Ok, so long time since I updated. My bad - I take all blame...actually, I'll let life take the blame. Cause if it hadn't all hit me in the face then I would have updated sooner!

Additional Note: A couple of weeks ago I did try to update but it screwed it up for some reason. So for those of you that got an email update but no new chapter I can only apologise and hope it works this time.

Last Time: Kai discovered some crucial details and he and Tala consummated their relationship.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade nor any of its characters.

WARNINGS: Beatings. Lemon. Bad language.

Reason behind the chapter title: In some ancient cultures dancing is a form of pre-sex, foreplay if you like, and others believed that to dance was a form of love making while the sex itself was merely a method to carry the family line.

It's a weak attempt to play on words – just enjoy the chapter.

Hateful Pleasures

Chapter Fourteen: How They Danced Part I

The snow was falling hard; the air was so cold that the soft fur of a wandering cat glistened in the streetlights of Moscow. In the city the wind was chopped and funnelled through the streets; some were blocked and out of reach from this biting cold gale, but others were like walking down tunnels of ice.

Their arrival in Moscow had been a difficult one; Bryan didn't trust anyone, he'd even scared away a child who had been trying to tell Ray where the nearest shop was. Thus, the tiger had started an argument – one of those fights where he knew he was right, but Bryan just refused to believe it.

"We need to eat, Bryan" the neko-jin was saying patiently "it's no good to walk around on an empty stomach"

"Urg! You sound just like that Sooka's brother!"

"You mean Tyson? Yeah, well, for once Tyson's opinion makes a lot of sense"

"Like hell it does! I was brought up to survive days without food! Boris used to-"

Ray grabbed the falcon by his arm "you're not with Boris now" he said firmly, completely ignoring Bryan's snarl at the contact "you escaped his ruling, remember?"

He sighed as Bryan tore his arm free; the city street was busy and as people passed pieces of Russian filled the neko-jin's ears. All around him the people spoke Russian, a language that as odd to him as Chinese was to the falcon. It had never bothered Ray before; yet all of a sudden it seemed a strange to converse in a language neither of them had been born with. If this had been any other time the neko-jin wouldn't have even considered it; right now, however, it only brought him memories of his last trip to Russia – when he and the Bladebreakers had been named Champions…World Champions. Even to this day it would fill Ray's chest with pride, but right now it only brought the pain of a happy past.

Bryan scowled darkly "we'll eat when I say we'll eat!" he snapped.

"Or we could just eat right now"

The falcon rolled his eyes in disgust.

Hiro appeared at Ray's side with a bag in his hand "I got some food"

The neko-jin blinked "but how? I didn't know we had any money"

"Uhh…" Hiro stuck his tongue his cheek "we don't…or at least I don't"

Ray looked at the bag and then at Hiro "you stole this?"

"In a manner of speaking…" Hiro shrugged "I may have a well paid job now, but that wasn't always the case. I left home when I was sixteen with no money and no plans, life was difficult for a while"

"So you can shop-lift," Bryan sneered "that's such a great skill"

"At least we can eat" Hiro replied coldly "and I don't see you contributing anything"

"I'm gonna find a place to sleep, Sooka!" the falcon snarled.

"Let me guess, a cardboard box with some newspaper inside, yes?"

"Hey, stop it" Ray cut in between them before a proper fight could start "we're in Moscow, which is great. But we need a plan" he looked from one to the other "if we're not careful Boris is going to find us before we have chance to do anything"

He looked from Hiro to Bryan and back again; Hiro pursed his lips but relented almost at once, Bryan on the other hand merely snarled again. Ray sighed lightly and gave the falcon a little time to realise that fighting further would be pointless. Nevertheless it took Bryan a long time to settle, longer than Ray had expected; the Russian seemed to really have it in for Hiro, whenever Hiro opened his mouth Bryan made the point of disagreeing with him – even if Hiro spoke common sense.

For the hell of him Ray couldn't understand why Bryan had swapped from being mildly annoyed by Hiro's presence, to downright and outwardly aggressive. It wasn't the aggression so much as the sudden change that bothered him. Still, it was hardly on the top of his list however much it troubled him.

At least that's what he tried to tell himself.

"I'm gonna find somewhere to stay" said Bryan coldly "you," he glared at Ray "can stay right here, exactly where you are! And you," his eyes snapped to Hiro "you can walk straight under a bus"

Hiro rolled his eyes as the falcon turned abruptly away; Ray however, watched Bryan go with a thoughtful look "something's bothering him" he mused.

