Yay! Thanks everybody! Your encouragement keeps me going! This week has been tough homework-wise…(DIE grammar hw! DIE!) Cough. Okay! Now for some fun writing for moi, and some fun reading for u.

Review Responses:

Kibethan: Yep! I love Garth Nix's books. And thank you for the list. I don't know if I'll use the same names in this or if I'll even use them at all. (sigh) Thanks!

FanOfYourStory: Thanks! This chappie will probably be long .

Ryou's Twin Sister: lol! Thanks so much! I got your review really late at night when I wanted my geometry homework to DIE, and it really cheered me up. Thanks!

Pharaoh'sEgyptianArabian: Oops. I forgot to tell you that I did want that lemon/lime part! I would appreciate it very much. Sorry about the cliffies (sweatdrop). Yay for you! When you start it I'd like to read it!

Elisa Stonetear: I had fun writing the whole lollipop scenario. Thanks for checking so often…even though I can't keep up! Hahahaha taking Rino's lollipop…XD

KiaSapphire: Thank you! And you can say LMR-chan if you want -. Here's a new chappie for you!

Hikari's-dark-side: Yeah! New reader! Thanks! I like writing the OC's just as much as the YY/Y stuff -. Thanx for recommending the story to me…so much more interesting than conjugating Spanish verbs (looks at abandoned Spanish homework with shifty eyes…). Auru and Rino are total OCs, not based off of any characters in Yu-Gi-Oh!...I think their main influence is from a Final Fantasy yaoi fic I read…I think. Don't quote me on that --u. But upon second thought, Auru does sound a bit like Mariku. Aw, poor you. Hope you feel better . I do TaeKwonDo and I know what it feels like to bust something…XD. Here's a chapter to cheer you up!

Kierrn Saro: Oh wow…thanks. blushes I'm glad the storyline hasn't taken a turn for the worse, since it slowed way down in recent chapters. Yeah I get the idea -. I'm glad you like the OC's; people seem to. They were created on the fly in, seriously, about thirty seconds. However, after their entrance scene (in what…the end of chapter three I think), I thought about them a lot more. Auru and Rino became more than random people; they're now an instrumental part of the plot. The mage issue will be addressed in the next chapter, if not this one. More evidence of Auru's condition is going to be addressed. There's a lot of things that happen to Auru and Rino before chapter one of this fic begins. By the time Yugi comes to Menoma's Haven, Auru has really mellowed out quite a bit, so he's not quite as emotional, but hey, Rino's still around to mess with Auru's libido XD. Flashback explaining all that coming soon (to a fic near you XP). Yay, the shadows are cool. When I was writing the chapter where they were introduced, I was going to have Yugi knock on a couple of doors and ask people where Auru was. So blah! Shadows way cooler! (and way more useful to the plot -). Haha yeah they do have a sense of humor. I can't seem to stop writing cliffies. Meh. Anyway thanks so much—here's the update for you!

SoulDreamer: It COULD be! It IS! Here's the update for you! Thanks!

Random Unknown Person: Thanks! Lol. I had fun writing the last part. And yes, I am a chronic cliffie writer. So here's your update! Love the name!

Kristen89: Eep. Sorry. Thanks! To answer your last question…read the update!

Yami no kokoro: Lol! Auru may be a very ancient vampire…but he has yet to leave adolescence behind! Mwahahaha! Okay, enough of me being an evil writer. Yes…Seto is correct! Everybody guessing! Well, as to your other comments, read the update and find out! Thanks!

Chelley Angel: Lol! Thanks! blushes and hands you the update

Serena the Hikari of Love: Update for you! Lol to Bakura! Translation of "Bara Osoreru" please? Or does it just mean "big book"? XD

TwinSanity: Thanks! Yeah for your penname! Here's an update for you guys! Ah, poor Toli. I feel your pain…what do you think I live on? That's right…sugar…glucose…fructose…cough…(reaches for another lollipop—oh wait...—reaches for some gum while sweatdropping)

Kameeko: Yay! Another Garth Nix fan! Yep. It Kaiba. It his mansion. Yay no verbs XD. Here's an update for you guys!

Kodajin Hiei: Yep! None other than the rich CEO himself…which I…as a fanfic writer…now control…muha muha muha…cough. Okay. I'm good. Yes I love Kaiba too! Lol for the folded fan bit! Here's an update for you! (looks around for someone else to hit with a folded fan…XD)

ladywolfTerri: music of doom Haha, just kidding. Here's an update for you!

