasn’t in the room that he felt like he was in a constant state of delirium.
Saito would always repeat those same words. Telling him to fall into his instincts. To just let go. Guren couldn’t. He was barely grasping onto what was left over, but he refused to cave into what Saito wanted. Saito was still injecting him with that serum, and it would just make everything feel worse. Each moment felt excoriating. Guren felt as if there were two people living in his body. The one that yearned for something that he wanted nothing to do with and him.
In a way, he didn’t even know what was going on in his own mind anymore.
Guren had been sitting up, his legs to his chest and arms folded over them whenever he heard the door open up. The Omega squeezed his eyes shut, blinded by the light that flooded into the room as he turned his head away as it brought pain to his head. He recognized Saito without having to see him. His footsteps. His scent. Just his… presence.
Guren didn’t move as Saito walked over to him, but what caught his attention was that he could feel the shackle on his ankle being touched. Then, metal clanked against the floor and his foot felt so much lighter now. The Omega cracked his eyes open as his vision corrected itself and he was able to see the cuff had been in fact taken off of him. The Omega didn’t fight against Saito whenever the Alpha grabbed at his arm and hauled him to his feet. Right now, he didn’t even have the strength to do that. Resisting would be futile anyway. Realistically, the best idea would be to try and trick Saito into thinking that he was caving in. That he was falling for whatever it was. Of all the times that Saito was so straightforward about what he was doing, this was the one time that he didn’t do it.
Guren’s body felt weak as he stumbled over his feet as Saito maneuvered him out of the room. After days of being in that room, it did appear as if it had actually gotten to him in some ways. Guren’s head was pounding. He had managed to get a little bit of sleep, but whenever he did, he woke up feeling worse than before. Just like whenever Saito would take him to that torture room. Even his skin felt like it had that same icky feeling to it. But Guren didn’t recall once leaving that concrete room.
Saito was practically holding his entire body weight. Saito had been giving him food and water, but it was at a minimum. Just enough to keep him from starving and being too dehydrated but keeping him completely fatigued and weakened with no energy at all. His body at this point was starting to break itself down for fuel and energy. His stomach was twisting up in hunger and his throat was parched in the need of water. Guren didn’t comment on it. Saito had the power here. The power to keep food away from him. To keep water away. He could kill him in an instant completely.
Guren kept telling himself just to play along. To play up the act and do it in a believable way. But something was telling him that it might not be a good idea. There were a few different outcomes that he could see happening. The question was whether he was willing to take the gamble. If he could forgive himself for it. If he did it, all he could think about is what his friends would think. What Kureto would think. It would be a survival tactic if he could pull it off. A lot of it would just sum down how Saito would react to it. If he would think that Guren was trying to trick him or not. The way that Saito spoke and the words that he used was if he wanted Guren to do just that. At this point, he had no idea what was a trick and what wasn’t. It was strange case of whiplash that he couldn’t place. Guren just couldn’t tell if it was a trap or not from what Saito was saying and what he would be expecting. So, Guren didn’t think he would be doing that. It would just be better that way.
The Omega’s body ached and screamed at him with each movement, but there was something that was so pleasing from getting out of that room. It was hard to tell where they were going or how long that they had been moving for. The hallway around them morphed within his vision. Everything was just heavy and a haze. Guren didn’t like the way that his body was feeling right now. Guren wanted to shove Saito away. Just to have that bit of clarity back that he didn’t have before.
Guren’s vision had started to correct itself as he was taken to another room and he realized that it was the bathroom from before. Saito let him go, and Guren slipped to the floor. His head was pounding, and the fatigue of his body was definitely feeling the effects of that. He watched Saito go over to the shower and turn it on and the water had started to stream out of the shower head.
Once the water was on, Saito had turned to look at him, giving him a smile as he said, “You need a shower. It’ll help make you feel better.” The Omega stayed quiet as Saito walked over to him, grabbing him by the arm again, and moving him over towards the shower. Guren dropped his gaze towards his arm where he could see finger-like shaped bruises on his skin. He doubted that Saito was holding on too hard, but with his strength, it was still leaving behind bruises. Saito wasn’t going to leave him room to say if he wanted to do it or not. It would be forced upon him anyway.
Guren’s feet almost slipped out from underneath him whenever he was pulled into the shower. The water was nice against his skin. Guren practically melted underneath it as it worked against the tension in his body. The Omega didn’t bother to stay on his feet as he slipped down underneath it. The water ran over his head. He closed his eyes, letting himself just temporarily fall into the feeling. It did feel so good. The warmth of the water was one thing that he found himself leaning into, wanting it to wash over more of his cold skin, but also wash away everything that he could feel.
Saito was moving around the room. Guren didn’t really care enough to pay a lot of attention to what he was doing. The sounds of Saito’s walking were so sharp in his ears. Guren had to fight the urge to recoil whenever he heard his shoes tapping against the flooring. Instead, he was just trying to focus on just getting clean and washing his body. The Omega tilted his head back, hating how happy that he felt just to be in the shower as the water hit his face. It was washing over his face, down his neck and over the rest of his body as he reached up with shaky hands to wipe the water away from his face and pushed it back into his hair.
Guren only opened his eyes again whenever he heard Saito get closer to him. He lifted his head up slightly, managing to keep the water out of his eyes as the Alpha dropped down a washcloth and some bottles of soap onto the floor.
“I would say your time in solitary confinement has made you a bit more… compliant.” Saito stated. The Second Progenitor cracked another smile as he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. “You’re feeling a bit better, aren’t you?”
Guren decided not to say anything back, but he did continue to maintain eye contact as he grabbed the washcloth. Grabbing the body wash, it felt even better as he could feel himself practically peeling away the extra layer that should not have been on his skin.
Saito hummed as he kept surveying Guren. “I wonder what your dear old Kureto is doing right about now.” Guren felt his chest tighten at the mention of Kureto, but he had to fight the urge to show that on his face. “I do wonder if he’s panicking right about now. I did leave him such a nice present.” Guren could only imagine what Saito was talking about. What he might have possibly done. “What do you think he would say if he saw the others?”
Finally, Guren decided to speak up, “Others?”
“Oh, I’m sure you saw my nice little system.” Saito stated, “Human technology really does wonders.” The Alpha’s smile got a bit bigger as he shrugged, “I have a good idea of what I want him to see next.”
“Don’t.” Guren whispered as he shook his head.
Saito uncrossed his arms, kneeling down and balancing his arms on his legs as he stared straight at Guren. “Right about now… I would think he’s trying to figure out what happened.” Guren could feel more of the confusion hit him. He knew it was showing all over his face as he dropped down the washcloth and the nausea started. What exactly did Saito do? Guren almost didn’t want to know. “How long do you think it would take before he snaps?”
“What exactly are you trying to accomplish?” Guren questioned.
Saito reached out and Guren turned his head slightly away as the Alpha’s fingertips grazed against his cheek. “Does that matter to you?” Why was he doing this? What was the point of Saito’s actions here. So much of this felt so… mercurial. That is what Saito had been doing the entire time. Now, Saito was taunting Kureto. “At the end of the day, you’re my mate now. You can forget about everything he’s ever done with you. You really think you weren’t something that he just planned to use?”
Guren dropped his gaze. Use. Kureto wouldn’t just use him. Well, not necessarily. Kureto had wanted to use his strength and power before. At least, at the beginning of the two knowing each other, but it all had changed. Kureto’s behavior with him had changed. Everything about him had did. Guren had kept thinking of when that happened. Whenever they weren’t just leader and retainer. Guren was Kureto’s retainer, and he always would be. That wouldn’t change. But it just meant that Guren was meant to stay by Kureto’s side.
What was Saito trying to do here? The way that he spoke was as if he was trying to get Guren to doubt everything with Kureto. To doubt their relationship. To doubt his feelings for him. Guren didn’t have doubts. Otherwise, why would he agree to Kureto’s proposal? For fuck’s sake, Kureto proposed to him. Wasn’t that enough to prove it? He didn’t get why Saito was doing all of this, but there had to be a reason why he was, and Guren just wasn’t truly seeing the picture. Saito was being so reclusive with everything that he said and was keeping it close to himself that Guren just couldn’t put those pieces together yet, and it was driving him crazy.
“You won’t turn me against him.” Guren murmured, “No matter what you do.”
Whenever he looked back up towards Saito, the Alpha was just giving him a soft smile still. Guren stilled as Saito rolled up his sleeves. For a split second, the fear did hit him but instead of what Guren thought Saito was going to do, the Alpha just reached for the shampoo. He took some into his hand before moving to lather it into Guren’s hair. The Omega tried to ignore the way that he wanted to instinctively lean into the touch and kept himself set in stone instead. Guren remained paralyzed as Saito worked the soap through his hair, and it started to wash away underneath the shower’s spray.
“You think so?” Saito questioned.
“It won’t work.” Guren whispered.
Saito remained silent as he reached for the conditioner. Guren wanted to tell him to stop, but the words had caught on the tip of his tongue. It just didn’t come out. Instead, he felt an influx of something… else. It was jarring. Guren didn’t know what to make of it.
Saito still didn’t say anything as the conditioner was left sitting in Guren’s hair. The Alpha pulled away from him enough to look at his face again. Guren’s stomach twisted up. He didn’t like the way that Saito was looking at him. Those expressionless eyes remained making him feel so unsettled and wanting to be away from it. It had to be the contacts. Saito wore them even now. Even though humanity had practically been wiped out, Saito still felt the urge to wear those damn things. While his appearance screamed more human, there was nothing human about him.
The thought of all of it made Guren’s neck burn. The mark throbbed as Saito tilted his head. It was as if he was watching for any changes in Guren’s expression. Waiting for something to capitalize on, but Guren was not giving it to him. “You are already looking better.” Saito stated, completely ignoring the other topic that they had just been on. Saito’s fingers moved to comb through his hair, forcing out the conditioner as Guren’s head was tilted back into the water. “You’ll just have to go eat your dinner now.”
Guren’s gaze moved over Saito’s shoulder where he could see fresh clothes and a towel sitting. Clothing sounded amazing right about now. Guren never thought that he would miss something like clothes before. Though, he had never been in a situation where he had been forced to remain completely naked for hours and even days on end. The thought of it alone was enough to keep his body relaxed as the conditioner was washed out of his hair. He hated this. All of it made him want to get sick.
The second that his hair was cleaned and there was no soap left on his skin, the water was turned off. Guren felt as if he was just shutting down. Uncaring of what was happening to him, not fighting back against Saito because he knew it was futile, and so many more things. Just like before, Saito grabbed his arm and Guren was hauled back to his feet. The Omega just didn’t have any energy left to resist. There was no point it in. It would just be safer not to do what he wanted to do anyway. Saito used his free hand to grab for the towel. The more that Guren was on his feet, the more that he was seeing the signs of the fatigue catching up to him. He had the slightest bit of a tremor in his legs from how weak his body felt. Hunger and dehydration would do that to someone and considering his high metabolism, it was pretty self-explanatory to him. At least, he wasn’t hallucinating right now. That felt like a plus side.
Saito had handed him the towel and Guren took advantage of it since it meant that Saito had let him go. Guren took a step back, not hesitating to wrap the towel around his body rather than caring about ringing out his hair. It felt good to be covered up even if it was temporary. Guren only took the chance to dry himself off whenever Saito had turned his back to him. The Omega made sure that the towel was back around by the time that Saito had turned around with the clothes in his hand. Guren didn’t hesitate to accept them as Saito moved along. Just a simple t-shirt and shorts. That was fine with him. It was something. Guren was just happy to see clothing again after all of this. It was something so mundane and small, but it was a small victory that he was willing to accept. Though, what cost would it be with?
Guren used the towel to keep himself covered up as he slipped into the shorts first underneath the towel before pulling on the shirt and letting the towel drop away. The Omega crossed his arms, crossing them over his chest as Saito opened up the door and looked back at him. “Time for dinner.”
Guren shifted on his feet but took the step forward himself. Just do as he said. Right now, Saito wasn’t torturing him. That was a good thing. Less torture was always the better option. Saito did place a hand on his back whenever the Omega got up to him. Guren was still shaky on his feet, but he did notice that it was less than it was before. Even his mind felt more clear. He just wanted to shove off that thought. Not even think about the possibility of why whenever all he did was shower.
The walk from the bathroom and down to the dining room was quiet. Saito didn’t say a word, which Guren was thankful for, and Guren didn’t dare to speak. Saito didn’t have a temper per say, but he was absolutely ready to silence Guren or do something to him if the Omega said something. Guren could smell the food before they even stepped into the room. It made his stomach grumble in its desperate need for food.
“I’m sure you’re hungry.” Saito stated, “You’ve been refusing what little food I have been giving you.” Saito pushed him over towards the chair, forcing him down into it with a shove to the shoulder, and moved on to go to his seat. “Eat.”
Guren looked down at the meal. It did look good. It smelled good too. It was a strange though to think that a man who was immortal would take the time to learn a human life skill like cooking. Saito didn’t need to eat food to survive. He had no need to know how to cook, and from what Guren could tell, it was just the two of them here. He hadn’t seen or heard another person or immortal being in this place since he had gotten here with the exception of what he had seen down in the lab. Only the illusions or hallucinations.
The Omega didn’t want to eat it, but he forced himself to do it anyway. Grabbing ahold of the chopsticks and starting in on the meal. There was a water with it but also another drink too in a glass. Guren eyed the glass but didn’t touch it. Even Saito had remained quiet throughout the meal. There was a stack of files in front of him that he was leaning back in the chair that he was sitting in and reading. Guren had taken the moment while eating to check out the room once more. To look at the back of the files that Saito read. Were they the same ones from the lab? Experiments?
The lab did tell him that Guren wasn’t his only test subject. That’s all he was to him, but Saito did say there was more to his reasoning to why Guren was here. Just what exactly was Saito going for? It couldn’t just be a… mate. Saito couldn’t have had the thought his whole time that he was eventually going to get a mate from the Ichinose clan. Why was it specifically him out of all of them? It felt useless to think about it. Saito wasn’t going to tell him what he didn’t want Guren to know. He was purposefully keeping Guren in the dark.
Before he knew it, Guren had eaten the entire meal and drank the water. The hunger was temporarily satisfied and Guren did in fact start to feel better. The Omega was still severely fatigued but it didn’t feel as if his stomach was going to cave in on itself anymore. The second that he was done, he just leaned back in the chair, placing his hands into his lap and eyeing the file in Saito’s hand. Guren needed to figure out what Saito wanted. That would tell him exactly why he was here. All this nonsense about instincts and mates, it just didn’t feel as if it was truly what Saito was after. Just don’t tell him that Saito did all of this because he was lonely and bored. Saito was the definition of a mad man or even a mad scientist.
Saito had realized that Guren had finished and placed down the file as he smiled at him. “Feel better?” Guren just looked away and it prompted Saito to laugh. “Are you mad at me?”
“Mad doesn’t even begin to cover it.” Guren shot back.
“You’ll get it over it.” Saito stated as he stood up, “Eventually.” Saito moved around him and Guren focused on keeping his heartrate down. There was a reason that Saito was doing this. Guren could only take a few guesses, but realistically, it could be anything. Guren took in a sharp inhale of air whenever Saito’s hands landed on his upper arms and the Alpha leaned over his shoulder. Guren tried to keep his breathing even as Saito’s fingernails started to trace at the exposed skin of his arms. His head had started to spin from the scent that reached his nose. “And you won’t even realize it was happening.”
Guren wanted to tell him to shut up, but he was so focused on just trying to keep the room from spinning around him. This warmth that tried to erupt to life in his chest. Guren’s heart did start to race as Saito reached up, crossing an arm across his chest and touched at his cheek. His fingernail traced over the surface lightly before ghosting down his neck, tracing a line over the middle of it before dipping down towards his shoulder. Guren was even begging his own mind to just pull away. To allow him to dissociate and let everything else around him just disappear. He wanted to think of anything else.
“The new instincts scare you,” Saito murmured, “Don’t they?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Guren said back softly.
“Don’t act so naïve.” The Second Progenitor replied, “You are fighting against them. Trying so hard not to fall into those newfound desires… And you’re going to fail.”
“If that is what you think.” Guren shot back.
The Omega’s eyes widened as Saito’s other hand came up and covered his eyes. Forcing him to shut them as it plunged him into darkness. It made that scent get stronger. Guren knew it was because a scent gland was located at the wrist. Much smaller than the one on the neck but there was still one located there just underneath the wrist. It felt so suffocating which each breath that he tried to take.
“Come on,” Saito mused, “We have work to do.”
Saito grabbed his arm again, making Guren wince from how hard he grabbed, and he was immediately pulled to his feet. Guren was left with the hand over his eyes and forced to rely on where Saito was taking him. Guren could hear more doors opening up whenever Saito’s hand would leave his arm. The one over his eyes had curled in a way that threatened to poke out his eye if he tried to escape out of the hold. The looming threat was enough to make sure that Guren didn’t.
He had heard a total of four doors open before they came to a stop. Saito was pressed up against his back at first, just giving a soft laugh that made Guren want to scream. He was really starting to hate the sound of laughter. He shouldn’t. Laughter was supposed to be a good thing.
Whenever Saito moved his hand, it took a second for Guren’s eyes to adjust to the pure white room. In the middle of the room was a simple metal table with restraints on it. The Omega inhaled sharply, staring at the table for a second before Saito was forcing him over to it.
“Don’t worry, Guren,” Saito mused, “Whenever you’re done… You won’t be fighting me much anymore.”
Saito had shoved him against the table and Guren grimaced from how it slammed into his stomach. It made him nauseous as he sucked in a breath, but he slowly let it out. Saito approached him, grabbing at his hair and Guren instinctively reached for it. The Alpha forced him to turn and let go of his hair afterwards in order to push against his shoulder. Saito had practically pushed him onto the table, using his own body to pin Guren down enough to start getting the first restraint around one of his wrists. Once it was in place, he had moved onto the next one. Guren jerked against them as Saito went down towards his feet. The panic was there. The need to get away as he pulled his legs to him, but Saito still managed to get his leg straightened out and into the restraint without much issue at all. Then, he did one that strapped over Guren’s chest and then finally one at the top of his head and left Guren basically immobile.
Guren was left staring at the white ceiling at first before he was able to slightly just move enough to watch Saito moving to open up a door that was pure white itself and pulling in a cart. The Omega jerked against the restraints again as he saw the machine on the cart. Saito had turned it away from him so he couldn’t see it before he started pulling out wires that had small pads on the ends of them.
“Just calm down,” Saito murmured, “It’s alright.” Saito turned back to him, brushing his hair out of his face as he placed the first one against his temple before moving on. More were added over the course of his forehead and the other side of his head as Guren took in slow and deep breaths. With that done, Saito moved around the table and looked down at Guren as he held up an uncapped syringe. He pulled the cap off with a smile as he said, “It’ll all be okay.” Guren gasped as the needle immediately plunged into his neck. The second the plunger was hit, it felt as if Guren’s heart skipped a beat entirely before his body felt like it was flaring. All of his veins burning as he curled his fingers and his entire body convulsed with it.
