Well, this chapter has been a bit too long in the making. I am debating on whether I will try to type out the rest of this story before moving on to complete the next cycle, since there are only two chapters left, but I also know I left my other stories off at kind of mean points and want to add to them as well. If I can find the inspiration to complete the major fight scenes I will probably prioritize this story. Otherwise it could very well be a while before it is updated again, sorry. :(

On a really happy note, I am in Japan now. :D Been here a few months now. Japan is awesome. Gotta explore more when I get the time. And write more. And buy some Manga. I am going to start taking Japanese as well, with the hope that within the next year or two I can start to hold conversations in Japanese. Until next time!

This chapter is a bit longer than anticipated, coming in at a whopping 9388 words, Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts :(

Chapter 21: Marked

The cuts on his body were set in groups of three or four parallel lines, scattered across his form from head to toe. Most had healed closed, resembling the marks of a briar bush rather than the dangerous claws of an enemy vampire, but a couple of the deeper ones still oozed clear fluid as they continued to mend. The ones that ran along the back of his neck looked particularly nasty, and the fact that it still had a tint of pink in the fluid made Leon growl, his lover's dark blue eyes swiveling to look at him. "Coward, striking from behind," the brunette said lowly, forcing his own glowing orbs away from the wound before his lips curled up in a snarl. He then resumed the task of ensuring his mate wasn't seriously injured.

If not for the seriousness of the situation, Cloud probably would have laughed at his lover's reactions. That, and the fact that Leon was still adjusting to his new life, so telling him he was acting instinctively like a vampire might not be the best idea. Instead he strode over to the recliner, graciously taking a seat and letting his body slump forward slightly. He was exhausted, but there was much to do. First thing first, he looked up at the previously seated party, locking gazes with the slate-haired vampire. "You two should return to Castle Oblivion," he started, allowing one arm to be lifted off his lap for inspection. "Make sure Xemnas knows to be wary of any new fledgling that comes around. Because we have frequented his place it might be targeted. You two should also avoid coming here again." Demyx looked about to say something, but Zexion quieted him by shoving his wrist in his mouth. As if on reflex, Demyx bit down and hummed a little as he tasted his mate's blood, whatever retort he had been thinking about lost.

"I'll let him know," the young man said. Tapping his blonde companion on the forehead, the boy reluctantly released his arm, a small whine on his blood-stained lips. Those last drops were quickly scavenged by his hungry tongue. "Come on, Demyx, we need to be getting home," he added to the blonde, already headed towards the door.

"But—" the boy trailed off, chasing after his lover who was already outside. Whatever other words he said were lost behind the wooden portal as he ran after his fast-paced companion.

Turning back to the rest of the room, his gaze stopped on the younger undead pair. They stood at each other's shoulder, hands clasped together as they waited in apprehensive anticipation for what he might say next. Both of their eyes had turned a burning red, steely resolve in those crimson pools, and he released a sigh of resignation. "I would ask you two to find some place to hide as well," he started, shifting his focus between the two, "but, I can see you would not listen. If you insist on participating in this fight I will have to step up your training. I wish we had more time, but I'd estimate we have two weeks until they are ready, maybe less. I didn't want to start teaching you two magic yet, but it looks like I'll have to."

"I thought only Blue-eyes could use magic," Sora interjected, expression somewhere between hopeful, excited, and confused. The few times he'd seen Cloud's abilities had intrigued him, but he'd been under the impression that was something only a Blue-eyed vampire could do. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he was getting his hopes up.

Seeing the fire lit behind the brunette's eyes, Cloud was reminded of why he hadn't told the teen yet. "Riku's sire was barely a Red-eyes himself, what with his twin brother being a Blue-eyes," he said in reply. "This means your power is nearly at that of a Blue-eyes, and all except the lower tiers of Red-eyed vampires can use some form of magic. Yours will be more extensive than theirs, but not as powerful as mine." There was excitement behind those aqua orbs, a dangerous emotion. "The problem will come with control. Just like how your thirst will become easier to manage as you age, so too will your power. As young as you are, this can make it volatile or difficult to handle. A couple basic spells shouldn't be too great a challenge, but you must promise to be careful while using them. Even a minor spell can cause serious damage."

For once taking things seriously, Sora gave him a single, solemn nod, one the male at his side mimicked. Content that the boy would take his lessons seriously, Cloud was about to turn towards the young huntress when he felt the grip on his arm tighten. Looking to his left, the snarl on Leon's lips suddenly reminded him of a particular detail to his previous fight. There, about a third of the way passed his elbow towards his shoulder, still healing and weeping a minute amount of clear fluid, were two, precise puncture marks. He could feel the anger oozing from the younger vampire's pores, bright blue eyes glowing. Certainly, the brunette had little clue as to what was actually going on, his instincts fixated on the offending wound, and while Cloud knew he should snap his mate out of it the absolute possessiveness he was exuding thrilled him. Therefore, as the younger male swallowed thickly before opening his mouth, body bending forward until his fangs brushed the pale skin, he didn't move. And Leon's teeth sank into his flesh.

"Leon, what are you doing?" Tifa called, snapping him out of his trance. Suddenly realizing he was biting something, the man jolted back retracting his fangs from his lover's arm. He looked from the fresh pair of holes, to his fellow hunter, to his mate, the hint of fear in his cerulean eyes vanishing as he was met with the happiness Cloud's. "You, what was that about?" she asked the Master vampire instead, realizing she'd have a better chance of getting an answer out of him.

