Chapter 29: Making a Deal
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"I said to come alone." The king said through wheezing breaths.
"He goes where I go." Mai responded in a cold factual voice. Joey nodded behind her. The king waved the guards away and motioned for Mai to step forward. He was on his death bed, the only reason she came. She was hoping he would apologize and call the war off, but that dream, she knew, was far fetched.
"You've grown quite fond of that mongrel, haven't you?" The king said, finding enough strength to lift himself.
"Watch what you say. He and I are the same." She said, holding a hand out to stop Joey from moving.
"The..? Then I truly have lost you." He said shaking his head. "It's such a pity. You look so much like your mother." He said, reaching out to touch her. He stopped halfway up and his arm fell limply. "I brought you here hoping you could join me, but now being what you are, I know you can never return. You will die with your breed." Joey lunged past her and she didn't move to stop him, but the guards quickly grabbed and halted him. "I cant kill you now, as I've invited you here peacefully, but then next you see me will be your end." He said, calling another of his servants over. "I've finally done it." He said, holding up a small vial. "The waters of eternity..." He popped the stopper out of it and tilted the vial up over his mouth.
Before their eyes the years stripped away from him. The ancient man that once stood there faded into a young, strong man. The only sign that he was who he claimed was the hate and age in his eyes.
"Get them out of my sight." He commanded, now a man who's age rivaled Mai's. The guards grabbed them roughly and dragged them away, tossing them back into their damned forest and standing guard in case they tried to return.
"This... is bad." Joey muttered looking at her. He started into the forest but turned back when Mai didn't follow him. She looked empty. Like someone drew the life out of her.
"He... He isn't my father anymore. My father... He died. He died calling me a monster." Joey hugged her to him.
"You're not a monster. He is. We'll stop him. Mai, you're beautiful." He held her against him and stroked her hair as she began to sob.
"I just didn't think it would be this hard..."
"I'll do everything I can to make it easier. I'm here for you."
Serenity moved through the halls, searching for Rebecca and Mokuba. She walked through the great hall but froze. Something felt... different. It was warm and heavy. Like a moment in the midst of passion, and then she felt eyes on her. She turned her head and met with those eyes she felt so vibrantly.
"Hello again, my little flower. Looking ravishing today aren't you?" Duke purred, causing a blush to crawl across her features. She wondered exactly how long it would be before she was free of him.
"I suppose you're here for Seto. I'll go get him." She said, looking for a reason not to be in his presence. He reached out and grabbed a strand of hair, smiling down at her and stopping her movement.
"Nonsense. He's on his was right now. Tell me, have you been thinking about me?" Serenity paused, not willing to speak too quickly. She found she had less control over her words if she didn't think thoroughly before speaking.
"Actually, I have been thinking about how grateful I am that your armies came to aid us." She said thoughtfully. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to say, or how she wanted to say it, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. He took another step towards her and his smile widened.
"How grateful is that?" His tone was playful and held something mischievous about it. Curse this man, to twist her words and emotions so carelessly.
"Duke." Seto's voice called, freeing her from him. She ran to his side immediately and hugged his arm.
"Ah, lord Seto, always a pleasure." He bowed low. "But if only it was under more pleasurable circumstances that I am here. It seems The king has taken the entire Dhampire nation. I need my soldiers back. The wolves are fighting the Dhampires and I have no one to protect my boarders." Seto's brow furrowed.
"How?"
"They sent a legion of ten thousand around through the country to the east and into mine from the south. Whats more, they've gained control of the fountain of eternity." He added. Serenity glanced up at Seto, but he looked as confused as she felt.
"I thought that was a myth."
"No, The wolves and Dhampires have been fighting over it for hundreds of years. It doesn't concern us or the Fey or vampires because we live forever anyways. But now it's become an issue. The king has already drunk from it."
"Ryou! Get me Ryou!" Seto called. A demon disappeared and it was the elf lord's turn to furrow his brow. The white haired boy hurried out, responding to the Demon Lord's request. "I need the number of the kings forces. If he brought a legion of ten thousand to the Elven kingdom, what does that leave him with?" Ryou grabbed a notebook from his satchel and tallied the totals.
"It leaves him with about seven thousand men, Vampires and Fey with him." He said quickly.
"Remove the Fey." Seto said confidently. Ryou scribbled a few more things down and looked up to his lord.
"It's still around six thousand four hundred or so." Seto smiled.
"We defeated more than that in the last assault. If we can take out the king now, you can clean up the rest of his men in your kingdom, correct?" Seto said, now looking at Duke.
"I suppose I can. I will have aid, though, correct?" Duke said, mimicking Seto's tone.
"Of course. We'll need your men for one more week. That should be enough to take him down. Then you have my full forces on your side." Duke nodded and glanced to Serenity, tossing her a smile. Seto didn't like it. "If there's nothing else-"
"Oh, there is. It's been a long journey up here, you don't mind if I stay the night, do you?" He asked, knowing the Demon lord wouldn't say no.
