'Xiah, has been designed to be weaker, than me. He has not attempted to kill yet? A shame really, he must've been severely weakened even in battle mode. Another cup?'

'A price? Interesting.' She ran her hand through her hair, a slight change of color in one eye appeared. 'If, you can endure it. Then Xiah can too? Your brother has an interesting way of reasoning.' Her eye color changed back to green again. She held her arm above the fire. 'Come here.'


'... Pain...' Xiah repeated out of the whole sentence, his response came out slower than before. Also less restrained. Obviously, he wasn't thinking anymore. Again, his mind a void of nothingness. A black pit, that was cold and had no feelings whatsoever. No thoughts swam by, no sounds. It was like the cold night in space, where the stars wouldn't shine.

'... Xiah...'

He felt something, shift through his mind every now and then, coming and going, but didn't say a word to him. It only listened in every now and then. Ah, Tian... you're still... He passed out completely as he got drilled on.

Hanging limply in the ropes, he soared through his own mind that was locked from viewer's eyes and nestled there until his body would signal him to come out. It was a defense strategy, meant to disguise himself as a dead corpse, until he was fully energized again from his wounds.

Even if he was eaten, he would be regenerating inside the body and burst out of it, completely as new. Some would see it as a parasite, others as a egg waiting to hatch.

"He is much softer than you are inside," Subaru agreed. He licked his lips at the offer, but made no reply. He took note of the changing color and smiled. "Your eyes do the same thing ours does. Do you go to your companion?"

He looked down when she mentioned Kamui's reasoning. "Ah... yes. Though most people would not put vampires in league with others." He blinked at her request but stood and walked over to her without any hint of fear. "Yes, Tian?"


Kamui smirked and leaned closer to Xiah's body. It felt strange, as if the life had ebbed out of it, but there was something there. For a being that fed on blood and life, it was only necessary to tell if prey was truly dead. He could feel no compassion, but he could think about it, and now he wondered if Xiah needed Subaru's gentler hand first.

"Little late now though, isn't it, Xiah?" Kamui continued fucking the limp form soon after, there was no point in stopping. He had raped Subaru in their childhood, nothing would ever compare to that. There was an eerie silence even after he climaxed. He pulled away from Xiah's body wearily, a few drops of semen escaping with his movement, making an obscene mix with the blood on the floor.

Kamui stared at it, then fell prey to maniacal laughter for some time. When he finally calmed down, he sliced the ropes holding Xiah up and caught his limp form with one hand, lowering it gently to the floor.

He sat back and pulled out some cigarettes. It was odd. Subaru was the one who had started smoking first, but not it was his habit. He lit it and blew a puff of smoke towards the ceiling, curling up with perverse contentment in the crook of Xiah's arm, even though the E was unconscious.

"You're so perfect, Xiah." Kamui purred.

'I am often inside his mind. And I do now know, that which he is comparing. Wasn't pleasant to either of you two.'  She cut her wrist open again, pushing the flesh slightly aside.

'Xiah, will need more regeneration time. Drink this instead.' She held her arm out to him 'I was built at the exact same time as Xiah, my creator was a male. Of which, Xiah was based on. Though, he appears softer. He is just the same as me, from the inside.'


Xiah... Xiah... He waited still. No signal came to inform him from the situation. He was still not repaired fully.
It didn't matter, taking notes of the damage he had taken, it would take a while for it to repair fully. Of which he was certain, the way Kamui was.

Repairing would only be halfway, for the wolf to play with the rabbit once more

-episode ending tune ensues-

"Vampires are never loved, it's not something new." Subaru replied, his eyes watching the blood flow from Tian's wrist. He shook his head after a long moment of silence, his hands clenched into fists. He smiled. "I'm quite all right. I do not need more blood from either of you tonight."

"Would you like to spend the night here then?" he asked, changing the subject completely.


