Forbidden Fruit
by: Wareta Shooki
Thanks to all of you who reviewed!
I've almost got a hundred reviews, well close enough!
All notes at bottom.
Disclaimer in prologue.
Oh, and any songs that the characters begin singing at random points in this chapter,
I own none of them. So we're all clear on those. And the ones I do own, you'll be sure
to know about at the end of the chapter.
Forbidden Fruit
Chapter 11
Turning Point
Part 2
Crimson eyes stared around at the scenery as they continued driving down road after road towards Le Darke Desires. They'd entered Akashi Square some fifteen minutes before, all of them anxious. Though, as his eyes flicked to the two beside him in Kaiba's limousine, he realized not all of them were anxious. Some of their group were nervous beyond reason.
Sighing, he sank further into the leather seat he sat in and closed his eyes. A gentle hand on his own were it rested on his left leg made him glance to the one who sat directly beside him. Amethyst eyes sparkled as they gazed into his own and with his other hand, he pushed aside the golden bangs that hung in that face to see the barest hint of the Eye of Horus on his aibou's forehead. Looking over his clothes for the seventh time in a space of five minutes, he smiled.
Yuugi had hidden his clothes from Yami, not letting the other watch him change as he always did. Even though they'd been sleeping together for more than two years it seemed odd that this time, the ancient Pharaoh wasn't allowed to see his aibou. Not heartbroken, he'd waited downstairs with the others and nearly dive-bombed the floor when he caught sight of his angel at the top of the stairs. Hell, even Kaiba had gawked like a deer in the headlights.
Pale skin shimmered with silver body glitter, his black, baggy cargo pants held to a slim waist by a silver studded-belt with a second hanging off his hips perfectly. He wore his traditional, almost trade-mark, black boots with the two straps wrapping around the shoes themselves. His chest was bare, showing dusky nipples that stood erect and pleading for attention. Around his neck hung a ankh necklace, the gold of it real and amazing as his aibou's pale skin. In his right ear rested a matching earring.
Gripping that hand that lay over is, Yami smiled. "I'm alright, aibou."
/ You sure/ Yuugi asked, his amethyst eyes worried as he used their mind link to talk.
/ Very. / Was the whispered response. Yuugi shivered involuntarily at the sound of Yami's low and husky voice. It was beyond sexy and made his body ache for the familiar touch of the other. Shaking his head at his koibito's smug smirk, he, like Yami, took in the other's clothes.
It was almost frightening how beautiful the Egyptian ex-Pharaoh really was. His tanned skin was completely natural, contrasting with his spiky hair, the ruby, ebony, and golden locks seeming to dance and shimmer. One lock never being the same colour all at once. Yami, himself, had adorned an Egyptian kilt held up by a crimson sash, the ties of which hung down in the front. Hanging down his chest, attached to a golden band around his neck, was the Sen'nen Puzzle, glittering in the passing streetlights.
Around his upper arms and wrists and ankles were identical golden bands. Around his forehead was a crimson 'crown' with a dangling gemstone that shimmered between amethyst and ruby. It was authentic and was a real stone Sorogoku Mutou, Yuugi's grandfather, had found in Egypt. Lavender scented oil coated the spirit's skin, making him smell enticing and amazingly exotic while he seemed to sparkle every time he moved.
"Ceilya, how much longer?" Anzu asked, smoothing down her leather mini-skirt with anxious hands. Her full chest was accented by a low-cut black shirt that read simply, 'You run from me. Just know that I can run faster.' The vampyress turned in her pale-green eyes to the cerulean-eyed girl and smiled, showing fang and not caring that it made the other shiver.
"Not much. We're almost there, in fact." Was the cool reply, the bells and chimes of her voice all the more pronounced as the night seemed to settle around her like a lover's arms. She was 'gothed-out' for want of a better word. Her long jeans had so many pockets and straps that they'd all given up on trying to count them all. Her shirt was a thin-strap tank-top and had crimson, dripping Egyptian hieroglyphs going down the front on the left and on the right in the back. Her left arm was adorned by jelly-bracelets of mostly black, red, and silver. Her right arm had a single crimson bracelet that seemed tight on her rather small wrist and more than made up for the some seventy bracelets on her other arm.
Around her neck hung a simple necklace, the lighting bolt pendant carved out of a sapphire stone that was pure and deep with swirls of pale-green that matched her eyes perfectly. Navy kohl lines marked her slightly narrowed eyes, the lighter navy eye shadow making those pale-green irises all the more brilliant and cunning. But that's all anyone saw them as. Eyes. She'd given them a small potion to keep them from falling under the spell of her eyes. It was only luck that she was a witch next to being a vampyress, among other things.
