Disclaimers: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. They belong to either Disney or Square-Enix

Warnings: AU (alternative universe), harsh language, violence, blood, brief nudity, and of course, male pairings (Axel/Demyx) and (Xemnas/Saix) am not repeating this warning to each chapter, it should be understood after the first chapter x-x

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Axel sat crossed legged in his parlor chair, a hand curled while the side of his head was tilted to prop against it with his elbow to the arm of the chair. He stared out at the open window, into the courtyard below. The night was still caught in the fainting light from the day, as the sky was still blue enough to see the silhouette of the sluggish clouds. His emerald eyes barely bat an eyelash, stuck in his world of nothingness, a void of emptiness that plagued his mind. Boredom. That was all he could managed to think of, boredom of being confined to this place. His breathing seemed to be the only audiable thing in the room to his ears, though there was the mantle clock on the fireplace ticking away and of course the various voices of others down below in one of the various parlors. For a mere moment, his staring into space broke and his eyes trailed over to the sound of his bedchambers opening, watching with those silent eyes a servant walking in with a silver tray holding something under a black velvet cloth as it was placed on a small table. She meekly bowed and lefted, which Axel nodded in respect and waited till she was gone. Standing up now, he sighed, as if regretting the action he was about to take.

Approaching the table, he removed the cloth and observed a silver goblet, etched in the finest of celtic knots and designs. Inside was a warm red liquid, and at once, the red head's nostrils flared at the scent flowing into him, arousing his hunger. Grasping the goblet with one hand, he sniffed it a few times as if it was fine wine and sipped it down, enjoying every drop of nurishment it brought with it, until nothing was left except for the coating on the walls of the goblet. He stuck his tongue out, licking up what was left while making sure not to get any on his chin or jabot tied neatly around his throat. Once he was satisfied, he placed the cup back and returned to his chair, and stared back out into the forests that laid just beyond that courtyard. As he placed his hand to his cheek, Axel felt something slick and warm. He drew back, seeing a red smear on his hand were it seemed he had a bit lefted on his lips. He rubbed it off his face, looking at it before idly lickig it off his hand. But in doing so, his palm was graze and a cut was mark. "Damn them..." He spoke for the first time, and parted his lips so his tongue could move about and massage against a set of two foreign items that would be with him till the end of time; a pair of elongated canines... fangs.

Licking them out of habit, Axel forced himself to stop obessing over the fangs and return to what he was doing, which was nothing. But it was better than going downstairs of the building he was force to call home. The Elrase Estate was one of the few grand mansions few ever dared to enter. It's walls were said to hold the damned and cursed. No living soul would dare to try to enter the building sapposively home to a nobility of vampires... yes, vampires. Axel being one of such creature and it pained him so. The blood in the goblet had kept him satisfied for the night, not yet use to having more than a cup a night. Since there was hardly anything going on besides the coven down below, engaging in another party-like get together, he was about ready to just return to bed early, very early since he had only been awake for three hours, doing nothing more than staring into nothing. Dressed in the finest red velvets and plush velore black laced with gold buttons on the waist coat and a black poet's shirt underneath with a red suede vest, and black pants with a pair of nice black leather boots imported from England, Axel was the fitting image of a prince. Prehaps that was the case... he was adopted into this house of nobility... not willingly though. Seeing how he was going to fall into a stupor of mindlessness, he stood back up and started to procede in stripping down out of his outer clothing, and return to bed, after all he was satified in his fill... so what was the point in staying awake all night? Just as he started to remove his red coat, he heard a knock to his door. A different human servant, a young lad. "Sir... you're summoned downstairs." He said in a low voice. Axel looked at him cool and calm. "By who?" He asked. "Marluxia."

