A/N

Note: Holy crap! You guys must really like your vampire fics then! Not a moment had I uploaded the next chapter that I got a bunch of reviews, requesting more! Aw, you guys make me WANT to continue writing! Thank you, each and every one of you, who've reviewed. You know who you are, and I hope you know how it affects me. I know I'm not the only one who goes all giggly with glee when I get reviews!

Note2: They need to talk more, don't they? I've got to get some dialogue going here...(What's wrong with you, Yuugi & Yami? You must have something on your minds that you want to voice!...NO! Sexual innuendos do not count!..You want to what?...Er, maybe it's a good thing you haven't been talking alot, Yami...)

Note3: Oops, I forgot the disclaimer. Do I really need that thing at all? I mean, I AM posting on FANFICTION (DOT) NET! Whatever...I don't own what I don't own, or something to that extent. XP

Note4: Don't confuse Azura with Anzu! They're two entirely different people. Plus, I'm not sure if Anzu's gonna be in this fic at all...

Note5: The beta issue is at a stand-still at the moment. I've narrowed it down between two people, who are proficient in two different areas! Maybe I'll just divide it between them...In any case, I haven't contacted anyone so if I'm interested on you, you'll find out later.

Note6: ENJOY! Review please!

DARK PASSIONS

CH 4 Backtracking the Bash

The sun was already shining obnoxiously through Yuugi's window when he was forced awake. For a second, panic took over as he forgot where he was and what he was doing...But another second later, it all came crashing back.

The party, the strange night, the vampire. "Yami..." He groaned before shaking his head to clear it and slowly standing up, getting out of the bed. A quick glance told him that he was still wearing his clothes from last night, he'd not bothered to take them off when he'd gone to bed. Something about being too tired for words; he only had vague recollections of stumbling up to his room.

Yuugi was cheerfully on his way to the bathroom to vomit, when he passed by the dresser mirror. The sight that stared back at him was truly comical.

He was pale, paler than usual, with dark circles under his eyes that only made his large eyes stand out even more. Furthermore, his entire body looked limp, like he'd been in the sauna for too long, and his hair was flopped lazily over to the side. He looked a mess.

A sudden exasperated giggle escaped his throat as he took in his amusing self. From his lazy hair to his rumpled, poor outfit, Yuugi was thoroughly done in, and he looked it. He turned slowly to see if his back had received any further changes, and stopped short.

Four large slashes started at his right shoulder and extended across his back, ripping through leather and black undershirt alike, leaving the skin under it untouched. What's more, was that the cuts were perfect, cutting down diagonally over one shoulder blade and down his spine. These were too precise to be accidental, too certain of their path to be made by himself tripping over something. Yuugi knew this for certain.

That left one solution: "Yami," This time, his name was a hiss on Yuugi's tongue. A blush crept up his back and into his face, filling in the holes of his shirt with embarassing color. What was the point of all of it? He was completely confused, Why has Yami done this?

Righteous indignation suddenly flared through him; How dare he? He thought incredulously. This was one of my newer costumes too! I'll get you for this, Yami!

He then proceeded to stomp the rest of the way out of the room and down the hall, to the kitchen. A cup of coffee would do wonders to ease the pounding headache he was getting, which was worsening by the minute.

Another groan escaped him when he finally finished preparing his breakfast and sank down at the table. He'd must not have gotten all his energy back from yesterday's happenings, he felt incredibally drained once again. After only a couple of bites though, his eyelids were becoming heavy.

Yuugi didn't know how he managed to, once again, shuffle back to his room and tumble into bed. All he knew was the bliss of the sheets against his skin and one last thought of revenge directed at the vampire who'd done him such an injustice.

Yami, on the other hand, was feeling no such fatigue. In fact, he was feeling downright bouncy. Last night, he'd only needed a couple of hours of sleep to tide him over before he'd shot up like a light sometime during the morning. He'd proceeded to gather his bouncy, hyperactive mind and gain enough control to dress and go out to explore the cleverly disguised 'exclusive hotel' that he'd been staying in.

It was, in fact, a haven for vampires and other night creatures alike. Only they were accepted and knew what it actually was; the rest of the city considered it to be just another ridiculously expensive place to stay.

Yami almost felt like letting an uncharacteristic giggle lose as he remembered his parting 'gift' to the unfortunate human. In a moment of insanity, he'd expanded the holes he's punctured in his outfit with his extremely strong and long nails. What he hadn't expected was the human to turn around so quickly, causing the vampire to leave scratches longer than he'd intented.

Of course, he restrained his inexplicable amusement and decided to visit the night bar on the lowest floor, for lack of anything better to do. After all, he couldn't go outside in the daylight, now could he?

Everything was still in full swing when he got there. Be it day or night, the craving every nightbreed felt was that of the dance. The need to perform and sing and dance, and just generally party was in every breeds' blood and it could become quite unbearable after going a while without it.

As Yami surveyed the scene, he picked out the faces of a couple of old vampires that he knew. Over there, near the window was Azura, Countess Azurath in another lifetime, centuries past. She was the most politically active of them all, and currently trying to form peaceful relations with the mistrustful werewolves.

