KT: Welp, I'm back in the US with another chapter.
Taku: The vacation was fun.
Juni: I got a souvenir.
KT: Muchas gracias to Yana5, chibi neko doll, ladywolfTerri, Loneshadow, xamosy, pyromaniacgrl, Mizu, Aki, Unfortunately Freckled, LilAznSp0nge, Higuchimon, aquastar bluemoon, Atemu Yugi Lover34, Ann, and citizencobalt the 1st! I appreciate the support. It freakin' rocks my socks. Anyway, let's get to the reward for all your niceness and reviewing.


5: Among The Dead

Yugi remained where he was, hoping Yami would come back. Even though he was pretty sure this forest was empty except for the two of them, sitting around in the dark by himself was just a little scary.

While sitting on the ground, Yugi thought he saw a speck of light. Curious, he looked in the direction it had come from. Moments later, he saw it again, only closer and larger. He stood up and walked towards it.

The dot of light was moving erratically, moving up and down and wobbling from time to time. Yugi parted a few branches and realized that it must be a flashlight.

"Who's out there?" Yugi asked.

"Woah-yaaah!" an unfamiliar voice cried. The flashlight swung towards Yugi's face, and Yugi had to squint. "Who is that? Show yourself, you damn evil vampire!"

Yugi stepped through the bushes and into the clearing. The moon was shining down, illuminating things somewhat. "Um, I'm not a vampire," he said.

"Eh?" The flashlight was aimed at him once again, and Yugi had to nearly shut his eyes completely. Being in perpetual darkness almost all the time had made his eyes become unused to artificial light. "Oh! Uh, sorry kid, thought you were a vampire. But what the hell are you doing out here anyway?"

Yugi managed to peer past the light and saw a tall person looking at him. "I could ask you that same question," he replied. "Don't you know it's dangerous in this forest? A vampire lives here, and if he finds you, he's going to kill you."

"How do you know this, kid?" the guy demanded.

"I'd rather not go into it," Yugi said. "I suggest you just get out of here."

There was a snort. "Did Tristan set you up to do this?"

"No, I don't know any Tristan," Yugi told him.

"Oh, come on!" the guy said. "This has to be some gag! There's no such thing as vamps!" The guy started swinging the beam of light in all directions. "All right Tristan, come out, wherever you are! This was a real funny trick, but you should know better than to try and con Duke Devlin!"

"This isn't a trick!" Yugi exclaimed. He grabbed the flashlight. "There's a real vampire in this forest, and unless you want to become a bloodless corpse, you had better get out of here now!"

Duke Devlin looked at him. "You're really serious, aren't you?" he said. "You think there's a vampire in this forest, don't you? Are you lost or something? Maybe being alone for a while got to your head..."

Yugi sighed impatiently. "Please, you have to believe me. You're in danger and you've gotta get out of here!"

Duke started to laugh. "Nice try," he said, snatching his flashlight back. "But I know there's no such thing as-"

They both heard a snap and turned. Duke aimed the beam of light at the thick cluster of trees to their right. "That's you, isn't it Tristan!" he yelled.

Footsteps came their way. Yugi knew who it was and turned to make one last plea to Duke. "Please, just run," he said to him.

"It's just Tristan," Duke said. "Trying to scare me. Nice try, Mr. Spooky, but I'm not falling for your gags or your ignorant sidekick's supposed warnings anymore!" He pointed the flashlight's beam at where "Tristan" would come out of the trees. But the figure shown in the light wasn't Tristan by a long shot.

Duke's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped the flashlight. "You-you're another of Tristan's friends, aren't you?" he accused, trying to sound brave. "You're trying to scare me!"

"Unfortunately for you," Yami said, "that is not who I am." He was wearing a smirk, and his eyes were glowing, even in the light. His fangs were visible and gleamed.

"Well...then...you do you think you are?" Duke challenged.

Yami stepped forward. "I, am the one about to kill you." He took another step forward and snatched the flashlight from Duke, breaking it in half in his bare hand.

Duke started to back away. "This isn't funny anymore!" he cried. "Just leave me the hell alone, pal!"

"If you had wanted me to do that, you should have stayed out of my forest," Yami told him. "You have trespassed, and for that, you will pay with your life." Suddenly, he rushed forward and grabbed Duke around the neck, slamming him up against a nearby tree. Any screams Duke had been planning to make were lost as all the air was shoved out of his lungs.

"Yami, please, let him go," Yugi pleaded.

Yami raised Duke up into the air by his neck. "No one trespasses without paying a price," he reminded Yugi. He raised his free hand, and his nails lengthened into claws. Duke was trying to recover his lost air while attempting to loosen Yami's iron grip on his throat.

Yugi's eyes widened as he watched Yami tear open Duke's chest with his claws. Somehow, he couldn't force himself to look away. Duke managed an anguished cry before Yami twisted his neck. Blood was pouring like a fountain out of the open hole that once been Duke's chest.

