I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any Shakira music. Or any crappy Sci-Fi movies mentioned.

Well...I figured that since people are being nice and interested enough to review this one, I'd go ahead and put up another chapter. I know this story seems to start off abruptly, but it's meant to be that way. And while reviews are not the main reason one writes, it would be nice if any 'Hold on to Time' folks might drop a note. I mean...that was kind of a big moment in the story. But whatever, on to the story.


"Oh, you know I have seen a sky with no sun, a man with no nation. Saints, captive in chains, a song with no name for lack of imagination."

'Eyes Like Yours,' Shakira

Chapter 2

Fated Meetings

Teana watched the shadows of the others cut across the window. They had arrived at a good time – just as the humans had been taken to the prisons. Not that there was anything good about it; it just meant that she didn't have to observe the lamentations of the people she couldn't help. The room-Kisara's- was comfortable and warm, good for watching the stars and the wings.

Unfortunately, she and Kisara had been joined by some rather...unsavory…company.

"I can't believe you two missed the feeding. You're horridly strange, I hope you know."

Hecate's voice was unpleasant, rather simpering and occasionally cutting into more direct spite. Its acerbic overtone was easily diluted through Kisara's soft words.

"We acknowledge that we are different. We can only hope to be of use to the master in our own way, and to take humans for more productive uses than they are already put to, Lady Hecate." Kisara bowed her head reverently, and in spite of herself, Teana's mouth crooked into a slight smile. Leave it to Kisara to make sweet comments to those who would come uninvited into her home.

Kisara was very humble, but everyone else knew she was extremely pretty, and everyone also knew that Hecate was intensely petty and jealous. There were few people she hated more than Kisara – her long, beautiful hair and the attractive, benign sweetness of her face were things Hecate coveted, and even with her back turned, Teana could feel the festering resentment as Hecate said, "Of course…Kisara…"

Teana glanced at Kisara, who stood beside her at the window, and she looked even taller and more willowy beside her own seated, hunched posture. Dignified, as always.

"Kisara speaks with much wisdom. Dear Hecate, you mustn't be so critical of differences. They should be celebrated, as they make us more unique."

Teana felt the hairs on the back of her neck lift from her skin. She had almost forgotten about the other one.

Hecate lowered her head, subdued, sour features almost apologetic. "Of course, Teleia. I forgot myself."

"It happens to the best of us." Again, the low, beautifully purring voice sounded, and Teana glanced back toward Teleia, nervous and pondering.

Clothed in a fine cream garment, Teleia's skin was smooth and gleaming ivory, contrasting vibrantly with her subdued red hair. In all her years, Teana had never met anyone who looked quite so womanly and shapely; nor had she ever met someone who frightened and appalled her more. In the perfectly chiseled features and the pleasant sweep of her fiery hair, there was something unholy about her. As if there were something…inhuman about her, more than just being one of them. As if she'd never really been human at all.

But that was ridiculous, of course. What else could she be?

As if sensing her gaze, Teleia opened her amusedly closed eyes. Their yellow eeriness glowed against her direct blue, catlike and sheathed. "Something troubling you, dearest Teana?"

At the sound of her name, Teana felt a shudder building in her shoulder blades. "Not at all, Lady Teleia. I am only glad that most of our hunters came back unharmed. I heard the city attacked was very strong."

The purring laugh was lovely and terrifying. "Indeed. They had strange beasts that attacked us with magic. We fled a little earlier than we would have ordinarily. But not without doing immense damage, and taking many hostages. Even the desert and its dry earth cannot subdue our power."

Teana considered the idea of the monsters being struck down with flaming arrows. She smiled, and said, "That is wonderful indeed, my lady."

"Did I hear someone say, 'dessert'?" Teana groaned inwardly at Leucosia's voice, muffled behind the door in the corridor outside the room. Kisara kept perfect poise, as always.

"'Desert' dearest, not 'dessert'. How can you think of food after such a feeding?" Teleia's amusement was heady on the air, and Teana felt the urge to puke.

The doorway to Kisara's abode was thrown open, and something was forced unceremoniously inside. It landed with a sound of pain, and it – or rather, he – struggled to sit up.

