It started with a chuckle; a soft, confident laugh so low and quiet that it nearly slipped below the range

of hearing and escaped Ixtlis notice. It struck him like an afterthought, an overheard snippet of conversation that only sinks into the consciousness moments later, too late for the source to be identified. Ixtli had almost dismissed the sound, too lost in his book to pay it any attention, but a lingering doubt, a nagging sense that something about it didnt make sense drew him away from the words on the page and forced him to focus his keen hearing on the quiet apartment. The apartment was supposed to be empty, he remember belatedly; Ridley and Takeshi had left hours earlier for an impromptu visit with Ike and his problematic vampire charge, a visit that Ixtli had declined out a reluctance to have to face Kyoya and suffer through his withering, hateful stares. The moment they had stepped out the door Hayato had disappeared into the lower apartment, unwilling to spend the time alone with Ixtli and test his patience against the shifters bubbly, bright demeanor. The departure had left Ixtli alone upstairs, feeling a slight strain of loneliness that made him wish for Ridleys companionship more than anything else and prompted him to curl up in his favorite chair in the library, ready to read the solitary hours away. It was this thought that transformed the laugh from something easily ignored to something he longed to investigate, and with his brow furrowed in confusion he placed his book to the side and uncurled himself from his chair. The laugh could have been all in his mind, a product of an imagination that tended to run amok in times of high stress, he realized, and with two new, exceptionally powerful vampires in their midst and an emotional, violent shapeshifter under his personal tutelage Ixtli was definitely feeling the strain. He crept to the top of the stairs and braced himself using the railing for support as he listened to the silence below. Though he had been a vampire for nearly a year there were moments when his heightened senses still surprised him. It was always possible that Hayato had laughed somewhere downstairs and the sounds, filtering up through the floor and stairwell had been what he heard, but the silence and distinctly ominous quality of the chuckle had been nothing like the laughs Ixtli had heard Hayato give in the past. He straightened and crossed the library, poking his head outside and listening to hear if perhaps Ridley and Takeshi had returned without him noticing. The apartment remained silent and still, devoid of any life or movement as it had been for hours, and with a shrug of surrender Ixtli let the library door close behind him as he returned to his chair. Must just be my imagination. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The laugh came again days later, still as soft and elusive as it had been the first time. It was there, noticeable enough to make Ixtli raise his head and survey the kitchen with a frown. This time the apartment wasnt empty; Ridley was still seated out in the living room, relaxing on the couch and awaiting Ixtlis return while Hayato and Takeshi enjoyed time by themselves downstairs. Someone in the apartment must have laughed, Ixtli realized, and with the penthouse full of people, the thought didnt seem unreasonable. He finished filling his glass, returning what remained in the bag of blood to the refrigerator and taking both glasses with him as he went back to the living room. What was so funny, Rid? As Ixtli sunk back to the couch, cradling his own drink as he handed Ridleys back to him the vampire looked up in confusion. The television show he was engrossed in was certainly entertaining, but it was nothing that had made him particularly thrilled. He looked his mate over with amusement, allowing him to settle back with his back resting comfortably against the larger vampires side. Funny, love? Yeah, I heard you laugh when I was in the kitchen. Ridley thought back to the past few minutes, trying hard to remember if he had laughed or made any sound close to it. His attention was only half on the television when Ixtli was with him, his interest always laying more in what his mate had to say than anything he could find on TV, but even with the shifter in the other room he hadnt found anything funny enough to laugh out loud. He shook his head, unab`le to fully answer Ixtlis question. It wasnt me. Oh. Ixtli frowned down at his glass, watching the blood tint the glass as it moved. Without being able to put his finger on why, he felt vaguely uneasy, a sensation that made him press closer to Ridley, subconsciously seeking out his protection and security. I could have sworn I heard someone laugh.