"Tell him to shove it... I'm not coming down stairs to listen to his whinings. It bores me when he tries to get me to come downstairs and watch while he intices his women like raindrops on roses... just to rub it in my face. You understand that, now go... I grow weary." The lad nodded and lefted in a hurry, as angering a vampire noble meant his neck and blood on the line. Humans were kept as slaves and servants of the estate, but with a few previlages. One was they were not targeted by the vampires for their drinks, thus would not worry of such since the nobles had their own ways of retaining blood. Another was that during the daylight hours, they were allowed to go about the grounds, enjoy the gardens and collect their own food since there was a kitchen in the estate, only to be used by the humans. They were paid by the amount of work they did, and extra for keeping the coven house a secret to the prying eyes outside of Paris. Last thing the lord of the house wanted was human rioters at his front door, espeically when he was away on 'business' trips.

Axel returned to grab his coat, seeing how he was going to be bothered all night long and proceded out his room. He paused once outside, and leaned over the balcony edge to gaze down at the floor below. Lounging chairs, and grand sofas were packed with fledging vampires making a fuss over things. It was annoying bird chatter to Axel's ears so he pulled away and strolled alone down the hallway. It was poorly lit since everyone of great importance was down stairs, enjoying the atmosphere, mostly in Marluxia's prancing about. Once the silence welcomed Axel back, the redhead continued down several halls before coming to a door, leading out into one of the courtyards. He glanced out the french door windows, seeing a particular garden area of roses in a circle with a green turf in the middle. A pillar stood in the middle with a statue of some sort of gargoyle creature stood ontop, as if gaurding the gardens. He sighed, wondering if finding peace outside was a good idea. But no sooner had his hand touched the fancy golden handle, that it was forcefully grabbed by a white gloved hand connected to a bright blue coat. Axel flinched then gazed up with narrowed eyes. "Where do you think you're going Axel? Not going Marluxia like he summoned you to?" Came a voice deep and dark with a pair of yellow menacing eyes to go with it. "Leave me alone Saix... I'm busy!" Axel sneered, reeling his hand away. "Were you now? It looked to me like you were about to head out into the garden and do nothing but stare out into oblivion. Is your bedroom window not sufficient enough?" Saix said in that creepy cool voice. It brought the hairs on Axel's neck to raise and he attempted to open the door again, only to have it slapped away. "You have no power over me Saix, now shove off before I punch the living daylights out of you!"

A evil snicker came from the blue haired man's lips. "Funny... it's been years since I saw daylight. I don't think there's any left in me for you to punch out." Axel glared at Saix, backing away when he knew it was better off doing so. "Damn bloodsucker..." He hissed under his breath and forced himself to turn around and return the way he came. It seemed nothing was going his way this night. He could still hear Saix's voice trail behind him. "That seems ironic Axel... you are just describing yourself you know..." The red head cringed and quicken his pace. He could still hear Saix following him, matching footstep for footstep. Just trying to get away from the meaner vampire, Axel quicken his pace and glanced over his shoulder to make sure Saix wasn't going to follow him all the way back into his bedroom. He had no time to react as he slammed head first into a pink coat's chest. "OFT!" Axel nearly fell back onto his rear, keeping himself up. He glanced up and begged somehow he died on the spot... wither by sunlight or his head sliced off... "Oi! Axey.. what where you're going! I was looking for you. Why didn't you come down when I asked? It's very rude you know, keeping the guests waiting!" Marluxia pouted, placing his fists to his hips while making a pouty face with the tips of his fangs sticking out. Before Axel could even usher in a single word... "Axel here has been trying to avoid everyone tonight..." Saix said coming from the shadows of the hallway behind the redhead. Marly glanced over to Axel, who seemed annoyed like a cat being petted roughly. "Oh? Not again. Come on Axel.. it's just a bit of fun. I wanted you to meet a visiting coven traveling from England to Venice and stopped by for a few nights! I told them your heritage and they wanted to see you! Isn't that grand? I told them the best places to see in Italy because.."

"Our Lord stoled you from Rome... we all know Italian breath."

