Darkness Demon Rose

by Devil's Demon Bird

Cloud, the youngest vampire in history, tries to make his way through life while emotionally broken and lonely. What happens to him when the Hunter Zack captures him and wants to know things Cloud doesn't know about? Zack/Cloud, onesided Sephiroth/Cloud

2. What Lies In Darkness

Important Notice:In this chapter and all the ones following I will discuss the soul, heart and different views on vampires. I won't follow the common view most of the times and will most likely 'kill' some of the views in this story. This does not mean that I think they're wrong nor ridiculous; I merely do it because it fits this story and the characters. I'm not trying to offend any beliefs or ridicule them, so please no rude comments about things like that. This is merely a story. It's simple. Just wanted to make that clear, now much love and I'll hope you'll enjoy the story!

The Chapter: Another Re-written version. Again, there are no major changes. Some descriptions have been rewritten to flow better, some thoughts have been changed to, perhaps sound a bit more "logical" and some minor plot changes might occur. All to get a better overall feeling about the chapter and the story.

Darkness Demon Rose

Chapter Two: What Lies In Darkness

Life Can Never Become What You Want It To Be If You Don't Try Making It So

A tall figure stood silently in the darkness; hard green eyes gleaming in the little light alive in the one and only room of the small cottage. At a first glance the vampire looked cold and uncaring where he stood positioned, but the truth of his emotions could be seen if one looked long enough at his stern face. Beyond the handsome and strong features directed at the world lay a caring persona deeper than the mysteries of the world. It was strong, raw and radiating, but only for one person he deemed worthy of having it. That person, whom had earned himself that special and rare affection, was currently sleeping on the one and only bed.

Sephiroth sighed tiredly, the tension he had been under finally losing its grip on him. Cloud was out of danger now, thankfully. The boy was still weak and unconscious, but the immediate danger was no more. Honestly, Sephiroth had expected the young one to recover more effectively then he had, since their bloodline was out of the ordinary even for strong vampires. But he guessed he shouldn't have had really, considering the fact that Cloud was what he was. No matter what blood he possessed it couldn't quite over-run the fact that the blond was way too young in a bodily aspect. Still, their bloodline helped making Cloud somewhat stronger than he would have been otherwise, something that was most needed for the other's survival.

Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, the silver haired vampire then looked his beloved over, making sure he was healing alright. To his mild frustration, the silver powder was still causing the open wounds to heal slowly, the forsaken metal glittering innocently at him as he glared at it. He had tried his best to clear the blond vampire's blood from it, but to totally clean it was impossible. Not even his own blood had been able to help healing it fully, but sadly that was to be expected. Metal cursing through your blood would have been dangerous to the point of being deadly for anyone – every creature. Of course Cloud was more affected by it than others because of his state, but none the less, metal was always bad.

While running long, slender fingers through the tempting blond spikes of the other, Sephiroth couldn't help but marvel at their softness. He could spend hours just running them through Cloud's tresses of hair while the other slept, telling himself he was the luckiest creature on the planet in those moments. Of course he hadn't revealed that habit of his to Cloud, since it would only cause the other to feel embarrassed and yell at him. The blond did know he liked to do it, but not that he did it during the hours of the night as well.

As he softly continued his petting, the boy suddenly gave a pained groan as his body shifted, eyelids constricting in pain where he lay. At this, Sephiroth began to gently move his hand in comforting circles over the flat stomach, trying to ease the other's body a little. The action seemed to have effect and Cloud fell still again with a soft sigh, much to Sephiroth's own liking. Sleep was good for the blond at this moment, since it allowed his wounds to heal up some more without him being aware of the pain in the same way as if he had been awake.

So wanting to make sure the young vampire stayed in the comforting place of dream and rest, the silver haired vampire continued his gentle motions while he let his feelings of affection run through every slow movement he made. It was almost relaxing for him as well, sitting like this with Cloud beside him and feel the slender and nicely muscled figure of the other under the fabric of his shirt.

Night certainly was a good thing, Sephiroth told himself as he felt a small smile creep over his lips. The darkness kept sides of him like this one hidden to the rest of the world, which was to his preference. It was not because he didn't like his more gentle sides, but rather that it would be dangerous for the rest to know since other strong vampires might use it against him. They already were actually, since it was impossible for him to keep his overprotective streak for Cloud hidden. Every vampire already knew the blond was special to him, but it was still unnecessary to let them know what else the young one had awoken in him. That in itself would be dangerous to them both, since their bloodline could not keep them safe from every threat the world and life itself threw at them.

Feeling oddly insecure all of a sudden, Sephiroth gently laid a hand over Cloud's heart, almost as if to reassure himself that Cloud really was alive - Was real. That this was not just a pleasant dream he was having, an illusion his mind had conjured up for his own wellbeing. Of course he knew he was acting silly, but the thought of Cloud not being with him sent his emotions shaking. The boy was his weakness, his sanity, and no matter how cold he might be otherwise, this young vampire was what kept him together. Losing Cloud was something he would never be able to handle, nor allow... So even the small things like feeling the other's heartbeats in moments like this set him in a gentle ease, calming his nerves. At this moment they were slightly unsteady but determined, telling of how much the other fought to stay alive.

How long had it actually been since it had last surfaced - the feeling of affection stirring to life from its slumber in his cold and frozen heart? It must have been fifteen years now... yes, something like that.

He had entered a village to find himself a late night snack, but instead he had found his source of food burning in huge flames with fading screams as their lives flickered and left the living. Surprised and intrigued, he had ended up positioned on the side, unconsciously admiring the enchanting flames burning strongly before him while guessing there was no food left for him to get there. He had stood there for a while, marvelling at the beauty of burning humans moving desperately before him before they collapsed and died; their lives no stronger or harder to end than a burning candle. Then, just when he was getting bored and was about to leave, something had tugged at his pants. Looking down, he had been met by the sight of a seriously injured and bleeding boy that seemed to be no more than seventeen years old. Tears had been flowing from hazed and half closed eyes, but what had really caught his attention was the mixture of feelings swimming in the deep pools of blue. They were screaming for an end to this life and torture, but they also held an intense gleam of desperation to stay alive, almost as if the boy himself was unaware of his inner conflict about life.

Normally Sephiroth wouldn't have cared how his meal looked like and would just have killed it without giving it a second thought about if it was a child, woman or man. But it was something in the boy's eyes that drew him in - enchanted him. He had found himself unable to look away from the blue orbs below him and before he knew it, something had struck his heart - or perhaps his essence - and awoken it. In a wave, feelings of affection, protection and a slight feeling of loss assaulted his mind and body, the man finding himself wanting nothing else than to just protect the boy from the cruel world. To be able to wipe away that lost and shattered look in the deep blue eyes of the other that screamed for the end, yet shone with such a desire to keep struggling. Wanting nothing else than to forever have the boy by his side, to have appreciation and a craving for protection needed from him for forever. To just let his heart and soul live once more, beating for another being as it was doing for him in return.

And so without much contemplation, Sephiroth had turned the boy while loving the taste of the other's blood. But what had probably done the most impact on him were the feelings flowing through him while he had drunk from the other, the feelings awakening him and his slumbering, emotional self. That; he would never forget - could not forget -...

It was all thanks to Cloud that he wasn't a cruel vampire. Well, not entirely anyway, no one was perfect. He still didn't really care for his victims or other beings, but for Cloud his feelings were almost overflowing. Fascinating how one single being could change him so, yet... perhaps it wasn't that shocking...

Vampires, like any other creature on this very planet, had what was preferred to be called a heart and a soul. They weren't cruel beasts killing for enjoyment nor pleasure since their human side was still very much alive within them. But since vampires were usually loners by nature, they would end up having to face an eternity alone. They would also have to constantly kill humans for survival since humans had a soul barrier that prevented vampires to draw the necessary energy from their essence without killing them.

Now, one would think that if they hated to kill when newly turned, they would chose death - but Mother Nature wouldn't let them have it that easy. Instead of having vampires chose death in their new state, 'she' gave them three stages of blood loss to keep them alive as much as possible. This would prevent their kind from becoming extinct and help turn the vampires into how they usually are – cold. 'She' made sure the stages involved force-feeding and pain, making it almost impossible for the vampires to not feed even if they tried to resist it as much as they could. And along with this, vampires chose to grow cold, because their human side and emotions forced them to grow cold in order to be able to handle the constant killing of an equal – of what they once were and loved. So in an attempt to escape the pain, vampires pushed their compassion and empathy deeper down inside of them. This, as time passed, would cause everything to slowly be locked away or forgotten in an attempt for the vampires to escape their guilt and hate for their own kind. So it wasn't some cruel beast inside vampires that caused them to kill - it was their humanity and emotions inside driving them to kill their human side. It was a natural development for any vampire; no being would be able to bear to live the life of one otherwise. That was the reason for why vampires were called 'cruel and heartless'. As far as Sephiroth knew, some souls even deteriorated with time if they lived for too long or if they were too weak, though no one could confirm it.

Legend had it though, that vampires could somehow regain their emotions – But no one knew how...

