A.N. Once again, I thank everyone for their support of this story. I really wanted to make a good vampfic, seeing as how many of the ones posted were never finished! I couldn't help but get frustrated with the abandoned stories, since I like this type, and I hope I can make up for it in my own way. Enjoy!

XXX

Shuichi awoke bright and early Monday morning. The day before served as his only day off every week and he took advantage of it to the fullest. In other words, he slept until well past noon before heading to the usual club to practice his arrangements for a few hours. Relaxed and refreshed, he went through his morning routine to prepare for his busy day.

Monday mornings were the busiest at work. The coffee shop was bombarded with early-risers desperate for a source of imitation energy. Shuichi, always the optimistic one, never failed to light up the room and give customers one more reason to smile. People were naturally drawn to his positive and energetic attitude, which was nothing short of a gift when it came to entertaining his nightly audiences.

By the time twelve o'clock rolled around, Shuichi was slumped over the counter, his adrenaline rush depleted. The rest of the day would be predictably slow, allowing him the much-needed time to write some new lyrics. Because they often entertained the same audience full of fans, he felt that it was his duty to continuously brain-storm new material.

This thought crossing his mind, he reached underneath the counter and retrieved his small, spiral-bound notebook. Flipping open to a clean page, he began pouring words written in his sloppy handwriting.

Losing himself in his self-proclaimed 'masterpiece', he did not notice the shadow falling over him. The person smiled and cleared her throat. "I'll have a coffee, black."

Shuichi looked up with a start. His eyes falling on a familiar face, he smiled brightly. "Maiko! It's been so long!"

Maiko face broke with a smile so similar to Shuichi's that anyone who paid attention would notice that they had to be related. She reached out and ruffled his already-disheveled hair and laughed. "Too long, Shu. How have things been going?"

Not needing any more prompting, Shuichi immediately ranted about how great his boss was and how he liked his job. He told her about their 'legion' of fans that came to see them two or three times a week and about how well they perform. He spoke brightly about Hiro and their ever-present desire to become rock stars. All of this flooded from his mouth with only minimal breathing and much excitement. After all, he had not seen his family in six months and missed them dearly. It would have been easier to visit with them if they did not live in Kyoto.

The whole time Shuichi spoke Maiko's attention was never disrupted. She loved her older brother and had so much faith in him. She could tell that he was content with his life now, but his eyes held a almost indiscernible shadow. She knew that he must be worn out from all of his work and disappointed that he and Hiro were little better-off than they were when they graduated high school. Despite this, however, she knew that if anyone had it in them to succeed, it was her brother. She had vowed a long time ago to support him every chance she had.

"...and so we have another show tonight at nine and you just HAVE to come and see how good we've gotten." Shuichi blurted the last part out, suddenly out of breath.

Maiko giggled at the slight pink tinge to her brother's cheeks from his exertion. "Of course I'll come tonight. I am only in town for a couple of days and I wouldn't miss it for the world." Shuichi smiled. Hiding her smile and donning a business-like expression, she continued. "Now, Shindo-san, may I have my coffee, or will I have to demand to see your manager?"

Face falling, Shuichi whipped around and pulled out a styrofoam cup and filled it to the rim with fresh black coffee. Covering it with a lid, he turned back to his sister who laughed at his antics. She reached into into her purse to retrieve a few bills, but was stopped when a hand covered hers. "It's on me, Maiko."

Giving him an appreciative smile, she nodded and accepted her cup. Stepping back, she began walking towards the door. Pulling the door open, she looked back over her shoulder. "I'll see you tonight, Shu!" She walked out, leaving the bell to jingle after her.

Shuichi sighed and began wiping the counters contently. Lost in thought, he didn't notice Yukata approach him until it was too late. Intent on startling him, she leaned down close to his ear. "Don't forget to pay for that coffee, Shindo-kun."

XXX

"What?"

"Is that any way to answer your phone, Eiri-san?" Tohma enjoyed provoking his brother-in-law. To the overconfident company president, Eiri was just about as threatening as an angry kitten.

"What do you want now, Tohma?"

"Straight to the point as always, right, Eiri-san?" A grunt was heard over the phone, so he continued. "I am going to look at a new talent tonight as a request from Sakano-san. I would like to to accompany me."

"And why would I want to be seen in public with you?"

