Part I – New World

One: Retrograde

"Your horse was saved.."

"Huh?" Maverick looked up then, having been looking at the ground as he had come with Hiro to the tall, wooden doors. They looked so strong, so tough to get through.

Hiro reached up to take into his pale hand the large ring that acted as the way to open the doors. How could he open it himself?

"That buckskin. He'll be alright. A little spooked, but he's fine. Akemi, right?" Hiro was watching Maverick then as the older brother had looked down to his cold hands.

"You know his name?" Maverick's head had shot up to look at Hiro, eyes of blue wide open with curious and a bit of fear. How had Hiro known?

"Yes. I do. No need to be fearful because of it. You'll know why in good time."

And pulling on the handle ring of the big door, it would yield to the man's strength, slowly opening to him and Maverick. And the boy was in shock at how this person in front of him could open such a heavy door.

Hiro had managed to open it enough for a person to slip inside, standing there, his head of dark hair turning to the human behind him. "Well..what are you staring for? Get in."

Maverick seemed to jump a bit at the words but nodded, moving to slip through. Hiro was right behind, using his foot to hold the door open so he could let go with his hand.

The entrance hall was enormous! Maverick had not seen something like this before. Columns of Corinthian styles leading to the ceiling from the floor were on either side of a red carpet leading in, a few doors on both walls of the sides of the hall. The ceiling was so large, spanning up so high, Maverick could hardly see the fine art details on it. Paintings of crosses and angels in the heavens had covered the ceiling. At the end of the hall, two staircases lead in opposite directions, leading up.

Maverick had never seen such a beautiful castle, too entranced by the paintings and the wealth that he wouldn't notice how empty and quiet it was inside. Nothing made a sound in the hall. Not even a mouse that may have managed to slip inside.

"It's not that much, really..being as old as it is," Hiro finally spoke, breaking the silence and taking off his heavy, black, outer coat. He still wore black underneath it all. It seemed to be his favorite color, his fair, very dark brown hair tones to match.

The older brother's eyes had come to look at that dark hair cascading down Hiro's back, so straight and smooth, shining in the hints of light presented by the candles along the walls. There was not a split end in Hiro's hair. Not even a frizzed out strand or curly stray hair. It was so perfect, reaching down close to his waist on his back.

Maverick found himself wishing to reach out and touch it, quickly drawing back his hand when he realized what he was doing.

Perhaps Hiro didn't notice, Maverick thought, seeing the other not appearing to react to it at all. But when Hiro turned to look, Maverick made sure to make it seem as if he wasn't doing anything at all, his hands behind his back, his face mostly cleared of emotion, except for the sadness of losing his only sibling, the only flesh and blood he had on this earth.

"Don't fear me now…" Hiro spoke, reaching out to lightly touch Maverick's cheek, and stopping as his cold and pale hand was only inches from the warm flesh of the older brother.

Both said nothing for a few moments, Maverick watching and completely lost at the other's beauty, Hiro seeming to be in the same state.

Just…what are you..?

"Come," Hiro spoke in one quick movement of his lips, the emotion of issuing a command within it, telling the other to follow him away from the entrance hall. "I figure you will..be staying awhile. You'll need a room."

Hiro took slow yet graceful steps along the red carpet, following it all the way to the stairs. Maverick was walking behind him, trying to keep up. Though Hiro's feet appeared to move slowly, Maverick found that he was taking longer strides just to keep the pace. And his movements were..beautiful like Hiro..

Hiro's blue jewels looked back at the other. Maverick's steps were normal, not graceful, but harsh in a sense.

What are you..?

A cool hand reached for the stair railing, lightly touching it, as if his fingers would crush or break the railing itself, or maybe cringe away from his hand. It moved up the railing as Hiro followed behind it, Maverick reaching out to grip the railing with a harsher manner, moving his arm out fast, his fingers gripping the stone tightly. Maverick's other hand brushed his hair of silver tresses back without a thought. Hiro's steps were quiet, soft, gentle, while Maverick's were louder, creating a soft thump even time his boots hit the red carpeted stairs.

The castle was enchanting, old and yet still in perfect condition. Maverick's eyes were moving constantly over the old architecture, surprised something this ancient would still be standing. Somehow, the place had almost perfect care maybe. Some kind of person was here taking very good care of it.