Guren’s senses started to go haywire. Every small sterile smell of the room assaulted his nose. Even the lingering flavor of the food that he had previously eaten intensified. His ears had started to ring as a pounding came to his head. Guren felt like he couldn’t breathe, pulling in quick pants in an attempt to try and do so. The restraints bit harshly into his limbs as he kept pulling against them. It felt like they were trying to cut into his skin. Saito’s scent started to get heavier and more consuming around him. Guren’s vision felt like it had sharpened somehow. Getting sharper and more in focus despite how much that he fought against everything. Even as the pain started up in his head. It was like little buzzes of electricity were happening. Shocking against his skin as Guren could feel nothing but searing pain going through his body.
It all felt so overwhelming. As if every single part of him had been stimulated to the maximum in some way. Even if he closed his eyes, it felt like he could still see that harsh pure white of the room even if he plunged himself into darkness. The Omega could feel everything against his skin to the smallest detail from the harsh leather and metal of the restraints that secured him in place. The sticky pads keeping those probs against his forehead. How every single sound felt like it was piercing his eardrums. Every sense felt like it was sensitive. That everything around him had been turned up. Guren didn’t understand it, but he couldn’t stop it either.
Guren couldn’t even scream. It was as if his voice was taken away from him. Even as he opened his eyes and he had expected nothing but disorientation, his vision was perfectly clear.
Guren just wanted it to stop.
Chapter 12: With Hypocrisy
Summary:
Saito continues to move through his plans with Guren. Meanwhile, Shinya contemplates everything surrounding Guren's disappearance. Later, Guren finds himself facing more of Saito's torment.
Chapter Text
Saito smiled as he stared down at Guren. It had taken a lot longer than Saito would have thought for Guren to finally succumb to everything. It had been hours before Guren had lost consciousness. It really didn’t fail to amaze him just how much that Guren could handle before inevitably his body gave out. It really was quite intriguing. It was as if Guren was hanging onto something to keep himself from just… letting go.
The Omega was passed out on the table. Still strapped down onto it. Saito walked over towards the cart and started grabbing off what he needed. He couldn’t have Guren dying on him, so he needed to tend to the injuries. If he let them get infected and ultimate would cause Guren to come sick – and even risk a blood infection like sepsis – Saito needed to make sure they were cared for.
He undid the straps that kept Guren down on the table, knowing that Guren had passed out completely at this point from the pain and exhaustion, and went to work. Saito had started by cleaning out the wounds first and disinfecting them, adding in a bit of magic induced healing as he moved around and started cleaning the wounds and then moving on to wrap them up. He stopped at Guren’s right wrist. From looking at it, it was clear that Guren had dislocated the bone at one point during his struggle. Saito just simply popped it back into place and wrapped it. Guren struggled a lot during the course of that, but it didn’t stop Saito from doing what he needed to do. Saito carefully went over every single wound that Guren had.
Saito hummed a random tune as he worked. Guren was practically dead weight right now. Every single movement didn’t so much as stir him. The former Second Progenitor just got to work. Wrapping bandages where he needed to. Leaving other wounds out to air out if they didn’t need the assistance of bandages. He had done a number on him, and still, Guren was still clinging on. The Omega was trying to act as if the pain was getting to him. At first, it didn’t seem to faze him. The longer that it took, the more clear that it would become that Guren was struggling to hide the pain.
Saito moved the clothing that he had allowed Guren to wear so he could start getting the bandages where he needed them. Guren had some previous healing injuries that he needed to take another look at. The Omega looked a lot better physically than before. He didn’t look as flushed, and he was getting through those withdrawals. Soon enough, Guren would not be able to fight his instincts. The Omega would finally cave in. There were a few more steps that he needed to do. There were a lot more things that they still needed to go over.
He had taken a moment to check the healing bond mark on Guren’s neck. It was healing nicely and would leave behind that typical scar that was known with a bond. As the Alpha moved to touch at it, he paused whenever Guren had finally moved in his unconsciousness. The Omega’s head tilted towards the inner part of Saito’s wrist and the former Second Progenitor smirked as he watched it. He used his other hand to sooth back Guren’s hair, eyeing the small electrocution marks that were on his temples. Saito temporarily turned his focus to them, checking to see if they would leave scars or if he needed to do any magical induced healing. Finding that he didn’t need too, he had moved on and continued on with his task.
It didn’t take him much longer to get through it. He put the bloodied gauze and disinfectants back on the cart while he double checked to make sure that the bandages were secure. Saito pushed the cart out of the way as he moved onto the black case. Saito popped it open and pulled out the vial and syringe that he needed. He had set the other off to the side to be ready for it. He uncapped the syringe and entered into the vial, pulling out the light blue substance that was inside into the syringe.
Saito took a second to make sure that there was no air in the syringe before turning back towards Guren. He placed down the vial without looking and used that newly freed hand to pull the shirt up that Guren was wearing. He placed it down, making sure to keep Guren’s stomach revealed. Very carefully, he inserted the needle in at the lower part of Guren’s abdomen. He hit the plunger and watched the serum disappear before retracting the needle and placing it off to the side.
With that one done, he moved onto the second vial and got a fresh syringe to do the next part. That vial had a red serum inside of it and he had repeated the same action that he had before to fill it. Once he had checked for air bubbles, he grabbed for Guren’s arm and moved to the croak of his elbow to get access to the vein he needed. Carefully, he slipped the needle into the vein and sent the serum into the Omega. Pleased, Saito also sat that off to the side as he carried on with completing his work.
Saito took a final look at Guren as he smiled and said, “Well it’s time to keep going.” He reached out, brushing his hair out of his face. “We still have so much work to do.” Saito turned, starting out of the room as he started humming to himself. “I’ll be gone for a while. Don’t wait up for me.” Saito added in just as he got out of the door and started down the hall.
There were some things that he needed to do.
But first, there was something that he needed to get done before he could start up once more.
Shinya couldn’t believe a single thing that he had seen. None of it had made sense. Shinya had made sure to hide everything that he had found and he made a promise to himself that he wasn’t going to tell a soul about it. Well, not necessarily. If word got out about what he had found, the worse would be suspected. It had to just be a coincidence but there was always another possibility. The one that someone had planted those items in Guren’s home to give the appearance that he had been behind it. It made him think of all those items that Kureto kept swearing up and down had something on them. Whoever was doing this was doing their best to hide their actions but also taunt them at the same time. It rose a lot of questions for him.
Within the days that had started to pass, they had kept moving forward. It was as if a fire had been ignited into Kureto and he was actually organizing the rescue operations. Secretly moving to deploy more members of the Moon Demon Company and even ordering them to form more teams. From what Shinya had gathered, Guren had one waiting on the sidelines currently that were set to come together before the war started.
Shinoa Hiragi.
Mitsuba Sanguu.
Shihou Kimizuki.
Yoichi Saotome.
Yuuichirou Hyakuya.
Shinya had headed to the Moon Demon Company himself. They were all in training. The only ones really that weren’t here were Shinoa and Mitsuba. They didn’t need to be in these classes. Mitsuba was already working within the Moon Demon Company in other places and Shinoa had worked closely with Guren for a long time. From what Shinya had learned, the other three: Kimizuki, Yoichi, and Yuuichirou were being looked at for the Black Demon Series. Kureto was already pushing for it, but Shinya had his concerns.
There were a lot of Kureto’s behaviors that were catching him off guard. A lot that he didn’t think that Kureto would typically make. Ever since Guren disappeared, Kureto had changed. Shinya would stand right by him and agree that Guren had been kidnapped and captured. Shinya didn’t have a doubt about that. But someone was working hard to make it look like it wasn’t but taunting Kureto at the same time by showing it without showing it. It was so confusing. It was as if Kureto was singlehandedly being targeted in his own way.
None of this made sense to Shinya. It was as if they were being sent off in all different directions. As if it was meant to keep them from paying close attention to what was going on. To throw them off. Shinya could believe that one. It would just raise the question on how someone would get into Shibuya completely undetected, and no one knew what happened.
As far as Shinya was aware, Kureto hadn’t shown those items to anyone else. There was nothing to show. It just made Kureto look like he was slowly losing his sanity. Well, he could be. Shinya couldn’t leave that off of the table but seeing that ring made Shinya think. He had seen Guren just before they left and Guren did seem to be a bit happier than usual. Wearing this soft smile that he typically didn’t have whenever it came to going on a mission instead of his complete serious attitude whenever it came to a fight and bracing for the idea that not everyone would go home. There had just been something different about him.
It had been over a month since Guren had vanished, and they had gotten nowhere in trying to figure out what really happened. Kureto had a new fire fueling him. Shinya had his reservations. But none of them stopped. They kept going. They couldn’t stop now. Shinya didn’t have to see him. He knew that Guren was alive. He just didn’t know how to explain it. Guren was out there somewhere but he was just out of arm’s reach.
What could they do if they had no idea where to even start?
Narrowing it down hadn’t been easy. Their intel wasn’t working to try and help them even get a radius on where Guren could be.
Shinya stood out at the edges of Shibuya, standing on the top of a building as he looked out at the skyline. Guren was out there. He could feel it. He just didn’t know where to start. Their home was not complete anymore. There was nothing that Shinya wouldn’t do to have Guren back.
Guren was not behind this. He didn’t play a part in this. Not willingly. Shinya didn’t have proof of that, but he just knew. He had no way to confirm his thoughts and theory on it. Someone was trying to make it look like Guren was involved. Shinya did have this feeling that he was not the one who was supposed to find that. It made him believe that it was Kureto. Considering everything. It seemed like the most logical explanation.
Send the items and place them in Kureto’s home. A place where Guren had been multiple times.
Hide the exact same items in Guren’s home. A place where Kureto has also been on multiple occasions.
Drive a barrier between the two.
Someone was only as strong as the pack… And what happened whenever the pack was broken? Whenever they were divided? They weren’t nearly as strong. They were stronger together than they were apart.
It was no secret how strong of a team that Kureto and Guren made between strength, power, and intelligence. They were a force to be reckoned with on their own. A duo that could make true change if they wanted too. A duo that had still ended up together despite so much bad blood.
Kureto was a force all on his own. Even if he was a blood Hiragi, there was a reason that he was the one who was the Lieutenant General. He formed the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. He was the one who ran things. He was powerful, strong, and incredibly smart. Knocking him down and having him doubt himself could change a lot of things. Kureto had a lot of confidence in himself, but if someone knew where to hit, they could take him down. Not even Kureto was immune to that.
That rose certain questions in Shinya’s mind.
Who would kidnap Guren and why?
Who would know about the connection between Kureto and Guren being more than a leader and retainer?
Who could manage to get into Kureto’s home undetected as well as Guren’s?
Why taunt Kureto with evidence of Guren’s abduction, mask it, and then plant evidence in Guren’s home?
So much of it contradicted each other. It was as if it was meant to keep them confused and disoriented. To take their focus away. Yet, it was as if it was meant to actually taunt Kureto too. Tell him that he wasn’t strong enough. That he couldn’t protect the one person who mattered to him.
It had to be someone with intimate knowledge of Guren and Kureto to be able to pull this off in a way that threw other people off. In the way that would have Kureto second guessing himself. With the way that Kureto had acted, he had seen that. Kureto was sleep deprived, but he was adamant about what he had seen. Even Shinya could give him credit there. Kureto wasn’t someone to just make something up. So, that is what was really inclining Shinya to believe him.
Who would know Guren but also have knowledge of the Hiragi family in this way?
“Byakkomaru,” Shinya started as he looked over the horizon, “How could something like this be possible? That brother Kureto could see one thing, but it’s just gone?”
“If I had to guess, Shinya,” Byakkomaru’s voice came as the manifestation of his demon showed up next to him. “Incredibly powerful spellcraft. Even one that a demon cannot detect. I’ve never met a being that could possess such a power.”
“But is it possible?” Shinya questioned.
“It is.” Byakkomaru confirmed.
“If that’s the case,” Shinya murmured as he scanned the skyline again, “Would it be possible that there is some type of ward that would be stronger than even that?”
“It could be.” His demon replied, “If the magic is powerful enough.”
“So, whoever did this… Can bypass the security measures of the wards of Shibuya,” Shinya murmured, mostly talking to himself and listing everything off, “Manage to trick brother Kureto… Hiding Guren’s presence… And it can still go undetected. I’ve never heard of magic that powerful.”
“The only way to have that kind of power is to have built up such abilities over centuries. Though, I would say that it isn’t just spellcraft involved.” Shinya paused for a second as those words hit. They were under the belief that it had to be a vampire who had taken Guren. Someone that he would have crossed paths with. But it didn’t make sense to be just any vampire. It would have to be one who was powerful enough and with the knowledge of Guren and Kureto. Which meant knowledge on the Ichinose and the Hiragi family.
As he stood there, it suddenly clicked.
“Is it possible…” He whispered as the thought crossed his mind. It couldn’t be, right?
“What is it, Shinya?” Byakkomaru questioned.
“Who would know Guren… But have knowledge of the Hiragi family…” Shinya murmured. It had been so long since he had thought of the world before the one that they lived in now. But it felt as if a piece was coming together. “I need to talk to brother Kureto.”
Without a second thought, Shinya turned on his heel and took off.
If he was right about this, they were absolutely fucked.
The Omega was fast asleep on the mattress. At least, he appeared to be asleep. His eyes were closed, and he was curled up on the mattress. Bloodied and used bandages were sitting next to the mattress as fresh ones were applied. A damp cloth was sitting on his forehead in the meantime to help with some of the feverish symptoms that had returned. Labored but even breathing filled the room in soft echoes that bounced off of the walls.
Hands worked carefully. Moving everything in the way that it needed to be done. Gentle in their touch as they worked on changing out the bandages and applying the ointment onto fresh and older wounds. It was quick work in checking on the injuries but also reapplying the fresh gauze. Every single placement was done with careful accuracy.
With the new bandages applied, two fingertips pressed into the pulse point of the Omega to feel the level heartbeat. Fingers stayed there for a moment, keeping track of each and every single beat of the pulse before pulling away.
The damp cloth was taking off of his forehead, dipped back into the bowl of water and rung out before returning back to the skin to finish cleaning away the blood that could be seen. The process was repeated until the skin was completely cleaned of the red substance. The cloth was placed back within the water and left forgotten for the time being.
With that job done, the blanket was pulled back up, placed carefully underneath the chin of the Omega and readjusted to make sure that he was completely covered up. The room was very cold, and it was evident from the goosebumps on the Omega’s skin. The pillow under his head was fluffed, forming more around the Omega’s head for more comfort.
Eyes moved back towards the Omega’s face and stopped there. Just taking in the sight of the young Omega. The Omega’s face was pale and showing the stark contrast of bruises of exhaustion underneath his eyes. Long eyelashes kissed semi-flushed cheeks. The scent coming off of him was in duress for the stark contrast of how peaceful that he looked while he was asleep.
A hand came down, carefully moving pieces of black hair out of the Omega’s face and brushing them away. The Omega wasn’t reacting. He was laying there completely still and unmoving. The only way to tell that he was alive was from hearing those labored breaths. The Omega was sedated so it wasn’t necessarily a surprise. The drug in his system was going to keep him out for a while. It would be hours before the Omega woke up once more. By then, he would need food. He looked underweight. It was clear that he had lost some weight from the lack of food. The Omega was refusing food for the most part, which wasn’t good either.
Eyes fell onto the bond mark and fingers slowly moved to touch at it and ghosted over the skin. The mate. Just as fingers lingered over it, the hand pulled away before moving quickly to finish up the final touches.
Quick work was done to gather up everything as one final glance was given to the Omega before leaving.
Kureto had been thinking a lot about his conversation with Raimeiki. It gave him this confirmation. Kureto had set up rescue efforts. Formed more teams. Formed more strategies. Got more people out there. Everyone was looking for the missing Lieutenant Colonel. They were going to find him, and they were going to bring him home. Kureto had also gone into a deep dive into researching more on the possible magic that was behind all of this. What could have possibly been powerful enough to trick him. What kind of power could rival that? All it did was tell him that he was up against something far more powerful than he was originally led to believe.
That image was burned into his mind. Kureto didn’t think he would ever get that photograph out of his mind. Raimeiki was trying to find a way to help him try and reveal what he had seen before. If there was spellcraft on this, that it meant it either erased it, or it was masking it. Kureto just wasn’t sure which one that it was.
He was looking into everything imaginable to try and narrow down how he might possibly be able to get through those apparent wards. What could possibly be blocking them from being able to find Guren by normal means. This was not a normal situation. Someone was clearly taunting him. Wanting him to know that they had Guren. That he couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
Kureto had been working into the late hours of the night in his office at first, but eventually, he had grown tired and started to head home. Kureto was not going to stop, but he knew that he needed to rest. Kureto could not have a repeat like before. Guren needed him at the top of his game. He needed to take his own advice and actually get some rest.
Even as he walked down the street, that image kept returning. Seeing the blood that had been on Guren. The way that he had clearly been subdued. How he had been beaten. It made him so angry. Kureto wanted to destroy everything in his path until he found the person responsible for this.
He had Guren’s ring in his pocket. It hadn’t left the safe place that it held there since he had it. Whoever did this knew that Kureto put that one Guren. They knew of them. That was dangerous.
Couldn’t someone see that you didn’t mess with the one person who made someone… stronger?
As he walked, he just felt this wave of intense anger hit him. The need to tear Guren’s abductor limb from limb. Each time he thought of what was possibly happening to Guren, it just made the feeling worse. Kureto closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and slowly released it. He couldn’t lose his head. He needed to keep his shit together and stay focused.
Otherwise, what was he even fighting for?
Kureto stopped as he felt a chill go down his spine and he lifted his gaze. The Alpha’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something not that far from him. It was located just down the street at the corner. Kureto could barely see the figure underneath the streetlight. Then, he heard a soft laugh. It sounded so distant, but he knew that laugh. Kureto took a moment to focus in on it and his heart felt like it had completely stopped.
“Guren.” He whispered as he rushed forward. The second that Kureto had moved, the figure moved away, and he heard that bit of laughter again. It didn’t stop him from getting to the corner and finding that nothing was there. Just as he thought that maybe it had all been in his head, he heard that laugh again. Kureto lifted his gaze up, noticing movement at the next street over.
It had looked just like him.
That was impossible. Guren wasn’t here. But that was him. At least, by appearance it looked like him. A part of him was telling him that he shouldn’t go after it. That he should just turn around and go home, but he found himself following it anyway. Each street that he went down, it was the same thing. The frustration was hitting him whenever he came to another street and stopped once he saw nothing once more.
Kureto let out a sharp breath as he looked around trying to see if he would catch that sound again or something to tell him where it had gone. Then, finally, he did hear the laugh again and it made him turn slightly and looked towards a small clearance. Kureto recognized this place. The Alpha found himself stepping forward and heading towards it. As he rounded the corner, he remembered all the times that he had pulled Guren back here whenever they had just been walking. Out of sight from anyone else.
For just a second, it made those memories come back. Remembering the way that Guren would smile and laugh softly and then tell him he was an idiot but wouldn’t resist anything. They would sometimes come here in the middle of the night. Meeting up from each of their homes without actually telling the other that they were going to be there but found the other there anyway. This was a place that – as far as Kureto was aware – no one else knew about that held a significance to the two of them.