"And I care because?"

"Because this is exactly where Bryan wants to be, yet he's not happy for some reason"

"Really, Ray, I couldn't care less why Bryan is brooding. You're my concern, not his feelings"

"And that's another thing" Ray answered completely forgetting that it wasn't the most important issue "why can't you and Bryan get along for five minutes. I swear it's getting worse"

"We just can't see eye to eye, that's all" said Hiro sourly.

Ray sighed; part of him wanted to point out that the whole journey would be a lot smoother if Hiro and Bryan did see eye to eye. But there wasn't much point. Besides, this was the first time he'd been alone with Hiro in a long while; there was something he wanted to get off his chest, even if it did make his heart pound.

"Hiro…I've been meaning to say…about that kiss"

"Hmm?"

"Well…what did you mean when you said…when you implied that you were interested?" it had come out differently to what Ray had wanted, but he couldn't help himself. He kept thinking about it, and worst of all it made him curious; people all over the world had curse Ray for his curiosity. Lee had once claimed that Ray's curiosity could be changed in to enough electricity to power half the world; at this present moment in time Ray was inclined to agree with him.

"I like you"

Ray looked at him quickly "what?"

"I like you" Hiro repeated, he scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly "I know I should probably be introvert about this, but the truth is the truth and we're constantly in a state in life or death. It makes very little sense to not tell you"

The wind blew in a sharp short gust between them; Ray gazed at the older Granger with his heart thudding so hard he was sure half of Russia could hear it.

"So that's why I really kissed you" Hiro feeling a little numb "yes, I was relieved, but I'm also…" he searched for the right words "you've turned in to a fine person, Ray, there's a lot of people on this world who like you for it. I'm one of them"

"Aww, ain't that just sweet?"

Ray leapt out of his skin, as Bryan appeared from behind him out of nowhere "where'd you come from?" he asked quickly "and how much did you just hear?"

"Enough!" Bryan spat, his voice sounded hard and bitter "we need to go!" he grabbed the neko-jin "now!"

"What? Bryan, wa-wait a minute!" Ray pulled back "what's the rush? I thought you went to find a place for us to stay"

"Actually I went to flush out everyone who was waiting for us" replied the falcon.

"What are you…" Ray stopped when he saw the dark colour of blood staining Bryan's jacket "that's blood!" he said sharply fighting against the falcon every step.

"Well I had to get this from somewhere" from his large pocket the falcon pulled out a gun, seemingly regardless of the innocent passers by "you made me throw mine away, remember"

"You fought with someone?" Ray gasped, "are you alright?" his eyes narrowed "is the guy still alive?"

"Probably not, I beat the crap outta him and threw him in to the road" Bryan examined the piece "but he won't be alone, we need to go"

"So they were waiting us? How did they know we were here?"

"Simple, I used you as bait"

"What!" Hiro snapped.

Bryan rolled his eyes and turned on the other "yeah!" he sneered "I used your precious kitten as bait, why else would I leave him in the middle of a high street? I needed him to be easy to spot, now he is and we need to go"

"And the point of this was?"

"Because, Sooka, it's easier to draw them out and give them slip rather than tip-toeing around and hoping" Bryan grinned "now I know their faces"

He turned away; Hiro opened his mouth to tell Bryan exactly what he thought of this plan, but Ray stopped him silently. It may have been a dangerous plan but the neko-jin could see the advantage behind it; now Boris's men couldn't pretend they were simply part of the crowd, Bryan knew what they looked like and he'd be looking for them.

"So?" the neko-jin asked as he walked beside the falcon "who are they?"

Bryan glanced around "five of them" he answered "one on the bench we just passed, one on the other side of the road, two walking up behind us and the last one is reading that paper over there"

"That's all of them?" asked Hiro, he couldn't help feeling a tad suspicious.

Bryan grunted shortly.

They walked down calmly; the worst thing they could do was run. Nevertheless acting calm wasn't helping their situation; they walking straight in to a trap, another few steps and there'd be nowhere to run. Then Ray spied a homeless man slouched on the ground by a narrow alleyway; it was barely an escape, but it was the only one there was.

He was aware that Bryan had closed his hand around the weapon concealed in his jacket; the men behind them were catching up, gaining ground but still Bryan maintained the steady pace. Then something happened that caught them off guard.

The homeless man stood up.

And pulled out a gun.