His fingers still gliding over the cold polished marble of the stairway railing, Hiro's foot stepped up one last time on the last carpeted stair, pulling the rest of his almost weightless body up on the second floor of the castle. "Your room…at the end of the hall.." he spoke, gesturing all that way down.

Maverick stepped up after him, looking down from seeing the high ceiling, the paintings on it. The hallway stretched so far! Framed works of art as well as statues adorned the walls, decorating as if they had stood for a millennia. The doors of his room were huge, not like the front ones but big still. He would probably barely be able to lift the things open to get inside his room. He was so lost in the beauty of the place, as if he had been shown into a palace itself.

"You like it?" Hiro spoke, looking down to the older brother with a bit of a smile on his face, blue eyes shining in the dimly light castle. "It's from..way back.."

"I'm..very surprised you could keep such a marvelous castle in such a perfect state, Hiro.." Maverick spoke, a rather big smile on his face, the first time he had smiled this night since his younger brother had been pried away from him in the clutches of a lycan.

"We..have our ways, dear Maverick. What matters is that it's still inhabitable."

"Inhabitable? Very much so!"
Hiro grinned then, pleased to hear that his home was appreciated.

Maverick had taken a few steps down the hallway, walking slow, not able to tear his eyes away from the many well-done paintings and sculptures along the walls. But some of the pictures were strange. They were of..creatures holding humans, their mouths at the human's necks, blood gliding down the naked flesh. "Vampires..?"

Hiro spoke not a word, urging Maverick on with a slight push of his shoulder. The older brother's eyes were forced away from the paintings.

His room was bigger than he had imagined. His bed was fit for a king, curtains lining its sides to give him privacy, some of the finest sheets and blankets of cotton and silk sitting all neatly placed on the soft mattress. His window in the room, the only window, was huge. Another window wouldn't even be needed. The glass was freshly cleaned, not a scratch or smudge on it, red curtains lining its sides, currently letting the light of the full moon inside his room. A wardrobe was to one wall, be enough to fit both his clothes and Gabriel's twice over. A cord hung on the side of it. When pulled, a bell rang, and surely a maid or servant would head up to ask what he needed. Truly, paradise.

"I take it you like it," Hiro spoke, standing in the doorway as Maverick moved about his large room, moving over to the wardrobe, pulling it open and seeing inside it. Empty, all for him.

"I love it..!" he spoke, about losing his head just saying the words.

But sadness would follow soon after, for his younger brother Gabriel would have loved such a place. Maverick's eyes of green fell to the soft, blue carpet on the floor, thinking of how the blonde-headed boy would have loved such a paradise, aside from the frightening pictures on the walls.

"Don't worry for Gabriel, Maverick. We can find him.." Hiro spoke reassuringly, wishing for the older brother to be happy here, not full of depression. "but for now..the night is growing old. You need rest as do I. Sleep, Maverick…"

Hiro smiled one last time to him, moving away and pulling the doors closed effortlessly behind him.

Maverick sat on his soft bed, softer than the ones that he and his brother had had at home. Bed at home was a scratchy cot.

"Gabriel.." he breathed, feeling the silk of the blankets beneath his chilled fingers, thinking of what may have happened to his brother. Hopefully..not death.

The older brother stood, tearing back the sheets and blankets of his bed, finding as many pillows as he could want sitting under the covers. Slipping off his boots that were caked with mud as well as his dirty pants and shirt, Maverick sat on the soft bed, slipping his legs under and lying himself down, his arm reaching to pull the covers over his cold form.

Sleep, Hiro had said. Indeed, he was tired. Tomorrow, he had to find Gabriel..his dearest brother, the only family he had left..

"Hiro! A human…a human of all things in this castle!"

"Be thankful it wasn't a lycan he fell for and brought inside."

"A human is no different than a lycan! Humans are merely food and nothing more than that! Food!"

"Dearest Tanrakuteki, Raku.. I understand your concern and…anger..as to the presence of a human, and that you would wish to rather..devour them instead of keep them around. But please..in this matter, I ask that you bear with Hiro. You have yet to understand. He's our leader. Respect him."

