Disclaimer: (Doing this officially at least once) All characters are copyright of CLAMP. No monetary profit is being made from the writing or distribution of this fic.

Warnings: AU, vampirism (ie: blood, violence, some physical abuse), etc.

Character-Beta: Schnickledooger. (not quite the same thing as an actual Beta, but I don't feel that I write so poorly that it's a necessity—I was just worried about some of the characterization)

Written because there are less than a dozen vampire fics for X/1999 and only like 2 are longer than 2000 words despite being well written (I only wish I wrote so well!), and because the idea simply wouldn't leave me alone. Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Flight

There was no moon in the sky that night. The great oppressive shadow caused by its absence smothered the scattered stars and the weak light of lamps set shining in small windows. It covered all the little houses clustered together for safety. It covered the blood that dripped from tables and beds and counters and floors in red rivulets. It covered the corpses lying twisted and broken, slumped silently in silk sheets and along wooden walls and over chairs, pale faces staring blankly into space. It covered the children, little hands limp and smiles frozen oddly in place, and the parents, some still curled protectively around each other. Everywhere. In every home. Darkness clung to the cluster of four-cornered, shingled houses like a living thing, breath stirring dust from the narrow streets—one particularly strong exhale rushed to the far outskirts of the village, over fertile fields, ruffling silken stalks of grain, before finally colliding with two figures racing full-tilt across the uneven ground away from the carnage in the village.

At the slap of cold wind on pale skin, brilliant green eyes snapped back around, taking in the fire that was just beginning to lap hungrily at the eaves of a little house on the edge of the village. In the light of the flames those green eyes glowed orange. He squinted against the blaze, searching for any sign of movement amid the crackling flames. There was none. Distressed tears caught and glittered in long lashes. Then an impatient tug on his hand had him facing forward again as his companion half dragged him hastily towards the dark line of trees at the far edge of the field. Quicker now, together they plunged into the abyssal darkness of the forest.

Then they were racing. Running. Twigs slapped at exposed arms and faces, tangled in dark hair, ripped through cotton pajamas. Impenetrable shadows made it near impossible to dodge in time. At one point they ran headfirst into a spider's web and their hands unclasped only long enough to pull the long sticky threads out of mouths and noses. A layer of decaying leaves acted as padding for bare feet, except for occasional rocks and dead branches that were always stumbled upon a little too late and tended to result in bloody footprints on crackling leaves afterward. But through it all—through the slap of leaves and sting of rocks and occasional clingy cobweb—a sense of numbness persisted. The green-eyed boy barely felt the tug on his wrist as he was dragged along. He'd long since stopped feeling the cold night air against his cheeks. Now that the panic had worn off, in their endless flight there was suddenly too much time to think. His feet moved mechanically, stumbling to keep up with his twin, hands moved to ward off branches seemingly of their own accord. In his mind he saw again and again the image of the flames just beginning to lick the posts of their home, and then he would think of her and the determination on her face as she'd tried to defend them, to block them with her body from that man, shoving them towards the door, telling them to run…

All at once the fear and panic and hopelessness he'd suppressed came welling up. Tears he couldn't feel ran down his face, blurring the darkness, and he whispered her name into the night like a mantra…

"Hokuto-chan, Hokuto-chan…" Her green eyes flashing angrily, shouting, the way she had looked when she'd finally crumpled in that man's embrace…

No! He mustn't think of that! He tried to focus on the hand that was still clasping his, dragging him forward—warm, solid through his gloves. At least he had the gloves. Only because he'd worn them to bed, but still… She'd made them for him…

His throat tightened. The forest suddenly blurred out before him and his foot connected solidly with a protruding tree root. There was a startled exclamation as his hand was jerked free of his companion's, before hard ground tore into his knees and the palms of his hands. It didn't hurt. Compared to the cloying tightness across his chest, threatening to close off his throat, he might as well have landed in layers of leaves.

