What's SEGA's, that's SEGA's.

Slowly Shadow's mind was coming back from his unconscious state, he felt more aware of his surroundings and as well being dragged upside down by his hands and waist by two horribly smelling corpses, in an advanced stage of rotting; one of them seems to be the big violet cat, while the other the albatross from the Babylon Rogues, still Shadow didn't bother to remember their names.

He slightly opened wider his eyes, to adjust back their sharpness. He blinked; it seemed that they were in some kind of an old stone made building, but a particular picture in a gold frame on the ornate wall convinced him of being in a castle, as it represented the late princess of Soleanna, Elise.

Suddenly the zombies stopped in front of massive double doors probably leading to a bigger hall or more precisely a throne room. The door was opened by a third zombie, a weasel, from the inside and then it leaded the party to the middle of the room.

The zombies roughly set him on his knees, keeping in place by dealing great pressure to his hands bended behind his back and eventually stopped making moves as if they froze. When Shadow was sure that they won't harass him anymore and his movement won't cause pain, he took his eyes from the floor and looked around the room. There were enormous sized windows covered with old half eaten by moths red curtains, the black marble was set on the floor and there was the throne, a single candle by it and a small table, except that the place seemed quite empty, or maybe its purpose was for nothing more than representation, naming the knight by the king in the past. Finally Shadow's wandering eyes settled on the one who was sitting on the throne.

The blue hedgehog wearing his so well known red sneakers with a gold buckle each and surprisingly a dim gold half breastplate ornamented in thorns like pattern over his left side, could only smile, seeing the wide eyed Shadow, who catching himself, got back to the neutral facial expression. They were staring at each other like that for some time, till Sonic decided to break the silence.

"Ya don't want to ask me anything?" he got up shakily from the throne and went closer to his ebony counterpart stopping just a few feet away, "Or you prefer me talking" he said cockily.

The prisoner growled at the hedgehog, but he noticed with confusion that the speedster looked tired. Sonic was now paler and much skinnier than he remembered him. Also, there was this strange look in his eyes, more predatory like, as if the Faker was holding himself with the last remind of strength to not lurk at him?

He was so much distracted with his observation that he didn't notice when the weasel zombie got near him and started with his abscessed teeth giving pressure on his arm. Even if he wanted to crush its' head like he mostly would do, the ebony one was held by two other zombies.

Unexpectedly… before his skin could have been pierced, the zombies head bended unnaturally the other way around with a dagger deep within, splashing decaying blood all over its reach, followed soon by a grey pulp flowing out the crushed skull to the marble floor and finally the corpse slumped down.

Shadow was even more astonished when he found the blue hedgehog sitting just in front with one of his peach hands in red streaked quills and the other caressing the ebony hedgehog's left arm where he almost was bitten.

'What the hell just happened?' the ebony thought.

"Shads, you're so warm," the hedgehog suddenly nuzzled into his body as if the event has never happened. The Ultimate Life Form's quills rose in alarm, but for some strange reason he felt hot whenever the hedgehog left his fur rustled from his touch. His body couldn't decide to tense or relax.

"Faker! Stop this instant!" the striped one forced his voice a volume higher when Sonic rested his hand on his hip.

The other hedgehog's head went to the side and innocently smiled, peeking up with half lidded eyes, "You didn't want any answers, buddy."

"Fine!" he snarled, "Why do the zombies listen to you?! Where the hell were you hiding?! Where is Tails?!" he took a deep breath to calm himself down, after the outburst annoyed of being held captive, not knowing anything, being touched and asked softly the last question "And what just happened to you?"

The speedster's ears lowered immediately in distress from the outburst and avoided eye contact with his past rival. He inhaled deeply and with noticeable unsure in his voice said, "Will you truly believe me, no matter what, if I tell you?"

"As long as you don't make up something stupid," he stated not quite sure if the hedgehog in front was acting or truly feeling pain over the topic, remembering some of the past comedies, that the speedster liked to exaggerate.