He laughed. "Because no matter how much you would like to deny it, my company is better than none at all." There was no response and Tohma took this as an encouraging sign. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Besides, you don't know when he's coming back, and you know full well that you won't have another opportunity for an enjoyable night for quite a while."

There was silence for several moments. "Fine then. When and where do you want me to meet you?"

Tohma smiled, pleased. "Meet me at the office at nine o'clock. We'll go from here."

The phone disconnected without a response, but none was needed. Tohma hung up his end and leaned back in his chair. He understood that Eiri's behavior was nothing more than a complicated defense-mechanism caused by his lifestyle. Tohma cared for him more than anyone else in his life, short of his wife, and cursed Yuki every day for robbing Eiri of his life.

Decided to get to more immediate matters, he leaned forward and pressed the intercom button on his office phone.

"Yes, Seguchi-san?"

"Yes, you may send him in now."

"Very good, Sir."

Tohma reclined in his chair and folded his hands comfortably across his lap, patiently awaiting his subordinates' appearance. Within moments, the large oak doors leading into his office opened hesitantly and a dark-haired man looked inside. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Yes, Sakano-san, come in." Tohma gestured towards a chair across from him. "Have a seat."

The nervous-looking man quickly took his seat and pushed the wire-framed glasses further up on the bridge of his nose. Clasping his hands together tightly, he waited quietly for his superior to speak.

Tohma leaned forward and leaned his elbows on his desk. Clearing his throat, he began. "So, Sakano-san. I just wanted to clear a few things up with you. This small group you tell me of, you think that they have what it takes?"

Sakano did not hesitate before he nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes, Seguchi-san, I believe so. I may not have your degree of expertise, but I can pick up on the untapped talent these two young men possess. With a little direction, I believe that they can be very beneficial for the company."

Tohma nodded and laced his fingers together. "That may be, however, I currently have my hands full with our newest band, Ask. If I were to approve of this, you would bare the responsibility of producing them. I will have K-san assist you, of course. Since Sakuma-san has been in America, I am afraid of what damage his free time will cause. Do you accept this position?"

Another vigorous nod. "Of course, Seguchi-san. I will not let you down."

"I hope not, Sakano-san. For your sake."

Sakano took this as a dismissal and stood to take his leave. Giving a polite bow, Sakano reassured the president, "Once you hear the boy sing, you will see where I get my confidence." He walked out of the door without another word.

Tohma sighed deeply. He turned his chair so that he could gaze out of his wall-to-wall window at the Tokyo skyline. It was truly a beautiful day.

XXX

The day seemed to drag on forever for the pink-haired ball of energy and eight o'clock could not have come any sooner. Seeing the clock, he nearly jumped for joy. No matter how many times they performed, the excitement he felt never dwindled. Leaping out of his stool behind the counter, he ripped off his apron and folded it haphazardly before replacing it beneath the counter. Skidding across the floor, he grabbed his jacket from the hook beside the cabinet and put it on quickly. Rounding the corner, he caught Yukata's attention and waved her goodbye. Amused by the scene, she smiled and waved back, shaking her head.

Shuichi burst through the door and took off in a sprint. Because he had worked so late, he had less than an hour before he had to meet Hiro at the club. That did not allow him much time to shower and dress before had to leave.

He made it to his apartment in record time and quickly stripped of his work uniform to get into the shower. When he was washed, he dressed in one of his stage outfits, which consisted of his black leather pants and a long-sleeve fishnet shirt over a plain black sleeveless tank. He slipped his feet into heavy black boots with silver straps. The final touch was his favorite - a black leather dog collar buckled snug around his neck. Stopping in front of his mirror, he ran his fingers through his hair. He was one of those few lucky guys to have naturally straight hair and did not need to do much for it to look good. Debating quickly, he pulled out a short black stick and lined his eyes carefully. Although he did not like wearing any makeup, eyeliner never failed to make his eyes shine.

Throwing the stick on his bed, he glanced at the clock. It was quarter to nine and he had no time to waste. It would take at least fifteen minutes to get there. Throwing on his jacket and pocketing his keys, he ran out of the apartment.

XXX

The club was already crowded by the time he got there. Looking at his wrist, he cursed himself for forgetting his watch. Judging by the loitering people, he figured that he was cutting it close, if he wasn't already late. Pushing himself through the line, he approached the bouncer. Once the overly-muscular man caught sight of him, he was ushered inside and made his way towards the back-stage area.

