Tokyo, Japan: 27th June...
Tyson awoke to the panicked shambles he had come to expect over the last few days. He yawned as he gazed into the corridor, ignoring the passing servants who were rushed off their feet as well as having been persuaded to become donors for Hillary. He sighed despairingly as he thought of his friend suffering. Despite regular transfusions, her health had continued its suicidal downward spiral.
As he stepped into the corridor, a dark figure brushed past him, turning to glance curiously with ice-cold blue eyes. Tyson stopped in shock and stared after him. When his senses returned and his curiosity got the better of him, he followed the figure and became suspicious when he entered Hillary's room.
As usual, doctors surrounded her bed. Most of them were Kenny's associates, but a few were uninvited 'professionals' who in their high opinion of themselves, assumed Kenny would need their assistance. They immediately moved aside as the figure approached the bed, many of them bowing their heads in respect and some muttering amongst themselves.
Kenny sensing the claustrophobic atmosphere easing up, whirled around, and a wide smile of relief plastered itself onto his face as he greeted the stranger.
By now Tyson had adopted what he hoped was a casual pose, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded but really, he was dying of curiosity to know this strange person's identity.
"Whose the tall, dark, handsome stranger Kenny?" He quipped, earning an annoyed look from his friend and an odd look he couldn't quite place from the stranger.
Kenny cleared his throat importantly, and the other doctors in the room waited in anticipation.
"My friends, I would like you all to meet Dr. Tala Yuri." A great roar of applause rang throughout the room, accompanied by cheers and a few outbursts of: "I knew it was him!"
Tyson, personally, didn't see what the fuss was about; one doctor after the other had all failed to shed any light on Hillary's condition, despite any 'professional' status they chose to flatter their oversized egos with, and he seriously doubted this one would be any different.
His thoughts were interrupted when Tala turned to Kenny.
"So, the girl has lost blood you say?"
"Yes Sir." Kenny replied without hesitation.
"And you have found the exit point for the missing blood, yes?"
"Uh, well not exactly Sir..."
"Have you examined her?"
"Yes Sir."
"Then why do you not know how she is losing blood?"
"There are no visible wounds Sir."
"Then how do you explain this?" Tala peeled back the collar of Hillary's nightshirt to reveal two small but septic looking puncture marks on the side of her neck.
Kenny was speechless, his mouth dropped open in shock.
"I'd say that is our most likely place of exit, wouldn't you agree?" Tala's eyes blazed with an intensity akin to excitement.
He's enjoying this! Tyson snorted disgustedly.
Tala ignored him and continued interrogating Kenny.
"So now that we have found our exit point, where – by logic – should the lost blood be?"
"On the bed sheets." Kenny answered immediately; that was the only logic.
"So then why is it not on the bed sheets?" A triumphant glint flickered in Tala's eyes.
Kenny hesitated, scratching his head while his exhausted mind racked its memory, piecing together the bits of the puzzle; typical signs of anaemia, continued blood loss, puncture marks on the neck, aversion to sun light...
Then horror filled his eyes as he reached the only possible conclusion.
Seeing the uncertainty in his student's face, Tala nodded sternly.
"It can't be! Not Hillary!" Kenny wailed desperately, holding his head in his hands while he sank defeated into a chair.
"It can, and it is." Tala paused to look at the girl on the bed. "And you know what we have to do."
Kenny looked up at his mentor, but was unwilling to meet his eyes, eyes of a man that had killed once, and would kill again.
Tyson, watching the whole scene play out before his bewildered eyes, felt strangely afraid for Kai, though why he could not know. He had pieced together the clues as to Hillary's mysterious illness long before Kenny realised the enormity of it.
"Nosferatu..." He whispered to himself.
Moscow, Russia: 2nd May...
Rei winced and held his breathe as the stone below his feet crumbled dangerously.
I won't fall now, not now I've made it this far!
He felt along the wall gingerly for a better grip as he edged along the precipice carefully. All around him, his sharp ears could hear the outraged shrieks of Kai's vampire brides as they searched for their escaped toy. Frantically he looked for a dark corner to hide in. When he found none within his range, he looked down uncertainly at the river below.
A second later, he heard another shriek close by, and with one last thought of being back at home with his Tyson, he leapt over the edge, and plummeted down into the flowing coolness below.
