"Kio can't return if he doesn't have a body, so don't make me kill you." Jorele flicked the last drops of blood he didn't want to the floor. "Don't disturb us," he grinned wickedly. That being said, Jorele shut himself into Kio's room, locking the door behind him.

Chapter 2: Realization

Ritsuka buried his face in his hands, crying, "What the hell is going on?! I want my body back!" Tears dripped down his cheeks, his eyes burning from the salty water. "Seimei," he whimpered. He wiped his eyes, which relieved the burning a little bit, and he crawled across the floor to Soubi's body. He cringed as the smell of fresh blood overwhelmed his nose.

"Ritsuka." Ritsuka yelped as Soubi's hand touched his knee. "Ritsuka… you're so…cute." Ritsuka's cheeks flushed.

"Soubi," he gasped. Soubi sighed in his sleep, enjoying his pleasant dream. Ritsuka frowned, and he lightly whacked Soubi on the head.

"Soubi," he grumbled. "Even when he sleeps, he's weird." Ritsuka sat silently at Soubi's side, watching the Sentouki dream. Hours passed by, slowly lulling Ritsuka to sleep. As his eyelids grew heavy, he caught a glance of the clock. By then, it was nearly six o'clock. His mother would beat him if he came home late.

I don't even want to go home, he thought. It's pointless. I don't even look like the Ritsuka Mom knows.

Suddenly, the door to Kio's room flew open. Ritsuka cringed as Kalel's painful scream tore through his ears. The sound still rang in the air, even after the boy stopped crying.

"Stop!" Kalel sobbed as he ran out of the room. He only wore one of Jorele's many royal tunics, wrinkled by Jorele's firm hands. "Stop that! Go away!" Behind him, Jorele angrily pursued his Sentouki, nearly half-naked himself. Ritsuka blushed as he watched Jorele chase the boy. Even though he was still young, Jorele's body was finely sculpted and his skin as white as new porcelain, traits of all vampires. Even when Jorele was garbed in his soft, purple blankets, Ritsuka felt somewhat attracted to him.

No, he thought. I won't fall for him. He's my enemy!

"You little bastard," Jorele growled. "What was that for?! It hurt, dammit!!" Kalel dove toward Ritsuka, frantically clawing at the floor to escape his angered partner.

"You were hurting me!" Kalel snapped back. "You're the bastard!" As Jorele absorbed Kalel's harsh words, his anger grew ferociously. His lavender eyes glistened with lust, his tongue ready for blood.

"You're mine," he growled. "You promised yourself to me, Kalel. Now come!" Kalel buried his face in Ritsuka's lap, pitifully attempting to hide from Jorele. His ears barely clung to his head, hanging on to his scalp by the very ends. Ritsuka gasped and realized what Jorele had been doing with Kalel the entire time. His stomach churned. He felt sick, but he refused to let his stomach empty itself.

"Kalel," he murmured, wrapping his arms around the trembling boy's body. "You fool." Kalel wiped his eyes, clutching Ritsuka's shirt.

"Please, Ritsuka," he whimpered. "Don't let him get me." Ritsuka raised an eye brow in confusion. Hours ago, Jorele and Kalel were so willing to be together, but now they were so different. Ritsuka could see Kalel for the child he still was, a child who wasn't ready for what Jorele wanted from him.

"There's no point in helping him now," Jorele sighed, running his fingers through his long black hair. "He's already promised himself to me once, before we tricked Ritsu and Nagisa. Those aren't real." Kalel didn't look up to snarl back at his partner. He didn't even force out another sob. Nothing came from his lips.

Jorele shook his head, and he spun on his heels toward Kio's room. "You can come back when you're ready," he said. "I'll be waiting for you, Kalel."

As the door closed softly, Kalel loosened his grip on Ritsuka's clothes. His eyes were still red, but not nearly as much as they were before. A smile gently tugged at his lips, but quickly disappeared when Ritsuka didn't return the gesture.

"Thank you," he murmured. "Jorele hasn't scared me that bad since before we graduated. He's very gentle, at least when he's not angry." Ritsuka cast a glance back at Soubi. Despite all the shouting and cursing, he had slept soundly and was sleeping still.

Idiot, he thought. I bet he can sleep through anything.

"So, how did you meet him?" Ritsuka asked. "Not that you have to tell me, or anything like that. I'm just curious." Kalel closed his eyes and smiled.

"You really want to know what happened?" he asked, his eyes still closed. Ritsuka nodded in reply, and squeaked, "Yes." Kalel opened his eyes again and stared into Ritsuka's eyes.

"Jorele and I went to the same school, a school just for Sentouki and their Sacrifices. I'm sure you're familiar with such a place, if you've battled other students before. On the first day—"