Holy &%$! Two updates in two days! I've shocked myself greatly. I was on such a roll. :'D This chapter, like the last, is full of suspense. Oh my...

IMPORTANT NOTE: Anyone who has played or is trying to play my game/contest thing, where you guess how many times Zexy's used his power and when...Yes...We have a winner! Yes, the contest is over.

Congrats to Number VI. I will be writing up a one-shot fanfic for you and for all you Zemyx fans out there... guess what it's about? I'm not going to be giving any specifics unless you ask nicely. ;D You can look for it hopefully within the week if anyone is interested.

Well, I do not want to keep you from this chapter any longer. Please enjoy!

WARNING: Contains yaoi (manXman), main pairings being Zemyx, AkuRoku, slight AkuZeku, some SoRiku, perhaps some CloudXSephiroth...oh, just expect anything...

This story is centered around vampires. Huzzuh for cliché~ There is OOCness and AU.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, any of the characters, place names, etc. I am but a humble, obsessive fan. U_U

BLOOD

He was trapped, defenceless and afraid. Lexaeus had moved in behind him, blocking any escape route. From the moment I'd sensed his presence, I'd known it would have to happen this way. As long as he knew, my life was at risk. He'd run home to his brother and I knew I was no match for Strife, even with the aid of Lexaeus and Axel. He was that dangerous. Of course, that left only one option to me. Roxas had... to die.

I made no move. Roxas remained frozen, staring at me with some childish disbelief that I couldn't grasp. He'd known. I know he'd known. I know he'd been nearly one hundred percent sure of it. Yet he walked in, weapon-less with the naïve thought that I would not harm him, that we were friends. I didn't have any friends.

"So...now what," he whispered in a low voice. I almost drew back, struck dumb by the question. Was he that much of an idiot?

"What do you think? Don't tell me you still trust me Roxas."

"That's not what I mean," he responded calmly. His face had become emotionless. "I know you're going to kill me. What I meant was..., what are you going to do after that?" He was an idiot. A complete fool. He was sitting there trying to play it tough when he already knew his end was coming. What will happen after I'm dead? Who would ask such a question? "Are you going to hurt them?" His voice was becoming a hiss and his eyes were hidden in the shadow of his bangs as he lowered his head.

"Them?"

"Sora... Riku... Marluxia and Larxene... Kairi, Olette and Naminé..." I had no idea what he was going on about. Why would I care about them? "Demyx..." His voice sounded like he was forcing it to stay quiet at this point. As if he was about to... "ARE YOU GOING TO HARM THEM! HUH?" The raw pain and fury that erupted from within him actually startled me. He was glaring at me now, his eyes blazing and biting into me like a raging fire. "What the hell are you here for! What do you want!"

Lexaeus was tense behind Roxas, waiting to see if the blonde would lash out at me with more than words. I merely watched him. I was trying not to let his emotion breach my inner defences.

"I know you... you attacked Demyx, didn't you? That first night... He told me that there was something weird about you. He told me you were dangerous. Even he knew that!" He was sobbing openly, his voice coming out through gasps. He was not crying because he knew he was going to die. He was so afraid for his friends... he valued their lives over even his own. That's when it struck me.

"That's why... you came here...?" I was genuinely shocked. He'd come alone, with no weapon, to try to figure me out... so that he could protect his friends. Even now, so near his end.

"I don't care if you kill me. I don't care if my brother even finds out what happened to me..., but you have to swear to me Zexion... You can't harm them. You can't."

"Why do you think I would promise such a thing? What do they matter to me?" Roxas laughed at me then. H e was glaring and laughing, as if looking down on me. "You think you're so heartless. You think you couldn't care less, but you can't lie to me Zexion. You do care. I know you do."

"How do you figure that?" I was becoming more uneasy as Roxas seemed to be calming down considerably.

"Can you really tell me that you'd ever harm Demyx?"

"Wha-

"If you care about anyone, it's Demyx. You can't help it now. You've made a friend. You like spending time at the table with everyone. You like belonging and when you're sitting there still, a week from now and everyone is quiet and sad... you'll regret it.

"You don't-

"You'll regret killing me Zexion... because I'm your friend." This time it was my turn to laugh.

