The Trial of Hearts

Chapter 1: The day we met…

“Rukia, how are you?” someone chimes as Rukia walks in, her long black hair sweeping at her heels and her pale blue eyes scanning over the classroom. “Morning Hime,” she says sitting down, rubbing her neck.
“So…is it true about you and Chaz?”
“Us? We’re done.”
“How long?”
“A month.”
“Why?”
“You’re pretty nosey, Hime. Remember when he took me to the Akumaru Caverns?”
“Yea…”
“That’s when. He was going too fast for me.”
“I see,” Hime says as someone breaks down the door. Everyone’s attention turns to a young man with short, spiky red and black hair standing on the door. “Rukia!!” he yells as all the girls in the class run to the back. “Chaz is really ticked now…” one girl whisper, “What did Rukia do?” Chaz walks over to Rukia, who acts as if he isn’t even there.
“Where the hell were you this morning? I thought I told you to wait for me under the tree.”
“You no longer hold control of me, Chaz. You are no longer my boyfriend, so leave.” Chaz, his temper boiling over, raises his hand in attempt to hit her, “ You don’t have the privilege to think or act without my knowledge, you little - -” He drops his hand swiftly to hit her as a young man with vivid green eyes and chest-length brown hair pulls Chaz’s hand back. “Whoa…” Hime says as Chaz turns to the boy.
“Who the hell are you?”
“…André. What are you?”
“I’m Rukia’s master. This little dispute has nothing to do with you.”
“On the contrary, this dispute has everything to do with me.”
“How do you figure that, pretty boy?”
“I’m Rukia’s boyfriend, and I can’t stand by and let some caveman beat her up.”
“The hell?” He looks at Rukia and picks her up by her collar,” You little bitch. How could you do this? Huh?!” Rukia just stares off to the side, paying Chaz no attention.
“Do you remember who it was who saved your fragile ass from those Yakuza wannabes?”
“…”
“Do you remember who kept you safe when your father was on his drunken rampage, and killed your mother and then himself?”
“…”
Losing his temper yet again, he throws Rukia towards the windows. André quickly runs to the window and catches Rukia, but falls out with her. Everyone quickly run over to the windows as Chaz laughs. “I hope they both die,” he guffaws, leaving.
“Did they survive?” “Are they ok?” “If Rukia’s died, you think I could have her MP3 player?”


“Are you ok, Rukia?” André asks, looking at Rukia. “I’m okay…” she says as André stares her in the eyes.
“What?”
“I smell blood…you’re bleeding. Let me see your hands.” Rukia put her hands in front of André, showing small cuts on her palms. “I’ll take care of those,” he purrs, licking the cuts. Rukia smiles, “For a vampire, the sunlight sure doesn’t bother you.”
“Must I remind you? I’m only half-vampire.”
“Yes. A vampire whose father was infatuated with a human woman and had you. Sadly, since your birth foretold destruction of the known world at the time, you were sealed in the Akumaru Caverns on your 1st birthday. There you waited on the poor soul who dare entered the ’Forbidden Cavern’ to free you.”
“I wouldn’t consider you a ’poor soul’, more like ’someone in need of rescue’.”
“You do know chivalry died hundreds of years ago, right?”
“But you’re my master and I have to keep you safe or my reawakening was for nothing.”
“Hey, do you remember how we met in the first place?”
“How can I forget?”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

