Having never been there before, I had fun researching about Las Vegas. Thank you Aqua Burst 07 for sharing some knowledge about the city.

Warnings: Mentions of drugs, alcohol, death and gambling.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

Broken Dreams

Chapter 25 Searching Casinos

Once they were outside, Seto offered the woman $100 to go with them.

She eyed him cautiously. He was handsome and had the appearance of someone who was extremely wealthy. The woman with him seemed pretty sophisticated too – she looked like an athlete and carried herself gracefully.

"Okay, that'll buy you an hour. If you want kinky stuff, it will cost you double!" She added, casting an eye over Anzu.

"Very well, follow me," he ordered.

As one of the many 'lost souls' scratching an existence in the city; desperate for her next drugs fix, the woman agreed - two hundred dollars for an hours work was too good to refuse.

It was roughly a ten minute walk to the cheap motel, which was conveniently close to the airport and had free parking - they had hired a car and had checked into the motel when they had first arrived in Las Vegas. Seto had chosen this place because he would be less likely to meet anyone who knew him. He could check in using a false name, without anyone questioning his identity - no one would ever imagine Seto Kaiba staying in a place like this! And He did not intend to spend long in this dump anyway.

The trio went into the clean but rather basic room. Snarling, the demons canines slid into place.

"Hey! What the...?!" The woman did not have time to finish. Seto grabbed her and clamped his hand over her mouth, firmly, preventing her from screaming or from making any sound that would alert anyone in nearby rooms. He held onto her tightly, with her back pressed against his body, and although she struggled, he was far too strong. Smirking with pleasure at the fear in his prey, he tilted her head to one side so that he could get a good bite into her jugular. Before biting, he licked over the pulse point in her neck - she tasted and smelled of nicotine. He expected to feel a slight rush from the chemicals he suspected would be flowing in her bloodstream, and when he bit into her neck he was not disappointed.

Anzu watched on, smirking at the woman's futile struggle for survival. Seto's appetite was voracious and after a minute or two the woman weakened and her body started to go limp. Anzu suddenly realized he was going to drink her dry.

"Hey! Save some for me?!" She grabbed Seto by the hair and pulled his head up. He responded by snarling at her; possessive of his prey. However, after a moment he obliged and released the woman so that Anzu's demon could feed – he was more or less full anyway.

::::::::::::

"Geez! Where the heck do we start?!" Jonouchi felt daunted by their task. They were standing in front of the Luxor Hotel and Casino, looking along the Strip at all the brightly lit bars, casinos and restaurants. It was noisy and extremely busy.

The intrepid band of would be demon hunters had arrived in Las Vegas and were only now starting to realise just how difficult it might be to track them down.

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," Yugi sighed.

"Well, I suggest we start by looking in the casinos!" Sugoroku rubbed his hands together with glee. It had been years since he had been to Las Vegas and he wondered if he still had the Midas touch.

"Grandpa! Were not here to gamble! We're here to find Anzu and Kaiba – remember?" Yugi was mortified by his grandfather's suggestion.

"Your grandfather is right Yugi, Seto Kaiba is known to enjoy gaming, so the casinos might be the best place to start looking." Mahado held the Millennium Ring up and frowned when the pointers hung limp. "However, I don't think they are nearby."

"I wish the Tauk would show me something! What about your Puzzle Yugi?" Ishizu sighed when Yugi shook his head despondently.

"Well maybe all the bright lights and noise are somehow blocking the items. Don't forget they were made long before we had electricity," Mana said, trying to be helpful.

"You could be right Mana, but I think it's more likely they are just not in range!" Mahado replied.

"Are you sure the Puzzle is not sensing anything Yugi?" Atem asked. Yugi clutched the Puzzle and closed his eyes.

"Nope! Nothing," He shook his head sadly.

"Well, they must be inside one of the casinos. The quicker we start looking the more chance we stand of finding them." Sugoroku could not wait to feel the buzz of being inside a casino again.

"Anzu doesn't really approve of gambling," Yugi frowned. She didn't mind him playing Duel Monsters or games at the arcade, but if he went anywhere near a pachinko machine she would get irritable with him and drag him away, saying it was a waste of money.

"Yes, but Anzu is not in control of her own mind," Mahado reminded him.

"Okay, well lets start in this one." Sugoroku hurried towards the Luxor Hotel. Yugi stopped him.

"Wait up Grandpa! I think we should split up into pairs and spend no longer than ten minutes in each place. We need to ask around and show the photos of Anzu and Kaiba to door staff, bar staff and hotel desk clerks. Someone must have seen them."

