300+ reviews! O.O Yay! (dances happily)

As to the switching of view points, some readers seem to like it and others don't. I will try to make the sections longer. Also, to the smut-hungry, I apologize. I didn't think it would take this long to develop the Yami/Yugi relationship. I've had mixed comments on this—some reviewers are glad that Yami and Yugi aren't madly lemonizing each other two seconds after meeting/confessing their love/kissing/etc., others are quite ready for the lemon. So, the best of both worlds—smexy fluff. Here it is.

On With The Fic Already:

Last time…

"Malik, I—."

"Shut up, Pharaoh. It's payback time." Malik lunged towards me, feral anger in his eyes and a sharpened dagger in his hand.

Dead & Dying

Fifteenth

Kaiba's View

Damn.

I leaned back in my chair a little more. I was back in my office, safe from intruders and interruptions. An unassuming black book lay in the middle of my desk, hardly touched.

I set my hand on the edge of my desk. No harm in that. Nope. The book looked like it had a coffee stain on one corner. The corners were all dented. There was part of a discolored ring where a cold drink had been set down partially on top of the book.

It wouldn't do any harm to just look at the first page, right?

I reached towards the black book and touched the cover. Now that it wasn't important to get it away from that idiot Auru, touching the book was a little weird. This is Katsuya's diary….

It's not as if anything he wrote could be important, I scoffed. It strengthened my resolve, and I flipped open the cover.

Well, that wasn't too bad. The two pages at the beginning were blank, as was usual—nothing terribly surprising or invasive. I flipped the page.

I was shocked by what I saw. It was a drawing of my face, first of all, which was shocking enough in itself. What surprised me the most, though, was the quality. I could have used that drawing as a mirror. The colors, the shape, the expression—all were familiar.

With slightly less trepidation I turned to the next page. That was a huge, enormous, colossal mistake.

It was another picture of me. I was sitting in my limousine, in the back as always, talking on my cell phone.

I was also very naked.

Rino's View

I took a drink of orange juice and set my glass down. The clock on the end table said it was 1:47. I was sitting in the Sunrise Alcove, eating a late lunch. The maids of the Kaiba household had been quite helpful—actually, a bit over-helpful, as I now had enough food to satisfy Auru's stomach as well as my own.

Reclining on the recently-softened light blue couch, facing the large window, I was watching the minimal activity across the grounds. The Sunrise Alcove, while still fitting with the understated blue elegance theme of the entire mansion's interior décor, was in lighter, more cheerful colors. I thought of Auru and smiled.

Across my lap was a silver tray with lots of food on it. I took another drink of orange juice and took a fork in hand. It was important for me, as the lover of a vampire, to be healthy, since Auru and I basically shared all the blood I produced. Auru didn't drink from me very often, because blood loss can be quite serious, but it was transferred often enough to keep him happy and me healthy. And it was usually transferred in a most…enjoyable way.

My face reddened at the memories. My Kami-sama. Auru's rubbing off on me.

Don't you mean 'getting off'?

Augh!

"Suobanshu Rino-san, isn't it?"

I nearly dropped my glass. "What! Oh. Yes, that's me."

The blond guard from yesterday—well, rather early this morning—came up behind me and leaned against the couch, a worried expression on his face.

"Sorry about that. I was just wondering…um…have you seen a black book—about this big—lying around anywhere?"

"A black book?" I repeated.

"Yeah," said Katsuya, still looking intensely nervous.

"Is it very important to you?"

"Uh, yeah." Katsuya's expression drifted towards the confused.

I closed my eyes briefly and scanned the mansion's reality. I felt a small room doused in Katsuya's aura, and another, smaller object similarly attached to the blond guard. However, that object, which I assumed to be the book, was nearly drowned out by the overwhelmingly powerful aura of the president of Kaiba Corp.

"Kaiba-san has it," I told Katsuya, hoping the pause for my finding the book hadn't been awkwardly long.

Upon hearing my answer, though, all the color drained from Katsuya's face. "Kaiba has it?" He repeated faintly.

"Yeah," I said, a little confused now.

"Oh shit," breathed Katsuya. He turned around and bolted for the door.

Yami's View

Malik's dagger screeched against the stone not an inch away from my shoulder.

"Running away, now? That's fine…the predator has become the prey," said Malik malevolently. I felt my shadows on the edge of this dimension, ready for my call. I inched closer to the door, hoping to move the brewing conflict out into the open, where I would have the advantage of flight.

