Well, here comes the next chapter! I'm so, so sorry about the delay, writer's block loves me at the moment! A big thank you to black-wolf-demon, Kai'sgrl, Miako6, SpottedShadow2947 and Pheonix's Fire for reviewing the last chapter!
Please read and enjoy!
Kai stopped his relentless march suddenly, pain flaring in his chest. The strange, unearthly compulsion that had throbbed through his veins since he had taken Black Dranzer's power into himself warred with a far more basic, human sensation; one that made him shiver at the memory of smooth, golden skin sliding under him, soft, full lips pressed to his, a normally steady gaze hazy as they moved as one. With those memories came the bright, sharp pain of emotions. He hated emotions, they were only for the weak. These emotions however; these did not belong to him. Golden eyes flashed brightly in his mind's eye.
Bitter sadness and badly suppressed longing that bit into him like a knife, reluctant tears, and a black depression hovering just at the edge of everything.
The pain increased, tearing a soft hiss from between unwilling lips. He took a step forwards then one backwards, his heart a white-hot ball of pain pumping conflicting urges around his muscular body. Pressure built, throbbing in his chest, in his temples until the need to make a decision became critical. He took a step backwards, swiftly followed by another, and another.
You can come back later, he reassured himself. There's no harm in putting things off for a while. He turned and headed back the way that he had come at a steady jog.
Those strange emotions were bad, they were distracting him. If he could get rid of them, then he would be able to carry on without interruption. Ray's hurting. He frowned and shook his head. Damn, he was being polluted already. Without his conscious knowledge, he increased his speed until he was sprinting.
I must…help Ray… The thought was so quiet, so far back in his corrupted mind that it did not register. He ran on, planning how to silence the troublesome thoughts that were being transmitted to him and sate his lust at the same time. A plan started to take shape.
Voltaire's face was purple with rage.
"How did this happen?" he yelled at the cowering technicians. "We were all agreed that once the first stage was complete, he would lose all human emotion! What went wrong?" There was a terrified silence.
"Maybe he is stronger than we first thought, my lord." Boris offered, coming into the room. Voltaire shook his head.
"No, I know my grandson. He will do anything for power."
"Well, he's just turned away from it." Boris muttered under his breath. Voltaire shot him an icy glare.
"Did you say something?" he demanded.
"No, my lord."
"Good. Keep it like that. You," He pointed to a technician, whose face instantly went white. "You get my grandson here. Fast." The trembling man sank lower in his seat.
"H-How-"
"I don't particularly care how, just bring him here!" Voltaire snapped.
"Y-Yes, my lord…" The terrified man brought shaking fingers to his computer keyboard and began typing.
"Ray? Lunch is ready!"
"Not hungry." Kenny poked his head around the door.
"Ray…" He trailed off helplessly as Ray stared at him without expression. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, nervously.
"None of your business." Ray mumbled. Unaccustomed temper rose inside the little computer whiz.
"Yes, it is my business!" he snapped. "You haven't spoken more than a few words to anyone, you've barely been eating, when you're not sleeping you're crying, what the hell is the matter?" A faint, weak smile trembled at the corners of Ray's mouth.
"What do you know, you've got some bite after all." He chuckled dryly and huddled deeper under the covers, closing his eyes.
"RAY!" Golden eyes flew open in shock and Kenny coughed a couple of times, his throat sore from the scream. "Ray, please. You can tell me, can't you?" he begged. The older boy shrugged and shifted position slightly. Sensing a breakthrough, Kenny held his breath.
"Fine…" The word was expelled in a shaky sigh and Ray slowly sat up, tossing his matted, dirty hair out of the way. His eyes were fixed firmly on the duvet in front of him, filled with the raw, heavy sadness that had been there since he had given his testimony to the police two days ago, upon the discovery of the mutilated, scorched corpses in Kai's bedroom. "Kenny, what do you remember about that night?" he asked softly.
"I…um…"
"Specifically about what we were doing when you looked in?" Ray's eyes narrowed. Kenny thought hard, biting his lip. "That night" as they had all taken to calling it, was hopelessly hazy in his memory and trying to find one specific thing was like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Suddenly, the image he wanted floated into his mind's eye. Instantly, he blushed bright scarlet. A small, bitterly satisfied smile crept across Ray's face as he raised his head and stared directly into Kenny's embarrassed face. "You remember." It was a statement, not a question, but Kenny nodded anyway.
Ray was beginning to scare him. The Chinese boy's face could have been sculpted from marble, occasional blinking the only movement.
"What would you say we were doing, Chief?" Ray said lightly. The answer rushed to the tip of Kenny's tongue and made his blush increase a thousand-fold.
"Having sex?" he whispered. Ray nodded.
"Yeah," He buried his head in his hands for a few seconds then looked up. Whatever light there had been in his eyes was gone, replaced with self-loathing and distress. "I slept with a murderer." Kenny stayed silent. "And do you know what's almost as bad?" I dread to think, Kenny thought apprehensively, then hated himself for it.
"What?" he asked, staring at Ray with a kind of horrified fascination.
"If he turned up here, right now, what do you think I would do?"
