Flashback

"Ah, boys. I am so glad you are okay!" Stanley Dickenson greeted Spencer and Ian as he walked into the room. He frowned. "But where are Tala and Bryan?"

Kai appeared from behind the elderly BBA chairman, frowning. "Where are they?" He asked the two Demolition Boys.

"Tala's room." Spencer answered. "But Kai," he grabbed the Phoenix's forearm as Kai went to walk past, "something's happened; tread carefully around Tala…"

Kai nodded and walked down the dank Abbey corridor in a brisk pace, white scarf trailing behind. Left, right, left, another left and down a few staircases; Kai knew the Abbey back to front.

He had promised Tala that he would never return, but after Mr Dickenson and the Russian authorities had shut the Abbey down, he made sure he was there to make sure the Demolition Boys bore no blame.

He stopped outside the Wolf's dorm and knocked.

"Tala? It's me…"

A few seconds later the door opened slowly and Kai gave a sad smile in greeting. Tala half heartedly returned it and that told Kai there was definitely something wrong…

"What are you doing here, Kai?" Tala asked in a very soft voice, not meeting Kai's gaze.

"You're free. They Abbey's been taken down." Kai replied. He pulled Tala into a hug. "Spencer said something was wrong… what is it?"

Tala pulled away and gestured for Kai to enter the room. Kai did so, but froze when he saw the figure upon the bed. Bryan lay unconscious, skin paler than usual and chest barely visibly rising with breathing.

"Bryan…" Kai murmured and rushed over to the Falcon's side. His eyes widened when he spotted the marks on his neck; he swallowed thickly and turned back to Tala. "V-vampire?" Tala nodded. "Boris… set a vampire on him?"

"For losing." Tala answered in a barely audible voice. "He took all the blame himself…" Kai could see the Wolf's eyes were swimming in tears and his jaw wobbled. "Hasn't woken up since it happened three days ago…"

As if on cue, Bryan's hand gave a small twitch of a spasm. Tala and Kai's eyes widened in hope and they almost smiled as Bryan's eyes opened… yet they weren't normal… the once-lilac eyes were now a stone grey. They stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, before moving slowly to the side and downwards. His gaze met Kai's first, then Tala's, before closing. He turned onto his side, his back faced them.

"Leave…" He said in a firm, yet quiet, voice.

"But Bryan…"

"You are free…" Kai murmured. "You can leave."

"And so can you, but I do not wish to…" Bryan whispered.

Tala wandered over to the bedside and sat the edge, reaching out and pulling Bryan onto his back once more. He softly brushed lilac locks out of the Falcon's face, ice blue eyes sparkling with moistness.

"Bryan, I'm not leaving without you… I could never… I owe you too much."

"Ditto." Kai agreed. "And if we have to drag you from this place, kicking and screaming, then so be it."

Bryan smirked but only for a second. "But I am a monster… a creature of darkness."

"Bryan," The Falcon looked up again at Tala, who still continued to run his fingers through his hair and graze his skin against Bryan's forehead, "you've always been our little creature of darkness… nothing can change the pact we made all those years ago; we're brothers for life…"

Bryan sat up slowly, wincing internally at how his muscles and bones protested, before pulling the Wolf into a hug. Tala returned it, burying his face into Bryan's shoulder.

Bryan smirked and looked over Tala's own shoulder and at the Phoenix. "Don't think you're getting away without a hug, mister."

Kai just smirked, but nonetheless, moved over and sat upon the bed, wrapping his arms around both Russians.

"Brothers for life…" Tala muttered.

"For life…" Agreed Kai.

"…Damn I need a drink…"

End Flashback

I frown in humoured confusion as I watch Tala's face crease into a smile. I wonder what it is he is dreaming about…

We have slept for the whole night. The moon and stars have, themselves, begun their sleep and the sun, in all its burning majesty, seats itself on its throne high in the sky. The morning birds sing their song and people out in the streets of Moscow begin their daily regimes.

