Heart of the Beast
Part Three: Storm before the Calm




By the time Basara got to the hospital, Squall's body was cold and pale. The frail beauty rushed to his brother's side and grabbed Squall's hand. "Brother!! I'm here!!"

Squall's lifeless eyes stared into Basara's, his hand barely squeezed Basara's slender hands. The beauty kissed his brother's hand over and over again, feeling the icy chill of death creep slowly into Squall's youthful body. Basara's tears touched Squall's hand, trying so hard to keep from crying.

"Dear brother, what happened??!!"

Brad gingerly tipped the side of Squall's chin to the side and frowned sadly, his fingers caressed the puncture wounds. "Vampire. He's been bitten."

"No!!! I don't want to lose my brother!!!"

Carefully, Brad closed the curtains and the door, then shut the blinds. He unbuttoned his sleeves and headed straight for the bed, stroking Basara's hair. "He's already turned, Basara. Until he's fed his blood, your brother is a monster."

"Brad!! No!!! Tell me it's not true!!"

"....it's true. I'm sorry."

He ripped the wires and things from Squall's body, then extended his arm to the Russian bishounen. Immediately, Squall drew fangs and bit into Brad's wrist, he sucked Brad's blood intently. After a minute, Brad slowly pushed Squall off of him and watched as the teenager broke into tears.

"I can't believe with all my martial arts training, I still got bit!!"

"Good Celerity and good Fortitude will defeat well-trained martial artists anyday." Brad spoke softly, then stroked Squall's hair gently.

"I became a monster! Look at me! I can't look at my brother without looking away in shame!"

"That's not true...!"

"It is true! I'm a monster!!" Squall buried his face in his hands, but was soon knocked to his senses when Basara hugged him tightly.

"I still love you, brother!! Nothing will ever change that!!" Basara sobbed. "You got to remember to always be strong!"

"B-basara..."

Brad finished bandaging his wrist, watching to see if anything else happened. Which nothing did, he was greatly pleased that Basara was not repulsed by the fact that Squall's a vampire now. But at te same time, Brad feels a little upset, like Basara.



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



"Hottie? What do you mean there's a hottie walking around the city?" Alice asked, not knowing what to think about the situation.

"Yup! I saw him twice! Once at the bus stop and the second time at the Chinese restaurant where Long works in!" Uriko then sighed dreamily.

"I gotta see this for myself." Alice sipped her drink.

Yugo and Kenji sat off in their corner, listening to the girls talk about the mysterious cutey that keeps popping up every now and then. "What's with them? They never go ga-ga over us or anything."

"Ah, Kenji-san..." Yugo began with his corny Pat Morita voice. "Never underestimate the Femme Fanatikus in large packs. They will attack unprovoked."

"Femme fanatikus? Fangirls?"

As to reply, Yugo patted Kenji on the back, then fed Alice's cooking to Fang. Kenji moved the plate over to Yugo and he did just the same.

"Did you enjoy breakfast?" Alice walked over to them, smiling.

"Yes, we did. It was really yummy. Oh! Look at the time. Kenji, it's off to school with you."

"But today's Sunday."

"No buts." Yugo took Fang's leash in one hand and Kenji's hand in the other and they hurried off.

Alice sighed and folded her arms, Uriko moaned. "What are those boys up to?"



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



Peeking around the corner, the entity watched as Brad and Basara got out of the limousine. Basara was wearing something to hug his beautiful figure and Brad of course, was wearing a tuxedo. They walked up the red carpet into the foyer of the five-star hotel and vanished from the thing's view. Inside the hotel was a lively party of all the big whigs of the theatrical world. Basara walked up to a guest and asked for Janus Fairbane. The woman pointed to the door on the left, Brad and Basara walked over to it and opened it up. Inside was a woman in a lovely evening gown and a glass of sparkling champagne in her hand. She spotted them and smiled, signaling them over.

"I am Janus Fairbane." She extended her hand, Brad accepted it and kissed it. "Oo, a real gentleman. Can't find too many of those around anymore."

"I am Bradley Crawford, this is my beautiful lover, Basara Leonhart."

"I do see you around when Basara is at the School of the Fine Arts." Janus smiled brighter. "I am impressed with Basara's talent, it is a shame that Mr. Travis likes to bully the best."

"Yes, I was going to do away with him myself."

"No need. My cohorts did that for me." Janus walked over to the drink table. "Would any of you like something? A glass of brandy or wine?"

"I'll just have some iced tea with lemon." Basara spoke up, smiling.

"I'll have some brandy." Brad replied.

Janus served them their drinks and sat down, signalling for them to do the same. "I was a bit surprised that you refused to reinact Twelfth Night." The beautiful woman began, taking another sip.

"I refused because of the director. I didn't want it to come back and offend you though."

"None taken."

"I have been considering for a while of taking Basara out of the school." Brad's posture suggested something.

"Because of Mr. Travis? I told you, he's been taken care of."

"No..." Brad leaned forward, his glare mennacing. "...the school caters to vampires."

"..." Janus was at first appalled, then she grinned. But there was something about her grin.

"Y-you're a vampire!?" Basara jolted right out of his seat, frightened.

Janus got up as well, her eyes on Basara. "Your talents impressed me, just like your brother's impressed me. I had Squall embraced to the dark side because of his talent in the theater."

"Bitch...." Brad moved in front of Basara, shielding him from Janus. "I won't let you have him."

"Who's going to stop me?"

"I am." Brad zapped her out the window with a nice, healthy jolt of lightning. He took Basara by the hand and they ran out of the hotel, into the darkness of the city. The thing watching them followed as well, then called them over to an alley. The thing watching them was a black and grey werewolf with a familiar glyph. "A Black Fury!" Brad shouted, the female werewolf escorted them to safety as many frenzied vampires rushed right by.




-Continued-