Slave of Darkness: Yep! Thanks—I had fun writing it! (hands you new chappie)

Animefreak54: Gomen for my slow updating . Thanks for your hours of praise though o! Yep, I've read the Abhorsen trilogy. Eep! No! No chainsaws! Chainsaws bad! I will write! I'm writing, see? Put the scary bladed thingy down!

On With the Fic Already:

Last time…

Rino looked at his candy and turned a shade of red that would make a ripe tomato jealous.

"No…don't—blush—either." Auru sounded very strained.

I took Yugi's shoulders and firmly turned him around. "We're leaving," I said, pushing Yugi in the direction of a grove of trees.

"Don't move!"

A tall brunette stepped out of the darkened trees, a glare on his face and a gun in his hand.

Dead & Dying

Eleventh

Yami's View

I froze. The brunette standing before my motley group was simply not a threat to Auru and me; normal bullets won't hurt vampires. However, Yugi and Rino were staring an unbalanced harbinger of death in the face.

"Don't shoot," I said, forcing my voice into a calm octave. It was not my life that I was protecting now, it was Yugi's. I hated the sickening feeling that awoke in my stomach whenever I even asked for something, let alone pleaded. That repulsion was only suppressed now by the thought of Yugi.

Auru and Rino had frozen behind me. My ears now picked up a colorful streak of whispered swear words from Auru's mouth. Obviously still having hormonal issues, Auru sounded strained. I sighed internally. Can't you wait ten stupid minutes while I sort this out!

The brunette's cobalt eyes narrowed even more. The man's stance was steady and his grip and aim didn't waver. He was wearing a long silver trench coat, similar to the one Bakura wore. I sent a silent wish to whatever deities happened to be listening that Bakura and this man had never before crossed paths.

"Hands in the air," the man ordered curtly. The muzzle of his handgun jerked up slightly, gesturing for us to comply.

I squeezed Yugi's shoulders slightly and raised my hands into the air. Behind me, I heard Auru and Rino doing the same. Yugi took a deep breath and raised his hands as well.

"What are you doing here?" The man questioned harshly. "What do you want?"

The brunette had shown no signs of magical abilities, but I felt a well-spring of magical energy near here. The shield around the mansion shimmered weirdly somewhere behind me, but that wasn't the source. I sent a thought-call to my shadows to scan the area for magical energies.

I was stopped abruptly by a bullet whizzing through my hair. "Don't you dare call on your shadows, vampires. You die if you do. My bullets were once metal crosses," the man said, re-cocking his pistol for another round of fire. Was he a vampire hunter? If he was, Auru and I were in more danger than our human companions. The man in front of us continued to scowl, as warm and friendly as a jagged glacier. "Now answer my question."

"I'm sorry. My friends and I were just attacked by a necromancer." I hoped our exhausted and mussed appearance was enough to convince him; I prayed he believed in necromancers' existence. "All we needed was a magically protected place to stay the night. We're sorry for disturbing you," I said. I wanted to strangle the brunette for daring to shoot in the direction of Yugi, but felt it best to exercise a bit of diplomacy. Our lives were, after all, once again on the line. Auru swore again, very quietly—something about the kind of day he was having.

"Hey!" Another unfamiliar voice and the sounds of quiet steps came from the trees to my right. A blonde man, dressed in an all-black uniform, stepped out of the bushes. His eyes flicked over the situation and he lowered a hand to the gun on his right hip. "Kaiba-san? Everything under control?"

"Yes, Katsuya-san. Go back to the shrine," said the newly-identified Kaiba tersely. Kaiba's eyes did not move from his target (me). The brunette was not stupid enough to do that. Damn.

Katsuya's hand twitched a little, itching to grab his pistol. He was obviously some kind of guard. He retreated carefully. "You know where to find me if things get ugly," Katsuya said. The blonde had an accent I couldn't quite place, but was speaking with reserve towards Kaiba.

Once Katsuya's steps had faded, I waited for Kaiba to speak again. It took a moment as he recollected his thoughts.

"At least three of you have magic, correct?" His voice was calculatingly cold.

"Yes," I answered. I wasn't quite ready to provide résumés and introductions, but Kaiba had already sensed my shadows. There was not much point in lying. At the very edge of my senses, I felt a strange, unnatural mix of magic from Kaiba. Was he using a truth-spell?

Kaiba subjected each one of us to an icy glare. "I do not forgive easily. However, I am in need of assistants for a complex enchantment. You can stay the night, provided you engage in no more law-breaking and assist me tomorrow with the enchantment. You can also turn around, walk through the barrier, and, provided I never see your faces again, go free unscathed. I will kill you if you attempt to back out of either arrangement."