"That is how I can think of food. Or rather, dessert. You can see why, yes?" Leucosia grinned wickedly, marring her pretty features. Kisara's eyes grew sad, but she remained near the window. Teana, on the other hand, got up to see what she'd pulled into the room, curiosity pulling her reluctant muscles.

He looked to be about fifteen. His nearness to her own –physical – age somehow endeared him to her. Sitting up, he looked around for a moment, before fixing his eyes on her, strangely defiant and blazing. His tunic was torn and bloodied, but not by his own blood it seemed, for there was no mar or slit in his dark skin. The tunic, though, alerted her to something – he was no peasant. Its make and weave were fine, its cloth high quality. His hair was strange – it stood up in a messy fashion, and it had alarming coloration.

In spite of herself – and the odd hair - Teana knew what vain, conceited Leucosia had been talking about – he was shockingly beautiful, features well-formed in spite of his youth. There was obvious strength and vitality in him – blood coursed healthily and quickly through him. Somehow, the sound made her desperately sad.

"I can see why, indeed. Very handsome. Where did you find this delectable specimen?" Hecate was observing him, and Teana felt her fingers convulse into a fist, claws raking against her palm. He turned his attention to Hecate, saying nothing, perhaps understanding nothing of their tongue.

"Saw him when the last group was brought in. Isn't he a treat, though?" Leucosia let her claws touch his arm, laughing when he turned around and backed away, expression flaming and infuriated.

Teana looked at Kisara, helplessly. Kisara gave her a look that plainly said, "Keep still and silent."

Hecate had gotten up, and grabbed his shoulders from behind. He said something that Teana couldn't precisely understand, but his expression was less defiant and a little more cautious. Grinning cruelly, Hecate pushed him, hard, and Leucosia darted forward to catch him. She shrieked with laughter.

"Do you like to play catch? Well, handsome?" she asked, spinning him around to face her. He made a face at the stench of her breath – she'd fed, and blood had a foul, lingering smell – and spat at her feet. "Oh, he likes to play dangerously!" He found himself being pushed back to Hecate, and he must have hurt himself somehow, because he dropped to one knee before Hecate pulled him back up, supporting his weight.

"Oh, poor sweetness. Twisted your ankle?" she asked with mock kindness. Teana's blood boiled at the sight, and her heart wrenched at the pained expression on his face. And her mouth went dry when the tight claws settled on his sides, violently hating the women. Was everything a game to these wretched creatures? Even Kisara – who never lost her temper, ever – was looking particularly grim, watching him twist in Hecate's grip.

"Yes, very amusing," Kisara said gently, stoic as ever. "But you've already fed, have you not? Taking his blood now would be quite a waste."

But Hecate seemed to have a spiteful thought in mind, ignoring Kisara. "Teana, think fast!" She pushed him again, harder than ever, and Teana opened her arms by instinct.

He grunted at the impact, and Teana blinked, more than a little stunned as her brain reeled frantically to figure out what to do in such a situation. She felt his muscles tremble, exerting themselves to keep upright on one leg.

Her fury left her as she put both arms to his sides gently, keeping his weight off the ground, off his injured leg. His hands found her arms, bewildered in his lack of balance, steadying himself with them. She looked at him, and as he lifted his head to examine her, she blinked, feeling just a little awkward. Appraising eyes flicked over her, and there was anger, embarrassment - and maybe a bit of gratitude - in them as she handled him tenderly, aware of the injury. His pulse was appealing, and it lulled the anger inside her.

This close…he was beautiful. It was a weird feeling; she'd never thought much about boys being cute because she'd only ever been close to her dad. But this boy was different. The warmth of his body and the way his face set in suspicious defiance was soothing, and his eyes were the most peculiar color, like the sky at twilight when the clouds were stained violet-

"Ooh, I think Teana likes his pretty eyes too, Leucosia. Perhaps we should give them some privacy?"

