City: Kashmir.

Year: 2006

Time: 21:00

"Are you sure about this Sakura?" Syaoran asked as the girl pulled him along.

"Ne, Syaoran," Sakura said as she stopped to stare at her childhood friend. "Why are you so tense?"

"Well it's just that…" Syaoran replied taking her hand in his casting a worried glance around the desolate neighborhood, "I'm a little worried. We're shouldn't be here. It's almost nine and this is where all those kids have been disappearing."

"Oh, Syaoran, just relax," Sakura laughed, "You're here, so nothing will happen."

"Come on, already." She said tugging his hand when he continued to look uncomfortable, "it's just a little farther up."

"What was it that you wanted to show me again?" he asked following the bubbly girl.

"That's a surprise," she said still pulling him with her. She led him into an abandoned building and up the stairs.

"Softly," she instructed him with a gleam in her eye. She opened a door and Syaoran found himself on the roof.

"There you go," she said happily as the boy rushed out to see the view. Before him was an awe-aspiring sight. The lights of the city spread out before them like a sea of glittering stars and up above them, the moonless sky revealing nothing else except for twinkling stars. It was truly beautiful.

"Wow," Syaoran exclaimed, "This place is awesome."

"I knew you would like it," Sakura said happily. As the two teenagers enjoyed the peaceful night on the roof, unnoticed by either of them, four hooded figure drew closer to closer to the abandoned building, almost stealthily. The leader nodded silently and the other three took their places. Their prey was still unaware of their presence but they had to be careful. All the recent disappearances had alerted their enemy. The hunters were also there, lurking somewhere in the shadows.

"Ahh…!" Sakura screamed in horror as she gaped at her watch, "Syaoran, look at the time. We have to get back to the bus stop or the last bus will leave!"

"Relax," Syaoran said calmly, also checking his watch, "We still have fifteen minutes. We'll be on time."

"We won't be if we keep standing here," She said, once again pulling him by his hand. "Let's go." Quietly smiling to himself he allowed the girl to lead the way. They hurried across the deserted streets. They were still a couple of blocks away when Syaoran felt they were being followed. Turning back he saw nothing. Shrugging, he continued walking with Sakura, but there it was again, the same chilling feeling creeping down his spine; the feeling that screamed, bad. He turned back once more.

"What is it Syaoran? Why are you looking back?" Sakura asked.

'I think someone is following us', was what he wanted to say but since he didn't want to alarm her he said, "It's nothing."

"What is a pretty girl like doing with a boy like him, all the way out here?" a rough raspy voice asked from the shadows of an alley.

Immediately on the defensive Syaoran stepped forward protectively. "Sakura get behind me," he said as he assumed a fighting stance. No creep was going to hurt Sakura while he was there.

"The kid thinks he can beat you," A newer voice sneered.

"Why don't you teach him a lesson, Fei?" a third more feminine voice said.

"Sakura run," Syaoran hissed urgently to her as he backed away from the alley, shielding her from the people in there "get out of here."

"But…" Sakura started.

"I said go." Syaoran said. If only I can stop them somehow. Maybe then she can get away, he thought. Four hooded figures stepped out of the alley. One was comparatively larger than the other three.

"Be careful not to kill him," the sneering voice said as the larger man advanced, "I want to have some fun too."

I have to make sure they don't go after Sakura, Syaoran thought. He rushed forward and aimed a kick at the man's leg but for someone his size, the man move with great agility. He dodged it with ease and instead slashed at Syaoran's back, sending him sprawling on the road.

"The girl is trying to get away," The smaller man yelled.

"Don't worry, Kyle." The woman said as she walked past Syaoran, "she's all mine."

"No!" Syaoran yelled as he jumped up and ran after the woman.

"You can't go yet kid," the smaller man said jumping in front of him, blocking his way. How he was able to accomplish that when he was standing a great deal away, escaped Syaoran. He punched him in the gut, making Syaoran double over. Out of watering eyes, Syaoran saw the fourth man go the same way as the woman.

"No…" Syaoran gasped as he struggled to get up again. He tried to go after those two but the man called Fei pulled him back.

"You're trying very hard to protect that girl," he spoke in his ear.

"Is she you're girlfriend?" Kyle mocked.

"Aaaaaaaaaahhh…!" Sakura's scream pierced the night.

"No!!" Syaoran yelled as he struggled to break free of the larger man, "Leave her alone!"

"Shut up, brat," Fei said throwing Syaoran using just one hand.

He hit his head on the wall which resulted stars floating before his eyes. Completely dazed, Syaoran gingerly got to his feet but before he was even ready, another punch was directed at his stomach.

"Oof…" Syaoran fell to the ground. The hooded figures were advancing towards him, slowly. But then he heard running footsteps.

"We have to go," He heard a new male voice say.

"But I'm still hungry, Ashura," Kyle whined. Syaoran pushed himself off the ground with weak arms. Still on all fours, he looked up to see the three men looming above him. They had pulled their hoods back. The woman was standing a little farther from them, looking around anxiously. As he surveyed their faces he let out a gasp of horror. There was blood on the woman's and on Ashura's mouth. Syaoran could see that even in the dim light of the broken streetlamp and this made his heart contract in fear. What had they done? Where was Sakura?

"What about the girl?" Fei asked as though if he had read his mind.

"Dead." Was the woman's reply. Syaoran could not believe what he had just heard. Sakura was dead. His head was spinning and a strange numbness was creeping along his body. It was getting harder for him stay conscious. As his senses dulled he felt Kyle pull him to his feet roughly by his head. He felt him take hold of his left shoulder and push his head to the right, exposing Syaoran's neck. As the last of his energy drained from him Syaoran closed his eyes in hopelessness. He knew what those four creatures were and he was not strong enough to fight them. He had no chance against them.

He had failed to protect her and now he was going to die too. No one would see him bite the dust in this abandoned part of the own. No one could come to help him. He waited for pain of fangs breaking through his flesh as the creature bit him but that never happened. Instead he heard an almost inhuman shriek as the grip on him was released unexpectedly.

"Step away from the boy if you know what's good for you," He heard a man grunt in a dangerous voice.

"Well, well, If it isn't the famous hunter Kurogane," Fei said in his hoarse voice. "We finally get to meet you."

"Yeah and now I'll be the one to kill you," he heard Kurogane say menacingly as darkness enveloped him.