“Rukia, wanna go to the Akumaru Caverns?” Chaz asks with a devilish grin on his face. “I’m not so sure…” Rukia answers, looking at her feet, “Isn’t that place suppose to be cursed or something?”
“Are you refusing me?”
“No, it’s not that…I’m just not sure if we should go in there or not.”
“Don’t worry about a thing,” he says, wrapping his muscular arms around her small frame, “I’ll protect you like I did against your father.” Rukia nods as Chaz leads her into the cavern. “It’s pretty dark in here for midday,” Rukia says, holding Chaz’s arm as he chuckles. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the dark?” he asks.
“No, I’m not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
“Okay then,” he says, cutting a small wire that ran to all the lanterns, making it completely dark in the cavern. “Chaz, what did you do?” Rukia asks, nervously as Chaz pushes her up against a wall. “Now…let’s see how far I can get,” Chaz says, a certain look in his eyes. “Chaz…”Rukia says, scared, “W-what are doing?”
“I want you to give it up.”
“The hell…?”
“Drop those panties and keep quiet. These caverns have excellent acoustics.”
“Let me go, Chaz…I’m not ready for this!”
“Refusing to do something, are you?”
“Yes! I won’t do this! This is wrong!” Chaz looks her in the eye, “Are you telling the truth? You aren’t ready?”
“Yes. I’m not ready.” Chaz smiles, “Too bad, ‘cause I’m ready now.” He lifts her black skirt a little as Rukia knees his in the stomach. He falls to his knees, coughing, as Rukia quickly runs towards the entrance. Chaz stumbles to his feet and chases after her, “Get back here!” Rukia, running for her life, trips over a rock and falls on her face. Chaz, now above her, picks her up by hair. “Let me go, Chaz!” Rukia screams in pain as Chaz pins her to the wall. “How dare you refuse anything I want? Do you think you could just walk out during the most important part of our relationship? Well, do you?!” Chaz yells, hitting Rukia’s face, “I am the master, you are the servant. You have no say in anything that happens between us, understand?!”
“…G…”
“What was that?” he asks, putting his fist down.
“…Go to hell, you bastard!” Chaz throws Rukia to the ground and starts hitting her again. “You ungrateful little wench. Do you know I always have something better to do that save your stupid ass from something a 10 year old could get out of?!” Rukia, tears running down her bruised cheeks, answers weakly, “If you had something better to do, then why in hell stay around me and my problems?”
“I was hoping to get some from you…but you’re completely useless to me. You still a will of your own. Too bad, I guess that hottie from Class 4-B will have to do.”
“You’re breaking up with me?”
“No. I just have another girl on the side who knows her place. I know she’ll give it up.”
“You mean you been seeing another girl?! I thought you loved me!”
“Love? It’s just a word that keeps hopeless fools like you attached to guys like me and giving me what I want.” Rukia, both torn and mad, kicks Chaz in the groin and takes off running again towards the back of the cavern. Chaz quickly recovers and grabs her hair again, “Oh no, you’re not getting away from me this time.” He punches Rukia in the face, knocking her out. “Now look what you made me do, Rukia,” he says, putting two fingers under her chin, “Oh crap…she’s not breathing…I overdid it.” He picks up Rukia and walks over to a ridge in the cavern. “No one has to know about this incident, Rukia,” he says, dropping her over the ridge and leaving the cavern.


“How long has it been? 100? 200? No…it’s only been 160 years…” a young man in chains and long hair says, looking up to a small opening, “I’ve seen 160 winters go by…” He hears a small thud and looks towards the sound to see Rukia curled in the fetal position, moaning softly in pain. The man walks over to Rukia and looks down at her. Rukia looks up at him. “Please…help me,” she whispers hoarsely as the man kneels down next to her and rubs her cheek. “You poor girl,” he says, “That fall broke several of your ribs and your shoulder blade. You’re bleeding too. Do you want me to save you?” Rukia nods slightly as the man gently rolls Rukia on her back. He leans over a cut on Rukia’s left cheek and licks the cut clean. He continues licking each cut until each one is cleaned then turns his attention to her broken bones. He runs his hand down Rukia’s chest and shoulder, healing them. Rukia sits up a little to take a closer look at her hero as he gently pushes her back down. “Don’t move yet,” he smiles, “You need to rest.” “I have to get home,” Rukia says, sitting up, “Can you help me?”
“I would love to help you home…”he says, lifting his chains, “But I’m forever bound in this cavern because what I’m destined to do.” Rukia looks at the chains then at the boy, “I can help you get out of here.”
“No…you mustn’t. I was born to destroy the world.”
“Just shut up and hold still,” Rukia says, hitting the chains with a rock, breaking the chains, “There, you’re free.” The man stands up and stretches, “Thank you so much…”
“Rukia. My name is Rukia.”
“Such a beautiful name. I’m André. Where do you live?”