This time Ridley did chuckle, a sound far more comforting and familiar than the one Ixtli had heard in the kitchen. Whenever the shifter was faced with something he didnt quite understand, his expression took on a certain perplexity that he couldnt help but find endearing. He pulled Ixtli into a half hug, bringing his face closer so he could press a soft kiss on his temple. You might have heard the boys downstairs. They arent the quietest bunch. Ixtli considered the statement. Ridley had a valid point; the neighbors that had once lived downstairs we far quieter than Hayato could be, and with his heightened hearing it only made sense that we pick up on things he never had before. Still, the feeling of unease remained unshakable. Youre probably right. Its just weird. I had something like this happen a few days ago. Gently Ridley eased the glass from Ixltis hand, placing it on the coffee table and silently urging his mate to lay down and put his head in his lap. The past weeks had been exhausting, full of dangerous situations that the shifter would have preferred to avoid, and Ridley suspected the stress and strain was beginning to have an effect. I think your mind may be playing tricks on you. You havent been sleeping well. Take a nap and rest for a little while. Ixtli didnt argue, allowing his eyes to close and the stress to seep out of his body as Ridley ran his fingers through his hair. He hadnt been sleeping well; many nights he stayed up far later than he normally liked to, waiting for Ridley to return home from the office or a late call. The appearance of Takeshi and Hayato had meant increased problems that the ECU was forced to handle, with Ridley and Ike directly in the middle of the trouble. Even when Ridley was home he found himself plagued with worry, often laying awake late into the night, curled against his mates chest and wondering what the next day or week would bring. Yeah, I think a nap would be a good idea. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You idiot! You arent even supposed to be drinking that! Why not? It doesnt taste bad. The voices pulled Ixtli forcefully from his sleep, dragging him back into reality and leaving behind a heavy sense of his dreams. Even as he blinked open his eyes he could feel his dreams fading quickly, leaving behind only fragments in their wake. He rolled onto his back, cradling his head in Ridleys lap as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and finally focused on the room around him. Ridley was twisted in his seat, looking in the direction of the kitchen with a finger pressed to his lips in the international signal for silence. While he couldnt see beyond Ridley, Ixtli recognized the voices as belonging to Hayato and Takeshi, the couple most likely squabbling over something trivial. Oh, sorry, Ridley-sensei. Is Ixtli-kun asleep? No, its alright. Ixtli pulled himself into a sitting position, aided by Ridleys hand supporting his back. He didnt mind being woken up; the dream, whatever it had been, hadnt felt pleasant, and he was grateful to be done with it. I was just napping a little. Are you tired, Ixtli-kun? The undertone of concern in Takeshis voice made Ixtli give a weak smile. From the start he and the new vampire had gotten along well, their personalities much better matched than his had been with Hayato. Ridleys just really comfortable. I always fall asleep in his lap. Although Takeshi responded, Ixtli barely heard him. A piece of his dream with still creeping at the corner of his mind; a flash of different colored eyes, one blue and one crimson red accompanied by the same deep, ominous laugh. He shook his head, determined to brush the images off as result of his earlier conversation with Ridley. The dream had affected him more than he liked, profoundly impacting his mood instead of leaving him feeling refreshed and reenergized. So much for napping. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Buon giorno. The greeting tugged at the edges of Ixtlis mind, a sound barely audible through the thick veil of sleep. He was exhausted, worn out from a stressful, trying day that have finally, mercifully ended in

Ridleys arms and bed. The comfort drawn from Ridleys familiar touch had been enough to make him finally sleep, his body giving in at last under the weight of exhaustion and a much needed sense of safety and allowing him to pass into deep, almost impenetrable slumber. Now, hours later, his mind resisted the call to wake, hearing and comprehending the words without obeying their call to consciousness. There was something unfamiliar about them, something that didnt settle fully and left him with questions that, in his current state, seemed impossible to comprehend or answer. The voice wasnt right, it wasnt Ridley; too deep and tinted with a malicious tone that chilled Ixtli to his core. He strained to hear it again in his mind, recall the tone and timber and sift through what chilled him so completely, but the words were impossible to recapture. They were gone, and with a heavy breath he instinctively shifted under the sheets, seeking out Ridleys body as his mind went blank. I think youll do just fine The voice, as clear as if it had whispered beside his ear, jolted Ixtli from his sleep, green eyes snapping open in overwhelming confusion and panic. Someone was next to him; a stranger, his presence heavy, his every word dripping with danger that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up with a prickle of anxiety. Ixtli was frozen, muscles heavy and leaden with an invisible weight that made it impossible to lift his limbs from the sheets. His eyes locked on the one feature clearly visible in the darkness; a pair of murderous, haunting eyes hovering mere inches from his face. In his chest his heart stuttered, the breath squeezed out of him as the eyes drew closer. It was as though someone was sitting on his chest, crushing him into the bed with an iron grip that he couldnt quite see. Never, not since the blurry, terrifying moments before he had been turned, when his body had laid in pieces on the cold concrete of a dark alley could he remember feeling such fear; fear strong enough to make his body quiver and rush of vibrant color spill into his eyes, staining the irises a violent, unnatural orange. He gasped for air, trying to force out a cry that would awaken his mate, who lay undisturbed beside him. Who are you!? Buon giorno, Ixtli. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ridley rolled to the side, long limbs tangling in the twisted blankets and sheets and hindering his every movement as he stretched out his arm and blindly sought out the side of the bed normally occupied by Ixtli. It was rare that he awoke during the night, but on the rare occasion that he did it wasnt uncommon to find Ixtli draped over him, his leg stretched over Ridleys hip and thigh, arm curled around his waist and head resting just below his sternum. The shifter sought him out during the night, curling instinctively towards his body heat and remaining there until morning. Tonight, however, the shifter was no where to be found, his weight and presence conspicuously absent. Despite his desire to slip back into sleep he forced open his eyes, hand already running over the cool stretch of sheets where Ixtli normally lay. Ixtli? His voice was low and groggy with sleep, a cracked whisper barely audible above the rustling of sheets as he moved in the bed. In the darkness Ixtlis form was visible, the outline of his head and shoulders silhouetted against the faint light filtering in through the closed blinds. He was seated at the edge of the bed, his posture stiff and unmoving. Ridley sat up, groaning slightly and he moved closer, until he could wrap his arms around Ixtlis bare waist. Love? What are you doing up? The shifters skin, normally nearly feverish with an unnatural heat felt chilled beneath his hold, nearly sending a wave of goosebumps up his arms. He moved closer, pressing his chest against Ixtlis back and resting his chin in the crook of the shifters neck. He closed his eyes, inhaling a deep breath of the shifters alluring scent. Mmmbunny, is something wrong? He kissed along the curve of Ixtlis neck, letting his lips linger over the area where he could feel the shifters pulse racing beneath his skin. The kiss, or the mumbled question drew a low chuckle from Ixtli, a deep laugh that rose from the bottom of his chest and reverberated unsettlingly throughout his body. It sent a chill down Ridleys spine and he lifted his head, looking down at his mate with a mix of worry and confusion. Nothing Ixtli had ever done had been capable of sending that kind of cold chill down his spine, and for a moment he was struck with the absurd notion that somehow, Ixtli wasnt himself. Ixtli?

