A/N WARNING: This is where the story begins to go from a T rating to an M rating

I do not own Blood Plus or the characters

Spring 2001

After patiently working with the spirited stallion for over a year, Hagi and the beautiful horse had become a team. The men now respected him. He had become a part of the team and the men began to rely on him.

The test batch of wine was terrible, but Dan and Hagi learned a lot from the experience. The next two years were an improvement, but it was the fifth year that they had created the best wine, so far.

Today was Claudia's sixteenth birthday and Hagi was dreading telling her the story of his life. She was preparing for her friends to arrive. They were going to play a few games, eat pizza and cake, and ride the horses.

Claudia had become a beautiful young lady. She usually had her dark brown hair done in shoulder length braids.

"Good morning, Claudia," he smiled from the doorway to her bedroom. "Happy birthday."

She looked up from her magazine and motioned him in, "Thank you, Big Brother."

He sat on the bed and watched her circling clothing items on the models and putting notations on the side. The one she currently was dealing with had a yellowy gold dress that wasn't doing much for her. "Oh, yuck," she critiqued, "what was she thinking?" She circled the dress and made a few notes about the color and the way the dress was put together. Several of her magazines were full of permanent marker circles and notes.

Hagi smiled. Claudia's walls were filled with pages from magazines and photos. She had her various fabrics and sketches on a sewing table beside Marva's sewing machine. She had declared to everyone about two years ago, that she wanted to be a fashion designer. Last year, she was so elated when Hagi gave her an authentic Gucci bag. It was expensive, but he couldn't think of a more deserving young lady. It warmed his heart when she called him "Big Brother". He was amazed at the girl's personality- it seemed to radiate an energy that made him smile and even laugh. She could tear down every wall he'd put up with a joke or comment. The stoic man had truly accepted her to be his little sister.

She put the magazine down for a minute and asked, "So, what did you get me?"

"The answer to a question you asked 5 years ago," he answered with a sly grin.

"Ha- ha- ha," responded, "very funny." She glared at him as if she was angry for a minute, but lost it when Hagi moved his face closer to her like he was going so say something. It was a game they had played since she was a child. She called it "the staring contest". Whoever laughed, blinked, or showed any emotion first, lost. Hagi was very good at it. They would usually circle each other and glare into each other's eyes for more than a minute, causing an entire room of people to hold their breath.

"You know what, Hagi," she began. "You're almost too good at that game. You don't ever show emotion on your face. It's like looking at a beautifully carved marble statue. No matter what happens around them, they stay there- motionless- their expressions never changing. But," she smiled slyly, "you are flawed."

"What do you mean?" he asked with curiosity.

"Anyone that is around you long enough can see through that stone-faced countenance."

He blinked.

She leaned into his face and stared into his eyes. She spoke in a serious tone, "Your eyes, they give you away."

"What do you mean?" he asked, thinking it was another of her games.

"I can always tell what you're feeling by looking in your eyes," she explained as she seemed entranced by his eyes.

"Oh, really?" he smiled, thinking he'd fool her.

"Yeah," she snickered, "Mom can, too. Like right now, you're trying to convey a playfulness and relaxed emotion, but underneath your broken heart is still brooding. You miss her very much."

Hagi's eyes widened with surprise. He tore his eyes away from the young girl and stared at the floor. The realization that he couldn't hide his secrets from either the girl or the woman was astounding and, at the same time, frightening. He admitted, "I never thought I was that obvious."

"Look, Hagi, it's okay," she reassured. "I've known for years that you what you feel for her goes way beyond infatuation. It's real. And like Mom says to you, all the time, YOU NEED TO TELL HER!" She whacked him on the head with the rolled up magazine.

"Claudia, sister, it is not that simple," he took a deep breath before continuing. "Saya and I are not human." He took the time to explain everything and, to his surprise, her reaction was identical to her mother's- even when he revealed his chiropteran claw. She looked at him, not with fear or revulsion, but simple acceptance. When his tale was finished he sighed, "That is why Saya and I can never be."

"Big Brother," she spoke as she rubbed his knee in sympathy, "I may only be 16, but I know this much: You're life is eternal and my life is 'snap' gone like that. If I decide not to take a path, I only have about 60 or 70 years to regret it. You, on the other hand, have to burn with the what ifs forever. Wouldn't you rather spend your days, years, and centuries with the woman who captivated you?"

"But the- the promise…" he began to protest.

"That promise is so Romeo and Juliet," she fussed. "'kill me and then kill yourself' what kind of nonsense is that? When you see her again tell her I told her so." She shook her finger and then hugged her brother. "Just tell her what you feel."

He sighed. Everyone kept giving him the same advice. No one understood anything about him. He patted her shoulder as he got up to leave.

"Hey, what about my gift?" she called after him.

He poked his head back through the doorway and smiled, "Look into my eyes and maybe you will get the answer." For that, he got a throw pillow to the face.

