"And don't come back until you've killed that thing!" The word echoed in his head as he crept silently through the brush. The anger and disappointment obvious on his father's face was burned into his memory. He was the oldest son, the one responsible for his younger siblings, the one supposed to be setting an example and he'd been getting the run around. He knew it, the family knew it, and that damn vampire knew it. He'd set traps, he'd tracked it hoping to find its lair, he'd decked himself head to toe in protective spells and gear, and still the thing danced in and out of his line of sight, that damn angelic smile on its demonic face. Danced in and out of his waking and dreaming, in fact, but he'd sooner commit seppuku then tell his family about that. The disgust that would be written on their face, that their son, inheritor of generations of vampire-hunter knowledge and teachings, dreamed about the object of their group hatred, dreamed of slipping his calloused fingers through that long hair... He shook his head to banish the unwanted images from his mind. If he didn't concentrate that damn vampire would sneak up on him....again.
Tonight, tonight he would end it. He would stop the beast from torturing him and ruining his life. He'd bring back its head and display it proudly on the dinner table so his family would know that he was not a weakling, prey to the vampire's evil charms. Then he would track down the other disgusting members of the creatures’ tribe and rid the planet of their existence. He wouldn't haunt his dreams without a head, now would he?
He spotted the clearing in the distance and slowed, further disguising his steps. He'd tracked the beast here three nights in a row and been unable to finish the deed. Every time he had been spotted and teased. The damn thing seemed to have unbelievable speed, appearing here and there in a rush, that maddening smile obvious on the pale white face, even in the darkness. The thing would tease and goad him, ask random questions, whisper in his ear and then be seated in the high branches of a tree seconds later. They would never touch, no matter how much he wished to grab the being and close his hands around that milky white throat. Longed to wipe that smirk from the others lips.
He stopped as white slid into view within the clearing. The beast was dressed all in white tonight, a long formal white kimono as though he merely waiting in the clearing for his wedding to begin...or his funeral. Slipping silently closer he gripped his sword hilt and whispered an incantation to further disguise his approach. The vampire stood in the center of the clearing, hands clasped before him; head bowed slightly, eyes closed. As usual his silky long hair lay undone about his shoulders, a stark contrast to the white kimono it lay upon.
Finally on the edge of the clearing he gritted his teeth and slipped his sword from its sheath. Tonight he would end this.
"Have you come to kill me Hyde?" the beast asked quietly, looking straight at him through the darkness, large eyes open and innocent, no trace of the mischief Hyde was so used to seeing in their depths.
"Don't I always?" Hyde growled, stepping into the clearing, furious that he'd been spotted.
A sad smile graced the others features. "I don't believe you..."
"Then maybe I should convince you." Hyde snarled and swiped at the other in a wide arc. He only paused a moment when the vampire easily dodged the sword and seemed to disappear from view. He was finally getting used to the other avoiding his blows.
"You could have killed me the first time." whispered in his ear and Hyde spun around to face his enemy, his blade at the others throat. "But you didn't."
"Vampire tricks." Hyde spat and lunged, trying to drive the steel through the blood suckers throat.
"You know that's not true." he had merely sidestepped the movement, the sword near his ear, their faces uncomfortably close. "What do you really want, Hyde?"
"I want you dead." Hyde whispered, eyes narrowed, but he couldn't move...couldn't slide his blade the rest of the way...gain his prize...
"I don't believe you." the vampire smiled gently. "What makes you hesitate?"
Hyde shook his head trying to clear it, aware that he was loosing, aware of the shaking of his sword arm as he struggled with himself. "You're evil, a demon! Blood sucking soul eater!"
"Am I?" the vampire drew closer still. "So end it..."
"You haunt my dreams..." Hyde whispered bitterly, distinctly aware of the others face mere centimeters from his own.
"And you mine."
"Your putrid magic has ensnared me! You should be dead!" Hyde tried desperately to convince himself.
"No magic, Hyde." the other shook his head gently. "I don't have such powers."
"Liar."
"Do you want to learn more...about my powers?" the other smiled, their noses nearly touching. "I'll show you a world without the hatred and death your family embraces."
"Your existence is blood and death."
"You're wrong, Hyde. Fear, hatred, death, all misunderstandings. I do live on blood, but I have never killed."
"What do you want from me?" Hyde met the others eyes, those pools of loneliness and secret knowledge.
"Your happiness." the other purred, lifting a hand to touch Hyde's cheek.
"You are my enemy." Hyde made no move to shake the other off him.
"So says your family...but you know different...don't you?"
Hyde closed his eyes, fighting with himself, fighting the moisture gathering in his eyes. Finally he opened them. "Why do you torture me?"
"You can end it at any time." Another soft smile.
Free hand grabbing silk Hyde pulled the other the last few millimeters to press their lips together. The sword dropped, buried in the sand at their feet, finally sliding his hand through the vampire's silky hair. He pulled away to look the other in the eyes, searching, finding only love and longing there. "Tetsu..." he purred and dove in for a more thorough taste.
Pressed against his obsession's body Tetsu fought to maintain the kiss as Hyde's protective talisman's burned through the kimono to mar the skin. One hand against Hyde's cheek, the other collected the leather bands together to savagely rip them loose. Tossing them aside Hyde came up for air to hiss in pain at the sudden action. Conveniently Hyde drew his head back with the intake of breath, presenting his throat for the other. With superior speed Tetsu smiled and moved in to nuzzle the vein buried there. Only a moment of pain...for a millennia of pleasure...
