Review Replies
Suzanne: Thanks so much for the review! Ahh, Nemesis, the bane of my exsistance, I really want to write the next chapter and I've started it, but inspiration has just left me, and I have no way, sadly, to control it. BUT it shall be written, I ain't giving up on it. Anyway, back to Hateful Pleasures, thanks again for the review and I hope you enjoy!

Kelsey: Thank you for the review! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Darmellodov: Thank you very much for your review, it probably gave me the kickstart I needed to write this chapter so I hope you enjoy it!

Hey, People - you know what? I'm just going to get this out of my system now and have it over with...

Hateful Pleasures is officially my first story to be updated on my brand new spanking laptop!

Right, there isn't much of Tala and Kai in this chapter, but it is vitally important to the story, so read carefully :)

WARNINGS: Possible mistakes. Bad language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, nor any of the characters. Any unknown characters most likely belong to me.

No more talking, it's been a while since I updated so just enjoy!

Hateful Pleasures

Chapter Eleven: Eye To Eye

"We should not be heading for Moscow" said Hiro firmly.

Bryan rolled his eyes and looked evilly up at him "and what would you suggest, Sooka?

"What would I suggest?" Granger repeated, "I'd suggest we went in the other direction, we should never have come to Russia in the first place" he stood over the falcon who sneered up at him.

"You don't know shit" Bryan replied cruelly "you really think that Boris won't find us no matter which part of the world we're in? You really think we'd be safer if we hopped on a plane to England?"

"It would take Boris longer to find us at least" Hiro argued back.

"Would it fuck!" the falcon laughed harshly "you really don't know Boris, do you? I would have thought that the time you spent in BEGA you would have known Boris better, seemingly you're stupider than you look"

"And how does heading straight for Moscow help us stay safe?" asked Hiro in a hard voice.

"Because, Sooka, it'll be the last place Boris looks"

"But that doesn't make any sense. Going nearer the enemy is stupid"

"You underestimate how easy it is to hide in a city" Bryan said in bored tones as Ray appeared in to the carriage having just made a trip to the bathroom.

The neko-jin popped out from behind Hiro who still stood between the seats and blocked the passageway through the train "if Boris has men who can travel to England to look for us then I'm sure he has enough manpower to search through the city of Moscow" Hiro persisted.

"He does, but he won't" Bryan answered.

"What? You're telling me Boris is really stupid enough not to search through the city?"

"No, he just thinks I'm stupid"

"And you're not?"

"Guys, enough" Ray cut in quick before Bryan could reply with a snarl "all that matters is that Boris underestimates how smart Bryan is, that way he won't expect Bryan to take us to Moscow"

Hiro stopped and pursed his lips "fine" he admitted defeat but glared down at Bryan with anger in his eyes "however, if this gets Ray hurt then so God help me I'll make you pay"

"Woo, I'm scared" Bryan jeered "what you're gonna do? Beyblade me to death?"

Ray rested a hand on Hiro's arm "ignore him, he's just trying to provoke you"

"Yeah? It's working" replied Hiro through gritted teeth.

The neko-jin sighed and flumped back in his chair, he pushed the hair from his eyes and rubbed his head tiredly; it had been a long journey and he had a nasty feeling it was going to be even longer before they arrived anywhere. Not for the first time Ray wondered if Bryan actually had a plan, he got the impression that Bryan was just making things up as he went along; this was a good idea in principle, but Ray had doubts that it would serve them now.

And then there was the man. The man that sat behind Bryan a few seats away who sat reading a book – except he hadn't turned a page in over an hour. Either he was one hell of a slow reader or there was another reason he was hiding his face behind a book. Under normal circumstances it would not have bothered the tiger; he'd been around the Bladebreakers long enough to learn that people did strange things for even stranger reasons. But. Someone was trying to kill him. Someone had nearly succeeded in doing so. That put Ray on edge. Anything strange was like a warning scream to him; before they'd boarded the train he'd stared hard at an old blind woman convinced she was up to no good.

Until Hiro pointed out that Boris wasn't the type to dress up as an old lady.

He couldn't settle, it was like electricity was shooting down his spine again and again; he was jumpy, alert and that man who wasn't reading his book made Ray-

"Don't look at him!" Bryan snapped, "do you want him to kill you?"

"What?" Ray swallowed and looked away from the reading man "you think he's here to kill me?"

"Of course he's here to kill you" Bryan answered as if Ray was being stupid "it's not like he succeeded last time, is it?"