Sonic took a big breath, "I was turned into a vampire."

"A vampire?" a black furred eye bridge rose.

"Yup, a vampire," he confirmed.

"Somehow, I can't believe you. Wonder why... Ah yes, you once told me that you were turned into... What was it called? A... yes... a werehog."

The blue hedgehog frowned, "Oh, come on! I didn't make up that! It was for real!" then a devilish thought passed through his emerald eyes, "Maybe you need a presentation?"

Not waiting for the answer Sonic ordered for the zombie on the left side of Shadow to loosen his hold on the trapped hand and bring it in front of Sonic. While seeing it the ebony thought about using the occasion to get free, but decided against it, he felt that he could gain some crucial information from the hedgehog, who claimed himself as being a vampire.

Sonic took Shadow's hand in both of his own and placed his check to the white fabric of the glove, then closed his eyes for a moment enjoying the warm and scent. In that time the alien hedgehog was eager to question the other, but Sonic didn't give him a chance.

"I think that this will be a good place from prying eyes," two bright blooded eyes instead of the emeralds ones were looking by now at Shadow, easily matching his own. Then Sonic sharply positioned the hand and rolled up the material as far as the gold ring bracelet let him. Eyes brighten with joy; he parted slightly his lips and licked the fur on Shadow's wrist. The ebony hedgehog deeply exhaled, surprised by the act. He felt his fur gently parting furthermore, giving access to his skin as the slick tip of Sonic's tongue had made slow circle motions around a spot on his wrist. Shadow shivered and when he tried to tug his hand, the other snarled at him lowering his ears in wary, not letting it.

That was of course only the beginning, so imagine the shock that the ebony hedgehog got when the Hero's teeth, two canines precisely lengthened and dig into his wrist with hunger. Shadow moaned in pain, on which he didn't prepare himself, not expecting it at all. When the white lighting of ache decreased he noticed the feeling of blood being sucked out of his veins, slowly... and surprisingly it felt good, almost soothing. Of course, with every second he became more and more aware of being lightheaded. 'And I didn't believe him... in being a vampire.'

On the other hand the blue hedgehog's muzzle returned back to its healthy colour, his body became more natural in movement, while drinking the nectar of life, and Shadow could have sworn he heard pleasurable moaning from the sexy looking vampire...'I must be too much drained, I'm thinking nonsense.'

Sonic took a glimpse at his wobbly companion and decided to stop his feast, still not felling quite whole, after waiting so long for so much awaited occasion, but he didn't want to kill the Ultimate Life Form. He withdrew his teeth and licked the last leaking drops of blood left on the ebony fur from the lovely bite mark, feeling proud as well.

Then he went to the hard breathing hedgehog's torso and wrapped his hands. Having a firm grip he ordered for the dead mobians to leave, then he got up to his feet pulling Shadow up and went with him out of the chamber.

xXx

They were going lower and lower down the dark staircase at a very slow pace as Shadow was still dazed. No wonder, after losing blood he felt like lying somewhere and getting some needed rest, so his body could restore both blood cells and his chaos energy. Still he was the Ultimate Life Form, he could be badly beaten or on a brick of dying and his body will fight till the effects perished. Mostly now he found himself more cooperating on every tug that the blue one wanted from him, so they could move further down the stairs. Something was below, something that Sonic wanted to show him with the enthusiasm of a kid locked in a candy shop, at least, what he could understand.

Finally Sonic lead him to what seemed unusually strange in an old castle… a mortuary. The whole sickly white painted room was fully filled with thick glass tubes and from the low temperature Shadow guessed that whatever was in them was deeply frozen. He leaned on one of the tubes, when the blue one stepped aside from him in search of a key; he tried to see what was placed inside, but the hoarfrost didn't let him.

"What are those?" Shadow managed to ask in his weak and dizzy state relying furthermore on the tube.