'Back-stage' was a little bit of an exaggeration. It merely consisted of a short hallway with a storage closet off to the side where they locked up their equipment. Once Shuichi approached, he immediately spotted Hiro standing near the stage with Ayaka. He had to marvel at his friend's girlfriend. She was not beautiful, but was somewhat pretty. She had silky brown hair that reached the small of her back and eyes that matched. She had soft features and a conservative smile. Even though her appearance was easy on the eyes, even for Shuichi - who was openly homosexual- he could not help but think that Hiro, whom Shuichi considered very attractive, looked out of place standing next to her. Sure, he had encouraged his friend to pursue her, fearing that Hiro was lonely, but to see them together was...odd. He shrugged it off, telling himself that it was just because he had a preference towards guys.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he approached his friend and smiled. "Ready to go, Hiro?"

Hiro's head snapped up, not realizing that the couple was being watched. "Sure, buddy. I've just been waiting for you. Everything's already set up."

"Thanks, Hiro." He turned his head towards Ayaka. "Nice to see you again, Ayaka."

The brunette looked at him, a careful smile on her face. "Nice to see you too."

Hiro glanced at his watch and cursed quietly. Turning towards Ayaka, he gave her a quick hug. "We gotta get on the stage now before the owner hunts us down."

She smiled and nodded before releasing herself from the hug. "I will be in the audience. Look for me?"

Hiro smiled. "Of course."

Shuichi watched as Ayaka disappeared around the corner before turning back towards his friend. His face held an irrepressible smile as he took hold of his friend's hand and led him towards the stage. "Let do it!"

XXX

"I don't know what the hell possessed me into coming here with you," Eiri said bitterly, thumb and forefinger gripping the bridge of his nose in a fruitless attempt to stop the impending headache.

Tohma leaned back against the bar as he studied the other blonde. "It's not as bad as you make it out to be. If all else fails, at least I got you out of the house for a while. It's not healthy to stay cooped up all of the time."

Eiri grunted. "It's not like I'm not used to it. I'm a writer, that's what writers do."

"You can't fool me, Eiri. I know why you disassociate yourself, and that reason is currently in America."

Eiri did not respond as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. His nerves were wearing thin and the smell of sweat and blood were overpowering. He could not bring himself to hunt the night before, for reasons he could not determine. Being in such close proximity to countless pulsing veins was much too tempting and he was not the kind of person to lose hold of himself, especially in public.

A few moments passed without a word between the two before Tohma turned his head as if to say something. Before he could utter a word, however, the flashing lights that roamed over the crowd suddenly stilled and focused on the stage. He could make out two figures on the stage, and could see them more clearly as the overhead lights focused on them. The first thing he noticed was that they seemed very young, just as Sakano had warned him. The taller of the two appeared to be more composed than his grinning counterpart. The brunette slung the strap of his guitar over his shoulder and waited patiently for their introduction.

The smaller boy (with pink hair?!) stood proudly at the front of the stage with a microphone in his hand. Tohma could practically feel the energy he gave off just by standing there. He knew that all eyes were on the boy, and could see why people were drawn to him. Quickly looking over his features, he was amused. He looks almost just like him.

The boy waved to the audience and lifted the microphone to his lips. "Welcome back everyone (cheers). For those of you who've never heard of us, behind me is guitarist extraordinaire, Nakano Hiroshi (screams and cheers) and I am Shindo Shuichi (more screams). We are Bad Luck!" Shuichi smiled and waited patiently for the crowd to die down before he continued. "We thank all of you for supporting our amateur group, and we hope you enjoy our music."

Tohma had come to the Live House on several occasions to see new bands. The club was useful in the aspect that they welcomed amateur talent to perform for the crowd several days a week, so Tohma usually didn't have to look very far when he was searching for new musicians. He had to admit, even though he had been here countless times, he had never seen the audience so riled up about amateurs. This may prove interesting.

Shuichi walked over to his synthesizer and pressed a few buttons to start the program. When everything was ready, he took his stance and began to sing.

Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete

hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa shigunaru wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku

madoronda noizu ga asu o kenshi-saru mae ni

Yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto o oikakete

Eiri, who previously hadn't even looked towards the stage, lifted his head up at the sound of the beautiful voice coming through the speakers. What he saw caused his heart to skip a beat. Time seemed to slow as he gazed upon the very object of his infatuation. He was also amazed to realized that he had never heart his angel speak before.

doko ni mo tomaranai

mitasanai Emotion shikato kimete oikose yo

furueteru shai na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte

tadoritsuku basho e I Want to New World

Eiri quickly schooled his features so that his shock was not so obvious as the boy continued to sing and dance on the stage. The boy truly had a good voice and it made Eiri want him even more.