"I agree with Yugi." Atem took Mana by the hand. "There are a lot of places to visit. It will be faster in pairs."

"Yeah, I vote Mahado and Ishizu start their search in Hooters," Mai sniggered, knowing how straight laced the pair were. Mahado looked at her, confused. Ishizu was somewhat perplexed and glared at Mai disapprovingly – she had heard about Hooters!

"What's Hooters?!" Jonouchi asked dumbly. Mai winked at him and whispered that it had a bit of a reputation. "Oh!" Both Jonouchi and Honda's eyes lit up.

"Bags I go to Hooters!" Honda beamed. Mahado cleared his throat and fixed them with a stern look.

"We are not here to have fun so I don't want any of you getting carried away. This is serious business, and very dangerous! So if any of you do happen to spot them, do not approach them! Call me and we will tackle them together. Is that clear?" Mahado said assertively.

"Okay, I suggest we start here and work our way along," Atem concluded.

Since Ishizu did not approve of gambling, she stayed with Mokuba who was too young to be allowed into any of the casinos. The two of them would check the restaurants that were more family friendly.

Inside the casino at the Luxor, Sugoroku made straight for the one armed bandits. Yugi rolled his eyes in part irritation and part amusement.

"Grandpa!"

"Please Yugi, let this old man have just a little bit of fun before he gets too past it?!"

Yugi sighed. He really wanted to play the machines too, but now was not really the time. "Okay, five minutes, and I'm timing you." It wasn't long before he was also tempted to join in. He felt sure the Puzzle would let him know if Anzu and Seto were nearby.

On his fourth play, Yugi got a big win. Sugoroku startled at the celebratory sound of coins falling. "That's my grandson," he stated proudly to envious onlookers.

Knowing they should now concentrate on their search, they went to claim Yugi's $50'000 winnings. As they approached the counter Yugi felt the Puzzle grow warm against his chest. He cupped his hands around it and closed his eyes. An image appeared in his mind for a moment and he knew that Anzu and Kaiba had been in this exact spot. He quickly pulled out the photographs he had in his pocket. "Have you seen two people who look like this?" Yugi asked the cashier.

She took the photographs and scrutinised them. She had a good memory for faces and they looked familiar. "Yeah, I think I have. Although, the woman had her hair dyed blonde and the gentleman had a beard and shorter hair. But it was definitely them – they were Japanese, like you. Are they friends of yours?"

"Yes, How long ago were they in here? Only we were supposed to meet them, but we got split up and can't find them anywhere," Yugi explained.

"Ah ha! Well they cashed in a big win like yourself about two hours ago. I dunno where they headed afterwards. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Now how do you wish to take your winnings?" Yugi opted to take five thousand dollars in cash; to cover any expenses they encountered, and arranged for the rest to be wired to his bank account.

"Enjoy the rest of your stay gentlemen," the cashier smiled.

"Thank you," Yugi bowed his head politely and turned to his grandfather. "We should tell Mahado. They can't be too far away." How wrong he was.

Their continued search proved fruitless and the Millennium items did not give them any more clues. So with their hopes dashed, the exhausted group decided to call it a night at three in the morning.

They had spotted what looked like a reasonably priced motel on the way in from the airport, and decided that they should head there to get a few hours sleep.

Yugi doubted that a man like Seto Kaiba would ever consider staying in a cheap motel, but it was worth a try. He stood in front of the rows of prefabricated units and clasped his hands around the Puzzle. Closing his eyes, he pictured Anzu as he last remembered her.

The Puzzle started to feel warm and he got an image of a door to one of the rooms on the ground floor with the number 172 visible on it. A dark blue Nissan rental car was parked in the parking bay in front of it. He opened his eyes and gasped.

"They might be here!" Everyone immediately stopped walking and turned around to look at him.

"Are you sure Yugi?!" Atem enquired.

"I'm not sensing anything. There may be too much noise pollution." Mahado pulled the ring out from under his shirt and frowned as the pointers hung limp.

"What shall we do?!" Mana clung nervously to Atem's arm.

"I suggest we head into reception and see if we can get some rooms, then we can have a look around without appearing suspicious," Atem said.

Every one nodded and they went into the reception area where a bored looking man was reading a magazine.

"Excuse me!" Mahado cleared his throat. "Would it be possible to have five double rooms please?" He asked politely.