The blue one hearing him didn't at first knew what was referred to, till Shadow hadn't pointed it, "Ah, those! They are only the Runners, but we aren't here for them."

"You said… What?!" Shadow shouted at the hedgehog, jumping back from the frozen corpse almost tripping, "There are hundreds capsules here! Don't tell me that all of them are the Runners!"

"Bingo! They are, bud" Sonic turned to the task at hand ignoring totally his disbelieved counterpart, until he found an iron key and opened a door somewhere behind the tubes, "Come with me."

They've got inside and Sonic switched the lights on. The room was filled with some sort of equipment, but when Shadow stepped in, he also noticed under his feet, paper sheets with notes and mathematical formula. Some of them had hand written records. He picked up one only to easily recognize to whom they belonged to.

"Why are you showing me these things, anyway? Sonic? Why on earth you have those zombies frozen in this underground laboratory in the first place?" but his question felt on deaf ears, as the blue vampire, no longer at his side, leaned against the single horizontally laid capsule with his closed eyes in sorrow.

Shadow took an unsteady step closer and looked through the glass. In it was no other that the young mechanic and Sonic's adopted little brother, Tails. He noticed that a gas mask was placed over the boy's muzzle and other life supporting machines were beeping calmly, still functioning. The only thing that got Shadow's greater attention except the fact that the fox somehow survived so many years like this, was that the boy seemed to grow properly, his muscles quite good developed despite being supported by machines. The noticeable age difference was kept between his younger years and now, being few years older than Cream. On the other hand, as he shifted his sight to the leaning companion. Sonic looked just like he remembered him, as if he haven't aged at all...

Still Shadow felt bitter… and furious. With a swift motion he got a hold over Sonic's throat, forcing a short surprised sound. He pulled the other off the tube, only to let the vampire dangle in his hold.

"What have you done to him!?"

A heavy silence appeared between them till the speedster straightened up and faced the ebony hedgehog. He was taken aback by Shadow's words and actions; it was for him like an insult. He broke out easily from the rather weakened hold and jumped at Shadow without a second thought with anger filling his suddenly crimson eyes and they went rolling on the floor, fighting. It took them some time to calm down and thankfully they didn't damage each other to much, as Shadow was mostly blocking himself from the bites than giving punches, taking in account an arm length distance, while Sonic after a time started calming down and took notice of what he was doing, shame fully present when he detached away. They ended lying side by side breathing deeply in silence. It could last longer, but Sonic knew that he needed to explain himself.

"I'm trying to save his life, Shadow," the vampire murmured.

"By keeping him in a pod?" which seemed bizarre for somebody who had spent fifty years in almost a similar one, locked, unaware by the world... forgotten...

"Yes, Shadow. That or he becomes a zombie as well..."

The ebony hedgehog braced himself on his elbow to look at the vampire, "How did this happen?" he said with rather genteelness in his voice which the other didn't expect.

Sonic shook his head, "I can only tell you that we were attacked, because Tails found almost the ready stuff for a working vaccine, but still it couldn't stop spreading the virus on somebody who got earlier infected," he paused looking at the pod, "Later, I managed to hide him here from the zombies, to not get his condition even worse. That is till I found Eggman working on a new vaccine. Ya have never thought why his work started to move on? That's only because I gave him Tails' blueprints and... Objects to test on..."

"You mean that those hundred Runners that you have here underground are the results of the Doctor's experiments!" Shadow couldn't believe his ears. The monsters that were mutating and getting worse to fight off and who killed his comrades in arms were created because of the fallen vaccines.

"Yes..." the ebony hedgehog hearing that shot up to the vampire and took hold of his wrists pinning him to the ground, "Why didn't you destroy them, instead you kept them here?!" he shouted furious.

"I... I c-couldn't!" Sonic tried to take a hold of his trembling voice, "M… Master wouldn't let me."