Kureto walked through the small area as he got to the small stream and stopped at the edge. He stared down at his reflection in the water for a moment. Kureto felt the hairs on the back of his neck starting to stand. It felt as if eyes were on him as he turned and saw absolutely nothing around him. Kureto dropped his gaze to the ground and a box with that same purple colored ribbon was sitting on the ground now.
“What the Hell?” Kureto murmured as he stepped forward.
He got up to the box and kneeled down. The box was exactly the same as the last one right down to the way that the ribbon was tied. Kureto kept staring at it and contemplated opening it before a better idea hit him.
Without questioning it, Kureto simply grabbed the box and stood up. That feeling was gone now. It felt as if he was completely alone again. The Alpha dropped his gaze, looking at the box as he clenched his jaw.
What the absolute fuck was going on?
Everything around him was hazy. Guren was in and out of consciousness. The electroshocks didn’t stop. They were continuous. As they were happening, Saito’s voice would be in his ear. Muttering things to him that he didn’t want to hear. That he wanted to deny. Whenever he did do that, the shocks would intensify.
Whenever he did think they were finally stopping, they would start up all over again. It was making his head pound against his skull enough that the stark and bright whiteness of the room was painful to his eyes. Even as he struggled against the restraints and convulsed on the table, it dug in worse to his skin. He was pretty sure that the straps had cut open his skin and he was actively bleeding. Through the distortion of his vision, he was able to see needles, a scalpel – which would be quickly followed by a sharp, burning sting of pain – and different medical instruments.
It wasn’t the only thing. Guren’s gaze would move so quickly through the room and while it was happening, he could have sworn he had seen all the faces of his loved ones. That they were standing right over him with the same instruments in hand. Wicked smirks on their faces and contempt in their eyes as he would hear taunts coming from them. Guren knew that couldn’t be true. They weren’t here. They wouldn’t do that to him. Then, he would see Kureto. The way that he would stare down at him with such disgust. The degrading and humiliating things that he would say as his voice would taunt him for what was happening to him. That he somehow deserved what was happening to him. Something about that hurt worse than the rest of it. Kureto wouldn’t say that to him. Not now. Even back then, Guren doubted that Kureto would go that far. Kureto had his vices, but that wasn’t one of them. Not whenever it came to Guren.
It felt like it had been hours of it before it had finally came to a stop and had left him strapped on the table. Guren could barely keep his eyes open, and whenever he did open them and through the haze was able to see the medical instruments coming in his direction. His body felt so numb and tired. Eventually, he had just passed out. Rather it was from pure exhaustion or the pain, Guren didn’t know. It was probably a mixture of both if he had to be honest with himself. Guren could handle the pain – and he had an incredibly high pain tolerance to the point that it was almost inhumane in a way – but even he had his limits. Guren didn’t realize just how much that Cursed Gear users truly relied on their demons until that moment. Guren had always handled pain well – including dislocating his own wrist before and being unfazed by it – that he just never thought about something like this. Even being able to be tortured for days before anything could happen to him.
This… This was far exceeding those limits and Guren knew it.
But he still refused to break.
Whenever he had started to wake up again and felt as if he was regaining more awareness, he felt something soft underneath him. His head was still throbbing whenever he woke up and his stomach was so knotted up that he wanted to throw up. How Guren managed to keep what little food he had inside of his body was a mystery to him. Even then, he was already feeling the need to dry heave. His body was so sore. Whenever he cracked his eyes open, he was able to see bandages wrapped around his arms. He could feel them all around his body. One small thing that he felt happy about was that he was still wearing clothes. He could feel the fabric on his body where the bandages weren’t located. He also felt a warmness over him like a blanket. There was more of a plush softness under his head that he had quickly identified as a pillow.
Guren blinked a few times in hopes of correcting his vision. The Omega was able to reach up and rub at his eyes. Guren’s vision fixed itself as he was able to see that he was in fact laying on a mattress and there was a pillow underneath his head. The Omega started to push himself up, finding just how tired that he truly was. His head felt like it was splitting in pain. The slightest movement was causing worse pain with each passing second. It made his stomach twist up and the nausea hit him in waves. He had almost thrown up just by moving.
The last thing he remembered was being strapped down onto that table. He was glad to find that he was still wearing clothing. It made him relax just a bit. Guren let out a shaky breath as he tried to get his stomach to calm down, but whenever he was focusing on that, it made his head throb more. The blanket had pooled around his waist, but he didn’t have a care right now.
The Omega chanced looking back up as he kept thinking about the possibilities of what Saito had done to him. There were so many things that he could have done, and even more that Guren didn’t know about whenever he was unconscious. Saito was an experimenter. He clearly showed that he was more than willing to experiment on anyone and everyone and no matter what it was. Saito had been like that before the end of the world, and Guren knew of some of the experiments, but he was sure there was a lot more where that came from. It was leaving Guren in this position of wondering if he was truly better off dead because of it. His body was slowly getting completely tired. The exhaustion was catching up to him, and the effects were starting to show of what Saito had been doing to him. Only, Guren had no idea what Saito was doing. All he knew was that he was being tortured, getting injected with unknown serums, and that Saito was doing other random things that just didn’t make sense. Saito was clearly trying to break him, but he just didn’t know what for.
Guren was still in this state of limbo and purgatory whenever it came to a lot of Saito’s actions. Saito was doing things that Guren – and the Japanese Imperial Demon Army – had no idea was even possible. It made this sense of shame go through Guren. It made him even more sick to his stomach to think about that he had a mark on his neck currently. A strange wave of instincts and emotions that he could not place. The fact that Saito had raped him. Guren didn’t want anyone to know.
The Omega was trying to understand this gravitation pull that he was feeling. How whenever Saito was near him that he found himself leaning in subconsciously. And these small things that he kept noticing that just made him want to throw himself right off of a cliff. It made him want to break down. Just scream until his voice was gone. That wouldn’t do anything for him. He could not let Saito break him. He had promised himself that he was going to live and he was going to get home.
Guren just didn’t know the… how.
Guren could feel how his arms shook as he kept himself up. His arms felt so weak. Was it from the lack of food? Dehydration? The torture? All of the above? Guren hadn’t felt like this in a long time. It felt like it had been so long since he had truly felt so powerless… so helpless… so hopeless.
Guren looked around the room. It was a simple room. It was pure white like the last one. It was so cold within the room whenever the blanket wasn’t over his shoulder. It made him shiver and goosebumps were forming on his skin. It felt like the cold was aggravating the soreness of his body even more again. The whiteness of the room was assaulting to his eyes. The light in the room was actually dim, but the pure white walls, ceiling, and floor made that light seem brighter than it actually was. There wasn’t anything else in the room from what he could see, but it didn’t mean he trusted a thing about it.
The Omega nearly jumped as he heard the door open up and he was able to see that the door was blended in with the wall. Guren stared as Saito stepped into the room and the Alpha smiled at him. “How’d you sleep?”
“You want the honest answer or the bullshit one?” Guren questioned without so much as thinking about it.
Saito smiled at him, holding a tray in one hand that Guren was able to see a small clear cup about an inch tall, a glass, and a plate. “Well, I’m going to say that you slept well enough if you’re back to speaking like that.”
Guren’s head was still throbbing the closer that Saito got and now he didn’t want to chance laying back down. From the fact that Saito came into the room so quickly made him wonder if there was some sort of security camera somewhere in the room to notify him of whenever Guren woke up. Guren would not be surprised at this point. The way that it kept seeming to happen was so off putting to him. Saito’s entire aura was unsettling to him.
Saito walked over to him, kneeling down and placing the tray down on the floor by the mattress. Guren looked down at it. Seeing a simple – and easy on the stomach – breakfast, water, and a few pills inside of the cup. Guren didn’t move to reach for it. The Omega didn’t think he could eat if he tried. Just the smell of food alone made his stomach even more upset than it was before. From the way he was feeling, he felt like water might even upset his stomach. The pills were what had his attention more. They didn’t have anything on them to tell him what they were or give him any sign of what they could possibly be. Not by color or shape. It could be easy to assume that they might be painkillers of some kind, but whenever it came to Saito, he couldn’t be sure about that.
“You should eat something.” Saito stated, “And take some medicine.”
“I’m fine.” Guren whispered.
Guren was trying to breathe out of his mouth rather than his nose. Whenever he got too close or whenever Guren caught Saito’s scent, that’s whenever the worst of it would happen. Those same things that he didn’t understand. Guren stared down at the pills completely untrusting of it. Saito reached for the cup and Guren lifted his gaze back up.
“You’ll feel better.” Saito said to him.
“I don’t want it.” Guren muttered.
“You don’t exactly have a choice in that.” The Alpha replied as he shook his head slightly but that smile remained on his face. He lifted up the cup, holding it out in front of Guren. The Omega thought of smacking it away and watching the pills fling across the room and disappear into the white of the room. He wanted too, but it would probably be an incredibly bad idea. Guren refrained from doing so for now. “I’m sure your head is probably hurting you right about now. It’s just a bit of medication to help with a headache.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” The Omega whispered as he dropped his gaze.
“It’s all over your face.” Saito stated, “You can’t even look up at me without nearly closing your eyes completely. The light is sensitive to your eyes. You aren’t sitting up that well. The medicine will help.” It probably would, if it was actually medicine. Guren just didn’t trust that at all. Guren kept eyeing it. He didn’t know what a single thing that Saito was giving him. It felt like that gave him enough not do believe Saito’s words. “Just take them, Guren.”
Guren didn’t want too. He knew that the hesitation was showing. Saito was staring straight at him before he suddenly reached forward, grabbing the back of Guren’s head and forcing his head back. The Second Progenitor’s fingers ended up between his lips, forcing his jaw apart, and Guren had attempted to fight back against it. Saito was able to pry his mouth open with ease and the pills were dropped into his mouth. Within seconds, the Alpha had grabbed the drink and quickly dumped some of the water into Guren’s mouth. The Omega choked on it, but Saito’s hand slapped over his mouth and nose. The Omega fought it, trying to keep the water and pills out of his throat, but the instinct to take in a breath was there. Holding his breath had brought tears to his eyes as he fought to keep from taking the pills. The longer that Saito’s hand remained there, the more that his oxygen was cut off. He could feel some water escaping but it just splashed back against his face.
Guren was forced to swallow it down and Saito had let his face go as the Omega coughed and sputtered. Some water ran out of his mouth at the corners of his mouth. Guren rose a shaky hand, wiping it away as he looked through hazy eyes, and Saito leaned back giving him a satisfied smirk.
“Was that so hard, Guren?” Saito mused. The Omega glared, narrowing his gaze as he curled his fingers. Guren’s mind was swimming. Everything around him was coming in and out of focus as that pounding in his chest kept getting worse. Guren was using his own stubbornness to just stay up. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I want to punch you in the face.” Guren shot back. His words came out with some difficulty. He wasn’t able to really speak with that much without it sounding like it was slurred. Guren’s stomach was knotting up as he kept trying to breathe correctly.
Saito just kept smiling at him. The Omega kept feeling his mind starting to spin more. Even though Saito wasn’t that close to him, Guren was still picking up his scent. Guren wasn’t sure on how he was being able to pick it up so clearly. Guren was trying to breathe out of his mouth instead. The Alpha leaned closer to him and Guren moved back slightly.
“You look quite like the damsel in distress right now.” Saito mused. That made Guren glare at the Alpha. He wouldn’t even be in this position if it wasn’t for him. “You’ve been doing surprisingly well. The results have been intriguing.”
“Results of what exactly?” Guren questioned.
“You don’t need to worry yourself over that.” Saito replied.
“It’s my body.” Guren hissed as he grimaced whenever the light got into his eyes again and it made that throbbing get just a bit worse.
“We still have more work to do.” Saito murmured as he reached up and touched at Guren’s face. Guren stayed frozen. His words made Guren’s stomach churn, and the nausea hit him once more. “Are you ready, Guren?”
He knew that no matter what he said, it didn’t matter. So, he just stayed quiet and sure enough, Saito stood up and grabbed Guren’s arm. The Omega stumbled on the way up as he was all but hauled to his feet. It made his shoulder hurt from it as he felt the entire bone jostle. Guren’s feet landed back on the floor and Saito had started to pull him towards the door. It just started the many lists of ideas of things that Saito might do to him now.
Saito pulled him right out of the room and Guren grimaced from the change of the light. It was enough to cause black auras to come across his vision. His heart was starting to race with the thought of what torture method that Saito might be thinking of now. The list so far was endless of what he had done. So, all Guren could do was think of the others and hope. To try and use the images of their faces to try and calm himself down. To remind him that he had something waiting for him outside of the walls of this place.
Guren would survive this.
Even if this could classify as the worst thing to ever happen to him, Guren could endure.
Guren didn’t recognize the halls that he was in. Even from before. Saito had to have moved him to a different room. Guren knew that he had to be in the same building. Even though the halls weren’t recognizable, they were enough like the ones that he had seen. Behind any of these doors could just be another torture chamber.
Guren was so… tired.
Physically, mentally, emotionally.
Saito had taken him to a staircase and Guren had stumbled his way up it. Trying to catch himself whenever his feet would slip out underneath him. Saito’s grip was enough to help keep him upright for the most part. His knees or shins would smack into the wood and cause the pain to flare through his body. From the lighting, he eyed the bandages that covered his previous injuries. So, Saito was healing him and then just starting over all over again.
It wasn’t about physically breaking him.
It was about mentally breaking him.
Continuously torturing him until he couldn’t take it anymore.
But Saito was underestimating him.
Once they had gotten up the stairs, they had turned to the left. Saito continued to pull him down the hall, keeping an arm around him any time that Guren lost his balance. The Second Progenitor had taken him to a door, opening it up before shoving Guren inside. Within seconds, Guren heard the door slam shut.
The Omega hit the ground hard, grimacing and hissing out in pain from it. Guren slowly pushed himself up, feeling the way that his arms trembled. It did not do his head any good from the way that it had smacked against the hardwood of the floor. The room was just as cold as the others were. As if the home itself didn’t have heating but Guren knew better. This was as if air conditioning was cranked up to make the home extremely cold. Though, Saito wouldn’t feel the difference between heat and cold so it wouldn’t be a surprise if any of the two were the right answer.
Guren lifted his head and noticed that he was in a dark room. There was only a bit of light within the room that let him see some of it but not a lot of it. Otherwise, it had been nothing but darkness. The darkness that loomed in the corners made Guren hyper focus onto them. That thought in the back of his mind that something was lurking there. Goosebumps formed on his skin as the hairs started to stand. The fight or flight instinct was starting to kick in. He couldn’t hear Saito, but he felt as if something was looking at him.
Guren’s heart nearly stopped as he heard footsteps. They didn’t sound like Saito’s. They were much heavier. They didn’t have that soft click of the heel of Saito’s dress shoes but rather sounding more like heavier boots. Each step that he heard made him slowly starting to want to go backwards. Guren did start doing that. Slowly starting to slip back as they were getting closer.
Guren completely froze as he saw who stepped out of the shadows. His eyes widened as the air caught in his throat. Now standing in front of him was Kureto. Kureto was staring down at him with a blank stare. This couldn’t be real. It had to be an illusion. Kureto wasn’t here. Guren looked for any sign that he was looking at an illusion. He couldn’t look through it.
Guren felt a chill go down his spine as Kureto stepped forward and said, “Oh, Guren,” It was his voice. The voice that had calmed Guren on so many occasions. A voice that would sooth him whenever he was having a bad day or coax him out of a nightmare. Yet, this voice was full of distain and disgust. Something that he would not associate with Kureto at all. “Look at you.”
“You’re not real.” Guren said quickly as he felt the slightest wave of adrenaline crash into him, and it gave him enough to push himself up. The Omega had started to put distance as he kept trying to find the signs. Looking for anything that would tell him that this was just an illusion that he was looking at. This wasn’t the first time that Saito had done this.
“I’m very much real, Guren.” Kureto drawled. That tone made another shiver go down his spine. Kureto had started to walk closer to him. Guren was looking over his face. Looking for something to tell him that he was right. He felt like he had a lot more clarity right now despite how much his head hurt. Something about all of this was definitely different from before. Kureto tilted his head, something that Guren always caught the Alpha doing whenever he was calculating something. Rather it was tilting his head back to show a superiority over others as if he was looking down at them or physically showing that he was looking for something. “I’m ashamed to have ever had you stand by my side.”
“This… isn’t real.” Guren said quickly as Kureto kept walking closer. The more that he kept hearing him get closer, the more that Guren kept trying to convince himself. Then, he caught Kureto’s scent. That very aroma of an impending thunderstorm that was going to come. “Damn it, Saito. Stop.” He was so tired of Saito’s tricks. The way that he was just trying to fuck with his head. It was just another trick for Saito to try and throw him off. “You’re not real.”
“Really?” Kureto mused and Guren’s head suddenly snapped to the side. The Omega’s eyes widened as he felt the pain splinter through his face. He could taste iron on his lips as he reached up and touched at his lip. It was enough that it was making his ear ring as he touched at his freshly split lip. It had stunned him as he lifted his gaze back up. Kureto just smirked. A smirk that Guren knew.
It made a chill go down his spine as Guren quickly moved away and whispered, “Kureto—”
“Why don’t you just shut up?” Kureto snapped as he pulled his arm back and on the uninjured cheek, Guren felt knuckles connect with his cheek bone and it knocked him off of his balance and into the wall. The look in Kureto’s eyes completely changed and Guren watched his amber eyes flash red and a low growl that came from him. It made another alarm in the back of Guren’s mind go off. Something was wrong here. Guren’s gaze moved and due to the change of where he was standing in the room, it let him see that he was in a bedroom. Guren’s attention moved back to Kureto as he heard, “You’re nothing. You’re weak… Powerless… You really think you could have stood by my side?”
Every word was like a punch in the gut. Guren kept telling himself that this wasn’t real. That this was just another one of Saito’s tricks. But it didn’t change the fact that those words in that voice did something to him. Guren had tried to always focus on Kureto’s kind voice. The one that he used with him whenever they were alone. It felt as if a knife was just plunged into Guren’s stomach and the blade was twisted for maximum damage.
“That’s not true.” Guren murmured, “Stop it!”
Guren was grabbed by his hair, and he hissed out as he reached up to pull the fingers away. The Omega stilled the second his fingers grazed over warm ones. Illusions didn’t typically have… warmth to them. Not like that. It just depended. It depended on who fell for the illusion. Guren had never felt that before. It had stunned him just enough that he was jerked across the room even as he had struggled. Guren was met with bedding as he was shoved down onto the mattress that he had caught sight of before.
“I suppose that you had one good quality about you.” Kureto drawled as Guren felt the bed dip down. Without much of a thought, Guren had started to move forward, attempting to get away but Kureto’s hand wrapped around his ankle and pulled him back down. His heart was starting to pound as his hair was grabbed again, and his neck was craned back. Another chill went down his spine as he felt breath on his ear. “But even now that is tainted. You really are good for nothing.”
No.
This couldn’t be real.
