Shinya had passed out from the cold and speed at which Gackt flew well before they arrived at Gackt’s castle, buried deep in the woods. Gackt took him up to a separate bedroom and laid him gently on the bed.

Shinya woke up slowly, only half way and rolled once before settling, curled up in the fetal position. He looked very comfortable. He was asleep again. Gackt left him wrapped in the warm clothing but pulled all the blankets up over him. He looked up to see a stunned Inoran staring over at them.

Inoran switched his eyes from Gackt and then to Shinya, and then back to Gackt. "Wh-what’s going on?" Gackt looked at his loyal friend and spoke quietly, so he wouldn’t wake Shinya. "Mana had him, he was using him like a blood bank." He left out the part about the sex; he guessed that Ino could figure it out for himself.

Inoran nodded, he understood. J came up behind him and had his hand on Inoran’s shoulder. He looked at Shinya. He sighed. Gackt had brought another one home. He felt sorry for Gackt. He had ‘rescued’ these young men from Mana all the time, and then would fall in love with them. Then soon he would realize that they were just disgusted or terrified of him and he would let them go. Then he would spend the next year grieving or the time it took for him to find another.

Gackt shuffled them out into the hall. "Mana…" He let himself trail on. J put his hand on Gackt’s shoulder. "It’s okay, Gackt. We understand."

"But it’s different this time. Mana’s going to come after this one. I know it."

Inoran spoke quietly. "Why? He never came before."

Gackt swallowed and shrugged. "He really likes this one. I don’t get it, but…I think he may love him."

Inoran and Gackt jerked their heads over to J when he started to laugh. "What the hell is so funny!?" Gackt hissed at him. J calmed himself and said. "Mana doesn’t love anyone but himself." He regretted what he said when Gackt looked hurt.

"That’s not true...he loved me." It was only a whisper; Gackt disappeared back into the bedroom.

J sighed and rested his forehead down on the side of Inoran’s face. Inoran stroked his hair. "I don’t want him to get hurt again, Ino." Inoran smiled weakly. "I know, J-kun. It feels different this time, maybe it won’t happen again."

J nodded. "I hope so."

Mana dropped out of the carriage at the base of the castle. He bet Gackt was up in his room at the center, front of the castle looking down at him.

It had been too close to dawn the night that Shinya had been stolen from him. So the next night, just after sundown Mana had woken. His very pale skin was red from rage when he woke up alone in his bed. It felt strange, usually Yu~ki would be beside him, but he had disappeared sometime around the time the sun came up.

Mana stared up and glared in the shadow of the castle, Kozi stood beside him and took Mana’s arm gently before they proceeded. "Be careful, Mana-chan. You have never been here before, he’s knows this place better than anyone and you don’t know it at all." Mana only nodded in response.

They started for the enormous double doors at the entrance.

Gackt peered out from behind his curtains, down at Mana. He glared a bit. He knew that Mana would come.

"Who is there?" Shinya was still very quiet. Gackt had hardly heard him speak in the time that he had been there. When Shinya had first woke, just after dawn, Gackt had drawn the curtains tightly, making sure that no sun could brake through and stayed up the entire day with Shinya.

Gackt was exhausted. He hadn’t slept, and flying made him very tired. He hadn’t eaten since his butler, but now he was beginning to get hungry again. He refused himself feeding on Shinya, out of principle and the fact that he wanted him to trust him.

When Shinya had first woke up he had been so terrified he had thrown himself into the corner of the room and huddled up, surprising Gackt since he didn’t seem afraid of him very much the night before. Gackt didn’t move an inch towards him and simply talked to him until he calmed down. Gackt timed it; it had taken two hours and forty-seven minutes, and an uncountable amount of words.

What surprised Gackt most was that eventually, when he had come out of the corner, he had thrown himself into Gackt’s arm sobbing and begged him not to let Mana take him back, and to let him go home. Shinya could still feel pain from Mana as he sat down and felt ashamed and embarrassed whenever he would wince.

He told him, "I promise that Mana will not touch you." But he had said nothing of letting him go home. Ino had told him, as soon as he found out, that Shinya’s family had disappeared. Everything in their house had been left exactly as it was and there was no sign of struggle. They were just gone.

Shinya had fallen asleep again. The blood loss made him constantly tired. Shinya had slept most of the day, but Gackt had stayed awake to make sure that, if Shinya woke, he would not attempt to open the curtains. Gackt laid behind Shinya for hours stroking the back of his hair with his other arm around Shinya’s waste.

Shinya woke about an hour after sundown. Gackt had not slept, and quickly removed his arm from around Shinya’s waist. Shinya sat up and rubbed his eyes cutely. Gackt heard his stomach growl. "You are hungry." Beside the bed, he pulled on a cord and a few minutes later a young, pretty maid came in carrying a tray of food. The maid put the food on a rolling cart and rolled the cart over to the bed.

"Thank you, Tetsu. That will be all." Tetsu bowed very low and left the room.

The smell of the steaming spaghetti in tomato sauce with slices of Italian sausage and meatballs made Shinya quickly start eating. He felt a bit ungracious eating when Gackt did not join him. Gackt held up his hand and smiled, telling Shinya to continue eating. "I do not eat such food. Please, continue."

Before Shinya continued he asked. "How do you know Mana sama so well?"

Well," Gackt shifted a little uncomfortably. "Mana is the man who made me who I am."

"You mean a vampire?"

Gackt was a bit shocked at Shinya’s bluntness. Yes, it happened a very long time ago before you and your family, and most other families that have moved to this region, even moved here, and died here.

"But my family has lived her for four generations." Shinya’s voice lingered on shocked.

"I know." Gackt said meakly.

Gackt’s eyes shot towards the window. Shinya stopped eating and stared. Gackt appeared to be listening to something but Shinya didn’t hear a thing.

"It’s him, ne?" Shinya stood and was clutching onto the bedspread. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

Gackt nodded and then yelled. "J! Inoran!" They came quickly after hearing the frantic voice.

They came in the room. "Ino, J, take Shinya and hide him, anywhere Mana won’t be able to find him."

J stepped towards Gackt. "I’m staying with you."

Gackt shook his head. "No, it’s my fight."

J protested. "But you are going to need help! Mana is stronger than you!"

Hearing this, Shinya started to cry and jerked away from Inoran’s arm as he took hold of him. He dropped to the floor, sobbing into his hands; he believed that Mana was going to get him.