Maluxia blinked, then glared. "Hey! I maybe from Rome, but I wasn't one of those people who slaved over their cooking! I was the garden Italian! And my lineage is actually Roman so..." "Do we care?" Axel said, upright and with his arms crossed over his chest. Marluxia sneered. "In fact I do! At least I came from a nice place... not somewhere like Syberia... no offence Saix." The taller man slowly nodded. "None taken..." Marly continued. "Or some really crumby place called... eh... What's that name? New... something.. Orian? Orange? Damn French Americans..." Axel's arm nearly went over to slap the crap out of his rival. "It's New Orleans! And I did NOT come from there... I came from Savannah, moved to New Orleans to catch the only ship heading for France because of family emergencies! And I'm only part French! Not full-blooded... idiot." The redhead sneered and was about to make a insult about Italians until Saix broke the circle. "Does is matter now? We are all the same... Night walkers..." That was his term for vampire, though Axel could care less what they called themselves. Snorting once, he turned heel and marched back to his room. "Leave me alone!" What was with those two? Instead of bickering about orgins, shouldn't they be at each other's throats... literally.. wasn't it part of this deadly game that the last one standing get's Lord Xemnas's estate and whatever he leaves behind?

"LORD XEMNAS APPROACHES!" Axel nearly jumped when a guard from outside shouted. Lord Xemnas was returning?! This soon from his trip to Germany? Axel snapped his head to the right, seeing Saix and Marluxia quickly heading downstairs to greet their master back. The redhead slowly followed, just to make a good example for now. Or else a beating would ensue. Outside on the gravel road leading to the estate manor through the darken forest, approached a carriage pulled by four black horses at a fast pace. Inside, Xemnas leaned in his corner, restless while examining himself in a hand mirror. Once or twice he would part his lips to inspect his fangs, longer than any vampire known around these parts and prehaps this half of the world. He grined with satisfaction at the cleaniness and perfection, and placed the mirror down. Across from his was his personal bed for traveling; a coffin black as ebony with gold trims. Though none of the vampires slept in coffins as the rooms's windows were covered with the thickest fabrics to keep the sunlight out, each one had his or her own coffin, just in case. The carriage hit a bump in the road, sending the passengers up and down a bit. A whimper came from something on the padded bench in the opposite side of Xemnas. He tighten his grip around a chain in his left hand that crossed his lap, draped down on the floor, and led back up to a pair of cuffed wrists owned by a smaller body in the shadowed corner. Who ever it was, had a hood over it's head to conceal it's looks. "Quiet... I like it if my gifts didn't protest..." He whispered in a dark voice, his orange eyes trailing out the window towards the full harvest moon. He would of stayed in Germany longer, but felt it was best he returned on the full moon... Just something best admired from home.

The carriage rolled onto cobbled road from the gravel, and entered the estate gates, slowing down to come to a hault at the grand steps to his front doors. Several servants were outside already, ready to assist their Lord in with 'luggage'. He stood up, opening the door and stepped onto the stone walkway. He wore a coat in a aged silver color, with black trims about the ends and red metalic buttons. He had a black velvet cape over his shoulders with lavender satin on the insider. Underneath that coat, he wore a white and black tight vest in strange tribal like patterns, and a white poet's shirt, the entire outfit looking like a vampiric king, minus the crown. "Ah... good to return on such a fine night..." He exclaimed to himself. "You two... see to it my coffin is returned to my chambers... unharmed. You, I want my luggage to be taken to the landry room... and I want you two to carry in behind me the other two gifts." He commanded sternly, sounding in his voice that if the servants didn't do as he commanded... they would be on the vampire lord's menu. They quickly complied, and set to work on his demands. With a hard pull, he forced the shorter prisoner out of the carriage to follow behind him. "Nn! Nein! Nein! Lassen Sie mich gehen!" The prisoner pleaded in his native language. It was obvious by the voice, this was a boy... but why would Lord Xemnas bring in a boy alive and unturned to the manor? The reason Axel and the other two heirs where there... Lord Xemnas was known in vampire socality for being a collector in many things... his favorite growing collection: different males from different places of the world... after vampirizing them. "Come!" He demanded and the prisoner quieted down, tears streaming down his cheeks. The chains clanked against the stone steps as Xemnas returned home, followed by two servants carrying two red large boxes.