That was what made Cloud such an enigma. How the young vampire had been able to sustain all of his emotions and humanity while living as an extremely early turned vampire was a mystery. Though what made him special was also what made him more unstable, his mind pure but body tainted. He was like an angel trapped in a devil's body with no way to escape, just like the sad fairy-tales circling the surface of the world... That his body had survived being turned at such a young age was also a mystery since a body that was still growing never could handle the transformation...

In fact, the blond was like a living legend among the vampires with his 'young human soul', but also hated and viewed as weak because of the very same reason. Vampires were proud creatures and even though Cloud was very special, it was actually the fact that the young vampire was one created by Sephiroth that kept him alive, because the silver haired vampire was widely famous and respected because of the blood flowing through him. But their bloodline could undoubtedly not protect the blond from every threat...

Lying down beside the other softly, Sephiroth then pulled the small boy into a close hug in a moment of lost self control. He just wanted to feel that body heat of the other touch and envelope him, caressing his mind and body as he offered protection. And to his uncharacteristically delight, Cloud nuzzled into the embrace and gave a sound of approval before he became still again.

Sighing into the blond spikes, Sephiroth came to realize just how addicted he really was to Cloud. And it wasn't just the body or the way he had awoken feelings inside of him that had earned the boy his love – it was also the other's mentality and way of behaving as well.

Usually a person's way of acting and behaving changes with the experiences life brings, forming what one calls a 'grown up'. But Cloud didn't seem to apply to that either, instead acting and behaving like he had always done – like a young and lost seventeen year old. It didn't matter what fell upon him or crossed his life, he just stayed the same as the day he was turned. Maybe it was because he thought he might lose his humanity if he did, or perhaps it had its roots in Cloud's desire to remain himself - not wanting to risk losing what he thought was "himself"? No matter what it was he could almost dare to bet on that Cloud would remain that way... and Sephiroth was most happy with that. It was extremely refreshing with someone like the blond around with a sometimes childish and silly persona and he had to admit he sometimes wondered if he had become obsessed with it...

Of course Cloud was far from a happy and cheerful being. Mostly he would be depressed or feeling low-spirited, silently suffering from his own inner demons and feelings. Sometimes he even took it out on Sephiroth when he felt himself burst from the overload of guilt inside, being unable to keep it locked up anymore. But the silver haired could take that, because the few times Cloud actually smiled or joked made it all worth it. They were his treasured gems and he would not trade them for anything, because no matter how bad everything seemed, they would make it through it, together. He would never let go of the light he now had beside him...

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"Zack, how good to see you! How long has it been?" Aerith said happily as she gave her brother a tight hug, overjoyed to see him again at last and knowing he was alright.

The black haired male grinned widely where he stood outside the front door before he hugged her back with equal enthusiasm.

"All too long. You alright?" he wondered, looking at her as they walked inside her small house. It was very cosy, though it gave off a strange odour from all the various herbs and items the girl had. Somehow Zack had never fully gotten used to the odd smells, but they were still something he always associated with his sister. In fact, he associated them so strongly with his sister that he would probably start questioning himself if it was actually Aerith's house if he couldn't smell them in there. Then of course, she would never probably lose that smell, since being a witch demanded a lot of natural spices, fresh herbs and closeness to the nature. He guessed that was one of the reasons for Aerith moving here in the first place, now when he thought about it...

She nodded as an answer to his question and pushed forth a chair for him to sit in while she went to make some tea.

"That's a relief. I thought I'd die of a heart attack on my way here, not knowing how you were." Zack said dramatically, causing his sister to laugh softly and shake her head.

"I doubt that, mister. It takes a lot to make you worry that much!" Aerith commented, making Zack pout at her. Why did his sister always have to make fun of his affection?

"You make it sound like I don't care for you. Thanks for that! You know I worry for you all the time." He answered with the pout still adorning his face while he crossed his arms almost childishly.

Aerith giggled softly, hiding it behind a gentle hand. She knew her brother too well.

"You're so easy to tease, Zack. I know you care, though sometimes a little too much - and not just for me... Speaking of which – I've always wondered why you ever became a hunter..." she said in thought as she placed the cups on the table before she sat down across from him.

Zack laughed at that and scratched the back of his head.

"You know, sometimes I wonder about that myself! But on to other subjects - I never thought things were this bad here. Why didn't you call me? I would have fixed a better place for you!"

She smiled sweetly behind her cup, peering over at him.

"I didn't want to bother you as I know how our family is. I'm sure they would have said or done something if they found out you have been speaking to me. It really is too bad we have to meet again under these circumstances, though, when we finally meet again. On another note – even if I had wanted to contact you, it wouldn't have been that easy, something I'm sure you'll discover for yourself once you've taken a walk around here. This place is, bluntly, like an island far away at sea..."

Zack gave a sigh at the mentioning of their family. Apart from Aerith and himself, they really were a shattered family, the elders only caring for money and the pride in their family name Fair. To be frankly honest, he couldn't understand the obsession over their name. Sure their bloodline had been well-known hunters for generations, but really, why stay the same? Thanks to those old fools, Zack had been forced into hunter training while no one ever asked about his own opinion about it. Not that he had really minded in the end, but just the act in itself to force him into it made him growl lowly. Thanks to this, his family was shattered and he was forbidden to speak to his 'traitor' for a sister. They certainly were stupid ol' fools...

Looking at his sister's gentle eyes, he found himself wishing to think of something else and so quickly changed the subject. "You had some information for me?" he asked, watching her eyes give off a gleam for just a second, causing him to question if it had actually been there or not.

Aerith didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood up and went over to one of the windows facing the forest, her eyes just gazing at the sight outside for a while in the silence. Finally turning around, she looked at him seriously.

"Zack, I know you're an excellent hunter, but I have a bad feeling about you being here. That's one of the reasons I didn't even try to contact you, even if I wanted to see you. But I should have known those old townsmen would call you eventually if I didn't do it for them..." she said darkly, turning to look at the forest again.

Zack narrowed his eyes and looked somewhat worried. He really didn't like Aerith's tone or the heavy feeling that suddenly settled like a thick fog in the room.

"Aerith?" he said, not knowing what else to voice in this situation as he had no idea where she was going with this. Well, one or two maybe... but still.

Sighing, his sister continued.

"The trees whispers in the wind, awaiting how the wheels of fate will turn under a full moon, a special soul causing great changes for both worlds... but also about dark powers stirring in the shadows, plotting and working unknowingly against the wheels of fate to accomplish its goal..." she said darkly. "The forest holds many secrets having yet to be unfolded." she ended, looking slightly thoughtful.

Running a hand through his black hair, Zack looked lost as he eyed her when she once again sat down at the table.

"How is that supposed to help me, Aerith? Man, it's easier to find your way in pitch black darkness than to find the meaning to that puzzle of words." He groaned, not really knowing how seriously he should take it. Aerith usually had right in her warnings or 'forseeings', but this?

She chuckled and smiled gently.

"I know, but it is a full moon tonight. Who knows, maybe one of the answers will reveal itself tonight? Though, if you walk into the forest hunting, promise to stay alert... the trees said changes, though we don't know it they're harmless to your life or not..."

"I'll be ok, don't worry Aerith!" Zack said with a grin, suddenly standing up when he realized what time it was. "But I promise I'll be careful if it comforts you, sis." he continued and smiled reassuringly before walking towards the door, Aerith following him.

The girl smiled softly after him as he walked down the road, though on the inside, she felt bad for not telling him the final part.

'This soul of changes, it's screaming, unknown to even itself... for you.'

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Blinking his eyes tiredly, Cloud tried to get a hold of his disoriented mind which was constantly drifting in and out of consciousness. It felt like he was sinking and rising up and down under the surface of water, his mind only grasping fleeting seconds of his surroundings before he sank under the 'surface' again. The battle for reality was hard and Cloud found himself groan in frustration when it slipped from his hands yet again. The only thing he could really grasp from the other side of his drifting consciousness was the unpleasant feeling of a thousand needles piercing the skin all over his body and the irritating numbness that seemed to had claimed its control over his muscles.

Sighing, the blond tried to move to ease the tension in his stiff body, but ended up releasing a strong whimper instead as flaring pain cursed through his right side that he happened to be lying on. Then, out of nowhere, strong arms suddenly pulled him close to a well-shaped chest in front of him. At first Cloud felt surprised and somewhat scared when his mind was slightly unable to register what was actually happening. But when the very special and welcomed smell of the older vampire reach him, he felt himself relax into the embrace, letting himself be lost in the only thing he really recognized in his blurry world of a half-sleeping consciousness.

"Relax and go to sleep again, Cloud. You still need to rest some more even though you've been out for four days." Sephiroth mumbled softly in his ear, warm breath tickling the skin just below the earlobe pleasantly.

It was hard to comprehend exactly what the silver haired vampire was saying, but somehow, even if he didn't fully understand it, his body still complied. Seeking out the warmth on its own, the small vampire found himself curling up beside the other even though it was burning in his side.

