Wow, twenty-three reviews and that was just one chappie! I'm shocked that I got so many for one posting. Well, it took some time, but I finally got ch. 2 done. I'm focusing on a little of Joey's background and how Seto became a vampire.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Only Sela and Nero are of my own creation.
Chapter Two- Impressions
Joey stood rooted to the spot, his chocolate eyes were glazed over as if he were seeing something that no one else could. Slowly, he raised his hand and rested it on the wound that graced his neck. 'Did I just dream that? No, I couldn't have. But, the evidence is right here. I was attacked by a vampire! But...what a handsome vampire. His eyes were the first thing I really noticed. They were so cold, like ice. They suited him perfectly.'
Joey shook his head violently. 'Why am I thinking like this? I'm not gay. Am I?' Scratching his head, the blonde headed down the sidewalk, the path suddenly familiar. He wondered back on the last question he thought of as he headed home. Or at least what passed for home. Joey's parents divorced when he was a kid. He lived alone with his father while his mother lived far away. That was okay, he never really got along with his mother but she took his sister Serenity with her. He was real close to his sister and so, he missed her terribly.
Fortunately, he had Yugi and the others, so he wasn't really alone. He had friends who cared about him and they supported one another. 'But if I have great friends then why do I feel like there's something missing?' Rubbing the wound, Joey recalled the last words that vampire, Seto Kaiba, had said to him.
"You're a fiesty one. I like that. So, I'm sparing your life. Perhaps next time, you'll be more cooperative."
"I will see him again. I can be sure of that."
&&&&
Kaiba stalked up the path that led to the grand, run-down mansion he lived in with other local vampires. The mansion had wild ivy growing all over its face, yet it did not overrrun the grand front doors. The paint was peeling, yet it made the place look even more majestic with its turrets and Victorian looks. Kaiba loved the way it looked, but he had other thoughts on his mind at the moment. Why did he spare that boy? Yes, the blood tasted different from all the other blood he's had in his immortal life, but was that the only reason? No, it was something else. He recalled that he was sexually aroused by Joey's reactions when he drank from him. Perhaps that why was the blood tasted the way that it did. Joey was fiesty and the way he reacted to the feeding made Kaiba feel that it would be a shame to end such an interesting prey's life. He was certain that he would never find another prey with a similiar attitude and the same tasting blood.
'This one is special. I just know it.'
"You seem preoccupied, Priest Seto."
Kaiba scowled at the owner of the voice that dared to interrupt his musings. "I told you not to call me that anymore. Your reign is ancient history, Yami."
"I know. I keep calling you by your title because I know it irritates you."
Kaiba frowned but said nothing. Yami grinned. He's known Kaiba even before the two of them had become vampires five thousand years ago. When Kaiba didn't answer to his jibe, it meant that Kaiba wanted to discuss what he had been thinking about.
"So, what's on your mind?"
"I found a human who has the most delicious blood I've ever tasted."
"And you let him live?"
"Yes."
"Seto, how could you? We don't allow our victims to survive. It threatens our peace and safety."
"You didn't hear me, did you? His blood is unique. I'll never find blood like ever again. Besides, I..." Seto trailed off, realizing what he almost said.
Yami realized this as well. "Oh Ra, you love him. You're in love with that human."
"What if I am?"
"If you are, I can't stop you. It's not as if there's a rule that says we can't love a human. After all, we were human once."
"Yeah, I remember."
Five Thousand Years Ago
"I summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"And I call Dark Magician!"
Priest Seto and Pharaoh Yami were playing a friendly duel, which for these two, was pushing each other to be their best.
"Blue-Eyes, attack the Dark Magician and end this duel."
"Not so fast, Seto. I cast the spell-binding circle, immobilizing your Blue-Eyes!"
"No!"
"Dark Magician, deliver the final attack and strike down Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The magician fired a blast from his staff and sent his opponent back to his stone slab before returning to his own.
"That was a great duel Seto. One of the best."
