Daylight mooN

Chapter Six: Stumbling Along

The heat resonating along his spine awoke Roxas.

It was a body, with its arms wrapping around his middle and its breath in his ear. He stirred slightly when he realized the contact, but settled when he felt a warm hand run over his forehead and hair gently and a whisper ghostly over his ear. He shivered when the touch moved down his neck and smoothed over his hip.

He eased his eyes open and blinked his vision back into focus enough to figure out the two of them were on the ground, and it was damp. The walls were cement and coated in fungus, and the only light was a streetlight filtering through a manhole above them, attached to a dingy ladder. He groaned when he tried to move out from underneath the other body, feeling his muscles tense. When he heard the voice chuckle just above his ear, he scrambled to his feet.

"You're a guy!"

He laughed again. "Five minutes ago you were mewling in your sleep for me to keep going."

"B-but I didn't know!" He straightened his shirt, immediately noticing that he had to pull his pants back up. He did so carefully before eyeing the man as he got up. "You didn't…"

"Relax; I didn't do anything, blondie." He stood up to his full 6'7'' and Roxas looked the man over. His thin frame flexed with each movement as he stretched out his long arms and fixed his black jeans. He shook his flaming red hair with a sigh and blinked at Roxas with green eyes. And worst of all, his shirt was off.

"You were cold from the snow, so I just warmed you up a little before you started getting all gooey on me. Were you trying to commit suicide or something?

Roxas glared. "…Yes."

He frowned. "Oh. Well…sorry for ruining it for you…"

"It's okay," Roxas sighed. "Just point me in the direction of the nearest highway. I'll go jump in front of a bus." Roxas found his jacket and pulled it on.

"Well, what are you running from?" he asked, making a move to grab Roxas's arm before he could climb the ladder.

"…A lot of things." He says.

"Well… sit down and tell me about it. I'm Axel."

Roxas hesitated. Maybe talking to a stranger was just what he needed. Maybe Axel would do the honor of killing him in the middle of his sad-sap story - either way seemed like a win-win.

But still, he hesitates.

"It's okay; you can tell me. I know you're a vampire. Truth be told I didn't at first; you smelled wolfish from far away, but I think it's just me not used to smells yet."

Roxas stared for a moment. "What, you're a werewolf?"

Axel smiled, baring all of his shining white teeth. "Kinda creepy, huh?"

"You have no idea." Roxas stuck out his hand. "I'm Roxas. You sure you have a few hours for my story?"

Axel gripped the boy's hand and shook it violently, laughing as he did so. "I have all fuckin' day."

(-+-)

By the time Roxas had neared the end of his story, Axel had led him through miles of dark, underground tunnels. He lost track of which street they were under, but the winter weather somehow had frozen over this part of the underground. He looked at Axel's bare back anxiously as he spoke, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth.

"And I couldn't help myself; I-I bared my fangs and I bit her. I…I killed my brother's girlfriend-"

Axel chuckled. "Between you and me, she didn't seem like such a great catch."

"Well, she wasn't… But then he came home-"

"Ohhhhh man," he said absently. Roxas suspected he wasn't listening anymore, but he kept talking.

"He grabbed me and yelled at me, and I wound up hurting him. Badly."

Axel hummed half-heartedly.

"He told the hospital where I was, so I ran. And then I wake up to you fondling me in the sewers."

"Oh, please – that was not fondling. That was more like… petting. However…" Axel turned suddenly and Roxas's back connected with the wall. He yelped and stiffened, feeling long bony fingers tighten around his sprawled wrists and Axel's vapor trail condense on his neck. Axel's eyes seemed to pierce right through him.

"I can do some kind of fondling, if you need an example."

"N-n-no thank you…?" Roxas muttered nervously.

"Oh." Axel dropped the blond suddenly. "Okay then."

Roxas straightened himself, watching as Axel started walking down the narrow cement hallway again. Roxas concluded that the only reason he was still following him was because he had no idea where he was, or how to get back up to the surface.