"Ray, look out!"

Hiro grabbed the neko-jin just as the man fired; the street erupted. Screams and cries of alarm filled the air as chaos broke and people ran out in to the road making cars screech against the road as drivers slammed down the brakes. Bryan returned fire, catching the kick of the gun and pulling the trigger again.

The men behind them dragged out their own weapons while their companions raced across the road to join them. Guns fired across the street regardless of anyone got in the way.

"Hiro!" Ray's stomach dropped three feet when Hiro staggered on to him; he caught the older Granger and bared the weight on his shoulders.

Bryan was shoving them both down the tiny alley; the homeless man was lying dead on the ground, blood staining the snow red around him. The falcon fired twice more and smirked when he got three men in two shots. Another had been killed by his own people while the last two had got caught up in the swathe of panic and people who were drove them away from the falcon no matter how they fought to get closer.

Bryan stayed for another heartbeat and then disappeared down the alley.

"Hiro! Dammit, Hiro, answer me!"

Ray had slumped the injured man down in the snow and was ripping aside Hiro's clothes; Hiro groaned and looked up blearily, Ray sighed in relief. The bullet had struck him too high to hit his heart; it was bloody and painful, but Hiro was alive and Ray could tend to his wound.

Now however the neko-jin turned to the falcon, his anger and rage boiling up so fast the transformation took Bryan off guard "you!" Ray slammed Bryan in to the wall smacking the Russian's head against the brick "you knew that homeless man was fake! Didn't you!"

Bryan clapped a hand to the back of his head and shrugged his shoulders "yeah, so"

"Why the hell didn't you say anything!" Ray snarled, "you knew what could have happened!"

"You would have put up a fuss if you'd known you were walking straight in to his path" Bryan said objectively "I wasn't going to waste my time"

"But he was aiming for me!" Ray pointed out angrily "I thought it was your job to protect me, remember!"

"I did" the falcon pointed out with a leer "I knew fine well Sooka over there would protect you, what do I care if he dies in the process?"

Ray glared and for a moment it looked like he was going hit the falcon. But he resisted temptation and returned his attention back to Hiro, helping the guy up and steadying him.

"We need to find a place to stay," he said coldly walking passed Bryan, still feeling angry "I have to tend to his wound"

Bryan watched him go with his own glare plastering his face "just let him bleed to death" he muttered jealously.

Tala's eyes opened slowly; daylight shone in to the room. Memories flittered in and out of his head; he felt he should have felt disgusted by some of them, but instead a numb acknowledgment filled him. Part of him wanted to deny the truth of the memories, but his naked body told him otherwise; he remembered bedding Kai because it was the truth, he had bedded the phoenix. He'd wanted to do it after all.

The only problem was he didn't know what consequences the night would lead to. There was movement by the window and the wolf turned his head to see Kai staring out the window. However, at Tala's movement, he turned away from the window and crimson eyes met blue silently.

"How long have you been awake?" asked Tala sitting up.

"Since dawn, I've been thinking"

"When are you not?" Tala eyed the phoenix and the loose clothes Kai wore. Then he grunted and dragged a hand through his hair "fine, what have you been thinking about?"

"My Grandfather has returned, about an hour ago"

"My heart fills with joy, and?"

"It made me think of something that doesn't make sense, it had been bothering me but until now I hadn't thought of what it could be" Kai felt it best to leave out the fact that Tala had completely distracted him.

"And?"

"Why did Voltaire need a second wife?"

"Come again"

"Boris told us after Voltaire's first wife died he got another"

"The one Ray's father fucked? Yeah, so what?"

"Why did he need that second wife?" Kai's eyes narrowed "all my Grandfather ever wanted was a son to carry bloodline. He already had that, his first wife gave him a son…my father"

"He's dead, isn't he?"

"Yes, my mother too. She killed herself, but I was already born so the bloodline was safe"

Tala could see his point; if Voltaire already had the heir he wanted there was no reason for him to have a second wife in his life, especially when there was very little chance he even liked her "where is that second wife now?"

"A mental institution, Voltaire put her there years ago"

"He grew bored quickly" the wolf commented "how long was he married to her?"

"He married her when my father got sick, six months before he died"

"Then your mother followed quickly after that" Tala stood from the bed "maybe the second wife really lost it. After all, she lost a lover, Ray's father, and then she was left alone with Voltaire of all people. She could have just broke"

"That doesn't explain why my Grandfather married her at all" replied the phoenix seemingly disregarding Tala's nakedness but not failing to notice when the wolf reached for his clothes.

