Chapter 13

"Kurai!" The name came out as a hiss, causing the mentioned vampire to frown.

Turning to face the owner of the voice he glared at the sliver haired vampire who was glaring heatedly at him. "Kireina," his own voice matched her ferocity evenly. "What are you doing in here! You're supposed to be watching for any signs of Rei and Kai!"

Scowling Kireina moved towards her partner. For a few silent moments nothing happened, but suddenly the room was filled with the loud echoing sound of a slap. A red handprint appeared on Kurai's face, but he seemed unaffected by it. "There is no point in waiting for them, Kurai, if the two children don't bleed. Draining the blood from them won't be of any use. Their blood must be spilt, not drank. You should know better."

"I was just enjoying myself Kireina," Kurai spat the name out as if it were poison in his mouth. "What better way to teach them a lesson than to show that what they really are in the eyes of their loved ones. Food."

"Torturing them is only a minor goal Kurai, or have you forgotten?"

"Never!"

"Very well," Kireina said with a nod of her head, but as she did this she moved closer to the two boys lying on the floor. Crouching down she picked up Kurai's knife and stared at it lifelessly. "If you will not spill their blood correctly then I shall."

Kurai looked like he was about to argue, but a warning glare from his partner and he bit his tongue. Kireina pulled Max's weak body closer to her. As much as she wanted to have Kai appear Tyson had already lost too much blood and if they wished to use him later they couldn't allow him to lose anymore blood. "Take watch Kurai, I'm sure Rei will be here before Kai. After all it's his human that will be the first to lose its blood."

At this Kurai's cruel twisted smile was back on his face. Finally he would have his revenge against Rei. No one crossed his path and survived. Excited and anxious to cause someone pain he ran out of the dark room leaving Kireina alone with the two children.

Her blood red eyes looked dully upon Max's body. "Such a beautiful child, I'd hate to destroy your beauty, so I shall make you look like a fallen angel. Yes, a fallen angel. Not even I can compare to the beauty of a fallen angel. The way their bodies reflect the sorrows and pains they've suffered." As if in a trance she lifted up Max's arms. The boy moaned from the movement, but she was too deep in her own mind to notice.

Slowly, almost teasingly she ran Kurai's knife against the blonde's pale wrist. The boy's body shivered from the cold contact, but she paid no mind. Already she could see where she would cut. Tightening her hold on the blade she pressed it against Max's skin, this time drawing blood. The red liquid dribbled down the boy's arm, it was a delicious sight, but Kireina controlled her hunger. She made another slice and another. At first it looked like all she was doing was cutting lines, but soon the lines began to form shapes, and the shapes became pictures until engraved on Max's arm was a blood rose surrounded by thrones.

"Beautiful," Kireina breathed out, and started her work on the other arm.

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Rei took off at blinding speed he didn't even warn Kai, but he knew the dual haired vampire understood. Max's blood filled his senses, driving him over the edge, for with the scent of Max's blood also came the scent of the boy's fear. It was a bitter-sweet scent. While he himself couldn't stand the scent, his vampire side relished in it.

Minutes passed and still Rei hadn't found the blonde. How far had his sire taken the boy? It couldn't be too far. If Max was too far then he wouldn't be able to smell his blood, so at least that was a good sign.

As the scent grew stronger Rei found himself standing in the woods in front of an old factory. The vampire balled his hands into fist as he tried to control his anger. He couldn't explain it but now that he was so close to Max it was like he was not only smelling the child's fear, but feel it too.

Kicking in the old factory door Rei glared into the dark room. Max wasn't in this room, he could sense it, but someone else was. "Come out now!" he commanded.

A dark chuckle of amusement was his answer. "Well if it isn't my little fledgling Rei. Kireina was right, you did show up first. Too bad about your human though, I can tell he's nothing more than a sweet, innocent child," Kurai said the last part mockingly. "He must be so scared. To be tortured is a horrible experience."

Rei growled and lunged at where he assumed his sire was hiding. Even his vampire eyes couldn't detect Kurai in this darkness. Damn it! If he wasn't wearing all black I could see him!

"Behind you."

Just as Rei turned around a kick landed in his gut. Unable to control his reactions Rei gasped for air, and Kurai took advantage of this moment. The darker vampire clamped his hands together and with all his might slammed them down on Rei's head. Kurai smirked when he heard the sickening sound of Rei's bones cracking.

Jumping back Rei managed to avoid another blow. Once again he tried to locate Kurai, but the other vampire blended into his surroundings too well.

"Silly Rei," Kurai cackled, "Your eyes are completely useless here!" Before Rei knew what hit him he was sprawled on the floor.

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"Stop it!"

Kireina was pushed away from Max, before she could finish marking the boy's other arm. Glowering down at whoever had stopped her from finishing her task she blinked in surprise at seeing the young bluenette standing in front of her with a glare on his face and breathing deeply.

"Stop it!" He shouted at her. "Leave Max alone! He didn't do anything to you! Can't you see he's hurt? He passed out a long time ago! Please just leave him alone!"

Kireina stared at the boy. She could smell the salty tears that poured from his eyes. Did he really care so much for his friend that he would put his own life at risk by drawing attention to himself? "You're foolish. Not only have you lost a good portion of your blood but now you try to protect your friend when you're the one in greater danger."

"Max is my friend!" Tyson cried. He couldn't let this woman harm his friend any more. He had been foolish to trust her. "I love him, and I'll protect him, and he'd do the same for me!"

"You're only a child," she scoffed at him. "You only say that because you think nothing can kill you. It's only with time and age do you realize these things. Once you see how real death is you'll no longer be able to say those things. You may love your friend dearly, but that doesn't change your instinct, an instinct that all creatures have, the instinct to live."

"You're wrong!" Tyson yelled. "I'll always protect my friends, no matter what! Just like how Kai will come to save me!"

Kireina laughed at the boy. "Do you really believe that? How much do you know about Kai? Or even Rei for that matter? I'm sure they've told you stuff, but you've never seen their true selves. They've always been nice to you, but they have never shown what it truly means to be a vampire. All vampires, whether they wish it or not, become cruel and heartless. Take Kurai for example, I met him shortly after he was turned, and he was the sweetest boy ever created, but now look at him, he's a blood thirsty monster."

"Kai and Rei would never become like that crazy man!" Tyson tried to protest but the words Kurai had spoken to him before echoed in his head and his voice faltered.

"Really?" Kireina looked at Tyson in amusement. She leaned down and whispered into the boy's ear. "Let me tell you something about Rei and Kai. Centuries ago they went on a killing spree and killed all of Kurai's and my fledglings. Countless vampires dead, and by their hands. Some had never hurt a fly, and only drank for food, not to kill, but Kai and Rei killed all of them nonetheless. Tell me now child, are Rei and Kai still nothing like my partner Kurai?"

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Akira: Sorry If I don't update in a while. Something just happened that might keep me from writing for a while.