"Um…yell at him? Hit him? Call him a murderer? Call the police?" Kenny suggested. Each suggestion was met with a slow shake of the head. "What, then?" A tiny, self-hating smile hovered around Ray's mouth.
"Tell him I missed him." the young teenager said shakily. "Tell him to turn himself in before he gets in even worse trouble. And…" He bit nervously at nails that were already a bleeding mess. "Tell him I love him." he whispered. His attractive face crumpled in a mask of self-loathing and grief, his usually bright golden eyes dark. Kenny stood, his mind reeling. One thing was clear; Ray needed help. He could provide a sympathetic ear, but Ray needed much more than that. I'll talk to him later, once he's calmed down, get him to go to a doctor or something. Kenny thought sensibly as he stared down at the miserable heap that was one of his best friends.
"You…love him?" he repeated slowly. Ray nodded.
"I know it's stupid, but it just happened. Nothing I can do about it." He attempted a brave smile. The resulting grimace made Kenny wince.
"Well, I need my lunch," he said apologetically, "If you change your mind and feel hungry, just come and get something. Tyson's going to the hospital again after lunch, so you won't have competition." The two boys gave each other strained, equally insincere smiles and Kenny hurried from the room.
Ray lay back down on the bed and rubbed his throbbing legs. If he had heard Kenny's thoughts, he would have laughed. Or tried to. There was nothing wrong with him, he was sure. He was tired and emotional all the time, that was all. It was just the shock at the strange events of the past few days.
He had lost his virginity to a boy who had then proceeded to try and kill two of his friends and succeeded in killing at least four adults, then disappeared completely. Enough to unnerve anyone. All he needed to do was hold on until everything started looking up again. If he hated himself at the moment, well, that was to be expected.
He was in love with a murderer.
Oh God, who was he kidding? He felt awful. Every tiny bit of him was overflowing with sadness and need for Kai, and it disgusted him. How could he love someone who was clearly evil? He was a disgusting, tainted little lovesick idiot. Consumed by the bleak thoughts racing through his head, Ray shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out Driger. A determined gleam glinted in his dull eyes as he placed the sharp-edged beyblade on his wrist, where he could see the vein pulsing away busily. Unexpectedly, cold air blew through the room.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Ray?" a harsh voice from behind him demanded. Ray's head whipped around so fast that he felt his neck click painfully. He stared in shock at the figure crouched in the window.
"Kai?" he whispered. Kai dropped to the floor and started walking towards him with a slow, almost predatory gait. He was deathly white, almost luminescent, his dark-red eyes glowing eerily against their white background. His clothes were creased and ripped in some places. "Kai, w-what are you doing here?" Ray asked, his voice beginning to shake. I'm hallucinating, he thought dazedly. "You shouldn't be here…you'll get arrested! You're a murderer!" His voice peaked at a terrified yelp as Kai stopped right next to the bed and stared down at him.
"Who's going to tell?" Kai asked, his voice dispassionate. "You?" In one fluid movement, he bent down and kissed Ray, sliding an arm around him and easing them both into a lying down position. Ray struggled underneath him, fear and anger blazing in his beautiful golden eyes. Kai let out a growl of annoyance as Ray turned his head away and tried to move out from underneath him. Glowing, defiant golden eyes glared furiously at him.
"You deserve everything you get, murderer!" Ray hissed, his top lip drawn up in a snarl. He opened his mouth to yell for help. Acting on instinct, Kai slammed a hand over his mouth, using his entire body weight to pin Ray to the bed. Reaching inside himself, he felt an unholy thrill as he called up the power that resided inside him and spread it throughout his body. You will want me, Ray. he vowed silently. If I have to control you to get that, then so be it.
With a demonic chuckle, he sent tendrils of black weaving down into Ray's mind. Carefully, he erased the fear, the anger, the outrage, drew them all out of the younger boy's mind and smiled at what was left behind. Need. Bending down, he kissed him again, gently, testing the waters. Ray responded instantly. Kai deepened the kiss and slipped a hand under Ray's top. Ray drew away for an instant, his eyes dazed and confused.
"We shouldn't be doing this…" he whispered uncertainly, a muscle in his cheek twitching as he fought against the hold that Kai had over him. Kai mentally snarled in frustration, but simply lowered his head and kissed him again. "Yes, we should, Ray…" he murmured. Both hands were underneath Ray's top, brushing at the waistband of his trousers and boxers questioningly. "We should." With a soft, shuddering sigh, Ray gave up the battle and surrendered himself to Kai.
The older blader smiled in satisfaction and set to work.
Two hours later, sated, Kai lounged on the bed. A moan caught his attention, and he looked over at Ray, wondering why the boy's cheeks were so flushed. He shrugged. Maybe he was ill. What did he care? Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his stomach. He hissed and doubled up, staggering upright. As he moved towards the window, the pain eased a fraction. Wanting to be rid of this horrible pain that wasn't responding to anything he did, Kai climbed through the window and loped off again in the direction that hurt the least, not even sparing a thought for the boy that he had left behind.
In my opinion, that chapter was slightly strange, but then, this entire fic has been slightly strange... I don't think I've ever written Ray as so uke before, it's getting on my nerves. I'll write him as more assertive next time.
Please, please review!