Guren managed to move one of his arms free, throwing it back and smashing his elbow back into the face of the other. It knocked the other off of him enough that he was able to turn over and he started hitting. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Kureto wasn’t here. This wasn’t him. He wasn’t the one talking. Guren kept doing it. Clawing and hitting at the person above him.
Yet all he could see was Kureto’s face.
Hands that were trying to get him to stop. A knee came down on one of his thighs, promptly immobilizing it but Guren didn’t stop. The Omega clawed his fingers across the face that looked like Kureto’s, and he froze as he saw blood showing up.
An illusion… couldn’t bleed.
It must have stalled him enough that he suddenly felt hands wrap around his neck. It cut off his airway as a palm pressed into his trachea. Guren choked behind it as it pressed down harder and the dots were already trying to cover his vision. His lungs began to scream at him from the lack of oxygen as he tried to keep fighting back, but he found that his movements were quickly slowing down. Black dots had started to cover his vision as instead of hitting, he lowered his hands and clawed at the fingers curled around his throat.
Guren could hear himself choking. His lungs continued to burn harshly as each breath that tried to come in was caught at the place where his throat was being crushed. It felt as if his windpipe was being systematically crushed from the grip.
The Omega could feel his body weakening as his mind started to swim more. He choked once more as he clawed hard on the back of the hand and slowly his arms started to fall as he could feel his eyes started to flutter shut.
Fight.
Fight.
Fight.
It wasn’t Kureto. It couldn’t be. Even if his eyes deceived him and showed him something that wasn’t there. Even if his ears made him hear something that didn’t make that sound. Even if his nose caught an aroma that couldn’t be here. It wasn’t him. Even if it looked like him.
Kureto wouldn’t do this.
His mind started to swim in a different way. As if something shifted inside of Guren as his arms hit the bed even though the hands did not loosen. Whenever he opened his eyes again, forcing them open, he noticed that despite how blurry his vision was and covered in darkness that it was getting, there was this clarity. A sharp and distinct look around him. His eyes started to sting, and his fingers hurt as he felt this wave crash into him.
Protect.
Protect.
Protect.
Guren needed to stop this. He needed to fight his way out. He didn’t know what was going on. Why all of this was happening. How he could feel the pain from that, that he had felt this warmth, or the blood. It didn’t feel like a normal illusion, but it was Saito’s doing. Saito did this. This couldn’t be Kureto. Kureto wouldn’t do this to him. As Guren’s gaze lingered on the face of the man above him, his mind started to race.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill.
Then something snapped in him.
Guren lashed out. Blinding swinging as if something else took him over. The hands on his neck loosened as a means to attempt to stop him, but Guren kept going. It was like an insane rush of adrenaline. Guren couldn’t stop. It was as if something else was driving him completely as he managed to lift his leg up and kicked his foot right into the broad chest. It sent the Alpha right off of him, but Guren felt this almost bloodlust hit as he sucked in a breath. Guren’s world spun around him as much needed oxygen filled his lungs and he was sent into a coughing fit as he touched at his sore, pained neck as he started to push himself.
His gaze fell down onto the form on the floor, and it felt as if he was in this trance. That the world around him was melting away and all he could think of was eliminating the threat. Guren let out a shaky breath as he felt his body starting to move on its own.
Kill… Kill… Kill.
Eliminate the threat.
Stop it all.
Just as he was slipping off of the bed, Guren was suddenly stopped, and he felt himself going rigid. Saito’s scent quickly filled his nose, and he suddenly felt so tired. A hand slipped over his eyes as an arm curled around his torso and trapped his arms. Now, all Guren could focus on was that scent. It felt like something inside of him was being soothed.
Guren felt his body going completely slack as the adrenaline started to melt away. The hand on his eyes dropped and he could feel his head still swimming as he saw that the person on the floor was already moving to walk out of the room. His vision had blurred so much at this point that he couldn’t really see much of anything now.
“Let’s get you back to the room.” Saito murmured into his ear and started to move him out of the room.
And Guren couldn’t fight it as his eyes started to grow heavier. What just happened? Guren didn’t know but he suddenly felt so sleepy. Guren felt so out of it again as he was taken out of the room and he was guided back down the halls. He was trying to make sense of everything that he had just seen and the entire thing. None of it made sense.
Guren looked down to his hand were he could see blood on his fingertips. He didn’t understand how that was possible. It had to just be an illusion, but what kind of illusion did that? As he stared at the blood, all he could think of again was what he had felt in that moment. How it felt as if he had lost control of his entire body.
Guren lifted up his gaze, noticing that they were heading back towards that room from before. The Omega shifted on his feet, feeling a wave of nausea hitting him as he was led back inside. Guren grimaced from the change in lighting as he heard Saito murmur, “Don’t worry, I’m going to be taking care of you. First, we need to get something on your stomach.”
Guren wanted to fight against it, but he knew that he was going to be forced to eat either way. Guren wanted to lash out from hearing Saito’s words, but his mind was swimming so much. Everything around him was spinning and it felt as if a weight was placed on his body.
As they stepped back into the room, Guren felt fingers curling underneath his chin and forcing him to look up. All Guren could murmur was, “Why?”
“You still believe that he cares for you?” Saito questioned, “Even after everything?”
“That…” Guren whispered, choking for a second as he shook his head, “That couldn’t have been him.” He kept trying to tell himself that. It had to be a trick. Saito was good at tricks and Guren was managing to look through some but there was so much that he couldn’t explain about that.
“You think so?” Saito murmured as he pulled him over to the bed and forced Guren to sit down onto it. It only made the Omega focus back on the blood on his hands. In quick succession, the images flashed before his mind and that scent was back in his senses. It shouldn’t have been possible like that. It was one thing for an illusion to have certain aspects but never… blood. It should have just broken. That’s what Guren didn’t understand about it.
Was it really… not an illusion?
All of that had felt so real.
Guren couldn’t explain any of that. From the way that he had been so close to passing out, to fighting back as if he hadn’t just been choked out, to every small detail of all of it. It had to just be another trick or even just an adrenaline rush that Guren couldn’t figure out. His neck hurt. The pain was still there as if fingers had really been there. It made Guren reach up and touch at his neck.
Saito moved closer to him and the Omega felt that rush in his head again as he heard the soft whisper of, “You can just let go, Guren.”
His world had started spinning around him as that scent reached his nose once more. Saito’s hand landed on his shoulder, moving to shove him down onto the bed as the food was left forgotten. Guren let out a shaky breath as he found himself staring at a pure white ceiling.
Let go?
Guren couldn’t do that.
He could never let go.
Guren was going to get out of this. No matter what it took.
Just… How much longer could he hold on?
Chapter 13: It Happens
Summary:
Guren tries to rationalize what had happened to him. Meanwhile, Kureto finds himself faced with another package. Later, Saito continues his plans.
Chapter Text
Guren felt so disgusted with himself in his own skin. He sat on the mattress with his legs curled up to himself and arms wrapped over the top of his knees. Saito was no longer in the room now, but it had left Guren entirely to his thoughts. This felt like the first time in a while since he had been awake and Saito wasn’t present.
Guren’s skin felt dirty and revolting. Fluids were sticking to his thighs that he was trying to ignore and even as he attempted to wipe it away, it still felt as if it was there. Saito had let him put the clothes back on, but it didn’t help that exposed feeling that he had.
Right now, all he could do is sit with his thoughts. And they were such a mixture that Guren had no idea what to think or believe right now. Guren wanted to sleep but he didn’t think that he could. Right now, all he could do was stare at blank pure white walls. The color felt like it was driving him crazy. It was devoid of all color. He didn’t know which one he hated more. The pure, bright white or the complete darkness.
Saito had made him eat all the food after he had pinned him down. Guren didn’t fight back. He didn’t do anything. He had just laid there as Saito violated his body again. There was no point in fighting him. It would just lead to Guren getting hurt again if he tried. His body was already so tired. It felt like it would be wasted energy. And it made him feel even more powerless than he already felt. The tray was gone now. Saito had taken it with him.
His head barely hurt now, so maybe, there was some truth to what Saito had said about the pills he had forced down his throat. At this point, all it did feel like was as if he was drugged up at all times. Right now it felt like one of those times even if Saito hadn’t done anything that he was aware of.
Guren took another glance at his fingertips. The blood was dried there now. He kept trying to make sense of that. There was no explanation that he could think of to why there would have been blood, and it stayed on his fingers. Crusting and flaking away like dried blood would do. If it had been an illusion, it would have disappeared whenever the illusion ended but it didn’t.
Any time that Guren closed his eyes, it was all that he saw. He could feel the phantom hands wrapped around his throat and blocking his airway. The sharp, lifeless gaze that was staring right through him. Guren kept telling himself that it wasn’t actually Kureto, but he could only see Kureto’s face whenever he closed his eyes. Guren didn’t want that. It shouldn’t be what he saw. What he should see was Kureto’s stupidly proud smile whenever Guren had said yes to him or the shine of his eyes whenever it was clear that he was happy about something. Not… this.
This just had to be one of Saito’s tricks. Something to try and tell him that what he had experienced hadn’t been a real thing, but the blood that was literally on his hands was very real. It just couldn’t be. That was actually impossible. Saito must have found another way to try and trick him. It had to be a hoax. Could he just say that this was also a hallucination?
Guren had started picking at the blood, trying to scrap it off of his skin as it kept flashing in his mind. Quick flashes and successions of the images of what he had seen. The phantom feeling of fingers around his neck and how his throat felt like it was being crushed. With each one, Guren had started to pick harder. Rubbing harshly at his skin as he desperately tried to get the blood off of his skin. The Omega was starting to rub his hands raw from how hard that he was doing it. It wasn’t doing much but his skin was rapidly starting to turn red from it. Guren wanted the blood off of him.
Out of everything that Saito had done, somehow this was the thing that felt like it was effecting him the most. Guren could not get it out of his head. Guren just wanted them gone. He didn’t want to see it anymore. He couldn’t see that. He couldn’t associate Kureto with any of this. Was that Saito’s plan? To poison his mind somehow? Guren wanted to be able to close his eyes and think of the good memories. The memories where Kureto made him laugh until he couldn’t breathe. The ones where he made him smile until his face hurt. The ones where he felt so much warmth in his chest that it felt like it could get him through the coldest of times. The ones where Kureto’s touch was so kind and gentle even if there were times he could show his strength and roughness. None of those were coming forward.
Guren felt like he was going to get sick. He was so nauseated at the moment that it felt like he was going to lose his stomach. The Omega leaned back on the cold wall as he lifted his gaze, and the whiteness of the room was hurting his eyes. It was so bright in the room that it felt as if it was assaulting his eyes. It was painful at this point. Once Saito had left the room, the lighting in the room had gotten brighter. Everything in this room was white. Except for the blood on his skin. Just nothing but that stupid fucking white. It hurt his eyes, and it was driving his mind insane. No matter where he looked, it was just pure whiteness. Deprived of all color entirely and everything was so bright.
There was no way out of this room. Guren couldn’t even see where the door actually was, but he knew its exact location just from Saito coming to and from the room. Where the door connected, it was perfectly blended into the wall. If he hadn’t been paying attention, he wouldn’t have known where the door was located. Guren wasn’t bound by anything. Saito probably figured that Guren wouldn’t be able to get out of here. Realistically, if he could get the lock just right with something flat, he could pry the door open. But he didn’t have anything like that. If Guren tried hard enough, he might be able to find something. Though, the bed he was on didn’t feel like it had metal in it. Which was probably a precaution by Saito. Saito was not underestimating what he could do.
Guren wondered how long Saito was going to keep him in this room for. At least, he was wearing clothes. That was all that Guren could really be happy about. It felt good to be in actual clothes and Guren wanted to keep them on as long as possible. It gave him something that made him feel just a little less exposed. The Omega dropped his gaze and looked down at the inner part of his elbow at the cubical fossa. The spot was littered in little marks from needles. They were healing over and would eventually go away without scarring but the reminder of Saito’s constant injections were there. He had the same markings on his abdomen. Specifically located around his navel and pelvis. Sometimes, he would wake up and there would be new marks there. Guren was not surprised to find more. It could be from injections or Saito taking his blood or both. Guren was willing to bet that it was both.
He curled his arms over his stomach as that wave of nausea hit again and he closed his eyes. His skin felt clammy and flushed. While he felt so cold, he also felt so feverish and hot. It kept causing him to shiver violently. His stomach was cramping up and even the muscles of the rest of his body felt like they were doing the same. That ache was still in his skull. It was going between dull and intensifying. His breaths were coming out more labored than he would like. He felt as if he needed to take in deep breaths, but it never felt easy to do so. His neck kept having this burning sensation to it. As if it was throbbing. It was all as if he was on some rollercoaster.
As he sat there, it felt like his mind was trying to split right into two. Combating one thing while trying to convince him of another. That he was in this constant game of tug of war. Going back and forth and fighting desperately not to let either side win.
There was this little voice in the back of his mind. It was incoherent for him. Guren couldn’t really understand it. It was telling him something, but he just couldn’t hear it. At the same time, he just wanted to ignore it. He still kept having this feeling inside of him. One that felt like it was trying to pull him along. Pull him somewhere that he didn’t want to be.
Guren reached up, placing his palm over his bond gland as he took in another breath. He just wanted all of this to stop. The torment and clear trickery whenever it came to Kureto. The constant serums that were being pumped into his body. Just seeing Saito around him. Having the Alpha touch him in ways that he didn’t want to be touched by him. He just wanted it all to… stop.
Guren didn’t need to understand anything that was happening to him. He needed to get out of here. He wanted to go home. He wanted to be back with his friends and just go back to his old life. That was never going to happen now. Even if he got away and he managed to escape, nothing would ever be the same. Guren might be able to compartmentalize and put this all to the side and act as if it had never happened. Guren had been able to brush things off so many times in the past and he wanted to be able to do that now. Guren knew that if he had the chance, it was possible for him to do, and he just had to get there.
The Omega’s attention was grabbed once more as he heard the door opening up. Guren felt himself go completely rigid as he stared at the opening door. Saito stood at the entry way as he stared down at Guren. “Good morning, sunshine.” Guren didn’t allow himself to move as Saito came closer to him. “You didn’t sleep?”
Guren lifted his gaze back up, glaring towards Saito as he scoffed, “You think I could sleep in this?” Guren shot back.
“I mean,” Saito mused as he looked around, “Sure.” Then, the Second Progenitor smiled and looked back to him once more, “You don’t need to be so standoffish with me, Guren. You are my mate after all.”
“I’m not your mate.” Guren snapped.
“If you say so.” Saito replied without skipping a beat as he crossed the room.
Guren could feel the question on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to ask. He wanted to find the answers to why there was currently blood on his hands. Guren dropped his gaze down towards it as Saito grabbed at his arm and pulled him to his feet. He didn’t even bother asking himself what Saito might have in mind now. His entire head swam whenever he was jerked up out of his sitting position and he felt more of that fatigue overcoming his body.
“You don’t look so good,” Saito practically purred as his fingertips moved underneath Guren’s chin and forced him to look up at him. “Want to keep denying the truth?”
Guren froze as Saito pulled him up to him and his eyes widened the second that Saito’s scent reached his nose, and he felt his entire body relax. Guren couldn’t breathe as Saito reached up and caressed at his face. His contact covered eyes moved over Guren’s face as if he was looking for something. Guren went completely still. Not moving. Not breathing. Nothing.
Guren felt his stomach twist up as he felt a bit of heat rising to his face. He tried to fight it off, but he knew that it had failed. Even wherever Saito’s hands were felt like a sudden cooling sensation that Guren didn’t want to be a part of. He could feel this fuzziness coming over his mind as the rest of the world started to bleed away.
Mate.
Mate.
Mate.
“You’re eyes just dilated.” Saito murmured and Guren felt his blood run cold. “So, you’re feeling more than you are letting on.” Is that what Saito was looking for? What was happening to his eyes? “Did you know that the pupils in someone’s eye can be a dead giveaway of emotions that a human feel?”
“Shut up.” Guren whispered.
“I can smell it,” Saito stated, “The oxytocin in your hormones just spiked.” The Second Progenitor’s smile got a bit brighter as Guren could have sworn he saw a twinkle in the Alpha’s eyes. “Considering that you have only been near your mate consciously, your instincts are now changing your hormone levels.” Guren paused at what Saito had said. It was what he said that specifically got his attention, but Saito had quickly moved on before Guren could put together his thoughts well enough. “Your instincts are becoming on high alert. I’m sure that you feel it. Just looking at you know, it’s clear that your body is having an internal battle with them right now.”
“And that’s no thanks to you.” Guren snapped.
“Guren, don’t make me be cruel to you.” Saito mused as he tapped at his cheek. “This would be so much easier on yourself if you just let yourself go.”
“Not going to happen.” Guren whispered as he shook his head slightly.
“Oh, really?” Saito said with a click of his tongue. Guren gasped as he suddenly found his wrists being grabbed and his back hit the wall hard. Guren bit back the yelp of pain as he felt the pain flare completely up his back. From the way that Saito had done it, he felt the wall cave in slightly behind his back. His wrists were pinned above to his head in one hand as the Second Progenitor looked him over. Guren felt the chill go down his spine as Saito leaned in close. “So, why is your body reacting to me?”
Guren jerked slightly, finding that he couldn’t move his hands as he stared up towards Saito. “Fuck you.” He said quickly. “Nothing is happening—”
Saito hummed to cut him off as Guren saw the fang picking out between Saito’s lip now. The Alpha leaned in and Guren felt his heart rate picking up as his breathing quickly started picking up. Saito’s teeth grazed against his neck as he murmured, “Then why is it that you relaxed the second I touched you? Or how your expression changed the second I came into the room?” Saito questioned, “Or how your scent completely changed. The pheromones you are letting off right now are quite delightful.”
“I—” Guren started but stopped the second that Saito’s teeth grazed his bond gland. It made him shudder as he felt his body relax again despite how much he hated this. How much he wanted to just fight back. Saito’s grip on his wrists felt crushing. Holding down tightly enough that it felt like his wrists were going to pop right out of place.
“Your instincts are already starting to go haywire.” Saito said to him softly, “You can feel them but you’re denying them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” That was all that Guren could manage. His heart was starting to pound even harder as he just tried to hold his breath. He didn’t like what was happening to him. It shouldn’t be happening to him. He was not going to cave into what Saito wanted from him.
“Oh, I know that you do.” Saito murmured, “Considering your heart rate just sped up.” Guren had to be smart about this. He was at a disadvantage due to Saito’s strength. If he was going to pull anything off, he had to think straight. He had to find his opening and take it. “First, you’ll fall into your instincts… Then, your mind will start to fall… And there will be no stopping it. You can continue to deny it. Deny it all you want too, Guren… But just because you don’t recognize something doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.”
“That isn’t going to happen.” Guren whispered, shaking his head. He was careful, trying to make sure that he didn’t accidentally get Saito’s fangs right into his neck. Saito hadn’t killed him yet. He clearly wanted something. Even if he wasn’t being forthcoming about it. Which was odd considering that it was Saito. Guren was still trying to pinpoint exactly what this sick bastard wanted from him.
