Yamato, the Vampire Slayer
Blood is Thicker than Water
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - I don't own Digimon, I don't own Buffy.
Matt was swimming. He was struggling through thick, black water, maybe the ocean or a lake and he couldn't reach the top. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold his breath for much longer, he had to reach the surface.
"Matt? Matt?"
He could see lights above the surface but he couldn't reach them. He reached up and his breath gave out. He wasn't going to make it, he was going to drown...
"Matt! Oh my God Matt, say something! Please!"
Tai? What was Tai doing in the ocean?
Matt's eyes opened. Tai's face was peering down at him.
"Matt! Matt, say something!"
"Tai?" Matt muttered.
His head hurt.
TK.
No.
Matt began to shake. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't concentrate.
"Matt, what's wrong?" he heard Tai crying "Matt, please!"
"The others," Matt managed "I need...to see....the others!"
"Who? Matt, what's happened?"
"Ms Fuyutsuki," Matt said.
He managed to give the address. Then he fainted again.
* * * *
"Ken, that's not Japanese," Akemi said.
"No," Ken agreed.
"What is it?"
"French."
"I didn't know you could read French," Ms Fuyutsuki said, sounding interested.
"Not very well," Ken said "But enough to get by."
"I'm sick of this," Davis said "I hate research."
"You just don't like it because you can barely read!" Akemi teased.
"You shut up!" Davis said.
"Don't start again," Toshiki said tiredly "You've already fought this out."
Davis sighed. Ken gave his arm a quick pat and Davis smiled. Reaching over, he squeezed Ken's hand. Ken grinned. Akemi opened his mouth to say something but Gendo nudged him and he shut up.
Someone banged on the door.
"I'll get it," Gendo said with a sigh.
He up and walked to the door. Opening it, he nearly had a heart attack.
Tai was standing on the doorstep. He was half supporting Matt who looked grey and sick.
"Matt!" Gendo yelled.
Everyone was crowded in the hall in an instant.
"What's happened?"
"Tai!"
"Is Matt okay?"
"Tai, what happened?" Gendo demanded. He lifted Matt up, realising that Matt was about to pass out again.
"I don't know!" Tai wailed "I was out trying to get some air and clear my head and I just found him on the floor unconscious. He woke up and said to bring him here, then fainted again! He sort of came round while I was carrying him and helped me but he won't talk and he's woozy."
Gendo took Matt into the living room and put him on the couch. He could see a large bruise on Matt's forehead with a small trickle of blood running down it. The others stood in a loose circle round them. Ms Fuyutsuki appeared with an ice pack.
"Here. Use this."
Gendo gently placed it against Matt's forehead.
"Matt? Matt can you here me?"
"Tai?" Matt asked faintly "Is Tai....safe?"
"I'm safe," Tai said "We're both safe."
Matt nodded. He was shivering.
"I'm cold."
"Matt what happened?"
Matt just shook his head.
* * * *
"Has he shown any sign of actually saying anything yet?" Istu asked.
"No," Ms Fuyutsuki said.
Matt was sitting on the couch. He'd been sitting there for ages now, not reacting, not speaking. He'd drank the tea that Ms Fuyutsuki had made him but that was about it.
"He doesn't even seem conscious," Davis said "It's scary."
Ms Fuyutsuki sighed.
"I wish I knew what happened," she said grimly.
Tai looking pale and tired.
"Did you see anyone?" Ms Fuyutsuki asked.
"No," Tai said "I just came down the alley and found Matt on the floor!"
Ken sighed.
"Matt," he said, going into the room "Matt, say something."
Matt didn't. He remained quite still, his eyes vacant.
"Matt, what happened?" Ken said "Come on Matt, say something!"
"I need to phone my mother," Tai said suddenly "She'll be worried."
He went over to the phone and began to dial.
"Matt, come on!" Ken said.
Davis waked over. Grabbing Matt's shoulders, he shook him.
"Matt! Wake up you moron!"
Matt didn't react at all.
"Davis, that's a waste of time," Ken said "You'll never snap him out of it like that."
"Try cold water," Akemi suggested.
"That works in films," Davis said witheringly.