A small smile on his lips, Cloud replied, "It was the bite mark. A bite between vampires is a very intimate thing, usually only between mates. To bite someone who is not your mate is a similar offence to rape in human society. When Leon saw the mark, it angered those instincts, and he was driven to cover it up with his own. To… erase the stain, if you will. I killed the fledgling that'd managed to get its teeth in me, so I'd kind of forgotten about it, or I would have warned him."

Tifa looked skeptical. "A fledgling managed to get a bite on you?" she asked, unconvinced.

"When you have over a dozen ambush you it's not as easy as you'd think," he said, never looking up from his mate. Leon had released his arm at this point, plopping unceremoniously on the ground beside his chair and bringing one hand up to touch the blood on his lips. "I can only guess, because he wasn't there, but I assume my brother was trying to see if he could use my infatuation with humans to his advantage. They couldn't have been more than a couple weeks old, scared out of their wits as they attacked. No doubt he'd promised to change them back—yes, it is not possible, but they wouldn't have known that—if they took me out. Even if I spared them I doubt they could have returned to their families. If the one that bit me is any indication, he probably interfered with their initial feeding." All the vampires in the room stiffened, knowing fully well what that implication meant. Two of the humans shifted nervously as well, leaving Tifa the odd man out, though she could feel the negative tension in the air. "Since I am guessing you do not know what that means, I'll tell you. A vampire that does not initially feed on its own will never learn how to feed on its own. Its thirst becomes uncontrollable, and they will attack anything around them, even their own family. And even if he didn't interfere with them there was nothing I could have done to save them. Had I spared their lives they would have had to return to Sephiroth, who would just use them as foot soldiers in the upcoming war. Containing them would also not be an option, for he would have just Influenced them while in our custody."

"I thought Influence only worked on humans," the woman inquired.

Shaking his head, Cloud explained, "It is bending a weaker will to your desire. It can even work on a vampire if you are strong enough, and Influence has always been one of Sephiroth's strongest abilities. He requires some kind of deciding emotion for vampiric control, though. He used to use my admiration of him to Influence me when I was really young. Without that, though, even he has a difficult time getting into someone's mind. And since he now knows that new fledglings won't work against me he will most probably spend his time building and training a small army. We will have to prepare for a hard fight as well."

Turning to face Tifa, he was just opening his mouth to speak to her when she cut him off. "We are not leaving," she stated, a finality in her voice. "There are those of us who have fought Master vampires before, and we have been after Jenova for a lot longer than the orphanage. Besides, from what I've heard, a male by the name of Hojo is part of her clan as well."

"My father," Cloud confirmed, disgust lacing his words.

"We have a personal grudge against that one," she continued, a sympathetic smile on her lips. "Even if you refused we would join in this fight, and our more senior members do have experience taking down, as you call them, Blue-eyes. You don't need to worry about our safety."

"Then I won't insult you by doing so," Cloud conceded.

"Besides, we can be of more use than you'd think. I'm guessing you know of a way to get a challenge issued to them?" the huntress asked, one hand cockily resting on her hip. At his nod, she said, "Good, then we can set up a location, one that will be devoid of bystanders that could get in the way. It might take a day, but I'll get the Restoration Committee here to cordon off an area. You, though," she continued, turning to face the excited redhead, "will not be in this fight."

Axel deflated, the energy and anticipation just draining from his form. "But why?" he whined, albeit not too loudly because he was afraid of the woman.

Shaking her head slowly, Tifa replied, "You are not ready. This will be nothing like the vampires you faced before. Besides, I have a more important job for you instead. Someone will need to watch over Riku and Sora's families, and keep them away from the danger. It will ease all of our minds and let us focus on the fight."

He sagged farther. "Guard duty," he muttered, voice defeated, resigned.

"Do you have a problem with that?" she asked, tone just daring him to counter her.

Axel immediately snapped to attention, back straight, arms clasped to his sides and eyes facing forward. "No ma'am!" he shouted, not daring to move.

"That's what I thought," she stated, turning back to Cloud. "There is a lot to be done if we only have two weeks to prepare. Radiant Garden is spread across the continent, so it might take that long just for them to get here. And I still need to find a suitable space for the Restoration Committee to block off."

"Sora and Riku's families should be evacuated as soon as possible, to ensure they aren't targeted," Cloud added, looking up at the two who exchanged a worried glance. "And all three of them need to start training as well."

"Sounds like we all have a lot of work to do, then," Tifa stated, and after a short discussion of who was doing what all seven of them were headed for the door. And within a couple minutes the house had fallen dead silent.

Even Leon was astounded by how many calls Tifa had already made, and by her accounts she wasn't even half done. Sure, he knew Radiant Garden wasn't a small organization, but even he hadn't known just how extensive its network was. Some of the closer people had already arrived, pulling blueprints and zoning maps that who knows where they managed to get in such a short amount of time out of every type of container from cardboard boxes to expensive briefcases. The assembled group had taken over the dining room table, various charts overlapping as they discussed potential locales for the ensuing battle. The nonchalance in their voices made it sound more like they were discussing a location for a local bake sale, not a war between two completely different, destructive species. If not for the tension throughout the rest of the building it wouldn't have seemed too out of place for a normal day in the suburb, aside from the odd assortment of houseguests.

