Chapter 8

I woke up at the crack of dawn, while the moon was rising up.  The light shined through my window as my wake up alarm, glaring the white gaze in my face.  A slight breese drifted through the window, as it brushed up against my face, making me a little colder than before.  I opened my eyes, as I blinked them a few times. I sat up in bed, as I turned to look out the window, seeing the clear night as it was brightening up.  I yawned as I took a stretch, letting me know that I was actully awake.  I got out of bed, as I sighed and walked over to the window. I looked around the yard, seeing the guarden full of vestables, in it's section of the yard.  I cracked a smile as a knock came on the door, as it cracked open. "Skylar, are you awake?" Yuma asked, as I turned around. "You can come in" I said, as he fully open the door, and came in.  He had a plate that contains a couple peaces of toast and an egg that sat in the middle of it.  He had a glass of what looked like to be water in his other hand, and clothes draped over the arm.  He walked up to the desk, as he put the plate and the glass on the table. He took a sigh as he spoke. "Take you time. But I made you breakfast before you start" he said, as he took the clothes from his arm. "Here's a change of clothes. If they fit, they'll be your work clothes.  It's good to keep a spare change of clothes when your out in the guarden.  Take your time, no rush.  When your done, come out back to where I showed you the other day, and we'll get started" he said, as I nodded. "Ok. Thank you" I said as he nodded and started to walk out of the room.  He stopped halfway as he grabbed the handle. "Oh and when your done breakfast, bring your dishes down to Ruki, then come outside.  If you get stuck, ask someone to show you. Alright?" he finished with, as I nodded. "I'll be out" I said, as he cracked a smile. "Take your time with eating" he said, as he closed the door behind him.

I sighed as I walked over to the table, and looked at the clothes.  There was a pair of ripped up jeans, a red and black plad shirt, and a pair of boots sat on the side of the desk.  I pulled out the chair as I started to eat, taking my time like I was told to.  I took another bite of the egg, as I took a sip from the glass, tasting the egg and all it's flavor.  I put my fork down, as I thought to myself. A memory of the farm shot into my head, as my eyes started to water a bit. "This is what it tasted like when dad made it" I thought to myself, as a tear dripped down my cheek. I took a bite, tasting the memories of my childhood as it started to come back to me. "How did he know that I liked my eggs this way?" I thought to myself as I started to hurry up, knowing that Yuma was waiting.  I took my glass of water as I finished it completley.  I then got up as I put on the clothes that was in front of me.  I walked up to the mirror as I adjusted the plad overshirt to where I wanted it.  I buttoned it at the middle, as I let the rest loose.  I cocked my head to the side, as I examined it, seeing it not looking right to me.  I buttoned it completley from that one to the bottom, as I looked at it again.  "Better" I said, as I put the brush through my hair, as I picked up my plate, and walked downstairs.

Ruki was at the sink cleaning the dishes, he had a tray of clean ones on the left and a little pile of dirty ones to his right.  Ruki was wearing a black apron, as he scrubbed at the dishes in the sink.  He put one in the sink as he grabbed the next one.  He was the only one in the kitchen now, cleaning dished and humming to himself, as he did them.  I walked closer to the sink as I cleared my throat.  "Um, where do you want these?" I asked him, making him stop to turn around.  "Oh, you can just put them here" he said, as he tapped on the counter with the dirty dishes.  I sighed as I walked over, and put them where he wanted them.  "Thank you" he said, as he continued.  I nodded as I started to walk out, but then looked back. "Do you want some help with them?" I asked, as he cut me off. "No, but if you could go see Yuma, you'll be working in the guarden today.  He's already out there, getting things ready" he said, as I nodded.  "Ok, thank you" I said, as I walked out of the room.  I walked into the livingroom as I started to head for the door.   I opened the door, smelling the fresh scent of the air as I stepped outside.  I walked a few ways from the mansion, as I turned to head towards the garden.  The guarden was full of life this morning, bright green plants with vestables on them, ready for picking.  I looked over seeing Yuma go into a shed, then come out with gloves and a few things.  "Alright, you ready?" he asked, as I nodded.  "Yep, ready as ever" I said, as I took the gloves from him, and put them on.

Yuma huffed as he turned towards the guarden. "Alright, we don't have much today. Like I said yesterday when we came to look.  You can pick the tomatoes, the ones that look ripe.  If you have a hard time knowing if their good or not, let me know.  But we checked them yesterday and they seem good, so I think you'll be all set.  I'll be  over here, if you need anything" he said, as he handed me a basket, and walked to the other section of the guarden.  I walked to the tomatoes, as I sat down by them, and started to pick some.  "The thing about tomatoes, is that they'll be bright red when their ripe.  If it's green, then we still have a while.  Got it?" he asked, as I looked over at him.  I nodded as I sighed. "Got it" I said, as he sighed.  I turned to the tomatoes, as I started to pick some. I cheched them over before picking them off the vine, and put them in the basket.  I kept doing that for a while  as I started to fill the basket.  "How much do you want me to pick?" I asked, just to make sure I couldn't pick too much.  "Just as much as you can.  Ruki likes to keep them in the fridge, so if we need to snack on them" he said, as I nodded. I continued to pick them, as I placed them in  the basket still.  I kept a good pace like I did at the orchard.  The nice thing was, apples and tomatoes weren't that different, then I thought.