"And you'll get it all over the couch," Ken said "Matt, come on. Wake up."
"Tai?" Istu said.
They all turned to look. Tai was white.
"Mum was in a panic," he said "Apparently the police found another dead body. That weird serial killer who carves angels in the bodies. It was...it was found down the alley where I found Matt."
"Oh Lord!" Mr Fuyutsuki said "Matt must have been fighting them."
"I missed them," Tai mumbled "Mum wants me to either stay over somewhere or get driven home. She doesn't want me out after dark."
"So Yamato has seen our mystery villain," Ms Fuyutsuki said thoughtfully.
"It must be a really horrible demon to have rendered Matt into shock like this!" Istu said.
"Maybe it had six heads and was all slimy!" Davis said.
Everyone looked at him.
"It's not that strange!" Davis said defensively.
Tai scowled.
"Don't say it or I'll bash you over the head," Gendo said.
Tai remained silent.
"Well, if Matt's seen it, it's a start," Ken said "When Matt comes out of it, we'll be able to get an accurate description."
"Oh goody. More research," Akemi said.
"I wonder what it'll be?" Istu mused.
"Don't know," Davis said "But I guess it didn't like Matt much."
"Anyway, about you," Gendo said, turning to Tai "Do you want me to drive you or...."
"TK."
Everyone turned and looked at Matt. He was trembling and had his arms wrapped round himself protectively.
"What?" Toshiki said.
"TK," Matt repeated "It was TK."
"What are you talking about?" Davis said.
"TK did it," Matt said. His voice sounded strained "TK's the killer."
A tear slid down his face.
"He's a vampire," he said "My brother's a vampire. He's been killing all those people. TK."
He hung his head, hugging himself tightly. There was silence.
"No," Ken said eventually "He...he can't be a vampire. We'd have known."
"He is," Matt whispered "I saw him. It was him."
"But we'd have known!" Davis said desperately "We'd have known!"
"Not necessarily," Ms Fuyutsuki said, sounding slightly shocked but still ever factual "If no one checked for blood in the mouth or the vampire was skilled at hiding the blood then as long as TK kept himself hidden, we wouldn't have known."
"Oh God," Ken whispered "Oh God Davis..."
Davis put his arms round Ken and hugged him. He was shaking.
"I....I don't understand," Tai said in a small voice.
"TK's the murderer," Gendo said, sounding shaky "He killed all those people. He's a vampire."
"But...but I don't believe in vampires," Tai said in a tiny voice now "I don't believe in vampires."
"No. We noticed," Akemi said.
"So..so he can't be a vampire," Tai said firmly, obviously sinking back into complete and utter denial "He's not a vampire, he's just dead and Matt's crazy."
Matt threw himself at him. Tai was slammed violently against the wall.
"He's a vampire!" Matt screamed "He's a vampire! This is real! It's real! My brother's a vampire! I'm going to have to kill my brother!"
"Matt, stop!" Istu yelled "You're breaking his back, stop it!"
"It's REAL!" Matt yelled.
Akemi had rushed out of the room. He returned with a plastic bowl of water which he threw all over Matt. Matt gave a strangled yell and let go of Tai, looking a bit confused. He rubbed his face.
"It's real," he said hoarsely "The angel in the chest - it was a clue. Angemon. An angel."
He gave a dry sob.
"Can I have a towel?"
Ms Fuyutsuki gave him one. Matt slowly wiped his face. Tai was trembling against the wall.
"You're wacked!" he said "You are completely wacked!"
"And you're an insensitive jerk!" Istu said angrily "Can't you see that Matt's upset?"
"Of course I can!" Tai yelled "That's why he's acting so crazed!"
"Tai, this is real!" Davis yelled "We've seen vampires, we got attacked by a demon for Christ's Sake!"
"No!" Tai said "No, no, no, no, no! I won't listen! Vampires are baby stories! It's not rea- OW!"
Istu had slapped him. Hard.
"You jerk!" he yelled "You're cleverer than Davis and he accepts it! Why the hell can't you? Matt needs everyone right now and all you can do is stand there and stick your head in the sand!"
"Fuck you!" Tai yelled.
"I wouldn't touch you with a barge-pole thanks!" Istu flashed back.
