This story takes place right after "Darkness at the end of the tunnel" and rigth before "Last tangle in Paris". I hope it will make at least a little bit sense.
Beyblade belongs to Aoki Takao and I make no money of this.
Reviewers will be worshipped.
When the night comes
"How much longer, Sanguinex?"
"Patience, Cenotaph; he will come."
"It's already late and the sun is close. Can't you feel it?"
"I said patience! He would never abandon us."
"Not even for the boy?"
"I...don't know. I don't want to doubt him. He's my little brother!"
"Don't let emotions cloud your wits, Sanguinex. The way they are clouding his."
The vampire turned away from the mummy's judging eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. He had promised to come as soon as the light began to grow. He had promised. And Sanguinex wanted to believe him. Although he knew very well that Cenotaph was right.
An uncomfortable silence settled while the world came back to life after a night of rest. Cenotaph sat down on a rock, growing more and more worried as the light grew brighter. Soon the sun's first rays would peek over the hill and they would have to go. Or those blasted Bladebreakers would scatter all over Paris and then they'd never find them again!
Around them was green grass, wet with dew, and the first birds were taking flight from the forest in the distance. The air was chilly, but not uncomfortably so; it was spring now and morning was here.
Zomb was sitting on the ground, chin in his hand, twirling blades of grass around his fingers. He was bored. They had been waiting forever and the only entertainment he had was the arguing of the other two monsters.
Both Frankenstein and vampire looked up when the mummy rose from his seat. "That's it! We're leaving! If he wants to stay here and rot in the sun then let him do so! We've waited long enough!" Cenotaph said hotly.
Sanguinex looked at him, searching for another excuse to linger, even though he could already feel the sun warming his skin, but before he could say anything Zomb pointed behind them, "There he is!"
Sanguinex breathed a sigh of relief; finally.
The werewolf was quite the sight. He was floating towards them, framed by the fog that lay thick over the huge forest. His eyes were glowing intense blue. It was an eerie scene. He would have looked even more impressive if he hadn't been hurrying so much.
Cenotaph wasted no time; as soon as the werewolf was within hearing range he said, "Took you long enough. And then some! This had better not repeat itself."
The light disappeared from Lupinex' eyes. He fidgeted guiltily under Cenotaph's glare, and gave him an apologetic shrug. The mummy frowned disapprovingly. Sanguinex was too relived that he was finally here to reprimand him.
Just then the sun began to climb the hill, and the bladers faded into the shadows. On top of the hill stood a lonely castle, the grey walls shining in the morning sun.
"This is the last time we wait for you! Do you have any idea how long we sat out there? You were supposed to meet us in good time for the sun to rise! We blew the entire mission!" The mummy paced forth and back in front of the werewolf, scolding him unmercifully.
"I...I just lost track of time. It won't happen again," Lupinex answered.
Cenotaph looked at him sharply, judging his excuse for a lie. "That's what you said the last time as well, but today you were even slower! Are you sure you are a werewolf, because I am starting to wonder if you are just a very hairy weresnail."
This struck something in the other man, and his eyes gleamed with anger. "Why didn't you leave then? I could have caught up with you later!"
Cenotaph was not undaunted, "I would have left, but your big brother insisted on waiting for you. He said you had promised to come before dawn, and I stayed with him, not because I trusted you to keep your promise, but because of my respect for your brother."
Sanguinex was sitting in an armchair, massaging his temple with one hand. The two monsters' yelling was giving him a headache. He didn't want to face this, didn't want to confront Lupinex with his resent behaviour, but it was becoming a big problem for them. This incident was just one in a long row that had taken place in the past month. Now he rose from the chair in tired determination, "Leave him alone, Cenotaph. Let me deal with this."
The mummy turned. "And what would you say to him? No, Sanguinex, sit down in your chair; you wouldn't be able to handle this. He looks at you with his puppy-dog eyes and you melt immediately, but I won't be fooled by this love-struck werewolf."
That was enough; with a roar the werewolf grabbed the mummy by the throat and lifted him up into the air, until he was standing on his toes, "Say that again if you dare, you moth-infested mummy!"
Cenotaph's eyes glowed golden then, and the whole situation might have turned really nasty if Zomb hadn't chosen to interfere. He pried Lupinex away from Cenotaph and grabbed him by the shoulders, "Calm yourself, Lupinex. We shouldn't fight like this."
Zomb was often mistaken for being downright dumb, but the truth wasn't quite so simple. He was a bit slow, true, but he was also thoughtful. He kept his mouth shut where others would speak their opinion in grand words, and took his time to consider a problem from many angles while other's rushed into a decision. He was the physically strongest of the four, and Lupinex couldn't get past him while he set his mind to keeping the two angry monsters apart.