He caught up to the redhead and walked anxiously behind him.

"So, let me get this straight," he began, making a hand gesture. "You get turned into a vampire, you are found by the cops and get sent to a hospital where they test and or torture you. You then escape and go to your brother's place, where you fuck and then kill his girlfriend. And then you just run away and want to kill yourself?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Yeah. That's the gist of it."

"Sounds like that life's behind you and you're a free man to me; I wouldn't want to off myself just because I severed a few ties. You just gotta make new ones."

Roxas scoffed. "I hear I'm not exactly easy to get along with at first."

Axel thwacked his back suddenly. "We are so perfect for each other, it's scary! I hear people don't like me very much either!" He howled with laughter as Roxas cleared his throat.

"I wonder why. Axel, where's your shirt?"

The taller man shrugged. "I think I lost it after a change somewhere." He paused, scratching his head. "Where's your accent from?"

"America."

"Thought so. That's interesting. What are you doing all the way over here?"

They rounded a sharp corner. "Running. Aren't you freezing?"

"Not really; I don't feel it." He paused, stopping in front of a large opening in the cement wall. Roxas glanced down the long hallway and could hear voices. "What else are you running from?"

"Axel, where the hell are we?"

"Hey, you're supposed to answer-"

"Why are we down in the sewers? Where are you taking me?" Roxas took a step back defensively.

Axel sighed. "Relax; we aren't in the sewers, dingbat, we're in the old underground railway – it smells better. And I want you to meet a few friends of mine."

"What kinds of friends?" Roxas eyed him warily.

Axel eyed him back. "Come on, don't be such a tightwad."

Axel started down the hallway, and after a moment, Roxas followed. He heard the voices grow louder as they walked. Roxas felt more uneasy with each step.

"It's just a little further; they're great, you'll love 'em," Axel said as he turned, putting a hand on Roxas shoulder and moved the boy in front of him. Both of his bony hands kneaded Roxas's tense shoulders and they reached the old wooden door at the end.

Axel reached over him and pulled the door open, almost pushing Roxas through as they both entered. Roxas looked around at the beings inside – tall, dirty, loud men, all arranged in a circle, watching whatever was going on in the ring in front of them. Axel pushed the blond further into the tavern, avoiding the obnoxious men as they hollered and tried to grab for the boy eagerly.

Axel stood behind him again at the back of the circle, again with his hands on his shoulders. Roxas heard the growls and barks coming from the center of the werewolf circle; he cringed when the sound of a loud shriek signified that one of them had lost and half of the circle erupted in celebration. Roxas's mouth dropped when he watched as the loser was carried away – he saw his left arm and right leg hanging loosely from their joints, bleeding from the shoulder and fingers angled awkwardly as though broken, howling as he was taken behind a door.

Roxas wanted to run.

"Okay, boys! I brought the appetizer!" Axel yelled, his voice barely audible over the crowd. His fingers tightened on the blond's shoulders.

He pushed Roxas into the throng of werewolves. Roxas felt his heart pound so hard in his ribcage it ached. His arms trembled as he tried to stop himself, failing miserably. He wanted to scream.

When Roxas stumbled into the middle of the circle, the crowd fell silent. Roxas looked up at the dirty, smiling, wicked faces tracing his every move as he turned around, hoping for an exit. When his eyes landed on Axel, he wanted to cry.

"He's a bit of a scrawny vamper, but he'll do," Axel explained as his tongue darted out to lick his lips. Roxas heard growls of excitement come from the crowd and he felt his body tremble as fear coursed through him like lightning. He whimpered as he watched the crowd close in on him, and sank to his knees, covering his eyes with his hands. His breath came in choked gasps, his adrenaline causing him to shake in anticipation. His ears burned with the sounds of bones cracking and reassembling to widen their jaws and of their lips pulling over their sharpening teeth.