"Stop it," Matt whispered. Nobody heard him.
"I wouldn't want you to!" Tai snarled "You being a guy!"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Aside from it being disgusting?"
"You homophobic bastard!"
"Stop calling me names you freaking jerk!"
"STOP IT!" Matt screamed.
Everyone looked at him. Matt threw down the towel and ran out.
"Matt, wait!" Ken yelled "Matt!"
But Matt was gone.
* * * *
Matt ran blindly at first. He couldn't stand it any more. He couldn't bear to listen to his friends insulting each other like that.
He eventually stopped running and looked around. He was quite near the graveyard. Slowly, Matt began to walk to it. He climbed over the wall and wandered through the gravestones like he was in a trance, stopping at TK's. He knelt beside it, staring.
"TK," he whispered "Oh my little brother."
"I was wondering if you'd show."
Matt looked round. TK was standing a couple of metres away. Matt slowly looked at him. He was wearing leather pants and a white shirt and was smiling.
"TK!" Matt gasped. He leapt up and backed away, reaching into his pocket for a stake.
"Hi Big Bro," TK said.
'He sounds the same' Matt thought dizzily 'He sounds like TK'.
"Stay away from me," he said "Don't come any closer TK."
He held up the stake.
"You aren't going to kill me with that," TK said.
"I will if I have to," Matt said.
TK looked sad.
"Matt, why didn't you tell me?"
Matt hung his head.
"How could I TK?" he asked "How could I?"
TK began to walk towards him.
"No!" Matt said "Don't come nearer TK! I don't want to have to hurt you!"
"Good," TK said "I don't want to hurt you either. I'm not going to hurt you Matt. You're my brother. I could never hurt you."
Matt looked at him. TK held out his hands.
"You know me Matt," he said softly "You know I'd never hurt you. Look in yourself."
Matt felt his shoulders droop. He dropped the stake.
"TK," he said miserably "TK, I'm so sorry."
"You should have told me," TK said "If only you had told me."
"I know!" Matt said "I wanted to! I wanted to so badly! But I...I didn't want to see you hurt!"
"Didn't work very well," TK said.
"No," Matt agreed.
TK took another step closer. Matt didn't seem to notice.
"TK, I'm sorry," he whispered "I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to get chosen. I don't want to be the Slayer."
"Isn't the Slayer normally a girl?" TK asked, moving another step.
"Don't," Matt said "I know. My Watcher says that I'm..."
He couldn't go on. He shuddered.
"I'm sorry!"
"Don't be," TK said "My poor brother. Don't be."
He was standing very near Matt now.
"Matt," he said "I want to come nearer to you."
"I'm not stopping you," Matt said dully.
"But you are," TK said "That cross."
Matt looked. He was still wearing the cross Tai had given him round his neck.
"If you take it off," TK said softly "I can come closer."
Matt reached up and unfastened it, letting it clink to the ground.
"Why wear it anyway?" he muttered "It's meaningless. All of it - it's all meaningless."
"My poor brother," TK said "You'll always be my favourite Matt. Always."
He was standing in front of Matt now.
"I'll always love you Matt," he said quietly.
Leaning forward, he caught Matt's face in his hands and kissed him. It wasn't a brotherly kiss. It was a passionate, deep kiss. Matt froze in utter revulsion and sudden terror. What had he done letting TK get so close to him? He wanted to pull away but he couldn't move, just stayed still until TK drew back, still smiling.
"What are you doing?" he whispered.
"Showing you how much I love you," TK said. He smiled "I wanted you to know."
His face changed. His eyes turned yellow, his teeth lengthened. He wrapped his arms tightly round Matt in a tight embrace.
"Only we're not brothers any more Matt," he whispered "Not really. And I want us to be because I do love you, ever so much. So I'm going to make you my brother."
"TK...no!" Matt cried. He weakly struggled but everything was frozen, cold. He couldn't move "Please TK don't! Let me go, please!"
"Shhhhhh big brother," TK whispered.
"It'll all be over soon."
Turning Matt's unresisting head, he leaned forward and sank his teeth into the smooth white skin of Matt's unprotected throat.