Sephiroth chuckled at this while he laid Cloud's head to rest under his chin; the blonds' breathing now slightly damping the skin on his neck. "...You're weak." He commented. "Usually you would have scolded me mercilessly for holding you like this. Mostly I'm just allowed to hold you when you're down or too irritated to say no..." Sephiroth continued before he offered his wrist to the other. "You want to feed a little before we go hunting?"

Cloud, obviously too lost on the road towards sleep to actually hear him, did not answer. Instead he just mumbled something incoherent and buried his face deeper into Sephiroth's neck. Nuzzling it softly he then released a content sigh before he fell completely still, clearly satisfied with where he was as sleep took him.

"I guess that's a no." The older vampire chuckled as he lowered the offered wrist to instead have it lead his fingers through the blond spikes. Cloud did need more blood, but he guessed he could always feed the other in his sleep when the time came. After all, the small one's body was craving blood so badly it would probably feed on its own if offered an open wrist, almost like a child does when it's reaching for something in its sleep.

As he gazed at the sleeping form of Cloud in his arms, he smiled softly despite of himself, enjoying the calm and innocent look that grazed the other's face. But it was quickly replaced with a frown that spoke of longing and concern. Why couldn't it always be like this? Why could he only hold Cloud at times like these – the dark ones? Of course Sephiroth was happy with the few times he got to hold the blond, but sometimes he just wished he could hold Cloud because the other wanted him too... when the blond was happy. To be able to share both the good and the bad in their life was something he really longed for...

Unable to restrain himself, Sephiroth leaned back and kissed Cloud gently on the lips, needing to show his love with a simple gesture. Satisfied, he then returned to the same position as before, feeling Cloud's soft yet unstable breathing return to caress his skin. He would never waste an opportunity to cuddle with the blond, especially when he could do practically anything he wanted without being scolded for it. Who wouldn't, when it was a beloved?

Still, it was so hard to love someone who most likely didn't love you back in the same way... even for a vampire like him...

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A young male, quite tall for his twenty years, strolled lightly down a dirty street where people were busying around, creating clouds of dust where they moved. They didn't seem to notice him as he passed them, the men and women seemingly too focused on their duties in their daily lives. Strangers were rare, but unimportant it seemed.

Sighing tiredly, Zack went to sit down on a big rock at the side of the street. Running a hand through his black spikes, the male found himself feeling somewhat lost. He didn't really know what to do with the so-called information Aerith had given him and so he had ended up just walking the streets aimlessly in hope for a "revelation". But when none came, it felt utterly pointless...

Maybe he should wait for the creature to reveal itself when it hunted the next time, letting the creature lead him to it on its own? Though the vampire hadn't fed in a few days now, so the chances of it actually still being in the town felt very slim. They usually didn't stay for long in one place either after all, so perhaps it had already moved on to the next town or village?

But maybe he should check out the forest tonight before he left Nibelheim, just to be sure? After all, vampires did usually hunt during the nights. Not because the sunlight could kill them, but because the night offered a good way to keep their identities unknown. Zack knew first hand that sunlight didn't work, his knowledge coming from a hunt a few years back. He had tried to use sunrays on one of the children of the night, but to his irritation it hadn't worked and the fight had ended with the vampire leaving a scar across his lower abdomen before he had finished it off. That had certainly left his ego wounded for a while whilst having broken one of the false facts...

Suddenly someone screamed beside him and Zack jumped slightly as he was brought back from his deep thoughts. Instinctively drawing his sword, he then prepared himself for battle, only to find the scream coming from a woman scolding her crying and complaining child.

Taking a calming breath, Zack sheathed his sword and sat down again as his heartbeats slowed down. Man, kids could sure scare the shit out of you sometimes.

Then something in the corner of his eyes caught his attention and the hunter found himself looking over in the direction of the woman and child again. Squinting his eyes softly, he then caught sight of the object that had drawn his attention; a silver cross.

Frowning, Zack studied the small house closely and to his mild yet frustrated surprise, he found more crosses hanging over the windows and doors. The silver artefacts were even accompanied with garlic and symbols for 'holy' carved on the wooden bricks...

The hunter found it impossible to restrain himself and he slapped a hand to his forehead in aggravation. He badly wanted someone to explain to him why humans believed that 'holy' symbols and crosses would fend off a vampire? Why did humans believe that vampires were damned and forsaken creatures just because they fed on humans? It certainly didn't make them damned, humans did after all, feed on animals. Vampires were evil and cruel, yes, but forsaken to the extent of being hurt by water and 'holy' symbols was just ridiculous. Then the most reasonable thing would be that evil humans would be hurt by such things too, but they weren't.

Zack knew all too well from his numerous encounters that things connected to superstition never really worked against vampires, demons or other creatures. Mostly they were just things created throughout history to try and create a sort of safety for humans in different ages of development, but the blunt truth was that they very rarely worked. Now he didn't defend vampires, they were evil and all that, but they certainly weren't like many rumours said they were...

Coughing when an especially large cloud of dust enveloped him as a carriage passed, the male decided to not just sit still anymore. Rising to his feet, he then took off down the street again while enjoying the evening sun and whistling on a tune he had heard Reno whistle once during one of their co-works. At times like these he really missed the red-head. The said man sure could lighten up the most boring of situations...

Really, Reno was desperately needed for his mood right now. This town was practically falling apart and screamed boredom to him.

The houses looked badly built and some where even tilting to the sides, causing them to look like something out of a fantasy painting. Not to mention that the crops were nourished so wrongly that it was causing it to grow horribly slow, and that was just to mention a few of the very bad things. It was almost like travelling back in time when humans had just discovered electricity, the town lacking so many things Zack himself took for granted. Things like electric street lights, radios and TVs were none existed and one of the very few ways of communicating with the town was with mail delivery at a horse's back. Nibelheim was dirty, dark and ready to fall apart and vanish at any time while the hunter's own hometown Midgar was covered in lights and technology. Cars were always moving, neon-lights flashed everywhere and cell phones were as given as daily food. Midgar was a town that never slept while Nibelheim was a grain in the sand...

Perhaps it was a little unfair to compare this town with the world's leading city of technological development. Midgar was after all a unique city and a centre for rich people and high families while most towns actually looked somewhat like Nibelheim. It was actually common that the towns were way behind in development, but they rarely were as far behind as this one...

It was almost surprising that this town hadn't been invaded and conquered by vampires yet. Since it had almost no way of communicating with the rest of the world and mostly lay in darkness, it was like a feast for vampires. But Nibelheim was probably located too far away from everything, making its existence unknown to most vampires. But the very limited few that actually knew about it probably kept it to themselves, unwilling to share their goldmine with anyone else.

Kicking a rock in boredom, Zack continued down the road lazily while feeling down from all his own contemplating. He really wasn't in his own element. Late bar nights, TV's and flashy restaurants were his kinds of town. All he could do here was to wait for the nightfall and by then hopefully – or maybe not- find himself a vampire.

His stomach then chose that moment to grumble lightly and Zack decided to try and find somewhere to eat instead of strolling around. Hunting when hungry was never good and it wasn't like he would let those creatures keep him from enjoying the good things in life!

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Sighing softly, Cloud opened his tired eyes only to shut them again when his sore body yelled curses at him when he tried to move. Great, he could feel every nerve in his body yell with complaints and his muscles felt slightly numb... how lovely.

Trying to shift his body's position a little while not torturing himself too much, the blond then suddenly became aware of strong arms that held him from behind in a tight embrace. It was sincere and loving, but sent unwanted, pleasant chills down his spine. There was also this fluttering feeling in his stomach and the increase in heartbeats every time he was embraced by the other and that was a few of the reasons why he scolded the older vampire and tried to keep them apart. Because whenever they were close, his body felt light and his mind always became slightly hazy. Someday he feared he might lose control over himself in some way and he most certainly didn't want that - What if he did something he might regret?

"Sephiroth..." Cloud groaned as a warning of an upcoming scolding if the arms did not let go.

The silver haired vampire however, did not react. The arms stayed exactly where they were positioned and there was no sign of them moving anytime soon. Instead, Cloud felt hot lips starting to press soft kisses along his exposed neck, leaving tingling skin in their trail.

"Sephiroth!" The young vampire growled again as he turned his head to glare over his shoulder.

"Hmm...?" was Sephiroth's calm and amused reply as he gazed mischievously at Cloud, the kisses never ceasing.

The blond answered the green eyes with an even more passionate glare. "Just stop that already." He sighed in irritation.

"Give me one reason." Came the quick and knowing reply while Sephiroth's deep green gems studied his reaction with an unreadable expression.

At the blunt comment, Cloud's brain momentarily froze. A reason?

"Just one acceptable reason, Cloud, and I'll stop." The older vampire repeated in a promise, a smirk playing on his lips.

Somehow how the older said it made him wonder... Did Sephiroth know about his inner battles about their closeness?...

"I-..." the blond tried, but found himself unable to finish that sentence, words lost. What should he answer?

"So you have none?" The silver haired vampire asked after a moment in a teasing manner, releasing a few soft chuckles.

The comment sent Cloud pouting childishly, feeling indignant and irritated at himself for not coming up with a simple answer. "Just stop, okay?" he tried as he turned his head away in annoyance, trying to make it clear how 'funny' he thought the situation was with a half scowling, half pouting face.

