"Bored?"

The voice seemed to catch Nick's attention, as he turned to look at his friend. "What?"

Brian had to chuckled at the younger man. How many times had Nick being retrieving to la-la land in the past couple of months? Too many too count, that was for sure. "You got lost there for a minute. You're bored, aren't you?"

The blond looked at the dancing crowd one more time before nodding. His mind wasn't in dancing. Hell, his mind wasn't even in the club at all.

"Missing Kev?" Even thought he knew the answer to that question, he had to ask it.

Turning around to look at the younger Kentucky cousin, he nodded once again. "I wished he had come." His voice barely a whisper, not only so that no one else could hear him, but because he was trying to held his emotions at bay as well.

Placing a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, Brian could only give him half a smile. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about Rok. I thought he'd come too, that's all." Picking up the straw that was left behind, he starting to move the ice in his coke. Not being able to drink didn't help much.

"I'm not only sorry for that. I'm sorry for all." He had known about Nick's loved for his older cousin for some time now, a couple of years to be more accurate, and had always felt so bad for his younger friend. He deserved to be loved completely and unconditionally, but his heart belong to his very own cousin.

Looking at the blue eyes of his friend, a pair very similar to his own, he held his gaze, making sure that his words didn't feel to deaf ears. "I'm not sorry for loving him Brian. I never have and never will." His voice clam and collected, completely sure of his statement.

Brian sighed for what seemed the thousand time in the last couple of days. If anything he was very proud of the young man. Ever since he had found out about his love for the older man, he had never heard him say a word of complain about it. Sure, he had been down more than once when he would see Kevin going out with a girl to the awards or flirting in a club, but nothing more than that. He didn't know if he'd ever had so much courage for an unanswered love. "I know. I shouldn't have said that."

Nick's face lit up with a small smile to his friend. "It's ok Brian. I know you care for me."

"Of course I do!" he said while mussing the younger man's hair. "You are my kid brother!"

"Hey!" Nick cried while trying to cover his hair from the mean hands, but knew that the damage was probably already done. "Watch the hair!"

The older man only laughed at his response. That was what they'd usually do to bother Nick.

"Why don't you go dancing Bri?"

"Nah! I'm ok here." Picking up his coke and rum, he toke a sip. He wasn't much of a drinker and usually he'd only have two or three glasses.

"You don't need to keep me company, you know." His face showing that he knew exactly what the older man was doing.

Looking at Nick's baby blue eyes, he questioned. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll just stay here and drink a couple more cokes. You go and have fun." Flashing him the famous Carter smile, he was sure he'd convince him.

Nodding, Brian walked to the bar and asked a young lady for the dance.

Nick smiled to himself as he took another sip of his coke. Brian could be a worry ward sometimes. He was happy about having such a good friend, specially after he'd told him about his love for his older cousin. He had been so sure Brian would hate him, based on the fact that he was very religious and homosexuality was a condemn sin. Even though he didn't think of himself as gay.

He had fallen in love.

The fact that he object of his affection was his older friend, his older and male friend had nothing to do with it. He had never looked at other guys before, the only thought of other guys turn him off completely. He had fallen in love with the older man's actions. How he used to help him in his homework when he was just a kid, how he'd stay with him when he was either sick or homesick, not really having to, but wanting to. How when he hugged him, he'd feel safe and at home. The way he smiled when Nick didn't mess up a dance step. How he cared for all of them, sometimes even above his own needs. He knew that if Kevin had to choose between himself and his friends, the choice would have been made long before the idea even come to Kevin's mind. His friends.

He remembered how Brian had found out about it. It had been about two years ago. Nick had been having some trouble with their latest choreography. It was like his mind had been turn off, as not even one of the new steps seemed to come out right. Completely frustrated about it, the younger man had dumped himself on the floor in the middle of the room. Kevin, ever so calmly, had walked over to were Nick was and had sat by his side.

They had stayed there for a while, about five or ten minutes, none of them saying a simple word. It was like Kevin knew what Nick was feeling inside. It would have been pointless to try to talk with him, he was mad and angered at himself. Instead, Kevin had been there, showing Nick that no matter what, he'd always be by his side waiting for him to reach out. When Nick had calmed enough, he had stood up in one motioned, followed closely by Kevin.

