7: Nocturne


"Brother of my blood, my ass," Bakura muttered.

After watching Yami flit down the street towards McGyver's, Bakura had followed the other vampire's trail to the city dump, but only by the smell of fresh human blood. The other had left no other trace of his path physically or mentally, and thereby, had pissed Bakura off.

Creeping through the dump, his feet sinking into the raw ground, Bakura searched for the vampire. The large metal cranes and dump trucks scattered throughout made for good objects to conceal behind as he moved, and Bakura was grateful until he realized a moment later that it gave the other vampire an equal advantage.

Ten more minutes passed and Bakura was no closer to locating the out-of-towner. Concealing himself in the dark shadow of what he guessed was a truck; Bakura glared out and pondered his next move.

Of course, there was always the option of putting the whole escapade aside and letting the vampire off the hook, and Bakura was all for that except that doing so would run the risk of the city cops finding out, then the supernatural 'specialists', then a mob forming, people burning at the stake- vampires did not need that again; they'd barely shaken it off last time.

Bakura growled quietly, muttering, "That sly son of a b-"

The tractor behind Bakura suddenly started with a roar, headlights flaring and engine revving, and he jumped back like a startled cat.

"Shit," Bakura bit out as he dove out of the way of the incoming machine. "Well, well. You are one sly son of a b- Fuck!"

The large shovel in front of the tractor had taken a chunk out of foul-smelling dump and swiveling around, throwing it all on Bakura. In his surprise and anger, he froze for a moment and felt the compost oozing down his shirt, sliding down his skin, leaving trails of slime, the smell making him sick-

It was then that Bakura heard loud laughter over the whine of the tractor; the laughter only got louder as the tractor shut off and the door opened, legs spilling out the side and the rest of the body following after. "Forgive me, but I cannot continue with my intentions when you've caused me such great amusement."

Bakura's face fought between dropping his jaw and glaring, resulting in a strange combination of both that looked like he was about to sneeze. The cause of his battle with expression was none other that out-of-town vampire, now devoid of a dead human.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't rip you apart," Bakura bit out, incredulously. "This was an Armani suit."

The other vampire's eyebrows went up, "A bit materialistic, aren't we?"

Bakura paused in imagining how sweet it would feel to peel the other's flesh off for ruining an hour's worth of trying on suit after suit, to shrug, "It's one of the few things left to entertain you after a couple thousand years."

"Couple thou- ", a choked gasp came from the out-of-towner and he abruptly fell into a low bow, obviously agitated. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I did not know. I would never have insulted you in such a way if I knew your rank."

"Forgetting for the moment that fact that you obviously didn't listen very well when I told you I'm the prince's enforcer and therefore, do not have the title of 'Your Highness'," Bakura blinked as he frowned, surprised, "Two things: one, who the hell are you, and two, what the hell are you doing in this city?"

"I am Malik, Your Grace," the vampire said, still in a bow, "and I came to win new territory, but I now see that this city already has an owner, and an old one at that, so I will bow out of the way and search elsewhere."

"I'm not 'Your Grace' either," Bakura replied in exasperation, his hand coming up to rub his temple. "Just…Bakura. Sir Bakura, if you must, but preferably not, considering it would add more attention to the bucket-loads I already have. On that second note, new territory? Who gave you permission to get it- Why do you even need it, first of all?"

"Because I've had to shamefully flee my own, si- Bakura," Malik winced, in part from the admission and in part from what he considered to be a dishonor in wrongfully addressing a superior.

Bakura crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Why…?"

There was a small pause, then, "I was betrayed and overthrown by my advisor," Malik answered bitterly, staring at the ground.

Bakura's arms loosened as he was taken by surprise. "I see."

In a culture, a way of life, that had few morals and ethics outside of straight-forward rules of hierarchy, for a vampire to betray another who had placed trust in him, was a violation of the limited vampiric code they had. Whoever Malik's advisor was, he had given up any tie to the vampiric world with that single action.

And even more infuriating, the advisor must have high confidence that he could hold up under the inevitable attacks he would face from the rest of the vampires as soon as word got out. But, had word gotten out?