Angry crimson eyes were staring forcefully into the emerald orbs, which were shifting from time to time into the blooded ones whenever the hedgehog below felt rage, now for example they were calm, but what Shadow noticed, they were more fogged, less concentrated on him, just after saying the word 'master'. That is to the moment when Sonic smiled at him showing slightly his fangs. Shadow felt mesmerized at once, like it happened just before.

"Get up Shads and follow me," he couldn't stop his body at all from the command, he just obediently got up from the blue body and when Sonic went, he followed suit, "Let's have some fun."

xXx

Shadow heard from stories and even read some of them, (Which of course, Rouge had had those in their shared apartment and he had already read all his own books, because normally he wouldn't even think about getting himself such literature, mind you!) that a vampire could take control over their unsuspecting victim with their charm... two things he didn't believed in vampires and never predicted that he would fall for it so easily. The vampire hedgehog had led him to a king sized bedroom, red, gold and black as the main colours of royalty, then ordered for his slave to lie down on the bed, which the red streaked body made to the last command. Sonic then sat above Shadow blocking his hips with his weight and surprisingly the blue one felt light. Although keeping him in place like that was quite pointless, Shadow could only muse, as the ebony life form couldn't move his body with his will at all.

"Comfortable?" Sonic asked, placing his fingers in the white chest fur and playing with it, finding it so soft. Something that he wanted to do many times before.

"Damn it, Faker!" Shadow hissed, wanting nothing more than to punch the cocky smile of the hedgehog's face, but his hands weren't listening to him. Other thing, he couldn't believe that the once Hero would be behaving like this at all.

Racing with Shadow... Yes. Getting him annoyed, as well, but this?! "Why are you doing this? And take those filthy hands off me!"

"Come on Faker, have some fun. Don't tell me that it feels bad," Sonic lowered down so now he was almost laying on Shadow, only their torsos' furs slightly brushing, at least the part not covered under the armor that the blue one for some reason was wearing. Then he went for the ebony hedgehog's neck. He nuzzled there giving small licks and his rather cold breath sent shivers through Shadow. The ultimate life form couldn't help it, but he did indeed find the treatment enjoyable, as he unintentionally was seeking for the other's attention, missing the touch of another. He had to surpass the purr that wanted to release from his throat. Sonic withdrew from him a second later, with a chuckle, "I would have bitten you… again."

"Don't you even dare!" he growled back in warning.

Suddenly, Sonic shot back around, and for a moment was looking at the door with his ears working in all directions. The ebony having the ultimate hearing tried to notice the disaccord in sounds, but he found only the typical groans of the zombies, nothing less, nothing more, but maybe he didn't know what to exactly search for. Slowly the vampire turned back with a frown that he fast turned into a delightful smirk, trying to hide it which didn't go unnoticed by the other below.

"I'm only teasing..." he continued as if nothing happened, "Besides, I didn't have so wonderful blood in a while and funny, but I'm finding yours even better than Amy's... it has a sweet taste... are ya eating chocolate?" he said, slowly blinking and instantly he found his body being pinned to the bed by Shadow, now above him. "Geez, Shads. If ya wanted be on top you could have said," he teased.

The black one wasn't even a tad amused, the position unnoticed so far... He got a strong grip over Sonic's throat and made pressure over it. Maybe not quite sure if it worked, but he didn't care at the moment, emotions were stronger, than reason.

"What did you just say you've done to Rose?!" Shadow breathed with rage, having in mind what his student had to endure after the loss of Amy Rose; but didn't do much after, as he saw Sonic waiting for being beaten with his eyes closed shut. He thought and realized something, "You've said that on purpose, Hedgehog." Just a while ago he couldn't move himself at all, but then when he got mad he was again capable of it, the charm was broken, but why would the vampire want to lose his control over him?