At this, Sephiroth found himself unable to hold back and he grinned widely. Cloud was just so adorable when upset, the childish act complimenting the blonds' face and personality perfectly. When around the young one he felt like a moth - always drawn madly to the flame which was Cloud, whom was shining so brightly right now...

"Cloud." He began as he hugged the other closer. "Don't be a sour loser. It's quite alright that you don't find a reason, that just means I can continue..."he then informed smugly as he nipped at the neck again, almost as if toying with him.

"Sephiroth!" the boy yelled and snapped his head around again, eyes frustrated at the other's sudden need of teasing. "Please, just stop."

"As you wish." Was all the silver haired vampire replied calmly with a smirk while he patiently waited a few seconds before he turned the blond around to fully face him.

At the unexpected move, Cloud found himself staring in surprise at passionate green eyes so extremely close to his own, the gems gazing at him with care while their breaths mingled, noses only a few inches apart. Suddenly the air in the room changed and became more serious - heavy. Like someone had filled the room with a thick and solid fog... Somehow the boy had a feeling that the other was not going to comply with his wish...

"Do you know how addictive you are?" Sephiroth then asked after a few seconds of silence, his eyes gazing down at Cloud with an intense longing the blond had never seen before.

"What?" he breathed when he found himself unable to think of something better, his mind and body turning into that pleasantly shivering goo despite his struggles against it.

The silver haired vampire leaned in even closer, their noses finally greeting each other when he suddenly stopped. "Do you know how addictive you are?" he repeated, his breath hot and wet against Cloud's lips. "How heavy your gravity is – pulling everything in with no escape?" he continued, words almost a chant of spells that sent Cloud's eyelids heavy as his body leaned in at the promises for more...

Then, as if shot, Sephiroth turned away with a groan and the spell was broken, leaving both him and Cloud feeling awkward.

Mentally scolding himself, the older vampire felt angry over his momentary loss of self control. One more second and he would have done something they both might regret..."I'm sorry." Sephiroth said lowly as he stood up, the young vampire looking at him with a slightly lost expression. "I shouldn't have done that."

"It's... ok." Cloud found himself answer in a loss for something better, not knowing what else to say. At the moment he was busy with mentally beating himself up for having given in to the pleasant feelings that had cursed through him seconds before. He felt frustrated, angry at himself for actually having wanted the moment to continue... This was really bad. What if he did something wrong and ruined even their friendship?

Shaking his head, the blond stood up and grabbed his jacket. "I'm off hunting." He then informed, trying to change the subject and creating an opportunity to be alone for a while.

Turning around swiftly, the older vampire stared down at the other with a somewhat blank expression. "No, you're not. You're too weak right now; I'll bring you something instead." Sephiroth answered calmly and started walking towards the door, his feelings of frustration and loss well-hidden.

Narrowing his eyes, Cloud released a low hiss, suddenly finding himself angry. He just wanted to get out from here and be by himself, the tension now between them too much for him to handle. It was like breathing in mud and he needed to get away from it – out -, and the only thing keeping him from it was the other.

"I'm not weak. I can handle it perfectly by myself, thank you!" the blond growled as he stomped towards the door determinedly, not at all listening to the one in charge. But before he was able to turn the door knob, Sephiroth had gripped his arm firmly, pulling him to a halt.

"You're not leaving until you're good enough and have fed properly, Strife." Sephiroth said lowly, showing that his mind could not be changed when he used Cloud's last name. "You're still young. If you really need to hunt, I'm coming with you, understood?" he then added, finding himself unable to let Cloud leave on his own. It wasn't that he didn't trust the other, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to him. That was the major reason why the boy was never allowed to hunt by himself. There were too many risks with letting him do that...

"I'm not a child! So stop treating me like one. I don't need you to take care of me!" the boy then screamed furiously as he yanked his arm away, fuming like the flames of hell. Why couldn't he just be left alone for a few hours! He wasn't asking for much.

Sephiroth met the hard blue eyes, his own equally cold and unaffected by the young one's words or wish. There was no way he would allow Cloud to hunt by himself, not now of all times, especially not when he was still suffering from mild blood loss. He wouldn't leave the boy alone in that state or make him think something had changed between them because of their 'close accident'. Though at the moment Cloud was acting most stubbornly and he found himself unable to follow his feelings of care for the other, his feelings of frustration now taking over. He needed to make sure Cloud was safe before anything else.

"You still are a child as a vampire. Both in body and soul... And might I add in mind too! You're the youngest vampire in history. Humans are never turned before the age of twenty-five, not only because the body can't handle the transformation, but also because it would be too dangerous for it to live alone at such a young age and small body. Don't you understand?" Sephiroth commented coldly, but his anger was clear in those green, blazing eyes.

The young one's eyes widened for the shortest of moments before narrowing into dangerous slits.

"...So that's why you're keeping me with you? Because I'm totally useless on my own?" Cloud yelled, tears of frustration and hurt gathering in deep blue orbs. Of course he knew he was acting silly, but at the moment he didn't care. He was just too desperate to get out to of there to really care what he said, the words and thoughts just having their own life while he wished for an empty place to sit in.

The older vampire stared at his fledgling, feeling shocked. Why would Cloud even begin to think that?

"That's certainly not-"

But before he could finish the sentence, the young vampire had exited the door and slammed it shut, and when Sephiroth opened it to go after the blond, Cloud had already vanished together with the whispers in the wind.

The vampire sighed. It would take him a long time to find the other now when Cloud most definitely didn't want to be found. To track a vampire going into hiding, even with their strong blood bond, would be extremely difficult.

Taking off into the forest, Sephiroth wished he would find the other before something bad happened. Because no matter what Cloud had said to him it still didn't change the fact that he was still weak and extremely vulnerable – more so than usual. If something happened he would be almost completely defenceless.

Increasing his pace, Sephiroth moved through the forest at an incredible speed, making it look like he was flying above the ground. No sound was made as he moved, only his gleaming green eyes visible and alerting the surroundings about his location.

The boy needed to be found quickly, the silver haired vampire craving to hold the other in his arms again while apologizing. Sure he was still upset over the ridiculous comments Cloud had screamed at him, but they didn't matter anymore. All he really wanted right now was to feel those heartbeats against his own chest while the silent breathing the other possessed sung his lullaby. It was almost fascinating how quickly his mood could changed from frustrated or angry to desperate and loving when it came to the blond. But then again, Cloud was special. Maybe not all that special to others, but to him, the boy was his world. He just wanted to show Cloud that he could be cared for, even if it was from a vampire.

Those dark images that he had seen while turning the boy would not hold him hostage forever, Sephiroth being set on showing Cloud's heart what care and affection was all about...

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A pale full moon was placed high in the sky and it outshone all of the stars that twinkled around it. Even though it was a replica for the sun during its absence in the nights, the moon still shone proudly and strongly in its place on the night sky, reflecting the sun's light with its body. Sitting on a stone near a high cliff at the edge of the forest, Cloud couldn't help but feel jealous of it as pale light hit almost paler skin as it kissed his cheeks when he gazed at it. He and the moon were so alike, yet still so different. They both reflected the light of others in a way, yet the moon did it with pride. It seemed so strong while he was afraid...

Before he met Sephiroth, Cloud had always reflected what was directed at him or expected of him. He had never dared to do anything else, something that he greatly hated himself for. No matter how much he had feared and hated his life and his 'family' for what they had done to him, he still never possessed the courage or strength to end his situation... or life. The wish for something better had kept him going, struggling. Yet still, he had been - and still was - too weak to find the place where he could truly belong. Because now as Sephiroth offered him a better world, he was afraid to embrace it. Sure the life as a vampire was dark and painful, but the harsh truth was that it was still so much better than his life as a human had been. Especially with someone like Sephiroth around...

To have someone - one single person care for you - was wonderful, yet it scared the shit out of him. He didn't know how to react or behave to it and he always found himself fearing the outcome if he just let go and accepted the situation. What if he tried to embrace the new situation of having love directed at him with open arms, only to end up broken and lost when it was gone again? Just the mere thought of becoming completely alone once more or doing something that might push the other away sent him shaking. So not wanting to experience the pain of lost love, he tried to stay uncaring in hopes of not losing something important. But the truth was that he was only pushing Sephiroth further away from him even though the male was what meant the most to him. It was the only thing he could do... He truly was weak.

Sighing and running a hand through blond spikes, Cloud stood up and leaned against a tree, a dark smile gracing his lips as he looked at the moon in envy.

Yes... so alike, but still so different...

Suddenly a soft flapping floated through the forest and followed by the sound of wood breaking. At the sound, the boy felt himself tense up immediately and he looked around nervously, expecting something unpleasant. Then, out of nowhere, a majestic black Raven landed on a branch close to the small vampire, looking at him with shining eyes.

Feeling his heartbeat calm down again, Cloud tilted his head to the side as he looked the bird over, admiring its beautiful black feathers and lean body while wondering why it came to him rather than flew away. To his amusement, the bird also tilted its head, studying the vampire in return while releasing a soft sound of curiosity.

