Chapter 8

"Hey Max," Tyson started, "Has Rei been acting weird lately?" The two kids were at the park sitting on the swings, rocking back and forth a little whenever there was a breeze, but other than that they remained unmoving.

Max looked up from the ground and stared at his friend. How had Tyson known? Was he psychic or something? "Yeah! He's still as nice as always but he acts as if someone is going to attack him, and he doesn't follow me around as much. In fact I'm not even sure if he's here right now or not."

"Same with Kai!" Tyson shouted in shock. In all his life Kai had never left his side unless it was to go feed, but now the vampire was always gone, and Kai no longer let him hug him. It was as if all Tyson's hard work at unfreezing the vampire's heart had been for nothing. "A week ago he had been acting a little strange but since then he's been distant!"

Max nodded his head in understanding. "Same with Rei, but last week he had gone out to feed and didn't return until really late. Do you think they hate us?"

"No!" Tyson shouted instantly. There was no way Kai could hate him! He loved Kai! Kai was always there for him. He had never done anything to upset the vampire had he? No he couldn't have! "They can't hate us Max! They just can't!"

"Whoa! Tyson it was just a suggestion. Don't take it so literally." Max said swinging his swing away from Tyson a little. "I'd hate for that to be the case too, but you have to admit what other explanation can there be?"

"I know, but," Tyson paused. He didn't know what he was trying to say. He knew there was a reason for his sudden panic but he couldn't place. Sighing in frustration he started kicking his legs up and down to get his swing moving a little bit. "I don't know. I just can't stand the thought, okay? It's hard for me to except."

The blonde thought about what Tyson had just said and formed a theory. "Maybe it's because he's been around you since you were a baby? It could also be because of your shaky relationship with your brother."

"Okay, now you've lost me," Tyson stated while rubbing the back of his head in confusion. "I understand the whole him being around since I was a baby thing, but where does my relationship with my brother come into this?"

"It's hard to explain," Max answered while frowning. He tried to find the right words to say what he meant. "You love your brother, correct?" Tyson nodded his head. "You love Kai right?" Again Tyson nodded his head. "But your not sure if your brother loves you?" Tyson frowned but nodded his head. "I believe that you're scared Kai might become like your brother. That you'll love him, but you won't ever know if he loves you back."

"That's my relationship with him now!" Tyson laughed. He probably had one of the weirdest relationships in the world.

Max chuckled but continued. "True Tyson, but what if you found out Kai hated you? Wouldn't that mean that there's a good shot of Hiro hating you too?"

Tyson stopped his swing as realization dawned on him. Kai was his friend, and he took care of him and watched over him. Kai could also leave whenever he chose, but he didn't. If a friendship like that went sour what were chances that his relationship with his brother would last. "Everyone hates me!" Tyson shouted.

Max laughed at his friend's antics. "Tyson, you know that's not true."

Tyson smiled. "I know, but still it's funny."

"Not really," Max stated.

"It had you laughing."

"I have a weird sense of humor."

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

"Are you leaving again?" Tyson asked solemnly.

Kai turned his head to the ten-year-old. The look Tyson was giving him tore his heart in two. The bluenette was staring up at him with sadness, longing, confusion, and betrayal. The boy looked like he was going to break down and cry soon. Keeping his face clear of any emotions Kai opened the dojo's door and stepped out into the night while tossing his answer to Tyson over his shoulder. "Yes, I'll be back later tonight."

"Grandpa isn't here," Tyson stated. He knew this sentence would prolong Kai's departure. The vampire still worried about him he knew. Sadly even Kai's worry wouldn't keep him there long. "Hiro is supposed to watch me, but he's busy working on an essay. I'm going to have no one to play with."

"Watch TV," Kai replied apathetically. Deep down he did care, but if he stayed in one place too long his or Rei's sire would find him, and if they found him with Tyson who knew what they would do to the child.

"Okay," Tyson whispered brokenly and retreated back into the dojo.

Kai wanted nothing more than to chase after the child and explain everything to him, but he couldn't. While Tyson was older and understood things better he was still too young to know what was going on. It would be unfair and cruel to him. So closing his heart to the pain he was feeling Kai left the dojo.

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

At Max's house a similar conversation was taking place.

"If you're going to leave can you at least tell me where?" Max asked. He knew the chances of Rei answering were slim to none, but he hoped that maybe Rei would be kind enough to at least give him that small amount of information.