The dark haired man had positioned himself by his side and, together, they had practiced the steps. Within an hour, the young man had learn the whole choreography. At the end Kevin had hugged him tightly and told him how proud he was of his actions. Nick had had to contain himself from crying of happiness at the older man's words.

After that, when they had headed over to their hotel, Nick had been with a silly grin plastered over his face for the rest of the day. Brian had notice this and had asked why he was so happy. Nick had only looked at his older friend and it had been like he had read the reason right out of his eyes. Brian had said 'Kevin'. With that, Nick knew he had to explain everything. Still afraid of his friend's reaction, he had feared rejection and hatred, but had only found understanding and acceptance.

Nick sighed. It had been so great to have someone to talk to about it. It still hurt, but it was better to share that hurt than to bare it himself. He knew his feelings would never be returned and had settle for friendly hugs and reassuring smiles. After all, just having Kevin by his side put him in a good mood.

"Nick?" he heard a voice ask.

Lifting his gaze from this coke, he looked at his friend. "Hey AJ. How's it going?"

Sitting by his side in the booth, AJ ordered a Blue Opal to the waitress and turned to look at him. "Great. I'm having a blast. I hate that we have to leave so early."

"It's barely after midnight, we'll leave about 1.30am and be back at the hotel before two. Besides, you know that if we stay late, then we'll never wake up tomorrow morning."

AJ had to smile at his younger friend. He knew that was right. He'd done it more than once, and had face Kevin's wrath more than once as well. "You aren't dancing kiddo."

"Could you stop calling me kiddo? I'm 19 already!" he complained while taking another sip of his coke.

"Nope! You're still a kid at heart!" he joke while messing his hair.

Nick, once again, tried to protect his hair from the disaster at hand, but failed miserably. "What is it with you people and messing my hair!?"

Laughing at his response, the older man received the drink for the waitress and gave her a large tip and winked at her. "It's just our way of showing we care for you."

"Then say it! Don't mess my hair."

Taking a sip of the drink, he looked at the younger man. "You're not having fun, are you?"

Nick gazed at his friend and smiled. "Yes I am."

"No, you are not. I haven't seen you dance all night long." He looked over at his friends. Howie was dancing with a very cute girl and Brian seemed to have finally gotten into it as well.

"That's cause I don't wanna dance. Not just yet." He didn't want to have that conversation with the older man, let alone in a club.

"You're thinking of him." Stated AJ while looking thoughtfully at him.

"What do you mean?" his voice as calm as he could manage at the moment. In reality he was scared to death that his secret was known by his friend.

"Kevin. You're thinking about Kevin, right?" His voice full of conviction, as he knew the truth behind the younger man's behavior. He had known for quiet a while, but hadn't wanted to pushed him into saying anything about it, waiting for him to say it himself.

"Hmm..." he was at a lost of words. He couldn't accept it, afraid of his reaction. But he knew better than denying it, after all, he was pretty sure AJ knew the truth.

"I know it Nick. It'll be impossible not to realized it." Taking another sip of his drink, he added. "You're in love with him."

Nick sighed and focus on his folded hands on the table. What could he possibly say now? Not knowing what else to do, he only nodded. He was waiting for any reaction of his older friend. Yelling at him, throwing him his drink, hitting him maybe, or just leaving the booth, but nothing came. Just silence, something that scared him more than anything.

Suddenly he felt a hand on top of his own. Looking up, he met the already familiar brown eyes of his friend, a smile on his lips.

"I'm cool with it Nick. Really."

Smiling himself, he let out a breath he didn't even know was holding back. "Thanks AJ. You don't know how grateful I am that you didn't freak out."

"Why would I? You're the same Nicky boy that I met back when we were auditioning for small parts back in Orlando. You haven't change one bit. Well, except probably the height." That comment caused Nick to chuckle. "I got you to laugh! I knew I could do it!" he exclaim in victory.

"You'll never change Bone." The younger man said shaking his head in amusement.

"Yep, I'm the same me all the time." His eyes still sparkling with happiness as his friend had finally let the burden he had been having over his shoulder leave.

"Just stop with the Nicky boy. I'm just Nick."

"You are Nicky boy. For me and for the rest of the group." He said with a smile as he hold himself at messing the younger man's hair once again. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." He answered before taking a sip of his coke. At the rate he was doing, he'd have to ask for another one soon enough. At least Kevin would be proud of him, he hadn't even ask for an alcoholic beverage when they got in.

