Chapter 6

Ryu

Gently Kyo tilted the bottle towards Neo's lips. He was hardly awake, and looked awfully sick.

The crimson colored liquid flowed into his mouth. It wasn't exactly pure blood, but Blood Wine, what most halflings drank to hold themselves over until they were able to get a real meal. Sometimes even purebloods drank it.

They all waited a bit for Neo to rouse again. Toshiya had indeed come home, and in a very cheery mood until he had heard what happen. He didn't fall into a bad mood, because Neo...But came quite worried for him, and for Kyo. Toshiya wasn't very close to Neo as was the others, but he still cared for him, a little.

Those dull shaded blue's slid open and looked upon his lover. Kyo smiled and a sigh of relief filled the room.

"Thank goodness for your Blood Wine." Kyo breathed softly, hugging Neo close to him.

It sent a warmth through them all to see them together like that, to see just how much they ment to each other. Tohi shifted a foot, and then turned towards the bedroom. He was getting rather jealous to see them like that, since he had spent quite some time with Neo not too long ago. And, besides, they didn't need his help anymore, Neo was fine, so his work was done. But, he was stopped by his voice.

"Tohi...wait," Neo spoke quietly, a bit raspy so he cleared his throat.

The boy in black turned around to face him again. Ever since he met Neo, he had become less like himself. No longer could he just wave someone off or ignore them completely. He'd become softer, and weaker. Sometimes he wondered if it was even right to like another guy. Neo is taken; he thought to himself, you need to stop liking him.

"Thank you. I don't think I could have gotten that hit on Sorren if you weren't there to hold me up." He smirked. "Ah, and you've been wanting to see a vampire hunt, ne? Well, you welcome to come with me. Since I've got energy now, it'd be best if we left right away."

"Really?" Tohi blinked, taking a step forward towards him.

"Yeah, I usually don't take anyone in fear of being caught, but I believe you could follow a few simple directions."

The other boy smiled and nodded, practically skipping back into his bedroom to grab his coat. It was going to be chilly that night.

"Be careful, Neo. I don't want you or Tohi getting hurt." Hai sighed, looking over to Toshiya.

"We wont. Nothing bad will happen."

And once Tohi came out, Neo sat up and slipped his shirt on, slowly stood, and strode out the door with the other.

"Okay. All you really have to do is keep quiet and follow me. I don't feel like going to a club or anything to get the ones I like best, so I'll just pluck someone off the street."

"That's a little cruel..."

"The life of a vampire is cruel. I hate it, but I can't help it. Anyways, lets get going." Neo nodded and moved along the shadows of some buildings.

There was a man standing in an alleyway. Neo gave the signal for Tohi to stop, and then slunk into that alley, snuck up behind him, and quickly moved in and attacked. His fangs pierced into the front side of the mans neck, where one of the major life giving veins were. Neo moved a hand over his mouth so swiftly that he hadn't even the chance to let out a slight noise.

Tohi gasped softly and took a step back from the brutal scene. It wasn't at all what he expected...but he wouldn't run.

After the draining was done, the man grunted and fell limp in the boys' arms, who laid him down on the ground with a frown. After standing straight again and looking down upon him for a while, he took a half bow of respect for his life, and then turned to Tohi.

"I told you it wouldn't be pretty..."

"Yeah. I wanted to see, though. I was kind of expecting it to be like Dracula." Tohi laughed nervously, then shifted a foot.

Neo chuckled and grinned, placing a hand on Tohi's shoulder. "Nope. Come on, I don't have anywhere else to go or anything else to do. Let's head back towards the apartment."

Both of the boys turned around and took a few steps before both of them stopped dead in their tracks and gasped up to a dark, tall figure, which stood in their way with scarlet eyes gleaming down to them.

The shadowed man grinned, his eyes narrowed. Taking a step from the shadows, the dim light filled at least half his face. That was when Neo's eye's widened, and he stumbled back with Tohi.

Tohi, the poor boy. He hadn't a clue what was going on, who that was, and why Neo was much more scared than he was. He was shocked when that man unfolded a huge pair of black demonic wings, and wrapped them about Neo. The man stepped back and vanished in the darkness of the shadows. The only thing that would register in his mind was what Neo had told them all.

"Mother said my father, Ryu, was a full demon. She said he turned on her once, and his black devil wings were wider spread than the largest eagles."