Teana's anger returned, mixed with hot humiliation. Hecate was crowing with laughter, Leucosia pouting jealously. But Teleia frightened her – there was a strange amusement in her eyes. The young man – "boy" did not fit, but he was not yet a "man" – looked at Teleia as well, and she saw anger in his eyes at the creature's expression.

But she felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. Perhaps she wasn't the only one who felt the unwholesomeness around Teleia.

"What exactly do you want to do with him for now?" Kisara asked, observing Teana's hands. It was then that Teana realized her hands were clutched protectively against his back. She loosened her grip, and he looked at her again, hands still gripping her arms.

"Oh…I suppose I'm too full right now. But I don't think I can deny myself a taste…"

He was looking at Teana, eyes asking what was happening. Teana looked back at him helplessly in anger, glancing to Kisara for guidance. But Kisara could only look at her in a similar fruitlessness.

"Wait a moment, Leucosia. I think I'd like to try him first."

Again, Teana felt her hair stand on end, Teleia's voice rolling into her ears. She watched as the woman rose, and came closer with a shifting, smooth gait. "You'll hold him still, Teana, of course?" she asked, yellow eyes fixing on her. The youth looked between the two of them, and Teana felt the urge to pull him away, slicing Teleia's face off in the process. Sick freak.

A mocking smile met her eyes. She wondered if Teleia could guess what she was thinking.

A dry mouth swallowed. It was hers. "Of…course…my lady." Hating herself, hating Teleia, and hating what she would witness, Teana gave him – the young man who did not understand – a sorrowful look as she turned him around, facing this demon veiled in feminine beauty.

Teleia gripped his wrist, and Teana felt his shock at her inhumanly long, sharp red nails. "I don't want to bite his neck – that would be a waste. Just below the wrist will suffice."

He attempted to move away, sensing her ill intent. Cursing herself in several tongues, Teana held him still, grip iron on his sides. Turning his head, he looked at her, questioning and looking a little betrayed.

'I don't even know you. Don't look at me like I'm supposed to be able to help you. Don't look at me like that.' Her heart twisted.

There was a horrible sound as Teleia opened her mouth, revealing a bestial mouth of fangs, eyes growing narrow while her features shrank into those of an animal powered by starvation. Teana squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the teeth enter his flesh and he screamed in pain, the sound burning her ears and scratching all along her throat.


The delinquents murmured uncertainly, facing the girl and her companion with hesitant glances at each other. Hirutani turned his slick head towards them with a dark glare. They were pretty craven for such a notorious gang. That, or the glowing hair put them off. One or the other. "Don't tell me you're afraid of those two."

This seemed to steady his gang, and one of them held his knife ready. "Want me to finish this guy first, boss?" Water ran from the man's hand and blade, dangerously near Atem's face. He let it touch Atem's temple. Atem held as still as he could.

"In a minute. I want to talk to these ladies first." Hirutani had a twisted little smile on his face, but the pale girl seemed perfectly unfazed. The other one – with the short hair – however, spoke suddenly.

"Get that knife away from him." It was sudden, sharp, but her voice was not like the other's – it did not hold the same soft command.

The knife slid up and down the side of his face, and Atem closed his eyes. "Get out of here. It's not safe," he whispered, praying that these girls could run faster than he could. The knife slipped a little against his cheek, and he twitched, feeling hot blood running down his face, washed by the rain that had managed to work its way under the hood of his jacket.

"Shut up. We're going to have a nice chat."

"Leave them alone!" Atem barked suddenly, temper flaring. "You filth! Too cowardly to fight like real men, so you attack helpless women! Disgusting pieces of-!"

The knife dug in just a bit, and Hirutani turned to face him, looming above him darkly. Atem looked up at him, eyes charged with rage. This would distract these lunatics, now the girls could get out of-

"That's very chivalrous of you young man, but we can handle ourselves. These young delinquents will prove no trouble for us. But it's very genteel of you to put yourself in such danger for our sakes."

Hirutani turned, and Atem cursed. What was wrong with this girl? After that little speech, there was nothing he could do to distract these criminals! But she stood there, smiling politely, as if she had very much appreciated his little "performance."