The nuns out picking strawberries were surprised to find a stranger collapsed in their fruit garden, and out of curiosity more than anything ventured closer. As they caught sight of the puncture marks, on his neck, stomach and wrists, their eyes rolled up the heavens as they hurriedly crossed themselves while one ran to find a stretcher. They were even more alarmed when he regained a small amount of consciousness and began to rant incoherently, and they were only able to pick out a few words; "Tyson" "not safe" Kai"...
Tokyo, Japan: 4th May...
Kai's eyes seemed to glitter in the soft yellow light of the candles as Tyson gazed into their ruby depths across the table.
"Would you like some more vodka?" Kai smiled serenely as Tyson blinked rapidly as the spell released him from its mesmerizing trap.
"Uh, yeah sure." Tyson smiled brightly.
Kai smiled again and reached for the bottle.
"So where did you say you were from?" Tyson's inquisitive nature got the better of him.
Kai paused abruptly, a small drip of vodka escaping its glass prison and spattering onto the table. "Russia." He replied guardedly.
"Wow, Russia..." Tyson trailed off as he closed his eyes, imagining what that white wonderland must be like.
Kai perked up considerably. "What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to imagine what it's like there." Tyson still had his eyes closed, a contented smile played on his lips.
"What can you see?" Kai got up from his seat and moved to stand at Tyson's side, one hand running it's fingers through Tyson's wild silky hair.
"A land perpetually carpeted in snow." Tyson voice became soft and almost feminine. "There is a castle; it's so old it's almost falling apart."
Kai smiled nostalgically.
Tyson continued. "There is a woman there, with long dark blue hair, pale creamy skin, and the darkest doe brown eyes." He paused as a tear ran down his cheek, which Kai caught with his fingertips. "She's so sad, her heart is broken, she feels like she has nothing left to live for; her prince is gone." Tyson opened his eyes as if awaking from a dream.
"Perhaps you should go dry your eyes." Kai suggested gently. Tyson nodded and headed from the restroom.
"Your prince is not gone Elizebeta." Kai whispered.
...so close no matter how far,
couldn't be much more from the heart,
forever trust in who we are,
and nothing else matters...
Tyson awoke to the panicked shambles he had come to expect over the last few days. He yawned as he gazed into the corridor, ignoring the passing servants who were rushed off their feet as well as having been persuaded to become donors for Hillary. He sighed despairingly as he thought of his friend suffering. Despite regular transfusions, her health had continued its suicidal downward spiral.
As he stepped into the corridor, a dark figure brushed past him, turning to glance curiously with ice-cold blue eyes. Tyson stopped in shock and stared after him. When his senses returned and his curiosity got the better of him, he followed the figure and became suspicious when he entered Hillary's room.
As usual, doctors surrounded her bed. Most of them were Kenny's associates, but a few were uninvited 'professionals' who in their high opinion of themselves, assumed Kenny would need their assistance. They immediately moved aside as the figure approached the bed, many of them bowing their heads in respect and some muttering amongst themselves.
Kenny sensing the claustrophobic atmosphere easing up, whirled around, and a wide smile of relief plastered itself onto his face as he greeted the stranger.
By now Tyson had adopted what he hoped was a casual pose, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded but really, he was dying of curiosity to know this strange person's identity.
"Whose the tall, dark, handsome stranger Kenny?" He quipped, earning an annoyed look from his friend and an odd look he couldn't quite place from the stranger.
Kenny cleared his throat importantly, and the other doctors in the room waited in anticipation.
"My friends, I would like you all to meet Dr. Tala Yuri." A great roar of applause rang throughout the room, accompanied by cheers and a few outbursts of: "I knew it was him!"
Tyson, personally, didn't see what the fuss was about; one doctor after the other had all failed to shed any light on Hillary's condition, despite any 'professional' status they chose to flatter their oversized egos with, and he seriously doubted this one would be any different.
His thoughts were interrupted when Tala turned to Kenny.
"So, the girl has lost blood you say?"
"Yes Sir." Kenny replied without hesitation.
"And you have found the exit point for the missing blood, yes?"
"Uh, well not exactly Sir..."
"Have you examined her?"
"Yes Sir."
"Then why do you not know how she is losing blood?"
"There are no visible wounds Sir."