Axel, Saix, and Marluxia stood side by side at the end of the rolled out red carpet. All the coven's fledgings and visitors, friends of Xemnas and servants all bowed as he entered. The lord smiled to such loyality, spying at the end his three chosen heirs, of only one would truely take over his manor and... what else was in store. "I see that all is in order. Have you three behaving well in my absence?" He said once he approached the three 'princes'. At once, all three replied. "All well." Xemnas smirked and chuckled once. "Good... I'm glad to hear that. It would be heartbreaking if... something bad happened to one of you in my absence and I was not here to witness it. Since you three have been well... I've returned from Germany giving you each a gift." He turned behind him, snapping his fingers once. One of the servants approached, carrying a red slender box. "Saix... " Xemnas beckoned with one hand. The blue haired heir approached, knealed and stood back up. "My Lord?" The servant opened the box, revealing a sword hand crafted in gold with a hard steel blade and a gold sheath, encrusted with red and blue jewels. "A gift from the baron Weissen. I think it'll make a fine addition to your weapon collection." Saix held the sheath in one hand while the other held the sword upright to admire it all. "Thank you, Lord Xemnas." He said and stepped back.

"Marluxia." Now the pink haired heir stepped forward. He frowned slightly as Xemnas turned to take a smaller box from the second servant. But that frown didn't stay for long as the lid opened up to reveal an assortment of highly expensive and fancy looking perfume bottles. "Finest hand crafted. You never told me which scent you fancy the most, so I brought you an assortment..." Xemnas said and held the box to Marluxia. He was more than happy to take them all, hugging the box as if it was his life saving. "Oh Lord Xemnas! You know just how to flatter me!" He said in a pleased voice. "...Gay..." Axel whispered. The redhead glanced over seeing Saix admire his new sword, Marluxia already trying on one of the perfumes. Wait... where was his? That was not fair for Xemnas to pamper Saix and Marluxia and leave him with nothing. Axel was about to simply bow and leave when he heard the soft whimper. His emerald eyes flashed over, seeing the poor soul chained up with Xemnas holding the 'leash'. "I see you've improving your qualities Axel... I believe I've found something to cure that meloncholy ritual of yours..." Xemnas held out the chains, before giving them a hard tug. The prisoner was forcefully thrown into Axel's arms, his hood falling off his head. Axel stood there wide-eyed and speechless as he came face to face with a human boy with blue eyes like the sea and dirty blond hair that was styled funny with several bangs drooping over his face. The two exchange shocked glances before the boy attempted to shove Axel off and run away. "Enough!" Xemnas commanded, and jerked the boy back and held him by the shoulders in front of him. "I've brought you back a servant boy... One I think you'll find interesting enough to cure that boredom of yours. And if you grow bored with him... you know what to do." Xemnas explained, ending with grinning and showing off his fangs to get the message across. Play with your food basically, and when playtime was over, it was supper.

Axel took the chains, still shocked but not as much now as he saw what Xemnas was trying to do. Break his continuous habit of getting his blood from animals in serving goblets. "Thanks Xemnas... I uh... greatly appreiciate it." Xemnas smirked and threw the boy back at Axel, who stared up at him pleadingly. "You might want to train him though... if you manage to get past German... you two should keep each other company for a while..." And off Lord Xemnas went, to relax in his own chambers. The three heirs bowed, returning to their own rooms to admire their gifts. Well, sorta. Axel seemed to have no trouble in bringing the servant boy with him, with a silent nod to go upstairs. But once in his bedchambers, Axel let go of the servant boy's chains to lock the door, keeping Marluxia and his perfume box outside! With a heavy sigh, Axel returned to his chair, placing the chain around a bedpost before sitting down. "Can't believe damn Xemnas got me a human... Talk about trying to trick me into neckbiting! Oh, sure... bring back real gifts for Marly and Saix... but do I get anything that was nice? Nope! I'm stuck with a peasant kid!" He complained as he sat down. The boy however, ran over to try to flee, only having his chains yank him back. He whimpered and tried to take the metal cuffs off. Axel tried to ignore the chain rattling and whimpers amongst light crying, but it was too much. Standing up, he faced the boy. "Look... stop that right now. Even if I did let you go, you'll be easily caught again. Lord Xemnas doesn't like servants that try to flee... he either has them brought back alive... or prepared for his evening meal." He said.