"Roxas... you don't honestly believe that I'll be wrought with grief because I got rid of the one thing that threatened my existence? If I feel any regret at all it will be because you were fun to toy with. That's all. If this truly is friendship, I think I'll be fine without it. You can spout nonsense all you want, but in the end everything is the same. You will no longer exist... and I'll remain to do whatever I want... with anyone." I added extra malice to the end of my speech, to prove to him that his words meant nothing to me.

Roxas proved his own point by having his fist come in contact with my jaw. I may have said this before, but I am not particularly strong as far as vampire standards go. To put things more simply, I was thrown back into my chair and the only thing I could hear was his broken, enraged cries. A moment later he was on top of me, punching my stomach repeatedly.

He let out a different sort of cry when Lexaeus grabbed him from behind and threw him down onto the wood floor. He grunted and immediately moved to push himself up. I stood, annoyed that I'd been caught off guard and walked over to where he was trying to get up onto his knees. I returned the favour he'd lent me by swinging my foot around and sweeping his arms out from under him, causing him to fall back down. I reached down and grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulling him up to my level.

Augh!," he grunted as I yanked on the fine hairs at the base of his skull.

"You don't have to worry Roxas," I said in a flat tone. "My intention is not to bring harm to anyone." I then slammed his head into the coffee table that rested between the sofa and armchairs. There was a satisfying thump and his body went still.

Lexaeus didn't say a word as I removed my hand and stood up straight. Roxas' unconscious form was draped over the table in a way so that I could not see his face. I let a breath I did not know I'd been holding out.

"Do you want me to do it," Lexaeus asked in a gentle voice.

"No... I have to do this." I knelt down again and reached out my hand. I was sure I could muster up enough strength at least to make it a quick and clean break. All I had to do was take his neck and jerk my hand in just the right way...

"Errgh," he groaned, startling me. He was awake again already? His head turned slightly until a lidded blue eye was looking up at me, trying to focus in on my face. A stream of blood ran down from his hairline into the corner of his mouth. My hand was hovering above him, hesitating.

"What are you waiting for...?" His voice was thick and his words ran together slightly. I closed my eyes and silently steeled myself. I had killed before... Why was it so hard now?

"Zexion," came a half-panicked voice. I turned my attention to the door and stared at the still form of Axel as his gaze flew between Roxas and myself. "What's going on?"

"Axel. He found out. I'm ending it."

"No." The fear in his voice startled me more than anything. I noticed Roxas shift a little, as if he were also surprised. "No Zexion... step away."

"What? Axel, what are you saying? If I don't kill him, we're the ones who will die."

"I said step away." His voice was so low I felt a strange sensation in my chest. Something like a mix between fear and annoyance.

"I don't understand what-

"ZEXION, BACK OFF NOW!," he yelled with such fury that I actually jumped backwards from Roxas and bumped into Lexaeus, who turned me away from Axel protectively.

"Wh-What the hell has gotten into you," I shouted, swinging an arm out in Axel's direction. Roxas was slowly easing himself off the low table, confusion in his eyes.

"He's mine," Axel hissed.

"What?" Roxas and I both spoke simultaneously.

"You can't touch him... I claim him as mine."

"Like hell," Roxas scoffed, gingerly touching his forehead.

"You think I'm kidding around? Huh?" In a flash Axel was down before Roxas, wrapping one arm around the boy's body and placing his other hand behind his head. Roxas gasped and began to push at Axel, but to no avail. He was already weak and Axel was not, even by vampire standards...

Axel stood then, taking the blond up with him, his challenging gaze never leaving my own shocked expression. "I'll prove it to you hear and now Zex. He's mine." Roxas cried out as Axel's fangs sunk into his neck. He tried to jerk out of the taller man's grasp. His hands clawed at Axel's red hair and he choked and gasped, fear radiating off of him.

Lexaeus and I looked on silently. I was still too confused and shocked to even make a movement. I found myself noticing that the blood didn't seem to be affecting Lexaeus in a negative way and felt an irrational sense of relief in this surreal moment. Finally, after relentless struggling, Roxas went limp, his hands falling down over Axel's arms and his head lolling back slightly. Axel gently set the boy down on the couch and regarded him silently for a moment.

"I won't let you harm him...," he said.

"Axel... why?" I had never seen such tenderness in his sharp eyes before. I had never known Axel to care about anyone, let alone a boy he'd encountered twice in his long lifetime.