Kamui stuck out his own tongue and extinguished the cigarette onto it with barely a grimace, then he balled the filter in one fist and pulled his cloak over both himself and Xiah. He was still spooned inside the unconscious and possibly dead pet, the moist, bloodied presence calmed him, like some perverse teddy bear.

"Subaru will not be here tonight," he muttered to himself. "Subaru does not like the smell of blood."

He closed his eyes, slightly tired in the afterglow of such a fun night with Xiah. He turned in his nap until he was facing his pet, and hooked a finger possessively into the chain collar around the man's neck.

'Don't leave me.' He whispered dreamily into Xiah's dark mind.

She shrugged, brushing over her wound as it closed rapidly again 'Then, it's time to collect the damage.' With that she stood up and gave a curt nod. 'Maybe I will, but he won't spend the night in the same room as your brother.' With that, she took her exit.

With quick and long strides, that made it seem as if she was mostly jumping from place to place, did she head back to the place her companion was damaged.


'Xiah? Your terminal system has been damaged. I have to repair and possibly, adjust the meters. Don't worry, you'll be shutdown for better regeneration processing. See you in a few days.'

That was possibly one of many repairs he had underwent for better results. Tian broke him too often to even think of winning from her. He had read, in a book, that women were often more dangerous than a fully grown demon attacking on full power.

He had laughed at results in which mothers were able to ignore all other danger in order to save their kid. Some lifted trucks, others jumped over a 5 feet hedge. It had made him wonder, if the mother was able to become intensively strong, what results did fathers have in similar situations?

It had been a long search, of which he didn't find out anything. Was he even able to get kids? He wondered about it for so long, he almost wanted them. But at the same time, he prepared himself to also kill that child.


Tian stopped in front of the door, her hands gliding over the wood as if looking for something. 'Xiah...?' She muttered, pushing it open.

Subaru sighed but did not stop her as she stood. "He never lets go till morning, regardless of whether they are dead or not. You will have to rip him apart to get him away from my brother... please talk first!"

He didn't think she'd listen though, so he went about making bed time plans first. Tian would have her own room, it wasn't good to have her sleeping in the same place as a man.


Kamui was dreaming, he was cold, and lots of people were throwing things at him. Rocks mostly. Subaru was beside him, but felt so cold it was like he was dead. Xiah's dream was perhaps affecting his, the child beside him was no longer Subaru, just another E he had slaughtered and eaten.

Just another E.

Kamui's eyes snapped open as soon as the door was touched. He did not rise though, he turned slightly, staring at the intruder with golden eyes, one hand still curled into Xiah's collar. "Go away. I'm in a bad mood."

He turned back to the unconscious pet and stroked his hair. "This one lasted much better than the others. I will make it last forever."

'You've used him up.' She didn't leave, instead, she entered the room and walked straight to them. 'He won't regenerate as long as you are near.' Her eyes shifted slowly to the blood puddle and the cut off ropes.

'Is this what you did with your brother as well? If so, then I don't think Xiah will regenerate for a long time to come. You've damaged him good.' She applauded him with mockery.

'Do you think, fixing his body, will make him wake up afterwards? He's not that simple.' The door bursted out of it's hold and floated behind Tian, cracking up into spikes.
'Give me Xiah. Or I will kill him in the process.'

Kamui got up as she entered, pulling the still form of Xiah up with him. He held onto him tightly, wrapping him into his cloak. "There are other ways for a vampire to make someone live."

His frowned a bit at her jab about his twin. It hit home all right, but it also made him angry. "What happened between me and Subaru is not open to discussion. And as for Xiah, I will find a way."

Kamui stared at the unconscious pet cradled in his arms and kissed his forehead gently. "I don't mind if he won't wake up," he said slowly. "He won't leave me if he does not open his eyes. And I do not have to read his thoughts to understand him."

He turned and stared at the spikes, then shrugged. "I'm not letting him go."

'Xiah is not yours.' She said slowly, stepping closer and closer. 'I'm not discussing anything between you and your brother. Unlike your brother. Xiah does not forgive.'