There was a pulse of silence as Ixtli turned to face him, the motion stiff and unnatural, and for a moment Ridley felt his heart skip in his chest. The boys right eye was red, his face lined with jagged, pale scars that angled over his cheekbones and highlighted the smirk twisting his features. It was like staring into a nightmare, a horrifying doppelganger meant to resemble his mate, but as soon as Ridley could blink the image was gone. Bright green eyes blinked back at him, hazy and slightly confused. Rid? Instinctively Ridley reached out and grabbed him, holding the boys head still with a nearly painful grip as he examined his familiar, soft features. Nothing out of the ordinary remained, the scars and evil, haunting smirk he had glimpsed fully faded away to be replaced by Ixtlis flawless skin and confused frown. He looked terrified himself, no doubt unnerved by Ridleys bizarre behavior as the vampire carefully turned his head side to side, searching for any sign of the horrifying image. He found nothing. Ridley? Whats going on? The worry and confusion In Ixtlis voice was quickly raising to panic, and in an effort to prevent worrying his mate further, Ridley released him. Whatever he had seen, or thought he saw, was gone. Im sorry, loveI thought I saw something. Despite his own discomfort, the instinct to take care of his mate overrode his own feelings, and with only a slight hesitation he gathered the boy in his arms and held him to his chest. The boys skin was warm again, the chill he felt earlier far from his mind as Ixtli huddled against him. It was still Ixtli, Ridley realized, the thought alone comforting, though the feeling of unease still lingered. What are you doing awake, love? Its late. The question made Ixtli frown. There was a gap in his memory, a space of time where he couldnt remember a single thing. It was as if a few moments of his life had simply never happened. He strained his memory, trying to piece things together in a way that made sense and explained why he suddenly found himself awake, staring into his mates horrified face. I think I must have had a nightmare. I dont really remember it though. His brow furrowed, his worry still not settled. Why? Is something wrong? Ridley shook his head. A nightmare explained everything, in one way or another. A nightmare had woken Ixtli, and a nightmare, or some side effect of stress combined with the late hour had caused Ridley to see something that wasnt there. No, I just worry when I see you sitting up like this late at night, especially knowing how stressed youve been. He stroked Ixtlis hair, forcing what he hoped would be perceived as a comforting smile. Lets get back to sleep, okay? As they laid back, Ixtlis head resting comfortably on Ridleys chest, Ridley couldnt help by still feel the flush of anxiety that told him something was wrong. It lingered like an ache, easy to ignore but vivid the moment he focused on it fully. He angled his head down, focusing on the dark, tousled hair on Ixtlis head with a frown. Whatever had happened, he had a feeling he wouldnt be sleeping well for the rest of the night. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sleep did not return easily for either vampire, a heavy anxiety like the remnants of a nightmare lingering at the edges of Ixtlis mind, making the mere idea of closing his eyes and rendering himself vulnerable an unsettling and unacceptable idea. He didnt know what had occurred; sleepwalking was something hed never experienced in the past, and finding himself sitting up awake, with Ridley staring at him with concern and fear was enough to throw him off balance and render the remainder of the night an endless cycle of half sleep and worry. Ixtli yawned heavily, resting his chin in his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter, placing as much weight as he could on the surface to relieve his tired legs. In the past hed gone far longer with minimal sleep, but without explanation he was finding the morning to be particularly tough. Hed dragged himself from bed much later than normal, resolving to at least feed himself before his now daily routine of helping Hayato navigate the difficulties of shapeshifting. He placed his glass on the counter with a clatter, wavering slightly and focusing his gaze on the few inches of blood still swirling at the bottom. While hungry, the effort of lifting the glass to drink seemed to be more trouble than it was worth, making him hesitate and contemplate if there was way to feed with less work. This is ridiculous. Im never this tired.