“You’ll see.” Saito replied, “Rather you see it now or later.” Guren felt like he could breathe a bit easier whenever Saito pulled away from his neck. The Alpha pulled back enough to let Guren look him in the eyes. “What if I told you that all I had to do was let you see my real eyes?” Guren felt his heart skip a beat as the air hitched in his throat. “Colored contact lens are good for hiding the eyes of someone like me… But they also put a barrier between me and others. Like a shield.”
“What the hell are you going on about?” Guren questioned.
Instead of answering him, Saito stepped back from him and released his hands. Saito’s free hand grabbed at his arm and Guren found himself stumbling over his feet as the Alpha drug him from the room. “We have work to do, Guren.” Saito stated.
Saito had pulled him down the hall, turning a corner and Guren found himself in a familiar hallway. It was just the opposite side than he had seen before. He recognized the doors specifically. Guren’s gaze immediately went to the door he recognized as the bedroom that Saito had previously been keeping him in. The disgust coiled to life in his stomach as he thought of exactly what happened in that room. Guren dropped his gaze, and it made him look directly at his hand. Which only gave him yet another wave of revolt. It didn’t matter where he looked or what he did, Guren found that his mind was absolutely racing with thoughts that he did not want to have. That he wished that he could just push away and not have to deal with it anymore.
Guren squeezed his eyes shut, willing everything inside of him to just listen and stop this while he had a chance. So he could get in front of it and not have to worry about a damn thing anymore. Guren kept getting hit with the conflicting wave of emotions that he just couldn’t stop.
Guren almost hated how relieved he felt whenever Saito didn’t take him towards that room and instead to the familiar set of stairs. Since he had already been forced to eat, he already had a good idea of where Saito was going to be taking him. The Omega could already feel that wave of dissociation trying to settle in. The way that his mind was already attempting to pull away from his body. Every step that he took just felt like nothing but air. Everything was melting away as he slipped his eyes shut.
Guren couldn’t even feel the coldness of the home as Saito drug him forward. The Omega let his gaze move around as he was taken down the stairs, pulled around the corner and taken down a hall that would eventually take them to a familiar room. His heart didn’t race. He didn’t feel any fear. He felt… nothing.
Saito got up to the door, opening it up and Guren was greeted with the torture chamber. The Omega was shoved inside, and he had somehow managed to stay on his feet. It was probably due to the fact that his body was currently working to break down the food that he had eaten so he had a lot more energy than before. He didn’t even bother to attempt to think of what sick and depraved thing that Saito was thinking of doing now.
A hand pushed against his shoulder and Guren was shoved into the nearby table. The Omega managed to brace himself on it. He did notice that he didn’t feel the cool metal. He barely felt the impact at all despite how much that the table shook. Guren lifted himself up onto his elbows as he stared down at what he could see of his reflection in the metal. He could see the deep bruises underneath his eyes showing just how fatigued and exhausted that he was. The flushed look of his skin. The paleness from not going out into the sun. He just looked… hallow. He barely recognized the eyes looking back at him. There was no fire in those eyes like there should be. Just cold. Then, he caught the bruises on his neck. He could see the perfect outline of fingers right in the place where he could feel the hands on his throat.
Guren’s gaze once again moved to his blood-stained fingers as he whispered, “How…” He could feel Saito’s eyes on him now as he straightened his back and held his hand up. As he blinked, all he could see was Kureto’s face again. Feel the hands that had wrapped around his throat. How his nails clawed into Kureto’s face to get him off of him. The way that it had felt like he had lost control just for a split second. “He wasn’t real.”
“Are you sure about that, Guren?” Saito questioned.
No.
“Yes.” Guren murmured, “It wasn’t him.”
Saito clicked his tongue as he started coming closer to him. “It must be driving you crazy trying to figure out how the person you love could do something like that to you.” Saito mused. Guren shivered as Saito pressed up into his back and he felt his hands ghostly tracing over his arms. “He never loved you, Guren.” The Omega felt the air catch in his throat as Saito’s fingertips moved to trace over those same bruises on his neck. “No matter how powerful it is… an illusion couldn’t cause this.” Saito’s lips grazed over his ear as Guren felt that wave of sickness hit him again. The nausea that hit him immediately from the touch. “And you still want to believe what you experienced wasn’t real?”
Saito’s scent had reached his nose again and Guren felt like it was suffocating him. It was working to overwhelm his senses as Guren squeezed his eyes shut. His body wanted to relax into it, but Guren desperately fought against that.
Mate.
Stop it.
Just… stop.
“He’s not working with you.” Guren whispered, “You’re lying.”
“Am I?” Saito questioned, “I haven’t lied to you once since you got here. You just choose not to believe me.”
Guren couldn’t lose faith in what he knew. The Kureto Hiragi that he knew wouldn’t do this to him. Right now, all Guren had to keep him going was his will to live. His desires to get home. He could not let that fall now. Guren was not going to cave to what Saito wanted from him.
“All you do is lie… and take… and destroy things.” Guren said quickly, “You will do anything for your own selfish desires.”
“And you wouldn’t?” Saito questioned, “Look at what you did, Guren.” Guren felt his heart squeeze in his chest as immediately the guilt overtook him. “You ended the world. You did that.”
“Stop.” Guren said quickly as he shook his head, “Just—”
“It’s the truth.” Saito cut him off. “You made one of the most selfish decisions that someone could make… You picked the lives of a few over the lives of many. You destroyed the world for your own desires.”
“Shut up!” Guren snapped and he went to swing at Saito, but the Alpha had caught his wrist. This time, it had forced him to look back at Saito as his wrist stayed trapped in a crushing grip. Guren barely winced at the pain that shot up his arm.
“If I was lying to you,” Saito stated as he used his free hand to reach into his coat and pulled something out. Quickly, Guren realized it was a polaroid image. The Second Progenitor looked down at it for a moment with a soft smile before looking back to him, “Why would I have this?” Saito turned it around and Guren felt the color drain from his face as his blood ran cold. “You recognize this… Don’t you, Guren?”
“Where did you get that?” Guren choked out as he stared at it with wide eyes.
“From your precious Kureto, of course.” Saito replied as his smile got bigger, “How else do you think I got my hands on it?”
Guren shook his head as the denial started to hit him. That couldn’t be possible. There was only one copy of that photograph that Guren knew about and Kureto was the only one with possession of it. The Omega couldn’t tear his gaze away from it as suddenly, all he could see was what had happened in that room. That phantom feeling of fingers on his throat returned as it felt as if the air was trapped there. It warped in with memories of the both of them. The way that Kureto would look at him. Stolen kisses that no one else saw. Moments behind closed doors. The way that he would feel so warm. As those images flashed in his mind, it kept returning back to the cold and expressionless gaze that lingered on his face and the tight grip on his neck with the intent to kill. That… couldn’t be possible.
“I will make a change in this world, Guren.”
“You thought you meant something to him…” Guren was pulled out of it as he felt the back of a finger slipping underneath his eye which forced him to blink. And then he realized, he had a tear streaming down his face. Saito quietly shushed him, murmuring, “You’re just in denial.”
“That… can’t be.” Guren whispered.
“He never loved you,” Saito stated as the picture was pulled away and sat down onto the table. “He hurt you. He did this to you. All the things that he’s done to you… And you just let him because you think love him?” That wasn’t true. Guren knew it wasn’t. It couldn’t be possible. “You’ve seen him Guren. You saw him for yourself twice… And you are still ultimately in denial.” Guren’s heart skipped a beat as Saito’s smile grew bigger, “Yes… I’ve been watching you this whole time. I couldn’t let a Hiragi, and an Ichinose stand side by side… But he didn’t want that either. Do you think he would want that especially if he knew that you had a bond mark on your neck?”
“No,” Guren murmured as he shook his head again as he felt as if a weight was being put onto his chest. That wasn’t true. Kureto wouldn’t. “He—”
“He’s been working behind your back this whole time.” Saito cut him off. “Don’t you see, Guren? He’s already seen enough. He’s seen my presents for him. One by one… He is watching as you slowly fall apart and be what you were supposed to be.”
Guren felt like he couldn’t breathe. Don’t trust a word that this man was saying. None of it. But there was no way that he could explain this. That was actually impossible, and Guren had no idea how Saito would be able to get his hands on that. It did make him think of what had happened. The fingers on his neck. Kureto’s face. His scent. His voice. All of it. Guren had no explanation for that either.
That… couldn’t be true.
Guren suddenly felt so nauseated.
The Omega blinked a few times as dots started to cover over his vision. The world had started to spin around him as he felt that much heavier. Saito reached out, grazing underneath his chin with his fingers as he murmured, “I know it must hurt, Guren.” Saito curled his fingers and forced Guren to tilt his head back and look him in the eye. “He betrayed you.”
“That’s…” Guren couldn’t even get the words out as he choked again. He felt the emotion starting to hit him as he tried to rationalize everything. Saito had stepped closer to him and his scent ended up spiking in Guren’s senses again as he found that every wall that he had built up. Slowly, Guren could feel the cracks forming as everything around him started to spin more. His eyes burned. It felt like his veins had ignited on fire as he squeezed his eyes shut and balled his fists. “No.” Guren whispered. “He…” It was like Saito was trying to imply that Kureto was working with him. That wasn’t true. It couldn’t be.
“Kureto Hiragi gave me all the information that I needed.” Saito continued, “All of my information about you came directly from him.” The Second Progenitor clicked his tongue, shaking his head, “He’s a Hiragi. The Hiragis only crave more power and influence, and they will hurt anyone to get there. He knows that he can use whatever resource possible to get what he wants. The Hiragi will do nothing but destroy everything in their path.” Guren diverted his gaze as he kept telling himself that Kureto wouldn’t. He wouldn’t do something like that. “In exchange, I could take you and the Japanese Imperial Demon Army would never find you until I saw so. They would not come after me, and I could go on with my plans as I wished. They turned their backs on you. You never meant a thing to them. You were just a lowly Ichinose. From a disgraced family that could never regain their status. The Hiragi hurt you, Guren. All the things that they did to you.”
“They wouldn’t do that.” Guren managed. Not specifically the Hiragi family, but all of them. He knew that Saito had to just be trying to mess with his head, but he was still trying to make sense of so much of this. There were so many signs that seemed to be pointing to what Saito was saying, but Guren just knew that it had to be him trying to mess with his head.
“I can help you get your revenge.” Saito whispered. “Against everyone who ever hurt you.” Guren found himself lifting up his gaze once more. That was very similar to what Saito had said to him before the first time that he had tried to sway Guren to his side. To the side of the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights. “All you have to do is just let go. Let go of your instincts… Let go of them. Let go of your senseless desire for Kureto Hiragi. He’s already betrayed you once… He’d do it again. He tried to kill you.”
“I…” He couldn’t do that. He wouldn’t do that. Guren absolutely refused. Guren would not turn his back on them. Not for Saito. Not for a man who did this to him. Guren found that he couldn’t speak. That the words were gone as it felt like he was being crushed again and again.
Saito pulled his wrist and Guren found himself being taken over to a mirror that was on the wall. It gave him a full view of the mess that he was. All the bruises, cuts, and abrasions that covered his body. The blood on his hand and the splatters that were on his face and neck. His gaze immediately went to the bruises on his neck.
“You know that an illusion can’t do that to you.” Saito stated, saying the words directly into his ear but his gaze was on Guren in the mirror. “An illusion wouldn’t let the blood stay this long. You know it wasn’t what you’re trying to believe it is.” Guren couldn’t take his gaze off of his neck. “And for something that only he had? He wanted to wait until you were delirious. To make you believe that you were seeing things. But he wanted to see for himself… He watched everything. He’s seen everything.” This didn’t make sense. Why was Saito saying this now? Whenever he mentioned sending things to Kureto before. It had sounded like a taunt. The way to taunt Kureto was just as much as he was inflicting pain and suffering on Guren. “He’s seen it all, Guren. He knows.”
Guren shook his head, “You’re lying.” Guren managed. He refused to believe it. He wouldn’t believe it. There was just no way that Kureto would do that. If Saito was stalking him, that meant that Saito might have been able to get his hands on things that he shouldn’t have. Guren’s gaze dropped down in the mirror so he could see the reflection of the table where that polaroid was sitting. Kureto carried that on him. There was only one photograph like that in existence. Kureto had taken it and Guren had watched him put it in his pocket and Kureto had carried it around ever since. There was no way that Kureto would hand it to anyone. “Kureto… wouldn’t.”
“Do you really know Kureto Hiragi as well as you think you do?” Saito questioned. “You don’t even know yourself.” Guren’s gaze moved back in the mirror, connecting with Saito’s in the reflection, “You keep denying everything. Even if it’s right in front of you. He tried to kill you, Guren.”
“It…” Guren closed his eyes and once again that image showed in his mind. “It wasn’t him.”
“Do you think he wouldn’t do it again?” Saito questioned, “Then, you are mistaken, Guren.” Guren gasped as Saito’s hand grabbed at his face, forcing him to open his eyes as the Alpha pulled him flush back against him. “What do you think he’d do to you if he found out the truth? You’re his enemy now.” Guren paused. There it was. Saito tripped up. That had to be the trip up. He was just trying to fuck with Guren’s head. Make him think of things that were not true. Saito must not have realized his slip up because all he did was smile. “You were supposed to be his bride-to-be… and you still think he loves you.”
“You just…” Guren said as he turned his gaze back to Saito’s. “You think all of that will make me think that he had anything to do with this?” Saito went quiet for the time being as Guren shook his head, “Kureto would not do this. Kureto is many things… But he takes care of his subordinates.”
Saito smiled a bit brighter, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Guren.” Guren gasped as he suddenly felt something jam into his neck and his gaze moved to a needle that was now in his neck. The plunger was hit and immediately a drug was pushed into his body. Guren felt the symptoms hit immediately as the needle was pulled out and he felt the entire world spinning. Saito’s arm curled around his midsection as Guren’s eyes started to grow heavier, “And by the end of this… You won’t need to worry about Kureto Hiragi anymore.”
Guren’s eyes had gotten so heavy as he felt himself getting picked up. His vision had blurred instantly, and he found it hard to keep his eyes open. He wouldn’t believe a single thing that Saito was saying. No matter how much he tried. Guren could not explain so much about what had happened or what he had seen, but he knew it couldn’t be what he had seen.
“All you have to do is… let go.”
Kureto had gone straight to where he knew that all of Guren’s friends would be. It was exactly the same as the last one. Kureto almost didn’t want to know what was hidden away within the confines of the cardboard. There was an unfiltered anger that was hitting him. He didn’t want to know what was inside, but he needed to look at it.
This time what he needed was witnesses. If he had somehow triggered a spell before that caused no one but him to be able to have previously seen what he did before, he needed to have as many eyes as possible looking at this. Someone was fucking with him. To the point it was trying to tear down Kureto’s credibility and sanity. This time, he wasn’t exhausted. He wasn’t deprived of sleep. He was rested and his previous injuries from the failed spell were healed.
Kureto didn’t even bother knocking whenever he had arrived, he had simply just walked in. The Guren Squad had a home of their own, but Guren also had his own. They had another small home that was also technically in the ownership of the Guren Squad. This one is where he would find them. Usually and without fail, they all tended to sleep underneath the same roof. It was more uncommon to not see all of Guren’s friends together. They were all practically attached by the hip. If you saw one, quickly, you would run into another.
He heard them before he ever saw them as he rounded the corner and four sets of eyes turned to look at him. They looked shocked to see him as Kureto stood there with the box in his hand. They didn’t know about the previous box that he had been sent. Only Shinya knew about that. So, if they knew about it, Shinya had told them. Kureto didn’t want that information to get out just in case.
“Lieutenant General Kureto,” Goshi said quickly as he stood up, “What can we—”
Kureto walked forward, ignoring Goshi for the moment as he placed the box down as he cut him off to say, “Where is brother Shinya?” It was not an uncommon occurrence either to see Shinya with them. The six of them were probably the closest friend group in all of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. They did everything together. Guren was typically the only one who strayed off by himself.
“Shinya-sama has been gone for a while.” Mito replied, “We don’t know where he is.”
Kureto stared down at the box as he looked over the ribbon on it. It was wrapped just like a present. Just like last time. All he could think of were what he had seen. If this was just like what he had seen previously, Kureto was not going to risk touching the contents of the box yet. Most likely, it was spelled, and he just couldn’t feel it.
“What is that?” Sayuri questioned.
So, that told him that Shinya might not have said anything. To be fair, Kureto did look like he was going insane in that moment. Even Kureto wasn’t proud of the way that he had acted at the time. It was not normal for him, but he had been running on nothing but fumes and was in pure denial.
“If I’m right about this,” Kureto stated as he straightened his back, “Whoever abducted Guren left this for me.”
“What?” Shigure said quickly as she stepped forward, “How do you know that?”
“Because I’ve already gotten one that looked just like this.” Kureto replied, “And the second I wasn’t touching it anymore, all the evidence had disappeared.”
“You got something?!” Mito exclaimed, “And we’re just now finding out about it?!”
Kureto had lifted his gaze, and Mito had gone rigid before looking away and muttering a soft apology. Kureto looked back down to the box as he shook his head. “It was a taunt. The bastard wanted me to know that he had Guren.” He balled his fists, feeling his nails biting into his palms despite having gloves on. “And he’s doing it again.”
Why?
Why send him another thing?
Kureto thought of what he had seen on the street. Guren. He had been led to this by Guren. But Kureto knew it wasn’t him. It hadn’t been Guren. Kureto didn’t have proof of that, but he knew it in his gut. Guren was still with the person who took him from them. Since it was clear that spellcraft was being used, it was a pretty good guess that he had been led by an illusion. Taken to a spot that was significant to both him and Guren just like the rest of what he had seen had been targeted at him for. It was just another taunt. Kureto knew that for a fact.
“What’s inside of it?” Goshi questioned. He could hear the way that Goshi’s voice wavered. How all four of them were looking at the box with an array of emotions.
“I’m not sure yet.” Kureto replied, “But if it was anything like the last one… None of you are going to like it.”
“What did you see before?” Sayuri questioned, her voice choking up as Kureto rose his gaze to see that tears were in her eyes.
Kureto let out a sharp breath. “A card addressed to me…” Kureto started as he kept seeing the items flash before his mind in the exact way he had seen them as he pulled them from the box. “A lock of Guren’s hair. A photograph from what I’m guessing is whenever Guren was abducted… And a tape just before he was attacked.” Kureto exhaled sharply as he reached into his pocket and curled his hand around the chain before pulling it out, “And this…” He held it up, showing it to the four in the room as their eyes landed on it in a mixture of shock and surprise. “Guren was wearing this whenever he went on that mission.”
“Why didn’t you show any of this to us?” Goshi questioned.
“Raimeiki found that it was all underneath spellcraft,” Kureto explained, “It concealed itself or it somehow got erased. Everything but this.”
“Is that an… engagement ring?” Mito murmured as her gaze stayed on the ring, “And Guren was wearing that?”