"How long have you love him?" his eyes were serious, something you didn't see too often.

Nick sighed. Brian had asked him the very same question two years ago. He didn't know why it was so difficult for him to say it, he based it to the fact that back then he was only a kid. "Three years."

"Three year? Since you were sixteen?" his eyes were big as flying saucers. He had known Nick was head over heels for their older band member for about a year, maybe a little more, but he didn't know it run so deep within.

Nick only nodded, knowing that he would probably have another question ahead of him.

"Why haven't you said something?"

"What can I possibly say? He'd never feel the same way. He still thinks of me as his younger brother. Just a kid. It'd only destroy our friendship. Make him feel weird around me. I don't want that." His voice was completely calm, like he was giving the time of day.

The older man sighed. It looked like Nick had given it a lot of thought, if anything, he was afraid that was probably the truth. He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it before any word could leave his lips. He was planing on saying 'I'm sorry.' But somehow he knew it'd be a mistake. He was sure he's younger friend would never be sorry for the love he had.

"Does Brian know?" he questioned. He had always wondered if the younger Kentucky cousin was aware of his best friend's feelings.

"Yeah. Found out two years ago."

"You should have told us, you know. We'd never be against you."

"I know. I'm sorry." he took one last drink of his coke and asked the waitress for another one. As a thought stroked him, he asked. "Does D know?"

AJ nodded. "Both of us have known for a while. It's pretty obvious. The way you look at him, how your face lit up when he comes in the room. Comparing notes, we kinda figured it out. We had been thinking it was just 'us' for a little while, seeing something that wasn't there." Taking another sip from his drink, he added. "And if we didn't know, we could have found out by your behavior tonight. The way you woke him up and got lost just by looking at him. You really love him."

The younger man looked at the table as he blushed at the comment. He knew he shouldn't have done it, but it had been so difficult for him to control his emotions in that moment. "I should watch it." He mumble.

"Not really. We all know now, so there's nothing for you to worry about. Besides, Kevin was completely asleep, I don't think he noticed."

Nick stayed quiet for a while. He should watch it. If AJ and Howie had both seen it, then Kevin would probably see it as well.

"There's nothing to be scared off." Reassured AJ.

The younger man looked at his friend and smile. "Thanks. But I should be more careful, I don't want Kevin finding out."

"He doesn't know. He won't know. He'll think you're panning a prank against him." He said with a smile.

When the waitress returned with his drink, he too tipped the girl fairly well. Nodding as a response, he took the first sip of his drink, glad that it was cold - the ice of the other one had long ago melted. "Yeah, you're probably right." Trying not to torture himself wondering if Kevin knew or not, he changed the subject. "Is D ok with it?"

AJ had to laughed at it, which kinda scared the younger man. Flashing a reassuring smile at friend, he decided to put him out of his misery. "Not only does he knows, but he was really happy for you. You should have seen it when I told him that I was thinking the same thing. It was like he was the one in love! He said you two would make a very cute couple. Guess he's just a sucker for romance."

Nick, too, had to chuckled at the thought. He should have known that they would take it well. After all AJ had always been very open minded and Howie, well, as AJ had said, he had always being a sucker for romance. His face feel as he finished the thought. This story wouldn't have a happy ending.

Seeing how his younger friend had suddenly lost all happiness in his expression, he decided to try another kind of approach and hoped that he'd forget about the subject at hand. "Lets hit the dance floor kiddo! Have some fun."

"I don't know..."

"Come on!" Grabbing the younger man by the hand, he made him stand up. "We're going dancing right now!"

With nothing left to do, but laugh at his friend's antics, he let himself be dragged onto the dance floor. "Ok AJ. Ok. I'm going." Laughing one last time, he asked a girl and started to dance, AJ by his side. At least he'd have fun for a little while.

*****

The street was dark and almost desolated as Kevin walked through the city. He was in the suburbs on New York. No better place to go hunting than this one, after all. It had been almost one hour since he had left the hotel and he hadn't found his victim yet. He could have anyone at all, either woman or children. But his rational told him different. Over the years that had passed by, Kevin had only fed of men. Usually scum that only contaminated the city. Maybe it was his subconscious making up for the fact that he was killing a person in the end. He didn't know.