Smiling a little, Cloud went to sit down on the stone again as he looked at the bird happily, just enjoying its silent and comforting company. It felt nice to have a soul around, someone that didn't judge his decisions or actions in life for once. He could just be himself and let his facade fall without being afraid of others reactions and yet still, not having to be alone...

As he sat there contemplating, he noticed that the bird gazed at him quizzically for a moment. Then, when their eyes met and its gleaming eyes locked on his, a feeling of suddenly being 'read' ran through him, making him feel like his soul was being studied as the bird moved along the branch soundlessly. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but that didn't make it feel less odd...

Sighing, Cloud pulled his eyes from the Raven and ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling very cold, both inside and out. Like everything had been washed with freezing water and was now growing numb.

Hearing the flapping float out into the air again, Cloud sadly guessed the Raven took off into the night sky, but when he looked up he was surprised to find the bird coming his way instead. Holding out an arm in mere reflex, he then watched as the bird landed on his arm gracefully.

Cloud looked at it in puzzlement, blinking big and surprised eyes at the bird while he enjoyed the added weight and warmth the bird brought. The feeling was much welcomed, making the numbness fade away somewhat as he sat there with it on his arm. Looking into its dark, beautiful eyes, he then felt himself grow honoured that the bird had deemed him trustworthy of its closeness and Cloud was unable to fight a small smile. The Raven in return, clapped its beak twice before it leaned its head forward, exposing the back of its neck as it puffed its feathers lightly, wanting affection.

Staring at the bird, Cloud then hesitantly moved a hand forward and slowly started to scratch the bird's neck gently, earning a sound of approval. Releasing a bright, rare smile in amusement, the blond continued his petting for a while before he stopped and eyed the bird. Tilting its head when no more petting came, the Raven then ruffled its feathers before becoming still while Cloud yet again wondered why the bird had come to him in the first place.

'Maybe it's just lonely?' the young vampire thought and laughed when the bird climbed up his arm until it came in range for his blond spikes to pull at them playfully. The boy chuckled and leaned it, nuzzling the Raven with his cheek and earning himself a soft sound of contentment from the bird.

They weren't so different, really. Cloud himself was hated in both worlds for what he was: a vampire, and a weak one at that while it didn't matter how gentle he was towards the humans. They only saw him as a devil in a boy's body, a vermin that should be exterminated. Never once did they look at his suffering, their eyes blind for what he was and what they expected of the children of the night. His own kind also hated him for being a disgrace, along with their slight jealousy of how special he was.

It was almost the same for the Raven. In Cloud's eyes, this bird was magnificent and beautiful, its feathers black and elegant and accompanied with a high intelligence. But for others, they were something that should not exist. They were said to be the tool of the devil, stealing your soul if you looked it directly in the eye. It was said to be a bad omen, bringing bad luck and was viewed as ugly with its lack of colours. The Ravens were stupid and evil, cruel towards other birds, merciless and too smart for its own good while only doing evil deeds.

They were outcasts, hated by everyone, no one bothering to look beyond their shell and see them for who they truly were...

Sitting there in stillness, they both stared at the moon sadly before the bird reluctantly took off into the night sky, leaving Cloud standing against a tree all alone again as a beautiful black feather circled in the air, landing in his outstretched hand...

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Zack sighed and stopped in his track while running a hand through his hair in annoyance. This ruthless and hungry vampire sure kept itself well-hidden now. That sure was very unusual for someone who had killed so mercilessly not all too long ago – what was all this about?

He had waited in the town, keeping eyes and ears set on finding the vampire, but after the clock passed two in the night, his patience had run dry. He had never really been the patient type, to be frankly honest.

That was why he was now walking around in the thick forest, trying to find any trace of the creature. If it was anywhere near, he would feel its aura, but to his annoyance there was no sign of it anywhere. That meant it was either a very strong vampire who was able to hide its aura well, a nearly starving vampire at the edge of death, or it had actually disappeared from the town. The black haired trusted his senses enough to be able to find it otherwise, since he wasn't the best hunter for no reason.

"Well, isn't this just lovely..." he groaned sarcastically to himself, feeling his mood drop drastically as he blew an annoying leaf from his bangs. Dang, did he hate the search - It was the moment of the battle, of a challenge, that was the exciting part.

Continuing his walk, Zack then came before an annoyingly huge rock that was crossing his path and he found himself forced to walk around it. It was a silly thing to get upset about, but the hunter still couldn't hold back the feelings of annoyance the thing caused him. So as he walked around it he gave it a hard glare while making sure to give the solid thing his 'best regards' with a kick and a passionate curse, letting it feel his frustration. But when an irritating branch came into his face as well when he passed it, he just knew some greater force wanted to piss him off. So in an attempt to let off some steam, Zack couldn't resist the act of angrily twisting the branch in two and step on it multiple of times with loud stomps as he shot heated glares at it, not satisfied until the branch had cracked in seven pieces. When his 'mission' was completed Zack then continued on his stroll happily before he looked up ahead and lost his breath.

Apparently he had reached a cliff since the moon now visible from the lack of trees at the edge of it, the orb now washing cold and beautiful rays of light into the night. Though, what caught his attention was something completely different entirely. At the edge of the cliff, a young boy stood leaning against a tree with his side towards Zack. It looked almost like the boy tried to decide whether to jump or not as he stood there deep in thought with his gazed upwards, head leaning comfortably on the trunk.

It was very odd to find someone out here this late at night, especially a young boy. What was he doing here?

Walking closer to speak to the boy, Zack suddenly stopped while losing his breath as he caught the sight of the other's face. The hunter rarely found himself staring like this, always picky about things and people earning his attention. But this time he found himself unable to not stare, the boy looking so sad, yet innocent and pure at the same time... Like a pale rose of darkness - beautiful but filled with sorrow. The boy was most beautiful and the image didn't exactly falter either when the moon shone brightly, bathing the boy in a cold light and causing him almost glow. His blond hair shone like a halo, reflecting the moon's light as eyes were lightly closed, dark eyelashes almost gracing pale cheeks. Black clothes were nicely contrasting the boy's pale skin, blue-green snaking patterns tracing the black pants and tank-top in nice curves, the dark vest bearing a blue-green print of a wolf's head. Everything just fit the boy perfectly, the blond making an amazing image of a sad fairy in a dark tale. Though there was something very wrong with the image somehow...

Snapping out of his stare, Zack's eyes then widened slightly when he noticed something he should have seen much, much sooner - The blonds' clothes were torn and cut in various places, looking like he had been in some kind of fight. Dried blood was staining the clothes and the boy looked tired... How had he not noticed this earlier?

As he continued to examine the wounds with his eyes, a feeling of anger came flooding over him, surprising even himself as he continued looking at the boy.

Had the boy run into the vampire he was after? But how had the boy managed to escape from the creature alive?

Feeling slightly uncharacteristically concerned for a stranger, Zack then started to walk towards the young one slowly, not wanting to scare the boy when he seemed so deep in thought. There was also always the possibility of the boy being mentally scarred from his possible encounter with a vampire so he knew he should make his moves gentle.

"Hey kid... you ok? What are you doing out here?" he asked slowly when he was just a few feet away.

The boy jumped at his words, seeming startled out of wherever he had been. Slowly, the boy then turned his pale face around, revealing intensive blue eyes burning with despair so clearly Zack thought it was like the boy screamed through his eyes. It was so clearly displayed in the blue pools that the black haired could do nothing but gaze at the other silently while he waited for an answer.

As Cloud gazed at the person now intruding his personal spot, he couldn't help but inwardly scold himself. How had this human been able to come so close to him without him noticing it! Sephiroth would have his head if he knew Cloud had lost himself so badly in his contemplating that he had failed to notice someone closing up on him.

Looking at the other, Cloud tried to think of a good answer to excuse himself. But before he was able to, a screaming pain attacked him without warning, making him feel like someone was trying to rip him away from his own body.

The blond cursed deeply, angrily, knowing exactly what was wrong.

'... The blood loss is trying to force my body to feed.' he thought terrified, fearing himself. Cloud had never experienced blood rage or anything alike since he had never been this long without blood. But he had heard stories about it - and it was not something pretty. Blood rage forced your body into instinct-mode and caused it to feed mercilessly until the body was satisfied - Something he refused to let happen. He would never kill ruthlessly, children could get hurt and he never fed more than needed. So to lose the control over himself was something that terrified him greatly.

Cloud also knew that blood loss was something very painful and he wasn't too sure his body could handle any more. If he let the blood take any more damage or pain, it might give up from the mistreatment...

'I better feed now, before it's too late. I can't risk hurting more people than actually needed.' he thought sadly as he started moving towards the other slowly, carefully, the black haired male looking somewhat surprised as he approached. He really didn't want to do it, but he really didn't have any other choice...

Reaching out for the other's mind, the blond started to caress it softly, gently trying to lure it into pleasant sleep and complete submission. He mentally whispered a lullaby to the other of sweet words to give in and rest, letting him take control as he had done so many times before.

