Tsukki tries not to fidget a lot. Which is quite hard: the turtleneck collar feels like it's made out of crushed glass, jeans hug the waist too tightly, the heart is running a marathon, judging by the rate. And his usual was like, what? Thirty beats per minute?

Damn Ran and his plan!

***
"That's our chance to finish him," he told with a manic grin on his face once he stopped laughing.

"Are you out of your mind?!" In his own mind Tsukki was already buying ticket as far as possible from Japan. "I don't wanna be a bait!"

"You should trust me, Tsukki, we'll plan everything properly. You won't go anywhere unprepared," Ran suddenly became very busy, texting someone. His fingers moved so fast, they could get the phone screen burn. And the way he was smirking in the process, didn't make Tsukki 's anxiety shrink away at all.

"What are you doing?" He towered over Ran's shoulder and got the phone shoved in his face.

"See?" There were a web page with a lot of videos. A few of them started to play in the preview mode, showing some fighting. Tsukki thought one of the man looked familiar on the vid and gasped:

"Is this Kentaro?"

"A-ha," hummed Ran.

It certainly was Tsukki's new acquaintance, shoulder-length raven hair tied in ponytail, features sharpened and not a glint of a cheerful smile he was sporting at Tsukki the whole evening. Dressed in wide black pants and slightly loose jacket, resembling the martial arts costume, he moved swiftly through the bunch of people. Only a second later Tsukki realised, that he didn't just walk.

He was killing those around him.

The moves were so smooth, you could think he's dancing around.

With two short blades in his palms, Kyoushi made fast, precise movements, ripping throats and bellies, he left bodies falling behind. There were just a couple of hands that stirred to prevent him.

"W-What is it? Are they vampires? Why don't they do anything? Why don't they fight?" Tsukki felt all of his insides stilled and frozen. He didn't notice how he grabbed Ran's shirt so hard, he heard it's tearing. "Sorry," he mumbled when Ran turned his head.

"They're too weak," he told. "He catched each one of them, got together in his lair and when they spent months without fresh blood, he did this."

Tsukki felt nauseous.

He imagined in instant what would happen to him if he was left without food for longer than a couple of weeks.

At first, it's quite bearable. Especially if you're busy with things, you don't notice the slight gnawing feeling at the pit of the stomach.

You spend a couple of days more not seeking the closest neck to bite and it grows into small stabs, now and then clouding the mind and drying the throat.

That's when most of the vampires don't resist the urge to the lead, find a nice cute tasty person and sink the teeth in. But if a desire to dive into masochism is deeper than old, ancient, dark hunger, bubbling in veins, drawing head up every time when someone's too close, the vampire has to confront with the worst withdrawals.

The "body on fire" seems an understatement. The body is on the thousands burning sticks. You can't stop shivering. The water, processed from the previous meal, going out on huge droplets. Loosing the liquid, the body becomes sack and wobbly, every limb feels like a ton. The only thought is beating inside the skull: blood-blood-blood.

The world shrinks up to single craving. You hear the hearts around beating, smell when someone cuts a finger a quarter away. The skin looks awful, all grey, hanging off the body, off the face, like oversized clothes. You move, but in rushed, hectic motions, each of them are calling for the single goal.

These vampires are the most dangerous. Not able to hear, to see anyone, anything besides the bloody call, they're ready to rip throats in open daylight, on the crowded streets until someone (usually a hunter) finishes them off.

But if you're out of luck, the body gives up. There no more willpower. No desire to carry on. Even the teenager with the open wound ten feet apart doesn't stir usual thrill.

Apathy. Apathy and slow, prolonged by vampire functioning body, awaiting of the death. Not able to carry on with the easiest functions.

Until there's nothing left but a corpse, covered in skin, stretched over bones like an overtight dress.

Tsukki shuddered, closing eyes.

That's a fate he wouldn't wish to anyone. He, himself, spent once a month without food and that was more than enough to set the intention never meet such circumstances again.

"He takes it as training. See?" Ran zoomed in the picture and pointed out: "He doesn't use the same stabs, he changes directions and the way he uses the blade." Tsukki came back to reality in a snap. "Look how he moves."