Not really knowing where he was heading, he kept walking. He'd be let by his instincts in every one of his hunting. He turn around in one corner absentmindedly, not even realizing that it was a dead end ally. As he kept walking, one guy stepped in front of Kevin. His senses taking over instantly.

"Give me your wallet old man." Said the first guy. He seemed to be relatively young. Early twenties. Young blood.

Turning around slightly, Kevin saw another man behind. His brother. Late twenties or early thirties. Taller and heavier than the younger man. The one behind the plan. Kevin gazed at the younger one.

"Didn't you hear me? Give me your God damn wallet!" he was starting to loose is patient very quickly. Moving his right hand over his pocket, he got a small blade. Showing it to the estranger at hand, he let the blade shine under the street light from across the street.

Kevin stood there, not saying anything, not doing anything. Just looking right into the younger man's eyes. Dark brown, almost black. They both had killed many people just for the heck of it, enjoying the feeling of the life leaving the body.

'Ironic.' The dark haired man thought. The very same thing they enjoyed, Kevin did as well. And this time, they weren't the hunters, but the prey.

"What? You want to fight?" asked the younger man again, coming even closer to Kevin. The blade shining down the dim light, being moved from right to left by the man.

Kevin looked at him and smiled. Letting the back pack fell to the floor, he moved closer to him. "Come on." His voice husky with the emotion of the fighting.

The younger man approached him very quickly, but Kevin was even faster. Bending down a little bit, he shoved him in the stomach with the side of his arm, knocking the wind out of him.

Hearing the older man coming for him, Kevin turned around and glared at him. He was taller than him, about 6"3'. Had some muscles, that was for sure. But would mean no fight against him.

Moving his right foot to his side a little bit, with one quick movement he hit him with his shin on the side of the face, making him stumble over the wall nearby.

He turned around once again and looked at the younger man, already up waiting to fight Kevin. Flashing him a devil grin, Kevin punched him right in the stomach. As he bend over by the pain, Kevin hit him with his forearm in the back, making him fell to the floor.

Picking him up like he waited nothing, he threw him against the wall with such force that seemed impossible for a normal human being, about ten feet from were Kevin was standing. The young man hit it with a loud thud, then fell to the ground, unconscious. He'd take care of him later. First, he was gonna see that his older brother had what he deserved.

Kevin turned to face the older man, who was walking towards him, trying to menace him by his actions. They didn't know how wrong they were. Kevin was sure that they didn't even know what had hit them.

Suddenly the nice and gentle face that had been seen by the two robbers changed. His facial features seemed to contract within themselves. The clear sapphire green eyes turned into a darker color, almost gray. The easiness seen in them was lost in a second, replaced by coolness and hunger. The shape of the eyes had turned into the ones of a cat, long and narrow. His furry eyebrows were pressed together, like they were only one. His lips, barely parted, displayed a couple of long fangs. Long and sharp fangs.

The older mugger seemed surprised at the dark haired man's actions, and was froze in his place. Kevin, aware of this, glared at him and focus on his eyes for a moment. Fear could bee seen in them. Fear of the unknown, fear of what was about to happen.

"What the--?" questioned the older one. However his words died in his lips, as he saw the green eyed man looked at him death in the eye. All his blood seemed to cool down in his veins, his breathing stopped. Not a second later, he was by his side, holding him by the neck with one hand. Looking at him right in the eye, the older mugger could see that death was close by. With one last look and a roaring from the other man, he moved his head over his own shoulder before penetrating the flesh right in the jugular.

He could feel as his life was being sucked out of him, the blood running freely over the two very small punctures in the base of his neck. He started to feel tired, his eyes closing without noticing it. As he took his last breath, he didn't know what had actually taken placed in that moment. Smelling his very own blood for the first time, he closed his eyes for good.

Kevin's senses were filled with the exciting smell of running blood. The older man had been so perturb by the sight of Kevin's features, that his pumping had been accelerated, letting the blood run even frillier than usual. As he drank the last drops of such an estrange and numbing liquid, he knew he was done with that one. Letting the body fell to the ground, he walked over to the younger man.

Still laying on the floor unconscious, Kevin took one glance at him. They had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. They had messed up with the wrong guy. Nothing else. Picking him up like he weighted nothing, he, once again, moved his head towards his own shoulder and with a roaring he penetrated his sharp fans into the awaiting flesh. The feeling intoxicated Kevin to the core. Nothing was better than hunting, even though he didn't do it so often.