A/N- In this chapter I make some references to the Blue Eyes White Dragon and I am aware of Kaiba's past connections to it to some degree, but my story doesn't run along those lines so I make no mention about it in case some of you get to thinking "that's not why he likes it blah blah blah." I basically had him answer as I perceived he might.

Disclaimer: YuGiOh is not mine, obviously, or I would know how to spell Gozoburo…or is it Gozuburo? Also, Ari quotes John Keats regarding the steadfast star, also obviously not mine.

Quiet Deceptions

Chapter 15

It's so cold. Colder than ice, colder than emptiness, painfully cold!

Looking up, she saw herself trapped in his malevolent stare.

"Stay away!" she cried.

His devilish laughter sizzled down her spine, numbing her nerves. "Where will you go now? No one can protect you from me!"

"Just stay away!" she cried fearfully.

She could feel him reaching for her but she was too cold to run, too weak.

"Leave her alone, you creep!" a determined voice rang out.

"Mokuba!" she gasped. "Mokuba, get away, please!"

"I won't let him hurt you, Ari!" the fearless boy proclaimed.

"Well, well. So someone does care for you."

"Leave him alone," she warned as she turned towards that hateful stare. "Don't touch him!"

Cruel laughter answered her and she fought against the coldness, the emptiness that held her. "Mokuba!"

"You can't help him, child."

"Mokuba! No!"

A blood-curdling scream tore from her throat as she jolted straight up in bed. Her chest heaved for breath and she stared wildly at her surroundings.

"Mokuba!" she gasped and threw her blankets back. Her beaten body protested sternly at her swift movements as she ran to his nearby room.

She didn't need a light to see his still form in the bed. Too afraid to trust her eyes, she crossed to his bedside and reached out to touch his hand. His chest rose and fell steadily in peaceful slumber, his fingers curling slightly at her touch.

"Oh thank God!" she breathed, sinking to her knees. I would never forgive myself if—.

A hand settled on her shoulder, swiftly clamping over her mouth even as she screamed with renewed terror. Her struggle was promptly thwarted by an equally strong hold around her waist.

"Are you crazy?" Kaiba hissed in her ear and she instantly froze.

Seto felt her tense muscles immediately relax and her body sunk back into him. Warily, he removed his hand from her mouth but held her securely against him.

"You scared me," she whispered, her breath still coming up short.

"Likewise. I should have known that wasn't Mokuba screaming bloody murder."

Ari stared down at the sleeping Kaiba, for once consoled by Seto's strong embrace. The face she feared in her nightmare was not his, after all.

"Let's not wake him," Seto murmured quietly over her shoulder. Ari nodded mutely and let him guide her out of the room.

Finally recognizing her body's revolt against her actions, she stood listlessly staring at the wall across from Mokuba's door.

"What was it," Kaiba asked wearily, softly closing the door behind him.

"A bad dream," she murmured. I know who you are and I know what you are trying to do. I won't let you get away with it!

Her eyes suddenly flared with spirit and had fire yielded to her will, the hall would have burst into flames.

Just a dream? I hardly think so, Kaiba thought to himself. Suddenly she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry I woke you."

He studied her for a moment and decided they were both too tired to explore this new development at the time. "Go back to bed," he ordered and she complied without argument.

Seto stood in the hallway alone and disturbed. The night had been shattered by a cry he could not describe. Even in his worst nightmares, Mokuba had never screamed with such pure terror. It was clear she had not shaken the dream world completely when she checked on Mokuba, having thought he too was a part of the nightmare.

Whether it had been intentional or just an unconscious act of her foggy awareness, Ari Nieche had revealed another one of her secrets the moment she heard him speak.

With this gratifying thought Seto returned to his room, contentedly drifting asleep with the knowledge that she was now lying when she swore she hated him.

Mokuba watched her pencil fly over paper early the next morning. "Whatcha doing," he asked.

"I'm drawing a sketch of the man who attacked me," she said. She had no trouble seeing him in her mind's eye.

"I don't remember him having those three scars," Mokuba said, pointing at the sketch.

Ari smiled grimly at the memory. "He does now."

"You're incredible. It looks so real."

"My mother was very artistic," Ari murmured as she concentrated on the picture taking shape. Kaiba had given her a small yet suitable selection of pencils with the sketchbook. Had she colored pencils, she knew she could truly flesh out the fiendish expression in his eyes. Mom always said the eyes are a window to the soul and I was one of the few who could capture that elusive glimpse.

Ari clenched her jaw as she glared at the picture. This man had beaten her and threatened Mokuba, but the power was not his. The nightmare of the night before opened her eyes to the truth, the truth she could never tell Seto Kaiba. He would not be forgiving if he knew the truth.

"Ari?" Mokuba asked softly.

"Yes?"

"When you're done with this could you draw a picture for me?"

She looked up in surprise. "What kind of picture?"

"One of me and Seto. Like a portrait, you know?"

She couldn't hold in a smile. I might not be able to draw Devil Kaiba without horns. "I'll see what I can do."

"Cool," Mokuba grinned, happy as a clam.

I should pretend that I don't remember last night. Will he believe me? Ari frowned at the door in front of her. Who am I trying to kid? From day one I've been hard put hiding things from him. He reads me like an open book, but I can't tell him about my dream. I can't tell him why those men were after Mokuba. He would tear me apart and scatter the pieces to Omaka himself. No one will ever share his heart with Mokuba.

