Blood Lust

Chapter 12

Every second that passed felt like an eternity. Hashirama laid lifeless beneath his lover and brother. The room was still---waiting for something to happen. Madara was too focused on his own heartbreak and loss to realize Tobirama had stood up behind him. He yelped when the younger brother grabbed him by the hair and yanked him backwards. The other men were preparing their weapons and aiming at Madara in the process.

"He's dead!" Tobirama screamed as he tossed him hard onto the floor.

Anger boiled inside of Madara at the sheer audacity of Tobirama's claim. He was quick to rise back up to his feet as darkness swarmed around him. Hashirama wasn't around to stop him now.

"It's your fault!" Madara shrieked, lunging towards Tobirama.

A hand struck Madara hard across his face. It was a strike that was hard enough to make him bleed. He merely stumbled a few steps back, but he didn't let that stop him.

"He died trying to protect some disgusting monster!" Tobirama snarled. "I'm going to kill---"

A blood-curdling scream erupted from Hashirama. The men in the room stopped everything and their eyes fell on the brunette. Madara paused, but Tobirama kept going.

"What did you do to him?" Tobirama grabbed Madara by the collar and pulled him nose to nose.

"He's changing!" Madara shoved out of his grasp, his strength regaining from adrenaline. "It's too much to explain right now!"

Another succession of pained cries poured out of Hashirama.

"You all need to leave!" Madara frantically warned as he raced to Hashirama's side.

Hashirama was writhing in pain---eyes wide and staring up at the ceiling with his mouth agape. His veins were protruding and his skin was soaked with sweat. The tanned color of skin he had was draining away into a pale olive tone.

"I'm not leaving him!" Tobirama argued, sinking down to the floor beside Madara.

"I don't know what he'll do when he wakes up!" Madara urged. "He might try to kill you! Get out of here!"

Tobirama seemed surprised at Madara's suddenly cautious nature. He wouldn't have blamed him if he allowed Hashirama to rip them all to shreds. Instead, he was protecting the men from harm and Hashirama from regret. It wasn't typical behavior of vampires.

"I don't want to leave my brother alone," Tobirama pleaded.

"Just wait down the hall!" Madara ordered, growing more frustrated. "I'll get you when I know it's safe!"

Hashirama was panting and sputtering groans. His whole body had gone stiff until suddenly his back arched. Another scream belted out of him as he grasped at nothing on the floor. It felt like he was dying an excruciating death. Every nerve in his body burned and every muscle felt like it was ripping apart. His bones were breaking and mending back together---over and over.

"Get out! All of you!" Madara shouted.

Out of fear for their own lives, they listened to the one person they never thought they would. All of the hunters piled out and rushed down the hall. Tobirama still remained, staring at Madara and Hashirama from the doorway. He watched as Madara delicately touched his older brother to comfort him and whisper praises he couldn't hear. As much as he wanted to stay, he chose to wait outside of the room. Oddly, he trusted Madara's judgment.

"Can you hear me, Hashirama?" Madara cooed. He was trying his best to restrain Hashirama's jerks and twists of his body and limbs. "Look at me if you can hear me!"

Moving his eyes to look at Madara was agonizingly painful. All he could hear was a muffled repetition of "I'm sorry." His vision was blurring, but the last image he saw was Madara with tear-stained cheeks. He couldn't quite understand what was happening in that moment.