"I dunno Zex. I dunno why I feel this way." He was speaking in a softer tone, as if in apology for lashing out at me with his anger. "I just... the thought of him being hurt... made me so angry..."

"So you bit him. That's perfectly logical Axel," I said with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"Now my scent's on him..." Axel didn't need to say anything more. Biting a human really was like marking your territory. That was the reason why anyone bitten by a vampire usually never encountered another in their life.

"Excellent," I grumbled. "So just what do you plan to do with him now?"

"Zexion?" The soft, timid voice caught my attention immediately. My gaze swung over towards the front door, left wide open. Standing in the doorway, looking in on the destruction of the house, wide, sea coloured eyes flicking back to Roxas again and again...was Demyx.

I watched as he took in his unconscious friend, the blood staining his neck and face, that same blood trickling down Axel's chin...Demyx's face was blank. From where I was standing I could hear his heart steadily beginning to beat faster and faster. His breathing quickened and his eyes started to grow wider. In moments his face was a mask of pure horror.

Then he screamed.

It was a blood-curdling scream and his hands flew up to his ears as if to block out his own terror. He was shaking his head back and forth, his eyes staring into nothing. "NOOOOOO!"

"Demyx!" I took a step forward and his gaze flashed over to lock onto me. He raised one of his hands in front of him and began to back away.

"N-no! G-go away! Leave me alone! Monsters!" Before I could do or say anything else he was gone, running down the step, out the drive and into the street, tears streaming down his face.

"Demyx!" I rushed forward, leaving Axel and Lexaeus staring after me. I was running frantically, not stopping to look for traffic, or watching where I put my feet down. My only focus was on Demyx. He was fast, fuelled on fear and adrenaline..., but I did have a slight advantage. I was a vampire, weak or not.

I put on an extra burst of speed and was able to surpass him. I stopped and turned around, throwing my arms out. He skidded to a stop, looking at me as if I were the devil himself. His mouth moved soundlessly and he started to retreat again.

"Wait! Demyx, I'm not going to harm you!"

"Roxas," he choked. "Roxas..."

"He is not dead Demyx. He will be fine. Please, just let me explain."

"You...you're a... you're..." Although Axel was the one who had bitten Roxas and had the evidence on his face, it was clear, even to Demyx, in his traumatized state, that I too, was in fact, a vampire. His eyes that still flickered about helplessly were filled with such fear... I began to notice... he didn't seem to really be seeing me at all. He looked almost completely absorbed... in a different scenario, a scene only he could see...

"Demyx..." I took on a gentle tone, trying to get through to him. "Just listen to what I have to say, please." It was apparent that if Demyx did not calm down and ended up leaking this information to the wrong ear, we would once again, be at stake. However, there was another reason I wanted him to hear me out, to make him understand.

He'd called me a monster. Why had that struck such a chord within me? I felt an unusual amount of pain at his words, at how he was acting towards me now. I recalled Axel's previous display of unreasonable actions and wondered, aren't I doing nearly the exact same thing? Aren't I being the irrational one now?

"Won't you please listen to me? I swear to you Demyx, I mean you no harm." What was I even saying? The very first time we'd met he'd been but a meal, something to relieve my hunger. What was I supposed to tell him anyway? At this rate, and the thought made that pain intensify greatly, I may have to kill Demyx as well.

No. I could never do that. I felt so sure of this fact, although it seemed the most logical solution. If something stood in my way, the best thing to do would be to destroy it. But to kill Demyx? The thought made me sick...

"W-why...? Why did you hurt Roxas...?" I was drawn out of my thoughts by the thin, strained question. Demyx was staring at me now, with a level of intelligence in his eyes. That is to say, he was finally present in the moment at hand. His body was shaking uncontrollably and he seemed to be on the verge of running again, but he was still here. He was trying to understand.

"Demyx...," I glanced around, making sure that we were alone. We stood out in the open, on the sidewalk of an empty street. There was no sign of life anywhere. "Demyx I..." And now I had come to the actual explanation and I was, for once, at a loss for words. What was I supposed to say. Telling him the truth, that I really intended to kill his best friend was beyond what I was capable of.

"You'd better start talking now," he cried, his voice quivering like an arrow. There was something like determination in his eyes. They were telling me that if I didn't talk... I would never be given the chance again.