"But how did he find us?"

"How the fuck should I know! Compass? GPS? Maybe he's bugged you"

Ray's eyes widened in alarm "you think?"
Hiro sighed, "no, he doesn't think" he answered the neko-jin "he's just trying to wind you up"

"Hmm" Ray shuffled uncomfortably in his seat and sighed, "so, what are we going to do?"

Bryan blinked "do?" he repeated "I don't know about you but I'm not gonna do anything"

"Why not?"

"Because I live in hope that he succeeds in bringing the end to your miserable life"

Ray glared at the falcon and replied coolly "I'm telling you now, Kuznetsov, if I go down then I'm taking you with me"

Bryan sneered "and what can you do?"

"Why don't you wait and find out?" suggested the neko-jin cheekily.

Bryan's pale eyes narrowed dangerously; normally he wouldn't have batted an eyelid to such a vague and empty threat, but this was Ray. Bryan could still remember in clear detail the day Ray had defeated him in the beybattle; now that seemed such an unrelated topic compared to what he'd got himself in to, but Bryan knew all too well that Ray had determined to defeat the falcon that day, even though it had almost cost him his life.

Bryan didn't put it passed Ray to risk himself just to prove a point.

And that spelt trouble for Bryan.

He cursed under his breath and reluctantly said, "we're not going all the way to Moscow, we're getting off at the next stop and travelling by bus"

This was news to Hiro "but Moscow is hours away, and it looks like there's a snow storm coming, we'll never make it"

"Well, we're not gonna make it anyway if that hit man kills us" Bryan pointed out none too kindly "do you wanna live or not?"

"He has a point," Ray reasoned to Hiro "the man won't be expecting us to get off at another station"

Hiro pursed his lips, but said no more; he shot the falcon a glare, Bryan leered at him and slumped down in his chair. The neko-jin shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but gave no other indication that he was scared of the man sitting behind Bryan; he felt the falcon's eyes fall on him and decided to ignore it, whatever freakish prank Bryan was trying to pull Ray would be dammed before he let it get to him. All he needed to do was keep an one the man with the book; beside him Hiro sighed and flashed the reading man a wary look, the neko-jin could feel the older was on edge, alert, and that gave him comfort as the train chugged on and Bryan's eyes bored in to him.

The falcon was watching Ray; eyeing him up and down with a callous unhindered gaze. The neko-jin was opposite him looking determinedly out the window as Bryan openly stared at him; the sharp turn of his jaw fascinated the falcon, the way the dark raven bangs framed the face. His pointed nose was almost in silhouette and his ear protruded out from behind the hair; Ray was in complete symmetry, every feature of his face was the perfect shape and size.

The room was quiet, silent and frosted; mist had steamed up the windows and a thin layer of ice had left a pattern of intricate leaves, Tala lifted his hand and pressed it hard against the window pane, the cold numbed his palm to the extent that it almost hurt, but for a moment it pulled Tala's mind from his thoughts.

Cautiously he touched his mouth starting when his fingers brushed his lips; to touch them now was strange, it was different than before. Because only hours ago this same mouth had been using another mouth, trailing down the warm skin of another's body. And he remembered it all, so clearly; the way his mouth had clung on to the pale skin, the way sense and reason had abandoned him when his head had fallen silent and his body had taken over.

Behind him without words Kai stood by the door his arms folded and his eyes shut; he hadn't said anything, hadn't brought up the event of the night, hadn't even given any indication that anything out of the ordinary had happened. He'd spoken to Tala in the same neutral tones Tala had known for years; there was no illusion to the fact that barely hours ago their mouths had crushed together in way that should never had occurred. Kai hadn't mentioned it, neither had Tala. And it hung over them like a heavy sodden blanket, weighing down on their shoulders and making the air suffocating and thick.

Had Zip been there it would have all been easier, the chances were that it might never have happened; but Zip was dead, cut down by Boris and as one the pair of them had stood and watched it happen. And the worst part of that story was yet to come; Kai wasn't one for feeling unsure, but informing Ray that his father was dead wasn't going to be easy.

He should feel nothing; Zip had been nothing short of an animal and Kai was pleased to see the back of him, but on the other hand Ray was a friend and one that Kai valued highly. The true honesty of it was that he didn't know how to tell Ray the truth; he'd never been in this situation before. He didn't know how to approach it.