Malik wrapped his hand around his dagger more firmly. "Leaving so soon?" His tone was mocking, and the part of my mind not eclipsed by apprehension got annoyed. That annoyance died quickly, as Malik lunged for my throat again. I leapt around him and summoned a fistful of shadows, turning them into blades and throwing them at Malik's exposed neck. He dodged too slowly and my blades sliced into his neck, unfortunately not very deep. I scowled and summoned another set of shadows—

"Don't you dare—!" Malik fisted his empty hand and conjured hot fire around it. It shot towards me and I raised a shield, only to have the fire shoot right through it. I dodged at the last second, only to trip over something and smash into the wall. Malik laughed as I tried to get up quickly and failed.

Dammit! What's wrong? Some magic—?

I tried to negate the spell, to no avail. Malik raised his fisted hand and my ankles, now wrapped in fire and not under my control, jerked towards the ceiling as though magnetized.

"Being a vampire hunter for five thousand years…well, you learn a few…tricks," said Malik, sneering. The anger boiling within me rose. I let him talk, waiting for a better opportunity to hit him with a million dark shadows. I tensed—.

"Don't even try it, vampire. As much as I'd like to see the locking enchantment squeeze the life out of you—which it will, if you try any magic—it tends to make a bloody, gory mess. And I don't feel like splattering the entrance hall with your insides. So I'll make it clean—but far from painless," Malik said. His eyes had no mercy in them. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me beg. He sheathed his dagger and his other hand burst into flames.

I bit my lip hard to keep from crying out. Blisteringly hot fire had awoken in my middle, searing me from the inside out. Now I renewed my attack, shadows bursting into this dimension irregularly and trying to get at Malik and the fiery cords that bound my ankles, despite his warning. A wall of fire whooshed into existence between us and panic kept flooding through me.

"Malik, I can't find the blue plat—." Marik walked through the kitchen door and stopped abruptly. "Malik! What are you doing!"

"It's a disgusting vampire, and I'm killing it."

"Malik, you idiot! Look in the mirror, for Ra's sake! He's reflecting!"

"What?" Malik looked in the mirror, letting his torturous fire cease its progress. The mirror was across the room on the far wall; I was dangling upside-down in the center of the room. I hadn't noticed the small oval before, as it was half hidden by the kitchen door. Malik and I were both rather preoccupied with killing each other, so it wasn't surprising that he hadn't paid attention to it either.

"We agreed—if it has a reflection we don't kill it," said Marik, with a rather put-out expression on his face. Still strung up by my ankles, I looked more closely at the mirror as well.

Yugi! I'm sure my expression was one of absolute shock. That means—!

"Well, well, well," said Malik, bringing me out of my surprised train of thought. "A soul-bonded vampire, are you?"

I was severely confused and in pain, and I was too quiet for too long. "Answer the question!" Malik raised his hand to strike.

"Yes!" I said quickly. "I am."

There was a long, pregnant pause. I have Yugi's reflection now….

Marik took a little breath and said softly, "Malik, don't do it. He's not a danger to anyone anymore." He moved closer to Malik.

It was quiet for another long, long moment. Then Malik's fist rose ever so slightly, and opened. I collapsed onto the floor.

Malik turned his back to me. "Why'd you come here anyway?"

"…I—I need a binding spell. A necromancer is after my bonded one's soul."

Malik snapped his fingers reluctantly, and an ornately carved box fell into his open hand, summoned from another room. He tossed it to me, and it skidded on the floor. I reached for it and touched it.

Malik gave Marik a little push back towards the kitchen, indicating that the show was over.

"Why?" I asked suddenly.

Malik stopped. "Not for you. For the one who somehow loves you."

"Thank you," I said softly. "And…I am sorry."

Malik nodded, just a little bit. Then the two soul-bonded men walked back into the kitchen and shut the door. I sat splayed on the floor for a moment.

"Did you really forgive him?" I could still hear Marik and Malik talking softly through the door.

"Well…it's because of that bastard that I found you. I would never have become a vampire hunter if not for him. And then, of course, I rescued you because of that," said Malik. "I just…didn't remember that." There was soft laughter. What a weird pair. Well…I'm not one to say anything about that.

Very quietly, I took the wooden box in hand and got up. I padded outside onto the porch. Slipping the box into my pocket, I summoned my shadowed wings and shot into the darkening sky. It was at least 5:30, judging from the sun's position. I'd been gone for nearly five hours.

I called upon another shadow, giving it a message to Auru. Rino was right—his invisibility charm had worn off. I needed it renewed, and fast. There was someone I needed to see.

