• CHAPTER 155 - DENIAL

    It's not happening, right? It's just a dream, isn't it? My life isn't going to end; I'll live forever...

    Nothing in the past two years had hit me harder than Kai's words just did. He flat-out said it; the words of doom slid right off of his tongue. His excuse for choking me was confirmed. His excuse for his constant red eyes were confirmed. His excuse for being so uncomfortable was confirmed. The contract had been activated.

    "Y-you're lying..." I mumbled, staring at my killer wide-eyed.

    "I wish I were," Kai sighed, still looking down. "Hisao claims he activated it a few days ago, thus explains my crimson eyes without being dehydrated."

    I released my hands from Kai and covered my mouth. My stomach was churning violently and my heart was on the verge of imploding. I felt sick; my worst fear was coming true. Any time now, Kai was going to forcibly bring me to my death. I'd have to confront Minoru and Kaiba again. Or, worse, I'd have to be sent across the world where I'd never see Kai again.

    I never noticed it, but I started to hyperventilate and grasped my chest. Kai cupped my face and leaned in close to me, "Arisa, breathe,"

    "I-I can't..." I gasped.

    "Arisa--"

    "I-I don't want to leave," I cried. "I don't want to die right now; you can't make me!"

    "Arisa, Arisa, calm down..." he kissed my forehead. "I'm not bringing you to them right now. It's a gradual process."

    I shook my head, "No, I refuse to believe this is happening..."

    "I wish I could make it go away as much as you do," he sighed. "There's no turning back now; the contract is inevitable."

    "Dammit!" I started crying, pressing my face into Kai's shoulder. "I won't let it happen!"

    Kai embraced me tightly, burying his face in my neck, "I'm sorry, Arisa,"

    We both paused as we heard footsteps coming down the stairs. We both looked over to see Matsuda making his way down in his pajamas with shock on his face. Kai released me but I held him tighter, refusing to release him. I continued to cry on his shoulder, too afraid to face Matsuda with the terrible news.

    "So it's nigh?" Matsuda asked. "That was why you hurt Arisa?"

    Kai looked down, "Yes. It was possessing me."

    "I'm not moving away..." I sobbed. "I'm not leaving you."

    Kai's arms wrapped around my waist again, "I'm not sending you away right now,"

    "Don't say 'right now'," I shook my head. "Say 'never'..."

    "Where is Chi?" Kai changed the subject.

    "Upstairs, sleeping in your bed," Matsuda answered. "We didn't expect you to return tonight."

    "I shouldn't have returned anyways," Kai mumbled, unhanding me.

    As we sat in silence, I kept my vision glued to the floor. I didn't want to look into Kai's crimson eyes; they were scary. Our hands locked together and he leaned in to kiss my forehead. His lips were cold, colder than normal. He had been feeding more than usual today...maybe the contract makes him weaker. Thinking of the contract would sent intermittent shivers up and down my spine, causing me to tremble and nearly start hyperventilating again.

    "We should return Chi," Kai looked at me. "She shouldn't be around, not since the contract is now being activated."

    I nodded, "Okay, I'm coming with you,"

    Kai opened his mouth to protest but quickly pursed his lips together before speaking up again, "Fine,"

    Without another word, I stood up and made my way upstairs into Kai's bedroom where Chi was dormant. I entered the bedroom and sighed deeply, trying to clear up my tears so that Chi wouldn't know that I was doomed sooner than anybody thought. I shook her gently, trying to wake her. She groaned and opened her eyes, a little dazed.

    "We're taking you back, Chi," I thought for an excuse. "Kira's getting too weak. We can't risk you getting hurt."

    "Oh," she rubbed her eye and sat up. "Is it because I'm here?"

    I shrugged, "I don't know,"

    "Arisa," Matsuda came into the bedroom with the lights still off. "Chi doesn't have to leave. Keep her here."

    "But Kai said--"

    "Kai is just paranoid," Matsuda smiled lightly.

    "But...isn't Kira getting weaker?" Chi bit her bottom lip. "I don't want to be around him if I'm making him worse."

    Matsuda paused for a second; he didn't know Kira's weakness was my excuse, "It's no big deal. We merely need to refill his cup." He smiled again. "Go back to sleep."

    "Goodnight, Chi," I said with a shaky voice before I left the bedroom. If I'd have stayed any longer, I'd probably start crying. As soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I ran into Kai's arms and started sobbing. "Kai, tell me it's not true."

    "There's nothing I can say or do that will make it go away," Kai mumbled, burying his face on my head.

    "I won't believe you," I cried. "Not until I have proof."

    Kai almost unhanded me but he changed his mind and held me closer, "I'd rather not show you,"

    Kai and I sat down on one of the couches and we laid down with me lying on top of him. I cupped his face and kissed his forehead as he swept my hair on one side of my neck, "I refuse to believe you. You can't get rid of me that easily." I said with a shaky voice.

    "I don't want to," he cupped my face as well. "That's one of the last things I desire to accomplish."

    "One of the last?" I asked, trying to clear up my tears again.

    "I'd much rather send you far away and never see you again than bring you to your death," Kai whispered.

    My heart throbbed in pain for a moment before I understood what he was saying. Neither of us wanted to part from each other. But if we had to choose between that and my death, the choice would be inevitable. I would never see Kai again...I would probably end up swearing my life off of coexisting with Vampires. I wouldn't be capable of even looking at another couple again.

    "Don't think that," Kai kissed my forehead. "You need to promise me you'll move on."

    I shook my head, "Never, not when I'll know you're still suffering from the pain of the contract,"

    Kai sat up and scooped me into his arms and stood up as Matsuda came back down the stairs. Matsuda looked over at us, "Chi is almost asleep. Arisa, you might want to go to bed now so you won't disturb her."

    Without another word, Kai carried me upstairs and into his bedroom. Chi looked over at us as she was about to fall asleep. Kai laid me down on one side of his bed and tucked me in. He leaned in and gave me a wet kiss, tussling my hair. I gripped his sleeves, refusing to let him out of my sight again. He kissed my forehead and gently pried my hands off of him.

    "I'll see you in the morning," he whispered. "I love you."

    "I love you too," I mumbled, wanting to cry again.

    Kai left the room and shut the door behind him, creating a barrier in between us. I wanted him to lie next to me; I never wanted to avert my eyes from him. I wanted him to lie with me for the whole night. Chi touched my shoulder and I withdrew, flipping over so my back was towards her.

    "What's wrong, Arisa?" she asked in a whisper.

    "It's nothing," except for the fact that I was going to die soon and I couldn't tell you.

    Chi paused for a moment before touching my shoulder, "If you need to tell me anything, please do so,"

    "I said it's nothing," I snapped and sighed. "I'm sorry."

    "It's fine," she sighed. "I worry too much."

    Normally, I would have gotten fed up with Chi's constant worrying; she was like a mother looking after her kids. Ever since I was kidnapped by Kai and returned to the orphanage, Chi was as paranoid as I ever was. She would never leave me alone, not unless I was in the bathroom. Her paranoia over me started back when I tried to take my own life when I first came into the orphanage. I had gotten fed up with her worrying until now. I really wouldn't blame her for worrying about me; her best friend was going to be mercilessly murdered.