WARNING; Chapter contains character nudity, gore, and typos.
Night Seven : Panic At The Mall
The annoying dull sound of his alarm clock's digital siren going off, was the first thing Yugi thought about as he was rudely yanked from his slumber. The human groaned as he turned his face into his pillow and nuzzled the plush item, while he felt around for his pesky alarm clock. His hand slapped around on his nightstand like a fish out of water before he finally achieved his goal by hitting the snooze button after several failed attempts. He didn't want to get up just yet, Yugi wanted to milk his Saturday morning for all he could. Being a high school student and part time store clerk for his grandfather's game shop, Yugi often didn't get many days were he could sleep in. It pure bliss when he was able to seize the opportunity, much like he was now.
The seventeen year old nestled deeper into his mattress trying to coax his mind and body back into unconsciousness, however, it was a useless effort. His bed was much too warm and his mattress was sagging more than usual. No matter how much he willed for sleep to take over, he just couldn't get comfortable enough for himself to slip back into slumber. The human let out an irritable huff while his eyes fluttered open. He didn't wait for the hazy fog disrupting his sight to clear, as he started to push himself up off his bed.
Just as he started to sit up, Yugi noticed an odd sensation near his hips. Something was applying pressure around his waist. Something warm, something that felt like an arm trying to keep his body pinned down to his bed. Looking down at his waist, Yugi was quick to spot the bronze arm that had a tight hold of around the midsection of his body. Yugi's heart sprung into a violent gallop as his violet eyes strayed away from the arm to the face of its owner. Yugi's large eyes widened with surprise as he took in Atem's peaceful sleeping face. How had he crept into his bed? Atem had been asleep in the guest room and Yugi was positive that he had locked his bedroom's door before he went to sleep last night.
The human winced as Atem's arm squeezed his body gently with a gentle soft mutter coming from the Pharaoh. It hadn't hurt, but it was unexpected. Yugi's eyes started to trail lower down Atem's body when the vampire shuffled closer to him. Swelled pectorals were covered by a poor excuse of a bandaging job that also, blanketed a well chiseled abdomen. No doubt that was his grandfather's handiwork. The elder wasn't exactly known well for his 'perfect' care with wounds.
Yugi's eyes swept over the visible 'V' in Atem's lower abdominal region and the young human's face burst with heat. The human's heart started racing even faster than it had before, almost threatening to burst through his rib cage. Atem was in his bed naked...and was clinging to Yugi in his sleep.
"AHHHHHH!" Yugi pushed and thrashed around as he tried his best to get away from the nude and unconscious body of the Original vampire.
"…What the hell, Yami?" Atem's annoyed groggy voice question aloud as he rubbed his sore side from where Yugi's right heel had just kicked him.
'THUD!'
"Eh?" Sitting up, the vampire used a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes as he watched Yugi tumble around on his floor, trying to get as far away from his bed as possible.
"I-I could ask the same thing, Pharaoh!" Yugi shouted at Atem, his face a vivid red as he pointed his index finger directly at the Egyptian.
"How dare you-"
'Bang!'
"I heard screaming, Yugi! Are you alright?" Solomon asked in a panicked voice after he forced his way into his grandson's room, armed with a broom.
"He was naked in my bed!" Yugi immediately informed his grandfather, his index finger still pointed at the former pharaoh.
A huff came from Atem as he sat up cross legged on Yugi's bed and crossed his arms over his chest. His maroon eyes closed and his eyebrows scrunched together in annoyance. "My actions do not warrant such rudeness from a mere human. I will inform you I was not given a change of clothing so I fail to see why you are reacting in such an immature fashion to my nudeness, " Atem's eyes snapped open glaring at Yugi as if he was a speck of dirt soiling his new pair of shoes. "My nudity should not matter. As a commoner, you should know public nudity is common among the within the working class and children."
"This is Two-thousand-fourteen A.D.(2014), not same the time era you are from! People don't just walk around without clothes on, Pharaoh. Let alone climb into someone else's bed in the middle of the night!" Yugi corrected the vampire, his face still burning with a bright blush.
Atem looked away from Yugi and avoided eye contact from Solomon as well. The ruler was silent, allowing Yugi's words sink in and be repeated in his mind. His expression softened a fraction, though it still contained its scowling appearance. He knew very well he was no long in the time period of his 'people' or of his rule as king. Atem was no fool. He had seen the way the world moved on and morphed without him through the eyes of others and now, his own.
When he was revived, he had used up most of his power just to remind those so called 'noblemen' and Yami, who held the real power over their heads. He had struck fear into their hearts and in the process, implanted more hatred into Yami's. But, the Pharaoh had also seen how the world had changed in politics and how it was governed. The only thing that didn't change, as far as Atem was concerned, was how the human race still seemed to fear and rebel against the vampire race.
Yet, this human boy in front of him still had the audacity to imply he didn't know that he was living in a more advance time then from when he had been previously living. It reminded him of too much of Heba, making the Pharaoh long for the presence of the feeder and for simpler times.
"Yugi, " The building tension in the room quickly dissipated when Solomon broke the silence with his calm voice. "Old habits die hard, even harder when you have to adjust to a new environment. It takes time to adapt to the unknown, also it's rude to point at people. " The elder man smacked his grandson lightly on the back of his head. "Now apologize to Atem, my rude child."