Why do you want to?

Ari was startled by the thought. Why do I want to?

She glanced down as if the answer was lying at her bare feet. Day three since the attack and she had finally found the strength to change out of her pajamas. In jeans and a white shirt with her hair pulled back, she looked more like her plain old self than she had in weeks. It leant some confidence and she needed all she could gather.

With a reluctant sigh, she brushed a loose strand behind her ear and rapped gently on the door. A gruff "come in" followed and she cautiously reached for the knob. Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art—.

Seto looked up at her hesitant entrance. She didn't sleep well, was his first impression followed by a mild appreciation for her simple appearance. Having lived with the power of a corporation at her hands for a short time did not spoil her. If anything, she was more suited to a modest lifestyle. He almost envied the way she seemed to make his own home look more like a home just by being there. His gaze lingered on the silver chain visible around her throat, the pendant hidden under her shirt. She's never worn jewelry before.

"I finished the sketch," she said softly when he said nothing.

"So soon?" he couldn't keep a mocking note out of his voice. After all, she did insist she couldn't do it.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she walked toward him. "It was what you wanted, wasn't it?"

"You've never complied so readily before."

"It was in my best interest to do so," she retorted.

"It always is," he returned with an intimidating air. "Where's the sketch."

Jerk, Ari thought as she handed him the drawing torn from her book.

There was something about the way he stared at that drawing, Ari half-expected the paper to burst into flames. An unexplainable chill fingered her spine and she felt the overwhelming need to escape. He's just sitting there staring at a drawing…and suddenly I'm terrified of him!

She looked away from his severe expression, her eyes drifting across his desk to a deck of cards. Duel monster cards, she realized and reached for them.

Movement out of the corner of his eye distracted his murderous thoughts and he looked up to see Ari flipping through his deck. A single card caught her attention and she stared at it in wonder. Normally he would not have permitted anyone but Mokuba to touch his deck, but Ari was no duelist. She was a harmless little girl but the expression in her eyes was the reflection of the discovery of a rare, powerful card.

"This is the Blue Eyes White Dragon," she said after a moment, her voice gentled with admiration.

Seto smirked with amusement. "Yes."

"It's beautiful," she murmured and met his attentive stare. "Why is it so important to you?"

"It's one of the singular most powerful cards in duel monsters. There are now only three Blue Eyes in existence and I have them all." Distinct pride laced his deep voice.

It can't be just about the power, could it? "Is that the only reason?" she asked with a hopeful lilt in her tone that did not escape his notice.

It was entertaining to see her like this, guileless and unguarded. You make this too easy, Ari.

"What did you dream about last night," he asked suddenly and she almost dropped the card.

So much for the 'I don't remember' defense, she thought as she slowly placed the Blue Eyes back into his deck for distraction.

"It was nothing," she replied, carefully setting the deck down.

"Ari."

He's fast, but I could get out that door before he even got around that desk. Except, it's his house and my body still aches. He would only run me down and then….

"There are some things we can't escape in our dreams," she murmured vaguely, still not lifting her eyes from the deck on his desk.

"You can if you stop running."

"I'm not running!" she snapped, her eyes flickering as she glanced up at him. Not a good idea, she realized when a slight smile graced his lips.

"Sure you aren't."

She was fuming and Kaiba was impressed with the fortitude she showed as she crossed her arms defiantly and glared.

"I won't be a burden anymore," she said through clenched teeth. "I'm going home."

"You will leave when I say you can," he returned darkly.

"You don't own—," she bit off her own words, knowing she was racing down a road she had been down before, a road with a dead end.

"Clever girl," Kaiba purred as he stood. "You're catching on."

I think I'm going to be sick. "Y-you don't own me," she whispered.

Seto reached for her and she shied away as if he were going to strike her. His words bottled in his throat. Last night she stood unresisting in my arms and now…. He curled his fist with the fierce urge to demolish something.

"Get out," he growled, turning away from her.

Ari looked up in surprise. What? Is he…?

He glanced over his shoulder at her, eyes blazing with rage. Her heart shuddered and she took a step back.

What did I do?

"What did you do?" he repeated and she swallowed hard knowing she had said those words aloud. He took a step towards her and her courage fled, carrying her out the door as swiftly as if an army were in pursuit.

Seto watched her escape grimly. Every taunt muscle in his body demanded he pursue her, hold her helpless in his grasp until she begged her freedom with her deepest secrets. Yet his feet held their ground.

Is she deceiving us both? Terrified one moment, submissive the next, how could one woman confuse me so much? He swiped furiously at the lamp on his desk, shattering it against the wall.

Ari fell onto the bed and burst into tears. For a moment, for one fleeting moment he was human. I wanted to believe! I wanted to see!

Her whole body trembled with the force of release. She choked on her sobs, smothering her face in the pillow, but she could not smother his face from her mind. Blazing eyes bore into her with a rage she could not fathom. She half-feared she was about to feel that rage in the heat of his touch and been startled by the awareness that she wanted to.

She knew from experience his touch could be gentle and inspire feelings she could not put words to. To suffer the fire of his anger almost seemed a small price to pay for the warmth of his embrace. Am I so desperate for kindness as to crave compassion from my enemy? Then I have truly lost. He owns me… heart and soul.