The boy gazed up at him, fear in his eyes still. But there was also confusion. Axel blinked a few times, then realized this kid couldn't understand. "Hmm..." He thought this over, trying to remember his right words. "Do you speak French?" He asked in the French language. Again, the boy tilted his head slightly. Axel sighed, he only knew three languages he managed to teach himself, but German was not one of them. "Do you speak Italian?" He asked now with the Italian tongue, though it wasn't very good. He grumbled when the boy still did not respond. The only other forein language he knew was useless, when would he be in a place surrounded by Japanese people? "That's it..." He said returning to English. "I doubt you understand a bit of English now do you? Great! I'm stuck with a mute because he doesn't understand a word I s.." "I understand... a little." Axel's eyes widened and he gazed over at the boy, who seemed to relax now. "I understand... English... a little." He repeated. Axel's lips part to say something but sealed them once the boy slapped a hand to his neck, even though the other was chained. "You... kill me?" He asked, trying his hardest to speak and understand. Axel's eyes floated to that hand, as if trying to keep a pair of fangs from sinking in. Slowly, he made eye contact with the boy and shook his head. "No." He whispered. "I don't bite." Confused, the boy whispered Axel's answer, allowing his mind to understand the meaning. "Why?" He asked. Axel shrugged and turned to his seat. "I don't like it."

The servant boy watched him, as Axel tried to return back to his staring into oblivion. "Demyx.." Axel's eyes blinked and gazed over his shoulder, watching the boy walk over carefully with those chains and stood in front of Axel. "My name... Demyx." Axel couldn't believe what he was hearing, a human boy somehow finding the courage to face a vampire noble alone and in the eye. But then again, Axel was different. "Demyx?" He repeated, and nodded. "I'm Axel... got it memorized?" He said with a smile, keeping his lips sealed to hide his fangs. Demyx smiled back and held his hands out. "I promise... no run away." Axel dugged into his pocket, finding a key to unlock the cuffs. Once he did, he expected Demyx to flee. But instead, the blonde sat down on the floor, gazing up at Axel. "You promise?" He asked, surprised. "I promise!" Demyx repeated. His blue eyes gazed over the room, spotting the vanity and immediately got up to explore the contents. Axel seemed curious at watching Demyx explore. "Tell you what..." He started, gaining Demyx's attention. "If you work for just me... I can help you improve your English. I promise... no neck biting, from me or anyone in the house!" He said, holding up a hand. Demyx gazed at him, holding a brush he found in his hand. "Okay Axel..." He said with a smile, returning to Axel's side with the brush in hand. "Like the brush eh? Keep it, I have more..." He said, waving his hand off to Demyx, but then blinked. Demyx stood behind him, smiling and brushing through those red spikes of hair. It was soothing to Axel and found himself relaxing in his chair. When was the last time someone did that to him? Could he remember? "Oooooo... that's so good..." He moaned out lightly.

He allowed this to continue long into the night, before it was time for Axel to sleep. "Where do I..?" Demyx started to ask. Axel, now topless glanced about the room. No way he was going to suggest the dusty coffin in the corner, serving the purpose of a book stand and storage for more books. He was sure Xemnas would kill him one of these days for placing books in his coffin. "Uh... " He gazed everywhere then pointed to the sofa he happen to have. "There for now. I'll see that you get a small bed." Demyx smiled and nestled in the sofa, taking a few pillows and blankets with him. "Night night Axel!" He said before closing his eyes. Axel couldn't help but smirk. Maybe he was wrong about Xemnas bringing him a servant. Prehaps that's just what he needed, a friend. He glanced about one finally time, ensuring his curtains were kept tight to keep the sun out. Nodding to himself, he settled down into bed, allowing sleep to take over as the morning sun rose. It was the first time he didn't stay up to watch the sun rise before the rays of light touched him from the window. But what Axel didn't know, was that his new servant Demyx was going to take him into things he'd never dreamed he could face... and develope a deeper relationship far beyond that of any friendships.

For now, all Axel could face was the sleep and nightmares sure to plague his mind...