For Eternity

Part 3

His reflection gazed back at him. With a slender finger, he traced his cat-like eyes, his high cheekbones and the red lips. His hair fell down on his back when he pulled the silver pins out, placing them on the dressing table among his other jewelry. An amulet lay among them; one with four gray stones held in place by a gold three-toed claw, like those of a falcon. The gold rimmed edges gleamed in the light of the flickering candles around the room. He pressed his hands on the sides of his face gently.

How long has it been since he last touched the rays of Ra? If he were a thousand years younger, the light of Sun would have burned him to Hell. But now, it only raised but a few wrinkles on his skin if he were exposed. A finger drew circles on the wrinkles and they promptly faded and disappeared. His skin was smooth and flawless again like marble. Cold like marble.

He was the strongest of his kind. He was the offspring of Ra, Himself; banished to Earth. And surely J and Sugi would be too since they drank their superior blood from him. They would have inherited his powers. And he was certainly not letting them spoil everything just because of these humans. Emotions made people weak.

hide slid off the bed and appeared behind Yoshiki, his hand reaching to stroke behind his ears.

In the mirror, Yoshiki saw him running his hand through his mass of hair, sorting the tangles out. Their reflections was lighted with an eerie glow from the orange candle flames. The fragrance of dried roses wafted from Yoshiki’s skin. Yoshiki smiled and turned to bury his face in hide’s neck. Erotically, he scraped the protruding teeth across the flesh there and bit on it slightly; just enough to allow blood to seep through the skin. He tasted it.

" You taste delicious!" His soft laughter filled the room like a waltz. The satin coverlets seemed to envelope them naturally as they reached the bed. hide stroked Yoshiki’s cheek and caught himself almost drowning in the greenish-blue orbs that were Yoshiki’s eyes.

" Ino’s a pretty little thing ne?"

" Quite," Yoshiki said simply.

" So, aren’t you gonna repay me for helping you find him?" hide said in a seductive tone, his hand reaching between Yoshiki’s legs.

Yoshiki purred at his touch, arching his back, and said, " Of course; I never owe anyone."

***

The night was dark and sultry. The sliver of moon hung low, almost as if touching the bay. Its reflection rippled on the swaying waters of the Adriatic, beyond the familiar masts of ships. Tiny lights flickered on the distant islands. There were no stars.

Sugi walked on the sand, barefoot; feeling the grains go between his toes. The wind, mild and full of salt and sea dew, swept his hair back. Another man, a stranger, sat on the moss-covered rocks, looking into the night. He had long wavy hair that reached his waist. But what attracted Sugi was his eyes; so cat-like and deep. Sugi came to him and covered him with kisses which he didn’t resist. All Sugi felt was the blood running through this man’s veins. Ah, delicious blood!

He pitied these mortal beings; so fragile and vulnerable. Like breakable crystals in his hands.

Sugi caressed the his victim in a lover’s embrace as he brushed his lips across the side of his neck. The man whimpered as sharp fangs sink through his flesh. The taste of rich blood trickled from the fang-punctured skin onto his tongue. He savored every last drop as it flowed into his body, making it flourish with the supply of fresh blood. He felt his victim’s blood pulsing from the weakening heart until it finally made one last beat. The man tensed before falling limp in Sugi’s arms. Eyes closed peacefully in sleep; his pale lips parted in an inviting kiss of a dying lover.

Sugi felt sadness as he placed the corpse over the waves of the sea; watching the dark waters engulf it. Black wisps clouded the moon from view but Sugi saw each detail of every object clearly.

Sugi found Ryu in the art room upon his return; in his hand was a paintbrush and he sat before a piece of blank canvas, humming aloud a bubbly tune. With a few strokes, he outlined a figure of a woman sitting on a chair. The lines differed in thickness and portrayed perspective and depth. Keeping quiet, Sugi watched in fascination as the colors swam onto the canvas and breathed life into the painting. She wore a blue dress with lacy white frills and had blonde curls framing her delicate face.