I had just opened my mouth to respond when another voice beat me to it. "Excellent!" Oh, damn. I could just picture the smile on Auru's face as he continued. "We'd be happy to help you."

I was all for the "get the hell out of here" option, but Auru had to go and ruin it. Now my desire to strangle someone was directed at my companion. I swear his decisions are all based on whether sex is involved or not!

"I suppose introductions are in order, then," I said, resigning myself to staying here for the night. I lowered my hands a fraction. Death did not explode from the gun in front of me.

"I suppose they are," said Kaiba, still fairly frigid in nature. "Kaiba Seto, CEO of Kaiba Corporation, and owner of this property and practically everything on it. You are?"

"Motou Yami," I answered quickly, before Auru could jump in and say something stupid again. "The black-haired one back there is Soikone Auru-kun; the red-head is Suobanshu Rino-kun. This is Mouto Yugi." As I said Yugi's name, I noticed that our last names sounded exactly the same. I clarified that he and I were not blood-related for Kaiba, who looked slightly skeptical. However, Kaiba's handgun had dropped several notches and was now aimed at the ground in front of Yugi's feet.

"A pleasure," said Kaiba dryly. He thumbed a button on the corner of his trench coat collar. "Yasuhito-san? This is Kaiba. Have Makamoto-san prepare four rooms—."

"Three rooms," interrupted Auru suddenly. "I'll share with Rino."

Kaiba shifted his glare to Auru and released his radio's control switch. "I assure you, I have plenty of spare rooms."

"No…I seriously want to share," said Auru. I felt my desire to choke him go up several notches and clenched my fist a few times. If lightning strikes anytime soon, please let it hit Auru-kun.

Kaiba's frigidity increased, but he thumbed his radio again. "Yasuhito-san? Yes, this is Kaiba. Make that three rooms for Makamoto-san to prepare for four guests. Make it in the east wing. And have Seishiema-san prepare a light brunch for five. Yes, I know it's two in the morning! I want those rooms and I want that brunch now. Extra coffee for me, black and heavily caffeinated." Kaiba let go of his collar and put his gun back in its holster.

"Well. Shall we?" Kaiba motioned in the direction of his mansion. He was clearly not going to let us walk behind him, so I gave Yugi a gentle push to walk in front of me and followed his first slightly wobbly steps.

Auru, Rino, and Kaiba fell into step behind us. Aside from occasional redirection from Kaiba, the short walk through the dark woods was blessedly uneventful. It gave me time to collect my thoughts.

I had not had time to think about anything else except my confrontation with Bakura for quite a while. Yugi had been put in a small corner in the back of my mind. Now my thoughts wandered back to him.

He had tempted me, back at the restaurant. My vampiric side had taken over in a rush of blood to my head and rush of lust to my body. I know I didn't rape him, but what I did do to him was unclear in my mind. I did drink his blood, because I could feel its warmth coursing in pleasant waves through my body. Yugi wasn't openly terrified of me, so I must not have done anything too horrible.

Then I stopped myself. When had the phrase "too horrible" applied to anything I did? What was I thinking? I was supposed to devour my victims completely, not leave them alive. They could tell others of my existence. The "dead men tell no tales" vampire philosophy had been established for thousands of years and had worked perfectly. Yugi was endangering me just by being alive! I should drink him dead now—no, I should have him assassinated, since I cannot do the deed myself—

I crushed that train of thought too. How can I kill him? I just told him I cared about him; I saved his life!

I saved his life. He owes me. I should drink him to oblivion, right now. Just seize his shoulders, bite into his neck, drink deeply of what he has to offer—

"Motou-san?" The sharp voice of Kaiba brought me out of my reverie. Was I thankful…or was I angry? I couldn't tell.

That scared me. What is happening to me?

"Motou-san, I would appreciate it if you'd actually follow my directions and not take a roundabout tour of the grounds. I told you to turn left," Kaiba informed me, icicles dripping from his words.

"Sorry," I said quietly. I went to the left.

Yugi's View

Yami walked behind me, silently pensive. He wasn't the only one with troubled thoughts. I bit my lip, and then let go sharply. I can't bleed now.

Suddenly, a huge façade loomed out of the foliage. Kaiba, who I was still fairly wary of, walked up to the building quite normally. Keeping one careful eye on us, he took a card he had on a chain around his neck and swiped it through an electronic reader. It was a very practiced motion, as though he did that all the time.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of him.

"Welcome home, Seto," said an electronic voice. It was the voice of a young boy, apparently only a recording. I wondered why it was programmed to address Kaiba by his first name with no honorifics at all.