'Then, you will die, with Xiah.' She announced, a small portion of the spikes shot out him and the unconscious Xiah.

Tian didn't care who got hurt in the process, she stood there calmly, shooting spike after spike after spike.

"He is mine now," Kamui said stubbornly, he took a step back and as the spikes shot towards them, his cloak spun out like a fan, catching the first volley in its folds. The vampire shot out from the attack unscathed, still carrying Xiah in one arm.

'If you care so much about him, why do you want him to die too?' Kamui sent as he darted behind a column. When that cracked, he spun on the spot, leaped up and punctured the ceiling with one hand, landing on the roof where there was more room to fight.

He wanted to put Xiah somewhere so he could fight, but there was no where, and he certainly wasn't about to give the pet to Tian. "Leave us alone," he said. "If you'd rather kill him anyway, let me have him. I found him."

"In a million or more possibilities, our meeting became certainty. ... That's something 'she' would find ironic." Kamui seemed to be talking to himself suddenly.

She was silent as she followed him to the roof. Shooting the spikes through them and broke parts of the roof to use as ammo.

'If you do not give me Xiah. I will take your brother. An eye, for an eye. You did not find Xiah. You forced him, either way. He was forced from the start.'

She walked calmly over the roof top, not giving him a spare chance to rest. 'Give him up and return to your brother.'

"You're underestimating Subaru," Kamui said, though there was an edge in his voice, it was not concern, but merely an expression of how protective he was when it came to his twin. "If you think you can 'take' him, you might find yourself in Xiah's position. I am not the only vampire, nor am I the one who came up with the idea of having slaves."

He dodged the spikes easily enough, but did not launch his own attack. Kamui's fighting style was strange, relying mostly on agility and economy of motion, using his hands as his primary weapon. He should have taken the shinken with him, but with Xiah in one hand it would have been awkward anyway.

'Xiah is not being harmed, why don't you go back to drinking tea with my brother?' He threw the thought at her at the mental level of a shout. Then Kamui turned from Tian and leaped off the roof, slipping into the shadow-riddled maze of the temple courtyard.

'Your brother, drank my blood.' Was her only response. She got even more ticked off as he referred to Xiah as a slave. Something she would never allow to happen, without Xiah's consent.

'You make me laugh. He wants to do nothing more but die. Thanks to you.' She followed after him, breaking everything along the way.

'You fool, you're not able to hide while holding Xiah.'

Kamui dodged through the shadows until he landed in one of the thick holy trees. It had its own sort of magic, and vampires were good at exploiting these. His eyes flashed in the darkness for a brief moment and a kekai was set up around the ancient sakura. He chuckled inwardly at the irony.

Being chased again. He smirked in the darkness, pulling Xiah close so he could kiss his cold lips. Always losing touch with something that almost brought compassion back to him. The price once paid was not something easily regained. He resisted the urge to play with Xiah's mouth, touching it tenderly with his fingertips after breaking the kiss.

This was only a temporary solution, if what Tian said was true, then she would find her way here eventually. Kamui made a decision and called out to his brother.

Subaru blinked. Kamui wanted to move now? They hadn't finished exploring the world yet, and Xiah price... He wondered what his brother was going to give up this time, since he doubted Xiah would be willing to pay his own way, or be in any condition to argue it.

Tian stopped as she felt the connection Xiah was emitting, become weaker. Too weak to pinpoint exact location. She stood silent and tracked down the steps, that were prior to the weaker signal.

'That bastard...' She grinding her teeth, as she found herself walking away. She broke down a wall and started sending the stones into several directions.

At one point, she send the stones in one direction, seeing how they disappeared from sight. '... Amateur.'

Kamui stared at the stone that disappeared from view just as it hit his kekai. He wasn't as good at it as Subaru, who could merge the worlds seamlessly so that the real one was not affected. He slid down from the tree and made his way to Subaru's room, moving with all the speed he could while carrying Xiah.

