Leticia stared at the man before her in awe.  There was but one word to describe him: pale.  His skin was milky white, his hair was a pale brown, his eyes were a pale gray, and he looked as if he were constantly mourning something.  But he was gorgeous, despite the fact that he looked like he was a football player on steroids.  Long and thick veins bulged on his developed arms, chest, stomach and throat.  She could see the scars from a vampire's hungry fangs on his strong throat.  Leticia swallowed.  He was definitely an intimidating creature, but he looked gentle…was that just a farce?

            "Who are you?" he asked.  His voice was very soothing and made her feel as if she could tell him anything she wanted to and he'd never tell a soul.  His voice had a light Egyptian accent to it, a beautiful one at that.  "I do not believe that we have properly been introduced to one another."

            "Uh," was all she could manage. 

            He appeared to be a bit confused.  "Is something the matter?  If you think that I am going to bite you, you may dismiss that fear.  I have fed already and I do not feed needlessly, unlike my comrades."

            Leticia released a relieved sigh.  "That's nice to hear, but I thought you wanted to kill me."

            Anubis blinked.  "I do not remember that."

            "But your eye…"

            He touched the eyes she attacked with the flashlight gently.  "Ah, that's right.  Well, it matters not.  I am sparing you.  My wicked side had intended to kill you, but I have convinced him otherwise.  I had to keep up a tough disguise to fool the others.  If they found out that I was becoming soft, or softer, I should say, I would be slain for treason.  I must tell you that I am quite attracted to you, miss."

            Leticia almost fell off of the bed in shock.  Here she was, trapped in a manor with a bunch of vampires, and this one claims to have fallen in love with her!  She held out her hands protectively.  "Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Let's talk about this.  I'm sixteen, you're…not.  I'm human, you're a vampire.  It won't work."

            She had expected him to frown, but he didn't.  He smiled.  "Do you think that I had not thought of that, my sweet?  Is that truly of consequence?"

            "Yes."  Leticia stared at him defiantly.  "You expect me to accept your love and return it after all the things you've said and done?  No.  And another thing.  You lied to me when you said you weren't trying to seduce me."  He looked as if he was going to protest that last sentence, but she threw him his shirt before he could say anything and headed for the door.  "Put that back on.  I'm leaving."

            Anubis dropped the shirt and blocked her path by leaning against the doors.  "You have still not answered my first question."

            "Put a shirt on not!" she demanded.

            Anubis shrugged and grabbed a shirt from the dark closet.  He slipped it over his head, but it tore across the chest and arms.  "My body is larger than Seto's, and these shirts were constructed to fit him, not me.  Now, please, give me an answer."

            Leticia growled in exasperation.  "Fine!  My name is Leticia.  Happy?"

            He bowed gracefully, regardless of the fact that he was built like a tank.  "A pleasure to meet you.  I am called Anubis, the second Servant to Lord Osiris."

            "Wait, who's Osiris?"

            "None other than the God of the Dead."

            "Then why haven't you killed me?"

            "Lord Osiris has no commanded me to."  He smiled, lighting up his pale face with a kind of joy that she had never seen before.  "I am the gentlest of the four Bloodservants.  When I went through the transition without the aid of blood, instead of becoming vicious every second of the day, like the others, I am murderous only when hungry or protecting something I value."

            "I'm not reassured, Anubis.  You're like…a lot of years old!"

            "I am approximately five thousand and forty-six years old."

            "That's why I say no.  You're hot and everything, dude, but you're…you.  I don't want to kiss a guy with bloody lips and I don't want to date Seto Kaiba."

            Now Anubis frowned.  "I am not used to rejection."  He spread his arms wide.  "Does this form not please you?"  He took one of her hands gently and placed it on his chest, then moved it down to his chiseled stomach.  Leticia swallowed as he grabbed her other hand and placed it on his chest again.  Then he released her, hoping that something would spark in her heart.  She looked like his Cleo back in Egypt…but she began to shake her head.

            "I can't do it, I really can't, I—"  Her hands fell to her sides as he placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head upward.  He kissed her lips softly for a mere second before opening the door and leaving a clear path open for her to leave. 

            "Think about what you really want.  Think about your heart.  But please…think about what I have said.  My words come from my heart when I say that I love you, Leticia."

            She left the room slowly.  As she passed him, she mumbled, "Thanks for letting me go."  Her fingers strayed to her lips.  She began to smile, but stopped.  She didn't love him back.  She didn't even know him that well.  Oh sure, she felt attracted to him, but she was an independent woman and proud of it!  Thump.  "Owww!"  There was a wall there.  But it was so dark, she couldn't see a foot in front of her face.  She yelled for someone to turn on the lights, but she was ignored, and the darkness lingered still.

            "I was fourteen," the voice of Anubis said from beside her, "when Osiris found me.  He was actually called Ammon then, and he looked, acted, and was most beloved just like that boy.  I was weak, alone, and poor when he approached me and showed me what he really was.  I was appalled at what I saw, yet also fascinated, and when he offered me everything I wanted in return for complete loyalty to him, I agreed without hesitation and didn't even consider the risks.  I didn't care.  I had become powerful, women constantly threw looks my way, and I could have anything.  When I first started having blood cravings, I didn't know what they were.  After Osiris explained what it was that I wanted, my hunger grew stronger.  As soon as I finished my first feeding, my young body turned into this."  He glanced down at his arms.  "I can't say that I regret giving my loyalty to Lord Osiris, but it was an ill move on my part.  And Cleo…left me because…I had changed so drastically.  She feared me."  He paused.  "I lost my teenage years because of my mistake.  I lost my entire life."

            "And I'm supposed to pity you?"

            "I expect no pity.  I am a hated creature, and I shall forever remain thus."

            "…how sad…err…too bad for you, stupid head!"

            Anubis frowned again.  "Your words are harsh.  But I understand where they are coming from.  I am sorry.  I shall leave you be.  But remember, if you are ever in need of aid, I am here for you."  Then he stood and walked off down the hall.

            Leticia couldn't see him, but she could hear him.  He was very sweet, the exact opposite of Kaiba, and his formal speech was so…sexy!  "Ack!  No no no…bad thoughts!  Bad thoughts!"  She slapped her forehead gently repeatedly.  "Just find the others and—"

            That was when the building began shaking and falling apart.  She fled, heart racing, down the hall, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, dodging debris and bits of stone from the walls and ceiling.  She had just cleared the steps when her foot lodged itself in a crack in the floor and stuck there.  She desperately tried to free herself, but couldn't.  She looked up and gasped.  A large chunk of the ceiling was falling toward her head, and if she didn't move she'd be crushed…