"Yeah, sure." The man reluctantly put down his magazine, yawned and pulled his swivel chair up to the computer. He typed in something and then rasped "Names?" Mahado gave their names and paid for the rooms with his credit card.

"What a rude man," Ishizu whispered as they were pointed in the direction of their rooms by another member of the night staff.

"I don't suppose he can help being grouchy – its half past three in the morning!" Atem let out a yawn of his own.

Luckily, the rooms they had been given were fairly close to the room numbered 172. Since the motel was right next to the airport it was also pretty noisy! They arrived in front of the room Yugi had seen in his vision.

"I saw a blue Nissan, but there is no car here now!" Yugi was getting a bad feeling that they might have left already.

"It may not have been their car you saw, so lets not give up just yet. The Ring is reacting slightly." Mahado held out the ring and one of the pointers twitched.

"Perhaps we should make certain," Ishizu whispered. Mahado nodded and stepped towards the door.

Everyone was nervous as he prepared to knock. He tapped quietly and waited but there was no answer.

"They won't hear a soppy little tap like that!" Jonouchi said loudly, hammering on the door. Everyone frowned and told him to be quieter.

"There are people trying to sleep you idiot!" Mai whispered.

"We don't want to attract attention moron!" Honda hissed.

"I'm surprised anyone will hear us anyway with that noise!" Mana cringed as a jet took off from the nearby runway.

"Sorry," Jonouchi shouted above the noise of the jet engines and banged again. Still no answer.

"Why aren't they answering?" Mokuba fretted.

"Hey, pizza delivery," Honda said assertively, hammering on the door and forgetting his own advice about being quiet.

"It's no good," Yugi groaned. "I'm gonna get the receptionist to open the door." He ran back to reception. The man he spoke to was not happy about being asked to open the door to an occupied room. Yugi explained to him that his friend was staying there and that she had a severe health problem. He was worried because she had been drinking and had forgotten her medicine. Without it, she could be in a coma and possibly die. Yugi had an honest face and sounded very convincing so the man believed him and called the senior receptionist over, who cursed angrily. Only last week, a male occupant at the motel had died of a drugs overdose, and the police had shut them down for a day while they investigated. Not wanting any more deaths on the premises, he begrudgingly agreed to open the door for them. Relieved there were no dead bodies, the man went back to reception.

The room was now empty, save for a stiletto shoe, which Yugi knew did not belong to Anzu because it was too big.

On closer inspection, Mahado noticed some tiny droplets of blood on the floor. He explained that the demon probably needed to feed on human blood to survive.

Yugi felt utterly devastated. They had been so close and yet Anzu had slipped through his fingers. In a rare display of anger he swore and threw the stiletto at the wall. It was distressing for him to think that his girlfriend had killed someone and consumed their blood! He felt nauseous.

"C'mon Yuge, were all a bit knackered, let's try and get some sleep." Jonouchi squeezed his shoulder. He felt just as sick as Yugi, but was doing his best not to let his distress show.

Mokuba just stood in the doorway trembling. How could his brother and Yugi's girlfriend do something so nasty?! He was only fifteen and he found it distressing.

"Are you alright Mokuba?" Mai noticed that he seemed afraid to enter the room and went to comfort him.

"Just try to remember, it is not Anzu and Seto who are behaving like this, it is the monster inside them," Ishizu tried to soothe everyone, but it did not help quell the uneasy feeling she felt when remembering the vision she had seen: Two people burying a body in the desert!

"Yeah, you're right." Yugi's voice was a little shaky. They all trudged to their rooms to try and get a few hours sleep before planning their next move.

::::::::::::

After burying the body in the desert, Anzu and Seto didn't go back to the motel, instead they set out in the direction of Los Angeles.

It would be six seeks before the body would be discovered – yet another case that left police baffled and confused.

::::::::::::

The next day, everyone went to a nearby diner for a late breakfast and to discuss their options. No one had slept well and Yugi had not slept at all. Terrible thoughts had plagued him about who the stiletto might belong to and what had probably happened to her. The idea that his girlfriend had been feasting on the blood of another human was abhorrent. Unshaven and with tired bags under his eyes, he sat picking at his sausage, egg, bacon, beans and hash browns.

"If you ain't gonna eat that Yugi, can I have it?" Jonouchi asked hopefully. Exhaustion made him hungry and he had already devoured his own large breakfast. Yugi pushed the plate towards him. "Go ahead, I don't know how you can even eat right now," he grumbled. He opted to just drink the coffee – at least it helped keep him alert.

"They have obviously left here. Where do you think they might have gone?" Atem voiced.

