Thank you to the few of you who did review! It means a lot to me! Hopefully this chapter will get things rolling and be more exciting for you! Also, if you're interested there's a note on my profile regarding this story (GNMK). Please read it if you have time. Ok then, onwards!

Disclaimer/Warnings: Usual.

Good Night My Knight!

Chapter Thirteen: Marked

Walking into the kitchen seemed to go by in slow motion to Sasuke. He saw everything happen at once. The doors slowly creaking open in a sense that they knew something untold. The scents of the grand kitchen where what filled him next, a mixture of exotic yet familiar aromas. It was then that his sight came in, filling his view with the bright white and silvers of the room. The seemingly endless pots and pans lining the far wall, small refrigerators and then the larger ones, the exotic lobsters in their pen all came to him at once and he realized something was terribly wrong even though this was a perfectly normal scene.

Regaining his composure he began to slightly jog over to where Iruka and Kakashi stood observing the newly entered party with a question in their eyes. Why where they so far away when they were so close?

"Where's Naruto?"

His words came out jumbled. Tossed like the salad on the counter next to him. What was this feeling? It caused his heart to pound in his ears and his breath to hitch. Something akin to nausea rose within him. He held in his stomach as the words spilled from Iruka's mouth.

"He's in the dining hall eating of course. Orochimaru may be talking with him. I think I heard voices."

Before anymore could be said he had taken off towards the hall. No way in the seven hells was that bastard of a snake going to take his Naruto. No way in hell.

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Orochimaru's face wasn't exactly emotionless… but it wasn't exactly clear on his feelings as Naruto and he walked down the endless corridor. Naruto tried not to worry… it was only a check up. It was bound to happen eventually right? So why was he feeling this? It was as if he was walking strait into a trap, but his body was possessed, it couldn't turn from the track it was following. Naruto just prayed the track would come to a dead end really soon.

As if on cue Orochimaru stopped in the darkest part of the hallway. Naruto probably would have walked right past the dark oak door had Orochimaru not pointed it out while saying a quick and quiet 'we're here'.

"Please, make yourself comfortable." Orochimaru said politely.

Naruto complied and sat down on what looked like a 'patient's seat'. He tried to act comfortable but this room, with its dimly lit atmosphere and eerie touch, gave him the shivers. Naruto watched with careful eyes as Orochimaru sat over at his desk and scanned his eyes down a list of some sort. He took a pencil and checked a few things off before setting down the sheet and looking up at Naruto. With another snake like smile, the questions began…

"So, Naruto-kun. How did you come to this place?"

"Itachi…-san, he found me."

"Ah… and then Itachi-sama must be your master?"

Naruto could almost hear the amusement in his voice, like he knew, but just wanted Naruto to say it…

"No…" He said quietly, "Sasuke is…"

There was a twisted smirk of content yet dissatisfaction on Orochimaru's face. He stood gracefully from his seat and made his way to Naruto's side.

"I see…" He leaned down carefully and began the 'check up'.

Naruto tried to block him out by looking around at the strange potions across the walls, but nothing could take his senses off Orochimaru's finger tips. They traced over his neck, turning his head from side to side. His fingers traced ever so slowly down Naruto's arms and to his hand. Naruto found Orochimaru gently caressing Naruto's small palm. He tried not to gulp, but it was inevitable. Looking over to Orochimaru he tried to act casual.

"Sensei?" (1)

"Shh… just checking for broken bones…"

If he was just checking for broken bones… why was his voice so… husky…?

Naruto didn't want this, but god it felt good. He barely heard when Orochimaru ordered him to take off his shirt. Naruto was about to comply but Orochimaru's impatient side took over. His hands slipped under the fabric and lifted up in one quick motion. Orochimaru's hands began to wonder over Naruto's bare torso… this wasn't just any check up. Naruto bit back a moan as one of Orochimaru's long figures brushed over Naruto's chest. Orochimaru's face leaned in deadly close to Naruto's, but Naruto barely had time to understand what was actually happening as Orochimaru's lips caught his own in a fierce kiss.

"God you're beautiful…" Was uttered from Orochimaru as the older man licked and bit down Naruto's neck getting closer to his goals every second.