"Have you informed The Council about the castoff?" Bakura asked him.

Marik looked up, indignation flashing through his eyes for a moment. "Bakura, I cannot inform a Council about this matter-"

" -Not a council," Bakura interrupted. "I said The Council. You knew what I meant."

There was another short pause.

"I did know what you meant," Malik replied quietly, "But you're asking me to approach those with whom few have survived encounters intact, to request their help and risk punishment for bothering them with something to trivial."

"Trivial?" Bakura scoffed. "Malik, first off, you and I both know this is a big vampiric no-no, and that your little vampiric advisor friend signed his own death warrant the moment he betrayed you, and secondly…Well, I don't have a second point, really."

Malik stared at him, blankly. Bakura stared back.

Silence.

Bakura broke first with a loud, exaggerated groan. "Why am I such a sucker for people who need help? I was supposed to kill you tonight" – Malik's eyes widened and Bakura realized his slip – "but you needn't worry about that.

He reached forward to pat Malik's shoulder. "No hard feelings, you understand. I just don't have time to deal with the mess you'd create left to your own devices."

Malik raised an eyebrow, scandalized. "You couldn't even spare a moment to inform myself of how things were done in this city?"

"Well, perhaps," he agreed, nodding. He stopped, mid-nod, and regarded the other vampire out of one glinting eye. "But with your plan to whisk the city away from my prince, I couldn't allow you to live, you see."

Malik straightened, putting his eyes on his hips. "I fail to see how you would have known about that if I hadn't told you."

"Gut instinct," Bakura replied simply, starting to grin. "Though I'd say your plan has now changed, am I right?"

"Yes," he answered. Wanting to see how far he could go, Malik grinned slightly, exposing the tips of his pointy canines. "Shame. This city's quite attractive- the red light district, in fact, is positively delicious."

Bakura smiled sweetly. "Yeah, that instinct I said I have? It thinks you're full of bullshit."

Malik snapped his fingers in mock-defeat, and Bakura chuckled.

"Maybe we can find something for you in this city after all," he mused out loud. "Hey Malik, what d'you say to going to meet the head hotshot here?"

"Eh?" Malik looked at his, confused.

Bakura snorted. "The prince of the city, in other words."

"Why not," Malik sighed, stepping to the side in an informal bow. "Lead the way, Bakura."

Bakura half-growled in frustration. "Look here, Malik. I'm not royalty, despite my good looks. As such, I don't need big displays of respect every five minutes- actually, I don't think the majority of the vampires here like that. Why, were you used to them in your own territory?"

"Not really," Malik replied. "But I was under the impression that other cities follow the code."

"Then, you'll fit right in," Bakura turned, motioning with his hand for Malik to follow. "We don't use titles either- probably one of the few cities who don't. It's just your lucky day you happened to come across us, then."

"Oh, it is," Malik agreed, knowing that he'd have gone crazy from the titles flying about. "It is."


Yami touched down in front of Yuugi's complex without a sound, Yuugi in his arms. But the human had been expecting a big, shuddering shock resembling the one in which he'd been saved by the vampire from falling to his messy death off the side of the skyscraper, and as such, oomph'd as they landed anyway.

Yami smiled in the darkness, restraining himself from commenting on Yuugi's cuteness again.

'One time tonight is more than enough,' he thought, ignoring himself even as he said it.

"Yami?" Yuugi prompted when the vampire didn't move and he was still held in Yami's arms. "You mind helping me down or are you planning to carry me up through the halls and up to my apartment?"

Yami blinked and looked down at him.

"Actually, that doesn't sound half bad," Yuugi realized, warming to the idea of the vampire carrying him up. He pointed excitedly toward the door. "Onward, good sir, and to my chambers!"

Yami raised an eyebrow and ignored him, letting Yuugi down to the ground anyway. "Rain-check, perhaps."

"I need a title," Yuugi declared suddenly, realizing how quickly the night was ending and not wanting it to. "If you have one, then I want one, too."

