Two figures stood at the edge of a huge rainforest, taking crouching positions. A soft breeze softly blew through their hair as the full moon shone brightly upon their pale skin. They both stood so still that it almost looked like they were statues, that is until the brunet spoke.
"You know the deal, whoever gets to the other side first will choose our next destination. Everything is allowed, ready?"
His companion gave the slightest nod, the frown on his face showed his concentration.
"Alright. 3... 2... 1... GO!"
Both vampires leaped forward and entered the rainforest with amazing speed. They both used the environment to their advantage as liana got grabbed to jump forward even faster and trees got used to turn even sharper.
Kirino was starting to catch up to Shindou and threatened to pass him any second. He knew Kirino wanted to go to France and he was worried, the amount of vampires that had been killed there was the highest. One of his best friends had been killed there, the rumour went that he had been found guilty of witchcraft and burned at the stake.
Still, Kirino loved the culture and had been nagging about it for years. Until now Shindou had always chosen their next destination but now Kirino had wanted to chose once to. So they had made a deal, whoever won this race would get to decide.
Shindou had no choice but to play dirty, he just couldn't go back there, not after what had happened all those years ago. Besides they had agreed that everything was allowed. As Kirino tried to pass him he lashed his foot out in an attempt to make him trip. But Kirino was fast and easily dodged his foot by jumping over it.
The movement had slowed him down and Kirino had passed him with ease. If he wouldn't act fast and take the lead again Kirino would win as he could never catch up to him, Shindou may be stronger but Kirino was faster thanks to his lean body.
In a last attempt Shindou reached out both of his hands and concentrated on the two large trees in front of them as he closed his eyes and gathered all his power together. He held on tight until it had reached its peak and let go, opening his eyes to see a wall of ice form at a rapid speed between the trees.
It was supposed to catch Kirino of guard but all he heard was a laugh before he saw flames start to lick at Kirino's arms and soon his whole body stood on fire. The flames were bright and spread a comforting warmth.
Shindou knew he was done for as Kirino's flames melted the ice and he flawlessly flew through the wall. The race was finished quickly as Kirino reached the other side within seconds after Shindou's last attempt to hinder him.
He jumped out of the forest and waited for Shindou to catch up to him before turning around with a huge smile on his face.
"We're going to France!" He yelled as he threw his fist in the air in victory.
They were walking through the streets of France a few weeks later. Kirino had been beaming the whole way and Shindou had thought he couldn't smile more, that was until they reached France. The smile Kirino showed him then was so bright it would have made any stranger fall for him within seconds.
Shindou couldn't control himself he placed his hand on Kirino's neck, pulling him close so they stood chest to chest as he draped an arm around Kirino's waist. He caressed Kirino's neck on the place he had bitten him that day to change him, it had been the best day of his life as it had been the day he had made Kirino his for all eternity.
Kirino kept looking at him with that bright, loving smile and he cupped his cheek while he leaned in. He let their lips meet in a soft and loving kiss. Their lips moving in sync as they slowly deepened the kiss.
They slowly parted and Kirino rested his forehead against Shindou's as he kept looking at him with those warm eyes. They kept looking at each other, content smiles gracing their facial features.
But what they hadn't noticed is that somebody had seen them and had run off the moment their lips met, gathering the whole town together by screaming he had seen sinners. An angry mob had soon formed and stormed off into the direction the man had seen them.
Meanwhile the two lovers had not moved, contend with the silence that lingered, just enjoying the other's presence. Kirino opened his mouth ready to break the comfortable silence but was cut short by another shout.
"There they are!"
Both turned towards the sound and looked with wide eyes at the angry mob that was standing just a few metres away from them. A priest stood in the front line and started to talk.
"You disgusting beings! Go back to hell!"
Without a warning the priest pulled out a flask from under his robe and threw the contents at them. Shindou reacted fast and pulled Kirino close to him before shielding him from the holy water, taking the full blow. Shindou hissed in pain as the holy water started to burn on his skin and he faintly heard Kirino call out his name, asking if he was alright. But that was not what mattered right now. He needed to keep Kirino save, he had to protect him.
He roughly pushed Kirino towards the forest they had just come out of as another splash of holy water hit him. He growled out in pain and fell to his knees. Kirino was about to rush back to his side but Shindou's glare stopped him.
"RUN!" Shindou screamed.
"No Takuto! I'm not leaving you!"
Kirino was about to protest more but Shindou cut him off.
"GO RAN! RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"
Kirino saw the pleading look in his eyes, saw the angry mob advancing towards him and had almost reached him. He knew he couldn't do anything, he wouldn't be able to carry him as the holy water would burn him too and Shindou was in no state to walk on his own.
Tears formed in his eyes as he started to back away towards the forest. With one last determined look from Shindou he turned around and ran away at top speed. At the edge of the forest he couldn't help himself but turn around for one last time. His sight was blurred by his tears that were running freely over his cheeks, but he could still see how the angry mob started to surround Shindou who was trying to keep them off as long as he could to reassure his safety.
"I'LL COME BACK FOR YOU!" He screamed at the top of his lungs as the tears kept on coming.
He quickly turned around and fled into the forest.
Shindou tried his hardest to win as much time as he could to guarantee Kirino's safety but he knew he wouldn't last long. The holy water had weakened him and he hadn't drank in days. His body was weak and he knew it.