“This is my home,” Rukia says, pointing to a tall mansion-like house. “I’ve never seen a building like this,” André says, “Does your mother and father know where you are?” “My parents are dead. My father was drinking one night, had one too many. He took my mother’s life and when he figured out what he did, he killed himself, leaving me our house and fortune.”
“So you live alone, I guessed?”
“…Chaz comes by…”
“Chaz? Who’s Chaz?”
“My dominant boyfriend…”
“The one who left you to die in the cavern?” Rukia tears up a little, hiding her face on André’s shoulder as André holds her closer. “Which floor is your bedroom on?” he asks as she holds up three fingers, “Alright. Hold on tight.” André jumps in the third story window, landing in the middle of Rukia’s bedroom. “Whoa…how did you do that?” Rukia asks as André laid her on a bed covered with a fluffy looking comforter. “Would you believe that I’m a 170 year old half-vampire?” he asks as Rukia stares at him in disbelief.
“You’re 170? …But you don’t look a day over 17,” she says as André sits down next to her, pale in the face, “What’s wrong, André?”
“I…just need to rest…” he pants, “Or at least get something to drink.”
“I could get you some water…”
“No, I need something else.”
“Well, there’s some vodka in the study.”
“No…that’s not it. I need…”
“Whatever it is, I have it. Just name it.”
“…Blood.”
“W-what?”
“Of course the human side of me wants water to drink…but my vampire side needs blood to keep going.”
“I’m sorry. All of the blood banks are closed today…I don’t know how to help you.”
“I have an idea…if you’re willing to help me in return.”
“I’ve learn to pay someone back for their aid. What do I have to do?”
“Could I take some of your blood?”
“…I…don’t know.”
“So, you aren’t willing to help me?” Rukia looks down at her hands, deep in thought as André pulls her close to him. “André, I really want to help, but what do I need to do?”
“Just trust me…and if you start feeling faint, let me know.” Rukia nods and closes her eyes as André gently bites her neck, drawing blood. Rukia gasps a little and grips André’s shoulder slightly as André starts drinking. “…A-André…I’m starting to feel dizzy…” she whispers a few minutes later as André lifts his head and licks his lips. “H-how do you feel?” Rukia asks, holding her neck as André moves her hand and licks the bite marks. “A lot better, thanks to you, Rukia,” he smiles, staring her in the eyes.
“…Why are you staring at me like that?”
“I forgot to tell you. Since you were the first human to free in eons and give me the first drops of blood since my release, I am under your control. You are my master.”
“M-master?? I could never…”
“Let me reword that…I protect you from anyone and anything and take care of you forever.”
“You mean it?”
“Yes, I do,” André says, leaning over and kissing Rukia on her lips, making her blush, “I swear on my life to always be there for you.”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

“So it’s been a month since we met,” Rukia says standing up and dusting off her skirt, “Thinking back to how we met made me relieve about how dependant I was on that blow-hard Chaz…I felt so weak and fragile compare to him, so I never opposed anything he said.”
“But you’re free now to do what you want,” André says, standing up and hugging Rukia, “And you’ve grown stronger also.”
“I have you to thank for that…thank you, André.” “Hey! Are you two ok?” Hime yells from the third story classroom window. “Yea, Hime! We’re okay!” Rukia says as the bell rings, “Lunch already?”
“Do you have a lunch date, Rukia?” André asks, holding Rukia’s hand.
“Of course. You,” she answers, “You’re the best lunch date I’ve ever had.”
“I know.”
“See you at the same place like always?”
“I’ll meet you there.”