Sonic's head was lying to the side. He didn't want to face Shadow, "I've killed her... I've killed her, because she followed me into the woods... Because... Because she blindly loved me!" he whimpered, crying with closed eyes seeing again the same scene…

xXx

It was already a year when the two brothers went missing and people stopped searching for them just after few months. That is... excluding a certain pink female hedgehog in a characteristic red dress that had known better days, Amy Rose. She couldn't accept it, she loved the blue hero; after all she was his girlfriend in which she believed with her whole hearth.

Every night she tried to sneak out of the base, but every attempt was stopped by her friends or other people who cared for her wellbeing. Especially, the young rabbit girl, Cream, who had to endure every treat, yell and even worse things as Amy blamed her for betraying. But their long friendship wasn't letting Cream to turn her back on the paranoid hedgehog, even if the pink girl was shouting that Sonic is still alive and is talking to her in dreams.

Till that one horrific day...

The whole colony to which the two girls belonged to had to move on. It was invaded by the zombies. Nobody knew how they got in and even how did they manage to find them so many levels below the ground. People were running, screaming and ramming into each another from panic. The zombies were wiping off the citizens one by one, circling their victims and jumping in huge groups. The unfortunate people were then brutally bitten, blood spilling everywhere as the limbs were tore off from the alive body, following screams of pain and fright as they last call to gods for help. Till they shut for eternity… And poor children had to witness this all, their protectors being wretched in front of their eyes… to frighten to run by themselves and not having the luck of a passerby who would in the last moment take their hand and run away… they dealt the same fate…

The worst of all, the evacuation wasn't moving smoothly like their leader hoped for. It was one hell of chaos. They thought that they were prepared for such eventuality, but you never know till it's too late.

Amy and Cream managed to get on the surface of the ground, avoiding the dead ones, but as well they've got lost from the main group of refugees. They've started to argue if it was better to stay or try to find the others, but when the topic had changed to a blue hedgehog, that's when Cream couldn't handle it anymore... And said those raged crushing words.

The pink hedgehog run away from her friend not being able to stand the truth.

She run deeper and deeper into the dark woods getting cuts on her legs and arms, her dress had already three times caught on a branch, tears blinding her way, but it didn't matter for her if she gets lost, or worse killed by a zombie, not anymore... and suddenly she fell over a root to the muddy ground. There, she lay catching her breath, crying her heart out and murmuring the name of her love, finally a bit calming down... Only to notice a gust of wind blowing past her and stopping. Somebody was there, watching...

Amy slowly lifted her muck covered face to see the person... And there he was... her last anchor of sanity, who kept whispering in her dreams.

"I… I knew that you're alive…"she sat up, rubbing the mixed with mud tears away, smearing it all over her face, making it worse than before, "Sorry that you have to witness me like this. If I knew that we meet again I would have made my quills, just for you, Sonic," ranting, she couldn't help herself, crying in happiness and slight craziness. Her love was just right there, waiting for her. She wanted to reach him with her torn gloved hand, but he sharply stepped back. The male hedgehog's emerald eyes blinked with a terrified bright.

It was hard not to pounce. The constant feeling of emptiness was hard to deal with.

After the change, he kept refusing the other's demands and that left him in a state of weakness and pain. The growing hunger was getting more and more out of control. He tried to stay hidden in the castle as he had no other place to run off to, neither choice as he was no longer a hero, but a threat. That of course led to this day. Mephiles decided to forcefully walk him like a dog on the empty plains of some Zones. At first he thought that the Dark wanted further humiliate him, by stating their master-slave roles, but the moment Sonic heard multiple heartbeats down below the ground, their fate was sealed…

"Sonikku, please! Don't run from me!" she begged in distress, "…again." Just why would he always avoid her?

The blue hedgehog weakly smiled, trying to comfort her as best as the circumstances let him, "Ames… Why aren't you with the others?" he shifted awkwardly in place, hearing the fast flow of blood as her checks adored a blush. They both cared about the other. Even if he had run from her on plenty occasions in the past, they still shared a bond.