But the rest of the house was suffocating. Four vampires sat in the middle of the den, coffee table pushed off to the side to make room. All of them had their eyes closed, hands resting limply in their lap, meditating. Two suitcases were idling in the hall, belonging to the pair curiously watching the quartet that had been rushed out of their own home just hours before. If not for the terrifying finality in their son's voice and the desperately swirling pools of dread in his crimson eyes they might have offered a feeble objection. Instead, they silently shoved the bare necessities into a set of suitcases still set out from their last vacation and filed out between the four immortals. The whole severity of the situation only truly hit them once they entered their friend's home. A hoard of mismatched characters had gathered in the kitchen, arguing in not-always-so-hushed tone about where best to set up for a massacre—although for which side was not clear. Similarly to how they were rushed to pack, their son's lover made sure it was all too clear that his parents had to pack up and leave. They were told that Roxas and Axel were handling supplies, and to focus only on what could not be bought along the way. As soon as the two returned all six of them were to leave, immediately.

"Do you seriously believe that to be necessary?" and incredulous voice shouted, drawing four pairs of glowing eyes and two normal ones in the direction of the kitchen.

"As it is that might not be enough," a second voice, Tifa, replied more evenly. "We aren't talking about a regular skirmish with a nest here. This will be a full-blown war, fought in a single battle. I am not recalling every senior hunter from across the continent for no reason, and our enemy will no doubt outnumber us severely. So, when I say we need to find a space at least six square blocks I mean we need to find a space at least six square blocks."

"N' Ah'm tellin' ye tha' 'nless ye wan' ol' abandoned 'igh rises included in tha' then we need to think a wee bi' smaller," a short man with a full beard and thick accent countered. "Scaffoldin' n' tarp cin o'ly block so much from view. 'Ow do ye expect to 'ide the busted walls and crumblin' floors from the public eye?"

"You are under the assumption this fight is going to place on solid ground," Tifa retorted. "Vampires rarely fight on the ground. Theirs is an aerial war. The six blocks is just to help ensure no one gets caught up in the inevitable collateral damage. As for the public, I have men with media connections coming in to divert any news crews away, and the point of finding a place in the abandoned district isn't just because that is less people we need to move. People trusted by the community stay away from that area, and it's populated mostly by criminals and the homeless. Those the cameras will not believe. Jamming equipment will be used to hinder any recording equipment that manages to get close to the area as well, which should wrap up most if not all of the remaining loose ends. Any that do remain, well, we have other methods of dealing with. Provided we can get the space set up in time."

Rubbing the back of his balding head, the short man sighed, "'Lrigh'. Ah get ye, Ah get ye. So bigger'n six the better, right?"

"Yes," she replied, resting both hands on the table. "We need to keep civilian casualties and knowledge to a minimum on this. Between panic and enthusiasts, it would not be good for humanity to learn that the monsters of myth and legend actually exist. Everything would get thrown into chaos."

Back in the living room, the four forms had slowly lifted off the ground, hovering the air a good foot and a half above the thin carpet. As Tifa had stated, vampires rarely waged war on the ground. True, lower tiers—often called foot soldiers by their masters—were typically grounded, but the main enemies they'd be needed to fight would be up in the air. While Cloud was already a master at flight, the other three were not, as was evidenced by the youngest in the group's increased wobbling. Brunette brows drawn together, lips puckered slightly as he tried to maintain his concentration, the last of his control finally slipped and Sora plummeted the two feet to the ground. The dull thud of his butt contacting the floor sent a rippling distraction through the other two fledglings, and while the silver-haired one did take a second to wonder what had managed to distract his lover this time to his credit he did not fall. Which was an improvement, considering the last two times Sora found himself on the ground Riku had joined him a moment later. Those both would quietly curse under their breath before going back to their meditative pose and starting again, holding their flight for a little longer each time.

This time, though, Sora was not returning to practice. His cerulean eyes were glued on the hallway leading to the door, habitual breath stopped in his throat as he listened intently for whatever had suddenly put him on edge. Cloud had opened his eyes now, watching the boy curiously, trying to gauge what he was reacting to. Having far less experience than his mentor, Riku unfolded his legs and planted them underneath him rather than keep up his levitation, taking the few short steps to reach the boy who had now turned around completely and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Sora jolted in surprise. He didn't even have to be asked, already knowing what question was on their lips, and he uttered but a single word, "Roxas…"

His three companions barely had time to register it before the front door flew open. A loud bang! echoed through the house as it slammed into the wall, no doubt leaving decent gash where the handle contacted the drywall, followed by the hurried clack!s of heavy feet and another crash! as it was slammed closed again. The cacophony harsh noises, accentuated by a duller thud and a dozen or more quiet patters drew the attention of everyone in the house, from the group arguing in the kitchen to the pair scurrying in the farthest room to the back. Sora was the first up, though.

Rounding the corner, he was greeted by the view of a sweat-soaked ginger, sleeve torn and blood dripping from the gash on his arm. Collapsed in his lap, lithe hands clutching at his tunic, was the smaller blonde. The thud and patters from before had come from the brown paper bag laying on its side, its guts strewn across the landing for almost three feet, and several, round pieces of produce coming to a stop only once they contacted the carpet on the other side. "Roxas!" he called, rushing over to his twin, red eyes and keen nose trying to pick out any injuries on the other male. He could smell Axel's blood clearly, but did not discount that it might simply be overpowering his brother's scent.