Yugi tenderly rubbed the soreness from his grandfather's hit away as he looked at Atem apologetically. The vampire was still refusing to look at him, but Yugi didn't blame him. He hadn't been considerate of the other male's feelings. Even though he was a vampire, he still had feelings, or at least, Yugi thought so. Maybe it was just his 'hunter' instincts causing him to treat the vampire with more cruelty than he did around others.
'Or maybe, it's because you see Yami in him. You fear he'll bite you, just like Yami had done.'
Guilt overcame Yugi and he looked away from Atem. He couldn't deny his thoughts, he did fear Atem would try to feed from him. He was just using that fear as an excuse to be cruel. Yugi detested himself for it too.
"Pharaoh, I…I'm sorry for being..." Yugi trailed off trying to describe how he had treated Atem this morning; judgmental, accusing, unfair, rude. "For being mean, " He finished.
Yugi watched as Atem's maroon eyes glanced at him. The vampire tilted his head up slightly, gazing down at Yugi as if he was the dirt he walked upon. "I accept your apology, on one condition. You bathe me, redo the dressings or my wound, and fetch me some proper clothing to wear."
"H-Huh?" Yugi stuttered, his face almost completely red from Atem's request with a dumbfounded expression.
"Help me prepare for the day. Need I be any clearer?" The vampire rephrased not even attempting to hide the annoyed tone that was soaking his sinfully deep voice.
"No, but why do you want me to give you a bath? Can't you wash yourself?" Yugi questioned and looked down at the blue pajama bottoms he wore, pinching at the fabric nervously.
"My servants or Yami had normally washed me, and since neither are available, you will have to do it, " Atem explained in a monotone voice. "It should not bother you too much, you have bathed me before when I was sealed."
The broom his grandfather held, fell to the ground with a clatter as the old man covered is mouth to mute his snickers. Yugi on the other hand, used his hands to cover his face and hide away from the humiliation. That was his secret to share, not Atem's. How did the vampire even know that he did that?! He was unconscious! The human groaned, if he could remember that then it was very possible Atem knew everything that came out of his mouth and did around the other why he was sealed.
Still laughing lightly, Solomon picked up the broom he dropped and started to head out of Yugi's room. "I'll fill the bathtub up with warm water for you two, play nice now."
Yugi lifted his head from his hands and gawked at his grandfather with horror. "Grandpa!"
The retired hunter's joyful laughter filled the house as he traveled down the hall to the bathroom, he didn't even try to muffle it like last time.
With his grandpa gone, Yugi was forced to deal with the situation with Atem by himself. The bedroom was void of any conversation, only the sounds of Yugi's soft breathing and the running bath water could be heard. For a long time neither of the males said a word and kept their gazes away from each other.
Finally, Yugi stood from his seat on the ground and stretched out his stiff muscles. He took the chance to look at Atem, catching the vampire looking at him as well.
" I'm going to check on the bath," Yugi told the Pharaoh before he started to walk out of his room. The awkwardness between them was just like the weirdness he faced every time he seen his former girlfriend, Anzu Mazaki, with her new boyfriend and Yugi's close friend, Hirotoi Honda.
"Wait," Atem ordered, not asked. Yugi stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder. "Why did it bother you to have me in your bed while we slept?"
Yugi turned his head away from Atem and looked down at the floor, wiggling his toes. "Well for one, you weren't there when I went to sleep, and two, you were nude. In this era it isn't normal to wake up next to a naked person unless…you know,…had sex or something close to it."
Yugi looked back up and at the original vampire when he heard a snort. "What weirdness. Just because a person is nude and sleeps within the same bed as you, does not mean it is going to lead to sex. Yami and I used to sleep together without any clothing, all the time."
"You and Yami are lovers. It's different for me and you because we hardly know each other."
"We are not lovers, we are mates," Atem corrected Yugi with a hostile edge to his tone.
"What's the difference?" Yugi leaned his back against the doorframe and watched Atem with a soft gaze. "You have to love each other to be mates, right?"
"Somewhat," For the first time, Yugi noticed the overall regal presence Atem possessed had vanished. His voice was soft, not suiting the vampire before him. "We were lovers a long time ago and that is how we became mates, however…" The vampire trailed off biting his bottom lip. Yugi took that as a sign Atem wasn't quite ready to discuss what the relationship had with Yami was.
"He moved on while you were 'away'," Yugi quietly stated with a sadden look. He exhaled before giving Atem a bright smile trying to lighten the gloomy mood. "I think the bath is ready. Shall we go freshen up, oh almighty Pharaoh?" The human gave a mocking bow to Atem.
The vampire's face refused to show his amusement, but Atem's eyes were betraying him as they shined with his amusement from Yugi's comment. Yugi could see his amusement flickering within those cool pools of red wine, and it made the Human's smile even brighter. "Then lead me to my bath, Yugi."
Yugi lifted his head, grin spread from ear to ear when he watch the vampire stand from the bed. The human stood straight and turned on his heel just before he caught sight of the vampire's lower parts. Just because Atem wasn't shy didn't mean Yugi would look, besides, he wasn't interested. He may have some perverse curiosity, but Yugi wasn't about to openly stare at another man's package. It would only make things more awkward between him and the undead king.
When Yugi entered the bathroom with Atem, the human could visibly tell Atem was disappointed. Though, the vampire never mentioned it aloud. It must have been due to the small size of the modern bath tub compared to the large baths from the era Atem grew up in. However, the size of the bathtub didn't stop the vampire from enjoying the blissfulness of warm water as he slipped into the bath.
Thankfully, the warm bath water was cloud from the bath salts his grandfather had added to the water. It meant Yugi didn't have to be flashed by Atem's penis as he washed the royal. He had enough of the sight when he had hand washed the pharaoh during his seal.