Auru's View

/Hey, hey/

I was exiting the elevator into the Sunrise Alcove when my shadow started poking me insistently.

What?

/Yami-kun invisible again./ The shadow reminded me.

"Hey Rino," I said, joining my red-headed lover on the couch. "Yami-kun needs his invisibility back."

Rino nodded and put his hands in mine. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are." Rino closed his eyes and his magic shot through me. Less than three seconds later, the blinding rush was over.

/Yami-kun all fine invisible now/ The shadow, one of the younger ones judging by its 'voice', terminated the link.

Rino took a deep breath and let go of my hands.

"Oh no you don't," I said, catching his hands before they went too far away.

"Auru, I need to eat my dinner," said Rino, giving me a dirty look. Oh, I can do dirty.

A subtle, slightly evil smile came to my face. "Well…I can help you with that." I waved my hand at the door and it closed itself, latching.

"Oh no," said Rino, scooting away from me. He obviously knew where this was going.

I scooted forward and grabbed the fork off Rino's tray. Stabbing a piece of cantaloupe from a dish as I went, I pinned Rino to the couch with one hand and leaned over him.

"Open up," I teased.

"Not funny," said Rino dryly, though he wasn't exactly struggling.

"Oh, come on. For me?" I tried a sad face.

"Auru, your puppy-dog eyes need a lot of work," Rino retorted.

"Your compliance needs work," I said, feigning exasperation.

"Mmm…I wouldn't say so," said Rino suggestively. "Last night…."

My eyes widened. "Rino!"

"Kami-sama, I can't believe I just said that," said Rino, blushing and backpedaling. "You're corrupting me!" Rino made to whap me on the shoulder, but I caught both his hands, dropping the fork onto the tray between us and grinning.

Leaning very close to Rino's beautiful face, I slid the tray off Rino's lap and onto the coffee table quite handily placed beside us. I pinned Rino's hands above his head with one of mine. "I may be corrupting you," I acknowledged, slipping one hand under Rino's shirt, "but you seem to be enjoying every minute of it."

Rino didn't have a reply to that, so we decided to use his mouth in other, more delightful ways.

Yami's View

It was almost 7:00 before I reached the Kaiba mansion. I dropped past the magical shield and circled at a low altitude. I cast my senses out over the mansion, looking for the shadow I'd left with Yugi. My Kami-sama! I quickly removed all perception from the Sunrise Alcove. Whatever Auru and Rino were doing, it was leading to one rather obvious event.

Shaking that offensive image from my mind, I continued my radar sweep. It was a few moments before I located Yugi. He was on the roof.

I headed in Yugi's direction, now a bit nervous.

What am I going to say to him?

You're soul-bonded with him—it doesn't matter what you say.

That's hideously optimistic. I've been really cold to him—he may not even want to see me!

How will you know that unless you talk to him? Hmm?

Oh, shut up.

I pulled Rino's necklace off and stuck it in my pocket, now hovering above a neglected garden.

Yugi was sitting in the middle, curled up, back against a broken fountain.

Here goes nothing.

Yugi's View

I felt Yami's shadow return to him at the same time I heard running footsteps. I quickly looked in that direction. Yami's wings were just disappearing and he had just landed, so he was running to blow off excess momentum.

It still felt as though he was running towards me, though.

"Hello, Yugi," said Yami, coming to a stop beside me. That was when I realized how awkward this might be.

"Hi, Yami," I replied, patting the ground beside me. He sat down, folding graceful legs and arms into a comfortable position.

The silence stretched, yawned, and settled in. At least five uncomfortable minutes passed.

"Yugi…."

"Yes?" I responded a little too quickly, grateful for any thread of conversation.

"Um…." Yami picked at a blade of grass beside his ankle. "Have you…looked in a mirror recently?"

"Yeah," I answered slowly.

"Did you notice anything…odd?" Yami prompted.

"Like my reflection disappearing?"

"Yes. Like that." Yami paused.

"Have you looked in a mirror recently?" I asked. It was an innocent question loaded with hidden meaning.

"Yes," answered Yami. "Yes I have."

"Did you notice…anything out of the ordinary?" At least I wasn't completely repeating his questions to me.

"I did," said Yami. "I saw…you. Do you know—do you know what that means?"

I hugged my knees tighter to my chest. "I think I do," I said softly. "It means that I'm—I'm...falling in love with you," I finished, barely audible. There. I said it.

"…and that I am, too," finished Yami quietly. He chanced a look at me. Our eyes met and locked. Deep in his eyes was a little spark of happiness. I gave a slow, small smile, and he returned it, leaning forward. Then he stopped closing the distance and shut his eyes.