“I put it on him just before we left.” Kureto stated as he stared down at the ring, “And… He said yes.” The silence fell over the room as Kureto slipped the ring back into his pocket. He was not going to let this away from him. Kureto was not going to risk losing it. It was the only proof that he had that Guren had been abducted. He had other proof but, right now, he had no way to show for it. “I saw everything. It was there and then it was gone. Raimeiki found an extremely powerful spell on Guren’s ring. I haven’t been able to disenchant any of it.”
The other four looked like they had no idea what to say. Kureto knew that he probably sounded crazy. He already made a show of that in front of Shinya. Kureto was not going to open this box until Shinya got here. Not if this was going to turn out exactly the same as the last one. Would it be the same as last time?
As they were standing there, Kureto heard the front door open up as he heard, “Hey! I need you guys to come find brother Kureto—” It was Shinya’s voice and as he came around the corner, he came to a halting stop as his gaze fell onto Kureto. “Never mind. I found him.”
Kureto scoffed, rolling his eyes as Shinya walked further into the room. “More like I found you.” Kureto stated.
“Right,” Shinya mused as he stepped forward and then looked at him, “What are you doing here?”
Kureto nudged his head in the direction of the box, “Another one was left for me. This time, I haven’t touched anything.”
Shinya’s gaze dropped down to it and Kureto caught the dark look that came to Shinya’s eye for just a second before the Major General looked back to him. “You haven’t done anything?”
“If it’s anything like the last one,” Kureto explained, “It’ll most likely disappear the second I touch it and let it go.” Kureto lifted his gaze once more, returning it to Shinya as he said, “What were you looking for me for at this time of night?”
Shinya straightened his back and his eyes sharpened as he said, “I think I might know who is behind this.”
Kureto’s attention was completely grabbed now. “What?”
“I was thinking about what you told me about the last one,” Shinya went on to say as he motioned to the box before looking back to Kureto. “But also what Norito said about familiarity. What you said back at the battlefield reminded me of something. You think Guren knew his abductor.”
“Yeah.” Kureto confirmed.
“I kept thinking about it…” Shinya continued as he shook his head once more, “Someone who would have powerful spellcraft to be able to hide Guren but also trick you… Someone with intimate knowledge of Guren and the Hiragi family.”
Kureto frowned a bit as he straightened his back a bit more, “Who?”
“The Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights.” Shinya stated.
Kureto felt his blood run cold. It had been a long time since he had thought about that organization. It was the only organization in all of Japan that was stronger than the Order of the Imperial Demons and rivaled them. The incident at First Shibuya High School was orchestrated by that organization and Guren had been reached out by the leader to join them btu he had denied them. It did make sense.
“Didn’t they die whenever the world ended?” Mito questioned, “They haven’t been a problem for the Japanese Imperial Demon Army in eight years. Why would they resurface now? They should all be dead.”
“But not if their leader isn’t human.” Shinya stated as he briefly looked to her, “I met the guy only one time, but Guren had been restraining him at the time. I never caught his name, but he had an interest in Guren.” Shinya explained, “The Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights did reach out to Guren and tried to recruit him. It’s the only thing that makes no sense to having intimate knowledge of Guren but also has a vendetta against the Order of the Imperial Demons.”
Kureto hummed, “It’s a stretch,” Kureto admitted, “But it’s not impossible either.”
“What did you mean by interest?” Shigure questioned. “We weren’t there whenever the incident happened.”
Shinya exhaled sharply, looking disgusted, “Just the way he looked at him. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him.” As Shinya said that, it made something click for Kureto. “It would explain everything.”
Shinya had a really good point.
The only problem was, they had no confirmation on the whereabouts of the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights, let alone the identity of the leader of the organization. Eight years? Why wait eight years to strike? Whenever they were a lot stronger than they were back then even if their numbers were smaller. Was it a possibility that the time could have been just to distract them? To keep them from guessing that it was them?
“It’s possible.” Kureto stated. “What do you know about the bastard?”
“I don’t know his name.” Shinya went on to say, “But if I saw his face… If I heard his voice… I would know.”
That didn’t help them now. But this did give them a lead. The question was if they followed the lead. Shinya made a lot of excellent points. There are a lot of things that would make sense if that was true. The issue was that they had thought the threat of the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights had been eliminated by the Apocalypse. They didn’t have an issue with the organization since the world had ended. Right now, the Japanese Imperial Demon Army was the strongest human operated force within Japan right now. If they did use that to narrow it down, the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights were known for their presence in Shinjuku. That wasn’t far from them. Kureto would doubt that if there was a chance that they were involved that they would be in Shinjuku. It was too close to Shibuya. But there were a lot of the facts that were pointing to maybe it was the case.
“If that’s the case…” Kureto started as he locked his gaze back on the box, “If that is true, we have a lot more problems with trying to rescue Guren.”
“Do you want to see what is in the box?” Shinya questioned.
“I don’t have a choice.” Kureto replied, “The bastard who took Guren… He’s taunting me… But every single piece that he gives me gives me more information.”
The Lieutenant General reached forward and undid the ribbon. The ribbon slipped away from the box as Kureto carefully opened the box. The others had stepped forward as he did so. Kureto was able to see a card with his name on it, an upside-down polaroid, a video tape, and another small box inside. The first thing that he reached for was the box, careful not to touch the rest of the items as he opened up the small black box. As he took off the lid, he felt his chest tighten from seeing the item inside.
Guren’s pocket watch.
Kureto had stared at it for a second with a blank stare before he placed the box down and reached for the card. The handwriting on the envelope was the same as last time. It was neat and mocking him. Kureto shared a look with Shinya as he saw the dots connecting in Shinya’s mind. Shinya finally was realizing that Kureto didn’t just hallucinate what happened before.
“It’s addressed to you…” Goshi murmured.
“What does it say?” Shinya questioned.
Kureto flipped it, popping up the fold to pull the card out. He took a second to read the card as he felt the anger hit him. “He is where he belongs.”
“Oh God.” Sayuri whispered as she moved to place her hands over her mouth.
Kureto looked back down into the box and looked at the upside-down polaroid. Kureto let out a sharp breath as he reached for it. It was as if it was purposefully placed the way so he would have no choice but to touch it. If he was right about this and if it was like the other, the spell would activate now. Everything he touched would eventually disappear. He flipped the picture over and it only made that wave of fury hit him more.
In the photo, Guren was laying on a bed with his eyes closed. Heavy bruising was evident on his face and neck. He was laying on his side and Kureto was able to see the blood that was smeared across the skin of his face. There were evident tear tracks on his face, and he could see one of Guren’s wrists from where it was lying next to his face. Clear restraint markings were around his wrist. Kureto was also able to catch all the bruises on his forearm as well as finger shaped bruises there. The bruising looked horrible. They were extremely deep bruises. The type that would come with significant damage underneath the skin. It made Kureto’s skin crawl as he had to force himself not to tear the photograph completely into two.
“He’s… been beaten.” Mito murmured in a broken voice. From hearing her say that he knew that the others could see it. He heard Goshi curse behind him, the anger and frustration flaring on his face as he cursed. “Guren…”
“I’m going to kill the bastard who did this.” Shigure growled even though Kureto could clearly see tears in her eyes too.
Kureto looked towards the tape as he gritted his teeth, “We need a camcorder.” Kureto said, letting his voice get softer because he knew that this was an incredibly hard punch to the gut for the others. He could see them all breaking in different ways.
“Over there.” Sayuri murmured and pointed towards it and Shinya had immediately moved to get it. Even though Shinya wasn’t speaking, Kureto knew just how angry that he was.
Kureto didn’t know if he wanted to see what was on the tape either. But he had too. Kureto quickly glanced to the others as he said, “If you don’t think you can watch what might be on this tape… I would recommend leaving the room.” The mixed array of anger, devastation, and concern were on all of their faces, but they didn’t move. The last tape wasn’t really anything other than proof that Guren was being watched that day. This tape could be anything. Shinya had returned with the camcorder and kept ahold of it as Kureto turned his gaze back down towards the tape.
No matter what was on that tape, Kureto had to watch it.
The photo was taken out of his hand and so was the card as the Alpha reached for the tape. Shinya opened up the camcorder and handed it to him and Kureto put the tape into the slot before shutting it. Kureto opened up the small door that would show the screen and moved it into a way that the others could see it. He hit the play button as he braced himself for what he might see.
On the small screen, the first thing that Kureto was greeted with was a very dimly lit bedroom. It was hard to make out what the room really looked like from the small screen. Kureto had hit another button on the camcorder to brighten the screen as he stared at nothing but an empty room. The way that the camera was station was like a surveillance camera. The room was just dark.
Then, he realized that he could see a form on the bed. He recognized the bedding. It was the same one as the photograph that was currently in Goshi’s hand. Kureto had focused in more on it, realizing that he was staring at Guren. Guren looked like he was out of it. It was hard to make out most of it, but Guren did not look good. He could catch glimpses of bruises that littered Guren’s skin that looked worse than the ones in the photograph.
“He looks like he’s sick.” Sayuri whispered.
“It looks like he’s been drugged.” Goshi added in.
Guren was curled up on the bed and Kureto kept trying to find anything that would tell him where Guren was. It clearly looked like a home. A very expensive and lavish one. Like a mansion. Or something that would be seen in a home like that. That didn’t really give him anything. It was just Guren in the frame. It didn’t look like anyone was with him. It didn’t even look like he was restrained. Kureto could say that Goshi might be right. If Guren wasn’t restrained physically, it was being restrained in a different way. Drugging him would work perfectly for that. It would also explain why Guren looked like he was so out of it.
He had noticed the clothing that Guren was wearing. It wasn’t his uniform. Instead, it was a standard t-shirt and a small pair of shorts. It exposed more of the bruising on Guren’s legs, thighs, and arms. He was covered in them. Kureto had to hold back his anger as he looked over the footage.
Then, he noticed something through the corner of the frame. A door opening. There was only enough light to illuminate most of Guren on the bed that appeared like it was flooding through windows. Someone had stepped into the room, but Kureto could only catch the sight of black slacks and hands. Nothing else.
That had to be Guren’s captor.
Kureto was waiting for the bastard to show his face. Anything. Anything to tell him the identity of who was behind this. Kureto felt his blood run cold as he watched the way that Guren reacted. Even though he did look completely disoriented, it was the way that he had flinched whenever the man approached him. Kureto still couldn’t see his face. No identifying marks on him. Nothing.
One of the man’s hands reached out and grabbed at Guren’s face, forcing the Omega’s head to turn to look at him. Kureto did not like the way that the man was touching Guren. The touch looked too… intimate. Kureto had to try and ignore it in exchange for focusing on trying to see the man’s face. Shinya was looking over his shoulder, doing the same thing, but Kureto could feel Shinya’s fury bubbling off of him.
Kureto wondered if the tape had audio or not. It was hard to tell if anything was being said. Guren was clearly not saying anything. The look in his eyes was one that Kureto never thought he would see on Guren in the slightest.
What stunned him next was seeing that Guren was being coaxed to lay down and Guren did so. The man turned, sitting on the bed next to him and somehow his face was still now showing in the frame. Completely masked by the darkness of the room but a bit more of his torso was seen. It was as if he knew how to perfectly shadow himself from the camera to keep from being seen. That they were supposed to focus on Guren.
Everything that he was seeing felt so deliberate. Something was making Guren comply like that. Was it that he was drugged? It was the only thing that would make sense to why Guren wasn’t doing or saying anything. It was as if he was completely numb to the world around him. Looking at the footage was as if he was looking in on an intimate moment that he was never supposed to see.
But what he had right here was proof that someone had taken Guren and the others had seen it. They could see it too. They were watching it just as stunned as he was. Kureto kept his gaze on Guren’s face. Specifically what he could see of his eyes. Guren had this almost dead look in his eyes. His eyes appeared as if there was no light in them.
Kureto could only hold his breath, curling his fingers around the camera as he noticed the way that the man had turned to lean back on the bed, falling against the pillows next to Guren as Kureto realized that Guren’s eyes had closed. This was not normal. Something was off about Guren’s behavior. It didn’t feel right. There was more at play than what he could see. This didn’t look good at all. If it wasn’t for all the bruises that he could see and the blood on Guren’s body, one would have thought he was simply just lying in bed and recovering.
And it made Kureto sick to his stomach. He had one single thought as he kept staring at Guren’s face on the camera. This was meant to be a taunt towards him, and he knew it. It even lined up with what was said on the previous tape and what the man who abducted Guren said he’d do. As twisted as that had sounded. The message on the card was clear about what it was allegedly supposed to be.
All he knew was, Kureto was going to burn this world to the ground to find Guren.
Saito stood there, looking in on the tank that Guren was currently in. The Omega floated within the purple fluid within the tank. The oxygen mask was on his face and kept a good flow of oxygen going to him. He could see the small puffs of condensation on the mask from where Guren’s breath was hitting the mask.
The Second Progenitor double checked the settings and made sure that it was all set appropriately for what he needed it to do.
Saito hummed as he stepped back, looking back up towards the tank as he smiled. “You are certainly going to become something that is a force of nature.” Saito murmured.
Saito smiled a bit as he turned and started back towards his office and sat down on the chair as he grabbed the camcorder. He popped it open and pulled out the tape that was inside. He held the tape in his hand as he stared down at it.
Saito didn’t look up as he heard the soft taps behind him as he said, “Is everything ready?”
“Yes, sir.” He heard back. “Everything has been prepared.”
Saito smiled as he flipped the tape in his hand, leaning back in the chair. “Good.” He mused. Saito kept eyeing the tape as he placed it off to the side. “This has been quite fun, hasn’t it?”
“Would you like me to prepare another package?” The other questioned.
“Yes.” Saito replied, “That would be perfect.” Saito placed the tape down before he was turning and looking over at the vials that were sitting there and ready for him. He picked up one, smiling a bit wider, “It’s time for phase two. My mate is almost there. Just a little bit longer… And his mind will completely shatter.”
Even if Guren was being a bit stubborn, everything was going just as planned.
Chapter 14: Every Day
Summary:
Kureto tries to put the missing pieces together of what might be happening. Meanwhile, Guren finds himself trying not to waver underneath Saito.
Chapter Text
Kureto knew that he was not going insane at this point. It had been a week since getting that package, and the others had continued to confirm that they had seen everything. The second that they had stopped touching the items, everything had disappeared just like before. They had all seen it. It was all the proof that he needed that someone was trying desperately to make it look like Kureto was hallucinating or something along those lines. The only thing that had remained was Guren’s pocket watch. Kureto had kept replaying the phantom images of that video in his mind. What Guren had looked like. How sickly that he had looked. Something was just strange about what he had seen. The only problem was that they could not identify who had done this to Guren. They didn’t see their face or hear their voice. All they could get was that it was a male if they went based off of the body. Even then, it could be deceiving.
Shinya had brought them a new piece of information. Something that they could possibly use. It could truly be a lead, but the question really was if it was true. There was enough information there that would make sense to all of this. Someone with a vendetta against the Hiragi family. Someone with intimate knowledge of Guren and had wanted him on their side. Was it possible that the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights was still around and they were still operating? Kureto hadn’t even thought of that possibility before. Shinya could not confirm or deny that the figure in the video was who he thought it was. Right now, Shinya could possibly be the only person who could identify who did this.
Was it possible?
Right now, Kureto had to believe anything was possible.
There was just something off about everything that he was receiving. It was odd to be given these. It was clearly a taunt to him, but it was almost as if he was supposed to be looking for something else. Something that was left unsaid. None of them had known what to say about the video. There were clear signs that Guren had been beaten at some point before the video was taken. It looked like surveillance footage such as a CCTV camera. It didn’t seem like the other that looked like it was taken on a standard camcorder. Somehow, the room and lighting was enough to still conceal the identity of who had done this to Guren, and Kureto did not believe for a second that it was anything else but an abduction and capture.
Kureto could not take the other options off of the table of who could be behind this. The fact that someone was managing to get these to Kureto was telling enough. Either there was someone with enough power to get passed their charmed wards that protected Shibuya or there was insider help. Either way, this was a direct taunt to Kureto. The pocket watch was just another symbol of it. The crest on the front of the pocket watch was the Hiragi crest and was only held by members of the Hiragi family and the Top Brass to allow clearance everywhere they go. Even Guren’s. Guren had some of the highest security clearance due to his position as Kureto’s retainer and right hand on top of his position as the Head of the Ichinose clan, the leader of the Moon Demon Company organization, and being technically a member of the Top Brass.
One could say that leaving this for Kureto was sloppy because it involved a lot of risk, but it was clear that there was a message behind all of it.
Checkmate.
He is where he belongs.
The messages were clear. Whoever did this to Guren had ulterior motives. Even what he had heard on the first tape. It was odd to him that the first tape had spoken words that were clearly directed at him while the second did not. It just made him think of what Shinya had said and his theory. If it was true, was there was a possibly that Guren’s capture had thought of the possibility that Kureto would figure out what happened with the first so-called present and took measures with the second one? That could be something that Kureto had to look into. He could not underestimate any of this.
With this, Kureto had went ahead and put through all rescue operations. Having scouting teams tracking down information. The Moon Demon Company was going out and taking care of more vampire dens in the meantime while also searching the areas for any signs of Guren. It probably was not going to be that simple, but he needed to narrow it down. He didn’t think that whoever did this would keep Guren close. There was not a big window between Guren’s disappearance and Kureto’s arrival on the battlefield. Shinya had the theory of a car being used and from the first photo, Kureto fully believed that Guren had been hidden away in a car and taken away. So, Guren could be anywhere by now. Though that entirely depended on how much fuel was in the vehicle at the time and how far Guren’s abductor had planned to go.
Kureto was thinking it had to be somewhere that was easily hidden away. Somewhere no one would ever suspect of looking. With these gifts, it also had to be close enough to be able to get to Shibuya and back to wherever that location was. Kureto was still inclined to believe they were up against a vampire or some other being. They had to be. Just because of how cleanly and quietly Guren was captured. There was enough evidence to prove that a fight had occurred but nothing to really show that Guren had the chance to fight back. So, it continued to raise the question of who it was. If he added in Shinya’s theory, it made pieces start clicking in place.
The issue was, Kureto could not waste any time. He could not waste time following leads that might never work out. Possibilities that could lead to more time being lost. So much time was already being lost as it was. It had been weeks since Guren disappeared. Weeks without him here and watching as one by one all of them were showing all the signs of his absence.
Currently, they were out in the field. War was so close to them. It could happen at any time. The vampires of the Kansai region and specifically Kyoto were starting to move. It had forced Kureto’s attention to be split between the impending war and the search for Guren. As much as he wanted to prioritize one over the other, he couldn’t do that. He had to do both. Both were of high priority to him.
Every single night, Kureto could not get those images out of his head. The pictures he had seen, the carnage that had been on the battlefield, Guren’s blood, and the videos. They were playing on loop in his mind over and over again and all he could think of was what he didn’t see. What Guren could be facing right now. Guren’s pocket watch now currently had a home in his pocket. Kureto refused to let it go. It needed to return back to Guren. All of his resources were falling flat. Every single one of them were coming back with no information for him. He felt as if he had just got one more thing, one more vital piece of information, that he could figure this out and why it had happened.