He went to the stables where his old friend was nickering to him. He brushed out the horse's coat and checked his water and feed. He laid down fresh straw last night. Bubba sold him the horse shortly after Hagi was able to ride him. He named the horse "Fury" for his spirited nature. He took the horse out and let him get a little exercise while he checked on the other horses. Then he let them out one by one to stretch their legs. "Don't wear yourselves out," he told them as he stepped onto the bottom fence rail. "There will be a bunch of 16-year-old girls here later to do that."

Bubba walked up, "Oh, you already took care of the horses, huh."

"Yes, I thought they may want to stretch their legs before the guests wear them out."

"If you keep doing everything here, I'll be out of a job," Bubba teased.

Hagi smiled as he Bubba stepped up on the fence. "I doubt that, Mom trusts you, she will never let you leave."

"I've never heard you call her Mom before," Bubba commented.

Hagi's face fell. He wasn't sure how to respond.

Bubba playfully hit him in the shoulder, "It's probably because you rarely said more than two words to anyone around here but Dan. It's good to see you're finally relaxed around us."

Hagi forced a smile, but looked down.

"Hey," he cupped Hagi's shoulder, "I know we give you a hard time because you're the boss's son, but you're really learning a lot. You're becoming more a part of the team everyday."

"Do you think they will ever stop calling me Pretty Boy?" Hagi asked.

Bubba let out a hearty laugh. He grabbed the handsome, dark haired man's chin and joked, "As long as you keep looking like a model, were gonna keep picking on you about it."

Hagi had to chuckle as he playfully swatted the muscular man's hand off. After a minute, he jumped down from the fence rail and went to get his saddle. "I am going to take Fury and check on the winery. He needs the exercise and I know he will not let anyone else ride him."

"That horse really does only have one rider," Bubba smiled.

Hagi rode off for the winery at a trot, but Fury was feeling a bit more frisky, tossing his head, begging for a little more speed. "Hold on, my friend, I will let you run after we check on the winery."

The horse snorted a protest.

Dan was checking some of the batch that was finished last year. He gave Hagi a taste. "It needs a bit more sugar," Hagi commented.

"Yeah," Dan agreed, "it will be okay, but we need something more edgy. It tastes like anything you can pick up at the supermarket. Bubba had a pretty wild idea."

Hagi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"He said we should add smoked wood chips to the mash while it ferments. It's supposed to give a smoky flavor."

"We could try it. Maybe we could add it to one batch and check it against one that we do not add it to," he suggested as he observed the red wine in the glass.

"Hmm," Dan thought. "May as well, but what wood should we use?"

"I believe something local would be best like mesquite or pecan," Hagi suggested. "We can discuss it when the harvest is closer."

He came outside and found Fury grazing on some fresh spring clover. He gave the horse's shoulder a scratch with his fingernails. "Fury, are you ready to run?" he asked.

The horse responded with a high whinny. Hagi swung his leg over the horse and brought him to a gallop. He allowed the horse to take off southward. Hagi leaned forward letting the horse increase his speed to a full out run. This was Fury's favorite thing, running through the ranch on this trail. He knew the horse would have preferred to run on the grass, but he worried about stones or holes that were hiding in the grasses. Bubba had taught him about the dangers of straying from the path.

The horse's red mane whipped back into Hagi's face. It reminded him of flames. He remembered the final day at the Zoo.

Fire was devouring the mansion as he and Saya watched in horror. That's when the mob showed up. They were carrying torches and pitchforks. He heard them crying out loudly, "Witch! Demon! Devil woman!" as Saya's clothing was torn when the mob tried to grab her and bind her. Tears streamed down her face and fell in glittering raindrops from her cheeks as the senseless violence continued. Her hair was pulled so violently that patches were missing for months. Her cries of fear and pain caused a rage boil up inside his chest. He felt his body change and in a heartbeat- black wings sprouted from his back, his hands grew longer as the fingers became claws. He was flying and swooping down, tearing at the mob, overturning carts, and skewering men with their own pitchforks. When it was over, he stood, exhausted, before a trembling Saya.

What have I become?

If he could cry, the tears would be whipped away from his face by the speed, but what could crying do to take it back? Hagi let the horse run, hoping the speed would tear the memory from his brain. He despised that memory. Saya was so afraid that she ran from him. It took him nearly 3 days to find her. She was still trembling but had used her sword to cut what remained of her own hair, anything to make her look different than her twin. He knew it was true, even if it would appear that she had done it to cover up what had happened with the mob. She announced that she had to kill Diva to keep the world safe. He vowed to stay by her side until her wish was fulfilled, but he refused to ever use his chiropteran powers again.

Fury had run to the main road where the ranch ended. Hagi sat up, signaling the horse to slow down. They turned and headed back to the stables.

Marva was working on the fence at the south pasture when Hagi rode by. He didn't see her as his thoughts were occupied. She watched the scene of a man clothed in solid black riding a horse made of fire going at a blazing speed. It seemed a bit chilling, but he really looked good on that horse. Marva grinned slyly, "Those girls don't stand a chance."

Claudia's friends arrived that evening and went to the stables to ride the horses. Hagi came in the stables to a collective, girly gasp. He tipped his black hat the way he'd seen the other hands do to the ladies. "Ladies," he smiled.