To his surprise, he found it extremely hard with this male. Of course he was very weak now, but he had never in his life experienced battles for control as intense as this one. It was frustratingly hard to force it to give in, but no matter how hard it was, he refused to give up since his body was in way too much need to let him lose this battle. As their minds fought intensely, Cloud finally started to feel himself gain more and more control over the other's mind while he felt himself lose control over his own body at the same time. It was like his muscles were acting on their own accord now, the body craving the blood in such close reach while he felt his mind losing its grip on the situation before him. Like he was slipping under a sea of emptiness and only comprehending fragments of the reality around him...

Zack stared in surprised at the other when blue eyes suddenly flashed into deep and hungry red while the boy walked closer. As it neared, he also suddenly felt his mind beginning to turn blurry and his body going somewhat numb, like his muscles were losing their connection to his brain...

And then it dawned on him like a strike from above. The boy was a vampire. But how in the world was that possible? He had never heard of such a young vampire ever existing, it just wasn't possible. So how had this boy been turned, and managed to survive? Why hadn't Zack been able to sense the vampiric aura?

Something else that also disturbed him was why it looked so... broken. Vampires never bothered to show emotions like that, so to find something like despair and hopelessness flowing in this small creature's orbs were shocking and yet intriguing. Then though, it might just be an act to fool other humans and confuse their mind... But, Zack never thought a vampire could fake feelings like that, since they didn't have any...

He released a low growl when his vision started to turn even more blurry and his body started to relax, his mind apparently losing the battle.

Damn, he had let his defences down too much! He shouldn't have done that just because it was a cute kid before him. Man, he sure was stupid sometimes. Well wasn't this just peachy. Now the battle ahead would be even harder because once a vampire invaded your mind, it was almost impossible to throw it out.

Forcefully struggling against the vampire's conscience and trying to throw the boy out, he then cursed again as he felt his body starting to move on its own towards the small blond. It seemed like it had a too strong hold of him already - Damn himself for not being ready for a surprise! A state of shock was one of the weakest spots a mind could have, and he had done just that despite being the Wonderful Mighty Hunter. But he would never give up, hell no. He just had to win and make this a painful lesson for future hunts...

As the other inched closer, Cloud felt himself smirk while his teeth started to prickle with anticipation. The blood was so close that his body was tingling from the smell of it, causing him to lose himself in the hunger completely as he stopped in front of the human. Looking up, he vaguely noted clouded blue-green eyes gazing down at him with a blank expression before his mind slipped away from him fully...

Reaching out, Cloud moved a small hand under the black leather jacket and over a red shirt, running it slowly up and down and feeling the other's body under the fabric. He smirked despite himself. This would most certainly be a good meal...

As the hand continued it exploration of his chest, Zack had to mentally slap himself in aggravation over his repeated failed attempts of getting a grip over himself. Every time he thought he finally had a grip on his mind, it slipped away from him from in between his fingers. He had never experienced anything like it before, ever. From his profession as a hunter, he had met a lot of vampires and other creatures, but never once had he let his guard down this badly and ended up being controlled. It was almost like he was struggling against invisible chains holding him down and it was hard to know what to do... Yes, this would definitely leave his pride and ego wounded for a while. If he made it out alive that was. But he was no quitter, no matter what.

While focused on the battle of regaining the control over his own body, Zack suddenly felt himself shiver pleasantly when the blond vampire started toying with his throat, surprising even himself. But no matter how hard he tried, it was impossible to deny the wonderful feeling of the gentle fingers moving over his throat in ghostly touches, leaving traces of burning skin craving for more contact as they continued their journey. They were devilishly seductive and sensual and the hunter had to admit that the vampire boy being beautiful to the point of it being surreal didn't exactly make it less enjoyable...

Releasing an almost soundless moan, Zack saw the blond smile darkly when the hunter's body circled an arm around the smaller waist, drawing the dark creature flat against him and craving more. Damn his body for making a weakling out of himself.

Smirking playfully, the boy then went back to Zack's neck, now licking on it in obvious desire with the warm tongue in soft and slow ministrations. The young one almost acted like a devilish kitten, leaving the throat briefly to gently run the tongue over a firm yaw and over the hunter's pulse while twiddling with the black tresses of hair in a teasing manner. Zack's breath then hitched in his throat when the boy licked his ear and blew on it teasingly, creating a chill running down his spine.

'It sure takes it's time.' The hunter thought dryly before scolding himself when his body continued to act on its own, responding to the boy's teasing. It was annoying how he had no control over himself, but he still couldn't help but marvel at the intoxicating shivers cursing through his body as the teasing continued, hands now moving under his shirt and feeling warm skin beneath it. The small hands were soft like silk, warm skin blessing the hunter's slightly cold one.

Was this the powers of vampiric seduction and mind control? If so, Zack couldn't blame humans for falling for them so easily, because even if he greatly hated to admit it, it was a wonderful 'experience'. Though, even how heavenly it felt, Zack was not one to give in, nor give up. He would fight with everything he had... Still though, he couldn't help but sourly note that he could at least have had gotten a more ugly vampire for this - maybe it would have made it easier to struggle against it. Because frustratingly, this one was really cute, despite how much he hated to admit it. Perhaps that made it harder to resist the mind control?

Licking one final time, Cloud leaned in for the finish, his body aching for the blood so desperately it was throbbing as the fangs graced unmarred flesh.

But before the fangs could pierce the skin completely and taste the blood so extremely needed and wanted, the vampire was unpleasantly interrupted. Suddenly his mind was warping back to him as his senses screamed while the bloodlust momentarily disappeared.

Before he was even able to comprehend what was happening, his body had acted on its own and he found himself jumping backwards as a blade barely graced his throat. Doing a somersault into the air as another attack was directed at him, he then landed on all four in a defensive battle stance, baring his fangs.

How had the human been able to break his spell? Even in his weakened state it should be almost impossible for a mere human to break it as the blond, after all, was a fledgling of Sephiroth. So how had this human succeeded in freeing himself?

Something then caught his attention, shining on the huge blade as the human held the sword in front of him sideways, almost like a shield.

It was a wolf. Could it possibly be...?

The young vampire then quickly realized something and fear welled up inside of him as his eyes returned to their usual blue. Drawing his eyes from the blade, Cloud looked up into the dark blue eyes of the other; a grin spreading like a newborn flame over the tall man's face. Gulping silently, the vampire tried to gather his voice.

"... Fenrir?" Cloud asked in denial while trying to sound confident even though his knees were about to give in under him.

Zack grinned wider at that, the comment making him feel that his position as the stronger one was growing for every second. He had been able to beat the vampire at its own game, crushing the labyrinth walls built around him and found a way out in the end. The boy also showed signs of growing weaker, his position indicating it like a flashing neon sign.

Vampires were creatures always attacking first, but this one was in a defensive stance, something usually showing weakness of some sort from Zack's experiences. The eyes of the boy had also returned to their normal colour, indicating he was tired and had lost his will to fight.

Setting the blade down at his side like a walking stick, Zack then leaned on it casually while he continued to study the vampire a little. He was... intrigued by it. The vampire was small and slender with very delicate features, its eyes big and innocent, skin pale and soft. He was obviously no fighter, since it had turned to a defensive as soon as it became dangerous. Also, judging from its gaze, it looked scared where it was positioned on all four. The hunter had to give the boy some credit though. The current battle stance was very feline, so he had to be very agile -something Zack had already seen proof of with its quick reflexes and movements. The blond vampire was unique... and utterly cute. It was almost a shame Zack had to kill it – almost...

"I am." Zack said confidently as an answer, slowly taking off his leather jacket and throwing it to the side, ready to fight. "You've heard of me?" he then asked amused, though he already knew the answer.

Cloud hissed despite his fear, angry for being ridiculed. Of course they knew of him, that wolf was legendary. The blade Fenrir with an imprint of a big wolf on its blade that only belonged to the Fair family was a legend. It was the weapon for the biggest hunter family in the world. Rumours had it that the blade had been passed on to the next generation only ten years back, but no one knew how this new and young successor looked like or what his name was. It seemed like Cloud had finally found that hunter, much to his own misfortune.

Waiting, the blond then stood up when the hunter didn't give any sign of moving. Dusting himself off a little, Cloud took the opportunity to study the other.

The hunter could be no more than twenty although bearing the look of a very experienced soul, with eyes wise and calculating. He looked well-trained and having broken Cloud's spell also proved that he had a very strong will and mind as well. He sure was the hunter of the Fair family; there was no doubt about it.

Being defensive certainly wouldn't help now, but he didn't really have a choice since his body was weak from the blood loss and screamed for rest.

"Enjoying the view are we, kid? Shouldn't you be paying attention to the battle ahead?" the black haired asked is amusement as he picked up his sword and twirled it around in a circle in front of him.

Snapping out of his plans for escape, Cloud growled lowly. This hunter had no idea of what he was thinking about, nor did he like the other's mocking confidence. If he wanted to kill him then he should just do it instead of toying and insulting him before he did.

"Like hell I am." Cloud said in defying annoyance as he crossed his arms stubbornly, sending the other a glare. "And you have an unhealthy big ego, mister."