"I'm… okay," he panted, propping himself up so he could look at the brunette. Sora was unconvinced. He had felt the small tingle at the back of his thoughts for over an hour, but he had never been as attuned to his twin as the blonde was. Now he was sure though; that feeling had been a warning that his twin was in danger.

Coming up behind the trio, careful to not startle the already tense teenager, Tifa asked, "Axel, what happened?"

The redhead looked at up his commanding officer from his seat, breath coming a little more even now that he was in a place he considered relatively safe. "We were attacked on the way back," he started, snaking a hand between his and Roxas' bodies to place pressure on the wound on his arm, "by one of Sephiroth's fledglings. We were trying to rush back so we would have plenty of time before it started getting dark and I stupidly thought it was a good idea to take the alleyway, shave off a few minutes. He blindsided us, but luckily I was the only one who got injured. Roxas held his own surprisingly well against the vampire, even if it couldn't have been turned more than a couple weeks ago."

"Roxas and I have taken martial arts since we were six," Sora remarked offhandedly, an explanation for his brother's prowess as he continued to scan for injuries. "He always did take to it better than I did though."

Expression growing a little softer, sadder, the hunter slowly continued, "He couldn't have been older than we were… And he seemed so scared, like he wasn't really trying to hurt us. This—" he indicated to the cut on his arm "—came from his initial attack, and his face twisted to one of almost pure terror it seemed once he caught scent of the blood. He looked mortified. And after that, any hit of his that did connect were with the palm of his hand instead of his claws. Got a few bruises as proof."

"He didn't go after me much after grabbing my leg," Roxas added, one hand reaching down to grab the hem of his jeans. "He managed to catch my kick, and his grip felt like I was being burned, but when I looked at it…" He lifted the denim up to his knee, revealing a sharp, black and silver figure adorning his calf. It looked as if it had been tattooed on, like the crisp outline was just a jet-black ink on his pale skin, but everyone present knew it was not. Granted, only one understood the gravity of the symbol. The top half looked similar to a four-point shuriken, except it only had the top point and side two, and small circles were cut out where the joints would be, giving it a more diamond shape. The bottom point, which too had the circular holes on either side of its base, instead flared out and ultimately looped back towards a point just south of its center in an upside-down heart, two more circles cut to meet the outline a third of the way into the flare. It was certainly simplistic in design, but something about it felt foreboding and heavy. Even more so when Cloud silently pushed his way through the gathered crowd and knelt by the teen.

Cold fingers brushed his leg, creating gently ripples in the florid silver at his touch. All watched in fascination as he slowly traced the image with his nails, sharp tips never piercing the skin, then tapped lightly at the center of the heart. What looked like electricity skated over the surface of the tattoo, Roxas yelping in both pain and surprise and jolting away from the contact. If not for the strong hands on his shoulders, Riku's hands, Sora would have placed himself between the Master vampire and his brother in that instant. "You said a fledgling gave you this?" he clarified, an apology in his eyes as the blonde rubbed the residual shock out of his calf. He gave a short nod in reply. "He must have received the spell from Sephiroth then," Cloud continued, standing and resting a thoughtful hand on his chin. "This has to be one of the worst possible outcomes. Not the worst, but still pretty far up there. Axel, did you get a similar burn during your brief encounter with the fledgling?"

"Now that I think about it, on my shoulder," the redhead replied. "I'd just assumed it was from hitting the wall though." Without even needing to be asked, he started working his shirt off.

"What is going on?" Tifa asked, surprisingly calm even though she was sending a half-hearted glare at the vampire. She didn't really expect a response, not until they checked the younger hunter's shoulder, at least.

Holding the thin fabric in one hand, Axel turned so his naked back was facing the group. Sure enough, painted over the lean muscles in his shoulder was the same symbol as was on Roxas' leg. Letting out a strained sigh, Cloud patted the redhead's other shoulder to tell him he could put his shirt back on before saying, "You've both been marked. That seal had to have been created by Sephiroth, and simply distributed by his fledgling because I can't remove it. Basically, you two are no longer able to hide from any member of my family that he chooses to let see you. The only three ways to remove something like this is to overpower it, which we already know doesn't work, for Sephiroth to release the spell, or to kill him. But so long as it is active… you can no longer run."

Tense glances were exchanged by the main members gathered there. The severity of those words weren't lost on any of the more experienced hunters, both Tifa and Leon grimacing at the implications, while Axel's green eyes gained a small spark of vitality. The twins exchanged dazed, almost confused, expressions, although it seemed to be in response to what they were going to do now rather than the details of the situation. "So he has effectively divided our attention now," Leon finally spoke. "We might be able to train Axel up enough to deal with the lesser vampires during the fight, but Roxas… most likely not. As talented as he may be in self-defense, fighting vampires is an entirely different beast." The previous spark seemed to fade from the apprentice's gaze, as if he suddenly realized he wasn't the only on in this mess. Turning back to his lover, the subtle way his lips drooped in a frown revealed he really hadn't thought of the fact the blonde would be in danger as well.

"I'm afraid the situation is a little worse than that," Cloud remarked. "If we fail and they manage to get their hands on those two… Sephiroth will turn them. We will have to fight against them… and kill them… I had hoped we would have a day or two before he was ready to entomb this city, but I don't think we can risk trying to transport their parents out anymore either." Turning from the now despondent pair, his blue eyes rested on the brunette huntress. "You have safehouses hidden throughout the city, correct?" he asked. She responded with a short nod. "We will have to hide the four of them there then. As soon as possible so as to not give my brother the opportunity to get to them first."

