A/N: My last author's note was oddly angry to my siblings. Funny because I can't remember why anymore. I would like to believe that I have come a long way from that.

Disclaimer: I not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any other anime yet… but I might have ownership to possibly one soon! (This was written by my delusional teen self.)

Flashbacks are italics

Numb, Pale and Cold


The long rain has abruptly stopped and dawn have come and gone. The carriage at that time had already enter onto the rocky paths of the enchanted woods. The burning red eyes of the stallion beam through, casting eerie shadows within the lurid glow of its eyes.

Serenity stares out from the window of the dark carriage as all signs of sunlight vanished from the mere surface of the earth. She lift her hand from the window sill as she tried to muffle a small yawn. She is starting to adapt to his schedule now yet the sunlight still seems irresistible to her.

By this time, Serenity wore a golden color off-the-shoulder dress decorated with beggar laces as white ruffles. The dress was designed into a Victorian style with various ivory white ribbons on some parts of the puffy sleeves and parts partially the bodice. The lower half flaunts down somewhat but waves gracefully in the wind.

Her blood-red locks gently sway in the silent breeze. It was fix into thick, curly tresses, held on by many long yellow ribbons. It moved slightly when she leaned closer to the window to get a closer look of her current surroundings.

Shizuka sat there, a near level of elegance if her feet weren't bare. When he was carrying her from her room to the carriage, her feet had never touched plain ground. She had a pair of four-inch-heels before but they were highly uncomfortable so Kaiba had chucked them out the window while the carriage strolled through the dreary fields of the empty villages. Pale and petite her feet were as she swings them to and fro trying to keep warm.

Her mocha-brown eyes shifted towards the varnished mahogany coffin lying in the middle of the moving carriage.

"Please, darling, let me join you," she softly cried out in a pleading tone. Guilt pervades heavily in her heart and pain lingers as she wondered if she had in fact made the corrected decision of leaving her dear brother and drunken father behind. She missed them already, worrying of how Lord Pegasus would treat them when he found about her disappearance. Only becoming one with him could she toss this feeling aside and set her free from the guilt then, and only then, will Mr. Pegasus leave her family alone. Happiness would be in the light of her grasp.

Suddenly Shizuka heard a deep chuckle inserting into her mind, Foolish girl, he spoke telepathically to her after sensing her thoughts, you'll never enjoy being a vampire, that life is not meant for you.

She lowers her head as she felt his darkening aura around although nothing was really there. It's almost time for his reawaken.

"Bite me if you love me, I really have no care of the future consequences that lie ahead. Please release me from this guilt." But deep down she knows that he would never do that, his heart would break to see her like him… as one of them.

You'll never understand the pain and loneliness; forever hungry for mortals' blood, hatred, discrimination; no, you'll never understand. I can't see you embodying that. It will kill your spirit.

'But, darling, you have me now. Everything is going to change now that we are together, you said so yourself,' she thought biting her lips.

Serenity heard nothing but another low chuckle. She shook her head and sigh, the depressing thoughts temporarily escaped from her; he wouldn't understand the guilt of mortals. Slowly her mind wander off as the full moon outside caught her eyes. 'Love, I remember our first meeting… it was in these woods.' She began to drift off.

Serenity Wheeler stared aimlessly around her estrange surroundings only to find herself lost into the isolated beauty of the dense woods. That day seem like every other day, at least to her it did. Once again she had elicited a horrible argument with her drunken father and once again she had conceded to the woods. The woods was not so far from her home and is in a manageable distances to get to but for some unbeknownst reason, it had always been forbidden to people dwelling in that town.

She and her broken family, which consist of her older brother, Joseph, and her usually intoxicated father, who spend most of his time in the bar drinking and playing dice, lived by the outskirts of town for nearly all their lives. Unheeding the warnings given, Serenity ventures there many times as a secret spot for her to think in peace when the situation at home is less than ideal. Her brother works at the mill doing backbreaking labor to earn a living for them so she didn't want to trouble him anymore than it was necessary.