The werewolf growled at Cenotaph, "You should keep your mouth shut about things that don't concern you. You don't know anything! You don't even know who-"
He was interrupted by the glaring mummy, "Oh, but I know who! It's McGregor. The red haired one. It has always been him." Cenotaph rubbed his sore throat, "And it does concern me when you stop caring about our quest. Don't you even hate anymore?"
But Sanguinex put a hand on his shoulder, keeping him in check. "Calm your tongues, both of you. Lupinex, we can't take these risks any longer. I know that Jurgen has cameras on his property, and so does McGregor himself; someday soon we will be spotted. You can't go back there! And if Cenotaph is right..." He let that sentence hang.
And he saw the loss and defeat in his brother's eyes. But if something wasn't done soon then the Dark Bladers would be torn apart, and that couldn't happen. Being a monster was hard enough as it was; they didn't need to face it alone on top of everything.
Lupinex sighed, but nodded, and Zomb let go of him. It was final then. But he couldn't help it! He really couldn't. He looked at them all, sadness filling his eyes.
"Cenotaph," he began, calling the mummy's attention. "I am sorry for all the worry I have caused lately. I don't want to endanger the team, I..." What could he say? They were right; it was becoming too dangerous, just not in the way they were suggesting. He had come close to loosing control this time, and the next wouldn't be any better. But how could he promise them anything when he knew he most likely wouldn't be able to stop himself?
"...It won't happen again."
Cenotaph looked sad as well, "I may not know all that is going on, but I understand one thing; you are hurting. We can't help but worry for you! Please don't go there again. We have enough problems as it is."
Lupinex looked down, nodding slowly, mostly to satisfy them. He was already back there, walking through the halls of the castles, searching for that room, that bed, and that boy.
"You are terribly thoughtful today," Robert noted. He moved his queen to e5.
Johnny looked up from the board, "What? Oh...I didn't sleep too well." He tried to gather his mind for the game, and moved a knight.
Robert shook his head with a smile, before moving his queen again, "Check mate."
Johnny sat up straight and looked at his pieces, "But, but...yeah. I am...again." He slumped in his chair.
The German grabbed a notepad and a pen, adding another win under his name, "And again, and again, and again, and again-"
"I get the point!"
Later Johnny stood by one of the many windows, high up on the castle wall, looking out on the forest. The sun was shining brightly and the world seemed awfully cheery compared to the memories of last night's dreams.
Eyes were staring at him in the darkness. He felt their anger, directed at him, but also past him. Something big and dangerous was standing by his bed, looming over him. The sense of helplessness and impending danger got stronger and stronger. Then, when it seemed he was seconds away from waking up screaming, something touched him.
Just his cheeks first. Gentle hands that caressed and calmed him. He noticed how they were shaking. They moved down to his throat, and a claw traced a fine line on the smooth skin. Then the hands moved further down again, opening the first button on his nightshirt.
He was lying on his back, hands on the pillow beside him. He was so close to waking, but something was holding him back.
Another button. He murmured something incoherent, parting his lips on a sigh. A moan, not his own, a deep masculine voice. A thumb stroked his lower lip. He shifted restlessly, fighting to wake up.
The hands moved down to his chest.
He was close now. He could almost see the light at the side of his vision, but it was like swimming through air; impossible.
Something brushed his nipples and he gasped.
Suddenly the presence left. No, fled. As if he had frightened it somehow. Just as he was reaching for the brilliant light of the surface something pushed him back down and he fell asleep.
The strangest thing was that he could remember all this. He had been so close to waking, but something had trapped him in sleep, and sent him back to it when it left.
Why had it left? Not that he hadn't wanted it to, but...
Johnny wanted to know who had been in his room, and who possessed such powers of control over another person's dreams. It was just scary.
When he awoke in the morning he had forgotten all about it. The fact that his nightshirt was partly open was nothing to be alarmed about; the buttons were loose and he was a restless sleeper. It had happened before. But when he looked in the bathroom mirror the night's events came back to him, and he realised it had had to be more than just another odd dream. The past month had been filled with them, but not like this. Crossing his pulse, on the right side of his neck, was a fine red scratch.
He sighed again and meant to leave the window, but just then he caught something moving down on the grounds. He leaned out to look and for a moment he thought he saw a figure standing by the trees. Suddenly a flash of blue blinded him completely. He stumbled back and closed his eyes hard. When he could see again the figure was gone.
End