But at least keeping his mind occupied by this kept his mind from something else and that was what was needed at this time; Tala turned from the window one hand shoved in his pocket as the morning light silhouetted him against the window "you do realise that Bryan isn't going to sit high up in the mountains waiting for this to blow over, don't you?"

"I told him to keep Ray secure"

A dark look crossed Tala's face "I'm the Captain" he reminded the phoenix "and I told Bryan months ago that should any of us get captured then the ones still free were to make their way to Moscow in order to free the others"

Kai looked up sharply; he hadn't known that, and it ruined his plan of keeping Ray out of the picture. Bryan always listened to Tala and did whatever he said, but he listened to Kai too and to please both of them he would come to Moscow and bring Ray with him. Kai pursed his lips "that's something you should have mentioned before now"

Tala shrugged "how was I supposed to know that pussy whipped idiot would be tagging along?"

"That does not matter, you should have told me" Kai replied "now instead of keeping Ray out of this, he's going to be dragged straight in to the middle"

"And I care about that because…" Tala snorted "it was your dumb idea to put the neko with Bryan, not one of your brighter ideas"

"I wouldn't have left Ray with Bryan at all had you told me about this pact you and he made" the red eyes bored in to ice blue "to make matters worse they've got Hiro too"

"What a merry band of rescuers" Tala sniped, he didn't looked bothered by this information but then again he didn't give a damn about Ray or Hiro, Kai hadn't expected any reaction at all "what's it to me if the neko and Granger senior get themselves killed"

"It's a problem for you because Boris is looking for Ray" Kai replied tightly "if he finds Ray then he finds Bryan too"

Still Tala was nonchalant "Bryan can look after himself, and I don't imagine he's actually that keen to keep Ray alive"

Kai glared at this but gave no retaliation; instead he said calmly "I presume there's a reason you brought up the subject of Bryan now"

The wolf looked faintly disappointed that they weren't going to fight, but it was nothing unusual; Kai and he never fought, they only had harsh word exchanges. It was something Tala found annoying, but it was also what he'd been taught to expect. The most passion he'd ever seen emit from Kai was a few sordid moments by a window locked away in a mansion only the night before "he'll be making his way to Moscow as we speak, quite why he's not here already I don't know, there must have been some delay to keep him back…probably something to do with that cat friend of yours" he pushed a strand of red hair back from his face and the blue eyes snapped back to the crimson "when he arrives, he'll leave a sign for us"

"And that sign is?"

"I don't know, but knowing Bryan it won't be subtle" the wolf mused "probably he'll stand at the gate looking forbidding if I know him"

"I don't understand the point of telling me this, when you have failed to do so previously"

"Because when Bryan comes, I go, with or without you" Tala replied; the gap between them was five metres or so, but it felt like a solid brick wall stood between them. Their eyes were the only contact they made and yet it felt like a physical strike.

"You've been thinking about this"

"I have" Tala affirmed though it hadn't been a question "I understand why you would like to stay, finding out what all this is about is a good idea, but I'm not prepared to die over it. If you stay then that's up to you, but I go as soon as Bryan shows up"

"You've never been bothered by death before" Kai said his eyes piercingly sharp as he and Tala stared at each for longer.

"If you make one wrong move, I'm dead" Tala answered, "if Voltaire finds out the reason you stay is because you want to find the truth, I'm dead. I am not willing or prepared to stay and get myself killed over you"

Eye to eye. They stood apart with that one broach of contact breaking all other disconnection and it was hardest possible contact to make. No touching, no speech; all the senses were locked away. Except for the eyes. Because Kai knew. He knew why Tala was turning tail; it had nothing to do with the threat of death, that wasn't a fear for Tala it was a treat. Fear of ending life had ceased for Tala the first time he'd pressed a gun to his head during their first game of Roulette, and Kai knew that.

Tala was no human; he'd been brought up a robot, a soldier, all fear and dread had been drained out of him from a child. He was not normal and ordinary fear of death, pain and suffering did not turn him in horror. What bothered Tala was something that he didn't know, something he'd not been taught. The unknown was something to approach with caution and never to be treated lightly.

But that's what he'd done, he'd leapt in to the unknown when their mouths had met and now he didn't know what to do about it. So, he leaving, departing, abandoning all reason and sense just like before but for a completely different meaning. Just like a rat leaving a sinking ship.

It took a few moments for Ray to realise that the train was slowing; he'd been so focussed on looking outside and not retaliating to Bryan's continuous stare that the train had started to chug loudly in an alarming way before it registered that something was wrong. He snapped to attention as Bryan, who pulled his gaze from Ray almost unwillingly, stood from his chair and looked out the window with a frown.