"I bet she would know. It would be worth talking to her"

"And how exactly to you propose we get to her?" asked Kai as Tala pulled on his pants.

Tala sighed and shrugged "how the fuck should I know? Get Bryan to do it"

"There's no way to contact him, in any case I want him to focus all his attention on Ray" Kai ignored the sneer painting itself across the redhead's face "we don't need to go anywhere. All the answers we need are in this mansion"

"If you say so" Tala sighed.

"I've thought of a plan"

"Of course you have" the wolf rolled his eyes and thought for a moment "let me guess, you're going to break in to Voltaire's special office" he glanced at the phoenix "how? You'd been some sort of distraction"

Kai blinked.

The answer dawned on Tala and he glowered "oh"

"You need to distract my Grandfather and Boris, I can handle anyone else I come across"

"And how am I supposed to distract them? Have you planned that too?"

"I assumed you could think of that part"

The wolf sighed.

"Yes, I can" he said dryly "none of its pretty, but it's easy enough"

He turned to Kai and walked towards him slowly; the phoenix watched him as the wolf approached. He wasn't entirely sure what Tala had planned but he knew one thing for certain: Boris would talk about their little venture together, he would tell Voltaire about what they'd done. And Voltaire would take it out on Tala. All of a sudden Kai became suspicious.

"What do you plan?"

"Nothing complicated. I'm sure Boris will tell Voltaire about what I did to him, the injuries will speak for themselves" Tala brushed off absently "Voltaire will punish me, you know that"

"So you plan to give him the slip," said Kai "make them find you"

"No, I plan to let them punish me"

Kai stared at him.

"Don't give me that," Tala snapped, "you know it's the best way to keep those two occupied. If I ran Voltaire would simply send his minions after me, he wouldn't chase me himself" Tala's blue eyes focused on Kai "but he'll beat me himself, I know that, and Boris will be there to watch"

Kai said nothing. Tala had done a lot of things for him but sacrificing himself wasn't one of them. To Tala the most important person in the world was Tala himself. That had never changed. Until that moment.

"It won't work" Kai answered, maybe this was his way of talking Tala out of the idea "Voltaire will either figure it out or won't care. Either way the beating won't last long enough"

"I know, the only way to get Voltaire distracted is to make him white hot with rage" now Tala leaned in close with a dirty smile on his face that was worthy of Boris. He turned his head and whispered softly in Kai's ear "so I'll just tell Voltaire that I fucked his Grandson"

"There" Ray said as he finished "you're all set"

Hiro examined the white bandage "I'm impressed. Where'd you get the bandage and dressing from?"

"Ahh" Ray gave him an uneasy look "you're not the only one with sticky fingers it seems"

"Well, it seems to have done the job" Hiro smiled "thanks"

"You saved my life today, it was the least I could do" Ray answered getting up from the bed and looking out the poky window of the tiny room.

Bryan had indeed found them somewhere to stay for a while: a rundown tiny hotel in the depths of the back streets where seventy percent of all Moscow's murders happened. It wasn't much, the heating was broken and pieces of wallpaper were peeling off, but at least it was a roof over their heads. And it had given Ray chance to patch Hiro up; something he'd insisted, going as far as threatening Bryan.

The falcon had begrudged him this; he'd spent the last hour sitting out in the cold narrow street watching for any more of Boris's men. Secretly Ray was glad he was alone with Hiro; he grew tired of the constant fighting and right now he wanted to be alone with Hiro anyway.

"Actually…it should be me that's thanking you" the neko-jin spoke quietly as he gazed out the window "you saved my life today"

"And I'd do it again" answered Hiro standing up from the bed and examining the dressing more closely in a dirty broken mirror.

"No" Ray shook his head "you shouldn't have done it the first time, you almost got yourself killed today"

"You would have done the same for me"

"That doesn't matter" the neko-jin turned from the window "you have a brother waiting for you back home, Tyson will be going out of his head"

"Sure" Hiro nodded in agreement "but at the same time you have people waiting for you too. I'm not the only one that's disappeared"

"I know that, but if anything happens to you Tyson would break. You can't let that happen"

"I don't intend to let anything happen" Hiro said walking to Ray "not to you or me, we're both going to live through this"

Silence descended upon them, and it was only then Hiro realised how close they were. The gap between them was filled with warm breath and steady beating hearts that held the flutter of excitement. Ray gazed in to Hiro's eyes, and then swallowed.