"I'll have a room prepared right away." It took everything in him not to say it through gritted teeth. They were supposed to be allies after all.
"Serenity, You'll accompany me to it then?" He held out his arm and Seto knew she couldn't reject him. She looked at him with worried eyes and he nodded for her to go on. She took his arm and they started down the hall. She glanced back once, but Seto had turned away, unable to look anymore.
"So how did you do it?" He asked as they traveled, now alone.
"Do what?" She asked in turn. He looked her up and down, making her uncomfortable and... hot.
"Cure your Dhampirism." She looked up at him confusedly and he laughed. "Please, you cant tell me you hadn't noticed? The sun doesn't bother you anymore, and the need to feed is gone. Isn't it?" He was right. She hadn't felt the need to drink blood in almost a week and being out in daylight no longer drained her.
"I... Hadn't thought of that." She said honestly.
"If anything, I'd say you were a full Nymph. I mean, Seto must not be able to keep his hands off of you." It was true. Immediately after the battle he had taken her. Then again, and again and again. She figured it was the near death experience that got him going, but it could have been more. She was able to call on her natural powers to sway the battle, but she hadn't thought farther into it. "I can barely control myself." Another uncomfortable blush crossed her. She could feel her heart racing and her breathing become unsteady.
He entered the room she led him to and she stopped at the door.
"Wouldn't you like to join me?" She began to take a step into the room but stopped herself. She couldn't form words or even think straight, but she knew what she had to do. She ran. She ran and went straight to Seto's room. When she got there she could tell he had been pacing. His head shot up as she entered the room and he could tell right away that she was flustered. She ran to him and pulled him into a kiss, but he pulled back, looking at her accusingly.
"Nothing happened. I want you." She pulled him back against her, but he figured what had happened.
"You're all hot over him." He stepped back. "This is bull shit. I'm not going to play out your fantasies of him." He turned away and headed for the door, but she grabbed his arm.
"Seto, that's not what this is. I want you. I left him. I don't want him, I want you." He ripped his arm out of her hands and looked down at her.
"Get a hold of yourself. Look at you. You can barely breath and your entire face is red. You only look like that after we've... I'm not going to be fucking you while you think about him. That's not how I work." He walked out of his room and slammed the door behind him. She paused for a moment and those haunting green eyes flashed across her mind. She didn't want to be without Seto right now, and hurried down the hall after him.
Duke's door burst open and before he could turn fully around, Seto had him by the collar.
"Release her now." He snarled. Duke's shock faded and he chuckled.
"Why would I do that?" Seto puled him forward and slammed him against the wall again.
"This isn't a game anymore. She's mine. End the control you have over her, or I'll do it myself." Duke smirked.
"You know I'm a man of deals. Give me one night with her. I wont want her once I've had her. And you've already had her, so it wont be like last time." He said making Seto squeeze the fabric around his throat even harder.
"Absolutely not." His demand was ridiculous.
"What's the matter? It's not like I'm stealing her forever. She's a full nymph now, and I've always wanted to try one. It's just one night."
"The problem is, she's mine. You need to back off, or I swear I'll kill you."
"You have my terms. One night and I'll let her go." Seto growled deep in his throat. He'd rather die than-
"What if I spend the night, but resist you." Serenity caught both of them off guard. "Would you release me?" Seto's blood froze as Duke laughed.
"As if you could. Sure, why the hell not? Try to resist me, Serenity." Her name on his lips sent shivers down her spine, but she straightened herself.
"No. I'm not going to allow this. Serenity go back to my room." He ordered, but she stood, unmoving.
"No. It's my freedom. I jus-"
"Serenity get the fuck out of here! I'm sick of you not listening to me. This isn't something you can just will yourself through." He was about to say something else when Duke interrupted him.
"Actually, girls have resisted in the past. Avia didn't even fight for you, she just wanted me." Seto's fist connected with Duke's chin. Seto stalked out the door, brushing past her in the process. He paused once, not looking at her.
"Do what you want, but I swear, If I find out you've slept with him, you might as well go home with him. I wouldn't take her back, and I wont take you either." His voice was icy and his stature distant. She slowly curled her hand in his. He didn't move to block her, but he didn't move to accept her either.
"Seto... I don't want anyone other than you." He remained facing away from her, still not moving. "You're not going to sleep at all tonight, are you?" Still nothing. "Will... Will you post someone out here? I'm not going to sleep with him, but... I don't trust him. He's not like you. He... he scares me." Seto finally turned. He moved to her, cupping her chin in his hand and lifted her eyes to his.
"I'll be right here. If he tries anything at all, call. I'll come. Just don't let me hear anything you might regret. I don't know what I'd do." He was being honest. If he ever heard her making love to another man, he would definitely kill him... and he was afraid of what he might do to her. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then slowly walked back into Duke's room. He smirked up at Kaiba as he closed the door.
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Kaiba's totally gonna kill Duke...
On a side note, my new story is up It's an OCxSeto story, my first, If you're interested, it's called Perfectly Imperfect.
R+R+E~L