Maverick awoke, stirring under his blankets, silvery strands of hair about his face, feeling the warm sheets about his near nude form, letting out a small moan as noise reached his ears. It sounded like words, words about humans and anger. He was confused as to what was going on, drowsy and sleepy in the safety of his bed.

Two voices, and none of them belonged to the wondrous voice of dear Hiro, his comforting and wondrous voice, so kind and loving and friendly. Who were these people? And why were they displeased? What was this about a human where he didn't belong?

It didn't take long for Maverick to figure it out, suddenly tense in the soft, caressing sheets, shivering for a moment. He was the human they were talking about, he was the one that didn't belong.

"But he simply does not BELONG here! He needs to leave! No..it's much too late for that..I should go straight in there and skin my fangs right into the flesh of his neck!"

"Calm down, Raku. Anger will not help the situation. It will only aggravate the situation even more. Surely if you kill the human, there will be more that will come to find him. Surely, there are other humans that hold this boy dear..and if you kill him, Raku..if you kill him, other humans may come and discover this place. We may have the strength and immortality, but they have numbers."

"Can it, Lorgania! Can it! I don't care! His mind spoke to me in his sleep. He worries for only one person, and that would be his dear brother! He had no family, no relatives that will come and find him if he has been gone too long. You think I'm unaware of the risks when killing a human?"

The voices had names, they had personality. This apparent "Lorgania" was soft and kind as well, a deep but feminine voice. The name itself sounded female. This was likely to be a woman, Maverick concluded. But the other..? What of him? He was obviously a male, for he had the rash personality to go with it, that was for sure. This Raku was rash, acted on impulse. But what made the dear boy cower in his bed sheets was the fact that Raku wanted him dead. And what did he say? Skin his teeth into the flesh of his throat?

"Vampire…?"
The voices outside had stopped, no movement made. Maverick's had flew to his mouth, his blue eyes wide with surprise and fear. He had just spoken, said a word rather loudly, or at least loud enough for the voices outside to hear.

Ruffling was heard outside the door, and before the boy in the bed knew it, the door flew open so hard that it banged against the wall, shaking as it bounced back and slowed to a stop. A figure stood in the doorway.

He was a tall man, a figure with hair cascading over his neck and over parts of his shoulders, but his hair trailed down no further than that. It was a dark river flowing over his eyes, a hand rising to clear the black strands away to reveal the deep brown hues that lurked beneath and watched Maverick in his bed. He wore a black cloak, making his dark hair all the more lustrous and beautiful. His skin was pale but perfect, much like Hiro. But in comparison to Hiro, this man was short and much more firm in his expression. Anger was written all over his face, his hands hidden inside the cloak.

"What did you say..pitiful human..?" the man breathed, the man likely to be known as Raku.

"…"

Maverick was unable to get his mouth to move. Fear had his body frozen where he sat up in the soft sheets over his lower chest and covering the rest of his body.

"I asked you a question.." Raku ordered, his hands appearing at last, folding over one another, the cloak falling back to reveal that they were strong and muscled, but his wrists were small, the bone within visible.

"I, uh…"

Maverick still could say nothing. He was locked in place, the key swallowed.

"Raku..leave the boy as Hiro asked now. Leave him alone."

Lorgania was behind Raku, a stern look on her face, her voice soft but firm to the other male that had threatened Maverick. "Leave him, I said, Raku."

Lorgania was beautiful, one of the most gorgeous women that Maverick had ever laid his eyes on. She was thin, a perfect model if she had been in the real world, the large cities. She would have been famous in an instant. She had eyes like sapphires, glowing in the darkened room. Maverick could see them clearly. Her body was clothed in a cloak as well, one of dark blue hues, beautifully shaped over her body. Her breasts were full under it, adding more to her shape, her hips perfectly curved, legs long.

'I don't fear Hiro," Raku spat, moving his head as if he were to spit on the floor itself, his face peering back at the woman, the expression on his face changing to one that said something like, "Piss off."

Lorgania stood but Raku fell back.

Maverick jumped when Raku's muscled body hit the floor with such force, creating a loud thump on the carpeted ground.

"You…bitch…Why do you take his side!?"