"Subaru!" That familiar voice calling his name… It took him a second to realize they'd stopped, that they were no longer running, that they were now slumped unceremoniously on the ground. Small, wind-frozen hands gripped his shoulders, shaking him anxiously. That gentle, familiar voice, calling, commanding, pleading… "Subaru, get up! Please get up!" He let that voice draw him partly out of his daze, towards brilliant amethyst eyes watching him worriedly—his twin, his brother. But even Kamui's presence couldn't completely alleviate the tidal wave of grief, nor chase away the sorrow that was threatening to consume him, only temporarily hold it at bay, only keep it from swallowing him for just a little while longer…

Kamui felt frustration bubble up inside him, and he tamped down the desire to start shaking Subaru until he came to his senses. Panicking wouldn't solve things. His body couldn't handle any more panic anyway… That initial burst of total, all-consuming fear that had filled him when Hokuto-chan had started screaming at them to run, allowing his feet to cover twice as much ground in half the time despite dragging a semi-uncooperative Subaru, had long since worn off. The adrenaline had burned down to sheer will power, muscles struggling, aching at each step. He would have liked nothing more than to collapse next to Subaru and rest, if only for a few minutes, just to let his chest stop heaving, his heart stop beating frantically, the tension in his muscles ease… but he knew better. Stopping now would simply make it that hard to start again. Already his body was complaining at the thought. And now that he wasn't running, now that the cold air was beginning to seep into his skin, he was shaking. Fine tremors wracked his arms and legs. At least his hands on Subaru's shoulders were firm. They would have to get up—the sooner the better. It wasn't safe there. They weren't out of the proverbial (and okay, literal) woods yet… It might not be safe anywhere, as far as Kamui knew, but at least they could get some distance between them if they kept moving.

They had stopped right above the steep bank of a little stream, lined with sharp-looking rocks. Kamui eyed the drop speculatively and made a note to see if they could lose their trail in the water if they could just find an easier way down…

"Subaru, please, we have to move. He'll find us if we stay here…" Kamui trailed off helplessly under Subaru's vacant gaze, then glanced worriedly behind them, back into the dark forest. How much time? How much time did they have before he caught up? It wasn't like they hadn't heard stories of… about… Kamui's mind shied away from the thought before he determinedly forced himself to continue… vampires…They'd heard stories of vampires before. Just rumors really. The villagers in their old home town had loved to tell tales on dark nights by the fire, always of aunts or uncles or twice-removed third cousins or distant ancestors who had had run-ins with them. There had been a time when Kamui would sit and listen rapturously to the dark stories, curled in a corner unnoticed. But the stories were always about far-away countries and distant cities. Sure, many a parent had shamelessly used such stories to keep kids in at night, but there had never been any real evidence… Certainly no one expected one to suddenly show up in their own little village, or to run into one on the way home (literally, in Subaru's case)…

And then he had accidentally brought it home…

Kamui scowled. Subaru's problem, he reflected, was that the boy had an uncanny ability for running into trouble—or maybe it was trouble that ran into Subaru. Whatever the case, it hardly mattered now. The only thing left to do was run. Kamui wasn't sure it was actually possible to out-run a vampire—certainly no one in the stories had ever done so—and he was so tired of running… But it was either that or sit and wait for it to catch up. Somehow that option didn't seem very desirable.

Now that his heartbeat was no longer pounding in his ears, Kamui realized that Subaru was actually talking, murmuring something over and over. It was so quiet, it took Kamui a few minutes to recognize it as a litany of "Hokuto-chan, Hokuto-chan, Hokuto-chan…"

"I know," Kamui said softly, staring sadly into Subaru's blank eyes. "I'm worried about her too, but there's nothing we can do for her now. Come on, let's get going…" He got up, straining against his aching muscles, gently pulling Subaru with him.

Subaru let Kamui pull him to his feet, offering no resistance but not really helping either. He just couldn't see how running would do any good. It wasn't like they could escape. Run, yes. Resist, yes. But never escape. He'd known that from the moment he'd woken up to mesmerizing amber eyes in his bedroom. Or perhaps earlier, ever since he'd tripped into that man's arms seven years ago while hurrying home late one night after sunset. Somehow he'd known even back then that it was only a matter of time…

As if reading his mind, strong arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind, tearing him away from Kamui. Subaru watched transfixed as his fingers brushed Kamui's one last time, still reaching out. Then the moment ended. Kamui spun around with a wordless cry and launched himself at Subaru's captor, only to be batted away effortlessly. Pinned carelessly by one strong arm, Subaru could only watch as Kamui was flung backwards, tumbled down the bank, smacked into a tree, and finally hit the rocks below with a sharp Crack! He didn't get up.

