A Light In The Heart Of Darkness. Amy Blankenship

      Kyou's body levitated up to the window where he could tell her scent was the strongest. Molten golden orbs widened in shock at the scene that played out right before his eyes. There… in the room where Kyoko lay, a young man entered with golden eyes and long midnight hair littered with streaks of silver that matched his own.

      He felt as if the air had been knocked from his lungs as the mirror image of his murdered brother stood at the bedside, gazing down at the slumbering girl he had come to kidnap.

      His icy mask completely vanished at the sight of this boy that resembled his beloved brother from so long ago. `How can this be?' Remembering the first word she had spoken to him made his chest hurt. She had called him Toya by mistake and now… here in her room was Toya’s image?

      Kyou tentatively sniffed for a scent, trying to verify what his eyes were telling him but his mind could not comprehend. The scent of his brother lay slightly mixed with this boy's scent but before he could contemplate more on this, the boy crawled into her bed and wrapped his arms possessively around her.

      White-hot jealousy shot through Kyou’s entire body as the girl trustingly snuggled into the young man's embrace. A low warning growl vibrated within his chest as his eyes briefly flashed red. Brother or not… he would not allow it.

      He reached for the window just as a cascade of glitter washed across it making him jerk his hand back. Seeing the rainbow colored dust settle on the windowsill as if to protect her, he growled again. The girl seemed to be surrounded by everything supernatural and the immortal was grating on his last nerve.

      His eyes narrowed as he wondered if it was only a wizard’s spell that allowed him to see his brother. Had she cast the spell on him when she had whispered his dead brother’s name?

      His attention jerked away from the window to stare down at the ground below him… the wolf was coming. He sent one more murderous glare into the room before quickly levitating to the roof.

      Toya had just about fallen asleep when he heard an animalistic growl that seemed to be coming from Kyoko's window. `That's not right… she's on the second floor.' Toya's eyes cracked open at hearing the sound again.

      Lifting his head slightly, so as not to disturb Kyoko, he looked toward the window where the sound was coming from. Every instinct in his body told him someone or something was there… watching them.

      His gaze locked on the shadow of what seemed to be a man. It looked as if he were standing at her window… on the second floor? A silver outline billowed around his form and made him seem almost ghostly. Toya had seen this apparition before… in nightmares.

      Sun gold eyes where focused on the ground but Toya could see them flash red for just a moment and he could have sworn he saw the glint of fangs as well. The image shimmered as metallic flakes of multicolored dust rained against the window as if to block out the view.

      Toya shook his head and blinked rapidly before looking towards the window once more, only to find it now empty. “What the hell was that?”

      Feeling more than a little unnerved, he exited the bed and crept toward the window. Looking out, he was greeted with nothing but shadows and darkness. Inhaling deeply, he frowned noticing an unusual scent lingering near the ledge that he did not recognize.

      A low, irritated growl escaped his lips as he tried to identify it. Deciding that maybe it was just his imagination overreacting due to the events of that evening, he double-checked once more to be sure it was nothing.

      Temporarily satisfied that it was at least fading, he crawled back into bed with Kyoko, keeping one eye open for a while… just in case.

      *****

      Kotaro stood below Kyoko's window feeling the presence of the vampire he had encountered in the alley beside the nightclub. Though he had never gotten a good look at the night walker, he was sure it was Kyou. He could feel Kyou’s cold, quiet power and that was something he did not want anywhere near Kyoko. Kyou was an enigma and could not be trusted.

      With a snarl, his unrivaled speed had him on the second floor outside of Kyoko's door within the blink of an eye.

      Sniffing, he calmed some when he sensed Kyoko's scent, strong and recent. He confirmed `no bloodsuckers within her walls' but an angry growl escaped his lips when he smelled Toya's scent, just as fresh as his Kyoko's. Toya had gone into the apartment as well but had not come back out. Putting his hand on the doorknob, Kotaro turned it to find that it was broken.

      Broken but dead bolted. “What the…” He growled angrily at the forced entry that was now obvious.

      Kotaro held his hand in front of him, watching as his claws extended and tapered at the tips. There had never been a lock he couldn't pick and his Kyoko's locks were less than adequate. Kotaro smiled arrogantly as he placed his claw into the lock. Wiggling it slightly, he heard a satisfying click.

      With the stealth of a shadow, he entered the apartment… closing the door softly behind him.

      Hearing nothing but silence, he followed the path that Kyoko's scent had left for him. A moment later, he found himself standing at her bedroom door. His searing blue eyes sharp as a blade focused on the uneasy feeling that shot through his body.

      Not knowing what he would find on the other side, he slowly opened the door.

      *****

      Kamui decided to stay invisible as he watched Kotaro come into Kyoko’s apartment. It wasn’t as if he was hiding from his friend… no, that wasn’t it at all. But knowing who was in Kyoko’s bed at the moment, well… he thought it best to stay invisible instead of making himself a target once the shit hit the fan.

      He had done what he could to keep Kyoko safe all evening but as far as Toya went… the silver guardian was on his own on this one. Kamui silently cringed as Kotaro opened the bedroom door.

      The sight that greeted Kotaro was almost more than he could comprehend. Lying in her bed was that filthy dog, Toya! Holding her as if she belonged to him and only him… his arms were wrapped tightly around her oblivious body and a satisfied tilt was on his lips.

      A snarl escaped Kotaro as he advanced upon the couple lost within their own dreams.

      â€˜You shameless thief,’ Kotaro’s thoughts roared in his mind as his eyes began to bleed in anger. His control barely kept in reign as he grabbed and tossed his rival out the bedroom door without waking Kyoko.

      Toya didn’t know what to think when he was lifted from the bed by the scruff of his shirt and literally thrown out of the bedroom door to land well into the living room. Before he even had time to regain his sleep-dulled senses, Toya was once again picked up by the neck.

      This time, he knew who he was facing. Furious golden eyes locked with ice blue ones as his body was hauled almost effortlessly back into the air.

      Still invisible, Kamui had scattered from the sofa as he watched Toya soar over it. He now settled on the kitchen counter to watch the fun. Glancing over at Kyoko’s door, he waved a hand in that direction… putting a shield there to keep the noise from waking her.

      He turned his attention back to his two friends who were about ready to rip each other’s heads off. ‘Just like old times,’ Kamui secretly smiled wishing he had popped some popcorn for the show. ‘All I need now is a betting poll and money.’ He silently cocked an eyebrow wondering just which one he would bet on.

      Kotaro growled low in his throat, trying to keep the bloodlust from seeping into his piercing cobalt blue eyes. “Just what the hell did you think you were doing in Kyoko’s bed?” His voice held a hint of death as if Toya’s answer would decide whether he would later be found alive or not. Kotaro’s manner promised retribution if the answer proved to be one that he did not think was acceptable.

      â€œDamn it, you jackass. Let me go!” Toya clawed at the tight fingers clasped around his neck