"We have ways of moving people discretely," Tifa remarked. "Leave it to us." She swiftly pivoted on the ball of her feet, taking long strides back down the hall and dragging the members of her organization with her. Cloud wasn't the only one that understood the urgency of that order.

"As for what to do with you two…" the vampire started, but he was cut off from his thoughts as the smaller blonde spoke.

"Turn me," he said quietly. The entryway fell deathly silent. All those gathered, which included four vampires, one hunter, and two sets of parents, couldn't entirely believe what they were hearing.

Sora was the one who finally managed to get the courage to speak up, his normally energetic voice soft and fragile. "W…hat?" he asked, almost cringing as the single word reverberated harshly off the stillness.

"I said turn me!" Roxas yelled, steely determination in his blue eyes. The two humans at the end of the hallway, his parents, gasped in surprise, but he ignored it. To his right his boyfriend grabbed his arm and asked him something in a quiet voice, but that, too, he paid no mind. Even Cloud's slowly softening stare was lost to him, instead locking gazes with the deep chocolate of his brother. Those dark pools slowly settled themselves, his mouth drawn into a thin line as gave the blonde a shallow nod.

At his back, Riku noticed the subtle shift in his mate's demeanor. While he couldn't hear the silent conversation they were having with their eyes, he did understand the end message; Sora agreed. "Are you sure about this?" he asked worriedly, still all too clearly recalling his own wakening.

"Roxas is right," Sora conceded. "It's the only way. It gives him the best chance of being able to make it through this whole mess alive, and if one of them manage to get their hands on him he's going to be turned anyway. I'd rather do it myself than worry that someone else is stalking my brother."

The blonde was just opening his mouth to say thank you when he was cut off. "Then turn me too!" Axel shouted.

"What?!" the blonde replied immediately, turning and slamming a fist onto his chest. "You should be able to hold your own just fine as you are without becoming a vampire."

"So I would just do even better as a vampire."

"But it isn't nece—"

"I'm not letting you go through that alone!"

Roxas had no reply. He just stared at his boyfriend. "I am afraid I must agree with your pupil," Cloud said after a short moment, breaking the silence. "As much as I hate to admit it, we are going to be sorely outnumbered, and if Roxas is already determined to join this fight as a vampire then turning Axel is a wise choice as well."

He'd expected Leon to argue, but instead his mate said, "I'll turn him."

"It would be better if Riku did," the Master countered, and if not for the seriousness of their situation he would have found the flash of blue in his mate's eyes amusing. On Riku's part, he did nothing but nervously shift his feet.

"Axel is my student. He is my responsibility," he growled.

"It would certainly be more beneficial for you to turn him," Cloud agreed, "considering your power is stronger than Riku's. However, I don't think I could convince Sora to let someone else turn his brother—" the answer of which was a red glare and the brunette taking a step closer to the blonde "—and it is better for mates to be close in power. I don't think Riku will mind letting you take over as his mentor, but it would be better for both of them if their strength is near equal." Leon released a resigned sigh, but made no move to argue. Turning back to the pair, he added, "If we are going to do this, it should be now, while the sun is still up. Sephiroth will become more active after dark and we definitely don't want your first feeding interrupted."

As they started walking back to the living room, a thick seriousness to the air, the woman at the end of the hallways stopped the small blonde for a short moment by placing her hands on his shoulders. "Are you sure about this, Baby?" she asked, tears threatening to pool at the corners of her eyes.

"I'll be fine, Mom," Roxas assured, moving forward to wrap her in a hug. They stayed like that for a moment, no one really wanting to interrupt the scene. Unfortunately, though, time was something they had little of.

Stepping out of the kitchen, Tifa placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "If you are finished packing, we need to get you four to a safe house, before it's too late," she stated. Wiping the forming tears from her eyes, the mother simply nodded and released her son.

"I'll see you once this is all over!" Roxas called after her, standing in the hall and watching the group depart until the front door softly closed. Then, taking a deep breath, he turned back to his brother and said, "Let's do this."

The two sat on the couch, the same one they'd come to from a movie what seemed like so long ago to find a writhing Sora on as his body changed. Now it was their turn. "It hurts," Sora warned softly. "Not the bite, but the change. I've told you before, but it was like my body was on fire and a beast was trying to claw its way out of my throat." Despite the nervous gulp, his twin made no indication he'd recant his intentions. "I'm sorry," Sora whispered, leaning in the last couple inches and sinking his teeth into the boy's neck.

They'd chosen different alleyways to drop the two off, far enough apart that they shouldn't run into each other but close enough that they didn't have two separate areas to patrol. Tifa and her group had returned by the time they had to move the two, and her hunters helped ensure that none of Sephiroth's fledglings could interfere. To Cloud's surprise, they were actually able to completely mask their scent and presence, to the point where he had problems locating them when he knew where they were stationed, which meant the two hunting below wouldn't get distracted by their presence either. It also helped solidify his trust in Tifa's ability to defend herself in this upcoming fight.