"I run away and got lost…" she helplessly shrugged, rising eventually up to her feet, "...but now that I finally found you, we can go bac-"

"No!" he stopped her from saying anything more and getting closer to him. The distance was already too short and she kept her advancement. It was already a mistake that he let himself be seen by her. The vampire finding her madly running in the woods followed after. His need to see a friend, lead to this situation and the longer he remained with Amy, the more dangerous the stand of survival will be.

"What?! Why not?!" she frowned. It's not like he has an excuse to run after Eggman this days. And he went missing, so bringing him back safe and sound is her priority. Everyone will be delighted that the hero is back. Maybe their life will turn for the better.

"I can't go near the others."

Was she hearing right? Why wouldn't he? Something isn't okay with her Sonic. While tumbling with the thought, the blue hedgehog continued.

"You should go back and flee with the survivors, you'll be safe as long as the zombies are occupied, so they won't go after you. I'll watch over you, till you find other people," he looked up a nearby tree, finding a stable branch that he can use to jump on it and make his way to the upper branches, where he would keep his watch. However, before he made a move, there were two hands softly grabbing to his arm, stopping him in place, so he wouldn't leave.

"No! I won't go back without you!" Amy stated, taking a firmer grip over Sonic's arm, as she felt him trying to flee. It also allowed her to see his whole persona up close. He looked tired and malnourished. There was this growing panic creeping up his eyes and she has never seen him like this. The Sonic she knows would never yield.

"Amy! You don't understand that being near me endangers you!" he snarled getting a scowl resembling Shadow's, forcing his hand out of her grip. They both stumbled from the force, but managed to stay on their feet.

"I don't care!" not about herself, no. Amy's friends were always her number one priority, even if the blue hedgehog was slightly above, indicating her stalking that was tiring out everyone, but when others needed her help, she set her goals straight. And now, whenever the speedster wanted or not, he needed her help!

Still, she wasn't prepared getting slammed, as the shout of surprise followed her fall to the ground. He knocked her down and kept in place, pinned.

Sonic was above her looking furious and so close, breaking all the boundaries. She felt her body warming up from the embarrassing position with the mixed feelings of happiness and anger present as well. He had never before stroke, preferring to run from her mallet than face their problem head on. Their actual fights were for training or when taking part in brawl competition, in which Sonic fought half heartily.

"You should! Do you have any idea what are you doing to me?! I have no control over this," he told her yelling, but the sentence getting meeker by the end.

She noticed him staring at one point on her body, lowering to it. She unconsciously exposed her neck giving further access, but for what she had no idea. Her heartbeat going faster, while she watched him parting his lips. Something white and long blinked in the weak moon light before hiding from her sight behind her pink rugged quills. She felt instantly frightened.

"Sonic, what are doing? What do you mean?" she somehow forced her voice from her unresponsive mouth.

The blue hedgehog above her, stopped with his advance, his fangs tickling Amy's parted fur and skin. He blinked once, twice. Almost in sonic speeds, he pushed away from her, ending sitting in mud. Now also half covered in it as bad as her.

"Amy, I… Oh, Chaos what I'm doing?!" he trembled on his spot. Ears lowering and hands resting on his muzzle, trying to cover the fangs from view. He felt ashamed and couldn't look at her.

The female sat surprised, "Sonic? Are you a vampire?" she asked only to make sure, as she had her dose of romance novels to recognize one. Even if the whole situation was bizarre and unrealistic.

"Yes and I almost bite you," bitterly answered.

"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" it left her, before she could properly think. And it was a mistake.

The hedgehog before her, bite his own gloved hand, the fangs easily ripping through the dirtied fabric and his mouth escaped a distressed wail. Amy recoiled, not expecting such action. Her eyes caught a gleam reflected from droplets, but by now she couldn't tell if those were tears or the rain.

Sonic lifted his head slowly, the fangs leaving two blood strained holes in his palm, but it seemed that it calmed him down, "I don't want you to be cursed like me, Amy. I don't want to drink blood! I don't want to hurt anyone!" he breathed out in one go, the fears that consumed his whole being after waking up in his own body, but not truly.