"They have a hire car, so they could have gone anywhere!" Sugoroku answered

"I think we should go back to New York, and wait," Mahado suggested. Ishizu agreed with him.

"Seto left most of his stuff in New York, so I think it is logical to assume they will go back there," she reasoned.

"Has anyone got any other ideas?" Sugoroku looked at all the tired, depressed faces. They all shook their heads. Mahado's suggestion did seem the best.

Back in New York, they waited for two days but the couple didn't return. Everyone was starting to worry about being away from work and the university for any length of time.

While they waited, Mahado took the opportunity to teach Yugi and Atem how to use the powers of the Millennium Puzzle.

Everyone was amazed when Atem summoned the Dark Magician.

"He looks even more like you in real life Mahado!" A very impressed Jonouchi gasped.

"Looks pretty hot in that outfit too," Mai joked, making Mahado feel embarrassed for his ancestor's choice of attire.

"His outfit is designed to be functional, not hot!" He blushed, glancing at Ishizu, who's face also looked slightly flushed as she pictured her own Mahado in the same attire. Mai had not intended to make them feel so embarrassed.

"Seriously though, I think it's amazing that you guys can summon real spirits from another realm. I only hope that there is something us ordinary people, without any special powers, can do to help."

"Yeah, and who would have thought my two best buddies would be Egyptian royalty!" Jonouchi grinned at Yugi and Atem.

Having their support and understanding made Ishizu smile. For the first time in her life she felt like she belonged in the modern world. They had all accepted this madness without question and vowed to do anything they could to help Yugi and Atem defeat this demon, and were determined to save Anzu and Seto.

Honda had told her that they were big fans of Sci Fi, and had seen enough horror movies to know what they were dealing with.

If only it were that simple! She hoped that Honda and Jonouchi's over excitement would not cause them to underestimate the danger they might be face. They needed to understand that not all realms were friendly or safe: many of the creatures were dangerous and volatile, only the most gifted people could control them and in the wrong hands they could be used to destroy empires! If Zorc were to be released from the Shadow Realm, the whole world could be destroyed.

The dark Magician knelt before Atem and Yugi with his head bowed. Both twins looked slightly embarrassed – neither had ever had anyone kneel before them before.

"He is awaiting your orders. He is the spirit of my ancestor Mahaad. While it was his duty to serve your father as a priest, he was also a good and loyal friend. He sacrificed his mortal life so that his spirit could protect your father, even after death. Since you are the Pharaoh's sons, it is now his duty to protect you. I too am prepared to give my life to protect you." Yugi was mortified by Mahado's statement.

"Mahado! No! I would never let you die for me!" The Dark Magician startled and looked up.

"And neither would I," Atem added forcefully. "This demon can and will be defeated without you giving your life Mahado."

"As the most senior person here, I will not let any of you throw your lives away. If there is any sacrificing to do then it should be me," Sugoroku added.

"Yeah, and I would throw myself to the demon before I let it kill any of you!" Jonouchi chipped in.

"NO!" Yugi almost shrieked. "Guys! Will you stop it?! We don't want anyone to die for us! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah! Lighten up everyone? Will you all stop being so morbid!" Mai said assertively.

"Let's just get back to the lesson, shall we?" Ishizu decided.

"Okay," Yugi nodded and chose one of his duel monsters to summon.

Ten minutes later:

Mahado had finally managed to contain and return Feral Imp to its own realm.

"I still think it's cool you guys can summon real monsters!" Mokuba grinned at a rather dishevelled looking Yugi.

"Yeah, I just wish I could make them obey me though." Yugi sagged and looked around at the trashed apartment where Feral Imp had run amok. Maybe he should give the puzzle to Atem, he seemed to handle the monsters he summoned without any difficulty.

"Don't be disheartened Yugi," Ishizu comforted. "I'm afraid the Imp is known for being very mischievous."

The following morning, and with still no sign of Anzu or Seto returning, they went home to Domino. Sugoroku could not afford to leave the shop unattended for much longer and everyone else had to go back to work or university. They had no idea where Seto and Anzu could be heading next, and neither the Puzzle or the Tauk were showing them anything. They needed to come up with a new plan as to how to find the demon pair. Ishizu had some ideas already.

"I will ask Shadi to do some research to try and predict where they might go and what they intend to do. I will also talk to Pegasus and my brothers. Seto is the main threat as I believe he is being manipulated by the part of Zorc's soul that survived. He sees Anzu as his servant, and it worries me that he might view her as dispensable. If I were to hazard a guess, then I would presume that he intends to kill as many people as he can and sacrifice their souls to the shadows in return for Zorc's resurrection, so that he can be re-united with himself."

