Ra knows how long it has been since I updated this. It has been well over a month I am sure. I struck a small writer's block some time ago and think I may now finally be past it. I have decided that this story won't be as long as I originally intended, because, well I have killed off the main enemy, Yami has been saved, so I am unsure what much else I can do without it feeling like it is drawing out a very good story with unnecessary pointless events.

So sorry for the long wait and hope this chapter meets everyone's expectations, including my own. Also, as some of you know, and for those of you who don't know, there will be a final lemon scene for this story as per request by a lot of my fans.

I dedicate this chapter to XxcrimsonheartxX, the love of my life, for inspiring me for this chapter.

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Chapter 12: The Nightmare

Bakura lay on the bed, fast asleep, yet holding Yami close with a protectiveness and care that the elder vampire had never been known to ever show toward anyone before.

Yami, although asleep himself, held onto Bakura like he was his life support, which to both of them, they needed each other to survive, and one would do anything to make sure nothing else ever happened to the other.

Both were as peaceful as could be, getting some well deserved rest. Tyr quietly opened the door and walked inside after sitting out with Slifer for a couple of hours. Slifer had used a lot of his magic to make sure Yami's new mark was as perfect as Tyr's, or at the very least, really really close.

Tyr walked in further and past Tyris and Anubis whom were sleeping on the floor at the foot of the bed and retrieved Bakura's favorite comforter off the floor and very carefully, so as not to wake them, placed it over Bakura and Yami's sleeping forms.

After she was satisfied that they all were resting and peacefully at that, Tyr slowly walked back outside, closing the door quietly behind her.

Walking past several headstones and around some larger stone structures, Tyr slowly walked around Slifer's body as it lay curled on top and around more stones, searching for any wounds from tonight's earlier adventure.

While Bakura was riding on Slifer's back on the way to Marik's castle, Tyr flew alongside him, and after Slifer saw the castle where Yami was being held, he took off and started wrecking havoc and destruction upon the ancient structure. Even crashing his own body into the stone pillars and towers to tear it apart.

Tyr knew, as powerful as Slifer is, that even he has his limits, and didn't want him to have any injuries. Tyr also remembered, that besides crashing into the castle, he was also searching frantically for Yami and when he found where he was, flew around another tower and jumped off against it, detaching it from the rest of the castle, but also giving him more speed to get back to Marik's room, just in time to hear Tyr scream his name and thrust his head through the stone wall with unrelenting force, twist his head sideways and grab Marik in his jaws before he could bring a knife down into Bakura's chest.

Slifer also used a huge portion of his power when, after grabbing Marik, flew off and thrashed wildly through the open sky, ripping Marik's skin, and tearing his body apart, then even more when he threw the mangled corpse up and as it fell toward the dark abyss of the sea below, gathered a massive sphere of energy in his lower mouth and unleashed it, thoroughly shattering what was left of Marik into non-existence.

Tyr wanted to be sure that her partner was still in good shape regardless of all of that. She carefully looked over his legs, arms, back, tail, even around his neck and head and face to look for any scratches, open wounds, areas where he might form a bruise. To her immense surprise, she found no serious injuries, a scratch here and there but nothing to fuss over. She smiled as she walked her way back to the front of his face and very softly started rubbing the smooth scales on Slifer's face, proud of her partner for his courage and determination to save Yami.

Slifer slightly shifted his head to the side, leaning into Tyr's touch and growling comfortingly as he slept on, the tip of his tail slowly shifting back and forth raising a small amount of dust and dirt from the graves upon which he laid. Tyr stopped and looked to the sky at the storm clouds swirling slowly overhead. The air was calm, signaling the guardian of the skies was at peace. She smiled again as said guardian was lying before her.

Slifer sensed Tyr's presence and slowly opened his eyes enough to look at her and growl just low enough to gain her attention and make her look at him. After raising his head off the ground enough to stare at her, he stretched his neck forward and behind her and pulled her closer. After sensing what he wanted, Tyr gently sat down in front of Slifer's chest as he wrapped his claws protectively around her and held her close.

Tyr leaned into Slifer's embrace and rested her head against him as he lowered his head back on the ground and drifted off once again.

---A few hours later---

Yami tried his best to scream and cry for help past the metal horse-bit in his mouth as a dark figure continued roaming his hands over his bare chest. Unable to fight back or try to escape from the ropes that were binding his hands to the post at the head of the bed, screaming his muffled yells was all he could do.

For all of his yelling, he got no where. The dark figure would continue touching Yami's chest, moving around his shoulders, smoothly over his soft neck, making the young vampire cringe in fear even more.

Yami felt so helpless, every time he would squirm underneath his captor, it always resulted in the ministrations getting worse or more physical, but his fear kept him from reacting rationally or not panicking.

All Yami heard past his own erratic breathing and involuntary moans, which made him feel horrible, because he did not want this, not from him, he wanted these feelings and moans to come from him while Bakura was in control, but he couldn't help himself, then hearing the figure's dark laughter and twisted moans of pleasure was not making the situation any better.