Sitting at the piano was Seto, more widely known as Seto Kaiba in the business world. The music he was playing at the moment was haunting with a sadness that couldn't be placed, and it was having a visible affect on the room. Everyone was subdued somewhat, even the rowdy people near the bartender. Yami personally knew that Seto hadn't chosen to be a vampire, he'd been forced into it by another, long-dead now, who'd fallen in love with him.

Yami could also pick out Bakura sitting near the back, obviously entertaining his captive audience with a retelling of some party he'd been to last night. It was rare that the night creatures had relations with the Da'sara, let alone a romance. Yet another reason why Bakura has such a large and eager crowd, Yami observed.

He headed over in his direction, maybe Bakura would have some knowledge on what had happened to him last night.

"...And me and Ryou were about ready to hit the sack, if you know what I mean. Oh, I almost forgot that he'd brought some friend along to the Bash, some weird looking human with tri-colored hair and belt-and-buckle preferences, if ya know what I mean."

A snicker went around the group, the shapeshifters, in their perversion, being the loudest. They, of course, would know all the 'preferences' and fetishes. Being able to shapeshift did have its perks: gender, age, and requirements had no meaning, after all.

But Yami didn't hear any of it, his mind had caught on what Bakura had said. A Bash was risky enough as it was, being a feeding grounds for those who still liked to feed on humans but didn't hunt. The willing blood arrived to dance and generally party and were one-by-one taken to other siderooms and used, only to be released sometime later back to the main room in a state of euphoria and ready to picked up by someone else.

But if what Yami had heard from Bakura had been correct, the friend that Bakura's boyfriend had brought could be Yuugi, that description could hardly apply to anyone else. All but a few people had such a combination of hair and clothes. But Yami stilled needed more information.

Bakura suddenly found himself cut off in midsentence by his friend's abrupt bark of "Bakura!". Even though he wasn't particularly angry, he still felt put out. Obviously Yami had something on his mind and that meant Bakura's story-telling was over. And he'd just gotten to the best part too!

He scowled, "What?"

Yami's expression darkened. "Come with me." And with that, he turned on his heel and crossed the room, sitting down at a table far from the earshot of anyone interested in their conversation.

Bakura blinked and turned back to his audience. He grinned, amused. "Show's over, folks," And got up to follow Yami to the sound of several protests.

He plopped down at the table and fishing out a dagger, started to pick his teeth with it. "Well, spit it out," he prompted.

Yami frowned in disgust at his friend's antics, How does Ryou put up with him?, before taking a deep breath.

"I'm in deep shit," Was his opening line and Bakura snorted.

'Wouldn't be the first time, Pharaoh."

Yami scowled. Having friends from his beginning in Egypt did have its positives, but then again, they had all the dirt on you. Maybe it was a good thing that they were your friends.

"Well, Tombrobber, at least I don't have you to thank this time. But wait, you might be responsible for my problems yet! Recount your evening, please."

Bakura could only grin, in part from being able to retell his outings again and in part from causing Yami trouble. And to top it all off, Yami had even said please! If there was one thing he enjoyed, it was seeing his friend in a rut. Best form of entertainment, in his opinion.

"Well, me and Ryou went to that Bash I was talking about. The one you refused to go to," Bakura said pointedly, "Which is why I'm stuck here recounting it all to you!" He finished with a mock-glare.

Yami only replied. "Oh please, like I'd ever go there! It's no wonder you've become lazy and fat, not having to hunt for your own food. As we were meant to do!"

"Well, who's looking out for us, huh? I don't see anyone coming to complain why we aren't going out and about, getting food that's coming to us! And willingly too! The only ones raising a fuss are you people! And I'm not fat!" Bakura finished with a sniff.

"Very well. But you are still lazy. And I didn't come here to discuss this issue. I have much more important matters. Continue, Bakura."

Bakura gave him a real glare this time before continuing. "Anyway, me and Ryou--"

He was cut off again as Yami interrupted. "By the way, does Ryou know about you being a vampire?"

Bakura squirmed in his seat, suddenly very anxious to avoid the subject. But Yami continued to hold his gaze and Bakura found himself talking anyway.

"Well, no...But not from lack of trying!" He threw up his hands. "I was about to tell him last night when another Lord tried to buy him off me, which did become an awkward situation, but Ryou got sidetracked by that friend of his."

Yami was instantly at attention. "Friend?"

"Yeah," Bakura's expression returned to its normal grumpy look. "Some guy with spiky hair that kept switching colors on me. He was kinda quiet too, I think."

He leaned back in his seat. "Now what was his name again? Yeppy? Yappy..No, that's not right. Yani? Yegi?..."

"Yuugi?" Yami breathed, unconsciously leaning forward in his seat and staring intently at the former tombrobber.

"That's it!" Bakura smiled gratefully, but the next minute he frowned in confusion."Wait a minute, how did you...?"

Yami stood up abruptly, "I've got to go," he said, before turning and walking out, already lost in thought.