Seto glared at the pharaoh. "Save it. I don't need your pity."
"Seto..."
"I said, save it!" Seto stalked out of the Throne Room. Yami stared after him for a moment before running after him.
'Why is he sore over losing a friendly game? Sometimes, I just don't understand him.'
&&&&
Seto grinded his teeth as he descended the palace stairs and headed down the sandy road. 'I calculated that I would win. How did the pharaoh get enough power to cast that spell and still have power to attack? I don't understand.'
Seto was so absorbed in his silent ranting that he failed to notice that his surroundings were becoming gloomy and bleak. Grand sandstone buildings had become gray and were crumbling. Debris littered the sides of the road and an eerie silence hung in the air. The silence was so deafening that it drew the priest's attention. 'Where am I? I don't remember this part of the city.'
"Are we set tonight?" a whispering voice inquired. Clearly, it wasn't directed to Seto, but it caught his attention nonetheless.
"Yes," another voice said. "We'll start our raid in two hours' time."
"Good," said the first voice, a female. "I can hardly wait."
Seto frowned. A raid in this city? Not while he was High Priest of Egypt. Striding toward the alley the voices originated from, he rounded the corner, and confronted the odd people. Both were pale as death with shoulder-length jet-black hair. That was where the similiarities ended. One was male that stood about as tall as Seto. The other was female and stood up to the male's shoulder.
"Look, Sela," the male said. "We have an appetizer." In the next second, the male zipped forward, dash behind Seto, held the priest's arms with one hand, and tilted Seto's head back with the other.
"Wait, Nero. Look at his clothes. It's one of the pharaoh's priests. He could be more useful as an apprentice. He could kill the pharaoh and we'll have free regin to feed as we please." Sela bared her fangs and Seto paled, realizing the implication of her words.
"No! Seto!" a familiar voice cried. Seto recognized it as Yami's . The pharaoh had followed him. Sela sped forward and seized Yami in a hold similiar to Seto's, only Sela's other hand had covered Yami's mouth.
"Well, well," purred the female. "If it isn't the pharaoh himself."
"New plan Sela. Let's turn them both. With the pharaoh as one of us, we'll be guaranteed humans to feed on."
"Excellent."
Nero and Sela plunged their fangs into their respective captive's necks. Seto couldn't help screaming as his flesh was pierced. 'This can't be happening.' He felt himself getting sleepy and before he passed out, he felt two fingers being rubbed against the twin holes in his neck.
Seto moaned as his eyes fluttered open. He saw a blurred shape above him before a blink revealed it to be Nero. "Welcome back, priest."
Seto gripped his head as he sat up. "My head hurts," he groaned.
"That will pass once you have fed."
Cradling his throbbing head, Seto looked around and found Yami lying beside him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His pharaoh's skin had gone deathly white instead of the healthy tan it had possessed. The priest's eyes fell upon his arms. His own tan skin was dead white as well. He then became aware of the twin razor-sharp fangs in his mouth.
A moan drew his attention. Looking down, he saw Yami sit up, clutching his own head. His ruby eyes flickered open and widened when they fell upon his pale skin.
"Our apprentices have awakened. Now we can begin their training," Sela observed.
Despite the pounding headache, Seto heard every word. A fury of his stolen humanity seized him and before he knew what he was doing, he lunged at Nero, buried his fangs in the man's neck, and drank him dry. He heard a scream, but he didn't pay any attention as he killed his creator.
Dropping the corpse on the ground, it hit the ground with a thud. A second thud followed suite. Glancing down, he saw Sela's corpse and a stunned Yami on the ground beside it. The pharaoh's eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open, revealing two fangs still dripping with blood.
"Pharaoh?"
"What have I done?" A tone of revulsion rang in his words as he stared horrified at the corpse.
"You killed the one who took your humanity, that's what. Actually, she was already dead. You insured she won't rise again, I guess."
"I didn't even realize what I did until I released her. A red haze just took hold of me."
"I felt the same way. Unlike you, I don't find revulsion in drinking his blood."