Tears made their way down Yami's face as he kept thinking that this was the ultimate betrayal of his feelings for Bakura, even though this was not what he wanted, but he was trapped.

Matters only got worse when Yami felt two sharp teeth gently graze his neck and rough lips moved their way to his shoulder and all of a sudden, without any warning, felt those same two teeth penetrate his skin, making him yell as much as he could from his restricted speech. His eyes were clenched shut as the pain continued as he felt the much older vampire begin to drain him ever so slowly.

Yami felt his energy leaving him, as he also felt the faint touches of the figure's hands roaming again, but was unable to fight back hardly at all. He felt his blood running down his shoulder and onto the bed he was tied too, and kept wincing when he felt the figure take a long draw of it.

When Yami felt the teeth pull out of his skin, he slightly relaxed from the relief of one pain lifting, only to have the figure remove the bit from his mouth and throw it on the floor, but before he could stretch his jaws from being tied so long, his mouth was completely covered by another and he felt a tongue being roughly pushed between his teeth and almost down his throat.

Before he could retaliate in any way, he felt his hips being held down rather forcefully as he continued struggling with all he had left, but to no avail.

Yami opened his eyes and saw nothing but ferociously vicious violet eyes staring down into his own fear-stricken ones, and before he knew it, the most unbearable blinding pain suddenly rushed through his lower body without any warning whatsoever.

He felt an intrusive object inside of him, and had no defense against it, as the figure continued forcefully thrusting in and out of his entrance with no mercy at all, the only piece of relief he got was when blood started pouring from the vicious act, but that didn't make what was happening any easier to take.

Yami felt himself slipping away from consciousness as he lay perfectly still, body jerking slightly of its own accord, when he felt his head being pulled up painfully and looked into the eyes again…

"Don't worry, this is only the beginning."

Yami's eyes snapped open and he all but yelled out in fear when he realized he couldn't move because someone was holding onto him.

Yami didn't realize that it was Bakura holding him, because he struggled as much as he could to get away from whoever was holding him.

Meanwhile, as soon as Bakura heard Yami yell and try to sit up, he woke up trying to figure out what was wrong with the younger vampire.

Bakura just held on tightly to Yami, hoping he would calm down and relax. That was not happening. Whatever happened after Yami fell asleep and before he woke up must have been something really bad if he was reacting this violently.

Bakura just kept his arms wrapped around Yami's small form and held him close as Yami slowly calmed down and fell still, like he had given up a battle. Yami hung his head low, hiding his eyes from sight, as his body tensed up and shook slightly.

Bakura looked over Yami to see what could have possibly triggered this. When he tried to look at Yami's face, he would turn his head away, where Bakura would see a few stray tears fall into his lap.

"Yami? What happened?"

Yami heard his lover's smooth gentle voice, and very quietly responded.

"I…..Bakura….I betrayed you, I am sorry, I never meant too, please don't leave me, it was an accident, I never wanted that to happen, but I couldn't leave, he wouldn't let me leave."

Yami started sobbing, thoroughly confusing Bakura.

"Yami, what are you talking about?"

"Bakura, I had a nightmare, and…." He started sobbing more, "I didn't want it, Marik took what I wanted you to have, and now I can't give it to you anymore." He started shaking more, sobs racking his frail form.

Bakura instantly knew what Yami meant. He thought that he betrayed his feelings for him when Marik raped him, and thought that now that he would not want him because he was feeling tainted.

Bakura smiled softly and held Yami closer to him.

"Yami, you know that I would never leave you, I got you back and you are in my arms safe and sound. That is all I am concerned about. You have nothing to worry about. You still have so much to give me if you so choose, I will wait forever for you, and we now have an eternity for it."

Bakura gently kissed Yami on the forehead and held the younger vampire close as Yami couldn't help but smile that Bakura was not going to leave him because of what happened, and just rested his head against Bakura's chest.

Bakura held him tighter and slowly laid back down bringing Yami with him.

Yami and Bakura looked into each other's eyes lovingly, and after Bakura softly kissed Yami's forehead again, Yami looked up at Bakura and softly said, almost so quietly that he almost wasn't heard…

"Bakura, I love you, and I want to prove it to you, so please accept me….in body and soul."

Yami started blushing slightly as he kept his eyes averted from Bakura's, in return, Bakura just smiled and chuckled softly as he slowly sat up, making Yami watch his movements.

Bakura took Yami's hand in his and gently pulled him to sit up beside him.

After looking each other's eyes again, Bakura slowly leaned in and closed the distance between Yami and him and slowly and passionately kissed him, as Yami slowly slid his eyes closed and leaned into the kiss, deepening it as Bakura wrapped his arm around Yami's waist, making Yami hesitantly raise his arms and softly placed them on Bakura's chest as they continued…

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Well it seems the final chapter of Tainted Heart is upon us. I hope everyone liked this chapter and can't wait to see everyone for the final one.

Something wonderful has happened in my life that inspired me for this update, so thank XxcrimsonheartxX for this update. Love You Yami-chan.

Review please, and sorry again for the wait.