After her mother died, home was no longer consider home but more of a places that one can stay for long, like a hostel where one can leave as they please. Yes, it was more like a hostel than ever a home, emphasis on the hostile part. (5) The woods seem more welcoming than her actual family.

The woods are forbidden after several cadavers were stumble upon there but the cause was never found. Many other bodies were still missing, but the recovered corpses weren't any better, many were disfigured and mutilated. Sheriffs were extremely perplexed with the mystery, they suspected the cause to be vampires or some other occult creature.

Serenity heard of the rumors circulating around town about the woods but she never believed them. There are many mysteries in the world and now-a-days people are accusing others of being evil, this time was no different than during the ages of the Salem Trials. Hatred circumference the world she now lived in, selfish and greed lies upon all souls, not one is pure… except, maybe… no, no one is clean.

Serenity's eyes sailed across the ocean of delicate flowers in the green meadows. This was her secret garden, a spot that she clandestinely goes to in the nighttime, when these flowers bloom the best. She never really cared for flowers, until she found this place where the moon shines the brightest in the whole forest. There was a close by vine-swing hanging on a nearby willow decked with violets and lilies.

The atmosphere felt thickening with peril lurking around every tree and behind every bush. A pair of sterling gray eyes spied for his next victim, a beautiful redhead in the nocturnal flower garden.

Serenity stared at the batch of enchanting flowers in her petite hands. How lovely do they fit together! Ecstatically, she continued her flower-picking, having not the slightest idea of being stalked.

Without warning, a loud snarl cracked the tranquil atmosphere. The girl shrieked, dropping the flowers in her hands. Surprised, she turned away from the noise and ran toward the direction of the town. Her troublesome curiosity challenged her to look back.

Immediately, she was tackled down, pitching forward right at the spot. Her legs quivered and buckled. The monster stood in front of her. He looks similar to a satyr.Grey and hairy it was, looking like a man as it stands supportively on his hind legs. There was a wolf head tattooed on his firm chest, looking as if it would jump out any minute to rip anything apart with its sharp fangs.

Serenity shrieked as its human head lashed out a pair of gigantic choppers, while its hungry eyes grew desire for a good meal. Without another though Serenity mustered all of her strength and kicked him hard on his chest where the tattoo was.

The creature stumbled backwards. Serenity got up to her feet and continued to run from her captor when she realized the mistake she had just made. She turned her head just enough to see the heinous tattoo come to life with its head resting on its owner's body. It became faster, for now it runs on all fours.

Serenity maintained running for her dear life, but in the back of her mind she knows that she cannot out run such a beast much longer. The thoughts of her horrible and unenviable death entered her mind.

The loud roar close from behind snapped her from her defeating thoughts. She is reminded how important it is for her to keep going. She can't give up yet, she tried motivating herself as specks of light from the town entered her view. With determination on her brows, she persisted to run like never had before but her legs gradually gave in to exhaustion.

Serenity tripped on a twig and falls. She felt a slimy paw grab her from behind. 'This is the end,' she morbidly assumed. Tears streamed from her eyes.

But before the heinous creature could do anything, a dark figure with wings flies down from the dark night sky where the full moon laid. In lightning speed, he tackled the mangy beast. The hideous beast screech luridly, collapsing into the dirt-cover ground, as the other figure retract his wing and stood. The werewolf tried to get itself off the ground but while it did, it felt apart to neatly diced pieces. What's left of his face indicates shock. He didn't realized he was already dead.

In a slight panic, Serenity looked up at her rescuer as she shook madly at the gruesome scene that she had just witnessed (supposedly, since everything moved too quickly for her to comprehend with her human eyes).

When he offers her a hand, she gazed upon his handsome features. His chocolate brown hair blew slightly in the wind as his fierce ocean-blue eyes meet her soft angelic brown ones.

Her lips quivered to thank him but before she could he pulled away, disappearing in the mysterious night sky.

Suddenly, Serenity felt a pair of arms wrapping tightly around her from behind, putting her back to the reality. Without turning, she knew exactly who it was.

"So you finally decide to rise up?" she surreptitiously smiled.