I have been awake only a short time, but Tala is still in the world of slumber…

I guess I always speak too soon…

"Mornin'…" He greets with a slight slur of sleepy delusion. He sighs, not lifting his head from my bandaged chest. "Gods above, I feel great…"

'Great'? He should be feeling like two overweight elephants fell upon his head!

I express this to him, but he only gives a tranquil smile. "I don't know… I just feel… peaceful and happy inside…" His fingers trace lazy lines upon the linen bandage. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine…" I tell him. "Sore, but-" he laughs softly, "fine."

"I guess I need to contact Kai…" Tala murmurs.

He does not move. "So are you going to, then?" I inquire.

He groans. "I feel like I can't move…" He mumbles. "Not even an inch."

I wince. "Sorry…"

I guess he tries his hardest and manages to lift his head. He folds his arms and places his chin upon them; the two red marks stand out plainly upon his neck.

"What's there to be sorry for? You were dying, Bry. Boris would want you to die… not to live… so therefore-" he smiles, blue eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky, "you haven't sunk to the all low…"

"I guess… but there is something that I have fulfilled…" Tala frowns in confusion. "The vampire who… turned me… he's the one who attacked me last night when I was heading to the Blood Bank… he wanted me to bite you, so he-"

"-Bit you himself… to get rid of your blood…" Tala murmurs. His eyes, I spot, are almost glued to my neck. "I missed it because of your mop."

"My…?" I raise an inquisitive eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"It needs cutting." Tala says with a pout.

"Pout one more time," I threaten, "and I'll never give you a kiss again." He blinks, confusedly and I realise. "You… don't remember… do you?"

"Remember what?" Asks Tala.

"Last night, after I, you know, bit you… we-"

"Did it?"

"No… well, not exactly… we kissed… adding a little more than that, though, but… maybe this'll refresh your memory…"

And I lean up slightly, my neck protesting in discomfort (but I do not listen), kissing him soundly on the lips. I sense his surprise but a groan rises from his throat, and he begins to kiss back.

I pull back, though, and he smiles contently. "I think I need some more reminding…"

I smirk. "Not until you contact Kai."

He sighs and goes to move, but I wrap my arms around his back, securing him to my body.

"Wha-?"

"Since I smashed yours to tiny pieces," I say, gesturing to the litter of discarded black plastic, "use mine."

He leans over me to grab my flip phone from the little table and I can not resist; I lean up slightly and give the front of his neck a tiny nip. An indignant squeak escapes from his throat, but he looks down with a humoured glare, which I return with an innocent one.

"Doesn't suit you." He retorts, gesturing to the innocent look upon my face. He manages to grasp my phone and leans back down, typing in Kai's number. He holds it to his ear. After a few rings (which I hear perfectly due to my senses), the Phoenix picks up. "Kai?"

"Tala?" A sigh, which from over the line sounds like two bits of sandpaper being rubbed together. "You're okay…"

"Mm hm… Bryan too…"

"What happened? You said he was attacked."

"Hm, yeah… but I'll explain later; where are you?"

"About five minutes away."

Tala, I watch amusedly, falls off me and onto the floor with surprise. He gives a short curse and I chuckle, leaning down and scooping the black phone off the floor; smirking as Tala rubbed his sore (and rather sexy) behind.

"You're how far away, Phoenix? I thought you were in Japan." I speak.

"I was. Right after Tala got cut off last night, I was heading towards to airport… unfortunately-"

"Granger decided to tag along." I chuckle. "I guess there's no point in talking anymore since we'll see you in a few…"

"Da."

And we both hang up. I look down at Tala who seems to be looking at him hand, which was smeared with-

"Blood?" He looks up at me. "What happened?"

"I bit my tongue when I fell off." I roll my eyes, but he frowns. "But it's bleeding like hell and my gums feel weird."

"Open your mouth." I state. He does so and I bite my lip. "You have… fangs…"

/Evil smirk/ hehehe...

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