Sensing trouble Hiro too cast his vision out the window; they were in the hills, travelling along a track that ran round the side of a steep rise, below the train the ground dropped suddenly in an even steeper fall. There was no station, no sign of a town or any indication as to why the train should be stopping; over their heads the intercom crackled in to life and a thick Russian voice garbled out words that neither Ray nor Hiro understood.

"What's wrong?" asked Ray quickly as the falcon turned to look at the man with the book "what's happening?"

"Something on the track" Bryan replied, more to himself as he listened to the announcer "blocking the train"

The carriage was fuller now; as time had moved on there had been more people waiting at the various stations at which they had stopped; now these people were exhaling loud complaints and sighs or irritation as the announcer informed them their train was stuck and there would be delays. But there was one who didn't move, not even an inch: the man with the book. He sat quietly in his seat the book still raised to his face as around him passengers got up from their seats to shout at the intercom.

"We're going" Bryan ordered shortly.

"What?" Ray scrambled from the seats they had been occupying and joined Bryan in the passage way "where are we going?"

"To hell if you don't get your fucking ass moving!" Bryan snapped as he grabbed Ray and pulled him out just as the man with the book threw aside his reading material and lifted up the gun he'd been hiding.

The shot rang out, people screamed; and there was chaos, suddenly the carriage was a moving heaving mass of bodies as everyone tried desperately to clear the barrel of the gun. The gun fired again, and again; the man cursed, Bryan was in the way of Ray who turned to flee for the exit only to find himself blocked by a large bulking man who was trapped in the passage way by his wife who screamed over and over; the gun was pointing in their direction, they were terrified.

Snarling Bryan turned on the man and with both hands pulled him out the way; but he'd been momentarily distracted by the blockage to the exit and the hit man was lifting his gun again.

"Bryan! WATCH OUT!"

Next thing the falcon knew he was being shoved out the way just as another shot rang out; blood spattered the wall and a yelp tore from Ray's lips. Then Hiro was there, dragging Ray by his clothes and grabbing Bryan; the bulking man had shrank back in to an empty seat and the pathway was clear.

Then they were through in between the carriages; the train had stopped but the red light blaring above the door told them it was still locked. Hiro had neko-jin blood on his hands and he knew Ray was hurt; but he didn't have time to look as he flung himself at the locked door. Behind them the hit man had been caught in the clogged carriage; the people he'd scared so hysterically were in his way and he was trapped.

It gave them time; with a snarl Bryan pulled Hiro out the way and landed his boot straight in to the door, it buckled, he kicked it again and an alarm blared out screaming in to their ears with a noise that shot down their spines.

The hit man was coming, battling through the mêlée of people and bodies; the gun went off and someone screamed in agony as Bryan kicked and kicked the door. It gave way with a hiss of complaint and shivered backwards sweeping in a face-full of cold air and snow; the wind was wild up in the hills but there was little snow in the sky and the sun shone down a weak glow.

The door to the carriage was pulled open as the gunman reached them his weapon outstretched; without pausing Bryan grabbed the neko-jin roughly, ignoring the gasp of pain. He shoved the tiger out of the train and then Ray was falling.

Stumbling down the steep drop, rolling and bringing a cascade of snow down with him; as he tumbled he picked up speed and only the snow clinging to the ground kept further injury from his body. He was aware that he wasn't the only rolling down this seemingly never-ending slope that appeared to be more vertical than he'd first realised.

Pain jarred through his shoulder when he collided with a rock but on he continued down and down unable to stop or control the pace at which he fell; he couldn't make a sound, all the breath had been knocked out of him as his body had thumped from one level to the next.

He toppled over another rock ledge and then he was landing in the soft snow in a tangled heap; his head was spinning, and several parts of his body were screaming with abuse, it was like the worst hangover he'd ever had, only he hadn't had the pleasure of drinking first.

Groaning he rolled over on to his stomach his heart racing; his body felt beaten and bruised already and he was totally convinced he'd hit his head on the way down "lesson one of skiing" he managed as he lifted his head up and tested his neck "damn-well bring a pair of skis with you"

"Ray!" Hiro's shout came before he did; he flumped in to the snow and was on his feet in less than a second, he staggered a little but gave no other signs of pain as he scrambled over to the neko-jin.