"Seto, do you know what you're saying?"
"Of course I do. I just don't see why you having trouble getting past your first kill."
"First?"
Seto sighed. It sounded like Yami was in a state of shock. Interesting, seeing as how Yami hadn't had one since he had first been crowned. Now, this new life that had been forced on them was bringing back the shock.
"Pharaoh, get over it. We can't change what's happened. The best we can do, is hide what's happened to us. Yes, there will be questions, but we'll get around it. Come on, let's head back." Grabbing Yami's arm, the priest hoisted the young man up and led him back to the palace
&&&&
Yami couldn't seem to wrap himself around the reality he now had to face. He had become a vampire. Even with Seto there, he still felt alone. As predicted, the other priests questioned their now pale skin and Seto smoothly said that they were both feeling a little sick and that all Yami really needed was to sit down. The pharaoh felt himself being gently pushed into his seat. The sound of the Throne Room doors being thrown open finally brought him to fully awareness.
"Pharaoh, we finally captured the great thief!" one of the two guards that entered announced. A white-haired man with an unusual scar under his right eye was thrown forward. Yami leaned forward slightly. Bakura had terrorized Egypt using his extraordinary thieving skills. Those same skills had also allowed him to avoid capture. Until now, that is.
"My Pharaoh, what should we do with him?" Shada asked.
"I will handle him. You are all dismissed. Everyone, except you Seto," Yami ordered.
The guards and the other priests exited the room, leaving Bakura with the two vampires.
"Pharaoh, what are you up to?" Seto whispered.
Yami blinked. Seto was standing a respectful distance away, yet when he whispered, it sounded almost like it had been right in his ear. Following this tactic, he whispered, "I was thinking of making him a vampire."
"What? Why?"
"He is a thief. His skills could help us in...feeding."
"Yes. And who knows what else we'll encounter in the centuries to come."
"So, we're agreed." Yami descended his throne and approached the tombrobber. "Bakura, I have decided to not execute you. Instead, I will grant you immortality. I only request that you do not resist in the slightiest."
Bakura stared at the pharaoh in shock. He wasn't going to die? Instead he was being promised an immortal life? Why would he resist such a gift? Bowing his head, he replied, "As you wish, pharaoh."
Planting his hands on the thief's shoulders, Yami leaned forward to pierce the neck before him, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Straightening up, he said, "Priest Seto, if you would." He gestured at the now obedient thief.
As the priest took over the procedure, he whispered, "You better get over this uncertainity of biting people otherwise you're going to die...again." Without hesitation, Seto bit into Bakura's neck, draining a good deal of blood before stopping. Pricking his finger, Seto forced some blood to well up before he rubbed the blood into bite marks. The marks immediately faded away, leaving an unconscious Bakura to undergo his transformation and join the priest and the pharaoh in a immortal partnership.
Present Day
A weight on his back and hands on his shoulders drew Seto out of his remincing. Glancing back, he saw Bakura hanging on his back, a malicious grin on his face. "So, you love a human, Seto? Who would have thought?"
Grabbing one of Bakura's hands, the brunette easily threw the vampire over his shoulder. When Bakura hit the floor, Seto strode over and backhanded the brown-eyed vampire. "Remember your place. I sired you! Never question me."
Grinning despite the assault, the tombrobber said, "Aw, get up on the wrong side of the coffin?"
The priest sneered, "We don't sleep in coffins, no matter what the humans believe and you know it."
"Of course. I was teasing."
Seto snorted before stalking off to his bedroom so he could be alone to think about Joey and when he was going to see him again.
Bakura stared after him before looking at Yami and asking, "What's with him?"
Yami sighed. "It's a long story, my friend."
Yami is my favorite character, so I made him act a little OOC shortly after killing Sela. You would too if you suddenly became a vampire. How was that, throwing Bakura (not Ryou) into the storyline? I thought it would be interesting to have Seto as the one who turned him. Well, next time Joey and Seto will meet again.