" Why do you make her have those freckles?"

Ryu’s head snapped up in surprise when he heard the voice.

" Master, you’re home!" he exclaimed, abandoning the painting as he ran to welcome his Master with a warm hug.

" Oh? You missed me?" Sugi raised an eyebrow.

Ryu sulked at the sarcasm in his voice and strode back to his artwork. He touched the aforementioned freckles and then smiled at Sugi, shrugging as he replied, "It makes her look more human."

" More human?"

" Yes," he said, mixing the oil paint with a brush. " Flaws are what makes humans; those who are perfect…like you…are not humans."

Sugi heard a trace of longing in his voice. Threading his fingers through Ryu’s fine hair, he asked, "What do you mean?"

" You are my Master but what are you really?" Ryu’s eyes were piercing although his voice was soft. He placed down his brush and went to knelt before his Master, his head craned upwards so that his face was in Sugi’s view.

Descending to the floor so that he was Ryu’s level, Sugi whispered, " I am what I am, Ryu. Are you afraid of me?" Pink strands of his hair veiled his eyes as he brought his face close to Ryu’s. His tantalizing scent clouded Ryu’s senses as their lips met in a passionate lock. Ryu’s tongue ran over Sugi’s unnatural protruding fangs; realizing their existence and believing it for the first time.

The thickly bricked walls muffled the lightning that thundered above them as drops of rain drizzled and watered the vines that climbed along the ridges of the stone pavement.

" Master…" Ryu sighed as he found a cozy position in Sugi’s arms.

" Yes?"

Ryu looked at the face of his owner and savior, admiring the flawless skin that accompanied the perfect features. A shadow of a scar could be seen amidst the taintless complexion and Ryu traced a finger over it.

" Can you make me…be like you?"

***

Effortlessly, he lifted the man from the ground. The night wind bellowed in the presence of three; Sugi, J and Ryu. Held by the collar of his cloak, Ryu squirmed to free himself but only to have J tighten his grip.

" Please, J! Let him go!"

" Look at yourself. You’ve gotten weak…because of him!" J held Ryu over the cliffs, threatening to feed him to the turbulent waves that were crashing against the sharp rocks. The cold wind bit at Ryu’s skin, making him tremble.

" No. J, don’t do it," Sugi begged. Sugi’s face twisted in the mix of anxiety and anger.

" You’re pathetic," J snarled at him.

"Ryu!!!"

Ryu felt nothing but the cold harsh air against his exposed face and arms as J released his grip. It seemed an eternity before he reached the bottom. The waters swallowed him like hungry lions on a deer. He felt pain enter him. He remember reaching out but there was no one to hold his hand.

A chill ran down his spine. J clutched his robe close to his body as he fed a piece of wood to the fire burning in the hearth. The flames sprang up, sending flares and shadows dancing round the room. J sat down on the cobblestone floor, rubbing his hands together although he felt neither hot nor cold.

Why did these memories suddenly return? Because of his brief encounter with Sugizo? Must be it.

The fire crackled softly in the otherwise quiet room.

***

The rain began pouring as the thunderclaps boomed more often. The pelting raindrops hit the smooth surface of the windows, making shadows stream into the art room. Sugi felt his mouth go dry even as he gently caressed his lover’s face.

" Why do you want that, Ryu?"

" I want to be the same as you. Then maybe you wouldn’t leave me alone when the sun rises tomorrow." Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked expectantly at his Master. Sugi bit his lips and walked across the room towards the hill of tools in the corner. Picking up a scalpel, he inspected the edge. Ryu saw a thread of crimson appear on the back of his hand as Sugi pressed sharpness against the skin. Holding the hand in front of Ryu, Sugi increased the pressure. A drop of blood made a trail of red against the paleness of his hand to fall on the white marble floor.

Ryu saw the flesh sew itself up, covering the wound in an instant. Sugi flicked his wrist to show him the healed hand.