* * * *
Tai looked at the graveyard gates. He had to be bonkers. But this was where he'd found Matt before and he wanted to apologise. He knew he was being stupid, wandering around but...but he hadn't been able to stay with the others a second longer. They'd all looked so mad at him.
Tai walked in to the graveyard and thought. He supposed that Matt would be by TK's grave. It seemed a goodish place to start anyway.
He began to walk towards it, thinking. What was he going to do? His and Matt's friendship was damaged, probably beyond repair. And they'd slept together. Why had he done that? He never thought of guys that way before...had he? He'd always admired other guys looks and sometimes he found himself watching them in the showers...
But that didn't really mean anything, did it? Everyone did stuff like that....right?
Tai paused. He'd thought he'd heard something...
Moving slightly faster, he froze.
Matt was standing at TK's grave. His head was thrown back, his eyes closed. Someone was holding him tightly, their mouth at his throat. The someone was blonde and small and looked familiar...
Then Tai recognised the other noise he could hear.
Sucking.
"MATT!" Tai screamed. Lunging forwards, he grabbed the figure and ripped him away from Matt. Matt sank to the floor and Tai saw the blood at his throat. Turning, he stared.
It was TK. But not TK that he'd ever seen. TK's face was twisted, revolting. Tai could see blood on his long teeth and his yellow eyes were blazing.
"Tai," he said "How very nice to see you."
"TK," Tai said slowly, chokingly.
"Yeah," TK said "I was once. But now I'm a demon."
He smiled.
"I'll see you both soon," he said "Enjoy yourselves!"
Turning, he ran. Tai stared shakily after him, then turned round.
"Matt! Matt, are you all right?"
Matt looked up at him. His face was chalky white and he was trembling. His hand was pressed to his throat.
"TK," he said "TK, my brother, TK, no, no! NO!"
Tai dropped to his knees and pulled Matt into his arms. Matt clung to him and started to cry, deep horrified wracking sobs. Tai just cradled him, shaking.
It was real. Vampires and demons and everything were real. And TK was one of them.
Oh God.
End of Part 11.
Blood is Thicker than Water
By the Empress of the Eclipse
Disclaimer - I don't own Digimon, I don't own Buffy.
Matt was swimming. He was struggling through thick, black water, maybe the ocean or a lake and he couldn't reach the top. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold his breath for much longer, he had to reach the surface.
"Matt? Matt?"
He could see lights above the surface but he couldn't reach them. He reached up and his breath gave out. He wasn't going to make it, he was going to drown...
"Matt! Oh my God Matt, say something! Please!"
Tai? What was Tai doing in the ocean?
Matt's eyes opened. Tai's face was peering down at him.
"Matt! Matt, say something!"
"Tai?" Matt muttered.
His head hurt.
TK.
No.
Matt began to shake. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't concentrate.
"Matt, what's wrong?" he heard Tai crying "Matt, please!"
"The others," Matt managed "I need...to see....the others!"
"Who? Matt, what's happened?"
"Ms Fuyutsuki," Matt said.
He managed to give the address. Then he fainted again.
* * * *
"Ken, that's not Japanese," Akemi said.
"No," Ken agreed.
"What is it?"
"French."
"I didn't know you could read French," Ms Fuyutsuki said, sounding interested.
"Not very well," Ken said "But enough to get by."
"I'm sick of this," Davis said "I hate research."
"You just don't like it because you can barely read!" Akemi teased.
"You shut up!" Davis said.
"Don't start again," Toshiki said tiredly "You've already fought this out."
Davis sighed. Ken gave his arm a quick pat and Davis smiled. Reaching over, he squeezed Ken's hand. Ken grinned. Akemi opened his mouth to say something but Gendo nudged him and he shut up.
Someone banged on the door.
"I'll get it," Gendo said with a sigh.
He up and walked to the door. Opening it, he nearly had a heart attack.
Tai was standing on the doorstep. He was half supporting Matt who looked grey and sick.
"Matt!" Gendo yelled.
Everyone was crowded in the hall in an instant.
"What's happened?"
"Tai!"
"Is Matt okay?"