"Sweetheart, I don't think you realize what you've gotten yourself into. It goes against my better nature to harm a lady, though, so why don't you just walk away and pretend you didn't see anything?" Hirutani smiled, ingratiatingly, but the pale girl simply looked to her associate.

"Would you care to do the honors?"

The darker girl nodded, and took a few steps forward in the empty, deluged street. She looked from the gang to Atem to Hirutani, stopping right in front of him, hands resting prettily on her hips. "I see he bit you," she said conversationally. Hirutani grinned, and raised his hand, catching her by the chin with his good hand.

"I suppose so, little lady. Again, you two should leave. I've killed girls before, though they weren't quite as cute as you."

The pale girl's eyes flashed, and Atem would have sworn he saw smoke from her nostrils.

The other girl eyed Hirutani. "You're a scummy, lowlife piece of trash." Then, she grinned.

Thrown into sharp relief by their sudden appearance, her teeth were impossibly long and sharp, belonging in the mouth of a viper, gleaming even in the mucky, watery light. Hirutani jerked back, eyes widening, and his gang let out strange gasps and a few reeled backwards. Atem felt the hands leave his shoulders and the cut on his face stung as he hit the ground, face pressed by gravity into the asphalt.

"I like dealing with people like you. I consider it charity work for the rest of humanity."

Hirutani pulled his knife and swung forward, surprisingly quick for someone who had been so shocked. Killer's instinct. She grabbed his wrist, squeezing it harshly, and he dropped the blade with a yell. Atem lifted his head, staring, eyes widening when he heard a disturbing crack issue from Hirutani's arm. The girl with the viper teeth pulled him in close.

"Let's see how you like it when people push you around."

Her foot came up, kicking him between the legs, and she released his wrist, momentum sending him crashing into his gang. He let out a gasp of pain, pupils shrinking to microscopic, quivering sizes, before his eyes rolled back in his head in a dead faint.

There was a long, awkward silence as the girl rubbed her hands together, cleaning off the blood in the rain. After another moment, she glanced at the group of delinquents. "Leave now. Never bother this guy again. Or else."

The group stared, looking to each other, and then at their fallen leader.

She looked to the pale girl. "You're more impressive when you intimidate." With a delicate sigh, the other settled her feet firmly in the street and opened her mouth.

A long, low hiss reverberated out of her stomach, and her white teeth gleamed, sharp like the other's. Atem's palms hurt against the asphalt but he couldn't bring himself to move, staring at the woman.

Something huge and pale and bright exploded behind her, ripping out of her shoulder blades. "Begone!"

The response was quite interesting. It involved a great deal of screaming, running, scrambling, and heavy footsteps, slick on the rain and pavement. Their muddy shapes in the cool white of the rain vanished after a time, leaving Hirutani unconscious on the ground, wrist bleeding and twisted impossibly.

Atem sat on the ground, soaking wet, absolutely confounded. He blinked when he felt the rain stop its soft tapping on his hood, and looked up.

"I'm sorry if we frightened you. We simply can't stand disgusting people like that, and we wanted to help." The girl's voice seemed kind, but he paid it no attention, for over his head, a strange expanse of glowing film seemed to stretch itself to block the rain. He realized with a shock of fear that the strange glowing expanse looked like a wing, and that it had sprouted from the girl's back. "Are you all right?"

He blinked several times, staring at the wing, the news broadcast running through his head painfully fast. "I…I…"

"You're freaking him out, Kisara. Your wings." The other girl was stretching, observing Hirutani, nudging him with the toe of her shoe.

"Oh!" Kisara – for that was apparently her name – seemed abashed and alarmed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even think about it! Please, don't be afraid; we don't have any intention of harming you."

"Spoken like someone right out of a sci-fi alien flick. Does the line, 'We come in peace, Earthling,' show up soon?" the other girl said, her voice oddly affectionate. Kisara blinked.

"Sci-fi flick? What on Earth…?"

"Y'know, those movie things. With robots and all those doohickeys. I was trying to be funny."

"I'm sorry, Anzu. It wasn't very humorous. Perhaps if I'd gotten the reference?" Kisara gestured toward the spot she was standing on. "If you could stand here and block the rain, I'd like to examine the wound on his face."