"Then how do you explain this?" Tala peeled back the collar of Hillary's nightshirt to reveal two small but septic looking puncture marks on the side of her neck.
Kenny was speechless, his mouth dropped open in shock.
"I'd say that is our most likely place of exit, wouldn't you agree?" Tala's eyes blazed with an intensity akin to excitement.
He's enjoying this! Tyson snorted disgustedly.
Tala ignored him and continued interrogating Kenny.
"So now that we have found our exit point, where – by logic – should the lost blood be?"
"On the bed sheets." Kenny answered immediately; that was the only logic.
"So then why is it not on the bed sheets?" A triumphant glint flickered in Tala's eyes.
Kenny hesitated, scratching his head while his exhausted mind racked its memory, piecing together the bits of the puzzle; typical signs of anaemia, continued blood loss, puncture marks on the neck, aversion to sun light...
Then horror filled his eyes as he reached the only possible conclusion.
Seeing the uncertainty in his student's face, Tala nodded sternly.
"It can't be! Not Hillary!" Kenny wailed desperately, holding his head in his hands while he sank defeated into a chair.
"It can, and it is." Tala paused to look at the girl on the bed. "And you know what we have to do."
Kenny looked up at his mentor, but was unwilling to meet his eyes, eyes of a man that had killed once, and would kill again.
Tyson, watching the whole scene play out before his bewildered eyes, felt strangely afraid for Kai, though why he could not know. He had pieced together the clues as to Hillary's mysterious illness long before Kenny realised the enormity of it.
"Nosferatu..." He whispered to himself.
Moscow, Russia: 2nd May...
Rei winced and held his breathe as the stone below his feet crumbled dangerously.
I won't fall now, not now I've made it this far!
He felt along the wall gingerly for a better grip as he edged along the precipice carefully. All around him, his sharp ears could hear the outraged shrieks of Kai's vampire brides as they searched for their escaped toy. Frantically he looked for a dark corner to hide in. When he found none within his range, he looked down uncertainly at the river below.
A second later, he heard another shriek close by, and with one last thought of being back at home with his Tyson, he leapt over the edge, and plummeted down into the flowing coolness below.
The nuns out picking strawberries were surprised to find a stranger collapsed in their fruit garden, and out of curiosity more than anything ventured closer. As they caught sight of the puncture marks, on his neck, stomach and wrists, their eyes rolled up the heavens as they hurriedly crossed themselves while one ran to find a stretcher. They were even more alarmed when he regained a small amount of consciousness and began to rant incoherently, and they were only able to pick out a few words; "Tyson" "not safe" Kai"...
Tokyo, Japan: 4th May...
Kai's eyes seemed to glitter in the soft yellow light of the candles as Tyson gazed into their ruby depths across the table.
"Would you like some more vodka?" Kai smiled serenely as Tyson blinked rapidly as the spell released him from its mesmerizing trap.
"Uh, yeah sure." Tyson smiled brightly.
Kai smiled again and reached for the bottle.
"So where did you say you were from?" Tyson's inquisitive nature got the better of him.
Kai paused abruptly, a small drip of vodka escaping its glass prison and spattering onto the table. "Russia." He replied guardedly.
"Wow, Russia..." Tyson trailed off as he closed his eyes, imagining what that white wonderland must be like.
Kai perked up considerably. "What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to imagine what it's like there." Tyson still had his eyes closed, a contented smile played on his lips.
"What can you see?" Kai got up from his seat and moved to stand at Tyson's side, one hand running it's fingers through Tyson's wild silky hair.
"A land perpetually carpeted in snow." Tyson voice became soft and almost feminine. "There is a castle; it's so old it's almost falling apart."
Kai smiled nostalgically.
Tyson continued. "There is a woman there, with long dark blue hair, pale creamy skin, and the darkest doe brown eyes." He paused as a tear ran down his cheek, which Kai caught with his fingertips. "She's so sad, her heart is broken, she feels like she has nothing left to live for; her prince is gone." Tyson opened his eyes as if awaking from a dream.
"Perhaps you should go dry your eyes." Kai suggested gently. Tyson nodded and headed from the restroom.
"Your prince is not gone Elizebeta." Kai whispered.
...so close no matter how far,
couldn't be much more from the heart,
forever trust in who we are,
and nothing else matters...