"It's not for you to decide," a third voice was heard. It came from a distance, a dark spot far away in the woods, but the glowing demonic eyes were clearly visible between the dark barked trees, "Listen to your instincts and turn her. I'm expecting from you more of your kind, so stop resisting my wish."

Not recognizing the voice, but feeling the chills that it brought, Amy looked at her paralyzed hero as the missing puzzle pieces set in place. She made her decision, by hooking up Sonic's arm around her neck, she forced him to move with her in an average running speed as his legs were the only ones that were willing to cooperate, trusting him with her whole heart that he won't do what the thing desires.

The dark forest was spreading all around them, not thinning for an open space and there were no hiding spots. Not that they would be of any use. The thing has sent the dead creatures after them, probably hoping to get her one way or another. Also, her growing anxiety wasn't helping Sonic's constant murmuring for her to leave him behind, so she would have better chance to run away. He should know her better than that.

The horrible clatter was getting louder behind, indicating the many dead bodies following them nearby. Amy felt like looking back, but went against it, her fright would only grow. The constant unprogressive run finally paid off as she found the sky visible between the trees. She directed them that way only to trip again over a root and they went rolling a small hill that was separating the dense part of the forest from the thin and their end destination. There was no time to scream in pain, as multiple scratches and bruises started decorating their bodies and their momentum kept growing. Too late they noticed the slope to an endless pit…

When Amy came to, she felt her whole body aching, but the worst was her finally twisted on a root ankle. She got shakily up with her arms and one working leg and sat there, blinking her eyes. She heard her companion groaning and when she noticed where, the pink hedgehog gently lowered her butt of the other, so he could have smoother breathing, still to dazed to fully proceed, what happened.

They landed on a platform that were common objects on Mobius and seeing it's design it was one of those that were from time to time moving up and down. Her eyes followed up the rock wall, back to the place with the forest. It surprised her that they were alive, the gap between here and the slope was enormous. Her musing ended when she spotted emerald eyes watching her.

"You took the fall for me when you can't even draw any strength from your own body," she stated calmly, slowly realization setting in, as Sonic weakly nodded.

When they tumbled into the pit, Sonic had grabbed her and curled around, so no matter what, the impact of hitting the ground would be mostly directed on him. She was mostly intact, but the blue hedgehog on the other hand… not. He may be a vampire, but he probably avoided drinking blood and would be against drinking it even now. Without blood, his vampire recovering abilities aren't kicking in, at least that's what she guessed from the small knowledge the literature provided.

Suddenly, they both felt a shake. The platform started moving slowly to the ground, because it was already at his highest peak, it had to finally move down. The slow descending was making a low, a bit malfunctioning spinning sound that caught their ears attention at first, but at some point it was accompanied with noisier howls and munching.

Sonic's ears reacted immediately by lowering down in distress, followed by a hand covering his face. Amy heard him whispering the word 'failed'. Getting closer to the edge, she dared taking a peak below, only to notice a horrible sight of a horde of hungry decaying bodies awaiting them. She tried to find some places vacant of their presence, but there were none or impossible to get to in time. Now, she only regretted losing her hammer.

"Sonic. I won't be able to run with this busted ankle even if I leave you behind. The zombies will catch up to me," the pink hedgehog informed him, shifting closer.

She helped the aching hedgehog to a sitting position, warping her arms around his form and guided his head to rest near her neck as his whole body was unresponsive, just like a ragdoll. The once blue hero welcomed the hug despite the pain, even if it was stirring his instincts, but soothed those down. He made a promise and was unwilling to break it. The only problem was that the girl demanded the opposite.

Few words were whispered and the pearly white fangs had sunk, deeply.

"Drink. Just drink, Sonic. I love you and always will. So don't cry over me. I'm happy that I got to know you, had adventures with you, tried to catch you so many times and at least now I got my wish granted."