With the initial feeding out of the way and the—now six—vampires gathered back in one spot, Cloud had one more thing he needed to discuss with the group before he refined their training regimen. That is, after the new pair stopped fooling around. Axel had run up to his lover, demanding to 'see' and immediately proceeded and pry Roxas' mouth open. While it was obvious he wasn't really angry at the redhead, Roxas' eyes did bleed to crimson and he shouted back at the taller male for his 'inappropriate timing' before shoving his thumbs between Axel's jaws and stretching the man's mouth into a lopsided smile, biting out 'how do you like that.' He just continued to grin, the sharp points of his fangs barely visible. Both stopped and looked back towards the eldest vampire there when he cleared his throat, the short blonde slowly releasing his lover's mouth.

"As much as I am sure you guys aren't going to like it, there is one more thing we need to do during the time we have before the fight," he started, making brief eye contact with all of them before stopping on his own mate. "We are going to need to increase our blood consumption." All of them stiffened, although Leon did divert his gaze slightly, as if in understanding. "The way we have lived through the last few months is capable of keeping us healthy and sane, but not strong. Vampires are made to live on blood alone, and while we can get nutrients from regular food, there is a cost to consuming it. That will need to be cut out as well."

"How often?" Riku asked, the only one among them that was really aware of the difference a healthy diet had made to their thirst. "How often will we have to drink?"

Guilt made Cloud stall a moment, but he also knew this was necessary for them to have any chance in this war. "Every night," he replied slowly, measuring their reactions. Riku clutched a little tighter at his mate's shoulders, although whether for his comfort or his lover's was unknown. Having just drank for the first time, the new pair exchanged worried glances, obviously still lacking confidence in their new lifestyle. And his own mate was notably silent, moving only to shift his weight from his left foot to his right as he continued to lean against the wall. He was the one Cloud expected to protest, but he was oddly silent, his former boss giving more of a response as she glared suspiciously at his latest proposition.

"And that is absolutely necessary?" Leon asked after a short moment, serious gaze rising to meet his mate's. There was no judgement there, no sign of discontent, just pure curiosity. No, he had not come to terms with his new diet completely, but this was something Cloud had always liked about him; when push came to shove, he was willing to push his own feelings on the matter aside to do whatever needed to be done. He could mourn his actions later, once everyone was safe.

"If anyone finds that completely unacceptable we might be able to safely cut it down to every other day," Cloud replied, sending a glance over his shoulder at Tifa, who was most likely the one who would complain. "But we will need all the strength we can get before the battle, and for that we will need to hunt every night."

"If that is what gives us the best chance," Leon started, pushing off the wall. His eyes started glowing blue, brows set and fangs flashing around his lips as he spoke again, "Then that's what we'll do." The lone hunter watching the group at the far end of the alley just smiled and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. All six of them were standing tall and proud, determined. Yes, they had a real chance at winning this war.

The next two weeks went by in a blur. After two days Tifa's men had already set about cordoning off seven square blocks of old, abandoned high rises in the old district. The next night Cloud had sent off glowing silver bird to issue a challenge place and time to his brother. He'd stroked the soft feathers on its head and cooed something its ear as he rolled the message up for it to carry, giving the five sets of eyes gazing on in wonder at it only a subtle wink before sending it off. He'd explained it was his familiar, a spirit that thrived on his energy and thus bowed to his command. While it usually would take the form of a wolf, that of a bird was not unfamiliar to it as well.

Day three was by far the most awkward of the two weeks. Riku could distinctly recall the very moment his peaceful slumber was jarred. One second he was in dreamland eating ice cream cones with Sora, the next, Sora's hand slammed down on his penis hard enough he was afraid even his vampiric healing wouldn't fix it as the brunette jolted up into a sitting position, face bright red. If not for the absolutely horrified expression on his face that made him wonder for a short second if Sephiroth was standing in their room he would have sent some choice words in the boy's direction. Instead, he watched as Sora's arms slowly came up to hug his shoulders, shivering slightly and every hair on his body standing on end. A moment passed by, then two, and finally something snapped in the younger vampire. In a blur he was off the bed and out of the room, Riku thankfully only half-hobbling after him as his regenerative abilities healed whatever damage his mate had accidentally inflicted on him. By the time he made it to the hallway Sora was already banging on his brother's door, seemingly too embarrassed to form any words. When the blonde finally did sheepishly open the door, Sora yelled, "If you two are going to have sex then at least get out of my head first!" And that is when they all learned that telepathic connections between vampires was not a common thing, and the twins had been hearing each other's thoughts for almost half a week. Needless to say, the two didn't have sex that night. Cloud proceeded to teach them light meditation the next day to help seal their thoughts. It wouldn't work with intense emotions, but at least helped them keep their mundane thoughts from invading the other.

By day six all five fledglings had mastered the art of levitation, at least enough that would be able to hold their own fairly well in an aerial fight. The worst at that, and the reason it took six days for them all to graduate, was Sora, and the brunette found himself a little disheartened by the fact that he also had yet to find an element that he was acclimated to. Axel had discovered his easily on the first day. Of course he would be attuned to fire. Riku had learned he was adept at ice magic a few days later, and Roxas had discovered that playing with lightning was a very fun pastime, especially when he discovered he could sent a bolt or two in his twin's direction without having to worry about seriously harming the other boy. Sora had taken to using Axel as a shield. He still hadn't found his element. They also realized that day that they had to move their hunting grounds for the frequency of unconscious people being found in back alleyways had been starting to raise suspicions. Add to that the rumor of a serial killing being loose in the city, with other a dozen families found slaughtered in their homes, all with one family member missing, and over twenty new missing persons reports from people that you normally wouldn't peg as running off, all within the span of a week, and the entire city seemed to be on edge. As dangerous as it was, they started hunting separately, too, to be more discrete.