Yugi washed Atem's body in silence. He gently used soft washcloth to apply and rub in a vanilla scented body wash on to Atem's sun-kissed skin. During this time, he let his mind wander as he did the manual labor. His mind pondered over the fact how Atem had known that he had given him a sponge bath. Which meant his mind had been alert to the things occurring around him while he was under the seal. Then it could have very well meant Atem knew he was training to be a hunter and…and… Yugi started unwrapping the now soiled bandages with though yanks and harsh tugs as his mind started to worry about his secret's safety.
"H-Hey! Be easy undoing my dressings. I am still tender from my wound," Atem hissed at Yugi bring him out of his stupor.
"Ah!Sorry," The human's pulls became gentle as he discarded the bandages so he could properly wash the area.
When Yugi had finally disposed of all the bandages his eyes fell onto Atem's wound curiously. It was safe to say, the stab wound was not going to heal quickly, even for a vampire. The pharaoh's veins were still blackened from the seal's curse, however, they were no longer swollen. The wound itself though, hadn't heal at all. In fact, Yugi thought the flesh was still going to rot away. The skin around the wound was a dark grey coloration, the muscle tissue was blacken with bits of dried blood. Fragments of Atem's breast bone could be seen embedded into the rotten flesh, the only thing not black from decay.
Yugi didn't allow the awful site stray him from his objective of cleaning Atem's chest. True the sight made him want to empty out his stomach, but his mind was preoccupied with other matters and he had seen the wound more than once now. He began to wonder if Atem knew he was given the mission to become Yami's feeder and spy on the other. It plagued his mind knowing that the vampire could be in a close relationship with Yami and here he was, trying to get 'cozy' with Yami as the enemy. What if Atem was secretly planning on taking him out in his sleep? Could the Original possibly be plotting to kill him right now? Yugi had yet to even hold an official meeting with the Director, or even start on his mission's objective yet!
"Enough," Atem captured Yugi's wrist that was scrubbing his skin raw, in a grasp that was strong as steel.
The human blinked, lifting his gaze to Atem's. Ruby locked with amethyst while searching for something unstated. Atem released Yugi's wrist and reached out to take a firm hold of the seventeen year old's chin. He turned Yugi's head to the left, then to the right.
"What are you doing?" Yugi questioned the vampire as his head was forced up and the down. Just when Atem was going to turn it to the right again, Yugi's hand both constricted around Atem's hand like a python. "Would you stop that?"
Atem withdrew his hand, easily slipping it out of Yugi's tight grasp. He turned his head away from Yugi and sunk lower into his bath water until his shoulders were submerged. "You are distracted. What is plaguing your mind, Heba?"
Yugi puffed his cheeks out when Atem called him by that name again. Did he really remind the man of his attacker that much? Yugi wasn't a traitor, not like Heba was. He wouldn't attack someone in such a brutal way, especially when that person had been a kind king. Yugi would admit he could be considered a traitor, not that he was Yami's feeder, but he would never harm the man in anyway.
Yugi exhaled through his mouth in a heavy sigh, cheeks returning to their normal size. "How much do you know?"
"Depends on what you are asking about," Atem replied in a relax tone that was smooth as warm honey.
"I want to know if you remember the things I've told you during my visits," Yugi paused to calm his heart which, was starting to beat erotically. "I want to know how much you retain from that time."
Atem lifted up a leg out of the murky bathwater, examining his foot with little interest. For a while the vampire kept quiet, letting Yugi rage silently. It wasn't until when he noticed the human's violet eyes starting to darken, did he speak.
"I remember all of it. From the moment you first touched me, to just before you pulled the dagger from my chest. I can remember everything you did and said around me during that time, along with those who visited me prior to your arrival."
His words were simple with no hidden meaning. It was as if he applied no thought to them, they were so carefree and mellow. The effect of them though, only confirmed Yugi's fears and gave birth to more speculations within his mind.
"S-So you know about it then…"
"About you being a part of the hunter group that's been giving my people a hard time? Yes, I do," Atem stated simply and gave a shrug of his shoulders before lowering his leg back into the water. "You are of no threat to me. I've come to know your type of character. You have not the type of soul that could bring harm others, even if you tried."
"What about Yami? Aren't you…aren't you worried about me being his feeder."
"A little, but that is more for you than for him. While he and I were together, he had a hard time of telling when he had taken too much blood from a human. I'm only concerned he's going to end up killing my only servant. Also you did not want to become it, regardless of your situation."
Yugi found himself bracing his hands on the side of the bathtub, his left eyebrow twitching slightly. "Thanks, …I guess."
"You are welcomed. You won't have to fear death by his hands for long, Heba," Atem tilted his head back into the water, soaking his volcanic mane in the water. "Before you are officially claimed, I plan on stealing you from him."
Yugi wasn't sure what should shock him more. The fact he wasn't officially claimed yet, or how casually Atem just spoke of him stealing him away from Yami. He was stunned so much, his mouth was slowly falling open on it's own.
"Unless you like the taste of fruit flies, I suggest you close your mouth Heba. Flies do not make a good food source for humans," Atem spoke casually as he sat straight up in the tub and combed his hands through his damp hair.
Yugi snapped his mouth shut and quickly shook his head as he came out of his shocked daze. "What? I'm not claimed?!"
"You did not know?" The Pharaoh looked at Yugi curiously, as if the human was lacking basic knowledge. "A vampire doesn't officially claim a human until after the third feeding. It's during the third feeding when a bond will form between the vampire and human."