"Tai, what happened?" Gendo demanded. He lifted Matt up, realising that Matt was about to pass out again.
"I don't know!" Tai wailed "I was out trying to get some air and clear my head and I just found him on the floor unconscious. He woke up and said to bring him here, then fainted again! He sort of came round while I was carrying him and helped me but he won't talk and he's woozy."
Gendo took Matt into the living room and put him on the couch. He could see a large bruise on Matt's forehead with a small trickle of blood running down it. The others stood in a loose circle round them. Ms Fuyutsuki appeared with an ice pack.
"Here. Use this."
Gendo gently placed it against Matt's forehead.
"Matt? Matt can you here me?"
"Tai?" Matt asked faintly "Is Tai....safe?"
"I'm safe," Tai said "We're both safe."
Matt nodded. He was shivering.
"I'm cold."
"Matt what happened?"
Matt just shook his head.
* * * *
"Has he shown any sign of actually saying anything yet?" Istu asked.
"No," Ms Fuyutsuki said.
Matt was sitting on the couch. He'd been sitting there for ages now, not reacting, not speaking. He'd drank the tea that Ms Fuyutsuki had made him but that was about it.
"He doesn't even seem conscious," Davis said "It's scary."
Ms Fuyutsuki sighed.
"I wish I knew what happened," she said grimly.
Tai looking pale and tired.
"Did you see anyone?" Ms Fuyutsuki asked.
"No," Tai said "I just came down the alley and found Matt on the floor!"
Ken sighed.
"Matt," he said, going into the room "Matt, say something."
Matt didn't. He remained quite still, his eyes vacant.
"Matt, what happened?" Ken said "Come on Matt, say something!"
"I need to phone my mother," Tai said suddenly "She'll be worried."
He went over to the phone and began to dial.
"Matt, come on!" Ken said.
Davis waked over. Grabbing Matt's shoulders, he shook him.
"Matt! Wake up you moron!"
Matt didn't react at all.
"Davis, that's a waste of time," Ken said "You'll never snap him out of it like that."
"Try cold water," Akemi suggested.
"That works in films," Davis said witheringly.
"And you'll get it all over the couch," Ken said "Matt, come on. Wake up."
"Tai?" Istu said.
They all turned to look. Tai was white.
"Mum was in a panic," he said "Apparently the police found another dead body. That weird serial killer who carves angels in the bodies. It was...it was found down the alley where I found Matt."
"Oh Lord!" Mr Fuyutsuki said "Matt must have been fighting them."
"I missed them," Tai mumbled "Mum wants me to either stay over somewhere or get driven home. She doesn't want me out after dark."
"So Yamato has seen our mystery villain," Ms Fuyutsuki said thoughtfully.
"It must be a really horrible demon to have rendered Matt into shock like this!" Istu said.
"Maybe it had six heads and was all slimy!" Davis said.
Everyone looked at him.
"It's not that strange!" Davis said defensively.
Tai scowled.
"Don't say it or I'll bash you over the head," Gendo said.
Tai remained silent.
"Well, if Matt's seen it, it's a start," Ken said "When Matt comes out of it, we'll be able to get an accurate description."
"Oh goody. More research," Akemi said.
"I wonder what it'll be?" Istu mused.
"Don't know," Davis said "But I guess it didn't like Matt much."
"Anyway, about you," Gendo said, turning to Tai "Do you want me to drive you or...."
"TK."
Everyone turned and looked at Matt. He was trembling and had his arms wrapped round himself protectively.
"What?" Toshiki said.
"TK," Matt repeated "It was TK."
"What are you talking about?" Davis said.
"TK did it," Matt said. His voice sounded strained "TK's the killer."
A tear slid down his face.
"He's a vampire," he said "My brother's a vampire. He's been killing all those people. TK."
He hung his head, hugging himself tightly. There was silence.
"No," Ken said eventually "He...he can't be a vampire. We'd have known."
"He is," Matt whispered "I saw him. It was him."
"But we'd have known!" Davis said desperately "We'd have known!"
"Not necessarily," Ms Fuyutsuki said, sounding slightly shocked but still ever factual "If no one checked for blood in the mouth or the vampire was skilled at hiding the blood then as long as TK kept himself hidden, we wouldn't have known."