She sighed and turned her gaze back to stare out the window. The moon was almost full, two days from now it would sit beautifully in the sky. Odd how it was only October, the winter months and season fast approaching. Freak snow falls had been reported lately and try as she might, she didn't have to know what the human scientists thought to know what the real cause was. Bowing her head, she let another, softer sigh fall from her lips.
Kaiba was watching her avidly, as if trying to discern what was running through her mind. All he noticed was that her eyes seemed clouded with thought, her platinum-blonde hair so pale it was almost silver or white, but tonight it glittered silver in the moonlight that shone through the window. She'd pulled it back and up into a half-ponytail at the top of her head, the rest of those tresses falling around her shoulders in tight curls that bounced whenever her head moved.
Jounouchi touched his thigh and he jumped slightly, feeling guilty that he'd been staring at a creature he'd never understand. But when his icy midnight gaze met that of his lover, he let a soft sound of surprise, and perhaps fear, escape his throat. Those amber eyes stared at him, something sliding behind them. The blonde's hand slithered further up his thigh, closer to where Kaiba now wanted to beg him to touch. Seeming to sense this, Jounouchi pulled back.
"You're mine tonight." Was a soft, darkened whisper in his ear. If Kaiba wasn't in a limousine with a vampyress, a thief from the ancient past, an ex-Pharaoh from the same past as the thief, and caught in a scandal with creatures that weren't human, he'd have wondered as to how he heard his lover's voice like that when it wasn't possible for the blonde's tenor voice to drop that low.
His driver stopped then, pulling in front of a crowed dance club. The building looked like a converted warehouse, but it was too amazing to have been converted from something so... blech. The walls were painted in such a way that the crimson paint looked like dripping blood, the huge double doors that kept the inside of the club hidden were painted with odd symbols and characters that not even Kaiba could read. Two guards stood on either side, their muscular arms crossed, dressed in black pants and muscle T-shirts. Typical 'I'm big macho he-man bouncer person.'
He really needed to stop hanging around Mokuba so much.
Stepping out, he took Jounouchi's hand and pulled him close, bucking his hips against the other. "I'm always yours." He murmured in response before pulling away, but still holding onto Jounouchi's hand. Ceilya stepped out next with Anzu following. Then Yuugi and Yami. He blinked when he remembered Honda hadn't joined them. He wanted to stay with Otogi and Mai to help watch over Mokuba. Turning, he followed behind Ceilya who walked up to the two guards.
"Torulen." She said, her voice curving around the word that was so foreign he understood it.
The guard on the right smirked enough to show one fang. "Nor cata."
She hissed softly, pinning him to the wall so suddenly the other drew a dagger with a curved blade. "Back off him, bitch." The other hissed. The bouncers were twins, brothers. Odd and funny. Yami sighed in frustration and walked forward. His power permeated the air thickly, the golden Eye of Horus resting between his bangs on his forehead.
Pulling Ceilya off the other guard, he set her on her feet, giving her a pointed look. Blushing, she bowed her head, but shot the other, the one holding the unsheathed dagger, a deadly glare. He shivered and glared right back.
"Yori semry qern corte Atemu." Yami hissed. The one with the dagger dropped the weapon in surprise, picked it up swiftly and sheathed it. Both he and his brother knelt, speaking one then the other.
"My Lord. I am Aaron Kirkland at your service." the one on the left said, his dark blue eyes staring up at them. His brother stared at them with deep, dark gray-sapphire eyes. "My Lord. I am Jack Kirkland at your service."
Everyone stared at the two and Yami in utter surprise, even Kaiba was gaping like a demented looking blow-fish. Jounouchi laughed softly when he caught sight of this and the CEO let his mask fall back into place. Snickering softly, they turned to the small group.
"Ltre suoi nyen aysa." Yami hissed.
Aaron and Jack opened the doors immediately, ushering them all in. Yami and Ceilya waited until the other had walked in before following. Once inside, they all gasped. The space of Le Darke Desires was huge, beyond that even. Three floors held four large dance floors each. Pounding industrial rock, techno dance mix, and rap played on either of the three floors. A bar rested on each floor as well. Tons of people danced and talked, ran after others and so forth.
To the far right stood a huge HDTV, the screen holding one person as he stood on a stage erected in front of it. The song currently playing pounded loudly, but when the music faded out slightly, his voice took over, singing beautifully.