"Movies have been around for more than fifty years, Kisara. You liked 'Gone With the Wind' when it first came out."

"Well yes, but I've not heard much about sci-fi."

"It's been around since 'Star Trek,' although I'll admit their movies like 'Crocosaurus versus Megashark' are pretty low quality. Think this guy doesn't have anxiety problems, because the last time we scared somebody like that I kept sending money for psychiatric therapy for eight years. Not that I minded, but it was annoying," Anzu mused, tapping his head with one hand.

"He seems shocked more than anything. Adrenaline is high, he might faint when it stops…"

Atem was not accustomed to being spoken about as if he wasn't within earshot. "What…are you?" he asked, tongue finally freeing itself from its overwhelmed state. Almost instantly, he regretted it; one shouldn't talk to their hallucinations. Or...or occult demons. Or...psychos masquerading as such.

"Vampire. Vampir. Nosferatu. We have many names, many of them unflattering. We would appreciate you not verbally using the term 'bloodsucker,' as it is unofficial and annoying. I hope the knife did not cut deeply?" Kisara knelt as the other girl – Anzu – opened a pair of dark wings, that seemed to split from nothingness, and held it over his head.

"They sprout out of our backs," Anzu explained, noting his thunderstruck expression, or rather, what she could see of it under his hood. "Hurts like crazy if they're broken, but it feels great once they're in."

"Oh." Atem felt rather stupid at the moment, a little too numb to keep up with the conversation. "Uh…the knife didn't…get me too bad," he said finally, looking at Kisara, who was scrutinizing the cut on his cheek.

"You're doing very well for a mortal. Usually our revelation causes some screaming or throwing of heavy objects." Kisara turned her head to Hirutani's prone body, poked his wrist, and brought her bloodied index finger to her face, observing it. Then, to Atem's revulsion, she placed the finger in her mouth and removed it, licked clean. She was quiet for a moment, before turning her head daintily and spitting, saying, "He's clean. He smokes a lot, though."

Maybe this was all a hoax, his dizzy mind said. Maybe that was some kind of fruit juice. They sold that kind of stuff at the emo shops in town.(1)

Anzu's nose wrinkled. "I can smell that. Some kind of foreign brand, I think. No diseases or anything?"

"No."

Atem glanced at Hirutani, considering shifting away from Kisara. "Can…vampires catch diseases, then?"

"No, but you can. I wanted to make sure his blood was clean since you bit him earlier. We'd need to get you immediate medical attention if it wasn't."

Surprise, mixed with a little shame at his initial reaction, bloomed inside him. "Oh. Uh…thank you…I think."

Anzu laughed. "Not pleasant, huh? We've been doing this a while."

Atem couldn't quite figure what was happening anymore. He'd never been squeamish or easily surprised, but the words, ''tbycrackpots-andnowIthinkI'vegoneandjumpedoffthedeepend,' kept running through his head, very quickly, and he closed his eyes, confused.

"I think I'm…a little off," he said, not really up to making much other conversation. Kisara made a sympathetic sound, and the darkness of his eyelids seemed to brighten to orange as she folded one glowing wing around him, comforting and soothing.

"We appreciate the fact that you aren't throwing things, if that helps." If he had been in a less befuddled state, he might have pointed out the fact that he didn't have anything to throw. "Would you permit me to remove your hood to check the wound in better light?"

"Sure…uh, I can get it," he muttered, lifting his hands tug the jacket's hood off of his head. He felt his hair spike back up and he rubbed his head, half checking his hair for blood and half checking for anything signifying a concussion.

He heard a sharp, strange intake of breath behind him. Looking up, he was surprised at Anzu's expression – shock and agony brewed in her eyes, a pain that made his own heart hurt. And yet…some kind of bizarre adoration coiled in her pupils.

"A-Atem?"

He blinked. He had not told them his name, had he? "Yes?"

She dropped down, keeping her wing over his head at an awkward angle, eyes wide and full of that horrible mixture of emotions. A quick rush of words – words that sounded ancient, that he could not understand for the life of him – sped out of her mouth. Anzu held her breath, looking at him, waiting.

