It was no longer just about the Sakamakis. I had to live with them and deal with their bullshit, sure, but now I had Poe. After Subaru had cracked the tough shell I had, I had let them in. They had bitten and hurt me, but I stayed.

~~~

I watched Poe fly off, out the window. I let him out every night so he could do what he had to do and get some exercise.

"So." I jumped. "Your raven. Is he that boy I keep seeing around? The bird boy?"

"Kanato-kun." He giggled

"Yeah! So, do you like him? She does, doesn't she, Teddy?" I rolled my eyes

"I have to like him. I'm supposed to free him somehow. I mean, how the HELL am I supposed to do that!?" Kanato's expression turned into a sly little smile.

"I'm sure you'll be able to. But Liu, I'm thirsty." I instinctively pulled my collar away and let him drink. He bit down and began to nurse the wound. He stopped. "I forgot you're different from Yui." He bit again.

~~~

Poe still hadn't returned, and I was getting worried. I went to my window.

"Poe! Come back!" I yelled into the darkness. Hopefully he was ok.

"Didn't I warn you to keep that monster caged?"

"Reiji! What the fuck have you done!?"

"I made him gone." He smiled at my obvious anger, and I yelled

"Asshole! He's not a monster!!" I grabbed the silver dagger.

"Don't use that toy in here." Reiji's tone was cold.

"I won't follow your rules until I can see Poe again!" I slashed at the vampire, who simply teleported behind me. He kicked me in the back, sending me flying into the wall.

"You won't see him again. I've made sure of that." I was overflowing with rage.

"What gives YOU the RiGhT!?" I growled at the bossy vampire, and contemplated the risks of trying to kill him right here. I decided that an asshole like him didn't deserve to live, and if I died trying, I could join Poe in hell.  I ran at him, and before he could act, teleported behind him. I nicked his shoulder with the knife, and was met in the face with a punch. I shook off the impact and ran at him again. This time, I cut at him and then teleported on top of him, locking my legs around his neck. He growled and tried to shake me off. I held the blade to his throat, preparing to slit it, but he was too fast. He grabbed my arm and threw me to the floor. It knocked the wind out of me, and I coughed and wheezed as I struggled to breathe. He grabbed the knife and smiled.

"So this is how you want to fight then?" He tried to stab me in the face, and I narrowly caught his wrist, barely keeping myself from being killed. I rammed my knee into his nether regions, making him collapse in pain. I took the chance to kick him in the back of the head. The blow sent him to the floor. I sat on his back, and pinned his arms with my feet.

"And after I cared about you so much! You traitorous bastard!" I raised the knife, ready to plunge it into the back of his head. I wanted to see his smug face become covered in his blood.

"Fine. I give up." He laughed. He didn't even struggle. "However, you do still reserve the right to still kill me. But all my brothers are equally to blame." I stabbed.

~~~

The knife had been plunged into the carpet.

"I couldn't kill you! Haha! No, not today." I bent down. "But I did think your blood was tasty. Here's a deal. You're gonna tell me where the fuck you put Poe, and I'm gonna have a drink. If you behave, you'll keep your life." I leaned even closer, and licked his ear. He flinched, and I chuckled. "You're just like last time."

"How in the world do you keep so much strength and agility in that tiny body of yours?" He growled, and I could tell he was used to being the dom. Pulling his head up by the hair so I could, I smiled and bent down to bite him. I bit down hard, and I heard him grunt. His blood is almost like orange juice. It's tangy and sweet, but still a little metallic. "Fine. I locked him in his cage in the dungeon. You'll never find him." I bit down harder. "Liu-" even harder. He began to choke on his own blood, and I kept him pinned. I bit as hard as I could until his voice was a choked whisper.

"Please...stop..." I ripped my fangs from his flesh and saw in the wound his crippled esophagus and windpipe. The blood fizzed and the flesh straightened itself. "I can...show...you where I...put Poe. Just...calm down." I stood up and put my foot on his head. I ground his face into the floor. "Like hell I'll calm down." I grabbed his hands and held them behind his back. I pulled the beaten and humiliated vampire to his feet.

"Beaten by a half-blood. I'll never live this down." As he mumbled, I picked up his glasses and pressed them onto his face. "Thank you." His voice showed that his patience was wearing thin.

"Aww, shaddup." I pressed the blade of the knife to the small of his back and he quieted down.

~~~

Reiji led me to Poe, who was shifting between forms to try and escape the oversized birdcage he was trapped inside. As I watched, he became a black wolf, then a giant bird, then the one he had used to fight the Mukamis. He turned into a giant cat, and then seemed to give up, as he turned back into his raven form. Metallic tears dripped from his eyes and formed a puddle of silver liquid on the floor. I ran to the cage and teleported inside. When Poe saw me, a look of infinite joy appeared on his face. I grabbed him off the floor and teleported back outside. I put Poe on the ground and grabbed Reiji. I teleported into the cage and left him there. He was too weak to teleport away. I scooped up Poe and we went back to my room, leaving a fuming Reiji in the cage.

"I'll kill you..." Reiji mumbled as we left.

That was the night we decided to leave the mansion. We thought it would make our lives better. Hopefully.

~~~