In a funny way, he welcomed this. In a not-so-funny way, he wanted to scream and try to put up a fight.

Suddenly, Roxas's ears perked up to a faint noise over the crowd. He picked his head up to look around for the source, but he was only met with the horrified faces of the werewolves.

The wolves abruptly started screaming wildly, their hands clenched over their ears. Some began to topple over and writhe on the ground in pain, legs kicking in agony. Roxas straightened himself and glanced around at the bodies on the floor and realized that this was his chance to escape.

The wolves paid him no mind as he stepped over and around them as he tried to get to the tavern door. Their agonizing screams rang in Roxas's ears, and when someone grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around, the scream of his own didn't reach his ears.

Her voice was barely audible, but she suddenly began tugging him to follow her. She had a long flowing cloak on that covered her almost entirely. He noticed a small device in her right hand as he reluctantly followed her, stepping back over the thrashing bodies on the ground.

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" Roxas shouted to her, but the screaming and blaring noise droned out his voice. He followed her still, around the back of the tavern and through a door. After it was closed, she held up the device and clicked it off.

"Werewolf alarm. It's at a frequency that only wolves can hear," she explained, slightly out of breath. Roxas caught his breath just in time for her to put the device into one of her many pockets, grab his hand, and then start running down the long, cold corridor.

"We have to keep moving!" she urged, already starting to speed past Roxas. Roxas picked up after her just as the door behind them burst open and a horde of thundering footsteps came after them.

Roxas turned his head momentarily to watch as some of them began to transform into wolves. He began sprinting.

She was already a few feet ahead of him when he turned his attention back. He felt terror shoot through him again when the howls reached his ears.

She turned a corner suddenly, and Roxas had to backpedal to make it. He caught up to her just as she jumped down a ledge and turn right down a long tunnel. Roxas leapt off of it and followed her, noticing the lights strung along the top and the train tracks at their feet.

Roxas felt a glimmer of hope rush through him straight to his legs.

"The train should be coming soon! It should either cut them off or kill them!" she shouted behind her. It seemed like coincidence that just after the echo of her voice was gone from the tunnel, they could hear the train horn blaring behind them.

When Roxas noticed the growing light behind him, he panicked even more. His lungs were already screaming for him to take a break to catch his breath, but the wolves and now this fucking train were on their heels.

He could hear some screams coming from behind them after he was sure the train had passed the tunnel entrance. He fought his pounding heart and collapsing lungs and ran alongside the redheaded girl. He nearly tripped when she suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him to a ledge. She crawled up easily, and after a moment of struggling, Roxas collapsed onto the floor of the deserted subway station just as the train thundered by.

Roxas rushed to his feet, despite the growing soreness, and watched as the train rolled away, sporting some blood along its outer walls. Roxas sighed deeply, doubling over to try to catch his breath, but she was already tugging at his arm.

"We can't stay; some of them may have survived. We have to surface."

Roxas nodded his head between his gasping breaths and trudged after her up the subway steps. Roxas had to heave his legs up with each step until finally the street came into view in front of them. She emerged first, turning her head from side to side, making sure the coast was clear.

"Okay," she muttered before walking casually down the empty sidewalk, straightening her long red hair. Roxas had to jog for a moment to catch up to her, still trying to catch his breath.

"That was cutting it really close," she observed, keeping her eyes in front of her. Roxas was the one who looked over at her.

"Thank you."

"You must be the luckiest fucking vampire I have ever met," she started, keeping her voice low. "I almost didn't go down there to spy on them today. What were you thinking?"

"I was interrupted in my suicide attempt."

She glanced up at him. He laughed nervously.

"N-not by you! I mean, before I was taken down there."

"So then they were doing you a favor. Well, now everything I've just done was for nothing." She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.

Roxas sighed. "No, it wasn't – I was just confused. All that made me realize how much I want to live…" He wasn't sure if he was lying or not.