One of the men of the small village advanced on him and knocked him to the ground. He grunted in pain and turned his head towards the forest as he was pinned down. He saw Kirino standing there and he wished Kirino had the strength to turn around and leave, to not let his effort go to waste. He heard a faint 'I'll come back for you' before he saw Kirino disappear into the forest.
A small smile settled on his face, knowing that Kirino was safe he finally gave in. His body slumped in his captures' arms and a final kick to the head knocked him out cold.
When he woke up again he immediately noticed his hands had been tied to either side of his head and he was leaning against something made of wood. He slowly opened his eyes and carefully looked around, taking in his surroundings. The spots the holy water had stricken were now red and even though the burning had stopped it still hurt like hell.
As he looked around he knew his biggest fear had become reality. His hands had been bound to the ends of a large wooden cross along with his feet. All around him lay branches and pieces of wood, he started to panic as full realisation hit him.
He was going to be burned at the stake.
Sweat started to drip along the side of his face as a figure came to stand in front of him. Shindou looked up and saw the priest from before standing there with a thick book in his hands. The rest of the village starting to stand around him as the priest began to speak.
"You, a devil sent from hell, has been found guilty of the biggest of sins and have been given the death penalty. Any last words?"
Shindou just glared at the priest before the intense fear broke him and a wicked smile formed on his face as he let out a short laugh.
"See you in hell, my dear priest." He laughed harder at seeing the priest's rage filled face.
His laughter died down immediately though as one of the villagers handed the priest a burning piece of wood. He glared at the priest and received an evil laugh in return.
"Go back to where you came from devil!" He screamed as he threw the piece of wood at Shindou's feet.
The branches below him started to catch fire and this time instead of panic, he became calm. He knew he wouldn't survive this; sure he could keep the flames at bay with his ice for some time but considering the state he was in that would only last for a few minutes. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and concentrated at forming ice on the places where the flames touched his flesh.
He could feel the last remains of his energy run out as the flames became bigger and warmer. After some time the ice stopped forming and he knew he was done for.
He just laid his head back and let the past years go by in his mind, trying to ignore the burning pain. He thought of Kirino and a small smile crept on his face, he knew he was safe and that was all that mattered. He remembered how he had first met him in his human form, so beautiful, so pure and so vulnerable. How Kirino had had some troubles with the change, but had come out stronger and more beautiful than ever. He remembered how they had spent the last years, just loving each other, protecting each other, living in peace.
A sudden scream made him open his eyes. When he did he saw a scene in front of him he thought he would never see. Kirino was fighting with the villagers along with some more vampires. And was that...? No, it couldn't be! He was supposed to be dead!
He saw how Kirino rushed over to him but was stopped by the priest who stepped in his way. Kirino gave him the most rage filled look he had ever seen on that beautiful face but the priest did not butch.
"Don't mess with me human.." Kirino growled out.
Shindou saw how the priest slumped a little and thought he would step aside but instead in a last attempt the priest grabbed for a bowl of holy water and threw it at Kirino. Shindou tried to scream but he had to concentrate on staying conscious as the flames were still licking at his flesh and his energy running out further.
Kirino easily dodged the holy water and made quick work of the priest by slicing his throat with his bare nails, Shindou needed him more right now. the priest fell to the ground and Kirino rushed to Shindou once more.
Kirino quickly burned Shindou's restrains with his own fire, careful not to touch Shindou's flesh. Once Shindou was lose he collapsed in Kirino's arms and Kirino quickly pulled him out of the burning mess to lay him on the ground.
Shindou looked horrible. Besides the burn marks from the holy water new ones had started to form due to the flames, his skin looked even paler than usual, his eyes only half opened and dull. Kirino cradled Shindou in his arms and the rest of the vampires started to surround them as they had taken care of the rest of the village.
One vampire stepped forward and kneeled next to Kirino.
"Hey." He spoke softly to Shindou.
Shindou's eyes slowly turned to the vampire beside Kirino and tears started to form in his eyes.
"Tsurugi..? Is.. that you? I thought... that you were... dead." Shindou croaked out.
"Yes, it's me Shindou."
A single tear escaped from the corner of Shindou's eye and a small smile formed on his face. He turned back to Kirino and his smile doubled despite the immense pain that ran through his body.
"Ran.." He whispered.
"It's okay Takuto, I'm here. We have to give him some blood, quick!" Kirino yelled as tears of his own started to form in his eyes.
Tsurugi placed his hand on Kirino's shoulder successfully earning his attention.
"Wait, you're soulmates right?" He asked.
Kirino looked at him for a second but nodded anyway, wiping a tear away that had managed to slip down his cheek.
"Just as I thought, you should give him your blood."
"What?!" Kirino yelled in bewilderment.
"It'll give him more strength then human blood right now. To say it very quick: If he drinks human blood now his body will first have to work to make it useful. When he drinks your blood he won't have to do that, he'll be able to use it immediately, it also has a higher sustentation than human blood. And it has to be you because we can only drink the blood of our soulmate without succumbing. But you'll have to hurry, or he won't last!"
"O-okay," Kirino chocked out.
He looked at Shindou in his arms and saw his almost lifeless eyes. It was like a switch had flipped inside of him. Without hesitation Kirino made a cut in the side of his neck and positioned Shindou properly, making sure his lips touched the fresh blood that poured out of the wound.
In a reflex Shindou's mouth opened and he buried his fangs in Kirino's neck. Kirino flinched a little at the sudden intrusion but relaxed as he felt Shindou start to suck at his neck. Memories of that fateful day when Shindou had made him his for eternity flowing back. And he knew,
Everything was going to be fine.