"Tyson's right about you" Ray mumbled as Hiro helped him up "you do have pain threshold higher than the sky"

If Hiro thought the tiger was being funny he didn't show it; instead he took Ray's face in his hands and studied the golden eyes intently.

"I'm fine, really" the neko-jin protested "just a few bumps and scrapes"

"That's not true" Hiro replied, "you're bleeding"

"Oh, that" the neko-jin lifted his hand "the bullet caught my hand when I pushed Bryan out the way, that's all"

Calmly Hiro took the proffered hand; Ray had been understating somewhat he discovered, in the centre of the long slender hand was a deep gouge that, when Hiro turned the hand over, dug right through to the other side. Blood stained Ray's sleeve and the wound was still bleeding badly "it's gone right through" Granger muttered more to himself "you're lucky, it would have been worse if the bullet had lodged in your hand"

"No kidding," snorted the neko-jin "that meant someone would have had to pull it out and I don't fancy my chances if Bryan tried it"

"We'll need to get that wrapped up" Hiro continued briskly as if the neko-jin hadn't spoken "maybe there's a town near by that would help" he sighed and searched his pockets already knowing he had no substitute bandage that would suffice, carefully he closed the neko-jin's hand and looked in to Ray's face "are you alright?"

"I told you, bumps and scrapes-"

"No, I mean are you alright?" Hiro repeated, "that man nearly killed you, I swear for a moment I was actually scared he might succeed"

"Ahh, all in a day's work" Ray brushed off easily.

Hiro lifted his eyebrows.

"Really, honestly I'm totally fine"

"Ray, you might be a good blader, but you're one hell of a bad liar" a small smile touched Hiro's face as he lifted his fingers to wipe away a smear of blood from the neko-jin's lip.

A jolt shot through Ray harder than any collision; even with the cold around them Hiro's touch was warm, made softer by the frozen air that numbed the neko-jin's mouth. His golden eyes lifted up in to Hiro's mahogany orbs; there was a moment of silence, but Ray didn't pull away as he should have done. Instead he watched with open curiosity as a look of puzzlement passed over Hiro's features.

Suddenly the air around them wasn't so cold, in fact the neko-jin's awareness of it faded out completely; the gap between their mouths was closing in before Ray had time to realise what was happening. The expression of puzzlement was still crossing Hiro's face though there was no sign of uneasiness or shyness; the wind around them blew but even that could not stay the rising heat that Ray found aggravating and tempting.

Reason was still loud in his brain as Hiro's lips brushed against his; sense was still calling to him when Hiro pulled away to kiss the corner of his mouth. Hiro pulled away again his mouth hovering over Ray's teasingly; Ray swallowed and licked his lips subconsciously. Hesitatingly he muttered, "we should probably find…"

Hiro's thumb stroked his lips as he shushed the neko-jin quiet "forget about that" he whispered softly sending a stir through Ray in a shiver "here"

Ray obeyed pushing his mouth slowly to Hiro's as his bloody hand rose to caress the older blader's face; his palm throbbed in agony, but that was unimportant now as he forgot all about it as his fingers tightened in to Hiro's cheek-

There was a flump and a curse; the pair pulled apart and span round as one, just in time to see Bryan struggle to his feet with another vehement curse. His balance wavered and he staggered but managed to keep his stance as he turned to Hiro and Ray only to find them staring at him.

"What!"

"You're covered in blood!" Ray said in alarm "you're hurt"

Bryan blinked and looked stupidly down his chest; his top was stained black and torn at the side. He pushed hand through his scraggy hair and cricked his neck "not mine" he replied shortly and wiped more blood on his trousers.

"What about the hit man?" asked Hiro sharply.

Bryan's eyes flickered from Ray to Hiro and back again "gone" he answered in the same clipped voice. His pale eyes snapped back to Ray.

The neko-jin blinked; his gaze drifted over Bryan's clothes and the gleam in his eye, he wasn't sure he was happy calling Bryan a killer. Maybe the gunman wasn't dead; maybe Bryan had only left him in a bloody heap.

But maybe that was wishful thinking.

Russian Words

Sooka - Bitch/Traitor/Whore…or that's what the website said at least. I thought it was quite funny that Bryan calls Hiro a bitch.

I'm not sure whether to build up the relationship between Tala and Kai before they have sex, or whether to have them cave in their desires in a place that's dangerous- oh! … Ohhh! … Methinks me has a mighty fine idea! Oh yes!

Anyway, another chapter completed.

Thanks for reading!

Please leave a review.

Kiki.