Atem stared at her. "…What?"

At this, she seemed confused, hurt. More bewildering words came out of her mouth, a strange tongue, as she reached out with delicate, careful fingertips and touched his face.

Her fingers hovered against his skin for several seconds, soft and tickling. They felt cold, waxy, like frostbite. Murmuring softly, she placed her palm against the side of his face, her little fingers curling almost intimately under his jaw, brushing against his neck, her other fingers dipping into the black of his hair. The exterior of his ear grew cold against them, two fingers sliding delicately over it, smoothly as her thumb trailing over his mouth, brazenly cool. Her palms were soft, feminine, and he nearly felt sleepy with her hands cradling his face.

He felt his lips tremble at the cold, mind twisting and grappling. Her eyes were scary, obsessed, tender…

"Anzu. ANZU."

Her hands jerked, almost a spasm, to remove themselves from his face. Atem grew very aware of the fact that he was soaked and freezing in the weird rain, as Anzu pulled herself away from him, looking like a drowning dog pulled from the water, only severely unhappy and angry. "What! He's-!"

Kisara's eyes flashed, dangerously dark. "In another tongue."

Anzu glared at her, eyes hot in response to the muted indigo. She said something to Kisara, cuttingly, looking a little mad for an instant, sharp teeth gleaming in the light from Kisara's wings. The language wasn't the same, sounding like Spanish. The sudden switch didn't seem to bother the paler woman.

"Él es mío. Él es mi Atem. ¿No puedes ver? Mi amor está aquí! No sé cómo, pero él está aquí!"(2)

But Kisara folded her wing over him – a rather silly act, considering the street was flooding and he was already sodden with rain anyway – and said something equally as cutting, her eyes crackling.

"Él no te recuerde."

Atem got the sudden impression that Kisara wanted to protect him from Anzu, in some strange way. Anzu spoke again, faster. "Él es Atem. Él es mío!"

"Think of what you're saying! Control yourself!"

A furious, tense heat clouded itself between the two girls, Anzu standing and looking enraged, Kisara boldly stoic. Then, as quickly as the anger had come, it dissipated, and Anzu looked away, looking for all the world as if she'd lost something she needed. A bitter, hot hiss echoed from between her lips.

Kisara waited, eyes glued to Anzu, whose damp mop of hair was sticking to her head. "I think you should get inside. We'll inform the authorities of Hirutani and his location. You should get that cut cleaned," she said lowly, never once looking at him. Anzu's hands were fists, knuckles glowing and looking close to bursting.

"…Right, thanks. I'll just go, then." Atem got up and stepped out from under Kisara's wing. He looked back toward the Game Shop; its lights seemed to have vanished during the ordeal, and now it seemed to welcome him like an old friend. He took several steps back from the strange girls – vampiresvampiresI'mlosingmymind – and when they made no move to follow, he turned to the shop, and walked as quickly as he dared, never looking back until he reached the stairs. Curiosity tempted him once more, and he glanced back at the spot on the street.

Kisara had spread her luminescent wings, and he gripped the handle of the door in shock as he saw her lift into the sky, a blurry lantern in the foggy rain. But when he looked back, he saw Anzu still standing in the rain, staring at him, face dark in the murkiness. Atem swallowed, mouth dry, and he opened the door, bell jangling, and slipped inside.

She never moved. She continued watching him, and he closed the blinds of the shop, trying not to think about the way she was eying him like a predator.

"He's here. It's him."

"He can't be here. It can't be him."

"He looks the same…he sounds the same."

"Does he act the same? IS he the same?"

"I want him to be. I NEED him to be-"

"Give it time. Watch him, if you must, Teana. You frightened him."


1 - I went to a nearby 'Hot Topic' once looking for Sonic the Hedgehog t-shirts and found red candy liquid that was supposed to be blood from some vampire show. It was interesting and disgusting, all at the same time.

2 - Okay, I haven't had a Spanish class in a couple months. I've tried to check for accuracy, but forgive me if a tense is wonky. My first language is English, so...lo siento.