A collective sigh followed by excited whispers. Claudia was livid. She groaned under her breath, "I know he's cute, but he's my brother."

"Your brother is sooo dreamy, Claudia," one of her friends commented.

"Do you think you could introduce me to him?" another questioned.

Claudia growled, "Lay off, he has a girlfriend!"

"Oooh," they moaned.

Hagi brought Fury out of his stall, feeling a bit flustered. He'd heard what the girls were saying about him and really did not enjoy being the center of attention.

"Hagi," Claudia asked trying to change the atmosphere, "do you think Fury will let me ride him?"

Hagi looked at the horse, "Hmm," he thought, "so far, I am the only one that he seems to like."

Claudia walked up to the horse, who tossed his head and snorted. Hagi pet the horse's shoulder and tried to calm him. Claudia reached up and stroked his nose. The horse was still slightly aggitated, so Hagi took him out for a walk.

"That's the most beautiful horse I've ever seen," one of the girls mentioned.

"A beautiful horse for a gorgeous man!" another added and the girls broke into laughter.

The party went on. The girls went inside to eat. Marva asked Hagi to play his cello for the girls. "Only if you play your guitar," Hagi haggled. They played many of the songs they had played in Paris all those years ago and the girls giggled and talked, mostly about Hagi.

Marva leaned over to him, "You sure are attracting a lot of attention."

Hagi blushed and tried to hide it. This brought on a bunch of giggles.

"You really don't know how handsome you are, do you?" she asked him with a surprised look.

"I have only ever known one existence and that is to serve Saya," he responded. He then added with a shy smile, "It is strange to have all this attention."

"You have come a long way. You used to be so stiff and rarely showed any sign of emotion, but now, you are smiling and laughing."

"Your family has given me a sweet distraction from my dismal existence," he commented.

"It doesn't have to be that way," she told him. "I was hoping that this experience would teach you that love makes the difference. If you love her, then tell her. Who knows? Maybe she's loved you all this time, too. But you'll never know if you never try."

Hagi sighed, there it is again, he thought, the good advice that I can never take.

That night the family slept. Hagi watched from the roof as Claudia and a few of her friends snuck out. He debated following them, but felt it was better to let them go. After all, they are 16-year-old girls- how much trouble could they get into? He'd follow later to check on them.

The girls snuck out to a house party that another guy from their class was throwing. Most of the kids there would be over 18. No one knew the trouble that was to come.

The girls arrived back at the ranch around 4 am. Hagi was sitting on the porch fingering one of his daggers, his hat tipped over his eyes. He pushed his hat back and jumped down from the porch, landing in front of the girls.

He could see them trembling and by the smell of them, he knew they'd been drinking. "What are you girls up to?"

"It was just a party," one was brave enough to answer. He checked the three faces and knew who they were. "My mom and I will call your parents in morning. This will be the last night you spend here." His brows furrowed as he noticed Claudia was missing. He demanded, "Where is Claudia?"

"We don't know. We thought she came back here. She really wasn't having any fun," the same girl responded.

He motioned for the girls to go inside and ran off to the road. As soon as he was out of view, he began to leap from place to place until he got to the main road. He had seen where the boys picked up the girls in a blue truck and where they were headed. He leapt in that direction, following where they'd went earlier.

He arrived in front of a two story home at the edge of town. The music was loud and there were empty bottles all over the yard. A few couples were making out by the porch.

Inside, there were teens sitting on the couch with beer and liquor bottles littered everywhere. With lightening speed Hagi threw one of his daggers letting the handle hit the power button on the stereo- just enough to turn it off.

"The party is over," he announced.

The kids protested, one even went up to Hagi to slap him. Hagi caught the boys wrist with his left hand and gave it enough of a squeeze to hurt him, but not injure him. His commanding presence frightened the rest of the kids to gather their things and leave. He scanned the room for Claudia.

Just then, he heard a scream coming from upstairs. He knew that scream! He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he ran up the stairs. The teens in the living room weren't exactly sure whether he had jumped from the first floor landing on the second floor or if it was just the booze. Either way, no one wanted to stick around anymore.

Hagi opened the door to find a young man in the middle of raping his little sister. His eyes went from steel blue to fiery red. He could barely contain his rage. He zipped through the air grabbing the boy and slamming him against the wall, a white bandage trailing behind him. The boy struggled against the strange claw that grasped his throat. He was drunk and uncertain of what he saw, but he was certain that his attacker had a claw instead of a hand.

"That's my sister," Hagi growled as he tightened his grip on the boys neck, causing small gashes to ooze streams of blood. The boy began to make sickening gurgling sounds and was certain he was going to die. Hagi's anger was cooled as the boy's body went limp. The memory of his attack on the mob and Saya's fear filled eyes overcame him. He released the boy to the floor.

"Hagi," Claudia wept as she ran to his arms. She sobbed against his chest. Her blouse was torn and her skirt stained with blood. Hagi embraced her as guilt flooded his thoughts and a tear fall from his eye.

He held her to himself, wishing he could have gotten there sooner. "I-Is he d-d-dead?" she sobbed.