Amy gently stroked his blue quills, keeping him firm in place as he trembled initially feebly against her, but with every drop stronger. His every attempt of pulling out was in vain as she blocked his head when he tried to resist. Something that she couldn't allow him to do, otherwise he would regret forever. Meanwhile, a pleasant feeling was spreading all over her body, astounding her senses and fooling. Her own limbs getting not only cold, but stiff as well. Her hand finally stopped, falling limply against her body. But it wasn't important, what mattered was that her hero was at last warm… his embrace was warm and even if she asked him not to cry he continued to shed tears… for her. She closed her eyes.

"I love you too," he said after being able to pull away.

There was no longer a response, neither certainty that she heard. A veil of darkness had taken her, leaving a gentle smile on her lips and a dead pale body, drained fully from blood in the embrace of the one that she loved.

The platform rested on the sickened land with the plague awaiting further orders from their master. There were none.

The dark being materialized before the hedgehog, seeing his vampire with a healthy look and bristling cobalt quills at his appearance. The pink girl truly dead. Mephiles' muzzle broke apart with a cracking sound only to form a hideous smirk, mocking the surrounded speedster.

"Oh, how was your reunion with your dear friend?" he asked, following with his eyes the avoiding ones of the vampire. The silence continued as Sonic wasn't willing to respond to the delighted enemy.

"She's dead? And here I hoped that I'll get a new vampire to my collection. What a waste of a good resource."

It forced a reaction. Sonic turned to face the demon, lightly blood strained lips opening to verbally fight, as he couldn't leave her body, or the zombies would try to champ. Only to get his chin caught in a firm grip of crystalized claws that dug in his peach furred skin, his voice managing a surprised squeak instead. Mephiles slithered close using his inky shadows, when the other didn't pay enough attention. He lowered close, inches apart and whispered.

"Look at you, your first victim fully dried out of blood," hollowly chuckled. "Let me have a taste..." and he did, by catching Sonic's lips in a startling kiss.

xXx

"I'm heartless..." Sonic whispered, loud enough so only the ultimate life form could hear...

And Shadow didn't see him like this, at all. It was Amy's brave decision, willing to sacrifice herself for her Hero, than becoming a vampire slave minion for the mysterious being. Nevertheless he needed to hear more about the enemy and the full story of Sonic's turning, as it seems the vampire is being one way or another controlled and unable to get free by himself. The cobalt hedgehog needed his help.

Before he could ask more, the vampire's ears perked on some sound; Sonic immediately warped his hands around Shadow's neck bringing their bodies closer.

The ebony alien froze, as he felt suddenly too many things at once in such hug, from the cold breath near his ear, to the cheek brushing softly against his own.

"I'm glad you didn't bring that flask with you..." Sonic breathed near his ear, "That way we got some time and I need you to find the Alive Water and no, I don't mean Chaos."

"The Aliv-" he wanted to ask only to get his mouth pushed into the pillow bellow, while Sonic had faked a moan. Next, some commands were voiced in shushed voice when he tried to struggle, followed by the hedgehog's hand guiding Shadow's into the blue quills only for him to pull out two emeralds one by one.

Shadow moved his legs and grabbed with his other hand a blue hip, with such support he lifted half way up. The peach arm, holding to his neck slide down his back to rest on the cushion. The beautiful blue body awaiting. He trusted once, only to grasp the emeralds and run breaking the glass in the window, as from the opposite side of the room the door broke down too, sharp and black shadow like arms pushed into the room, missing their target and meeting thin air. Shadow meanwhile skated vertically down the wall and disappeared in the thick forest, the normal zombies and Runners too late to catch up with.

Mephiles the Dark stood furious in the entrance, where the doors were before, as the Ultimate Life Form had managed to bypass his claws. He had some questioning to do with the remaining hedgehog, moving to the bed he caught widening emerald eyes. He smirked, it should at least brighten his awful mood…