Tokyo, Japan: 3rd July 2004

Joyous laughter resounded throughout the summer garden as Tyson leapt and vaulted around the lawns gleefully, hugging the letter to his warm chest.
He stopped in the middle of the grass and flung up his hand to the sky, as if giving thanks to a nature Goddess long forgotten, his angelic face beaming up to the waiting sun.
He spun around slowly, basking in its warmth, smiling up at the golden halo.
Kai...
The thought cut through his heart with an icy contrast to the glow in his face.
He flopped down to sit cross-legged on the grass, where he sat thinking deeply for the next hour, conflicting loyalties swimming through his innocent, loving heart.
Finally, when he raised his head, tears escaped his soulful brown eyes.
Why do I have to choose?
He looked up at the birds helplessly, but they continued weaving their intricate, invisible patterns in the wind, ignoring his plight as they did with the rest of troubled humankind.
"I suppose I'll have to go..." He sighed resignedly, tears brimming in his eyes again as he realised he would not be able to see Kai ever again, and he must miss their date that night.
With one last longing look at the carefree winged creatures in the sky that he envied with all his heart, he headed back to the house in search of his letter paper.

Spirits were low in the household that night.
With Tyson's departure came a sense of defeat as Hillary continued to deteriorate.
After staring at her pale face for an hour, Max began to get restless.
"I say we get a drink or two; nothing's to be done sitting around waiting for the inevitable." He looked over to Kenny for agreement, and found weary eyes meeting his gratefully.
"Very well." Tala muttered non-commitedly.

Outside, the wind howled through the predator's ears as it crouched in the bushes opposite the window. It sniffed the air cautiously, then wrinkled its nose in distaste and shook its head scornfully.
English vodka indeed!

"Fill it up again!" Max hiccupped excitedly, and followed it with a loud yawn.
"As you wish." Tala replied reaching for his glass.
Kenny opened one eyelid drowsily. "I say we get some sleep, I'm shattered!"
"I second that!" Max jumped up, only to fall face first onto the floor, although he was snoring before his head hit the fur rug.
Kenny chuckled to himself as he snuggled into the armchair and began to snore too.
Tala snorted contemptuously, and busied himself with finishing off the bottle.

Half an hour later, the bottle dropped unheeded to the floor, spilling what was left of it contents over Max's face.

When the creature was satisfied that it would not be disturbed, it stalked quietly up to the French windows of Hillary's bedroom.
A sharp garnet-red eye, blazed like a luminescent light through the thin glass, and in an instant, the creature was no longer on the outside.
Again it wrinkled its nose at yet another distasteful smell, which seemed to stifle the whole room with it noxious fumes.
Of all things to be allergic to, mine had to be garlic!
Ignoring the stench that caused its stomach to turn the creature approached the bed.

Hillary lay quietly as she always did. Her shiny brown hair had become dull and ruffled, just as her rosy skin had paled to an almost translucent blue-ish white.
Occasionally her head lolled to one side, and the puncture marks could be clearly seen, which now looked like infectious boils, as the sickness within her battled with her immune system.

The creature smiled softly, and its shape began to distort until its form became human.
Placing a hand over Hillary's heart, the creature paused to brush an unruly strand of silver-blue hair away from its blazing red eyes.
"I condemn you to eternal life." A cruel smile played on its lips as its canine teeth stretch to their full size, forcing its lips apart, and then, faster than the blink of an eye, it pounced, sinking its teeth into the tender flesh of Hillary's neck, tearing at the arteries beneath and breaking her neck with a sickening crunch.
Blood spouted from the wound as it paused for breath, spilling over not only the creature, but also the bed sheets and the floor, spattering onto the walls in a fine mist, when it squeezed the severed jugular artery with its powerful fist.
Satisfied when it felt her body fall limp it its arms, the creature threw her back onto the pillows, smiling gleefully as it heard more bones crack as her skull collided with the solid wooden back of the bed.
Then it glanced at the clock before disappearing out into the night it came from.

Tyson stared up at the clear starry night and sighed regretfully, watching at the harbour disappeared over the receding horizon.
Glad as he was that he would soon be able to see Rei again, he simply couldn't bear the thought of never seeing Kai again.
"I finally get to see Russia, and Kai isn't here to enjoy it with me." He muttered desolately.

The letter stared up at Kai from the silver plate on the table like a bad omen.
He'd arrived with barely minutes to spare before the time they'd agreed to meet.
The outfit he wore had been picked very carefully from his extensive wardrobe, as he had decided tonight would be the perfect night to claim Tyson's heart.
Clad in black baggy combat jeans, and a dark red, silk shirt, unbuttoned at the chest and wrists, he knew he looked irresistible. He lounged lazily in the armchair as he waited patiently.
Sometime during his wait, his eyes had finally noticed the letter.
Frowning dubiously, he used one of the white gold dinner knives the tear the top of the envelope open, careful not to rip the delicate paper within.
His eyes widened first in shock, then in anger, and finally in an expression akin to grief as he read the carefully penned words:

Dearest Kai,
I know this is going to sound like some stupid excuse, but please believe me, I didn't mean to stand you up tonight. I had to get the first ship to Russia this afternoon. Turns out a bunch of nuns found Rei practically half-dead and he's asked for me to join him in Russia. It'll be the first time I've ever been and I really wish you could have been here with me when I see it for the first time. And as much as I hate to say it, I don't think Rei will like it if I continue to see you when we get back, so I guess I have to say goodbye now. I'll always remember you.

Love always,
Tyson

...it comes down to this,
your kiss, your fist,
and your strain it gets under my skin...