Confused and fearful at the same time, Maverick could only star as Raku moved a hand gracefully to his face to touch his redden cheek. The male in the bed could only conclude that Lorgania had struck him. But he had missed the movement of her hand making contact with the side of Raku's face. The silver-haired boy blinked. What had happened?
"I take Hiro's side because he leads us, and we shouldn't question what he says," Lorgania said calmly, folding her own arms. They were thin and smooth, not a wrinkle about them, even the fingers as they curled around the flesh of her own arm.

"You take his side, because you love him!" Raku said quietly but forcefully, turning his head away a bit but still angry.

"You will leave him, Raku. Or I will have you exiled, or worse.. You're no better than the lycans you despise."

Raku scowled further, the anger twisting his face. The man got to his feet, his hand pushing him up with such grace, grace that Hiro had, but it wasn't nearly as pretty to watch.

All this time, Maverick had lied there, motionless in his bed, scare out of his wits.

Raku left, moving down the hallway and disappearing. Only Lorgania remained.

"Come, boy. Hiro awaits you. You must be hungry.."
She sounded nice enough, Maverick thought, his eyes of blue, frightened colors watching her. He didn't move.

"Please.." Lorgania said, her face holding sympathy for the boy. She must have known that he had been scared out of his wits from Raku's assault.

Maverick didn't move for one more moment, finally scooting himself over the soft sheets caressing his body, his hands moving him to the edge of the bed. His clothes were about the floor. Lorgania had watched him move all the while.

"And please dress into something more fitting. Check the wardrobe."

She turned to go slowly and with pretty gestures, much better than Raku's but still not in comparison to Hiro's. His arms had unfolded themselves, her fingers reaching and curling around the doorknob, gently pulling the door shut.

Maverick had frozen to watch it all.

Check the wardrobe? Well, he would do as he was asked to do, having picked up his pants, but he let them fall to the floor again. Those clothes were all sweat from the ride and flight from the lycan attack anyway. They smelled.

Opening the wardrobe door, he found his mouth fall open at what he saw. Clothes of such expensive and wonderful attire, ranging from velvet red coats to silken shirts and pants. They must have been so expensive! His hands tightly gripped the handles of the doors and he studied each piece of clothing. There were wonder silk blouses, Yukatas with many patterns and designs, cloaks like the ones that Raku and Lorgania had chosen, and wondrous velvet outfits to put together. Such luxury!

Maverick had never known such wealth.

His fingers uncurled from one of the handles of the door, reaching out to take a plain silver silk blouse, grabbing the hanger. Taking it out, his other hand let go of the wardrobe door to feel the wonderful material. How nice, how soft it would be against his skin. Maverick almost shivered with delight.

Forgetting completely about the death threat he had received only moments again, the boy with silvery, rich hair reached for more, finding matching pants to his outfit he was beginning to put together, dropping the silk blouse on the bed with a pair of pants made of black cotton. He chose a smaller jacket than the cloaks. The cloaks of velvet wouldn't have fit, being much too big for him.

So, slipping on the shirt without a moment's waste, the boy felt the relief of such soft material again his tender and dirty flesh. He had never thought that such clothes could provide such comfort. Wearing the blouse now, his blue eyes looked to the dirty clothes that he had left on the floor. So itchy and uncomfortable they had been, now that he had thought about it. So bad and terrible. But they had been the only clothes that he had been able to afford.

His feet thumped quietly on the steps, shielded in the black boots he had chosen. The leather material didn't make much of a sound on the marble floor. He had chosen to wear the cotton pants and blouse along with a jean jacket. So comfortable, the clothes were to him, so nice…

"There you are, dear!"
Maverick about fell off the stairs when such a voice found his ears and screamed within them. Holding the railing as if it was his lifeline and he was about to die, his head turned slowly, finding Lorgania at the bottom of the steps.

"You took slow long to change, I was worried," he said, a friendly gleam in her eyes of sapphire. "Come now, Hiro is waiting at the dinner table."
She turned to go, the cloak about her wonderful shoulders trailing behind her. Maverick had a feeling of hesitation again. Should he go? Of course, he should go! He was going to meet Hiro again, the most beautiful of the three figures in the castle that he had seen! He could just imagine the fine blonde hair down Hiro's prefect body, so soft to the touch, the glorious eyes..