"Inside," commanded Kaiba. We were propelled through an empty entrance hall with a high ceiling into a foyer at the left. All I got was the impression of wealth, power, and a taste for the color blue.

A maid suddenly appeared in the doorway of the foyer. "Brunch is served, Kaiba-san."

"Thank you, Seisheima-san. You may go back to bed now." Kaiba shed his trench coat and handed it to her as he spoke. She bowed and left.

"Leave your coats and shoes here," instructed Kaiba. "The informal dining room is through here." The brunette toed off his shoes and left through a set of tall double-doors that dominated the far wall.

Rino shed his fuzzy sweater and sneakers; Auru kicked off his boots but left the jacket around his waist on.

Yami shrugged off his jacket and yanked his boots off. I left my sneakers near his shoes and straightened the collar on my shirt. I ran one nervous hand through my spiked hair, which had suffered greatly during the flight. My hair half-heartedly sprung back into shape, several of my bangs sticking obstinately out at strange angles.

The four of us went through the door Kaiba had used.

"Informal dining room" was a misnomer. "Informal dining room" did not have anything to do with a solid wood table to seat ten, chairs with deep blue velvet seat covers, expensive-looking paintings adorning the walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Kaiba sat at the head of the table, presiding over a giant pasta dish that smelled of cheese, spices, and meat, a plate heaped high with fluffy rolls and jam, and a tossed salad which included several vegetables I'd never seen before.

"Sit down and eat already," said Kaiba. His plate was already full. A large mug filled to the brim with black coffee sat in close reach of his right hand.

Auru and Rino sat opposite Yami and me, using the four places next to the head of the table. We filled our plates and dug in. I tore my roll in two and spread strawberry jam over it.

"So…what kind of enchantment is this?" Yami sliced his roll in half with his knife, looking quite at ease with a blade in his hand.

Kaiba stabbed at his salad, neatly skewering a bite of lettuce, carrots, and dressing on four tines. "It's an unlocking enchantment. We have to create a double circle shield, one to protect ourselves from energy backlash and one to keep the excess energy contained."

Auru was eating quickly. He poked Rino to eat a little faster. Rino gave his boyfriend a confused look. "Doesn't a double circle shield involve shadow-runes?" Yami asked, pushing his chicken pasta into a little mound with his spoon.

"Yes," said Kaiba. "I need someone to keep the shadow-runes under control. I will do the unlocking chant myself, but I need an extra source of power to use. The last person will seal the otherworldly chamber once I get what I need out of it."

"Whoa, hold it," said Yami quickly. "You didn't mention anything about an otherworldly chamber. Are you taking something from another world that doesn't belong to you?"

Kaiba's glare was icy. "No. It does belong to me. It was sealed there against my will. I don't intend to let it be kept there any longer."

Yami swallowed a bite of salad. "Well, as long as it does belong to you and won't cause a time-rift, I can help."

"Rino and I will help, too," said Auru, scooping up another bite of pasta.

A quiet hand rapped on the door twice. "Come in," answered Kaiba.

The blonde guard poked his head in the room. "Makamoto-san said to tell you the rooms are ready."

Kaiba's face had a strange expression on it for a moment, but his voice was normal when he answered, "Thank you, Katsuya-san."

Katsuya glanced over the four odd occupants of his employer's table. "I can wait out here if you want me to show them where the East Wing is—."

Katsuya-san was cut off by both Kaiba and Auru. Kaiba's "No, that's not necessary," was drowned out by Auru's "Yes! That would be great!" The blonde looked from his employer to Auru.

Kaiba nodded. "Katsuya-san, tell them how to use the intercom phones on the way."

"No problem, Kaiba-san," replied Katsuya.

Auru scooted back his chair, stood up, and picked Rino up bridal-style. Rino let out a little noise of surprise. Luckily, he'd eaten almost everything on his plate.

"It's been lovely meeting you, Kaiba-san, absolutely fascinating, but Rino and I will be retiring to bed. Now."

"Auru, what are you—?" Rino ended his sentence with a flaming blush, shutting his mouth quickly in embarrassment, having apparently realized just what Auru had planned.

Auru carried Rino around to the door at which Katsuya stood. The guard courteously held the door for both of them. As Katsuya followed them out of the room, I heard Rino say, "Auru…really…it's three in the morning—can't we—?"

"No. You should know what you and lollipops do to me by now. It's your own fault for sucking on that stupid, stupid lollipop."

XD…the lollipop…again…

Your reviews make me happy.- So click the button…clicky….