Although he was emersed in the events on stage, Tohma did not miss the expression on his brother-in-laws face before it quickly vanished. He was intrigued instantly. Looking back towards the stage, he began to think. He seemed to recognize the boy. No...more than that. He knew that Eiri did not have friends, so how did he know the singer? Possibly a food source, but Eiri was usually emotionless towards people he actually remembered. It did not make sense.

Mein sutoriito ni kizuma semegi-atta namida ga

ima mo kikoeru kutsuon o hisumaseru

doko ni mo tomaranai

mitasanai Emotion shikato kimete oikose yo

furueteru shai na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte

todoritsuku basho e I Want to New World

The song came to a close and the crowd cheered loudly. He turned towards Eiri and searched his face. "So, what do you think of them?"

Eiri maintained a passive expression as he extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the counter. Blowing smoke off to the side, he shrugged. "The lyrics suck." Gulping the remainder of his beer, he stood up. "I'm going home."

For once, Tohma did not try to stop him. This curious revelation intrigued him and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. It did help matters that the band was actually good. In fact, as he watched the young man perform, he could not help but notice striking similarities between him and his old bandmate, Sakuma Ryuichi. Not only did they look startlingly similar, they both had the same passion. He smiled, his mind already forming a plan.

XXX

"That was awesome," Shuichi exclaimed, bouncing off of the stage with Hiro half an hour later.

"It really was," a voice spoke from behind him.

Shuichi whipped around to face whoever it was. "Maiko! You came!"

Maiko smiled and hugged him tightly. "Of course, I said I would, didn't I?" He nodded enthusiastically. She turned her attention to Hiro. "Hi, Hiro-kun. Tired of taking care of my brother yet?"

"Nah," he said, ruffling the singer's damp hair. "The little baka has actually become somewhat independent nowadays," he teased.

"Hey!" Shuichi pouted. "Don't talk about me like I'm some little kid or something. You two are so mean when you gang up together."

Maiko and Hiro began joking around, but were interrupted when a throat cleared behind them. "I'd hate to interrupt, but I wished to speak with Shindo-san and Nakano-san if they have a moment."

The three turned and Shuichi almost had a heart-attack when he saw the man standing before him. "S-Seguchi Tohma?" The blonde nodded with a smile. Shuichi was bewildered. "THE Seguchi Tohma...of Nittle Grasper and NG?!"

"Yes." Shuichi's mouth dropped open in shock. Seeing that he would need to lead the conversation, he began again. "I came here because one of my producers have heard of you and felt you may be good enough to promote. Seeing you tonight, I believe that he was right."

Hiro was the first one to snap out of his daze from being in the presence of an idol. He bowed respectfully. "It is really an honor for someone like you to take an interest in us. We are only amateurs, after all."

Tohma waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense, everyone starts somewhere. What I would like to know is - would you two like to come down to the studio this week. I would like to have you evaluated by a couple of my employees."

Neither one of them spoke until Maiko grew frustrated and smacked Shuichi on the back of his head. Slightly dazed, he fumbled with his words. "O-Of course, Seguchi-san. We can be there whenever you want."

Tohma expected this response and was please. "Very well then. Why don't you come by Wednesday afternoon, say, around two o'clock. You can meet me in studio 2 on the third floor. Is there anything you want to ask before then?"

Shuichi quickly shook his head. "No, sir, not immediately. We'll be there."

"Good. I will take my leave now. I will see you two on Wednesday." They watched as Tohma walked away and disappeared into the crowd.

Maiko quickly glomped the two men, hugging them in a vise-like embrace. "You did it! I can't believe it!"

Shuichi scowled playfully and pulled away. "What do you mean, ' I can't believe it'? Have you no faith in us?"

"Of course I do," she smiled. "I just didn't think that that I would be witness to such a momentous occasion," she threw her head back and placed the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically. "Now my big brother is gonna become a famous rock star and will forget all about little ol' me."

Shuichi slapped her arm gently. "Don't be stupid, of course I wouldn't." The two siblings grinned at each other affectionately.