"Man that's scary!" Jonouchi gasped.

"More than scary Jonouchi! If Anzu is just his pawn then I have to find her, urgently!" Yugi cried.

Sally promised Yugi that she would call him immediately should Anzu return, but he didn't hold out any hope. It seemed that she was completely under the influence of this demon and was unwittingly throwing away everything she cared about.

::::::::::::

After spending a couple of days prowling the national parks in search of victims, Anzu and Seto headed to Los Angeles, checking into a cheap motel under false names to avoid being recognised.

"The Shadows are hungry for more souls, we need to collect more," Seto growled.

"How many have we sacrificed so far?

"Fourteen in total. If the news reports are correct, only three of the bodies have been found so far."

"But no one will suspect us!"

"It does not appear they have even linked the deaths. And I am certain they will never find the bodies of those hikers. If they do, they will most likely blame wild bears."

"We are too clever for them," she let out a sinister giggle.

"That still does not mean we can get sloppy," he warned her.

"So, where do we go next?"

"We should split up and start hunting for the Millennium items," Seto told her.

"Do we know who has them?" Anzu asked. Seto smirked.

"I have a feeling the Millennium items will come to us! I already know that woman, Ishizu has one. I also know that Pegasus has the Eye. I saw him wearing it at a business conference and thought it was some fancy false eye or a rather ridiculous monocle! Now I know what it really is, I plan to pay him a visit."

"Shall I attempt to obtain Ishizu's necklace?"

"Is it wise to go back to Domino so soon – or are you pining for Yugi Mutou?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"I think Ishizu might know where the other items are. I have a plan that might help us obtain them." He looked at her blankly and she smirked. "I have a friend who might be able to help."

"You are so evil," he snarled, pulling her close and roughly kissing her. She responded by digging her sharp nails into his back, sending shivers of lust down his spine.

::::::::::::

The following morning, Anzu booked onto a flight back to Japan, using the forged papers that Seto had provided her with.

For each victim she had fed upon, the demon inside her soul grew stronger. The demon had learned much from her memories: in particular, about the two young men she seemed to hold a particular affection for. One of them was called Atem, and she had harboured some sort of silly crush on him in the past. Could this be the Pharaoh that had defeated him and his pets, Aknadin and the Thief, three millennia ago? The image of him in her mind certainly would indicate a similarity.

The other brat, Yugi, whom she was in love with, reminded him of the irritating younger brother of the Pharaoh. He had tried to be a hero, but he had been easy to kill. He remembered the wonderful feeling when Bakura had tortured him and then snapped his feeble human neck, before tying the naked body to its horse and sending it back to the palace as a warning.

The Thief had been a master at the art of stealth and had managed to sneak into the palace unseen, to witness the young Pharaoh break down hysterically at the sight of his brother's mutilated body. Oh! What a delightful sight it had been. It had almost been a shame when the time came, for Aknadin to sacrifice Bakura, once his purpose had been served.

"No!" Anzu woke up in a pool of sweat, screaming. The remnants of her human soul had witnessed the thoughts of the demon in her mind. "I won't do it, I won't hurt them," she cried.

Don't fight me you bitch, you pathetic vessel. This human was feisty and had a strong personality. But she was no match for a monster.

Meanwhile, Seto contacted Industrial Illusions, only to find out that Pegasus was away on a business trip and would not be back for a few days. Rather than hang around, he decided to fly back to New York to collect some of his belongs.

When he arrived at the penthouse and saw that someone else had been there, he flew into a rage. Where was his laptop and phone? He found an envelope on the table and immediately recognised the handwriting as Mokuba's:

Dear Seto,

I came to find you and take you home.

After following you to Las Vegas and not being able to find you, I came back here in the hope you might return.

You are sick and need urgent help. I have some friends who can help you. So please, please, please come home.

I love you big brother.

Mokuba.

P.S. I didn't think you would return so I have your laptop and phone.

A small part of Seto suddenly surfaced. "Mokuba, I'm sorry," he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek. "What is happening to me?" He growled as a part of his own soul fought against his possessor. Gripping his head, he fell to his knees as a agonising pain shot through his chest and head. The demon was punishing him for trying to resist.

Weakened, Seto had no choice but to succumb once more to the demon.

And... we still have two demons on the loose! Are the hunters about to become the hunted?

Please review.