Looking back later, Subaru would never be sure what happened next. He might have collapsed in a boneless heap in the man's arms, or he might have started screaming or thrashing wildly in an attempt to get to Kamui. He knew only that after that last resounding Crack everything was silent…

He barely noticed the sharp pain in his wrists as they were crushed between large hands. Nothing mattered—not the cold wind freezing the tears on his cheeks as fingers tilted his chin up, not the amber eyes inspecting him critically, not the sudden tug that caused him to topple into the man's arms… nothing mattered but that feeling of falling. Endlessly falling. Falling since the moment he'd taken that first step away from their home, their life, and now… away from Hokuto-chan.

He was vaguely aware of fingers brushing the tears away, of warm breath against the skin of his neck, the brush of lips… then he fell for real, everything going mercifully dark…

Kamui woke up shivering, clothes rumpled and damp from morning dew. His head hurt like hell, and when he pressed stiff fingers to his hair they came away vaguely sticky and coated red. This combined with the fact that certain areas of his body were numb in a way that just shrieked "Move at your own peril!" messages to his brain… Altogether not a good sign. He attempted to sit up, sure that there was a perfect impression of the rocks etched on his face and side, only to sway dangerously as his head spun with throbbing pain and the arm that had been trapped under him regained sensation with a fury. He moaned and waited 'till he could breathe again. Now if only he could remember how he'd gotten there…

The morning sun was just peeking over the horizon, infusing the little stream beside him with molten gold light. Molten gold… Amber eyes… Kamui jerked up with a startled gasp that quickly became a hiss of pain.

"Subaru!" How could he have been so stupid? Subaru! He had to find Subaru! He attempted to scramble up the bank, ignoring the burning in his legs and the bruises along his ribs, but when he tried to use his right arm to lift himself up the steep incline, he stumbled back with a shriek, vision whiting out. It was this that finally persuaded Kamui something was really wrong with that arm. But whether it was twisted or broken or fractured, it didn't matter. He had to get around it somehow. He had to find Subaru.

A moment later he was scrambling up the bank again, this time attempting to haul himself up one-handed, careful not to extend his right arm. It took longer than he would have liked, but finally he was standing at the top calling for Subaru again and again. He searched through the trees, half frantically, half apprehensively, afraid of what he might find. Or not find. But in his heart he knew it was far too late… In the end, the only trace Kamui found of Subaru was a single black glove fallen on the forest floor…

Kamui knew in a fuzzy sort of detached way that there was something wrong with his feet. The ground felt totally smooth and soft, like walking on carpet. He couldn't feel the difference between rock and dirt and stick under the soft skin. Nothing. The soles were totally numb. So it was with some detachment that he stared at the bloody footprints left stark against the rock-strewn ground behind him and wondered whose…

No. His mind shied away from that thought—recognized it as something that shouldn't be dealt with yet. Finding Subaru had to come first. That was all that mattered. However, trying to track down a vampire who didn't want to be found, alone, with no food and no weapons, particularly in the shape he was in… was roughly equivalent to committing suicide. So maybe if he could just get to the next town… Surely there had to be someone who could help him. Surely someone would be willing to help him. Kamui's mind rebelled against the thought of leaving Subaru, of not searching further, but he reminded it sternly that getting himself killed wasn't going to help either. So he found himself walking numbly through the forest, occasionally tripping over rocks and roots, focused solely on getting to the other side, of finding a town, of getting help, of returning... And as the forest finally broke onto a wide dirt road, and as he started down it, certain now that it wouldn't be much longer, the mystery of bloody footprints was erased from his mind. They vanished in the dust of the road.

The sun had long since set, but that made little difference in the city. Fuuma weaved through the crowd easily, deftly sliding through gaps in the throng with practiced ease and grace. It helped that space seemed to naturally open before him, bystanders taking one look at him and moving back, often with a murmured "Lord Fuuma…" That day he'd made no attempt to blend in, garbed in the flowing black silk with gold filigree his position allowed. But even when he dressed plainly, he was an impressive figure, tall and lithe and imposing.