"Yugi…this isn't what—what a vampire would normally do. But…this is something I want to do. So I'm learning, alright? I have to learn self-control, caring, and—and love."

"Alright," I said.

"So…if I'm hurting you too much or going too far, tell me to stop. And if I don't, get me to stop however you have to. I would rather find you alive the next morning. Promise me that?"

"I promise," I said, meaning it. It was clichéd, but going down a new, rockier road goes better if your traveling companion doesn't trip you up.

Yami opened his eyes, deep dark crimson, and moved closer to my face. I held his gaze. I recalled, dimly, the first time we kissed, and how different it was. Now it was my turn to move a little closer, noses brushing ever so slightly. I closed my eyes.

It was a little more hesitant, but it was good all the same. His lips met mine, the pressure warming my cold body. One of his hands moved to my hip, and we stayed like that for a moment that didn't last long enough. I needed air, though, so I pulled away gently and took a breath.

I know my face was slightly red. "…again?" Yami asked, hooking one finger through my belt loop.

"Yeah," I said, leaning forward, my breath the only thing between us. Yami closed the distance and kissed me again, braver and insistent this time. His tongue licked along my bottom lip slowly, just tasting. Suddenly Yami broke away, covering his mouth.

"I'm sorry," he said, slight lisp in his speech. "I'm a little…thirsty." Yami didn't look at me, ashamed.

"It's okay," I said, pulling Yami's hand away from his mouth gently. His fangs had sprouted. "I don't mind."

"Yugi—."

I slipped my shirt over my head. "If we're—together," I said, "I don't want you drinking from anyone else. That's your promise to me, okay?"

"Yugi, I don't—."

"You can't kill me," I said, faintly aware of my own, uncharacteristic fortitude. "Only me, alright?"

"Yugi, it would be selfish of me to put you through all of that—."

I shook my head and leaned into Yami's space, tilting my head a little to the side. "I—I enjoy it."

Yami paused. "Alright then." He held out his hand. We clasped hands firmly and shook on it.

And then Yami pulled me forward. My hands flew out to break my fall, one of them wrapping around Yami and the other grabbing the edge of the fountain. Yami's hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer and up a little bit, so the juncture of my neck and shoulder was in easy reach.

One of Yami's hands came up to my neck, his thumb settling just under my jawbone, where my pulse was quickening. He leaned forward and placed his lips there, feeling my heartbeat increase further. Planting soft, dangerous kisses along a tiny yet crucial river of life in my body, Yami worked his way down almost to my collarbone.

"Ready?" It was whispered right against my skin, but without any touch of breath to it.

"Yeah," I breathed.

Yami sunk his fangs in slowly. I let out another breath, closing my eyes. All my thoughts and sensations were right there—the place where Yami's fangs met my skin. Hot and wet, burning and freezing—

Yami bit deeper and I let out a noise. The fangs started to move away. "No—that wasn't a 'stop'—mmmk." Yami's fangs sunk back in, further. "Yes—deeper—nnh—." Blood welled up around the two punctures and a drop rolled away, down my back, only to be stopped by Yami's deft fingers. He slid his fangs away, licking the blood off his fingers and away from the punctures. I shifted, about to move away, but Yami didn't let go.

"I didn't say I was finished," Yami whispered dangerously, close to my ear so I wouldn't miss a single word.

My heartbeat pounded as Yami's hands lifted my hips closer and pulled me flush against him. His fingers brushed my hair up and away, pausing briefly on the thumping pulse beneath my jaw.

There was no trail of kisses away from my neck. I felt Yami's fangs press against the soft, vulnerable skin right below my jaw-line, my breath catching in my throat. Then Yami slowly bit down, fangs sinking into my jugular vein. Kami-sama that feels good—don't stop don't stop—.

Yami's fangs sunk in deeper and I let out my breath, trying not to move too much. Yami didn't let go of me. It felt so good—it was hot fire and cold ice all at once—.

Yami slid his fangs out carefully, licking off the blood and then running a cool shadow over my wounds for healing. "I'm full," said Yami quietly, licking the blood off his slowly shrinking fangs.

"Good," I replied, catching my breath. Yami wasn't the only one satisfied with the last few minutes. I pulled my shirt back on and scooted close to Yami again. With our backs to the fountain, we sat in peaceful silence, all awkwardness gone.

I decided I liked this rooftop after all.

Smexy fluff. : ) (goes off to write chapter 16)