The Guren Squad and Shinya were with him. Kureto had taken the lead temporarily as they moved through the street. They had already taken care of the den and now they were just searching the immediate area and would continue to move out and cover as much ground as possible before they would have to leave. Tenri didn’t even attempt to stop these missions, which was much to Kureto’s surprise.
The others were talking in hushed voices behind him that Kureto didn’t care to listen to as he kept going. After seeing that package for themselves, it was as if it had lit a new fire in them. After the whole incident with Shinya, Kureto had been doing his best to get as much rest as possible. Guren needed him at one hundred percent.
Kureto stopped as they came by an abandoned store and his gaze lingered on the window. “Why don’t we stop in and get some supplies before continuing.” Kureto stated.
“That is not a bad idea.” Shinya replied as he started that direction.
“Oh, I’m hungry.” Goshi said quickly as he had already started to move forward.
“Wait, Goshi!” Mito exclaimed as she took off after him. “Shinya-sama!”
Kureto scoffed and moved to go into the store himself as Sayuri and Shigure moved quickly to catch up with Mito. They didn’t really bring anything with them. Kureto didn’t feel like cutting this short just because of food and water. While stores were practically destroyed at this point and most food was gone, there were still some things lingering around that were non-perishable items.
All five of the others had taken off inside and spread out among the aisles as Kureto looked around. He had just browsed at first, managing to find some water and even a snack to grab. He had notified the others of the water once he had found it as he continued just walking around. Mostly to keep an eye out for any potential vampires that could be inside and waiting for an unsuspecting human to enter the place. It was best to keep his guard up at all times.
As he turned the aisle, he stopped as his foot hit something and he looked down to see it. It was a package of candy. Kureto stared at it for a second as he kneeled down and picked it up. He recognized the brand and type. It was one that Guren liked. It wasn’t often that Guren would indulge in sweets, always citing that his father said it was against his diet for certain things, but there were times that Kureto would catch Guren eating them.
“Just try one. They’re good, okay?”
“Isn’t that against your diet?”
“Yeah, but Dad still let me have them sometimes.”
“I didn’t take you for having a sweet tooth.”
“I can’t help that I get cravings sometimes. Live a little, Kureto.”
Kureto felt a slight smile coming to his face, recalling the few times that Guren would purposefully hold out a treat like this towards him and Kureto would simply eat it after some banter. Sometimes, they would just sit back and eat snacks that way. Kureto would do it back to Guren sometimes, but Kureto always caught that if it was some random snack that Guren had, he always had Kureto try it.
Kureto exhaled sharply as he lifted his gaze back up. So, he was seeing Guren in everything now. He was seeing him everywhere. The Alpha started forward, not dropping down the snack as he continued on through the aisles. He could still hear the others talking. They weren’t joking around as Kureto would normally hear them do, but he could hear their ease. Even in the darkest of moments, they always seemed to find some light among it.
Kureto roamed the aisle as he realized that he had ended up in the pharmacy department. The shelves had shown signs of being ransacked and items taken. Things were everywhere. It made him think of the second tape and specifically what Goshi had said about it. That it appeared like Guren had been drugged. It was a high possibility that Guren could be being drugged to keep him compliant and weakened. It was a tactic that even the Japanese Imperial Demon Army used. It was not an uncommon practice at all. Considering who Guren was, that was a high probability. Kureto did a quick scan of the shelf just in case if there was anything that he could possibly use until his gaze stopped on one and he completely stopped. Kureto reached out for it, bringing the unopened box into his hand and bringing it closer to himself.
Omegazole
Omega Heat Pain Relief – Maximum Strength
Relieves Symptoms of Fever, Nausea, Headache, Cramping, and more.
Kureto felt himself go rigid as his gaze immediately moved to the snack that he had picked up. He recalled the times that Guren’s sweet tooth really hit. It was always in the day leading up to his heat. Guren would always get his mood swings then, and the symptoms would start to settle in that would show all the signs that his body was about to go into heat. Guren would be around him in the days leading up to it but never during. It was always just a ground rule for them. It was all for the sake of being careful. They had so much that they were still having to do. With everything going on in the world and the circumstances of why they remained on the down low all shed light onto it. Guren rarely let anyone near him whenever he was in heat.
He could hear the others getting closer to him as he turned and they had suddenly stopped as they looked at him. “What’s wrong, Lieutenant General?” Mito questioned.
“What’s that?” Shinya added in as he nodded towards the box in Kureto’s hand.
“What day is it?” Kureto questioned instead of answering.
Sayuri had quickly rattled off of the day and Kureto let out a sharp breath as it hit him. “Why? What’s wrong?”
What if?
“What we saw on the tape.” Kureto stated as he held up the box and turned it to reveal the label to them. One by one, he watched the realization dawn on their faces. “Guren’s heat cycles aren’t irregular. He always knows whenever they were coming.”
“Wait…” Goshi started as it looked like he was quickly assessing all the information, “You think Guren was in heat on that tape?”
“I didn’t think about it until now.” Kureto replied as he looked back down at the box, “Guren was taken before his heat would have hit.” The image flashed in his mind again as he looked to Sayuri and Shigure, “The two of you would have seen what he’s like during one, right?”
“Sort of.” Sayuri said, “We never stayed long. It was always in and out or just at his door.”
“Guren-sama was always very private about his heats.” Shigure added in, looking at Sayuri for a moment before looking back to him. “Guren-sama didn’t like us to see him like that.” That wasn’t surprising, honestly. They were all taught – and he knew Guren was too – that they needed to suppress that side of them.
“Because rather anyone wants to admit it or not, if a heat effects someone enough…” Kureto murmured as he looked back to the box, “A stress heat…” Kureto quickly starting thinking of any possibility of what could explain what he was thinking. What he had seen on that tape. Guren looked so sickly in it. There was no good explanation for that except for one. The one bodily function that even a demon couldn’t help. “A stress heat could explain why he looked so ill and wasn’t fighting back. It was clear he was beaten so he would have already been physically and mentally exhausted.”
“So… The reason he looked like he was sick…” Sayuri murmured, “Is because you think he was in heat?”
“Maybe.” Kureto admitted, “It’s just a theory but it could explain why he looked that way. He could have been drugged too, which would have only made the symptoms worse. Stress heats aren’t that uncommon and impact and Omega far worse than a normal one would.”
“Please don’t tell me you think Guren is dead.” Mito said quickly.
“No,” Shinya replied as he looked back to her and shook his head, “I would know if he was dead.” Then, Shinya’s gaze moved to him. “Right, brother Kureto?”
“Guren’s not dead.” Kureto stated, “Whoever is doing this and the fact that the bastard are sending me these damn packages… He wants me to know what he is doing to Guren. Actually, I’m under the belief that he wants Guren alive.”
“Okay,” Goshi said quickly as he stepped forward, “If the bastard who took Guren is a vampire like we think… Guren would be okay. Like…” Goshi’s voice trailed and Kureto knew exactly what he was referring too.
“For the most part.” Kureto stated, “It would explain why Guren wasn’t fighting back and looked delirious. Because… he was.”
“It could still be possible that he was drugged.” Shinya replied, “It’s also possible for an Omega underneath physical and emotional duress to not get a heat.”
“That is true.” Kureto said back but looked back to the package, “But… I’m not about to throw it off the table either. Guren is a Cursed Gear user and has a demon contract. He can’t get sick, so it would be the only thing that his body could do itself to explain his appearance.”
“Unless,” Shinya said quickly, “He was being overdosed.” Shinya did make a fair point. Guren would be quite the problem whenever it came to being held captive. He was quick witted and incredibly smart. Anyone who knew anything about Guren would be careful to make sure they had complete control over him. Just like they had seen on that second tape.
“If the bastard wants Guren alive,” Goshi interjected, “Wouldn’t he make sure that doesn’t happen?”
“It could even be accidental.” Kureto decided to answer, “Continuous drug use can still cause withdrawal symptoms. Even on drugs used to subdue someone. Drugs would burn off quickly for a Cursed Gear user, it would be easy to do unless you know what you’re doing.” Kureto looked back to Shinya as he nodded, “Which is why I think brother Shinya’s theory about the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights being involved.”
They were quickly running low on possible leads and anything that they could use. Kureto had already used everything that he could think of in his arsenal. His gaze lingered on Shinya for a moment. Kureto did not believe for a second that Guren was dead. He had everything to believe that Guren was being kept alive. He just didn’t know what for. If they could figure out the reason, maybe they could have an easier time of narrowing down where Guren might have been taken. There was so much about what was going on surrounding this that didn’t make sense. But he kept thinking of those tapes. They worked almost perfectly together. Between what was said on the first one and what was seen on the second one.
Take good care of him.
“We need to rethink all of this.” Kureto said quickly as he moved to walk passed them. “If we’re going to figure out exactly what is going on… We need to start from the beginning.”
Kureto needed to come up with a plan and quickly. There had to be something out there that would help him find the answers that he was looking for. Something was sticking out to him. Rather it was theories and speculation, or it was fact and what they could prove. There was one thing that Kureto knew that he was going to do, he was going to stop at nothing to get Guren back.
And Kureto was more than willing to do anything.
Because at this point… Anything was possible.
Everything was falling perfectly into place. Just the way that he would have hoped. Saito kept watching the Omega as he floated motionless in the tank. He was keeping a close eye on his vitals and making sure that everything was still going accordingly. His gaze dropped down to the percentage bar that was on the machine as he smiled.
Saito hit the button on the panel and watched as the fluid started to drain out. Once it was emptied, the Alpha walked over and popped open the door. He was able to catch the Omega with ease whenever he limply fell out of the tank. Saito took the time to pull the probs free from Guren’s forehead and temple before pulling off the oxygen mask. Once those were gone, Saito slipped an arm underneath Guren’s legs and moved him over to a table that he had ready. He did take the precaution of strapping down Guren’s arms and legs just in case if the Omega woke up early.
Saito did one more check of Guren’s vitals before turning and grabbing for the case that he needed. Saito took his time in preparing the serums that he needed as he moved his gaze back to Guren. “Your faith has finally wavered.” Saito murmured as he turned back to Guren and brushed his wet hair out of his face. “Now, it will be much easier. Soon enough… You will see my true eyes, and you’ll never be able to break that.”
Saito carefully injected the first serum into Guren’s neck, then the next into his arm, before the last one went into his abdomen. The Omega did not move. Saito could hear his even breathing and steady heartbeat. Putting the used syringes off to the side, he returned back to his task as he heard the approaching footsteps. The cloaked figure stopped just ahead of him, giving a bow as the other said, “Everything is prepared.”
“Good.” Saito stated as he looked back to Guren, “Things will be changing around here soon enough.” Another smile came to his face, “He’ll need cleaned up and he’ll go back to the room. I’m certain that once he wakes up that he’ll still resist me… Just for a little bit longer.”
“Yes, sir.” With that, the other had turned and started to walk away.
Saito hummed as he watched Guren. Guren wasn’t asleep. More like a small, induced coma for the time being. He’d wake up soon enough. The final stages of the first phase were coming to completion. Guren would never see it coming. His own downfall into what he was truly meant to be. And it would be by Guren’s own doing.
Both sides were going to fall apart due to their own actions. Both would find that they will be unwilling to trust the other. Everything was being put into place perfectly, and both had fallen right into his trap.
Then, Saito would bring his ambitions to life.
Kureto had returned back to the very spot that it had all changed. Every single bit of information that he was receiving was like a new puzzle piece. It was trying to piece them together to put a picture together with missing pieces. Those missing pieces were filled with their own theories and speculation. There was something bothering him about this.
The Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights… Was it possible?
Maybe.
Something struck him as odd from recalling the second tape. It was as if it was meant to look like Guren’s captor was taking care of him, but it felt like he was missing something.
Kureto walked onto the battlefield, stepping right into the place where Guren would have stood the last time that he was seen. The Lieutenant General turned and faced the building that had been concluded as the last place that Guren had been. It was difficult to see. It wouldn’t have been easy to see someone up there and especially within the heat of battle. Even from a distance, while it was a clear view, for an extremely good view of the fight would mean enhanced eyesight. Whoever was behind this had to have had vampiric or even demonic abilities.
“Take good care of him.” Kureto murmured as he looked around. The question was how did Guren’s abductor know that Guren was going to be here? To know about Guren and Kureto, it was clear that Guren had to have been being stalked. Not to mention the two packages left for Kureto inside of the walls of Shibuya. Was there actually an insider? Someone feeding information to whoever it was? It was the only thing that would make sense to how all of this was pulled off flawlessly. “Could it be that the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights is back?” He knew he was speaking out loud but somehow it was helping to sooth the thoughts that he had. Shinya might be the only one to help with this.
As he took a few steps down the street, Shinya had walked up next to him as he said, “Brother Kureto… I need to tell you something.” Shinya’s voice was serious. It was low and urging.
“What?” Kureto questioned as he lowered his gaze back towards the destroyed concrete wall.
“After you got the first package, I went to Guren’s home.” Shinya stated and Kureto turned his gaze towards his adopted brother. “I think someone is trying to make it look like Guren was involved in this.”
“What?” Kureto growled as he turned to face Shinya completely as Shinya’s statement settled in. “What makes you believe that?”
“I found a box hidden underneath Guren’s bed with everything that came in the packages you got.” Shinya said quietly as he looked around as if he was checking to make sure that no one was overhearing him. Shinya’s blue eyes returned to him as he continued, “It was like it was placed deliberately so we would find it. Guren’s too smart to do something so stupidly reckless.”
Kureto hummed, frowning as he shook his head. That couldn’t be right. Shinya had been oddly silent recently, and this could explain it. Actually, it probably did. He just didn’t like what he was hearing. “You think someone is setting Guren up.”
“Someone is working pretty damn hard to make it look like he staged his own abduction.” Shinya murmured, “And what we saw on that tape… I think they are trying to make you believe it.”
“Does anyone else know about this?” Kureto questioned.
Shinya shook his head, “Just you and me.” Shinya confirmed, “But if anyone else finds out, they’ll think Guren is an accomplice and willing participant.” Realistically, they had no proof that Guren was actually abducted aside from the taunts that Kureto had gotten. Kureto couldn’t even prove the first one. They only had his word for it. “On that tape… No one can look me in the eye and saw that Guren actually looked like he was coherent enough to know what was going on.”
“No.” Kureto replied, shaking his head, “It was pretty obvious that something was wrong.”
“But someone is sure as hell trying to make it look like Guren was cozy.” Shinya stated softly. “It keeps reminding me of that guy.”
“The Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights.” Kureto said back.
Shinya nodded, “Guren never talked about it, but even meeting the guy the one time… He had a clear interest in Guren, and we know that the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights had the power, means, and resources to make anyone disappear and be compliant.” Shinya stepped closer to him as he whispered, “What if on that tape… There was more going on? Guren was covered in bruises and injuries. He fought back.”
“You’re right, Shinya.” Kureto replied, “But we have to keep this on the down low.”
“I didn’t plan on telling a single soul. I hid everything.” Shinya stated, “I have a feeling about this, and it’s not a good one.”
“I don’t either.” Kureto admitted, “But we have to start from the very beginning. We need to tear into Guren’s life. Something is there to tell us what is actually going on here.”
“You’re making it sound like you think he might actually be a part of this.” Shinya replied.
Kureto shook his head, “No.” He said back, “But the longer we waste time, the longer that Guren is with that bastard. If you’re right and it’s the Brotherhood of a Thousand Nights… Who knows what he is doing to him.” Kureto stepped a bit closer and dropped his voice more, “But I think there is someone on the inside of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. Someone who is feeding information to the one responsible for all of this.”
“That would explain how the packages got to you and the box got into Guren’s house.” Shinya replied, “And how it would have been known exactly where Guren was.”
“The only issue is…” Kureto started as he let it run through his head, “It could be even someone Guren trusted.”
“No one but us knew about you and Guren.” Shinya stated, “That doesn’t explain that.”
“No,” Kureto agreed, “But I do think Guren was being stalked directly. Someone figured it out. Someone knew. And that someone was never supposed to know.”
“Who do you think would frame Guren and try and tear the two of you apart?” Shinya questioned. “Why sit here and taunt you but make Guren look guilty of something we know he wouldn’t do?”
Kureto paused as he straightened his back and looked back over to the roof top. Everything was coming back quickly as he scoffed, “Maybe… the one person who was trying to… help.” Slowly, it all started to come to him. Everything that didn’t make sense to him suddenly felt like it was.
“What?” Shinya questioned in confusion.
Kureto looked back to Shinya. “Everything we do goes through one person.” Kureto stated, shaking his head, “And there was only one person that I know who hates the Ichinose enough to try and get rid of him.”
The realization dawned on Shinya’s face, “The General.”
It was the only thing that made sense in Kureto’s mind. The only person who would want to get rid of Guren and do it in a humiliating way but also had to cover his own tracks to keep from exposing himself. But there was one thing that got him about it. Why? If it was true, he didn’t understand a portion of it. Why would Tenri go out of his way to do it all like this instead of just gloating about it?
Still, Kureto needed to look into it.
No matter what he had to do, what lengths he had to do, he was going to find Guren.
Even if it meant going up against his own father.
Guren felt like he was back in that constant state of feeling like his skull was going to split open. Whenever he had opened his eyes again, he had found that he was back in that pure white room. Guren felt like he was starting to lose it. The constant white around him felt like it was actually trying to shove him towards the point of insanity. He hadn’t been in the room long from what he knew. At least, since he had woken up.
Guren was left to his thoughts. Everything that Saito had said. Everything that he had seen. There was no way. There was just no way in hell that Kureto had any part in this. Even if he couldn’t explain some of the things he had seen and what had happened to him. The first time, he absolutely believed it was an illusion. It was just too perfect to what Saito was saying. The second time… That was where Guren was stumped, and he couldn’t figure it out. And then the photo. It was impossible for Saito to have this photo. It was a polaroid. There was no way that it could just be a copy of the photo. Even then, how would Saito get his hands on it? Guren didn’t want to believe it. No matter if it was waving in his face and trying to tell him otherwise. He refused to believe it.
Guren was trying to think of every possibility of how that could have happened. He couldn’t think of a single one. Except for the idea that maybe there was an insider. That Saito might have had someone working for him that was hidden right within the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. It was always something that could be true, but Guren refused to believe that person could be Kureto. But only Kureto would have the knowledge of that photo. He couldn’t even think of how Saito would know about it. There was no way that Guren was going to believe that Kureto had any role in this. Saito had to be doing something else. Something else to try and trick his mind into believing that it was true.
Guren’s body felt so weak as he laid there. He wasn’t sure how long he had been laying in there. It felt like days but most likely it was only hours since he had woken up. Guren’s head was throbbing, so the Omega had stayed laying down. Any time that he moved, he felt nothing but nausea. It felt like a migraine, and he hadn’t had one of those in a long time.
Saito must now even be bothering to keep him restrained now that he was keeping him weakened so much. Not that Guren could go anywhere right now. Guren had kept thinking of every possible way that he could break out of the room. The Omega was trying to put his focus into that rather than anything else. He wanted to have something else to focus on other than what all of that could have been.
What was Saito really trying to do here?
Turn him against Kureto?
Turn him against his friends?