Yugi shook his head 'no'. "What's 'the bond'?" Ryou nor Malik had never mentioned it before to him.
"It is like a contract. The bond only allows the vampire to pierce their fangs into the human they are bonded to. They can drink donated blood and animal blood, but they cannot physically bite into another human being. Our instincts will keep us from doing so. One the human side, your species can only have the vampire you're bonded to drink from you. Anyone else and you'll go through a tremendous amount of pain that will not cease until your bonded vampire drinks from you again or, when you are dead," The Pharaoh spoke with Atem's voice dark, threatening to haunt Yugi.
"The bond also allows each party to be 'aware' of the other," The Original continued in an all-knowing tone. "The vampire feels the human's emotions, pain, and needs. The same applies for the human. They both have a way of knowing when the other is around and when they are in trouble."
"It's like reading minds?" Yugi asked Atem, trying to make a connection. The more he knew about this bond, the more prepared he would be when he was truly claimed by Yami. He had his secrets he needed to keep hidden.
"No, that is something completely different. You only know what they feel, nothing more," The Egyptian clarified, his voice soft.
Yugi relaxed and turned his back to Atem, pressing it against the bathtub and leaning his head back against the edge. His violet eyes were focused on the ceiling above him. "How do you know all of this Atem?"
Yugi heard water being splashed around in the bath as Atem turned his own back to Yugi. "A long, long time ago, I had been bonded with a human after claiming them. He was both mine and Yami's feeder."
"How?"
"It's…complicated to explain. Just know that it pertains to mated vampires and a lot of self-control," Atem answered truthfully.
Yugi brought a leg to his chest, wrapping his arms around it and resting his chin on top of his knee. "Was Heba your feeder?"
"Yes, he was."
"Was he the one who stab you?"
"…Unfortunately, yes."
"He sealed you," Yugi stated more to himself than to Atem.
"He…He did not act alone. Someone else was pulling the strings behind my 'death', " The confident voice of the king was shattered when Atem spoke of his sealing. "Heba…He was different. I assume he had his reasons behind why he sealed me..."
Yugi closed his eyes. "Yami thinks you allowed him to do it to you."
"Yami's mind has been tampered with, poisoned you could call it," Atem sighed. "He allowed himself to become corrupted by the very person who swore to help him unseal me. He got himself entangled in a web of lies, like a hard-headed fool," The vampire's voice was even. Never falling or rising with his words.
Yugi didn't respond to Atem's words instead, he stood and started to head for the door. "I'll be back, I'm going to search for you some clothes."
"Very well, it is about time I exited my bath," Atem agreed.
Yugi glanced back at the former Pharaoh of two kingdoms. It amazed him that even after millenniums had passed since he last saw the light of day, Atem was calm and adjusted to this 'new world' with ease. The strength of a king was truly, amazing.
"What in Amun's name is this?"
Confused, Atem led up the pair of black skinny jeans for Yugi to see.
"They're pants, Pharaoh," Yugi informed the vampire. "You did have pants back in your day, didn't you?"
"Of course, but…" The vampire made a face as he looked the slim fitting trousers with an unsure expression. " Just not like this."
Yugi tried to hide his laughter as he started to pull on his own pair of trousers. Atem was one lucky soul. If Yugi didn't have friends who left their clothes every time they decide to spend the night at his place, then the poor vampire would have been left to walk around in his birthday suit until Yugi could locate him something to wear.
Currently, Atem was holding up a pair of black skinny jeans that Malik had left at his home. The former Pharaoh had already tugged on the plain white short-sleeved V-neck shirt that belonged to Jonouchi and surprisingly, the shirt was just a tab bit big on the Pharaoh. The sight of the rightful king of the vampire race standing in an over-sized T-shirt while trying to figure out how to squeeze his long legs into a pair of jeans, was highly amusing. It almost made Yugi forget Atem was perhaps the most dangerous creature in the world.
Yugi smiled as he watched Atem struggle to put the simple article of clothing on as he checked his own attire out in the mirror attached to his closet door. He wore a similar pair of black skinny jeans slightly too long for his short legs, a long sleeved navy blue U-neck, with a lightweight gray fleece jacket. Unlike the vampire, he needed to bundle up for the cold temperatures. Yugi hated how fragile his body was compared to a vampire's. They never had to worry about getting ill, breaking a limb, or eating every day.
The human used his fingers to comb back his wild gravity defying spikes into ponytail, leaving his bangs free to frame his face. His violet eyes spied on Atem as he finally manage to get Malik's pants on his hips.
"On my desk there's a small box, it has colored contact lenses in it. Grandpa said you might want to wear them to hide your eye color," Yugi informed Atem as he tried to keep his spikes tamed in his ponytail.
"Contact Lenses?" The vampire questioned with a confused tone as he buttoned his jeans and carefully pulled up the zipper.
"It's… a cosmetic thing. They're little flexible glass discs that cover your pupils and irises. You can still see out of them, but they'll cover up your eye color," Yugi spoke unsurely, unable to describe what a contact lens was to Atem correctly.
"Why would he think I want to conceal my eye color with placing glass in my eye?" Atem scoffed, turning the idea down. "Only Yami and the Guardians know who I am."
Yugi made a displeased face. Even if only eight people knew what the pharaoh looked like, he still felt uneasy. What if Yami had discovered Atem had been revived and had sent the Sacred Guardians after him? There was always a chance they could spot the former Pharaoh out in the crowd. "Still, I think it would be safer."