Hiro finally snapped out of it and regarded Shuichi seriously. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet, okay Shu? Let's wait and see what happens. He didn't actually offer us a contract right-out, we will have to work hard for it."

Shuichi became uncharacteristically solemn. "I know, Hiro. But I know we can do it. I know that we can work hard enough to make it happen."

"Hiro-kun?" The three turned towards the timid voice. Ayaka stood at the far end, her hands clasped behind her back. When she saw that she had his attention, she approached Hiro and took his hand in hers. "Is it true?"

Hiro smiled. "Yes, it's true. We have an appointment on Wednesday with the president of NG studios."

"That's wonderful," she smiled. "You definitely deserve it." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Do you want to head home now? I am sure you must be tired."

Hiro glanced at Shuichi, who looked a little deflated. Hiro knew just what his friend needed. "Sorry, Ayaka-chan, but Shu and I were planning on celebrating tonight. Why don't we go out to dinner tomorrow night?"

Ayaka's face fell but she hid it quickly with a strained smile. "That sounds nice. I guess I will head back home now. Call me tomorrow," she added before walking away.

"I gotta get going too. I have school in the morning." Maiko gave her brother a quick peck on the forehead before waving goodbye to Hiro and walking through the 'exit' door.

Hiro draped his arm over Shuichi's shoulder. "So, buddy, why don't we grab some drinks and head back to your apartment to get wasted?"

"Sure thing, Hiro. Let's go!"

XXX

Ayaka trudged through the park slowly, not really thinking about where she was going. She knew that she should call a cab and head home, but she was much to angry for that. Despite her calm and polite exterior, she knew that she was the type of person prone to fits of jealousy and hatred.

And she hated Shindo.

Sure, she could be understanding, seeing as how Hiro had known him for longer than her. Hell, they have been practically attached to the hip since grade school. Even considering this, she hated the fact that he seemed to steal the attention that should have been focused on her. Even though she had to work just for a simple loving gesture, Shuichi received it without even trying.

She did not blame Hiro, not at all. He was just being mis-led. She was not a stupid girl, she saw the way her boyfriend looked at the pink-haired idiot. She also knew that the singer was attracted to the same sex. One would be foolish not to see the implications, and she was determined to keep Hiro's affections. She hated the fact that Hiro always seemed to integrate mentions of Shuichi into their private conversations. Hell, she knew more about Shuichi than she did her own boyfriend. His likes, dislikes, their common goals. She would be intensely aggressive if she felt that Hiro was aware of the way he acted. But no, he seemed oblivious to the fact. She could, and would, forgive him for that.

She had to find a way to monopolize Hiro's time. It would be difficult, seeing as how they would be working closely together, even more-so than usual. Maybe, if she planned enough, there would be a way.

XXX

Eiri was, in few words, disturbed. His mind was reeling with thoughts and mental images that he would like to forget.

Shindo Shuichi.

Shuichi.

That was the boy's name. It sounded like music to his ears, and he hated himself for it. He knew that it was no use, he could never indulge in his fantasies. Oh, yes. He had fantasies. The performance he witnessed served only to further his desperation. Seeing that lithe body, the way the bright lights illuminated the thin veil of sweat on his skin and making it glow, only brought thoughts of all of the, more pleasurable, ways he could make that body sweat...

"Ugh," he grumbled to himself. I have to stop thinking that way.

He rounded the corner of the park and decided to walk back towards his house. His mind was jumping from one thing to another without direction until a sweat smell filled his nostrils. Looking up, his ears could pick up the sound of gentle footsteps. Stopping his movement, he waited for the person to come around the corner. His fear of meeting the boy in the state he was in was quickly dismissed when he decided that the scent was from a female. When his eyes found the slim figure walking towards him, he stilled himself, waiting for her to get close enough. His night without food was tormenting him and he was hungry enough to not think twice about taking her.

Quickly using his heightened senses to scan the area to find that it was empty save for the solitary human, he watched as she took a step past him, not lifting her gaze. Stepping from behind her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her around. Their eyes locked and she became still, her eyes blank. None too gently, he pulled her close and sunk his canines into her neck.

TBC...

A.N. Well, another chapter finished. The lyrics were from exerts from "Rage Beat" (of course). I am sorry they are not accurate, but I found them on an anime website full of lyrics. I also apologize if I keep slipping in and out of honorifics, it is a dirty habit of mine so I hope you can bare with me. I hope that everyone continues to enjoy this story. Let my know by Reviewing!