"Are you coming or not, now?"
Maverick found himself snapped away from the great daydream, seeing Lorgania turning back and looking at him. The male swallowed and nodded, loosening his grip on the railing and making his way down.

Lorgania had led him through corridors of the castle that were both long and short, many rooms along the way. Maverick had looked at each one, seeing the doors to them often closed. Candles had decorated the hallways, lit and held by gothic holders along the walls. Statues and paintings helped make the walls more interesting. Images of angels and demons filled the canvases.

With one painting, Maverick had stopped to look. Lorgania had noticed and stopped, looking back at him with her glowing features.

Maverick was looking at a rather large painting. The sky in it was dark and full of ominous clouds, lightening snapping and lashing out. Maverick could almost hear the thunder of the night. Figures of beautiful men filled the painting, beautiful men like Hiro. They were fierce but so pretty at the same time. They were attack what appeared to be a village. Common men and women were running with their mouths open wide as if to be screaming in terror. The gorgeous men were chasing them, a few of them had some of their victims in their grasp.

Maverick shivered. The few that had victims in their arms…had their faces to their necks. Even one had a trickle of blood rushing down the side of the screaming woman's face. Vampires…!
"Boy..?"

Shaking awake from the terrible nightmare of the painting, he turned fast, as if paranoid. "I..I'm sorry..I.."
"No need.." Lorgania said, waving her hand, pausing a moment. Her glistening eyes caught the painting as she stood in silence. "I do hope…you do not suffer such a fate.."

She turned away so fast that Maverick didn't catch it. One moment, she had been by his side looking at the painting, and the next, she was continuing down the hallway.

Maverick trotted after her after realizing she was going on without him if he liked it or not.

She brought him at last to a large room, one with a burning fire place and a ceiling like a dome. The ceiling itself was glass, allowing a view of the stars to be seen. A deep red glow in the sky told Maverick that the sun had gone down not long ago. Had he slept from night to night? He had slept all through the day? The table was set for many people, the dishes and plates having gold colors about them. Such fine china..! The forks reflected perfectly the light of the fire burning fiercely. Food adorned the table, many plates and bowls of gourmet cooked food. It smelled delicious, the scent of perfectly cooked chicken, beef, and even turkey with all the fixings, mashed potatoes, gravy and anything else that he could think of. It was a feast for a king.

"Ah, Maverick.."

The silver haired boy's cheeks reddened in an instant. At the end of the long table in front of the gold covered fireplace was Hiro, sitting at the end as he was that kingMaverick's heart nearly lept with joy at Hiro's presence.

Lorgania gesture for him to sit. Maverick did so eagerly, sitting at the other end of the table. The table managed to be just short enough so they would be able to talk across it.

The boy didn't move, only watching Hiro.

Hiro was dressed in red velvet, black clothes worn underneath. His hair was perfectly straight, running down his back, a few strands over his shoulders and down his front. His figure was resting against the table, his elbows on it on either side of his plate with his hands folded together in front of his perfect face.

Both were sitting in silence for a long time. Lorgania had gone somewhere, but Maverick didn't care one bit.

"Please, eat," Hiro's gentle voice rang softly and so loving, almost as if the waves of the man's voice lovingly caressed Maverick's ears.

Having forgotten about the many choices of food he could have that were placed in front of him, he looked away from the glorious male in front of him to the many meat choices. Taking his fork, the tongs of it found the turkey that wasn't too far from him, already sliced and read to be consumed. Took three pieces of that. Next, his spoon discovered the corn in a huge bowl on his other side, digging within it and taking three spoonfuls of it. And it next found the mashed potatoes, the boy having to get out of his seat and reach for those. His plate was over flowing with gourmet food. Gravy was poured all over everything on his plate, the middle of his potatoes like a swimming pool of hot fat. Meals at home were small and never this exquisite.

All the while, Hiro watched him serve himself. His hands didn't move one bit to take anything for himself. His green eyes only watched as Maverick indulged himself in such fine cuisine, shoving the mashed potatoes in his mouth first.

Lorgania reappeared. She was carrying two wine bottles. Holding them in front of Maverick, she nearly startled the boy until he choked, swallowing the hot potatoes.

"Which…?" she asked, holding in one arm a Merlot wine. In the other, there was a Riesling. Both were aged to perfection. Maverick chose the white wine. He was barely even old enough to drink, and they were offering him wine!