"Oh God," Ken whispered "Oh God Davis..."
Davis put his arms round Ken and hugged him. He was shaking.
"I....I don't understand," Tai said in a small voice.
"TK's the murderer," Gendo said, sounding shaky "He killed all those people. He's a vampire."
"But...but I don't believe in vampires," Tai said in a tiny voice now "I don't believe in vampires."
"No. We noticed," Akemi said.
"So..so he can't be a vampire," Tai said firmly, obviously sinking back into complete and utter denial "He's not a vampire, he's just dead and Matt's crazy."
Matt threw himself at him. Tai was slammed violently against the wall.
"He's a vampire!" Matt screamed "He's a vampire! This is real! It's real! My brother's a vampire! I'm going to have to kill my brother!"
"Matt, stop!" Istu yelled "You're breaking his back, stop it!"
"It's REAL!" Matt yelled.
Akemi had rushed out of the room. He returned with a plastic bowl of water which he threw all over Matt. Matt gave a strangled yell and let go of Tai, looking a bit confused. He rubbed his face.
"It's real," he said hoarsely "The angel in the chest - it was a clue. Angemon. An angel."
He gave a dry sob.
"Can I have a towel?"
Ms Fuyutsuki gave him one. Matt slowly wiped his face. Tai was trembling against the wall.
"You're wacked!" he said "You are completely wacked!"
"And you're an insensitive jerk!" Istu said angrily "Can't you see that Matt's upset?"
"Of course I can!" Tai yelled "That's why he's acting so crazed!"
"Tai, this is real!" Davis yelled "We've seen vampires, we got attacked by a demon for Christ's Sake!"
"No!" Tai said "No, no, no, no, no! I won't listen! Vampires are baby stories! It's not rea- OW!"
Istu had slapped him. Hard.
"You jerk!" he yelled "You're cleverer than Davis and he accepts it! Why the hell can't you? Matt needs everyone right now and all you can do is stand there and stick your head in the sand!"
"Fuck you!" Tai yelled.
"I wouldn't touch you with a barge-pole thanks!" Istu flashed back.
"Stop it," Matt whispered. Nobody heard him.
"I wouldn't want you to!" Tai snarled "You being a guy!"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Aside from it being disgusting?"
"You homophobic bastard!"
"Stop calling me names you freaking jerk!"
"STOP IT!" Matt screamed.
Everyone looked at him. Matt threw down the towel and ran out.
"Matt, wait!" Ken yelled "Matt!"
But Matt was gone.
* * * *
Matt ran blindly at first. He couldn't stand it any more. He couldn't bear to listen to his friends insulting each other like that.
He eventually stopped running and looked around. He was quite near the graveyard. Slowly, Matt began to walk to it. He climbed over the wall and wandered through the gravestones like he was in a trance, stopping at TK's. He knelt beside it, staring.
"TK," he whispered "Oh my little brother."
"I was wondering if you'd show."
Matt looked round. TK was standing a couple of metres away. Matt slowly looked at him. He was wearing leather pants and a white shirt and was smiling.
"TK!" Matt gasped. He leapt up and backed away, reaching into his pocket for a stake.
"Hi Big Bro," TK said.
'He sounds the same' Matt thought dizzily 'He sounds like TK'.
"Stay away from me," he said "Don't come any closer TK."
He held up the stake.
"You aren't going to kill me with that," TK said.
"I will if I have to," Matt said.
TK looked sad.
"Matt, why didn't you tell me?"
Matt hung his head.
"How could I TK?" he asked "How could I?"
TK began to walk towards him.
"No!" Matt said "Don't come nearer TK! I don't want to have to hurt you!"
"Good," TK said "I don't want to hurt you either. I'm not going to hurt you Matt. You're my brother. I could never hurt you."
Matt looked at him. TK held out his hands.
"You know me Matt," he said softly "You know I'd never hurt you. Look in yourself."
Matt felt his shoulders droop. He dropped the stake.
"TK," he said miserably "TK, I'm so sorry."
"You should have told me," TK said "If only you had told me."
"I know!" Matt said "I wanted to! I wanted to so badly! But I...I didn't want to see you hurt!"