"I wake up to find myself, after all these years. And though all the time has gone, it still seems so unreal. Cause there's no one else, since I found you. I know it's been so hard. . . you should know. . ." As he trailed off his the music kicked in but not as loudly as before. "If I die tomorrow! As the minutes fade away, I can't remember. . . Have I said all I can say. You're my everything, you make me feel so alive. . . If I die tomorrow. . . .!"
Kaiba smirked, watching as Ceilya seemed to swoon over the man. He was dressed in tight black pants that looked more like breeches from the middle-ages and a black tunic. The shirt underneath was a pristine white, the sleeves billowing down his arms and tightening at the cuffs. His olive-brown skin glittered bronze in the light as he continued to sing. Pale, hazel-blue eyes seemed to captivate the audience before the song ended and they broke into uproarious applause.
Yami slipped an arm around Yuugi's bare waist as the man walked towards them. His silvery-cerulean hair was pulled into a high ponytail, showing pointed ears and two earrings in each cartilage and lobe. He didn't have any make-up on, but then again, he really didn't need it. His beauty was enough to entice anyone, male or female. Who was he. . .
The click of soft boots reached their ears as the man approached them, his eyes locked on Ceilya's. She whimpered softly, moving forward to kneel at his feet, her hands on his waist as she looked up at him. His smile made his eyes light up and she went to pull back but he shook his head. "I am not angry at the touch, ma petite sherĂ, just a little worried." His voice was deep and mysterious, scintillating fangs shining against naturally deep crimson lips.
He turned his gaze to Kaiba who raised an eyebrow, jumping slightly when Jounouchi's hand found his own and squeezed. That pale, hazel-blue gaze turned to Yami and Yuugi then to Anzu. His eyes rested on hers and he looked closer. Taking a step forward, he moved around Ceilya, leaving her where she stayed kneeling on the floor. Reaching out a nimble, skeleton-thin hand, he cupped Anzu's chin, moving her head left and right to look at her more closely.
"She looks almost exactly like her." He murmured.
Ceilya's eyes widened as she stood swiftly to her feet, no one seeing her move but the vampyre and Jounouchi.
"Draco, leave her alone. She isn't who you think she is."
His gaze was hard and furious when he looked at her. She took a cautionary step back and whimpered softly. Life was just too cruel to her. Really it was sometimes. Anzu's cerulean eyes widened in fear before she tried to step back, but Draco's eyes pinned her to the air in which she stood, the fear in her eyes only increasing.
"Please let me go." She whispered, her voice soft and distant.
Jounouchi sniffed the air briefly than stared hard at Draco. "I believe she told you to let her go. Or will you allow the need for information douse your honour?"
Those cold eyes turned to him staring into the wolfish amber eyes of the blonde-haired teen. He turned to Anzu and smirked, leaning close he whispered for only her to hear. "By the end of the night we will see if you are a reincarnate of her. Even if that means making you mine, I will know the truth." Hearing this Anzu kicked him and ran to hide behind Yami who's crimson gaze was not happy.
"Draco, please, stop this." a gentle, flowing voice whispered.
They all turned to see another man walk up, his forest green eyes beautiful as they reflected the strobe-lights and the other various lights in the club. He was dressed in a simple pair of black jeans torn in the knees and various other place. His silver, button-up shirt was left open so you could see the bare, pale chest beneath. On his paper-white stomach rested a red dragon curing up a long sword. Above were the words, "Moonlight of Dragons." in French.
"Erik, why are you... " Draco was cut off when Erik put a hand over his mouth.
"You'll be quiet now. We didn't agree to meet the lady and her friends tonight to fight them, and you know that." Erik's voice was still gentle and flowing. He sighed and, with his hand still over Draco's mouth, the other glaring daggers at him, he turned to the rest of them. "Forgive my rude lover, he's not accustomed to Japan just yet. I am Erik Jenkins, pleased to meet all of you."
Kaiba stepped forward first to shake his hand. Their eyes met and for a moment they shared an understanding. Both had lovers that were outspoken and didn't really stop to think over their words. Smirking, the CEO let Jounouchi shake Erik's hand then the rest of them. Erik looked at Draco who licked his hand. The green-eyed man just shook his head.
"If I remove my hand will you promise to be polite?" Erik asked.
His answer was a serious of angry mumbles. "Eh, good enough."
Removing his hand, Erik and the others watched Draco regain his voice, open his mouth to yell, thought better of it, changed his mind, and turned to Ceilya. "There's a room in the back. Harry's agreed to let us use it to talk for tonight."