"Teh, you will be fine," Atem tsked. "Have you forgotten who I am? I am an original, the strongest vampire of my race."
"You're also still impaired by the seal Heba inflicted on you," Yugi pointed out with concern, not malicious intent.
Atem sighed softly through his nose. "I can still defend with the gift my ancestors have bestowed on me. We will be fine. "
Yugi crossed his arms over his chest and gripped both of his forearms tightly. He didn't believe Atem. He wanted too, but he couldn't. It wasn't just Yami that Yugi was worried about, he was worried about the I.V.H.A as well. His grandfather had a perfect drawing of Atem stuffed away in one of his Egyptology books. If his grandfather had a picture of Atem there was the possibility the Association could have one as well and be able to identify Atem. Then Yugi would truly have a flame under his ass that he didn't need.
A hand settled on top of his head, causing Yugi to look up and come face to face with Atem. The vampire had a true genuine smile on his face. It was small, but confident and promising, matching his eyes that were filled with an unknown determination. "You will be fine, Heba. Nothing will happen to you or your grandfather, not while you are helping me. I owe you. "
Yugi was stunned by Atem's words for a second time that morning. He couldn't believe that a vampire other than Jou, actually said they were indebted to him; a human. Yugi smiled to himself and gently removed Atem's hand from his head. His nervousness was slowly melting away as he held Atem's hand in both of his. His eyes had a bright look in them, grateful for the comfort for his silent distress. "Thank you, but I'm not Heba," Yugi looked at Atem with a warm playful glint in his eyes. "My name is Yugi, remember it."
"So you've told me, Yugi," Atem smirked to match that playful look in the human's eyes.
"Boys, breakfast is ready!" Solomon's voice called out to Atem and Yugi.
Yugi smiled with glee and grabbed Atem's hand pulling him along as he practically ran down stairs. "Come on you slow poke! You're going to love my grandpa's cooking!"
"Yugi I-"
"Ah ah ah, I already know what you're going to say," The human teen silences Atem by cutting him off. "I'm a hunter in training, I know a vampire's diet. Besides, one of my best friends is a vampire. Grandpa and I have almost master the art of cooking for vampires!"
Atem looked at Yugi as if he had just shit gold before him. The vampire shook his head as he took a seat at the dining table while Yugi ventured to the kitchen to fix their plates. "The world has changed to a strange place."
Yugi looked over his shoulder towards Atem and raised an eyebrow. The former king's words made the human wonder how the world was before Atem was sealed. He knew vampires and humans weren't like they were now. Human's used to be controlled by the vampires out of fear, like slaves. Now it was much different. Humans were fighting back or trying to live peaceful lives with the vampires. Yugi smiled as he started piling the food his grandfather had made for Atem, while the old man fixed Yugi's plate. "It must be weird to you. A lot has changed in…" Yugi trailed off trying to count the years that had passed in his head.
"Nearly three thousand years," Solomon answered for Yugi, stealing Atem's plate of food from his grandson and leaving the cooking area of the kitchen.
"Uh, yeah that," Yugi said pouting when his grandfather took the food away from him. Yugi then went about fixing their drinks; two glasses of orange juice and one class of warm ox blood.
Atem blinked as Solomon placed a plate of food in front of him, followed by Yugi sitting a glass of blood next to it along with a set of silverware. The vampire took a closer look at his food and was utterly shocked to find the incredible feast he was bestowed with. The pharaoh was presented with lightly deviled lamb kidneys smothered in a rich burgundy sauce, waffles glazed with a sweet smelling syrup, dried dates dipped in honey and lion's blood, and to top off this breakfast fit for a king; Solomon had even prepared a serving of candied pomegranate for Atem.
It was like he was back home again, back in Kemet.
The vampire didn't hesitate to start savoring his food. Picking up his fork, Atem started to cut into his lamb. The first bite exploded with flavor on his tongue. The meat was perfectly tender, still moist with the animal's blood. The sauce added an extra sweetness that bleed nicely with the bitterness of the lamb. From just one bite, Atem had become addicted to elderly man's cooking.
"It…it's amazing! Far better than anything the cooks from when I had ruled," The pharaoh complemented Solomon with such awe, he sound like a little child.
"See? I told you we almost mastered it!" Yugi said smugly as he started digging into his own food.
His grandfather had kept their breakfast simple but just as elegant as Atem's. Yugi's plate was filled with crispy bacon, eggs that had been scrambled with care and seasoned to perfection and two, fluffy buttermilk pancakes smothered in butter and sweet syrup topped with freshly cut strawberries. It was his favorite breakfast meal. Which was why Yugi was confused. His grandfather had prepared his favorite breakfast food the day after, he brought home a person that will most likely be the cause of both of their deaths. He wanted to ask his grandpa why he had fixed this meal for him, but he decided against it and just enjoyed the flavorful food.
They ate in silence, mostly because watching the former king eat was all the entertainment the two humans needed. Atem ate with a grace that was rare for vampires. He sat up straight, never slouching. He brought his food to his mouth rather than leaning in to meet his fork halfway. The vampire was clearly savoring each bite of his food and sips of his oxblood, like it might be the last time he would be able to enjoy the delicious food. Although to Yugi, Atem looked like he had a plate of road kill with some fruit. Nevertheless, the pharaoh was enjoying his meal to the fullest.