Lorgania poured the white wine into the glass that was already set there.

"So Maverick.." Hiro began, sounded as if he was trying to make conversation, "..you are enjoying the food?"
"'Ery mush!" His mouth was full when he had said such words in a muffled voice, having cleaned the last of the potatoes from his plate and moving to the corn. He was saving the best for last. Swallowing the potatoes, he spoke before shoving the vegetables into his wanting mouth. "I've..never had such a fine meal!"
"I'm glad.." Hiro smiled kindly, watching the boy take his spoon and force great spoonfuls into his mouth. "I'm glad you're here to enjoy it. We have all this food and I feared it was going to go to such waste. Not many are here to enjoy it."
Go to waste? That was no problem with Maverick. He could eat it all if his stomach and thin body could allow.

"I heard you met Lorgania and Raku," Hiro continued.

Maverick swallowed the corn dowsed in hot gravy to speak. "Yes…Raku..seemed rather angry-"

"Don't mind him," Hiro cut off. "I'll deal with him accordingly. You should worry not. You're in a safe place."

Maverick nodded once, hearing every word of Hiro's beautifully spoken words. The pretty male's voice was music to his ears.

And at last, he finished the corn, moving onto the turkey, cutting it fast with his knife he had there, shoving it in quickly, almost choking.

"Slow down, Maverick. I wouldn't want you to choke."
Gasping once, he managed to swallow such a big piece, remember to cut the meat into smaller bits next time. His fingers put down the knife and reached for the wine glass, taking a swig of it to cool down his mouth and clear his throat.

"How is the wine?"

"It's very good," Maverick said, smiling as he put the glass down and reached for his fork once again.

"Good. It's aged at least one hundred years. None of us can really have it. It was just collecting dust in the wine cellar down in the lower parts of the castle."
None of them could have wine? Why would that be, Maverick wondered. But the thought didn't linger. His focus was on the man before him and the delicious food he had provided.

The last piece of turkey was at least shoved in his mouth and swallowed. The boy had never felt so full.

Maverick leaned back in his chair, a hand to his chest. I ate too much, he thought.

Hiro seemed to understand. "Perhaps you should rest..?" he spoke kindly, his expression having a sympathetic look on it.

"That may…be a good idea.." he said.

Before Maverick knew it, Hiro had left his chair at the opposite end of the table and was now beside him, looking down lovingly. Maverick had jumped in surprise. He had done that a lot around here.

"Here.." Hiro whispered, leaning forward, his long blonde tresses falling forward as his hands reached out from under the clean velvet, taking the boy's body in his arms. Before he knew it, he was being lifted out of the chair. One of Hiro's arms rested under his upper back, the other underneath his knees. Wasn't he heavy to Hiro?

But the man carried Maverick almost effortlessly, leaving the obvious dining hall and heading down the hallway to another glass ceiling room. This room had the most elegant rugs on the floor, the best furniture that he had ever seen. Full of leather, the grandest leather that the cattle could produce and money could by, Maverick lied down gently on a couch, Hiro's tender and soft loving hands leaving him there. He didn't move once his body was resting on the cushions, too full to move really. A hand rested on his chest, his blue eyes focused on the beauty before him though they were only half open, watching Hiro.

"Rest now.." Hiro's soft and quiet voice ordered, his hand running to brush the other's cheek. Maverick winced. Hiro's hand was so cold! How could anyone's fingers be so chilling?
"Think not on how cold I am. Just sleep off what you ate, Maverick."
A blanket was drawn up from under the cushions of the couch, Hiro's chilling hands holding it tightly as he pulled, careful to not move Maverick, care to not disturb his body. The boy slept when his body was covered, full of food and happy, his brother's peril in the back of his mind for the first time in a long time since the attack..

Maverick was sleeping soundly, but he was stirring from under the blanket's warmth and softness, lying on his side now as he was beginning to awaken. The feast had put him under a spell and must have had him sleep for hours.

The boy's soft blue eyes opened, his body not moving except for the small rising and falling of his chest, breathing in and out.

His first thought was of Hiro. Where was the blonde haired beauty? Where had he gone? The male couldn't see his tall and elegant form anywhere in the large room.