"Didn't work very well," TK said.
"No," Matt agreed.
TK took another step closer. Matt didn't seem to notice.
"TK, I'm sorry," he whispered "I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to get chosen. I don't want to be the Slayer."
"Isn't the Slayer normally a girl?" TK asked, moving another step.
"Don't," Matt said "I know. My Watcher says that I'm..."
He couldn't go on. He shuddered.
"I'm sorry!"
"Don't be," TK said "My poor brother. Don't be."
He was standing very near Matt now.
"Matt," he said "I want to come nearer to you."
"I'm not stopping you," Matt said dully.
"But you are," TK said "That cross."
Matt looked. He was still wearing the cross Tai had given him round his neck.
"If you take it off," TK said softly "I can come closer."
Matt reached up and unfastened it, letting it clink to the ground.
"Why wear it anyway?" he muttered "It's meaningless. All of it - it's all meaningless."
"My poor brother," TK said "You'll always be my favourite Matt. Always."
He was standing in front of Matt now.
"I'll always love you Matt," he said quietly.
Leaning forward, he caught Matt's face in his hands and kissed him. It wasn't a brotherly kiss. It was a passionate, deep kiss. Matt froze in utter revulsion and sudden terror. What had he done letting TK get so close to him? He wanted to pull away but he couldn't move, just stayed still until TK drew back, still smiling.
"What are you doing?" he whispered.
"Showing you how much I love you," TK said. He smiled "I wanted you to know."
His face changed. His eyes turned yellow, his teeth lengthened. He wrapped his arms tightly round Matt in a tight embrace.
"Only we're not brothers any more Matt," he whispered "Not really. And I want us to be because I do love you, ever so much. So I'm going to make you my brother."
"TK...no!" Matt cried. He weakly struggled but everything was frozen, cold. He couldn't move "Please TK don't! Let me go, please!"
"Shhhhhh big brother," TK whispered.
"It'll all be over soon."
Turning Matt's unresisting head, he leaned forward and sank his teeth into the smooth white skin of Matt's unprotected throat.
* * * *
Tai looked at the graveyard gates. He had to be bonkers. But this was where he'd found Matt before and he wanted to apologise. He knew he was being stupid, wandering around but...but he hadn't been able to stay with the others a second longer. They'd all looked so mad at him.
Tai walked in to the graveyard and thought. He supposed that Matt would be by TK's grave. It seemed a goodish place to start anyway.
He began to walk towards it, thinking. What was he going to do? His and Matt's friendship was damaged, probably beyond repair. And they'd slept together. Why had he done that? He never thought of guys that way before...had he? He'd always admired other guys looks and sometimes he found himself watching them in the showers...
But that didn't really mean anything, did it? Everyone did stuff like that....right?
Tai paused. He'd thought he'd heard something...
Moving slightly faster, he froze.
Matt was standing at TK's grave. His head was thrown back, his eyes closed. Someone was holding him tightly, their mouth at his throat. The someone was blonde and small and looked familiar...
Then Tai recognised the other noise he could hear.
Sucking.
"MATT!" Tai screamed. Lunging forwards, he grabbed the figure and ripped him away from Matt. Matt sank to the floor and Tai saw the blood at his throat. Turning, he stared.
It was TK. But not TK that he'd ever seen. TK's face was twisted, revolting. Tai could see blood on his long teeth and his yellow eyes were blazing.
"Tai," he said "How very nice to see you."
"TK," Tai said slowly, chokingly.
"Yeah," TK said "I was once. But now I'm a demon."
He smiled.
"I'll see you both soon," he said "Enjoy yourselves!"
Turning, he ran. Tai stared shakily after him, then turned round.
"Matt! Matt, are you all right?"
Matt looked up at him. His face was chalky white and he was trembling. His hand was pressed to his throat.
"TK," he said "TK, my brother, TK, no, no! NO!"
Tai dropped to his knees and pulled Matt into his arms. Matt clung to him and started to cry, deep horrified wracking sobs. Tai just cradled him, shaking.
It was real. Vampires and demons and everything were real. And TK was one of them.
Oh God.
End of Part 11.