Archer

I gasped and coughed as they pulled me out of the ice-cold bucket by my hair. I spat out blood from my mouth as more of it dripped down my neck from my ears and over my lips from my nose.

"What are…you…going to…gain from…this…?" I panted out, the majority of the sentence made up of gurgles. I heard a high shrill of laughter and think to myself, if I die today, I hope that Hiro lives the rest of his life in a more…fulfilling way. I grin and someone's heel whacks me in the side of my head.

I gasped out in pain and feel a light trickle of warm blood make its way down in front of my ear and I seemed to feel its chilling heat dribble down my spine.

I looked up and saw a half-shadowed face. The half that I could see was made up of a pale-faced girl with round, starlight blue eyes. Her hair was starch white curled perfectly in simple ringlets that went up to her shoulders. She grinned angelically down at me.

"Mr Crawsley," She began, "such an honour to finally meet you."

I gaped upwards, partially at her beauty, and also at this sudden piece of information. I blinked away tears as they formed and wondered if Jae had told Hiro what happened, or if he just…knew.

"How do you know—?"

The girl laughed again. "If you're the Tainted King's lover, I certainly know who you are." She said carefully, the eyes of Summer's sky.

I gritted my teeth and immediately shouted insults at her in my mind. The horrific words resonated around my head with deep meaning. I didn't want her to even look at Hiro. Thinking about him and I would slap her and stab punches into her gut…if I could.

"Stay away from him!" Was all I managed to say, hissing the words through my teeth. She giggled and I watched, in a blind rage, and also in fright, as her cherubic features fell and her expression became blank.

"Take him elsewhere." Was all she said, turning away sharply. She paused before taking another step. "And make sure give the drink—you know the one I'm talking about."

I choked as I woke up again. It wasn't as if I didn't remember waking up to masked strangers pouring a burning liquid down my throat.

Every time I'd woken up so far, that's what had greeted me. And all I could think was; take me back under. Let me leave this pain.

I'd asked so many times what was going on. Why they were forcing me to intake—basically inhale—this toxic drink? What was going to be the point? Would it somehow kill me and then internally tear Hiro up so bad that he wouldn't have any other choice but to join me?

I muttered a low laugh under my breath. That was too stupid. If I died because of some drink, Hiro would want to die after he'd killed every single one of those bastards. Along with their bitch queen.

These people would either conquer Hirokazu Yamashita, or he would conquer them.

It was all up to whether Vaxxine Squad had a thick enough plan.

Are you proud of yourself, Miyoko…?