A groan breaks free from Riku as he begins to come to. His eyes flutter open slowly, almost afraid just in case the light is waiting for him. Thankfully, he's met only with dimmed lighting just up enough so that anyone that enters won't trip. He pushes himself up into a sitting position as he tries to take it all in. His head throbs constantly and his throat feels as though there's a tiny fire at the base of it, daring to spark up further.

The dark room is crystal clear to Riku. Everything from the plush gray carpet to the pale blue walls. It's all as he remembers and more. The door diagonal from where he sits opens slowly while Sora makes sure he's awake before it flings open the rest of the way. The brunet rushes over to his side. "Do you remember what happened?"

Riku nods slowly.

Only for Sora to grin. "Good. I figured I'd bring you to your place since it'd be safer." He chuckles, "I haven't told Kairi yet but she's been worried sick about you."

"Kairi..."

Riku teases the name on his tongue before it to alights a memory tucked deep into the darkness of his mind. He brings a hand up to his face, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. After a moment he lets his hand fall back into his lap where he stares at it thoughtfully. "Sora," the brunet perks up immediately at the sound of his name coming from Riku. "I – I remember."

"That's great! Because I have a question."

The frustrated look on Sora's face is almost cute, to the point where Riku swallows down a chuckle. "Yes?"

"Who's Vincent?"

"Huh?"

Sora waves a hand in the air, "Well you said his name before you passed out. Is that the guy you were with? Did he do this to you? Is there a way to reverse it? Are you okay?"

"Sora calm down. One question at a time." Riku takes a deep breath as Sora falls silent with an apologetic look crossing his sun-kissed features. "Yes, he did this because I asked him to. I'm fine but I don't think there's a way to reverse it."

He folds the deep gray sheets back and climbs out of bed. Sora follows him with his eyes while a pout curls at his lips. "But why?"

"Hmm..." Riku hesitates in answering. He busies himself with striding over to the closet and digging through it to find something fresh to wear. It at least allows him to not have to look Sora in the eye. After all, he's still a coward in his own eyes. "I couldn't handle knowing what I put you both through. Even now, nothing's changed." Riku straightens up as he places the clothes he's gathered on an open drawer inside the closet.

"I'll go back to Vincent. But I need you to go home Sora."

"What!?" Sora jumps to his feet with a loud thud. "But I just got you back! You can't ask me to do that." The brunet swallows hard as he takes a step forward. He reaches out to grab at the back of Riku's shirt, tugging gently at it. "Does he even care about you?"

It hurts to listen to those words, to hear that pleading tone in Sora's voice. He doesn't want to lose Riku again and that the latter can understand. He doesn't want to lose Sora either. But his heart is torn. Whether he truly meant to or not, he chose this and he has to accept it. Riku pulls at the shirt and begins to take it off, forcing Sora to let go.

"It doesn't matter, I have to go back. I can't just leave him."

"But-"

"No buts Sora. I'm going."

Riku pulls on a black, zip-up vest and a jacket over that. The second it rests on his shoulders Sora is surging forward. He wraps his arms around Riku and holds him still. "Please, Riku, don't go." The short man tightens his hold when Riku tries to push his arms away. "He wasn't even nice the first time we saw you. He might not let you come back."

A small bout of anger bursts inside of Riku and he's not even sure why. He wishes he knew himself, but it doesn't stop the sharp words from leaving his lips. "I'm not even supposed to have contact with you."

The arms around him loosen before pulling away altogether. It's enough to make Riku want to back peddle. But he can't take back what's already been said. He can only try to move forward and figure everything out. Riku sighs heavily as he slips out of his pants and into a new pair of deep indigo jeans that are slightly ripped at the knees. He tries to distract Sora with new information as he kneels down to put on a pair of black boots.

"Vincent could be in trouble for turning me. I owe him at least some protection. Whatever turned him and the others originally isn't going to be happy that he went against the rules. That he wasn't allowed to touch Keyblade Wielders or Princesses."

"But why are they here?"

Riku shrugs as he stands up and finally turns back to Sora. Only to see the latter's widened eyes. Raising a brow, Riku takes a step forward. "Sora?"

"R- Riku your eyes. Why are they red now?"

"They're..." He trails off as he can't help but lift a hand to brush over his face. He wants to see it for himself to be honest. It's a strange thought not to have those bright blue-green orbs. He wonders why it's getting so prominent and he can only assume it's due to the inferno budding at the base of his throat. The thirst is so hard to ignore.

"I'm coming with you."

"No Sora." Riku pivots on his heel and heads out the door. "It's too dangerous," he continues as he begins down the hall and towards the front door.

"But Riku! If you get into trouble you'll need some backup. Besides, I think I can hold my own."

He tries not to say anything until he's at the door. It's the uncomfortable feeling that surges up from the very soles of his feet. This house is strange to him. It doesn't matter that it was his at one time because right now he knows this is just that. A house. His true home is back with Vincent. This is not his world any longer. As Riku opens the door he freezes. Sounds in the distant makes his ears perk with curiousity while the hair on the back of his neck stands on end.

Something isn't right.

Riku glances back towards Sora. "Don't move."

Just as the words leave his lips he finds his body slinging away from the threshold. Sora yells for Riku as he watches the dark blur throw his friend to the ground with a sickening thud. Riku can't help but let a groan break past his lips as all of the air is knocked out of him. A good thing he doesn't necessarily need to breathe. He tries to push himself up onto his elbows and once he does he regrets it. He should have just played dead.

The man before him is more than frightening and yet there's so much that feels strangely familiar. A tattered, black cloak conceals his tall frame and even up to his face. The large collared is held closed by three tarnished buckles. Walking over to Riku, rather it seems as though he glides over the ground, his long mussed black hair sways about his tall body. Riku does the only thing he can think of.

He leans on his left arm and holds his right out, summoning forth Way to Dawn. The dark blue and red blade flashes into his grasp which he then points at the approaching figure. But it doesn't deter him at all. He merely smirks that Riku even dares. However, his lips part just enough to flash Riku an extended canine. It does exactly what the man wants – striking a bewildered fear into the young man's heart. There's nothing right about this situation; he should have never left Vincent's side.

Riku cuts his eyes over to Sora for a split second, "Sora, run!"

Not another word manages to come out as the figure drops to his knees, straddling Riku, as he grabs at his throat in one hand. Sharp nails dig into the soft flesh and has Riku slashing at him. But the man is far faster. He catches Riku's wrist and slams his arm down onto the ground. The hand about Riku's throat slips up into his hair, yanking his head to the side. The smell of grass overwhelms Riku's senses as the man dips his face down to Riku's neck and the small beads of blood that dot his skin.

He hesitates only a second before parting his lips. Riku stares over to where Sora had stood. Thankfully, the brunet has run. But that doesn't help the fact that Riku knows he's messed up. The sharp pain from the fangs piercing into him dulls rather quickly. It's far from enjoyable as the feeling of everything being drained out of him. Riku remembers about Vincent, wondering if perhaps this is what the man is doing to him – gathering information in the dumbest way possible.

Riku's fingers relax and his eyes begin to close. The Keyblade vanishes as the man finally pulls away. As Riku falls unconcious, the Vampire lifts him up and throws Riku over his shoulder. Beginning to carry him away, the creature doesn't even bother to wipe away the blood that stains his lips.