" I won’t die; I live in eternal sin, living off human blood." Sugi laughed as he cleaned the knife. "It’s not worth sacrificing your humanity to the Devil."

Silence preyed on them. Ryu gingerly touched the spot where his Master previously slit himself. Not a trace of a cut. He did not feel fear at his Master’s proclaimed immortality. Instead, he wanted to feel like him; to be like him.

" I don’t care, Master. I still love you."

" I won’t fulfill your senseless request, unless it’s inevitable. You must understand that," Sugi said. Ryu didn’t reply. Sugi found his lips sealed as Ryu kissed him.

***

Yoshiki stooped down to pick up the fallen sheets of paper. Brushing his wavy hair back, he smiled at Ino.

" Sorry, I was just looking," he apologized quickly. " I’m feeling better already; I should go. Thanks for saving me."

" No, it’s nothing. Don’t you want to stay awhile longer?" Ino ducked his head to hide his blush. Yoshiki was so…beautiful. Seeing him made him forget about the poverty he landed himself in and his futile search for his lover.

" I’d be intruding," he answered.

" No, you won’t! I’m happy to have you here! Please say you’ll stay longer…accompany me, ne?" Yoshiki waved the papers in his hands as he spoke. "You were looking at these, no? I can play it for you if you want to hear! Come!"

Ino could not help but follow Yoshiki’s excited footsteps through the marble arch of the corridor. The place seemed even bigger than his Master’s mansion. Paved in marble and carved granite, everything seemed ancient, eternal, beautiful. Ino looked out as they walked along the path cutting the garden. The greenery sprawled until the high walls, specked with colorful buds of flower. It took a while of admiring for him to realize that all the flowers were roses. Roses of all shades; red, pink, yellow, white, even blue!

They entered another section of Yoshiki’s mansion. It was a white dome-like building. Yoshiki bid Ino to go in with him. Pink marble floor reflected the sunlight that came in from tall windows, framed with white curtains. Everything was white, making it look pure. It was empty except for the grand piano that stood out in its polished dark wood color.

Yoshiki went to the piano, lifting the lid. Ino blushed again as he smiled. A soft serenade filled the room, lilting yet sometimes forlorn. Everything seemed to stay still throughout the song.

" That was lovely!" Ino exclaimed in awe after the last note faded.

" Do you know how to play, Ino?" Yoshiki asked.

" No, I’ve never learned."

" This piano…has been with me for as long as I remember. I remember when I was younger, I would play and play until the day grew into night and my fingers felt swollen!" Ino wondered how old Yoshiki was. He spoke as if his younger times was long gone, but he didn’t look the least bit aged.

" Would you like me to teach you?"

Ino’s legs made their way over to the piano, standing and looking at it blankly. "I really don’t know!" he laughed out suddenly, his laughter ringing in the still air. But it thinned down and stopped altogether when Yoshiki asked him to take a seat and then took his hands in his own.

Yoshiki’s hands felt smooth against his, making his skin tingle. But Ino though they were a bit cold. Yoshiki guided his fingers, lacing them with his own to play a simple tune.

" Yes, just relax," he said softly.

Ino let his fingers follow his, the ivory keys felt strange. He glanced to his left and suddenly noticed how white and flawless Yoshiki’s face was and had an absurd urge to touch it, to feel beneath his fingers if it was real or it felt like the ivory.

" Ino? Ino?" Ino tore himself away from his thoughts and caught Yoshiki looking at him with a worried expression.

" What?"

" Are you okay? You seem…distracted…" Yoshiki sound so hurt as if it hurt him that Ino was not paying attention to him.

" No, I was just thinking," he laughed nervously.

" Ino…" The man felt he could melt into those lovely green eyes as he stared into them, unconsciously hypnotized by them. Ino flinched in shock as cold fingers touched his cheeks but then surrendered to Yoshiki’s soft lips as their lips met.

***

End of Part 3

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