"Kiss me"

Hiro's eyes widened "Ray?"

"You want to, right?" the neko-jin murmured, "that's why you're standing so close. So do it"

"But…"

"I want you to, I've wanted nothing else since the first time you kissed me" Ray flushed a little "so kiss me, Hiro"

"And what about your village ethics, Ray? Are you simply going to ignore them?"

Ray frowned a little and thought about this "I was going to" he replied "but the truth is that I'm fighting a losing battle. The modern world has changed me too much already, I can't deny that no matter how much I try" he looked back up at Hiro "that means I can never go back to the life I once knew, but if I try to deny what I truly want out of the modern world then I'll be part of two worlds and I'll never belong in one. I want this, Hiro"

"And that's your final decision?"

"Yes"

Hiro kissed him, hungrily. Ray gasped, and moaned in to Hiro's mouth out of excitement than anything more. Hiro's hands were climbing through his hair; they moved back and Ray hit the bed. Stumbling he was caught and they sank down as one in to the sheets; there was the scent of damp but still Ray clung to them as Hiro lowered his attentions and pulled down the neko-jin's collar.

Ray's heart was racing; he planted a kiss on the side of Hiro's face and submitted to the man with a feeling verging on relief. He wanted to do this; he was almost desperate to do it. There were men in the world who wanted to kill him but that didn't matter, in fact it only made him more frantic; if he didn't have Hiro now he'd go mad.

Hiro pulled up his top and his hands searched Ray's body as he found the tiger's mouth and kissed him eagerly. He ran his hand over Ray's chest, then lower to his ribs before pushing his way in to neko-jin's pants; he took hold of the member and played with it, the neko-jin closed his eyes arching his back with a grunt.

He grew in Hiro's hand moaning quietly and gripping the sheets tighter; it felt good, like nothing else he'd ever felt. He bit his lip trying his hardest not to purr; Hiro smiled against his neck and ran his tongue down the line of Ray's collarbone. He gave the neko-jin a few hearty tugs and caught the tiger's mouth, claiming it and dominating it.

Ray moved underneath him, whimpering as Hiro let go and climbed above him. He sat back, dragged his top over his head and unbuckled his belt; Ray watched him and then groaned when Hiro lay down on top of him and kissed him again. He could feel Hiro, every part of him, and when Hiro rolled against him he caught the neko-jin's erection. Ray bit his lip and muttered something, feeling tight and trapped in his own clothes; Hiro smiled and kissed his cheek.

His fingers hooked in to Ray's pants and he pushed them down over the tiger's hips until cool air shrouded his manhood. Hiro took it again and dropped down so he could slide it in to his mouth; the hot feeling inside Ray grew, he groaned and kicked his legs free of his trousers.

"Hiro…" he gasped, holding fistfuls of damp sheets.

He was sweating, his spine was bending; there was a need inside him, his member felt so good it hurt. He bit his lip that hard he almost burst the skin. He was sliding in and out of Hiro's mouth; Ray tipped his head back and moaned.

Hiro gave him one last lick from base to tip and then lifted his head to look down at the flushed neko-jin underneath him. He smiled again and kissed Ray's stomach lightly, listening to the laboured breaths. Now level with Ray's eyes he cupped the neko-jin's face and gave him a chaste kiss.

He sat back and pulled his huge member free; then he drew Ray's legs about him, resting them on his shoulders before leaning back over the tiger again. Ray watched him with something close to shyness; he'd never been so exposed to anyone and it unsettled him. But Hiro ran his hands down Ray's thighs whispering to him softly.

He trailed a finger over Ray's entrance and then pushed it in; the neko-jin shifted, but in actual fact it wasn't as painful as he'd imagined. Sinking in deeper Hiro watched carefully, wary any signs of pain before he entered Ray with a second finger. He probed Ray for a while, listening to the tiger's grunts that changed to groans as Ray relaxed around him and sinking in to him became easy.

"Uhh…"

The neko-jin's eyes were hazy; he looked up at Hiro groggily and protested when he suddenly felt so empty and void. Hiro murmured to him and then positioned his manhood against the puckered entrance. With mustered control Hiro started to burrow himself in to the neko-jin, slowly; Ray whimpered, it was so unbelievably tight and uncomfortable. It hurt, tore him from the inside.