Yami snorted quietly, sensing the first tendrils of a challenge, "What brought this on?"

Yuugi shrugged, a mischievous grin coming to his lips. "They're sexy."

"Oh?" Yami replied politely. Yuugi mentally pouted at the vampire's self-control, but waited for him to avoid the compliment just like he had the many others that Yuugi had been hinting at all the way home; in his boredom, he's been trying to amuse himself by making the vampire uncomfortable, but to no avail.

Unfortunately for Yuugi, Yami knew what was going on at the moment and smiling, did exactly the opposite of what was expected. "So you think I'm sexy, then?"

Yuugi's jaw dropped slightly before he caught himself. So the vampire wanted to play, did he? Fine.

"And who said I was referring to you personally? I was talking about titles, Yami, not people who have them," Yuugi said, shaking his head slowly and giving off an air of disdain.

"Oh, did I give the impression I was following up your comment with my question?" Yami asked innocently. Yuugi's eyes narrowed. "I beg pardon; I was only trying to find an explanation to all the attention you've been giving me tonight, what with your subtle compliments every few minutes or so."

Yuugi made a sound halfway between a growl and a gasp, giving himself a coughing fit in the process. "So you," he gasped, "you knew what I was saying the whole time?"

He gave one last big, wet cough that bent his spine until he had to hold on to his knees to stay standing. When he finished, he straightened and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of one arm.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to answer people who are talking to you?" he asked, quite calmly.

"Why yes, that she did," the vampire replied good-naturedly. His unfaltering smile was beginning to irritate the other, he noted with delight. "Though, with over three thousand years to my name, I should hope I've remembered that little piece of advice by now."

"Three thousand years, is it?" Yuugi repeated, mock-outraged, while his mind raced to understand the implications. He put his hands on his hips. "I don't know about you, but I think times have changed a tad since then. I personally haven't seen anyone in the streets 'walking like an Egyptian' in the past decade. Well, unless they were completely and utterly drunk."

Yuugi's last sentence was drowned out by Yami's sudden laughter that had him clutching at his sides and struggling for air. Yuugi grinned, pleased with his victory.

"I win," he lilted, watching the vampire struggle to stay upright.

At that moment, the light in one of the windows on the second floor came on and an old woman's raspy, sleep-deprived voice carried down to them, potent with her annoyance.

"Hey you, dumbass!" she called down, effectively silencing the vampire with how she'd addressed him. His silence prompted her further. "Yeah, YOU! Quit your braying and let the elderly sleep!"

Yuugi snickered at Yami's indignant expression, watching him struggle to refrain from shouting back.

"And you, stop SNICKERING!" the old lady shouted again.

Yuugi stopped abruptly and frowned in surprise. "Hey, how did she- "

"I'll REPEAT for the MENTALLY-CHALLENGED," the lady's voice grew louder as she grew more irritated. There was a pause then, in which Yami and Yuugi shared a look and relaxed slightly in the quiet. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Yuugi made a face and turned toward the complex door, motioning with one hand to the vampire and thrusting his key into the door, twisting it open. When Yami drew near and obligingly bent over for the shorter human, Yuugi twisted a hand into Yami's leather jacket and used it to raise himself to the vampire's ear.

"One of these days, I'm going to murder her in her sleep," Yuugi whispered huskily, the humor in his words contrasting sharply with the tone of his voice. Yami felt his skin prickle delightfully and moved his hands to support Yuugi as he turned his head to the human's own ear.

"I'll be sure to help," he whispered back, his voice low and vibrating pleasurably into Yuugi's hearing, who bit his lip to keep from moaning. "In fact, shall we do it now?"

The ending lilt on Yami's question sent an additional vibration through Yuugi and he bit his lip again. Hard.

"We should be armed first," he replied, his breath on Yami's skin spreading warmth across the vampire's body. "My place."

"My pleasure," the vampire rumbled. "And it looked like you'll be getting your wish after all."

"Hmm?" Yuugi asked, confused.