The green-eyed vampyress nodded and followed behind Draco and Erik as they walked towards the bar. Kaiba couldn't help but feel like what he was doing was wrong. Yet, he was only getting information on the one that was trying to attack him. But if so, then why did he feel like he'd just made a horrible mistake?
Erik closed the door to the private room behind the bar when they were all inside and seated. He sat in a chair to the left of the door, Draco at his feet, the vampyre staring at them in an almost kind manner. But Kaiba could tell that he wasn't happy. That thought alone almost made him feel sorry for Erik when the night was over with. Just then a thought occurred to him. Was Erik human, or not?
"Go ahead, guys, ask them any question." Ceilya said.
Before Kaiba could even think of how to phrase his question, Jounouchi spoke up from where he sat on the couch beside him, hand on his thigh. "Why is Nikolaos coming after Seto?"
Draco's smile wasn't pleasant. "She's trying to destroy a prophecy. Or at least that's what she told me."
"A prophecy?" Yuugi prompted, his amethyst gaze curious. Draco turned to him as if just seeing him truly for the first time. Moving to his knees, he crossed the floor to sit between the spiky-haired teen's spread legs, Yami sitting behind him in the same manner, his arms locked possessively and protectively around his bare waist.
"You hold no fear of who you sit with in this room, do you?" He asked.
Yuugi only shook his head.
"Then let me see if you fear our touch instead." With no warning whatsoever, Draco enveloped Yuugi in a kiss, his hands playing down his chest. The air around them changed immediately. It went from comfortable and easy-going to thick and full of such fear that no words were there to describe it. Draco pulled away swiftly, his eyes blazing in response to the power that had cast him from the pale boy. "My, my, a powerful one you are."
A snort sounded and all eyes turned to Kaiba who held up his hands in a sign of innocence as Jounouchi's eyes locked onto Draco's. Those wolfish eyes had just the tiniest hint of humanity in them, but not by much. Ceilya shifted uncomfortably and let out a soft sigh, the sound barely heard. Erik stood, his strides graceful as he stopped to grip Draco by the collar of his tunic and drag him back to where he'd been sitting two minutes before. Glaring right back at him, he mumbled something incoherent and when the vampyre tried to yell he found he had no voice for it. So, instead, to the surprise and delight of some of the others, he gestured rudely and adopted a pouting position at his lover's feet.
Erik turned those forest green eyes to Yami whose crimson ones were blazing, the Eye of Horus on his forehead almost like a miniature sun. "I am sorry, Pharaoh, about Draco. He was . . . always drawn to those of power. That's why I always wonder why it was he chose me of all people. . ." He trailed off, running a hand through his auburn-brown hair.
"Erik, exactly what are you. . .?" Kaiba's voice cut the eerie silence that followed the unknown creature's words like knives cut bread on a Sunday afternoon. Yet, in his voice was the tiniest bit of hesitation that shouldn't have been there. He still felt like he was doing something terribly wrong, like there was something he should have done that he'd forgotten to do. . .And that now, or soon, it'd be too late. When those dark eyes turned to him he flinched at the look in them. "I mean, as it is, half of us here aren't near being human. I was wondering if I and Katsuya were the only ones."
A pause followed this, a look of concentration overtaking sharp features that minutes before had been soft with easy contempt. Now it was as if they'd undergone a transformation that Kaiba, himself, had missed. But when those eyes lifted to his own icy midnight ones, he found himself drowning in them and somehow he knew instantly what the man was. And it wasn't close to being human.
"You're a necromancer." His voice, even to him, sounded so distant and strange.
"I am. But, Kaiba, tell me, how is it you knew that. . . .?" Erik's voice was almost utterly silent.
Yami and Yuugi exchanged a sharp glance that said it all. Anzu looked nervously over at Ceilya who shrugged and shifted so she was sitting more comfortably against the wall she'd leaned against. Jounouchi shivered slightly and touched Kaiba's arm, the brunette jumping slightly from the touch. Paranoid, who him?
"Seto, somethin' is wrong. I don't wanna stay here any longer." There it was again! That damn change that often happened with the blonde teen. Almost nineteen now, he wasn't the same stupid, puppy-like teenaged-duelist he had been in the tournaments and everyday life. He'd grown into something much more complicated than himself, and that was saying a lot. No longer did wolfish amber eyes stare at him, but honey-brown eyes that looked dead and lonely. The fire that he'd always seen in those honey-brown irises had faded. Sighing, he stood.