That's... Yugi's mind was as shocked as the rest of him. That's... He slowly started to back away. That's so evil... He continued to back away, faster and faster. Then he finally turned and broke into a run. The image of Yami murdering an innocent person was firmly engrained in his mind, and it terrified him. To think that I actually entertained the thought that I might actually love someone like him! Yugi thought as he ran. I can't believe myself. I've got to get out of here. No matter what the cost.

Yami glanced over and saw that Yugi had bolted. "Oh, shit," he growled. He dropped the bloody body on the ground and followed the boy.

"The alternative is death." Yami's chilling voice came back to Yugi. He felt like he was going to be sick again. Would Yami kill him like he had killed Duke Devlin? Would he tear open his chest and then wring his neck? Or would he do something even more inhumane?

Yugi found himself running through a different clearing with the moonlight shining into it. He tripped over something sticking out of the ground and fell. His head collided with something cold and smooth.

Stunned, Yugi laid there for a few seconds, his mind completely going blank on what he was doing. When he remembered, he sat up, preparing to get to his feet and run again. He rubbed the sore spot on his forehead, and his eyes fell on what his head had hit.

His breath caught in his throat and he reeled backwards, barely able to catch himself before crashing to the ground again. He managed to get to his feet, but was on the verge of hyperventilating. His horror grew when he realized that he was surrounded by them.

Human skeletons.

They're...they must all be Yami's victims, Yugi thought dimly through the million emotions screaming at him. They were everywhere, littered all over the clearing, in no particular order. They all had tattered clothing hanging off of them.

Yugi thought he was going to pass out. A rational thought managed to push through his near hysteria and told him to walk out of the field as calmly as possible. He took a shaky step forward, and then jumped back when he heard a brittle bone crunch underneath his sneaker.

Forget walking calmly. Just get out of here! Yugi's mind yelled at him. He took a step forward again, and then another, and another, until he was finally walking. He could barely hold himself up. His eyes kept getting drawn back to the skeletons he tried to avoid stepping on, even though he didn't want to look at them. From the remnants of their clothes, Yugi thought he saw what looked like fashions from the 80's, the 70's, and even farther back than that on some of them. Some skeletons had jewelry on. Some had fake hair bunched around their heads. One or two even had rusted braces on their teeth.

Yugi began to walk faster and faster. He broke into a run and made a beeline the for the edge of the field, no longer caring if he stepped on bones. He stumbled several times but kept himself from falling. He feared if he fell he wouldn't have the strength to get up.

The alternative is death. Yami's voice was still haunting him. He thought of poor Duke Devlin. What if Yami decides to kill me? Then I'll probably end up as another skeleton in this field. Yugi felt tears brimming in his eyes. Please, don't let that happen to me!

Yugi was running as fast as he ever had. He made it out of the clearing, tripped over an exposed root only a few yards out, and collapsed in a shaking heap. Tears ran down his face in continual streams. "Please, don't let him kill me," Yugi said in a breaking voice. "I don't want to die."

He laid there for he didn't know how long, shaking and crying. He couldn't seem to find the strength to do anything else. He was so afraid. And he felt so alone. After a while, he realized he couldn't just lie there. He had to get up and do something. Even if all he did was stand to his feet and continue crying.

Yugi braced his hands against the ground and tried to push himself up. He was so exhausted from running and crying, however, that he couldn't seem to do it. His arms buckled and he thought he would fall. He managed to get himself up on his elbows, tears still running down his face, but he was struggling to sit up.

Then, suddenly, he felt two hands gently grip his arms and help him sit up. He was 99.9 percent sure he knew who it was, but he no longer cared. He was too tired to dredge up the fear and disgust that had been driving him before.

The hands gripped his arms a little more tightly, and he was helped to his feet. His legs buckled underneath his weight, but he remained standing. He brushed the tears off his face and looked up to confirm the identity of his helper.

"I take it you saw the field," Yami said. His voice wasn't nearly as evil-sounding as it normally was, and his eyes looked softer.

Yugi didn't trust himself to speak, so he just nodded.

"You think that you'll end up there."

Yugi nodded again. He looked down at the ground, suddenly afraid to meet Yami's eyes. "Please," he found himself pleading, "please, don't...kill me." More tears began to well up in his eyes. "I'll do anything you say, but please...don't kill me..."

There was silence. Yugi was afraid to look up. His tears broke and slid down his cheeks, and he didn't wipe them off. He was surprised when he suddenly found himself pulled into an embrace. He rested his forehead on Yami's chest and felt oddly comforted.

"I wouldn't kill you," Yami said. "I...couldn't kill you. What you saw is merely something that occurs as part of my survival. I drink blood to survive. Therefore, I usually kill the supplier to make it easier to acquire blood. I regret that you had to see it, however, as it obviously upset you."

Yugi was surprised. "You...regret it?"

"Yes." Yami's grip around him tightened slightly. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Yugi considered. "If you didn't want to hurt me, then why did you bite me?" he asked, still not looking up.

"That was a necessity," Yami replied. "I would have preferred doing it painlessly, but it was too soon for that. I can prove to you now, that I don't wish to hurt you."

"How?" Yugi asked.

"Let me bite you again."