Guren was not going to allow that to happen. He would not let himself break. The more that Saito did it, the more that he felt this was supposed to make him do just that. Psychological and mental torture. Saito was trying to use other methods to break him down, and Guren was not going to let that happen. It had been years of him of taking ridicule and abuse from the Hiragi family and the other branch families. There was no way that he was going to let Saito break him down now.
Guren’s life might be miserable, but he had reasons to stay alive. Even whenever he wanted nothing more than to embrace death and accept it, he had even more reasons to keep going and keep on living. He was not going to let Saito take that from him. Saito could violate his body. He could tell him time and time again that Kureto didn’t love him or that he had been betrayed. But he refused to believe it. If Guren had refused to believe things before, he never would have made it this far. Guren didn’t have to understand many of the things that were happening. Saito kept telling him to let go. Guren couldn’t do that. He had to continue grasping onto what he knew before.
The blood that had been on his hands was gone now. Just a faint memory in the back of his mind that kept replaying over and over again. Seeing the photograph in Saito’s hand and what he had felt at that moment. Saito kept acting as if Kureto was working with him. There was no way. Kureto wouldn’t do that. Kureto could be many things, but he would not work with someone like Saito. As far as Guren was aware, no one knew who Saito really was aside from him. Shinya had met him, but none of the others had. Saito had stayed in the background. Letting everything else play out. Guren couldn’t think of one instance where Kureto might have met Saito.
It felt almost poetic that Guren had told Seishirou all those years ago that Kureto had been the one working with Saito to trick him, and now Saito was saying the same thing to him. It had to just be a trick. A way to mess with his head to try and force him to turn his back on Kureto.
But there was one thing that Saito wasn’t thinking about.
Guren knew Kureto.
And Guren knew that Kureto didn’t like whenever someone touched something that was… his.
Guren knew that very well.
Guren’s gaze moved whenever he heard the now familiar scratch of the door as it started to open up. Within seconds, it was opened up and Saito had stepped inside. He had a black case in his hands and Guren felt the need to hide his stomach away. Every single time that case was around him, it had those vials and syringes in it. Saito did say he was experimenting on him. At this point, Guren had lost count of all the different types of serums that Saito had injected him with. The only one that remotely remained the same was the one that Saito injected straight into his abdomen. That only happened typically whenever Saito was going to assault him again. Without fail. Every single time.
“I’m surprised you are awake.” Saito stated as he walked over and placed the case down. “How do you feel?”
Guren turned his gaze back towards Saito, not hiding the sharp glare in his eyes as Saito just started to laugh softly. Guren briefly turned his gaze towards the door with the thought of just getting up and bolting. He’d never make it but a few steps before Saito caught him. Guren’s body was just too weakened right now. The Omega didn’t remember a time that he had ever felt like this before. At least, not in nearly two decades.
Guren dropped his gaze back down as Saito popped the case open and he was able to see at least four different vials that had a serum in them and a few empty vials. The Omega didn’t have the strength to pull his arm back whenever Saito grabbed for his arm and placed it against his knees. He took a blue rubber band, moving it and tying it around Guren’s upper arm. It pinched harshly into his skin and Guren was able to see how quickly the veins had started to show in his arm. Saito had even taken a second to disinfect his skin before grabbing for one of the empty vials and an empty syringe. The Omega barely felt the needle going into his skin as he watched his blood being drawn and then put into the vial. That was set off to the side as Saito pulled the band free of his arm and it no longer felt as if his circulation was being cut off.
“If you’re ready to stop truly fighting me,” Saito went on to say, “I can take you out of this room.” Guren just remained quiet. Opting not to say a word as he turned his gaze straight ahead. The questions were still swirling to life in his mind. Saito’s words were still ringing fresh in his mind. Echoing, taunting, and haunting him. Trying to force him into believing that they were the truth. It was all meant to be like that and Guren knew it. It would always be followed up by Saito telling him to cave in. Give up and give himself over.
Maybe, that would be the safer option. The better choice in trying to show that Saito was breaking him down. He didn’t know how much more of this that he could really take. At some point, everyone would reach their breaking points and Guren was one of them. He knew that he had his breaking point, and he just hadn’t reached it yet.
Guren just didn’t know if Saito would actually believe that or not. Considering what kind of state that he looked like he was in currently, it could be possible that Saito would believe him. Guren felt disgusted in himself at the thought of playing along. There were still aspects of what Saito was wanting from him that he was still trying to understand. It could be possible that if he decided to start playing along that Saito might start revealing more to him. That Guren could start to get the answers that he had been searching for. Maybe even take the chance to be able to get out of this. That Saito would lower his guard enough that Guren would find his opening.
What if Saito was waiting for that?
Waiting for the second that Guren decided that he would play along, and he was just falling into a trap?
It just left more thoughts in the back of his mind. More possibilities and speculation of Saito’s actions. Saito was not being clear about things that he was wanting. He wasn’t doing what Guren knew him to be.
Guren sucked in a shaky breath as the Alpha’s fingers moved to card through his hair. It left him feeling paralyzed in place and he didn’t feel the need to push them away. His head was still pounding. He felt so awful at the moment that he just wanted to sleep, but his mind was so consumed that he couldn’t get the restlessness to stop. Now that Saito was in the room, he didn’t think that it would be happening any time soon. Guren could not asleep around Saito. Until he was drugged. Which Saito had been doing to him a lot. Guren didn’t recall a time that it didn’t feel like he had been on something. Saito was practically keeping him high as a kite at all times, and Guren had no choice in complying. It wasn’t strictly all the time, but Guren felt like he spent more of his waking time doped out on something that Saito had injected him with. He was surprised that Saito wasn’t doing it now. It would only be a matter of time before he did it again.
Would the experimentation also stop if he were to start playing along? It was just another question that popped into his mind as his gaze dropped down to the case that was still sitting on the floor. Saito’s fingers hadn’t stopped carding through his hair. Guren wanted to shove him away, but he didn’t have the energy to do so. His head was continuing to pound. Harsh enough against his skull that it felt difficult to keep his eyes open.
His mind felt so twisted. It felt hard to keep all of his thoughts coherently together. Everything around him was twisting as he shivered. How long had he been here? Guren had quickly lost count. His heart started to pound in his chest as Saito’s fingers moved, tracing down the side of his face, moving over his neck and grazing over the bond mark before disappearing off of him. For just a split second, he felt something pull inside of him. Craving to have that touch again. A touch that he despised so much. The touch that he did not want.
He felt so sick to his stomach as he laid there. Guren kept wondering whenever Saito might actually kill him. Maybe he could die in his sleep. Something. Guren could let go of one thing. Maybe, it could be that.
In that moment, all he could think about was them, and it immediately stopped that thought. No. He had to go back to them. Guren had to see his family again. He promised himself that he would make it out of this alive so he could see them once more.
Guren knew that it would be too soon. He couldn’t start pretending now. Saito would see right through him. It was getting harder to hide his expressions from him. Saito would know. So, Guren just had to keep enduring until he could figure something else out.
“I’ve done an awful lot to you,” Saito murmured, “And yet… You still haven’t broken.”
“Maybe…” Guren whispered as he lifted his gaze, “You’re not trying hard enough.”
“That almost sounds like a challenge, Guren.” Saito stated.
The Omega let out a sharp breath, now trying to ignore his weakened body as he pushed himself up onto shaking arms. It made everything else around him swim once more as he shook his head. “Maybe you’re underestimating me.” Guren said back as he turned his gaze back to Saito.
“Do you really think that you should be moving around?” Saito mused, “You don’t look so good.”
Guren ignored it, fighting against the nausea and pounding head as he completely sat up. “I feel fine.” Guren whispered. “Hit me with your best shot.”
Saito smiled at him, laughing softly, “You sure are stubborn.” The Second Progenitor’s gaze moved over his face as he shook his head, “You’re about to collapse right now, and you still think you have the energy for that.” Saito’s voice had gone soft. The smile remained unsettling as Guren could feel his arms wavering. Trembling enough that he did feel as if they were going to collapse from underneath him. Guren fought to keep his arms from giving out, locking them into place as he pulled in a shaky breath. “It’s a miracle you haven’t been executed yet by the Hiragi family.”
“They’re just using me for my expertise on the battlefield.” Guren shot back, “They know they need the best they can get out there.”
“So, you admit that they are using you.” Saito mused.
“I’m not naïve.” Guren whispered as he lowered his gaze, “The Hiragi family uses whatever they can to keep themselves powerful… The more control that they have… That’s all that matters to them.” Not all of them. Guren knew that. He could say something that was necessarily true while also knowing otherwise.
The back of Saito’s finger ran over his cheek as Guren felt a bit of the world stop spinning and he turned his gaze towards the hand. “Are you hungry, Guren?” Saito questioned. His voice was much softer than before. It was trying to lure him in. It was that same tone that he used whenever he waws doing something nice before inevitably it would change again.
“I…” Guren started as his mind started to spin once more as he squeezed his eyes shut. The brightness of the room was now helping the way that his head hurt. Guren’s arms suddenly buckled, and he crashed back down onto the mattress as he heaved in a breath. Guren felt the frustration course through him from Saito seeing the way that he had wavered like that. The air caught in his throat as Saito’s hand landed against his forehead and suddenly he felt a lot cooler than before.
“How about something delicate to eat?” Saito questioned, “You appear to be more unwell than you care to admit.”
Guren had no choice but to stand up as Saito grabbed at his arms and he was already being pulled to his feet. It made the sickness hit him worse as the pounding in his skull intensified. Really, all he wanted to do was lay down right now. He was not going to get what he wanted. Saito was going to do whatever fucked up thing that Saito thought up of this time.
Saito’s arm wrapped around his back and Guren slowly cracked open his eyes once more. The world was slowly stopping its spinning, but Guren was still feeling that pain throughout his body. It was different this time around. He just couldn’t quite place it. Guren took in a deep breath despite how it made his chest hurt. For just a split second, he thought about it. Thought about just running. He didn’t get why his mind continuously tried to tell him it was the smart thing to do whenever he knew differently. Guren had to systematically fight off his fight or flight instinct. Fighting wasn’t an option, and neither was flight. Freeze was not among those options either.
Something about him felt wrong. Guren just couldn’t place it. Something about his body didn’t feel right as Saito pulled him out of that room and started down the hall. Saito was holding most of his weight for him. Guren couldn’t really feel his body despite every single painful movement. It was strange. How he had felt so numb but at the same time could feel so much. It was just as if his body was moving entirely on its own. Taking him exactly where he knew he would be going. Guren just couldn’t allow himself to feel. Despite all the things that he wanted to do, Guren could not allow himself to do that. He had to act in a way of self-preservation somehow. Finding his opening was not clear, but Guren felt like he would recognize it whenever the time came.
Guren was just waiting for it. Waiting for the second that Saito turned violence back on him. Guren could endure it. It didn’t matter how many times that Saito did something to him. He was determined. Nothing could snuff that out. He kept replaying the conversations in his mind and everything that Saito had said. Saito was being so vague with him that it kept him guessing and Guren was able to pick up the places where Saito was clearly trying to fuck with his mind. The only thing that Guren could be sure of was that Saito was doing to do whatever he possibly could to turn Guren to his side. The question was for what. Was it to bring the Hiragi family crashing down? Guren felt like there was more to it. More that Saito just wasn’t saying.
Guren’s mind kept spinning as he stumbled over his feet and his legs gave out from underneath him. The Omega crashed into the floor as he planted his hands to keep himself from going completely face first. The Omega let out a labored breath and he grimaced. Out of everything that Saito had done to him, he felt so different this time. Guren could feel the fatigue and weakness overcoming his body. He didn’t have much time before Saito grabbed a hold of his arm and forced him back to his feet. It only made the ache in his skull get worse as he felt like he was about to lose what little bit he had on his stomach.
The area around him was blurring as he turned his gaze to Saito. He desperately wanted to be away from him. Guren needed to start plotting more. Doing anything that he could think of to get away from him. No one was even going to suspect Saito for this. Guren was the only person who had the most knowledge about him. No one was going to know. It was up to Guren to get himself out of this. Guren might not be able to rely on anyone else. He had no idea where he was or if anyone even realized what had happened to him. Saito was so meticulous that he could trick just about anyone who didn’t know what they were looking for. All he could do was hope that the others realized foul play was truly involved. It had all happened so fast for him. Guren blamed himself. He didn’t have the chance to fight back but he should have. Why didn’t he try harder? Why didn’t he pull his sword faster? Maybe if he had done that, the others would have been alerted sooner. But Saito’s strength. If he could take down Guren with ease after blindsiding him, then the others wouldn’t have stood a real chance. His thoughts were conflicting. Unwilling and unsure of what to pick as what should have happened.
Saito had pulled him downstairs and the first thing that Guren noticed was the smell of food. It only made his stomach churn more and twist up in nausea. The Second Progenitor had pulled him right towards the chair that he had made clear was Guren’s. Guren found himself being shoved down into it as he stared down at the plate of steaming food. Curry and rice. His gaze moved over it as all he could think about was sitting around the table with all of his friends as they ate. Laughing and joking around like normal. The sound was so soft in his ears. Echoing back to him in a faint memory as he looked down at the food.
The smell of the food had made the nausea worse. While he could tell that he was hungry, Guren kept feeling his stomach twist up as he reached out and pushed the plate away from him to get distance between the food and his nose.
“You should eat, Guren.” Saito stated, “It’ll make you feel better.”
“I’m not hungry.” Guren murmured as he turned his gaze away from the food completely and let his eyes settle onto the table. The Omega curled an arm over his stomach as he leaned back in the seat. He knew that he should eat. Saito would just force him if he wanted too. Even with the bit of distance, it was still working to make him feel sick to his stomach.
Saito’s gaze lingered on him and Guren could feel it practically burning into him as he kept fighting the need to get sick. The Omega squeezed his eyes shut found the pounding within his head and rubbed at his temple. He felt so freaking awful at the moment. Everything hurt and the last thing on his mind right now was food. Even if it would help in the end.
Guren sucked in a breath whenever the Alpha grabbed at his hair and jerked his head back. Fingers curled around his jaw as he heard the drawl of, “Do you really think that’s a smart idea, Guren?”
“If I eat,” Guren murmured, “I will throw it up.”
After a moment, Saito let go of his hair and Guren’s gaze fell back onto the plate. Curry and rice. His favorite. It made him even more homesick as he looked at it. “I suppose then, we should just move onto the next part.” Saito mused. The grip on his hair did not loosen as he was forced to his feet. Guren let out a hiss of pain as he was forced to follow it. “It’ll be okay, Guren… I’ll take good care of you.”
Guren shuddered underneath those words. Knowing that they were far from the truth and he was only going to face more pain. The Omega gasped as Saito suddenly forced him to turn and his hands quickly found his hips and forced him off of his feet. Guren found himself now sitting on the table itself as his eyes widened from the sudden movement.
“Do I scare you, Guren?” Saito questioned as he leaned in, and his gaze loomed over Guren’s face. “You’re second guessing everything, aren’t you?” Guren could not afford to let himself waver. He let out a shaky breath through his mouth as his heart started to pound in his chest. Saito leaned closer to him. Guren felt trapped. As if he was caged in. “You know you don’t have the power to defeat me… So join me.”
“Join you?” Guren murmured as he moved his hand slightly. He tilted his head, despite how much he hated it, he also leaned closer in. “I don’t know if what you say is true or not. How could I join you if you give me… nothing.”
“You don’t need to know.” Saito mused as he reached up and traced at Guren’s cheek. The Omega followed the movement, seeing through the corner of his eye that the Alpha was giving him a pleased look. “I can help make the pain go away.”
“Can you?” Guren murmured as he kept his gaze locked to Saito’s. “You can’t even show me your real eyes.” He knew that he had puzzled Saito. It had thrown him off enough that Saito actually looked at him in surprise. Saito had completely masked it within seconds. His body felt like it was taking itself over. Becoming a mind of its own as he completely grabbed the object. “So, no… I won’t join you.”
Saito’s hand landed onto his shoulder, pushing him down onto the surface of the table as Guren managed to regulate his heartbeat. The Second Progenitor loomed over him, giving him that eerie smile as he murmured, “You will.”
“Even what you say about him… Even if it’s true,” Guren continued as he shook his head, “You have nothing that will make me want to stay by your side.”
“Nothing?” Saito questioned. It sounded more like a taunt. Challenging his words as his smile got bigger. “You really think so?” Guren inhaled sharply, his heart skipping a beat as Saito reached back up and grazed his cheek once more. The look on his face was unreadable. “Then you truly have no idea just how far you have actually fallen.”
“Fallen…” Guren whispered. “I fell a long time ago, but that never stopped me.”
Saito tilted his head, looking over his face as he let out a soft laugh before pulling away from him. Guren felt like he could breathe a bit easier, but it was immediately cut off whenever Saito back handed him in the face. Guren just laid there, uncaring of how it made his face burn. The pain that his face was in was nothing compared to what he was used too.
“You’ve taken all the suffering that you have gone through to become something better.” Saito mused, “And that is because of my doing.”
“If you say so.” Guren murmured.
Guren’s head was pounding. It was continuing to make him feel worse and worse as that feeling kept making it feel as if his skull was splitting right in two. His vision had blurred as he let his gaze settle onto a set of doors not far from him. Everything around him swam momentarily as he noticed something. The confusion hit him and the wonder if he had imagined it came to mind, but that was quickly stopped as Saito forced him back up into a sitting position.
Guren felt that numbness taking him back over as he lifted his gaze back towards Saito. He didn’t need to understand everything. If there was one thing that he put his mind too, it was what he was going to do to fulfill everything that he wanted. He was not going to just be a pawn in whatever game that Saito was trying to play. He had to be smart about this and use his own wits to his advantage to get out of this.
No help was coming.
Guren could not just sit back and hope that someone was going to find him. Guren knew the odds of that were highly unlikely and he did not want them going up against Saito. At least, not alone. Not without a plan. If they came into this unknowing of the danger they were going to put themselves into, Guren could not live with that thought.
He was okay with taking the burden.
He was okay with going through all of this because he was going to make it out of this alive. Nothing was going to stop him from returning back to his family. The place where he actually belonged. It didn’t matter what Saito did to him. Guren just had to wait for whenever the time was right, and he’d be able to do this.
Saito had pulled him right to his feet as Guren let that mask slip on his face. Just a little bit longer. That was all that he needed. Guren still felt so conflicted and confused on so many things that he didn’t have all the answers too. There were so many things that Saito was telling him that he just refused to believe.
Yet, he could feel it.
Saito was binding him in chains.
And Guren just had to find his way out of them.
Nighttime Fandoms (Guest) on Chapter 1 Mon 07 Jul 2025 02:32AM UTC
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PhoenixIchinose on Chapter 1 Sun 13 Jul 2025 10:55PM UTC
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Asherah on Chapter 8 Mon 04 Aug 2025 07:15PM UTC
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Nighttime Fandoms (Guest) on Chapter 8 Tue 05 Aug 2025 01:27AM UTC
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NighttimeFandoms (Guest) on Chapter 13 Sun 07 Sep 2025 01:00PM UTC
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