Confidence and complacency struck on day eight, when Roxas learned just how volatile lightning could be. A large crack had formed down the center of the old, outdoor basketball court they were using as a training ground, the community center it belonged to having long since been shut down. The silverette was shielding his lover from the dangerous blast, the brunette shoved in a corner against the diamond fencing with his back pressed firming into the older vampire's chest. Luckily the blast had arced away from them and neither were hurt. Axel had also managed to avoid the dangerous spark, having leapt up onto one of the old backboards in his haste. Roxas, though was a different story. He slumped to the ground, breath coming in hard pants as he tried to keep his vision from swimming. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, a pool of blood forming around his limp hand resting on the ground. Right hand clutching at his shoulder, he tried not to look at where his skin had been seared black and deep cuts snaked up his arm, tried to ignore the smell of charred flesh and boiling blood, but he still wanted to vomit. Sora was at his side immediately. Slipping between his mate and the fence, as soon as the fear and pain his brother was feeling was transmitted to his mind he was at the blonde's side, once hand on his chin and the other on his shoulder. He cooed softly to the body and gently started applying pressure to the worst of the wounds. All the while he relayed comforting words to his, soft "shhhh"s and "you're gonna be okay"s and sweet "I'm here for you"s. He was just about to turn to Cloud, who had made his over to the pair, when his brother's cerulean eyes snapped to his arm, a look of surprise on his face. Following the fledgling's gaze, Sora slowly released his grip on his arm. Bright red blood was smeared across pale skin, but there was no sign whatsoever remaining that he had been injured. "Wow, I guess drinking blood more often really helps with the healing thing," the brunette stated offhandedly.

"Not that much it doesn't," Cloud replied, scrutinizing gaze taking in the two boys. "Sora, let me see your hands." He cocked his head to the side in confusion, but did as he was bidden. The Blue-Eyes wrapped his strong grip around both wrists and flipped his hands so they were facing upwards, a soft green glow still radiating from the fledgling's palms. All six of them stared at the strange spectacle in awe. "As I thought, you healed him. It would appear, Sora, that you are even more spectacular than I thought. Very few vampires can even use healing magic, but to come in to it naturally is an amazing feat." The teen could do nothing but stare at his hands in awe. That is, until his brother noisily complained that his forearm was still sore where his hand had been badly burned and he returned to healing the injury.

Day twelve saw Sora suddenly create an ice pillar so tall that it crashed into the protective shield Cloud had cast to prevent their training sessions from being seen or interrupted. Since it was not made to withstand internal impacts it created a massive crack in it, which Cloud had to hastily repair, and he was about to compliment the boy when he looked over and saw his mate catch the other brunette before he could collapse. Whatever had allowed him to create such a massive pillar appeared to have drained a large portion of his energy. At that point he forbade Sora from trying any more spells. At the boy's complaint, which included a worry that he would drag the team if he couldn't use spells, Cloud pointed out that he was only one that could repair any serious wounds they received and that should be good enough. He was fairly decent in physical combat, too, and since he did not plan on any of them fighting alone that should be good enough. However, if exhausted himself before the fight even started then he truly would be useless. That was enough to shut him up.

And Day thirteen was the last one before the ultimate fight against Cloud's family. The stage had been set and the majority the workers involved had gone to ground in the various safehouses around the city. Hunters from across the continent had gathered at Riku and Sora's houses, an odd assortment of characters ranging from an aging man that looked to be in his forties with a machinegun for an arm to a boy that looked barely older than Sora that refused to part with what looked like a volleyball. Regardless of how much Sora asked to play a game with him he refused, and the one time the fledgling tried to take it by surprise he'd found himself smacked over the head with it and face down in the carpet. The boy also had a strange habit of wearing nothing but swim trucks, even though the weather was turning colder and it was definitely not swim trunks weather. Most of these other hunters had taken a little convincing on Tifa's part to really accept the tentative partnership with the vampires, more than one sending cryptic glares in Leon's direction. No doubt that had been the biggest shock to them, seeing the usually tense ex-hunter pouring over whatever plans were laid out on the table with glowing blue eyes and a flash of fangs. Whether it was intimidation or an act of trust, he didn't try to hide that he one of the undead now.

With the last day drawing to a close, people started shuffling off to their respective sleeping arrangements. Tifa and three other women that reminded Sora of foreign dancers had taken up in Leon's old room since he had been spending his nights with his mate. The sofa in the living room was actually a pull-out bed, and a couple of the more unabashed youths had opted to sharing it rather than fighting over who could sleep there. Roxas and Sora had kept their respective rooms, their mate always joining them in their beds, and Leon and Cloud stayed at Riku's place. The rest of the hunters filed into what was left, Sora's and Riku's parents rooms, along with the silverette's own bed back at his place. There were too many people compared to how many beds, so one had taken the couch at Riku's and the rest typically piled extra blankets under themselves as cushion against the firm floor for the night. Maybe not the comfiest arrangement, but it was only for one more night.

As Sora lay in bed, mind racing about what tomorrow would bring, he tried not to wake his lover as he attempted to fall asleep. He knew he needed rest, but that nagging, anxious voice at the back of his mind would not seem to stop reminding him that he was about to head off to a war he very well might not come back from, and if such a thing were to happen he at least wanted to spend one more night in his boyfriend's passionate embrace. The more rational side of it reminded him that he didn't really have a choice, they had to win this fight, as well as the fact that not only would he be unable to keep such strong emotions from waking his brother and there were far more people in the house than normal. Still, he couldn't calm down and needed to do something to settle his nerves.