The room was still dark, Maverick almost panicking but remembering that this was Hiro's palace. Nothing could bring harm to him here.

Having raised his head to look around from the gorgeous male wonder, Maverick let it sink back down, his eyes falling closed once more.

Another thought hit him. What time was it?

His eyes shot open again, looking out the large windows in the room, out to the east. A soft glow of purple was forming. Was it near dawn? It must have been.

Maverick figured a bit more sleep wouldn't be a bad idea. In the morning, the saving daylight of the rising sun, he would go, take his horse and search for his brother…Gabriel…please be safe, dear brother..

"Your brother is anything but safe. And you should be worrying for yourself!"

Maverick was surprised. Something had spoken, a voice, and it wasn't Hiro's at all. It didn't have the soft tones that massaged his ears, the caring tones that made him feel warm and safe. No. This voice brought a twinge of fear sinking down his spine, shivering a little under the warm blanket.

"You heard me, little wench. Little human..!"

A sharp pain slashed across Maverick's chest, the boy crying out in pain. It was in his chest, the pain sinking in and a warm kind of wet feeling spreading out from it to the rest of his chest. Blood…he was hurt!
He sat up quickly but winced, shoving the blanket back to see it. The blotch of red on the blouse he had chosen to wear hours ago. And sitting on the other armrest of the couch where his feet rested was dear Raku, a grin on his face, his hand covered in blood. He had done it?

Maverick realized at once was Raku was planning. His life..was indeed in danger!

Struggling to his feet, the male was hurting badly, finding it hard to stand. As soon as his feet had moved to reach the cold marble floors, the boy fell, crying out again, a hand rising to his chest, his hand being soaked in his own red river that poured from the fresh wound.

Raku stood. Maverick tried to move back and away from him, his one free arm that was clean still of his blood not succeeding as well as he needed. Raku's close steps came closer and closer.

"You'll die for me tonight, human. You'll die to feed me, a vampire. A true vampire!"
Raku moved quickly forward, next to Maverick in an instant. How did he do that! One moment he had been standing in front of the boy, watching him cower in fear and clench his wound, and now he was next to him, on his left side, smiling so big that Maverick saw it, those wolf-like teeth that shouldn't be there. They were long, over his teeth on the bottom, pearly white and cleaned perfectly of possible stains.

Maverick couldn't move. He felt paralyzed with fear, tears forming in his eyes. He was going to die..and there wasn't a thing that he could do to stop it. He would die tonight, and he would never see his dear brother Gabriel again.

More pain surged, but this time, it was through his neck. Maverick's blue eyes flew shut, tightly together as he cried out, feeling Raku's perfect white teeth pierce his neck as if it was nothing, and the first gush of blood not run over his skin but be sucked up into the other's mouth, flowing over Raku's lips.

The boy fell limp, Raku's arm rushing around to hold Maverick's back as he couldn't move while the vampire drew out his blood, savored it, and enjoyed it so. It felt like hours and hours that the both of them had been there, the vampire at his throat drawing out his life energy with every breath he breathed, with every beat of his slowing heart. I'm gonna die..he thought, his opening, seeing the dawn that was coming, the eastern horizon now a faded orange glow. An hour until sunrise.

Pain once again flooded his body, Maverick feeling the man that had found the blood within his neck being tossed aside, his teeth leaving his throat. He winced and gasped in pain. Raku had been hurt, thrown away from his weakened body. How?

The vampire that had been drinking from its victim was glaring at a figure in from of Maverick. The figure was clothed in red velvet, elegant, and beautiful, blonde tresses streaming down his body. Hiro!
"Raku, you insolent fool!"

Hiro moved with such agility, the hurt boy on the floor didn't see him move at all. But a shriek of pain behind him told him that Raku had been struck again by his savior Hiro. Hiro has come to save me, save me from the devil..

But he was still bleeding, still hurt, and the life was leaving him fast. He had lost too much blood to live on.

Hiro was by his side after punishing Raku for his foul deeds for hurting Hiro's treasure. "Maverick.." he said, his voice urgent but still gentle to the other's dying ears. "Please now..keep your heart beating strong, will yourself to live through this."

Maverick's senses were blurry. His eyes sight was doing him no good, his hearing giving him words that sounded as if cotton balls were in his ears.

