Chapter 4

Kaoru made his way around to the passenger side of the car and opened it. Putting one arm under Toshiya’s knees and the other around his back he hoisted the younger vampire out and kicked the door closed with one foot. Shoulder bag with butterflies on it hanging off one shoulder, Toshiya’s rabbit within he made his way to the door. The sun was part way into the sky and by some miracle, and Toshiya wrapping his arms tightly around Kaoru’s neck, he got the door open and stepped inside. Taro’s raven flew downstairs as if to land on Kaoru’s shoulder but spotted Toshiya and quickly back winged, landing on the banister and cawing with annoyance.

"Shut up." Kaoru hissed. "I wouldn’t have been wandering around all night looking for him if it wasn’t for you." Ignoring the raven’s cringe he carried Toshiya downstairs and put him to bed, with his rabbit. Back upstairs once again he found the raven hadn’t moved from the banister.

"Quit terrorizing Toshiya, you hear me? And his rabbit! I didn’t know it but he’s been through too much already without you bullying him and forcing him to have nightmares about Ryutaro. He’s not here to replace Ryutaro, he’s here to learn about being a vampire then he’ll probably move out! So you’re just going to have to live with him here until then." Hand on his hips Kaoru waited for the raven to venture some reply. It trilled softly and seemed to hang its head. "Good. Now when Toshiya wakes up we’re going to call everyone together and move his things here. Until then I’m going to bed." Moving swiftly up the stairs he scooped his bobcat up off the floor and closed the door behind himself.

When Toshiya awoke in the bed Kaoru had given him he pouted. He’d kind of hoped Kyo would have taken him home. Happy only at the absence of Ryutaro dreams he curled his covers around his bunny and moved upstairs.

Moving into the kitchen he put his arms up over his head as Taro’s raven flew towards him. Expecting attack Toshiya tried to wave the bird away as it clung to his wrist. A short struggle later Toshiya realized the raven wasn’t attacking him, just landing on him. Still suspicious he held his wrist as far away from himself as possible and regarded the bird who did the same to him.

Kaoru found them in this position when he arrived in the kitchen only Toshiya’s eyes seemed to look through the bird and he was smiling. Warily Kaoru approached the two who had yet to notice him. Glancing from one to the other he put his hand on Toshiya’s shoulder and gently called his name. Toshiya came back with a shake and Taro’s raven squawked.

"Kaoru!" Toshiya’s smile had yet to vanish. "He apologized! He realized how childish he’d been acting after you yelled at him! He was just so jealous. He thought you were trying to replace him!"

Kaoru’s eyes narrowed, "Who Toshiya?"

"Ryutaro!"

The raven screamed and flew off as Kaoru grabbed Toshiya by the shoulders and slammed him into the counter. "Ryutaro is dead! He can’t apologize! He can’t be jealous! Stop talking about him as if he can!" He stormed out of the kitchen and, in turn, the house as Toshiya slid floor-wards.

"I know." Toshiya whispered as the raven landed in front of him. "I know." He repeated as his rabbit nudged under his hand. "But I just don’t know how to explain it." Shaking away the sadness he stood and reached for the phone on the counter.

*

Kaoru sat in a shadowed corner of Dark Notes glaring into a mug of beer that wouldn’t fufill it’s duty as alcohol and numb his brain. He could only guess that J had seen the mood he was in and ordered Ino to remain silent. Although Ino was shy to speak unless taking drinks when it came to friends he could talk for hours, trying to cheer them up.

A dirty pair of jeans and a baggy yellow T-shirt alerted Kaoru to his sudden companion and he looked up, unexpectedly identifying Shinya. The little auburn haired man had a particular fashion sense and T-shirts and jeans never really fit into it. Kaoru glanced around the nearly deserted bar wondering where Die was. The two were hardly ever seen apart.

"Yoshiki sent me to talk to you." Shinya answered Kaoru’s search. "Kaoru, what gift were you given when you changed?"

"Simple mind control, you know that." Kaoru replied, not knowing where Shinya planned to take the conversation.

"And what about Toshiya?"

Kaoru opened his mouth and stopped, suddenly realizing he had no idea what powers Toshiya had.

"So then it never occurred to you that being able to talk to Ryutaro through the bird might be his ability, not something he dreamed up to piss you off?"

Kaoru could only blink. For the second time in a week he’d been proven a complete asshole. "I hurt him again, didn’t I?" was the only response he could come up with.

"Don’t worry, he’s well on the way to recovery." Shinya smiled. "Now come. They’re almost done packing and Yoshiki’s invited us over once we’ve unloaded."

Slightly bewildered Kaoru followed Shinya out into the unusually sunny day considering the past days of ugly rain. He followed Shinya’s car to an apartment complex with a white van and a huge truck parked outside the front doors. Once he’d parked Kaoru moved to the front of the building and was spotted by the brunette loading boxes on the 4X4.

"Kaoru!" the man waved, hopping off the truck.

"Chisato!" Kaoru recognized him and smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Packing! Kyo got a hold of Shinya and Die and they got a hold of me since I own a truck."

"Where’s Hakuei?"

"Him and Toshiya are ‘supervising’." Chisato grinned. "Those two hit it off right away."