Ryu, Tohi thought. It was Ryu. Turning swiftly, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him until he reached the apartments, stumbled up the stairs, and burst through the door, panting, but panickedly spoke.

"Ryu kidnapped Neo!"

"My son. Finally, you've found us. You know, what your mother told you are mostly lies. I left, that I did, but I harmed her in no way. I am not a violent man, yet sometimes I am forced to be. Does that sound familiar?"

Neo blinked a few times, watching his father walk around the dark room and talk. He hadn't hurt him, in fact, the door was unlocked, and Neo was just standing there. He could have easily just walked out, but he didn't.

"Yeah...like me."

"Exactly. Neo, you are -my- son. Your genes took my half while Sorren took his mothers. You were given away because your mother was afraid, and she knew it."

"So, why didn't you keep me?" Neo inquired.

"...To be honest, I was a bit afraid myself, that I was. I knew once you grew up, you'd be equal, if not more powerful than me. I observed you your whole life, frowned each time your love was abused. I could have killed your foster parents, the ones you gave you away to be enslaved. Both your adoptive fathers, but if I had been there for every problem, you wouldn't be as strong as you are now." Ryu managed a slight smile as he turned to meet his sons' gaze. He really seemed like the father Neo had always wanted.

"Why didn't you at least help me once? Let me know that I at least had a real family?"

"Because, the moment I left your mother, and you went to that orphanage, I was no longer part of your life. And I wasn't going to interfere."

Tears came to the boys' eyes. Strong? Yeah right. His fists tightened at his side, and he clenched his teeth. He would -not- cry in front of his father.

Ryu took a few steps towards him, frowning deeply at his sadness. His eyes gazed upon him in the way only a father could look at his son, taking in all his features as if he were going to loose him again.

"You are very strong, son. You've endured everything painful, and lived to tell about it. You are both demon and vampire, yet you still have the heart to show compassion and love. You give when you've received nothing, and you keep on giving. You can still love after love turning on you so many times. Neo, don't you ever look down upon yourself. I am not a bad person, but I am not good ither," Tears, for the first time in years, came to his own eyes as he pulled Neo into his arms. "I've suffered as you have. I've been forced to be violent and hurt people. But I will never stop loving you as my son. You are my flesh and blood."

By now, Neo was bawling, clinging tightly to his father, and burying his tear stricken face into Ryu's shirt. It was all true.

"Father, please don't leave me again. I've always wanted you in my life...not any adoptive parents or anything...just you. My father...the one you created me. Please..."

Ryu held him tight and close, his wings embraced him as well.

"Son, Neo, I am not accepted to this world any longer. I know how bad you've longed for a father - A parent - who wouldn't hurt you, but I believe even I would end up hurting you one way or another."

"Do you think I'm accepted?! No! I'm not! You could live with Kyo and I, I could build and extra room or something. Please consider it." He sighed, staring up to his tall father. His eyes wondered to his wings...they looked familiar.

"Consider I will. But before we part, shed yourself of human coverage and let me see the beauty I've given you"

Neo blushed softly, but nodded and took a few steps back from him. Unbuttoning his shirt, he folded it and laid it on the floor. It was a painful process, but he would do it.

Closing his eyes, he leaned forward some, slouching, and concentrated hard on all the hate and pain. Every single word that had ever hurt him, everything people had done to him, until he cried out, and those same wings ripped slowly from his back. His were smaller, but it still hurt. They unfolded, crimson droplets splattering onto the wooden, polished floor. Neo fell to his knees, panting and wincing.

Ryu smiled widely, striding over to him, running his hand along the wet, leathery wing.

"Originally the son of a demon, adoptively of a Fallen Angel, and by law of an Alien. It was ment to me, son. You are ment to be like this. Beautiful. I will teach you how to change without anger and pain." He knelt down to him, brushing a few strands from his sons' dull eyes. "Have you believed every single word I've told you? Do you love me asa real father? Do you trust me?"

Gazing up to his superior form, Neo swallowed hard and nodded. How could he not trust him? His mother and brother were lousy excuse for family. All his mother could do was fill his head with lies. And his brother was psycho.

"Yes. Yes I do."

"Good. The next time we meet, I shall turn all those lies into truth. I will drill the cold, naked truth into your mind. No longer will you have to worry or wonder about your being. I've all the answers no one has been able to tell you. Now, Mask your beautiful self and go home to your love. Tell them everything. Remember, Neo, I am not what your mother told you I am. I am the father who loves you, and regrets not raising you."