As Max expected Rei shook his head. "I'm sorry but I can't."

The blonde felt tears in his eyes forming. He knew something was wrong but no one would tell him. He was tired of being kept in the dark. "Is it because I'm too young? A few years ago you told me I was going to act older than my age because of my parents got divorced. You said the tragedy would help me see the world in a different light, and give me a better understanding of things and people's emotions. Well right now I can tell you're hiding something from me, something big. You never hid anything from me before, so why now? If I'm really more mature than most kids my age then at least give some information. Don't leave me wondering what's going on."

Silence filled the blonde's bedroom as Rei stared at Max in shock. He would have never expected such a speech from a child. And he had to admit that Max was right. He did deserve a little more information, but not too much.

Crouching down so he was at Max's eye level Rei tried to give Max as much information as he could without revealing everything to the child. "About a week ago I ran into two people that Kai and I knew. Kai and I have been out every night to make sure nothing goes wrong while they're here."

"Are they vampires like you and Kai?" Max asked innocently. When Rei nodded his head Max's face lit up. "So then they're your friends!"

Rei smiled sadly at Max. The child would never know how wrong he was. Kai and Rei both despised they're sires. If they could they would kill them both. The rage and hatred that existed in their hearts was unbelievable, but then again when you live for centuries how can that bottled up hate not grow until no words could describe it? But Rei wouldn't let Max know this. "Yes they're friends."

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

Tyson sat outside the dojo looking up at the stars. He found out that when Kai wasn't around the only thing that could comfort him at night was the stars, but even then their comfort was minuscule. The pain in his heart was indescribable. It burned and tore at him. It made him want to scream and cry out, but he held it in. Crying now would be meaningless. It wasn't like anyone would hear him. He was all alone.

At the thought of being alone tears formed in Tyson's eyes. No! Don't cry! Don't cry! Tyson mentally yelled at himself. It's okay. I don't care if Kai doesn't love me anymore. I don't care if Hiro doesn't either. I don't care if grandpa hates me. I don't care if the world hates me. I'm happy! I'm happy! I have to be! But as he tried to fight back his tears they grew with each thought he had. Nothing would stop them.

I give up! Tyson shouted in his head and wrapped his arms around his legs and brought his knees up to his chin. The tears continued to pour down his face and he could feel his body shake painfully from his sobs. He couldn't hold it anymore. He felt horrible. He must have done something wrong to deserve this.

"Poor crying child," a melodic voice whispered.

Tyson stopped crying at the sound of a voice he had never heard before. The voice sounded like nothing he had heard before. It was musical, yet held a deadly edge to it.

"You love Kai so much yet he left you here alone with a brother who doesn't want you," the voice sang from deep within the shadows.

"Who are you?" Tyson whispered fearfully.

Emerging from the shadows, just as Kai did, a beautiful woman appeared. Her hair was long and silver and glowed in the moonlight. She wore a long red silk gown that Tyson had never seen before. On her face was a heart-warming smile. In the eyes of a child she looked perfectly angelic. "I am an acquaintance of Kai. I'm sorry he has been ignoring you lately. You must be terribly lonesome."

Tyson nodded his head eagerly. If this woman knew Kai then she must be nice. Kai wouldn't know any mean people.

Gracefully the woman moved so she was standing in front of Tyson. Still giving the bluenette a smile she placed her hand on his head and began to stroke his long silky blue locks. "You have beautiful hair, Child. Then again everything about you shows the promise of becoming beautiful. Right now you're cute, but as your body matures your beauty will show. I can tell."

Tyson blushed and giggled at the woman. No one had very called him beautiful before, it was nice. He let her continue to stroke his hair as she continued to talk to him.

"You just want your Kai back, don't you?" The woman asked. Tyson nodded his head excitedly. Maybe this woman knew how to get Kai back. "I can help you, but you have to do as I say."

Tyson didn't notice how her voice went from a beautiful melody to vicious and demanding as she spoke her last sentence. He was too happy that he might get Kai to come back to him. "I'll do whatever you want just as long as I get Kai back."

The woman's smile turned wicked, but Tyson still was too excited to notice. Taking the boy's hand in her own she led the boy away from the dojo. "Very well. First we must go somewhere else."

"And then we'll see Kai?" Tyson asked excitedly.

"Yes," the woman spoke. "Then you will finally see your Kai again."