Rolling over tenderly and brushing the back of his hand along Riku's supple cheek, he lovingly cooed, "Riku…" The silverette's teal eyes slowly opened, not nearly as riddled with sleep as they should have been. It appeared he was having just as much trouble as Sora was. "I can't sleep."

"Just close your eyes and try," he replied softly, voice as smooth as silk as he returned the gentle touch. He couldn't deny that his mind had been going down a similar path as his lover's.

"Can we do something first?" the boy asked, shyly biting his lower lip.

Chuckling slightly under his breath, he murmured, "You wanna do it with so many people in the house? And with your mental connection with your brother still so strong?"

Shifting nervously where he lay, Sora continued to play with his lower lip. After a short moment, he carefully pushed himself into a sitting position, glancing down at his lover with half-lidded eyes that slowly started glowing crimson. "Well, I wanna do it, but like this," he admitted, wetting his lips with his tongue. The sight of those twin points made the other vampire groan huskily, his own orbs bleeding to red. That was certainly less conspicuous, and less likely to arouse their houseguests.

Pulling his own body up, Riku gently coaxed his smaller boyfriend back until he was flush with the wall between the twin's rooms. The silverette's teeth ached, desiring nothing more than to sink into the brunette's tanned skin. He didn't hesitate like he had when they first discovered this, leaning forward until his breath ghosted Sora's skin and parted his lips. Being careful with his aim, Riku plunged his fangs into Sora's neck. Purposely, he avoided the major artery and vein but savored the small taste of his mate's blood seeping in from the surrounding vessels. Intense pleasure swept through his body at the feeling of his teeth piercing the pliable skin, and the way the brunette let out a small gasp followed by a deep moan meant he felt it, too. It had apparently disturbed his twin, though, for there was an irritated bang on the wall behind them. To which, Sora answered with a lustful, "If it's bothering you then just bite your own mate." He then promptly followed his own advice and brought his teeth around to his boyfriend's throat. Fresh heat pooled in the older vampire's body, radiating out from where the brunette was lazily sucking at the stray drops of blood his bite produced and spreading throughout his veins. It was one thing he had strangely come to appreciate about being a vampire; even if the situation didn't allow for them to sleep together they could achieve a similar high just by sinking their fangs into each other. It was a much more subtle method of getting off, while effectively also cutting off their voices. Now drinking each other's blood in the middle of sex, that was pure bliss.

The moment drug on what seemed like forever before the brunette slowly retracted his fangs, lapping at the puncture wounds as they rapidly sealed. He had calmed down significantly by the time his mate also released his bite, and the two slowly laid back down after that and curled into each other's arms.

As it had turned out, right after hearing his brother's lazy shout the blonde and turned back to face his bed, face and both a bright red. He practically tackled the ginger that gazed over at him sleepily, the redhead having been able to drift off to sleep easily, and let his teeth brush against the older man's neck for a second as a silent request for permission. Whatever sleepy haze he had been drifting in Axel found his way out of it and felt his own eyes change color, his only response a slight tilt of his head. Greedily taking his invitation, Roxas sank his fangs into Axel's neck, the redhead quickly following suit.

Cloud and Leon, on the other hand, had apparently had no problems with disturbing their fellow houseguests. Luckily the walls were a lot thicker at Riku's place, for after a short wrestling session, one which Leon managed to come out of on top, the two men embraced. For the first time in months, ever since he had admitted to being in love with Cloud, the brunette was able to drive his blonde partner into the mattress. Cloud swore that he would not go easy on his mate the next time they fought for dominance.

The silver form cut through the darkness. Soft wings ruffled silently on an invisible breeze, carrying the majestic creature farther into the void. It never wavered in its path, flying straight even as the air around it seemed to thicken like ink, believing in its mission and goal.

And slowly, a tower started to rise out of the gloom. Circling once, twice, it angled down towards the solitary black square, unfolding its wings at the very last instant and landing noiselessly on the edge of the window. A dark form stirred in the back of the room, gliding across the stone floor and coming up just short of the light radiating off the mythic bird. "Fenrir?" its voice asked, a single hand reaching into the light and offering the beast a perch. The bird fluttered over to the its hand, staring into the shadows of its face for a moment before a slow, slight smile pulled at the corners of its lips.

Reason for my magic selection is as follows:
Axel – Duh! If he is anything other than fire I have failed as an author.
Roxas – Partially because he is blonde, but also because the primal and unpredictable nature of lightning seems to fit him.
Riku – Always cool and collected. Ice just seemed to fit him perfectly.
Sora – I never really used magic when I played the Kingdom Hearts games, and when I did I typically did so for healing. Thus why I gave Sora strong healing magic. There is another reason, but it will spoil something coming up so I won't say what it is and try to remember to add it in as a note once the reason is shown."

The recount of the two weeks could have probably been a chapter all its own. I could have expanded the days with more details, but I personally think it sounds better as a brief summary. On that note, I had actually planned on trying to fit a full, last sex scene in on that day thirteen to both show that Cloud isn't exclusively top anymore and that Vampires derive great pleasure from biting at being bitten by their mate, but it didn't seem to fit with the way I wrote the rest of that two weeks. Sorry. :(

As always, reviews are luffed and appreciated!