Fuuma paid those around him little attention, preoccupied with his thoughts. The last couple nights had been a lesson in patience. He'd almost found the thing he'd been searching for, only to have it ripped out of his grasp at the last second—once again he'd been one step behind. Then he'd been forced to give up his only lead due to… time restraints, and he was sure the trail would be dead by now. Preoccupied as he was, it was no surprise that his eyes flickered passed the boy at first. Then the words registered.

"Please, somebody, help… vampire… my brother." The voice filtered brokenly through the rush of people. Fuuma stopped, turned. At first glance the boy was a mess, wearing nothing but a pair of incredibly dirty pajamas that were almost ripped beyond repair and stained with blood. His feet were bare and he was holding his right arm carefully still. Just another street urchin with no home and no future. Most people ignored him, but some looked at him pityingly and yet others shot him disgusted glances. No one wanted to deal with a boy raving about vampires. Naive fools. Fuuma eyed him critically from across the street. Sure, the boy clearly needed a bath, but underneath the dirt and the bruises and the scratches and the dark circles under his eyes, he was actually… quite lovely. If he was cleaned up he might even be pretty. Then the boy turned suddenly and he found himself staring into shocking amethyst eyes, wide with desperation.

Fuuma realized he was staring and scowled at himself. The boy's looks had nothing to do with it. What really mattered—what should have mattered from the start—was that here at last was the key he'd been looking for, practically thrown into his lap. And just when he'd thought it was a lost cause. He grinned, a satisfied smirk. Things were looking up.

The city was not a nice place. The fact that he looked like he'd just seen the worse side of a brawl, had been sleeping on the ground, and was screaming about vampires like some sort of delusional idiot wasn't helping. Kamui knew he was a sight. He'd been begging everyone who crossed his path for help all day. Too many faces turned away at the sight of him or stared when they thought he wasn't looking—some spat at him or yelled. If it wasn't for Subaru… If it wasn't that even now Subaru might be…

Kamui shook his head. He couldn't think about that. Surely there was someone here who would believe—someone willing to help him.

"Please…" he begged, voice hoarse, catching hold of a man's sleeve as he passed, "help…"

"Let go of me, street rat!" The man's foot connected with Kamui's shin, causing him to let out a moan and drop to his knees. But still his fingers clutched at the man's sleeve.

"You don't understand, my brother…"

"I said, let go!" This time the foot thumped solidly into his stomach. Kamui crumpled, fingers sliding free of rough fabric. But apparently the man didn't think this was enough. "Filth! Trash! The city would be a better place without vermin like you!" Another kick connected with his middle and then the leather boot came down on his broken arm. Kamui cried out, vision blurring with pain. He waited, eyes squeezed tight, for the beating to continue… but it never came. There was a gasp from above him, a nervous, "Lord Fu…" that was cut off abruptly by the sound of something soft hitting the pavement. Then fingers brushed his cheek.

"I think you've said enough, little one." The new voice was soft and deep. "You're going to get yourself into trouble if you go on like this." Then arms wrapped around him, lifted him up, careful of his broken arm. Kamui protested, but he was too weak and the arms too strong, pinning him with ease. He tried to open his eyes and get a good look at his captor, but the world was blurring fast, leaving him with a fleeting impression of what he thought were a pair of small, round shades before the world started to fade. But right before he lost touch with reality permanently, he thought he heard someone whisper…

"I think I'll keep you…" And there was something in the widening of a smile that promised this would be worse…

Author Note: I don't know if this is really going to go anywhere—I'm pretty bad about finishing my stories, not to mention the fact a friend is demanding I work on a different story (a oneshot in which Subaru discovers he has sleepwalking problems), and she's pretty persistent… I guess it'll depend on how badly people want the rest of this.

Anyway, I want to know if anyone found this chapter confusing? I tend to be a bit vague sometimes, and I'm not sure if what happened to the boys before you find them running through the woods at the beginning is understandable or not, but I'd like to improve my writing. What's your impression of what happened to them? Anything I could do better?