I went away, as I picked at them, and filled the basket up.  I found a dead end of a plant, sitting where I was picking. "I'm guessing pick the dead ones off?" I asked, as I picked another tomato, to make sure I was all set.  Yuma nodded as he spoke. "Yep, anything dead you can pick off.  That way the plants can grow healthy" he said, as I picked the dead one off.  I was starting to shock myself of how much I remembered from the orchard.   I guess picking tometos were the same as picking apples.  The more I worked, the more of the orchard I remembered.  It made me think of home, and how I wished I could just see what happened to it at this moment.  I picked another tomato as I completely filled the basket, and whipped the sweat of my forhead. I sighed, as I picked up the basket and brought it to Yuma. "Alright, where do you want them?" I asked, as he looked up at the basket of tomatos.  His eyes grew in shock as he looked up at me. "That was quick. Their must be a lot of them today" he said, as he whipped his hands on his pants.  "Alright" he said, as he stood up and looked at them. "Wow, I think your better at this than I am" he said with a slight chuckle to his voice.  I cracked a smile, as I waited for my next dirtection.  "Alright, take those to Ruki, and ask him what he wants you to put them.  Then come back out with the basket and I'll give you something else to do" he said as I nodded. "Alright, I'll be back" I said, as I started to walk towards the house. 

I walked into the mantion from the back as I made myself into the kitchen, where Ruki was still cleaning the dishes.  "Sorry to be a bother, but where would you like these?" I asked, which caught Ruki's attention.  He turned around to look at the basket of tomatos, as his eyes grew in shock. "Wel that was fast. And you managed to fill it perfectly" he said, as he put his stuff down and took the basket from me. I watched him as he pulled out a collinder from the cabinent and put the tomates in it. He handed me the basket back as he spoke. "How you feeling today? Do you need more blood or are you holding up fine?"  I smiled as I spoke. "I'm doing fine with it. I'm feeling more better, now that I'm up and moving around" I said, as I cracked a smile.  Ruki looked at me as he tilted his head in confusion.  I looked at him as I spoke. "Something wrong?" I asked confused about his reaction.  He came up to me, as he held my sides. "I think your bleeding again" he said, as he started to unravel the bandage from around my wrists. "Um Ruki?" I asked, as he pulled the bangages off.  His reaction got me confused, when I saw it.  I looked at my wist, seeing the cuts starting to heal now.  Ruki smiled as he broght my wrist up to his mouth. I can smell your blood still" he said, as I staired at him confused.  He looked up at me as he cocked his head. "Do you mind if I have a taste?" he said, as I got confused.  "Um  sure" I said, not knowing what he was wanting to do.

Ruki bent down as he licked the blood off my cut.  The fresh blood smell entured my nose, as he jolted in shock.  He covered his mouth, as he looked at my wrist still.  "Oh man" he said, as he put his hand down. "What? Something wrong?"  I asked him confused.  He cracked a smile, as he looked at me.  "Another Eve" he said, as I got even more confused. "Eve? I don't understand" I replied with.   "Skylar, why don't you get washed up and take a bath. I need to disscuss soemthing with the rest of the family" he said, as he put his apron off, and walked towards the outside.  I nodded as I did as I was told, still confused about what would happen now.

Meanwhile

Ruki walked outside to where Yuma was working.  He walked to his spot, as Yuma looked at him in confusion. "Where did Skylar go?" Yuma asked, as he whipped his forhead.  "I sent her to get  cleaned up and spend time in her room.  I would like you to meet me in the livingroom right now. I'm calling a meeting, and it's important" Ruki said, as Yuma nodded. "Just let me clean up a bit" he said, as he started to pick up his things and Ruki left the room.  Ruki walked down the hall to Azusa's room then Kou's room, to gather the four of them in the living room.  Ruki got into the room, as he sat in his seat. Kou sat on the couch, as Azusa just stood next to the doorway. "What's the meeting about?" Kou asked, as he shifted himself on the couch.  Ruki looked at him as he sighed. "I need Yuma here first before I tell you anything" he said, as the faucet in the kitchen shut off.  Yuma sighed as he walked into the livingroom and sat on the couch.

"Alright, thank you all for coming" he started with.  Kou spoke up before Ruki could tell anything. "What's this meeting about?" he asked, as Ruki looked at him.  "The meeting is about Skylar.  She cut herself out in the guarden, so I cleaned up the blood to figure something out" he said, as his three younger brothers looked at him confused. "Which is?" Yuma asked, giving a little aditude. Ruki opened his eyes, as he looked at each of his brothers.  "Skylar is another Eve" he said, as their eyes widened. "What? She can't be, can she?" Kou asked as Ruki nodded. "She can, and she is.  I'm changing the plan with her, and your aloud to take blood from her" he said, as Yuma scooted up in his seat. "But, what if she get's weak and die's?"  Ruki looked at him as he sighed. "If she dies, let her.  She's nothing but a slave. We'll go get another one if she does. In the mean time, start feeding off of Skylar."

The three brothers looked back and forth from each other, as Yuma spoke up. "Wouldn't she run if we do though?" he asked, as Kou was thinking the same thing.  Ruki shrugged as he spoke. "I don't know what she'll do.  She could fight us if we do. She knows we're vampires" he said, as the other brothers looked at him.  Kou sighed as he shifted in his seat. "Then it's feed off her and see what she does" he said as Ruki nodded.  "If anything, the Sakamaki's could take part in this as well. We all know that Reiji's planning something"  Yuma shifted in his seat as he huffed.  "Who knows what that guy's planning" he said, as he got in a comfortable position.  Ruki nodded as the whole room fell silent.  Kou cleared his throat as he spoke. "Are we still sending her to school?  She seems to be doing better" he said, as it caught Ruki's attention. "I think we can try one night, if she survives it we'll make her go more. I will get her uniform from the school later tonight, so by tomorrow she'll be able to go."  The three of the younger brothers nodded as the room fell silent.  Ruki sat there in thought as he spoke again.  " I think that's all we need to talk about, if anyone has anything to add" he said, as everyone shook their heads no.  "Alright, the meeting is dismissed" he said, as they started to take off one by one, with a plan of action that's about to take place.