"Well that’s good. How many more trips till we’re done?" Kaoru glanced at Kyo as he emerged with a box in his arms.

"Not too much longer. We’re leaving most of the furniture with the landlady since he’s got a bed and kitchen appliances at your place. He says he never slept in the bed any ways."

"You should see all the clothes he has!" Kyo announced incredulously. "We had to do one trip with the van just for his wardrobe!"

"They’re coming down with the last of it!" Levin called as he came out with a box as well.

"Where’s Toshiya?" Shinya asked the angel.

"Him and Hakuei went to get his car out of the underground." Levin replied. "Toshiya’s been bragging all morning but I didn’t understand a word."

"It’s not a car." Chisato interrupted with exasperation. "It’s a motorcycle!"

"Well the landlady seemed happy." Die stepped out into the sun. "Toshiya didn’t loose his safety deposit or anything." And he loaded the last box into the van.

A roar alerted the group to the motor bike that sped around the corner, a skinny blond man hooting wildly riding double with whom they all assumed to be Toshiya in a matching jacket and helmet. The blue and silver bike whizzed passed and the group crowed with appreciation. He must have only swung around the block before returning and parking behind the truck.

"Chisato!" the blond man hopped off oddly and the brunette had to catch him. "I want a motor bike!"

Chisato just laughed. "Not another toy you’ll never touch Hakuei!"

Toshiya pulled off his helmet and shook out his corn braids as Kaoru approached. "Toshiya? I need to apologize again."

"No no." Toshiya gave a half smile. "I talked too lightly about someone you cared about very much. I can only imagine how much I must have hurt you."

"That didn’t give me the right to hurt you."

Toshiya pulled off one of his riding gloves and held his hand out to Kaoru. "Friends?"

Kaoru smiled and shook it. "Friends."

"Yay!" Die clapped his hands. "Let’s get this over to Kaoru’s and go party!"

"Levin?"

Levin turned around to spot a tall man in a white shirt and khaki pants standing across the street. "Taka!" he shouted happily and turned to Kyo. "Don’t leave without me!" and he sprung across the street.

"Levin, what are you doing?" Taka indicated the group now heading for various vehicles.

"They’re all vampires except for the one demon, Taka! And tonight there’s a party at their leaders’ house. If anyone can help us it’s him. They all say the Maker chose him specifically so he must know how to get a hold of Him."

"They’ve all accepted you?" Taka raised a black brow.

"Even the demon." Levin nodded.

"All right, but you be careful. I’ll run a report upstairs for you."

"C’mon Levin!" Kyo yelled as he climbed into the van.

"Coming!" Levin called over his shoulder. "Thanks Taka." Shaking the taller man’s hand Levin darted back across the street and climbed into the van’s passenger side.

"What was he hiding?" Taka murmured, "Something wasn’t right."

*

Yoshiki’s house was built into a hillside and equipped with many windows and white stucco siding. The inside was decorated in creams and browns, and scented candles littered every available shelf space. Yoshiki had invited every vampire that didn’t have to take a plane to get there and Levin was having a hard time getting the blond man to notice him.

Toshiya mingled as much as he could, eager to know the others like himself. Everyone was well dressed and almost every one had a partner of one sex or another. A very few even had partners they hadn’t changed yet who seemed already to fit in despite the blood still pumping in their veins. The problem was the main topic of conversation seemed to be Mana and what everyone wanted to do to him to get revenge. Although no one treated Toshiya like an outcast he found himself wondering if Mana deserved the terrible thoughts everyone seemed to harbor against him.

Turning away from just such a conversation Toshiya spotted Levin looking rather exasperated in one corner. Sliding easily through the crowd he attached himself to the angel’s arm. "Something wrong?" he smiled.

"I’ve been trying to meet Yoshiki but he’s so busy!" Levin replied with a pout.

"Here, let me." Toshiya smiled and accompanied Levin to the group currently surrounding Yoshiki.

Upon seeing the youngest of their group slide up towards him Yoshiki excused himself from his current conversation. "Toshiya." He smiled.

"Yoshiki, I want to introduce you to Levin." Toshiya pushed the angel forwards.

Yoshiki could see the vast difference between this Levin and the current population of his party but before he could shake Levin’s hand his stomach gave a turn. Toshiya was instantly holding him up wondering what was wrong. "I’m so sorry." Yoshiki announced quietly. "But I think I need to go lie down. Give Levin my number Toshiya." And he made a quick exit up the stairs and into his room. The door locked again behind him, his partner instantly at his side helping him to the bed.

"He’s made another." Yoshiki whispered. "I can taste it. It’s full of adrenaline, and fear. I don’t often feel a change like that."

"What will you do?"

"I have to stop him. Soon." Yoshiki tightly clasped his lover’s hand and tried to stop his heart from pounding.

Although the party continued no one had missed the abrupt loss of their host and speculation swung through the room.

"I thought vampire’s couldn’t get sick." Levin whispered to Toshiya.

"He felt something. Something very wrong." Toshiya replied.

"How do you know?" Levin looked up at the vampire.

"I felt it through him. Like I feel Taro through the raven."