"Shhh…" Hiro whispered reaching forwards and wiping a wisp of hair out those huge golden eyes "…it's alright…"

He didn't move, not an inch. Ray gasped and tried to level his breathing to relax; it was agony to be so utterly filled, and at the same time his erection had only flared with excitement. He couldn't move without Hiro shifting inside him; part of him felt awkward, he had wanted this after all. And he couldn't imagine the self-control Hiro had to put himself through.

Heaving in breath Ray moved of his own accord; he rocked his hips deliberately, biting his lip to stop himself from making a sound. Hiro's eyes closed. For a moment he'd tried to say something, but he sank deeper in to Ray and all that escaped was a moan.

He thrust forwards. Ray sucked in breath; Hiro hesitated again, but Ray nodded quickly. He tried to tell Hiro he was ready, but Hiro moved again and all that came out was a short cry. Hiro pushed back to the hilt again and tipped his head back with a low grunt.

He moved again. Back and forth in careful thrusts. In and out. Ray gasped; something blazed up inside him. Hiro dug in and pulled out further, throbbing all the way down his length. It was impossible and tight; the tiger was on fire. The bed creaked beneath them as Hiro rolled his hips round and round, slipping in to a good rhythm and finding his mark.

Hiro was inside him; Ray tried to think but the penetration was so deep his brain stopped working. He couldn't think, couldn't speak; Hiro was pounding him, hitting home dead on. Oh, it was good.

He opened his mouth to speak, and cried instead; his manhood was weeping, stretching up in to the air desperately. Hiro was thrusting in to him again and again, harder than before as he lost control. Ray was so warm; it was unbearable.

The neko-jin was glad of the cold air around him; he could feel himself peaking, tipping over the edge, but he didn't want it to end. Not yet. Oh, he was enjoying this. He was desperate for it. Hiro pulled out and pushed back in again. Ray's head span. He couldn't take much more; sweat made it hard to cling to the sheets and his manhood was straining to release.

Another thrust. Ray started counting them. One. Two. The feeling flaring up his length was too much. The build up inside him got worse and worse, almost terrible in its need to peak.

"Hiro! I ca-can't-" the neko-jin broke off with a cry.

He came. He came so hard his body shook. He tried to ride it out but he couldn't move. The release was so sweet it ached. He tightened around the meat still ploughing in to him. Hiro moaned, panting and thrusting in deeper; the neko-jin clenched even more and Hiro tipped over the edge.

He froze for a moment with a silent cry; then his body relaxed, resting with a loud gasp. Silence followed. Slowly Ray settled again, unable to believe the height he'd just hit. Hiro was still inside him and for a moment the neko-jin was unwilling to let him go. Right at that moment he felt so utterly complete.

His chest still heaving Hiro pushed his sopping hair out of his face and reached out to touch Ray "you okay?" he panted.

Noiselessly Ray nodded; he made a little noise when Hiro pulled free of him and didn't know whether to complain or sigh with relief. He slumped back in to the bed his muscles too tired to move. A smile grew across Hiro's lips and he leant in to capture the tiger's mouth. They kissed a moment longer, moulding in to one another to seek warmth from the cold around them.

Outside in the hallway Bryan slowly slid down the wall to the floor. He felt angry and frustrated and the hard member in his pants didn't help. He wanted to break something or stamp on something; the falcon had never felt like this before, but every time he heard Hiro breathe his insides clenched in fury. Jealousy was a fickle enemy for the best of people, but a person, like Bryan, just felt like murdering someone.

Years ago, when Tala had been young, he made a record of the beatings he'd endured. Then, when Boris had deemed him pretty enough, Tala started counting the number of times Boris bedded him. Of course there had been no written statement, Tala had simply counted in his head; as time passed, however, it had become clear that even Tala's high level of intelligence could not cope with the numbers.

So, he'd lost count.

At the time he'd been upset about this, annoyed with himself for forgetting such an important thing. Because it had been important, to him if no one else. Remembering that number had represented something, it had meant something, because after that the beatings melded in to one another, and nights with Boris became a never-ending cycle.

He'd never admitted this to anyone, but the day he'd forgotten that number was the day he lost a part of himself. He became untouched by everything; the pain, whether it was a thrashing or Boris pushing his huge member in to him, became a mass of blurred agonies that Tala grew used to.