"This way will be much faster," Yami told him, lifting the human by his elbows and swinging him up to drape over both arms. Yuugi squeaked in surprise, but remained silent, unaware of the amusement he gave the vampire each time he did that.

Yami jumped up onto the stair railing and looked up, his balance eerily perfect. "What floor again?" he whispered.

"Fifth", Yuugi swallowed and prepared himself for a repeat of the other night's activities, complete with all the jumps and dives at breakneck speeds that Yami liked to do. He swallowed and balled his hands into fists, "I'm ready".

The vampire looked down at him and raised an eyebrow, "For what?" He began helping Yuugi to the ground. "This door is your apartment, isn't it?"

It was then that Yuugi turned and realized that they were indeed already at his apartment. When had he missed the sudden jolt of adrenaline and rush of air against his face that came with Yami's way of traveling?

As if reading Yuugi's mind, Yami snickered quietly as Yuugi continued to look at him in confusion while digging out his keys. "I suppose you're surprised that vampires actually use stairs every once in a while, mm?"

Realizing the reason he hadn't felt Yami jump was because no such thing had happened, Yuugi gave him a glare as he turned towards the door, key in hand. "And here I was expecting some fantastic showing of vampiric powers."

"Do those exist?" Yami responded wryly as the door opened, and he stepped in after Yuugi.

"I don't know," Yuugi replied with an annoyed wave of his hand as he walked away towards his living room. It was quite apparent to Yami that he'd gotten under Yuugi's skin with the sudden change in place without the human noticing, and Yami found that this reaction amused him. Greatly.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Yuugi called from the other room as he sat down on the couch, his voice betraying his mood. Yami felt like snickering again, but forced himself to retain composure.

As the vampire entered as well, he was again reminded of Yuugi's strange taste in decorating. The walls were a strange shade of orange that almost glowed against the black fur covering almost every single piece of furniture in the room.

But what, without question, was the center piece of the fairly large room was the coffee table set between two oversized sofa chairs in the middle. The actual table was made out of an inch-think square plate of glass that had unreadable writing engraved around the edges. But the strangest part was that the four legs that held that glass up were made out of what looked like–

"Are those forks holding up your coffee table?" Yami asked without preamble, his surprise rendering him quite blunt.

Yuugi blinked and looked over at said coffee table, "Yeah. Why?"

The vampire walked over to trail a hand over the three elongated forks that twisted around each other to make each leg. They glinted silver in the scant light there was, giving a shine to the entire design.

Yami couldn't help but admire the effect.

"Wherever did you find this?" he asked, perplexed. Never, in all his years, had he encountered anything even remotely like that table.

"That?" Yuugi replied, bored. "Oh, I made it in some class I took a couple of years back" – the vampire turned to look at him in astonishment – "I made it as a joke, really, to drive the instructor crazy. But I ended up liking it, and took it home with me.

Yami continued to look at him without speaking, so Yuugi shrugged. "It's got something, don't you think?"

"Definitely something," Yami replied – though Yuugi couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic – and straightened. As Yuugi's eyes followed, the vampire began a slow walk around the room, his eyes moving in excruciating detail over every single object.

As he stopped in front of the window, Yami raised a hand to grasp the semi-transparent, black curtain, and moved it back to look out. Yuugi watched with eyes only slightly veiling smugness from his place on the couch. Fortunately, the vampire wasn't looking at him.

"What a view," Yami remarked again, his voice carefully coated in polite admiration.

And it really was quite a view. The expanse and majesty of the city could be seen from the apartment window; the tower-like fantasy buildings of the wealthy jutting out over the parks, the playful, flashing lights, on-off, on-off, of the casinos and clubs. There was no question here: Yuugi had struck gold here.

But what struck Yami the most, and what he couldn't explain away with his infallible and unfailing logic, was the feeling that being here and seeing all this gave him. For the past hour, the vampire had been using more effort than necessary to hold back the true face of his emotions.

It was almost as if he felt at home, surrounded by these strange decorations and furniture; a return to something that poured over him in waves of lethargic pleasure, caressed his face until he felt the echoes of an even older emotion awakening. What was this human doing to him?