"Didn't want to leave you out here in boredom. After all, I am the host of this carriage. It would be unfortunate if word gets out that I was being less than gracious to my treasured guest."

His eyes flashed dangerously as he gradually lean his head forward, showering cold yet tender kisses on her smooth, milk-white neck. She slowly prop her head back on his pointed shoulder. Her tired eyelids, sinking heavily with every kiss, began to close until she was lost in her own hallucinations.

He pulled away, watching as she dozes off in his arms. Without warning, his sharp white fangs protruded from his pale lips and he inched closer and closer to her neck. Bloodlust starts to take over him as his x-ray vision reveals the hidden blood vessels of her slender neck.


Meanwhile, not much farther behind were the bounty hunters, Marik and Bakura. Both of them rode on separate horses with course black hair.

Marik stares aimlessly forward, concocting new tactics to defeat number one contender. His fingers brushed the millennium rod he bears, which can turn into a golden scythe during battle. Touching the weaponry gave him victorious thoughts. There is a very low possibility he can lose now that he had the rod in his hands. He smirked smugly to himself.

Bakura, on the other hand, drew out the mysterious metal object that Pegasus tossed at him earlier of the day. It was a gold engagement ring with a blue sapphire that matches her eyes perfectly.

Bakura began reminiscing his time with her, his dear, Tea Gardener. He loves her ever so much; she meant the world to him. She was the only one who really understood him and didn't turn her back against him when the others around her did.

Everyone told her that he was dangerous, that he was an evil hell-spawn sorcerer, and that she can't be loved by him, but she didn't let their words get between her and Ryou. She never judged him because of something he couldn't help. She was the only one who truly supported him.

Pain struck him as Bakura remembers the night of the engagement. He remembers how Tea's soft, strawberry-scented brown hair swayed in the light autumn breeze. Her magnificent sky-blue dress seems to twirl around her. Startling blue eyes looked endearingly upon him as he placed the ring on her slender finger. He felt her heart beating like his from the pulse of his thumb against her skin.

He remembered each and every word she said and her priceless expression as he asked for her hand in marriage. Afterwards they kissed, he'll never forget how she tasted like, her every scent and flavor, the way her fingers entwined with his snow white hair.

Just as they were about to hit the climax of their kiss, her sister comes to tell her to return home. The girl gawked at the pale wizard, disapproval written all over her face. Tea blushed and nodded. Nevertheless, she gave Bakura another kiss on the cheek before departing. He watched as she waved good-bye, not realizing that that would be one of the last times he will ever see her smiling at him again.

She wasn't at their usual spot the next day. He waited and waited for her, however she never arrive. He continued the same routine throughout the week but not once did she show up. He later eavesdropped on some news from two passing villagers that Ms. Gardener had wedded a rich senator the day after her and Bakura's engagement.

He had never felt such betrayal in his life. The only woman he loved had deceived him in the most wicked way possible. He was enraged. Caught on the stage of denial, he drew out his sword, killing the two commoners immediately.

He didn't believe them until he saw her in the senator's car himself. She passed by without noticing him, not that she was showing it anyways. At that moment, he undergoes the pain of having his heart ripped out of him. How could she do this to him? After all they've been through together... She played with his emotions and his heart. It hurt more than all the nasty words he had endured before.

He left that town after that incident and didn't return till now, numb to all emotions, especially to the feeling of love. He stared at the ring again, sudden he became aware of the feelings he still have for his dear Tea.

"Hey you," Marik snorted from the side, disrupting Bakura's current daydream.

"What?" he asked, a little annoyed.

"I've been thinking, why should we be working together on this mission anyways?"

Bakura's eye sparked dangerously, "We both have one thing in common: we can't afford to lose…" And with that, he kicked the side of his horse causing it to gallop ahead.


To be continue…

A/N: More action next chapter. What do you think, huh? You're reviews and opinions are important, it helps me self-evacuate my techniques and stuff.

(5)I slur my words sometimes so I pronounce hostel and hostile almost the same. Hurr hurr.