"I didn't want to have to resort to this, but you've given me no choice. If I cannot be allowed to drink from this lowly servant, then perhaps you will have to suffice."
"The moment you come near me, I'll run you through!"
"With what? That sword? Don't make me laugh. A lot of good that would do you."
…………………………………………
"I told you, it's no good. Now you will pay for your ignorance with your blood!"
…………………………………………
"What…Osiris…stop that. Guar…ds…"
I awoke in a strange place that I've never seen before. I could have sworn that I was at home…or at least someone's home…but I suppose not. All I remember is the look in that man's red eyes and the wicked grin on his face. I think I was in some kind of building when we met…yes…it was a museum. I think. Or was it all just a dream? I don't know…everything's fuzzy.
I sat up, then immediately lay back down. Something hurt…something in my chest. So I had to be content to stay on my back and stare in boredom at the ceiling, which was painted a deep red…or at least I think it was paint…
I heard a door open, then close, and heard footsteps approaching my bed. I looked up as best as I possibly could, then wished that I hadn't. It was him. The man who put me in this pitiful state. It all suddenly rushed back to me: losing Yami in the darkness, that creepy portrait, that indistinct banging sound on the other side of the wall…I suddenly began to feel very afraid.
"Get away!" I said after I found my voice. "Don't come near me!"
The man laughed. It wasn't a wicked laugh, and it wasn't a kind or amused laugh; it was just a laugh that didn't seem to have a purpose at all. "Come now, you aren't still mad at me for that little confrontation, are you? Why don't we let bygones be bygones? If I would have known who you were, I never would have assailed you so mercilessly."
"You know who I am?" I asked him, utterly perplexed.
"Of course," he said, spreading his arms wide for a moment. "You are Yugi Muto, and Pharaoh Yami is your guardian, correct?"
"Yes…But, who are you?"
He put a disarming smile on his haunting face before answering. "My name is Runihura, a humble Servant to my Master."
"Your…master?"
He appeared thoughtful for a moment, resting his chin on his knuckles like that. "That's right, you don't know my Master. Ah well, you will soon enough. But in the meantime, there are three others who are dying to meet you."
I watched them as they entered, my breath stuck in my throat. The three that entered were Joey, Bakura, and Kaiba, no doubt, but there was something about them that seemed different. Perhaps it was the fact that I just wasn't used to seeing the three of them together at once, but I don't think that's it.
"Yugi, they are Khalid, Khentimentiu, and Anubis," Runihura said pleasantly.
I shook my head. "No, I think you're confused…they're Joey, Bakura, and Kaiba."
Joey snarled at me, his accent completely gone. "Don't you ever call me that!"
"Wh-what? It's your name, isn't it?"
"Don't be ridiculous! Me, a Servant of Lord Osiris, have a name as ditsy as Joey Wheeler?"
I blinked back tears then cast my eyes to Runihura for an explanation. He looked back at me, but the kindness that had once been in his eyes had vanished. "Foolish child," he said roughly, "are you always this dense? I still fail to see why He chose you to be his Host. Besides the fact that you're that traitor Yami's most valued possession, you aren't good for much."
"I'm not—" I began, only to be silenced by Runihura growling at me from deep within his throat. Bakura glared at me malevolently. "When you're done playing with that boy, we should prepare him for the Ritual tomorrow night."
"Yes, of course. But first things first…" Runihura's eyes glinted dangerously in the soft light. He climbed on top of the bed until he was practically on top of me, his knees resting forcefully on mine. I saw red ivory fangs peeking out over his crimson lips as he smirked. He lowered his head to the right side of my and waited there for a moment. I swallowed fearfully, then screamed out in agony as he plunged his fangs deep into the flesh of my throat and began to drink my lifeblood. I struggled to break free, but he only clasped my shoulders tightly and bit down harder on my throat. The more blood he took, the less I fought back, and eventually I…
Runihura removed his fangs from Yugi's throat and got off of the bed. Blood ran down his chin and flowed onto his chest, then dripped down to the floor from there. He pushed his shoulders back and licked the precious liquid from his lips. "Delicious…" he murmured with satisfaction. "It's very sweet, just as the blood of all the other children was. But it has a much more…gratifying…flavor to it." He looked back at the unconscious young boy. His head was lolled over to the left, blood still flowing freely from his wound.
"Hopefully you didn't take enough to kill him," Anubis said, emotionlessly.
"Of course not. I just took enough to awaken the vampire within himself. I'd never hear the end of it if I killed that boy, as much as I want to."
Khentimentiu growled.
"What's the matter with you?" Khalid snapped.
"Night's five hours away. I'm getting hungry."