When he finished, Atem slid his dirty plate forward and folded his hand in his lap. His maroon eyes were no longer like a dark wine, they were a blazing crimson fire that was staring straight at Yugi as the human finished his own food. It made the seventeen year old feel self-conscious as he finished up his own breakfast. The moment he finished, Yugi stood and collected the dirty dishes from his grandfather and Atem. It wasn't until Yugi had placed them in the dishwasher along with soiled pots and pans, did Atem stand from his seat. The vampire kept to himself as he relocated to the living room and took a seat on one of the plush black couches that were far beyond outdated.
"Yugi, come comb my hair," Atem commanded the human, not asked.
Yugi took a deep breath and released it slowly. Asking politely for things was clearly never taught to the original vampire. "I will, just wait while I go get a brush."
"I'll get for you," Solomon offered standing from the table.
"It's okay Grandpa, I can get it," Yugi protested.
"No, no. Let me go get it for you. I need to start moving around a bit more. I'm getting too heavy," Solomon jested with a light merry laugh as he started up the stairs. "I'll only be a minute."
Yugi watch his grandfather leave before sighing aloud. "What was the point of that?" He verbalized his thoughts softly.
"To leave us alone," Atem answered, clear as day.
Yugi blinked, not expecting to get an answer especially from Atem. "Why would he do that?"
"I asked him to," Atem replied almost instantly. "It wasn't compulsion, if you were wondering. I just gave him the suggestion…mentally"
'Yeah right,' Yugi scrunched his eyebrows together at Atem's words. He knew the vampire had to have used compulsion otherwise, his grandpa wouldn't have offered. "Why do you want us to be alone?"
"I want to ask you how long you are willing for me to stay here," Atem stated with caution in his voice. It was like he had phrased his words very carefully. " I understand that me being here is a threat –"
"It's not a threat, it's the signature on my death certificate. You being here is breaking the code of the hunters," Yugi interjected.
"The way bring me here? I didn't force you," Atem tilted his head back, gazing at Yugi with curious eyes.
Yugi avoided looking at Atem's eyes as he made his way towards the couch. "I had no other choice. I wasn't going to let you die." He took a seat next to Atem and leaned back into the softness of the sofa.
"You're free to stay here as long as you please. Just don't cause us too much trouble, okay?"
Yugi gave Atem a sideway glance, watching the vampire study the ceiling with his fiery eyes. For several minutes they stayed silent until Atem finally tore his eyes away from the roof above him to look at Yugi.
"Do you think I would make a good king in this time period?"
The question left Yugi dumbfounded. He wasn't sure what had compelled the man before him to ask it and had no idea how to answer it. Biting his lower lip, Yugi scanned Atem's red eyes with his violet ones. He wasn't sure what he was looking for but he hoped there was a clue of some sort in them. Some type of emotion that would help him answer the sudden question. There was none.
Releasing his lip that was now raw, Yugi sighed and averted his eyes away from the Pharaoh. "I'm not sure. I don't know you well enough to make that type of conclusion."
Domino City Mall was one of the many buildings in Domino City that was owned by the Kaiba Corporation. Commonly known as DCM, the mall was large three-story white building with almost every story known to man inside its maze like structure. For those who enjoyed embracing their inner shopper, DCM was their perfect haven and for those who loathed shopping, it was their living nightmare.
For Yugi, DCM was neither of the two. It was just the most convenient place to go to get both the shopping for Atem's clothes and for his friend's Christmas presents, out of the way.
He and Atem had been in the shopping complex for just over two hours. In that time, Yugi had managed to get Atem's measurements taken; discovered the vampire had an unhealthy obsession over gold and fake silver accessories; explained to the former Pharaoh what a belt was; and purchased the man thirteen different casual outfits, two formal outfits, four pairs of pajama pants, three packs of boxers with five pairs in each pack, five pairs of shoes, and the essential care products a vampire needed. Never in his life had Yugi been almost completely exhausted from shopping, but here he was now, slouching on a bench with ten different shopping bags surrounding him with hardly no feeling in his arms and legs.
He knew shopping for Atem was going to be a chore, but the Pharaoh turned out to be one of the pickiest men in the world! Nothing he had bought Atem could be considered 'cheap', all of the new clothing the Pharaoh had picked out had been 'top of the line' brands. Such as: Nike, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Calvin Klein, Under Armor, and several more. The cheapest thing that Yugi had bought Atem, was a Colgate soft bristle toothbrush.
Yugi didn't mind spending the high amount of money he did. When his parents had passed away, they had left him a quite a bit of money from their life insurance through the I.V.H.A. It was far more than enough to pay for his college tution in the future, and even to be able to live a few years own his own comfortably. That was just adding to the monthly pay he received from the I.V.H.A. as a trainee, And although he had some money to his name, Yugi could still feel the aching pain of his wallet. Up until today, Yugi had hardly touched a single penny of the dowry his parents left him. Pratially because the teen wanted to save up enough to let his Grandfather retire comfortably, once Yugi had ound a stable job and finished a higher education. The other reason was simple that Yugi didn't want to others to think he was 'peacocking' or trying to gain the affection of others through what money he had in his bank account. When the human wanted something, Yugi used the money he earned from helping his grandfather with the shop. Not his inheritance or the money from the Association. This would be the first time he would use the money his parents left behind and hopefully, the last for a long time.
"Machines that spit out bottle drinks when you place paper in them, the world's strangeness keeps evolving with each place we visit. Here," Yugi opened his closed eyes, looking at the Diet Coke Atem was holding out for him.
"You didn't try to use your 'gift' to destroy the vending machine like you did with the escalator, did you?" The human asked smiling as he took the diet drink from the former king. By gift, Yugi had meant the ability of absolute control over shadows Atem possessed.