"How long have you been turned, boy? A day? Technically speaking, you're already dead," she quipped, fixing a sideways glare at the blond.

"Turned into…what?"

"How long has it been since you were bitten, naive?" She stated this more than asked.

"Oh! A few months, actually. I was in the hospital-"

"Months? You haven't honed any skills for months? What are you, handicapped?"

Roxas arched an eyebrow at the red headed girl. "No, I'm not an invalid; I've been tortured and kept from fully turning by this serum that they kept shooting up my arm."

"Well, that's a relief; I was starting to think I had done an injustice to our species by saving you." She chuckled afterward. "Yeah, the humans developed a way to keep a victim in limbo so they could do some creepy testing nonsense. If that stuff's still in your system, it will take you a while to discover any of your powers."

"Yeah, I figured." Roxas mumbled. He had no idea where this girl was leading him. The streets were dark besides the few yellow lamps that lined the sidewalk.

"So…" Roxas began cautiously. "What kinds of things can vampires do when they fully hone?"

"Oh, you know, the usual stuff; super speed, feeding on the blood of the innocent, hiding from the daylight – that sort of thing." She eyed him again. Roxas tried not to notice. "Haven't you ever read a horror story, kid?"

"Of course I have. Do the powers of the victim directly reflect those of the…the…"

"Maker?"

"…Sure."

"Usually, that's what happens. There are exceptions, though. Why? Are you looking for your maker?"

"You can say that." If Roxas could find this guy, maybe he'd have a chance at some answers. Maybe a little bit of revenge on the side. "Will you help me?"

She laughed. Mockingly. "Kid, it isn't exactly easy to find a single vampire. It's like finding a needle in a haystack, especially in a city this big,"

"Well, I can narrow it down. This vampire… Can resist daylight."

She stopped dead in her tracks, and looked up at him. Roxas could see her irises suddenly begin to glow with a light blue color. "…What did you just say?"

"My maker can walk out into sunlight without being harmed," Roxas repeated, eyeing her carefully. "Do you know anyone like that?"

She took her eyes off of him for a moment, and looked down at the sidewalk in thought. He watched as she bit at her lip and cradled her chin with two fingers. She looked up at him again, this time her eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe you," she stated blatantly. Roxas was taken aback.

"Why not? Why would I lie to you?"

"If you aren't lying, and your maker can walk out in daylight, then you should be able to as well. You will just have to show me at dawn. If you're lying," she stepped closer to him, her irises glowing brightly now as she glared at him. "You'll burst into flames, and the vampires will be one less of its many, many liars."

She sank back then, and then continued her way down the sidewalk. Roxas followed reluctantly. "But if you're telling the truth, then… I might be able to help you. But you must show me first."

"Okay, I will. My name's Roxas."

"My name's not important. Not until you can prove that little bit of information to me."

Roxas groaned. He could already tell that he was going to get sick of her little quips very, very quickly.

(-+-)

After a few hours of walking, she had led them to a hotel, where she rented one of the rooms for them both. The remaining hours of night were spent awkwardly as she eyed him warily, waiting for the sun to rise. The first rays of sunlight crept into the window before she hid herself from the light in the bathroom, her eyes still watching him.

Roxas removed his jacket before sweeping the ugly curtains out of the way and lifting the blinds and allowing the light to come through the window. He watched as it slowly grew brighter and brighter on his arms and torso.

"I can't look at it," he said, his eyes shut tightly as he felt the light warm his skin. "Can you see it?"

"Yes." She whispered from the bathroom.

Roxas then closed the blinds and curtain quickly before rubbing at his eyes. When he was able to open them again, she was standing in front of him, her eyes wide as she pressed her fingers hesitantly to the heated skin on his arms.

"My name is Kairi," she breathed, still examining his skin, "and I know who you are looking for."

A/N: Dun dun DUUUUUNNNN!

Beta'd by ilovecats86 :D