There had been a place in his head that had grown and the more beatings he got the easier it was to find that place. It was like a blanket over his mind, inuring him against the pain and teaching him to endure in silence. Many would have seen this as a method of survival – Tala saw it as his failure. Because to suffer the agony in silence had been Boris's continuous rule: so the day Tala stopped screaming was the same day he started to comply with Boris demands, it was the day he'd started to enjoy them.

Now, that part of him sickened Tala to his core. It was an insult to his pride and something he hated more than anything he'd ever endured. Yet at the same time, going to that part of his head had its uses.

Because now Voltaire's cane came down across his back and Tala didn't make a sound; it hurt, even after a hundred strikes the pain still burned like hot ice across his shoulders.

"I allow you in to my property, and this is how you repay me" Voltaire's voice was low, and colder than ice. He struck Tala again, harder. Unlike Boris, who had always wanted silence, Voltaire wanted to hear Tala scream.

Tala smiled, his teeth stained with blood. He'd bitten his lip and Boris had kicked him in the face, breaking his nose "you dragged me on to your property" he said thickly "I didn't have a choice in the matter"

The came cracked against his right shoulder, catching his ear; the wolf was on his hands and knees, buckled over and bruised. He'd put up quite the fight when Voltaire's menservants had accosted him; the main purpose had been to distract them from Kai, not that Tala hadn't enjoyed taking a few down-

The cane smashed down across his back and Tala crumpled to the floor. The pain he could hide, the exhaustion was another matter "no matter why you are here," Voltaire swung the cane again, spattering his clothes with blood "you are still a guest, and guests should not disobey me"

Once, twice, the cane thrashed Tala.

And a third time.

"G'ah…"

Tala rolled on to his side trying to escape the pain and struggling to keep his blanketed mind. He gritted his teeth and looked up at the man who sat in a chair. Boris grinned down at him with broken teeth; his face was covered in bruises and he wasn't walking well, but Voltaire's doctor had done a good job. Tala cursed himself for not breaking every bone in Boris's legs.

"Finally" Voltaire said in disgust "you admit pain, now you shall truly suffer for your crimes" he reached down and grabbed a handful of red hair; dragging Tala up he looked over at his subordinate "tell me, Boris, is this whelp still pretty to you?"

"Um…" Boris hesitated, taken aback by such a question. He'd realised Voltaire probably knew of his tastes, but his master had never spoken of it.

"As I thought," Voltaire dropped Tala as if he were dirt "I have weakened him for you. Here, take your pleasure"

Boris blinked, and then looked down at Tala. The wolf looked back with empty eyes; in retrospect he should have realised this sooner. Voltaire's punishment had always been sly and pointed. Boris's stare swapped from Tala and changed back to Voltaire.

"Thank you-"

"Don't thank me, Boris, I have always found your tastes vulgar and sickening" Voltaire sneered "but on this occasion it seems the appropriate way to punish him"

He threw his cane on the floor and stepped away from Tala

"Understand that I have no desire to watch, I must see Kai"

Tala's brain sent a warning to him.

Now was the time.

Despite the urgency Tala hesitated; Voltaire's reaction would be like nothing ever seen, there was a chance the wolf wouldn't make it out of this alive. But he wasn't turning back now; Kai needed more time.

He prepared himself as Voltaire strolled to the door.

"I've believe he's still in the room" Boris was saying.

Tala grinned "yeah, still sleeping it off" he muttered.

"Stay quiet, Tala" Boris ordered "I'll get to you in a moment" he smiled "we'll have a lot fun together, it'll be like old times"

"Well, don't except anything too spectacular" Tala said in a louder voice as Voltaire reached for the handle "I'm still exhausted from last night"

He let out a low long chuckle.

It was this, not his words, which made Voltaire turn back.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" he asked in displeasure.

"Oh? Didn't I say before? I spent the night bedding your grandson"

Silence descended.

Boris's smile fell from his face.

Voltaire went a pasty white.

He bared his teeth and tried to speak "what- what did you SAY?"

"Didn't you hear me?" blood dripped from Tala's nose and in to his mouth, he smiled again "I said I fucked the hell out of your grandson"

So I wanted the lemon between Hiro and Ray to be different from Tala and Kai - more touchy/feely if you get my drift. I hope that turned out ok.

And for those wondering, Bryan's jealousy WILL increase...because I'm evil like that. And we are creeping...slowly...slowly...SO SLOWLY toward the secret behind it all.

Not to mention the fact that Tala has just dropped himself right in it.

Lots of gory drama to come.

Thanks for reading!

Please leave a review.

Kiki

Kizzes!