Taku: Looks like a cliffhanger.
Juni: You mean how she ended the chapter on a suspenseful note?
Taku: (sweatdrop) Uh, yeah, hence the name "cliffhanger"
Juni: How would I know? I never read one of these kinds of things.
KT: Hope you review. Even better, hope you come back. Next chapter some real Yaoi ought to start, and I'm sure that's what you've been waiting for. I won't disappoint you, so show up next time.


Yana5: I'm glad we agree on Yugi/Yami then. Poor Yugi, he's so confused about his feelings. But that makes the story more exciting, now doesn't it?

chibi neko doll: You have the cutest penname X3. Yugi's confusion is fun to watch, though, isn't it? But I don't want to drag it out forever. I read a story like that once where he stayed confused about his feelings for Yami until, like, the last chapter. And there were 20 chapters. It drove me nuts. I'll try to keep it from becoming too long. (puts hand over heart) I swear to use the full potential of this story to my and your advantage!

ladywolfTerri: Yep, now Yugi knows what kind of a creep Seto is. That's funny. When I think of things heating up between Yami and Yugi, I think "YUM!" too. I had a blast, believe me. And I have a new Hawaiian pen pal. But I can't forget you fine people, of course.

Loneshadow: (giggles) "Milady" (curtsies) Why, thank you. I don't mind your insanity. If I did, you think I'd have those two nuts in the A/N's around? But anyway. Yes, I love vampire stories too, as well as angel/demon, but I think I prefer Yami/Yugi over any other pair. They're my favorite characters.

xamosy: I'm VERY happy my story was able to lift your bad mood (grin) I live to serve. Yes, Seto is evil...and he isn't gone for good, either. I likes a possessive Yami too. I wish he'd put a bracelet thing on my wrist and claim ME (wicked fantasy)

pyromaniacgrl: ...(stares)...O.O...No way...I'm not kidding now, but you almost exactly described what Seto is like in this story. Wow, that's freaky. And I've never even seen this Alucard guy or anything. But, uh...well, that's freakily coincidental, wouldn't you say?

I'm so glad you like my story. That's what I want from the people who read it. You make me happy.

Mizu: I'm glad you like it. Of course I'll write more. I'd hate to disappoint you guys.

Aki: I'm so glad you enjoy it. You can bet I'll continue.

Unfortunately Freckled: Don't worry, I get the sentence (grin) Yeah, I liked having Yami in the dark. Made him all mysterious and even more sexy. But you know, even though Yugi doesn't know it, his eyes are adjusting more to the darkness in the forest, so sooner or later, he'll be able to see Yami all the time.

The part where Yami's confessing his feelings to a supposedly sleeping Yugi was hard to write, because I didn't want to make the scene too sappy. Oh, and "hay i'm tottally awesomely not confessing my love to your sleeping form" that cracked me up. Imagine Yami actually saying that to Yugi when he woke up.

Enjoy your coconut gum.

LilAznSp0nge: (guffaws) Yeah, I always get "Yugi must suffer!" and "poor Yugi! We must go save him!" mixed up. You terrible thing you, wanting little Yugi to suffer! Just kidding. Glad Ed loves Maruka's story. Maruka aims to please. Don't I, Maruka? Why, yes I do. (cough) Ignore that.

Higuchimon: Wow. Long review.

Glad to know I was right about the Digimon thing. It occurred to me later that if I was wrong, you might be offended.

Actually, I don't really care who Anzu gets, because I don't really care about her. I don't hate her or bash her like a lot of other people, but I don't adore her like I do Yugi and Yami. If she had to have somebody, I'd probably give her Joey or maybe Seto.

I read the way I wrote Joey's accent, and I probably overdid it some. Joey's accent doesn't really bug me, it's just weird that it doesn't appear he grew up in New York, yet he has a New York accent. Next time he's in the story, I'll lighten it up a little.

Thanks for the long review (grin)

aquastar bluemoon: I'm glad you like it. Yes, people who write a good story and disappear in the middle piss me off too. Usually they don't even have a good excuse. I won't do that, though. Promise.

If you like stories where Yugi is the dominant-type person then I have a recommendation for you. It's not a vampire fic, it's a demon/human fic, but it's just as good. It's called "A Game Of Masques" and I believe it's under my favorite stories list, so check that out if you will. And if you do and you review it, tell the author(ess) I recommended it (grin)

Atemu Yugi Lover34: Once again, I appreciate you adding me to your faves list. Yami's liked Yugi from the start, and he openly admits it, at least when he thinks Yugi's asleep, but Yugi's still confused about how he feels. A very tumultuous mix.

It makes me wonder what other stuff you think I could do with this story. Statements like that always make me wonder. But I hope the direction I go in will be good for you.

Ann: I'm glad you like my story. I like vampire stories, too. I like the "invisible Yami in the forest" element to the story. It makes him more mysterious. And sexy (grin) But who knew he'd ever spare a human's life, much less fall for them? Ah, the befuddlement of love.

citizencobalt the 1st: I'm glad you think so. Hope you continue to read.