" No," Atem snorted as he sat next to Yugi, opening his own drink; a grape flavored Vitamin Water. "It was not black sorcery like that contraption from before," The vampire clarified taking a sip of his water.
"So moving stairs deserve to be destroyed, but boxes that spit out drinks are okay? And this is from a vampire lord who lived in Ancient Egypt where they had magical rituals and monsters?" Yugi asked unable to keep his laughter under control as opened his own drink.
"Precisely," Atem hummed after he swallowed his sip of water. He looked at the plastic bottle in his hand with an inquiring look before taking another gulp of the refreshing liquid. "This water is sweet. Are you sure it is meant for vampire consumption?"
Yugi paused in mid gulp, lowering his Coke bottle down. He looked at the label of Atem's Vitamin water, double checking that it was the vitamin water for vampires and not humans. "Yeah, you're good. It just has an artificial flavoring added to it."
Atem took another sip of his water after Yugi reassured him. He wrinkled his nose as the sweet and bitter taste of grapes splashed against his tongue again.
Yugi let out a round of light laughter from Atem's disgusted expression. At first the vampire looked at him as if he had lost his mind before rolling his eyes at the human. "My displeasure is amusing to you, joy," The vampire spoke sarcastically.
"N-No," Yugi said through his laughter. "Just the expressions you make are funny."
Atem smiled lightly, shaking his head. "You are a strange human."
"You're an odd vampire," Yugi pointed out, nudging Atem playfully with his elbow.
"Only because I have not adapted to all of this," The vampire gestured to their surroundings. "I am baffled by how much everything has changed…I am not even sure if the human kingdom I once ruled over, still exists."
Yugi played with the cap of his drink bottle, twisting it between his index finger and thumb. "What was it like? Back in your time."
"Well, it certainly did not contain things possessed by black heka like the world is now," Atem stated casually, relaxing against the bench and holding his bottle of flavored water in his lap. "Kemet was a peaceful and beautiful. It hardly knew of a dark time under my father's rule and I continued his legacy. I remember there was a marketplace just outside per-rm*, my home. It had a similar atmosphere like this one has, but the appearance was much difference. It was outdoor, with stalls lined up as far as the eye could see. The goods were handcrafted and unique. I would always sneak away from my studies or duties to go visit it. Of course Yami would sometimes accompany me, but I mostly went alone for a temporary escape from reality. When Yami went with me, he was always uptight when we visited the market without the royal guards and dressed like mere peasants. He was such a paranoid child!"
Atem paused taking a relaxing deep breath, closing his eyes and a slight smirk gracing his features. "I enjoyed the little freedom and the thrill that filled me when I left home. Interacting my people without worrying about upholding my title, it was and still is, an incredible feeling. It reminds me that I am not that much different from them. And the things I got to experience, it was nothing like what the palace had to offer. The smell of freshly baked bread, exotic fruits and creatures, different types of cloths, the light atmosphere, the buzzing of the crowds…"
Yugi smiled as Atem went on and on about what the shopping centers of his home were like. The vampire must have got so caught up in telling about his time that he switch languages and started speaking in his foreign language. Even though Yugi couldn't understand a single word Atem was speaking, he was content in just listening to the beautiful speech. It was something new, something he could grow used to.
Ten minutes passed and Atem was still chatting away, not even noticing that he was now speaking in only the words he understood. Yugi had zoned out, thinking about what Christmas presents he should give to who and where to buy them at. Both of the males were so absorbed in their two different trains of thought that the both of them failed to hear the female voice calling out to Yugi until it was too late.
"Cutie!"
"Ah!"
A female with familiar long wavy brown hair and sun-kissed skin had slammed into Yugi, arms wrapping around him in a bone crushing hug. "I thought I'd never get to see your adorable butt again!"
He knew this voice, but from where?
"Uhh…" Yugi wasn't sure how to respond to the female's words. They left him confused as he searched through his memories.
"You forgot me, didn't you? You go and become Yami's feeder and forget me? How rude!" The girl huffed, stand up straight and crossing her arms over her bosom. "I didn't forget about you, or your cute round butt."
Cute round butt… Those words rang a bell in Yugi's mind, along with those blue-green eyes vividly displaying the female's disappointment. 'Brown hair, tan skin, Blue-green eyes, saying my butt is cute…'
"You're Mana," Yugi announced with a click of his tongue. Yugi flashed her a smile his eyes looking at the girl fondly. " You never actually formally introduced yourself. I only know your name because the other girl that was with you on Halloween, I forgot her name, had called you by that."
The female laughed shyly, light pink tinting her cheeks. "Well I'm flattered you remembered anyways! But what are you doing here, Cutie? It's dangerous to be out and about all alone.
"
"I'm Christmas shopping with my cousin," He smoothly lied to the servant girl, while his gut protested against it. Yugi hated lying but there was no other way to protect Atem and himself if he didn't tell the small white lie. Plus, it was time to test out the alibi he had created for Atem. "Right, Heba?"
Yugi froze in place as soon as the name slipped from his lips. He hadn't meant to call Atem by that name, it just happened to slip out. He cast a concerned glance at Atem, only to see the vampire was locked in place with his red eyes wide and blazing with multiple emotions. Yugi bit his bottom lip nervously and nudge Atem lightly to gain his attention. He earned several blinks from the vampire and a confused glance.
"Uh, yes?" Yugi felt the contact of his hand slapping his forehead before he had even realized it happened.