"I...I'm not... a monster Demyx... I don't want to lie to you..., but if I explain everything you will still see me in that way..."

"Just give me the truth. It's not... It's not up to you to decide what I think of you after that." He had made such a complete turn around that I was still shaken. I'd never felt inferior to anyone the way I was feeling now. Demyx was in control of the situation... and I had no choice but to speak truthfully.

"I am... afraid Demyx. I don't want to die." His expression didn't change as he waited to hear what I had to say. I took a breath.

And just as I was about to tell him the intentions I'd had for Roxas, my reasons, a lithe, quick figure fell onto the sidewalk before me. He straightened up and turned his gleaming eye upon me. I say eye, for one of them was covered by a black patch. A long scar ran across his left cheek and his black and silver streaked hair was pulled back into a band.

"Yo," he greeted me with a smirk and a wave of his hand. The other hand was wrapped loosely around some sort of gun he carried over his shoulder. I gaped silently and Demyx did the same from where he stood farther away.

"Who..."

"Name's Xigbar, and you're Zexion, right?"

"I..I am. What business do you have with me?" There was something I didn't like about the man upon seeing him. He felt dangerous, almost like the blue haired one. There was something similar about them.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say Axel hasn't told you anything yet."

"Anything? He only just returned. If he has something to say then no, he has not yet had the chance to do so." I spoke in a heated voice, letting this stranger know I was not in the mood to speak with him. He sighed and then shrugged to himself.

"Well then, I guess you'll just have to find out when we get there."

"We... get there?"

"Yup. You an' I have to take a little trip." I took a step back. I did not like the direction this was going in.

"I don't think so... I have no intention of going anywhere with you."

"Well, that makes in all the more fun, doesn't it?"

"What?" He grinned at me then and darted forward, taking me around the waist and pulling me close to himself. "L-let me go!"

"Relax kid. We don't have too far to go." In an instant he was leaping into the air. Somehow, he was able to propel us both up onto a parked car and from there he bounded onto a second floor balcony. I found myself clinging to him, only to avoid falling onto the pavement below. My mind was not comprehending what was happening at a fast enough rate and I found myself utterly confused.

I heard Demyx call out my name once before the street below disappeared from sight and I was flown up onto the rooftops.

Blood. Roxas. Blood. Zexion. Blood...Zexion...

Zexion.

I'd been so shocked, so completely blown away.

Zexion... surrounded by blood.

I'd had my suspicions, but they'd really, truly been more than just paranoia? They'd been real?

Roxas... covered in blood. His own blood.

I'd been so taken aback that everything had turned into a dark haze. I couldn't remember anything in between walking in and seeing everything, to Zexion standing before me on the street, begging and pleading with me.

Mom. Dad. In their own blood. Fangs gleaming. Eyes burning. Darkness, pooling like blood.

Some strange man had shown up out of nowhere and taken him away. I'd stood there and watched, still too shocked and numb to do anything. He'd looked so helpless. So confused.

Monsters. Death. Blood. Zexion...

I'd looked on silently until a voice woke up in my head. Someone was kidnapping Zexion, carrying him off to who knows where.

Monster... monster... monsters...

Zexion. My friend. My...love? I remembered in that moment, as he'd vanished above the buildings. I loved Zexion. I still did even after what I'd seen. That's why I'd stopped running, why I tried to hear him out, why I called for him as he disappeared.

Love.

I was in love with Zexion, even though Roxas was covered in blood, even though Zexion was...a vampire. I loved him.

And now he was gone.

Yup Another cliff hanger. Oh, I am evil. xD

So what do you think? I tried to incorporate everyone's feelings for eachother into this chapter. I hope it doesn't make it seem too rushed (11 damn chapters in). I mean, everything coming out sort of at once. I wanted it to be like a BAM! TIME BOMB! Am I just rambling I wonder...?

Whadda ya think of Xiggy? :D Sorry for anyone who likes XigDem(shudders). There will be none of that in the future. I've been wanting to write him for a while though. ;D So, I wonder what everyone is all worked up about. You know Xemnas and them...Hrm Drm...

Anywho, please drop me a comment and give me your thoguhts! ^_^ Btw, did you guys enjoy the contest? Something I should do again in the future, or was it a fail?