"Keep living, Maverick.." Hiro pleaded, his hand resting over Maverick's wound on his chest. It was deep..

"He can't live, Hiro. He can't. I've taken more than enough for him to die. Your precious..treasure..will die, whether you can stop it or not," the hurting vampire Raku said, almost as if he was grinning that he had succeeded in putting Maverick in a fatal position.

I'll die.. he thought. So this really was it.

Hiro had said nothing for the moment, his hand dirtied in red from the wound on Maverick's torso, his other chilled one coming to Maverick's face. His fingers didn't feel as cold as they had before. Maverick's heart was faint.

"Get out, Raku. If I see your face ever again in my castle..death will come on swift wings. I send you into exile!"

Hiro had ordered the vampire that had hurt the boy in his arms to leave and never come back. Anger ringed through Hiro's voice for the first time since he had first found Maverick outside his castle.

"Go!" he ordered again. There was the noise of scrambling, and then the noise of feet moving and fading. Raku had gone..

Maverick was gasping for air, coughing a bit, blood running over his own lips now. His body was running cold, shivering a little as it clung to life.

Hiro raised his clean hand to his lips, the soft flesh drawing back to reveal his own elegant wolf-like fangs, the teeth sinking into the flesh of his own wrist. Blood flow freely from the new wound.

"Here, Maverick.." he said softly, moving his wounded wrist slowly to the dying boy's mouth. "Drink from it. It will…give back the life that Raku stole from you. It will give you..life forever.."
Drops of blood found the boy's mouth. Maverick turned away.

"Please, Maverick. Drink and live..drink and live forever."

Forever…?

Hiro's hurting wrist found Maverick's mouth, the injured male's lips locking around the wound. The blonde beauty's blood flowed like a newborn river into his mouth and down his cold throat, warming his chilled body.

Ecstasy flooded his shivering and pained form. Maverick drank down the blood as if he was a child to his mother's milk giving breast. The blood had throbbing life, spreading it out inside the boy's body. Nothing had ever tasted so good. The blood was thick and warm, soft on his tongue and sweet. He had never tasted such a thing. It was complete pleasure for the dying boy in Hiro's arms. His heart would beat with new life. The pain from his wound would begin to leave him, the injury on his neck leaving as he swallowed the red river.

But the blood fountain was torn away from where his lips could draw it out and drink. Hiro moved away from the boy, leaving him on the ground. "Come now, Maverick…come now and show me you have the strength to gain more of it. Show me you have the will to live.."
Maverick's tongue licked his blood soaked lips, his body sprawled out on the ground, hearing Hiro's words with clearing ears. His senses were coming back to life, almost as clear as they had been the day he had been born.

"Come, Maverick. Come drink once again," Hiro softly ordered again, holding out to Maverick his wrist.

The boy rolled from his back to his front, his arms shivering as he tried to get his muscles to hold his body up. He cared not about the pain that was still there. All he wanted was the blood, the pleasurable and the ecstasy that was Hiro's blood. It had him like a zombie.

Crawling slowly, Maverick's body wanted nothing more than to rest and lie on the floor, but his will wanted it to keep moving, his feet drawing on the marble floor beneath him to reach Hiro. His hand grabbed the wrist and pressed the open flesh to his hungry lips once again.

The blood came again, that pleasure of being born again, that satisfaction of sating the hunger he was developing. But just as Hiro had moved away from him before, he did it again, earlier this time that before.

"Come again, Maverick," Hiro said, a soft smile on his lip as both hands were hidden in the safety of his red cloak. "Come to me to live.."
Maverick would will his body on all fours again, gasping for more, moaning as if he was in pain and needed the blood to make it all go away, reaching for the nearest arm when he found Hiro's chilled body again. But when he brought the male's wrist to his lips, there was no broken skin.

"Bite hard, Maverick."
The small boy's teeth had already begun to grow. He hadn't realized it until now. He did as Hiro asked, biting down and feeling that first bubble of blood shoot into his mouth. The blood of life, spilled down his throat, came down to his chest. Pain was no longer flooding through his body there.

Hiro pulled away for the last time, leaving Maverick on the floor, the entrancing male holding his pierced wrist. "That should be enough, my Maverick.. You will live..now.."