Zack chuckled silently to himself at that while he felt a pang of something unpleasant in his stomach. The vampire really was a kid - stubborn and adorable – and it was quickly getting to him. He needed to end this quickly before he for the first time might start to doubt killing a vampire.

"I wear my ego with a right, kid. Now, you ready? I won't go easy on you just because of your age and big round eyes!" Zack said loudly, lifting his Fenrir blade high for an attack.

Narrowing his eyes and gazing at the other, Cloud let out a growl as he let his nails grow and form into long and dangerous weapons.

Looking at the hunter, Cloud felt his fear sip away and instead being replaced by irritation and anger, causing his battle will to return. This hunter sure had no high thoughts of him, thinking he was just a little kid waiting to be killed... just like when he was 'alive'...

Shaking his head, Cloud bent down into an attacking position, his eyes turning crimson red while he glared at the black haired hunter.

"Don't be so full of yourself, Fenrir!" the blond snarled, awaiting the first attack. "I'll give you a fight!"

Zack looked at the small vampire and smiled sadly before he put up a cold face. This was work - this boy was a murdering vampire and it was his job to protect the people and kill the vampire. He had to protect Aerith... didn't he? It didn't matter how this vampire acted, there was no escape around what it was...

"As I said, I have my rights to be. And you'll learn your place before this is over, little one..." Zack said where he stood, ready for battle with an aura radiating confidence and eyes gleaming like cold steel.

Cloud was about to bite back a comment, but a pain suddenly seared through him, causing his body's inner parts to feel like they were being torn in half. Gasping, he fell to one knee while clutching his chest painfully.

This was not good. The blood loss was getting to him very badly and the blood rage couldn't be too far away now. What was called the "second stage" was probably not all too far away either. If so, he would most likely be done for...

Zack watched as the young vampire fell to one knee with heavy breaths, its face adorned with a look of utter fear. Not knowing what it was, the hunter ignored it and instead planned his future moves. He knew all too well that it was better to act than dwell around when fighting a vampire, no matter how weak it was. Quickly judging the situation he then pulled Fenrir forward, charging at the other with no restraints.

The blond cursed from the pain it took to move before parrying the sword with his long claws, wincing when the weight from the Fenrir and the hunter shot a flame of fire through his arms.

Zack smirked coldly as he leaned forward, whispering close to the other's ear. "Too predictable, kid." He stated before he jumped backwards, away from the boy.

Cloud gasped as he fell to one knee again, though he never let the hunter out of his sight. Tilting his head slowly to the side, he found it hard to read the hunter's next move. Why had he jumped back? It wasn't like he could do anything from that distance anyway.

Smiling darkly, the black haired held the tip of the sword against the ground.

"Here's my big ego." the hunter then said calmly before pulling the tip of the sword in a straight line forward through the ground, causing a big wave of energy and cracking earth to burst towards the vampire while it cut stones in half where it passed.

The blonds' eyes widened and before he could even begin to ponder over a way to escape, his body did a somersault just in time to be able to avoid the sharp force of the attack. Though he was still knocked back by the wind of it and he yelped as he landed on his back on the ground. But before he even had the time to catch his breath, the hunter was flying above him, blade raised and positioned to pierce him where he lay. Rolling to the side, Cloud managed to escape the sharp blade as it sank into the earth where his chest had been, the hunter cursing before snapping his head around with eyes ablaze and ready to kill.

Cloud stared at the hunter's eyes, spellbound by the force and power behind them, causing him to momentarily stop in his movements and forgetting what situation he was in. That was the only opening the black haired needed to strike and before the vampire was able to move backwards, the hunter went for it and moved his blade diagonally, piercing the vampire's chest and sending it flying backwards. Impressively, the vampire didn't land flat on its back but instead landed on its feet before sinking towards the ground on all four, spitting blood.

Cloud growled in both pain and frustration as he tried to stand, holding his chest and panting hard. He felt like his stomach had been filled with boiling oil that was now quickly eating away at him, the wound long and deep and blood pouring from it in a nasty manner. It was a living hell, but he refused to give up, needing to prove to himself that he was able to survive by himself for once without the help of another.

Seeing another opening when the young vampire closed its eyes to collect itself, Zack moved quickly and aimed a cut towards the vampires left side. Surprisingly he missed, the blond vampire reacting in time and parrying it with its claws before being thrown away by the force of the impact instead.

Landing on his stomach painfully, Cloud let out a yelp of pain as he felt a rib crack and grass entering his wound.

"Give up kid. I admit you have speed, but you're too weak. It's over. I'll make it quick for you if you just give up." The black haired said suddenly, lowering his sword as he spoke and looked over at the vampire. The creature had taken a lot of damage and was surely crying inside from the pain right now. He knew he shouldn't offer anything for it, but Zack just couldn't get over the fact that it was just a child.

The vampire slowly rolled onto its side and hunched lowly, snarling at him with barred teeth in clear defiance. Zack could just bet that it didn't like his offer.

Cloud was furious. How did he dare stand there and insult him, mocking him like that! As if he would ever ask the hunter for anything.

Growling in pain and anger, the blond vampire stood up and eyed the other, trying to decide what to do as the hunter started circling him. Every part of his body was screaming for rest, but he couldn't just yet.

Hissing softly as he took a deep breath, Cloud then threw himself towards the hunter who seemed somewhat surprised over the sudden bold attack and tried to parry the vampire's claws with his sword. But he was too slow and ended up screaming as the vampire's deadly claws hit his side, the creature's right hand cutting a deep wound in his flesh.

The black haired cursed loudly and gripped his side while the vampire circled him, smirking victoriously. Zack had to admit he hadn't expected that...

"Who was predictable?" Cloud mocked, feeling a false feeling of being stronger when he threw himself at the hunter again, once again catching him off guard and successfully landing a hit on the hunter's arm before he jumped back into a safer distance.

Zack shot him a dark look, irritated at the vampire's stubbornness and attitude. Then, he smirked confidently and stood up, gripping his sword and adjusting his shirt.

"You were lucky, kid; don't let it get to your head. I still say you're very easy to read..." the hunter said before he suddenly pulled something from his back pocket and threw it without hesitation towards the young vampire.

Cloud didn't have a chance to react to the sudden movement and he fell onto his knees again, gasping in pain as a knife pierced his shoulder, making his body shake from the surreal throbbing it brought. Gulping, the blond tried to collect himself for the onslaught of pain before he drew a hand to the knife and pulled it out, screaming loudly as he did so. But before he had even managed to pull it out fully, he felt a surrealistic pain shoot over his back which sent him flat on his stomach as he was introduced to the ground again.

The hunter had used his energy wave attack.

"You really shouldn't let a simple knife distract you like that..." Zack said calmly as he sheathed his sword on his back and made his way over to the creature. "It's usually a trick to try to avert an untrained vampire's attention before a more powerful attack..." he finished as he looked down at the now badly shaking form of the small vampire, its back upwards and showing Zack the severe damage he had done. There was so much blood...

Feeling the heat of the battle vanish as he stood there, Zack sighed sadly and shook his head while using his foot to turn the vampire on its back. Gazing down at the vampire, he saw the eyes had now returned to their true blue form, the colour even clearer against the red blood flowing down a pale forehead.

'Better get it over with...'

Cloud groaned loudly before looking up with blurry eyes just in time to find the hunter hovering over him with the blade glinting like the canines of a monstrous beast. His instincts screamed crazily and just as he started to try and roll away, the blade of Fenrir entered his lower abdomen harshly, drawing a loud scream from his sore and raw throat as it chained him to the ground.

Coughing and pleading, Cloud tugged desperately at the sword while his confidence disappeared completely and was instead replaced by fear as he tried to pull the blade out, but to no avail. It was nailed there until the hunter decided otherwise and there was nothing he could do about it. Trying frantically to breathe and claw the sword away in pure desperation as the truth dawned on him, the blond suddenly felt something wet on his cheek and it wasn't blood. Stopping in his wild attempts of getting out of there, Cloud touched his cheek and realized he was crying, crying his heart out in front of his enemy... Turning his eyes upwards to look at his killer, the boy felt hopelessness wash over him like cold water while his tears continued to pour down his bruised cheeks and he choked back a sob. He was pathetic...

Zack froze for a second as shock swallowed him when their eyes met, making him take a few steps backwards in mild denial while the long wail of agony flew through the air as the sword was pulled out when he moved away. The hunter turned his head around quickly, unable to look at the boy. Was the vampire really... crying? Vampires didn't cry. They didn't really feel fear or sorrow or anything... They were savage beasts, not lost, scared little children. So how was it that this young vampire was crying when he shouldn't be? It made no sense, Zack had never seen anything like it before and to his horror, it affected his conscience. This made it feel like he was slaughtering a mere, defenceless child and he didn't like the feeling one bit...