Somehow, Yami found himself passing over the question without much thought. What difference did it make at this point? But what was that emotion? It wasn't astonishment, no, it was darker, richer than that. Almost sweet, like…blood. Was it–?

"Yami?" Yuugi prompted, dropping his feet back down from where they'd been propped up on the couch. "Do you want–"

Yuugi was cut off abruptly as the vampire spun around and focused vibrant, red eyes on him. Immediately, Yuugi's mouth closed with a snap and his nose flared as he took a sharp, quick breath.

But the vampire just continued to stare silently at him.

And it was then that Yuugi realized his reaction; one he quickly determined to be way too submissive for his tastes– or reputation. With an effort, he unclenched the trembling fists in his lap and placed each hand on the couch on either side of him. Then he straightened his spine, and did the last thing a person like him should ever do. Yuugi opened his mouth.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, his voice echoing up into the ceiling. "Use your words, Yami. What, did you get too old to put letters together now? I have to do everything around here…"

Still without reply, the vampire took a slow, predatory step forward towards Yuugi, his eyes never leaving Yuugi's face. But no, as Yuugi realized on closer inspection, it was his neck that the vampire wouldn't, or couldn't, break eye contact with.

Yuugi swallowed, unsure of what was happening, attracted and repelled at the same time. Was he supposed to run? Stay? He didn't know, but increasingly, he was finding he didn't care. With only minimal curiosity, Yuugi found himself slowly sinking into an endless, black void of emotion that he still couldn't determine as either good or bad.

But what did it matter anyway?

Yami had been slowly stalking ever closer; his steps measured, his posture gradually hunching until he was at Yuugi's level, even at a distance away. Yuugi didn't know if it was his imagination, but Yami's hair seemed sharper and longer. Was that a glint of a tooth in the corner of his mouth?

Absent-mindedly and a little ridiculously, he made a note to himself to ask Yami the shampoo he used. And maybe recommend a dentist… Yami wouldn't get offended, would he? It was all in his best interest, really. No one wants a bad smile–

And then Yami was upon him.

Both his arms thrust up to grab Yuugi by the lapels of the jacket he'd been wearing at the bar, lift him up, and throw him further up the couch. Yuugi moaned a little in pain as he landed, his knees rising to protect his stomach.

Before Yuugi could finish the motion, Yami snatched both ankles and pinned them to the couch, his arms a blur across the dark fur. Something rumbled in the vampire's throat, and he gave a half-grin in the darkness, as Yuugi moved his hands over his head into a more comfortable position and moaned faintly again.

The vampire's rumble then became lighter, almost a purr, as he gently released one of his hands from Yuugi's ankle and began to slowly edge it up Yuugi's stomach, taking his shirt up with it. Yuugi's breath quickened, even as his mind rolled in his head, focusing on the only sensations it could.

The vampire shuddered and licked his lips as he eyed the exposed skin, the remaining human parts of his own mind gone. As he shifted his place, his arms moved himself up over Yuugi's taut stomach, between his legs. Yami grew more excited.

Conquer and divide. No, conquer and control.

Submissiveness as sweet as the supple flesh before him, the quivering beat of a young heart. Yami felt a shiver race down his spine as he looked down at the human, eyes closed and an expression of empty bliss displayed on his face. 'Eat me'. Could he just scream it any louder?

Yami bent his head, his lips already throbbing for the feel of that fat artery, pulsing right above Yuugi's bellybutton. Oh, how he'd been eyeing that bellybutton all night. Such a promise, such a delight…

Yami's teeth hovered over soft, pale skin for a moment…and then he struck.


Sooo...it's been a while, hasn't it? :) Sorry, guys. I've had a lot of things to do this past year. But I've been wondering if this story was ever going to finish itself, or just remain the delicious beginnings of a dream...Glad to know that it's the former. Well, hopefully. Just know that it's thanks to all the hits, the favourites, the story alerts, and especially the reviews, that I'm back to write some more. Thank you for all of those! And I hope you enjoyed this chapter and, even if you didn't, please review!