Subaru looked up as Kamui burst in through the door, he was already packing away stuff they wanted to bring, and he held out one of the shinken to his brother. "You might need this, I'll take Xiah."

Despite his trust for his twin, Kamui actually hesitated. Then he slowly put Xiah in Subaru's arms and struck the blade before him. He was experienced enough not to watch the door, the enemy was someone who could come from any direction.

A light glowed beneath their feet as Subaru chanted the spell that would transport them. Kamui knew what this meant. Subaru had in himself, the ability to move worlds for one person. It took him many years to gather the magic for it, and once it was used up for Xiah's transport, there would be no way to save Subaru in an emergency. This was something Kamui will have to live with.

'Che- That guy.' Tian spat, breaking the tree in her passing. She was infuriated and wanted nothing more, but to have her companion back. Even if it meant killing him in the process.

He could be repaired later on.

'... Xiah...'

Tian didn't intend to enter the room, instead, the room started to shrink in size rapidly, crumbling down at the same time. 'Give me Xiah.' She demanded once again, as there was created a gap wide enough for them to see each other.

'You can run. But you're not able to hide.' Her threats were made with a casual tone of voice, blank expression and empty cold eyes.

The tree she had destroyed, would be useful as ammo now, seeing as she deformed the debris into spikes and shot them again. Her aim was now, not only Kamui. But Subaru as well.

Kamui smirked as the walls closed in, the shinken cradled in his lap. There was barely any visible movement as he slashed away the spikes heading their way, none of it landed on his brother or the E, but he received a few injuries. He shrugged these off with barely a grimace.

"We have been running a long time, Tian." Kamui answered as the seal was completed beneath them. He lifted the shinken to his face and bowed as the light surrounded them. "Farewell."

Kamui turned and held his twin tight, Xiah between them as the spell took hold, the same disorientating eternity passed and suddenly they began to fall.

Subaru landed first, Xiah held gently in his arms. He was frowning though, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. Kamui quickly took the E from him as he fell beside them and checked his brother with one hand.

"You're feverish," he said, frowning. "You spent too much power."

Subaru shook his head, reaching out again for Xiah. "I will recover, but you really went too far with this one, Kamui. Were you that angry at Tian's presence?"

"... Tch." Kamui turned and disappeared down the street. "I'll find us a place to go." The place they had fallen in seemed to be a world filled with snow. Lamps could be seen in the distance. Subaru cradled Xiah and tried to apply what healing he could to help the man.

Tian watched them disappear, tilting her head to the right for a second with a shrug 'This time you've made a mistake...' She whispered at the now empty room.

With one motion, she destroyed the complete temple and then vanished, she would murder the closest town now.


Finally Xiah's body signaled him to come out. But the outcome wasn't to his desire. '... Tian...?' He muttered, his view blurred out, then turned into a sneer as Subaru's face came into sight.

But he passed out again soon afterwards, closing his mind up along the way. He had taken note of where he was though, having send it out in thoughts to his companion.

Wherever it was, they were.

Kamui walked slowly along the snow-filled streets. He should not have rushed off like that. Snow always reminded him of the worst things, and he didn't have the time to pause. His blue eyes sought a place to rest where they would not freeze to death, but there was nothing in view. Finally he returned to the entrance of the village and knocked on the first door there.

A lean figure appeared, with black hair and ponytail. Kamui nodded politely. "I'm sorry to intrude on you so late, my brother and I are travelers, and we have... a companion who is injured, may we use your house for the night? I can work to pay our way."

The man stared at them for a while, then smiled. "I'm the town doctor, you've come to the right place. Please, I'll come help you." He disappeared then returned wearing a cloak and carrying a lamp.

Kamui led him to where Subaru waited. His twin wordlessly handed Xiah back, but in their mind, he left a warning. 'He woke for a while, but... I don't like what I saw.'