Orochimaru's lips parted as he licked an area clean on Naruto's neck. Naruto was dazed, as if under a spell. The elder's eyes flickered with joy as his lips parted once more and snake like fangs began to descend onto the flesh…

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"NO!" Sasuke flung through the air pushing Naruto out of the way of the dangerous fangs.

As Sasuke pushed Naruto away and out of his trance, he felt a burning pain run through his left shoulder. He had gotten there just in time… almost a second too late, but now he was paying for it. Orochimaru knew who he now was marking, but it made no difference to him. Fangs sunk deeper and Sasuke let out a weak cry as he felt the snake's poison began to course his veins. The burning grew and grew until Sasuke thought he would burst from too much of the poison now crawling through him. As Orochimaru pulled away from the young Uchiha he gave out a sadistic laugh.

"My, my Sasuke… you are such a fool…" He muttered.

Sasuke's eyes flashed with pain as he crumpled on the floor next to the seat Naruto was in. Naruto, now finally waking up from his daze began to take in his surroundings. He had been put under a spell, similar to the ancient technique of glamour used by the vampire's eons ago. Naruto saw Sasuke's form on the ground and immediately was next to him, calling his name.

"Sasuke! Wake up! Orochi-…maru? What! What happened! What's going on?"

Kitsune, Shukaku, Tsunade and Jiraiya rushed into the room and as Tsunade and Kitsune helped Sasuke and Naruto, Jiraiya and Shukaku stood in a defensive stance front of them. Orochimaru laughed a sadist laugh before backing up from the group.

"You're far too late…" He laughed before a burst of green chakra enclosed him and he was gone.

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"You should have listened…" Kitsune said staring out the window of the expansive room.

Red eyes glowed from the other side, "Quiet, I don't need you to remind me of my failures."

Kitsune was silent, dull eyes looking out through the rain and deep into the forest, as if searching for something unknown.

"I… I am sorry that Naruto had to get caught up in this. I understand he is like your own kit." Itachi said with a sigh.

"Ah… I do cherish him. But it is Sasuke I worry for now. He has been marked with the Cursed Seal… Itachi-san this may be deadly to Sasuke and Naruto's future."

Itachi sat silently at his reading table. He glanced up to find Kitsune's worry-filled eyes staring back at him, "I understand…"

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Naruto watched as Sasuke's chest slowly rose and fell. His heart stopped at each pause between rises and falls. What if the fall was the last? What if the next rise failed to come? Naruto tried to shake the thought from his mind but the more he tried to rid himself of them, the clearer they became in his mind and the farther they drilled through his heart. Taking Sasuke's hand in his own he held the warm flesh to his lips. A wave of hope filled him as he felt the skin on his own and the waves of Sasuke's essence that seemed to flow off of him. Maybe things wouldn't turn out so badly after all.

A faint knock came from the door way. Naruto gave a gentle 'come in' and the door was pushed open lightly.

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto recognized the voice as Kitsune's.

"Yeah?"

"Are you ok?"
Naruto nodded. Kitsune slowly made her way next to Naruto's place by Sasuke. She looked down on the raven haired boy glad to still see the coloring on his face… a sign of life to humans. Her eyes traveled lower and she caught sight of the mark from Orochimaru that had now formed on Sasuke's left shoulder. Kitsune unconsciously reached out to brush the sensitive skin.

"He-He'll be ok, right?" Naruto's voice rocked.

"Of course…" Kitsune heard the uncertainty in her own voice but tried to keep Naruto steady on this wobbly balance beam he was now facing.

"What was that thing that Orochimaru… gave him?"

Kitsune hesitated then with a sigh spoke, "It's the Cursed Seal."

Naruto looked up slightly confused.

"Sasuke is trapped under Orochimaru's influence. There may be no way to bring him back to us… at least for now."

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OK! So, I know it was short but it was a quick update. PLEASE REVIEW! I'm telling you it helps me out SOO much when you guys take five seconds to review.

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And before I forget, I am truly sorry about the lack in updates. High school is difficult, I'm sure most of you know this. History is a bigggg obstacle. So please bear with me. Thanks a lot!

Anukis