There's an edge of admiration in Ran's voice.

"And you want me to meet him?" Tsukki asked sheepishly. He glanced at Ran's face, lit with manic energy he's only seen on it when his sire was about to go hunt for a really good meal.

"You don't understand, if we'll kill Kentaro Kyoushi, we will finish his fucking bloodline. He doesn't have a child, he doesn't have an apprentice. There's no one he's gonna pass his knowledge to. That's a gift, to the whole vampire community of Japan! Of the world, to be honest!"

"You're as crazy as him," Tsukki stares in disbelief. "There are plenty of other hunters in Japan, thousands all over the world. If they'll know we killed Kentaro, they're gonna be after us."

"They're gonna fear us, they're gonna be scared, they're..."

"They're gonna be furious and won't leave us alone, Ran! I'm not gonna do it!" Tsukki fished out the phone to text Kentaro he won't come to a date he agreed in a few days. "What the f..?"

Rab snatched it out of his hand.

"No, Tsukki. You'll do that. But before we'll prepare you for what you gotta do and say." Ran spinned the phone between fingers, with a victorious smile.

"We? Who 'We'"?

"You didn't think you're gonna be alone in that, did you?" Ran winked at him and slapped him on the shoulder.

***
That's how he was slammed into tight jeans, black turtleneck and Converses under leather jacket on top three days after Ran grabbed his phone and texted to the contact "KK":

01:17, You: Hi. I think I'm gonna be free on Tuesday if you're still up to meet?

Three dots started to jump in the messenger window straight away.

01:17: KK: Sure. Do you like steaks?

01:17: You: Yep

01:18 KK: Then I know just the place! Time?

Ran elbowed Tsukki. "Looks like he really likes you. Not a second of delay."

Tsukki now didn't know how to feel. When they met at the party, he finally managed to get the conversation into the smooth flow and the anxiety that was squeezing his chest gave up a little bit. Now he felt it's creeping on again along with something he recognised as guilt.

He tried to convince himself that Kentaro is a terrible person, he tortures and kills Tsukki's own kind without any remorse, without hesitation. But despite all the outrage, Kyoushi didn't do anything bad towards Tsukki, making it harder to wish him death. Or maybe it was fear and desire to rationalize the wish to escape the possibility he might do harm to him as well.

01:18, You: Let's meet at 18:30

****
"Hey, you look fantastic!" Tsukki jumped at the voice, boomed over his ear. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Kyoushi landed on the opposite sit, beaming brightly. He threw hands over the sitstand widely, so Tsukki had an impression of a bird of prey spreading its wings. Kentaro's look was total black - from the shirt to the Oxfords. And Tsukki should give it to him - in comparison to the other vampire hunters he met, Kentaro definitely had more style. But then, he was engaged with them on a matter of conflict only. He had no idea what they looked like in the daily routine.

"Have you chosen anything?" The menu laid untouched while Tsukki tried to tame his nerves, so he shook his head. "Well, I would recommend you Roppong Special. Do you like raw meat?"

Was there a cheeky glint in Kentaro's eyes or was it Tsukki's imagination playing tricks on him? Well, as Ran told, it's a game for two.

"Usually I do. But as it's not a date, I would opt for chicken and garlic with fresh herbs." He smiled innocently, batting his lashes.

"Shame, I really hoped for a kiss in the end of the evening," Kentaro laughed and made a gesture to a waiter. "Anyway, I'm glad you agreed to meet. Was your girlfriend okay with that?"

"She was definitely jealous I'm going to meet sexy brunette and I had to convince her I would never leave her by buying a huge flower bouquet," Tsukki hold up the gaze, leaned closer to Kentaro and whispered low "And fucking the stress out of her for the whole Sunday."

"Were you thinking about me while fucking her?" There wasn't a trace of embarrassment on Kentaro's face when he repeated Tsukki's movement. They were so close now, Tsukki could define tiny black specks in honey eyes opposite him.

"You're insufferable," He sighed out, faking disappointment and leaning back.

"So I was told," Kentaro took out the flask and made a sip. "Medicine," he told, answering Tsukki unspoken question.

But it definitely wasn't.