Looking back at the creature, he now saw the vampire crawling slowly into a half standing position while it wobbled dangerously on weak legs and released whimpers of pain as it tried desperately to steady itself. Panting and trembling like a leaf, the vampire then turned its young face around, eyes locking with Zack's own for a second before the vampire groaned and fell into a heap on the ground again. Zack stared at the form on the ground in doubt, sure of himself that he had seen wrong in those gems of blue. Vampires didn't feel hopelessness...

Shaking his head in frustration, the hunter then decided that it was better to kill the vampire quickly and put an end to its suffering - and before any more odd surprises came up. He really had to stop this vampire kid from getting to him emotionally like this. No matter how it tried to act, it was still just a vampire and just faking everything to try and confuse him. Sighing, he slowly started to make his way over to the whimpering boy.

Feeling exhausted beyond repair, Cloud heard the hunter walking closer in that slow and confident manner of his with the blade dragging along the ground. Lifting his head from the ground tiredly, the blond then stared ahead, confirming that the hunter was somewhere behind him. Was it really over now? Would he have to leave without having the chance to apologize to Sephiroth or prove his worth of being his fledgling? Why was everything... so hard for him? Was he this useless after all? He honestly didn't get why Sephiroth continued to bother with him, since he was of no use to him at all and just a hindrance...

Sniffling, Cloud cursed himself for crying again when he felt crystal pearls trickle down his cheeks, mingling with his blood and bruises on their way down. Then suddenly a black feather sailed down and landed some feet away and the vampire looked up, immediately recognizing the Raven from before. Like stricken by lightning, Cloud became desperate to get a hold of that feather for one last time and to feel the soft texture of it on his skin before it was over and knowing a friend was with him. That he wasn't really alone and that at least someone that liked him knew of his existence before he left.

Groaning, the blond forced his screaming limbs to obey, now clawing at the ground determinedly as he tried to move forward, dragging his body towards the feather while he heard the hunter closing in on him. Soon though, Cloud saw his vision starting to blur as he forced himself to move and he found himself unable to hold back a few whimpers of hopelessness. But he refused to let the feather out of his sight. He just had to get to it...

The blond then released another groan of despair when he felt his limbs going numb and slowing down, his pace not fast enough. Why was the feather so far away? Biting his lip, he still continued, focusing on the feather even though he could hardly see anything anymore.

Zack watched the vampire in slight surprise as it crawled slowly on the ground, almost as if obsessed with something. Was it that set on escaping? Frowning, he continued to walk towards it before he stopped again when he was right behind its moving and torn form. Hearing a shriek, the black haired then looked up, spotting a magnificent Raven circling the air. Raising an eyebrow and finding it odd to see a Raven here, Zack then looked down at the vampire again when he heard a sniffle followed by a sad whine as the body went unmoving. Clearly it had reached its limit, leaving the vampire motionless and shaking. It was completely drained where it lay, unable to do anything but releasing sounds of frustration as it cry, trying to move.

Travelling over the form with a lost gaze, Zack then noticed an outstretched hand, as if the child was reaching for something. The vampire was still, save for the outstretched fingers that were still trying to grip something as the boy continued to make sounds of desperation...

Following the direction of the outstretched fingers, Zack suddenly spotted the thing the vampire was reaching for - A black feather -. Looking up again, Zack saw the Raven still circling above them and he couldn't help but feel a bit moved. The feather must belong to the Raven and even though he wasn't sure why the boy wanted it, it must mean a lot to him since he was trying so desperately to get it.

Walking past the young vampire slowly, Zack then bent down and gently lifted the feather and earning himself a cry of mortification from the blond behind him, the vampire probably fearing he was going to destroy it. Turning, the hunter then walked back to the boy and knelt before he placed the black feather in the vampire's still outstretched hand gently, closely watching as the boy clutched it tiredly. His eyes were half closed and he was obviously drifting into unconsciousness, but still, one could not miss the happiness that flashed in the other's eyes when it landed in the small palm, a tiny smile gracing blood stained lips. The sight was so sadly yet adorable and the hunter had to mentally kick himself blue for the way he was acting. He knew he shouldn't be so gentle or acting so caring for a vampire boy, but he guessed it was somewhat alright since it was soon over anyways...

"You really wanted this, didn't you?" Zack smiled sadly. "It must mean a lot."

Turning the boy so he lay on his back in his knees, Zack stroked a few tears away from the pale cheeks, the boy's eyes now almost completely closed as he panted softly.

Laying a hand on its forehead gently, Zack sighed heavily. He was happy vampires didn't turn children and that this boy must be the only one of its kind. The boy was so good at acting human... like the child he looked like... and it was hard to ignore the pain it caused his heart. Strong vampires sure weren't always the hardest to kill... Killing something like this, that could have been his own little brother or someone's son – that was indeed much harder, next to impossible...

"You sure picked the hard road, didn't you, kid?" he said softly, kissing its forehead gently like a mother does to her child before sleep. Laying the vampire gently onto the grass, Zack then stood up and gazed down at it. "I'm sorry." he finished before raising his blade, wanting it to be over as soon as possible.

But before he had been able to deal the blow, something suddenly flashed at the corner of his eye and before he could even begin to react, a shadow was moving in the speed of light and was in front of him. The black haired jumped back and stared at it darkly, trying to see what it was.

The dark shadow stopped its circling around the boy and started to take form, revealing a tall man with long silver hair, all dressed in black.

'Another vampire?' Zack thought confused. But what was it doing here? Vampires only looked out for themselves.

The tall creature gave him a fleeting look before its green eyes fell on the small form before its feet. As the eyes registered the wounds on the small body, the other vampire turned and gave the hunter a look that assured him that he would make sure to give Zack the same treatment the next time they met.

Ignoring the hunter after that, Sephiroth knelt before lifting Cloud's upper body to hold him close to his chest, burying his face in the blond locks to breathe in his sent while closing his eyes in relief that Cloud was still alive... although just barely.

Feeling gentle arms pull him close to a strong chest with a sent he knew well caused Cloud to half open his eyes forcefully, a groan escaping him as he tried to move.

Gentle fingers brushed away a few bangs on the side of his face and ran through his hair caringly, trying to comfort him. Coughing, Cloud tried to speak, but found himself unable to, the exhaustion and pain too great for him to handle in any other way but to sit there, battling for air as he clutched the feather tightly.

"It's alright now, Cloud." he heard the rich voice of Sephiroth whisper in his ear, breaking his last struggles. Tears escaped his eyes like pouring rain as he let go while he sniffled and choked on his tears, unable to stop them. All of his emotions were blended in those tears and Cloud could hold nothing back, crying against Sephiroth's shirt while he felt his consciousness slip into the darkness completely.

Sephiroth gazed at Cloud, feeling the body go limp as he watched as the blonds' head fell against his chest. Closing his eyes, the silver haired vampire then leaned his forehead against Cloud's and sighed. He was so happy Cloud was alright. When he had heard the boy call him through their mind link, intentionally or not, he had gone in that direction immediately, clearly feeling the younger's pain and fear through their shared link. Finding his blond alive had released a painful knot in his heart even if he had hoped for an easier situation than this. Cloud clearly suffered from the blood loss and the now fresh wounds, having barely made it against a powerful foe. He had to act quickly if he wanted Cloud to survive.

Sephiroth growled and lifted his head to glare at the still shocked hunter.

"You'll pay dearly for hurting what is mine." the vampire said lowly before jumping into the air and disappearing with its charge.

Zack looked after the vampires, utterly confused and shocked. What had happened? Why had this extremely powerful vampire bothered with another one, especially this lowlife vampire?

This was definitely something he needed to look into. The new vampire was most likely the one who had killed all the humans, rather than the small, blond one, although he couldn't be completely sure about that... He had to come up with a plan if he wanted to get to those vampires, or use them to get to the other vampires. Also, he couldn't let the small vampire go; his act and looks were extremely dangerous for other humans...

Walking off, Zack headed for the village again in the still shining moonlight, securely sheathing Fenrir again. Yup, he definitely had to kill the blond vampire and the next time they met, Zack would make sure to go as planned and not be shocked over the other's acts again. Not now when he knew what the other vampire was trying to trick him with. There was no mercy for vampires...

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I really enjoy writing this fic, even though it's really hard to write it and it's kind of slow paced at times. Sephy is also pretty hard to get right and when I re-read it, I also noticed I have a tendency to let my SephyxCloud fandom shine through a lot with Sephiroth's actions. It's just that Cloud's relationship with Sephiroth is the best way to present and let you readers see Cloud's personality, where it came from and why he is like he is. That's why Sephy has a big part in the beginning, before Zack-... you'll just have to wait and see.

And well, if anyone has any doubts, the reason why Zack is affected by Cloud's "human" acts and behaviour is because well, Zack is obviously a very caring person even though he's a hunter. That's why he acts a bit gentle to Cloud in the end, because even if it's a "beast", Cloud has still acted like a lost and hurt child which gets to Zacks emotions, and since he's also in a shock of seeing those emotions on a "cold beast", he also feels at a loss and can't help himself when he feels he needs to make the end for the "boy" a bit easier. I really hope it showed in how I wrote, but just wanted to make it clear in case anyone felt a bit lost as to why he acted nice to Cloud in the end.

Sincerely

D.B. Rose