"Alright." He consented, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't argue, what would the point be anyway? He'd lose the fight, feel guilty later for yelling, and apologise for being an idiot. Glancing briefly at the vampyres and necromancer in the room, he bowed deeply, never taking his eyes from any of them. Save for maybe Ceilya. But that was a major 'if.'
"Seto. . . please. Da feelin' is gettin' worse." The other whimpered. Kaiba pulled him close as the other shivered and wrapped his arms around him.
"It's alright, puppy, we're leaving." Kaiba whispered, his voice so soft he barely heard the words he, himself, had spoken.
Yami rose, pulling Yuugi to his feet as well. Anzu twitched slightly. For a moment, they all stood there, completely silent and in utter wonder as to what to do next. The silence was shattered by a high pitched ringing that made both Draco and Ceilya jump up and latch onto one of the walls of the room, Erik to hiss softly and Yami and Yuugi to twitch. Anzu just stared at the phone as if she knew all along it would ring.
Taking it out of his pocket, Kaiba flipped it open and said, "Seto Kaiba speaking."
"K-Kaiba. . ." A voice filtered through the line, sounding shaken and frightened beyond reason. Everyone froze, Draco and Ceilya crawling down from the walls as they looked at the phone as if it had just morphed into some monster worse than them. If that were possible. "Sh-she came b-back. . . He's-he's dying. . . I t-tried to s-save him-m . . . ." Silence reigned after that.
"Who is this? Who came back? What the fuck are you talking about?" Kaiba snapped, his voice quivering with a fear he didn't know existed anymore.
"Iilya Ah'kentyah. . . S-she broke in s-somehow. . . .M-Mokuba. . ." A scream sounded and the voice grew fast and urgent. "Ryuuji Otogi. . . Mai Valentine . . . Hiroto Honda. . . we're a-all trapped i-in y-your mansion. . . w-with a monster. We're dying, K-Kaiba. S-save us. . . please!" Another scream sounded and this time everyone in the room heard the desperate plea that rode on that single scream.
"SETO HELP US! PLEASE BIG BROTHER, HELP US!"
The line went dead and Kaiba's blood ran cold. Shivering, he gripped the cell phone tightly, and before anyone could stop him, ran from the club, calling his limousine driver as he ran. Jounouchi and the rest followed soon after. Yet, as Kaiba ran, a single voice echoed to him from memory. Something he had heard the one who ran behind him now say. And never until just then, did he realize the meaning behind the words.
He's stickin' wit ya now, Kaiba. But one day, ya won't be dere ta save 'em, and then he's gonna be lost forever. And ya know what else? He's never gonna forgive ya.
Glancing over his shoulder as he ran down the street from Le Darke Desires towards where he'd told his driver to meet him, he saw that two Sen'nen Items glowed behind him. One was the Sen'nen Puzzle of the Pharaoh Yami Atemu, the other. . . . Was the Sen'nen Necklace of the lycanthrope Katsuya Jounouchi.
The cold only seemed to grow.
End Chapter 11 of Forbidden Fruit
Oh my gods! That was one bumpy chapter! Sorry it took so long to update chapter 10 and this one. I've been having trouble with school and all. Thank the darkness the year's almost over for me. But, unfortunately that means state testing and end of the year exams and all this other shit. Yippee for me!
Anyway, many thanks to those of you who've reviewed so far. GiddySchoolGirl I am SOO very thankful for the fifteen dozen cookies you sent me. They've really helped. Also, on another note, there will be a sequel after this, and it will be titled: Pleasures of the Guilty. Why is it being called that? Ha ha, not tellin' you guys that. You'll know half of the reason by the end of this story.
One last thing before I stop babbling, I'd like to point out that this fanfic is almost at an end. I had many questions come up in reviews. So, I'll answer some of them now.
Q: Is Kaiba human or something else?
A: He isn't human, but he isn't one of the 'monsters' either. Hope it helps.
Q: Will Jounouchi ever change into a real werewolf during this story?
A: Yes, in chapter 13, he will change.
Q: When are the Yuugi-tachi and Kaiba going to fight Nikolaos?
A: Very, very soon.
Mou . . .! That's all for this chapter. Hope you all keep reviewing! Thanks for everything you guys!
Arigatou, minna-san!
-Wareta Shooki
Last Edited 3 / 17 / 05
As a special St. Patrick's treat, and because I've neglected to update in forever, go ahead and read Chapter 12.