Yugi shook his head before giving a fake smile to both Atem and Mana. "Spacing out again, Heba? You know that's not healthy habit, not at all."
He earned a glare from Atem, a silent threat that he would regret those words later. However, that didn't matter to Yugi at the moment. He was more concerned with getting rid of Mana as quick as possible without raising any red flags.
"You should listen to your cousin, Heba!"
'Eh?' Both Yugi and Atem gave Mana a questioning glance. The girl stood in front of them, feet spread shoulder width apart with her hands on her hips. Now that Yugi was clearly looking at the girl, he noticed she was wearing a black uniform dress. Almost like a maid's but lacking the apron and white frills.
"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, there's a very bad vampire on the loose!" The girl scolded Atem, tapping the tip of his nose with her middle finger.
"There's a bad vampire on the loose?" Yugi blinked in disbelief. He hadn't received any notice from the I.V.H.A. about any rogue vampires being in the area unless …it wasn't a rogue.
Mana looked around them, as if she was making sure that no one was paying attention to their conversation. After checking the area twice, she leaned in towards the two. "Last night, the former king attacked the Prince. He stole the blood of the Original vampire that was in Yami's body. It left the Prince in really bad shape, at least, that's what Master Mahaad told me," She whispered softly. "It happened right in front of the leaders of the noble pureblood families too. The King made the Prince look insane. It work too, the noblemen didn't believe that it was the former king until they went to his chamber underneath the estate. They found it void of everything. No offerings, no sarcophagi, no scent, not even the torches in the inner sanctuary chamber were there. The only proof that the king had been there were the shadows that were still lurking around and hissing as they entered."
Mana back away from them an index finger to her lips. A silent gesture for the two males to not utter a word about what she had just told them. "Yami order the people who would know what the king would look and smell like to track him down. It's urgent we find him because…because Yami said there was a chance that Ate-I mean the king, went rogue. He was starved by his own uncle for at least seven years and was potentially exposed to high concentrations of wolfsbane. The Sacred Guardians, Prince, and Master Mahaad all came to the conclusion that he was revived by his thirst for blood and his anger towards Yami for fracturing their mating bond."
Yugi's body went cold. His entire body was stiff, unmoving. They knew he was alive; they were searching for him; and they thought Atem was a rogue vampire! Yugi's body started to shake with small fearful trimmers. Atem had attacked Yami. Atem wanted to take him away from Yami. Atem was… He … He hated Yami and Yami, obviously hated him back. That was the only conclusion Yugi's mind could come up as Mana's word fully sank into his mind. That wasn't what why he was so fearful though, it was the fact Yugi had realized that he was stuck in the middle of their hatred. He was in the middle of a very dangerous lovers' quarrel.
"When he is found, what will happened to the king?" His body tensed even more when he heard how dark Atem's voice had become when he spoke his question. It was the voice of a sinful beautiful demon.
Mana's cheerful attitude dropped, her shoulder lowered and her eyes were glued to her black knee-high boots. "Master Mahaad said...He said…they were going to seal his soul in the puzzle. Once Yami reconstructed it," Her voice quivered, vocalizing a sadness that Yugi couldn't understand. "H-He…He can't…They can't kill him. Not like a normal vampire. So m-my master said he was going…going to seal his soul away with a powerful ancient spell then… then they dispose of the body where it could not be revived," Tears, real tears, fell from Mana's blue-green eyes.
Yugi slowly forced himself to forget his childish fears as the weight of Mana's answer to Atem's question registered in his mind. Yami planned on sealing Atem away again, and just after the Original had just gotten his life back last night. The human's violet eyes looked towards Atem. Said vampire was void of emotion, his face held no expression and his eyes were a dark burgundy that was almost black and locked on Mana's crying form.
"Y-You…You look a lot like him, Heba. Even your scent is…it's…" Mana's eyes widened, as she gazed directly at Atem. Not at the person Yugi introduced her as Heba, but at her long lost ruler; the king of vampires, Atem Muran.
Mana took a step back, her eyes shifting colors from their dark cerulean to an intense crimson. "Cutie get away from him, now. I-It's not safe. He's not your cousin. He's…He's –"
"A rogue?" Atem finished for her with a hiss. He stood up from the bench, arms crossed over his chest, dark colored eyes glaring into Mana's now crimson ones. "Has Yami fallen off his wagon? Mahaad and the others too?"
"N-No!" She protested, "They're still the same as the day you left us."
"I never left!" Atem snapped, "I was never gone and I am not a rogue. This human here – " He gestured to Yugi. "– Is the reason I am here now. He released me! Not the desire to consume blood."
He took a step closer to her.
Mana's eyes darted from Atem to Yugi. "Cutie," Her crimson eyes locked with Yugi's violet irises. "Why don't you come here, we need to get away from this man. He's bad."
Yugi's fingers curled around his drink bottle tightly. He felt that familiar push at his own mind along with Mana's sweet voice coaxing him to obey her suggestion. It was compulsion, he knew that unmistakable feeling. He could feel his mind start to be bent to her will.
The human stood to his feet, keeping his eyes locked with Mana's. Slowly he started to walk towards her, it made her smile reappear. She thought she won, she thought she had Yugi in her control… … … …
Yeah right!
Instead of going to Mana's side, Yugi took a confident stance in front of Atem. His normal kind round eyes held none of the warm emotions they often had, and instead, they were cold pools of anger.
"Compulsion doesn't work on me, Mana," Yugi spoke calmly, he uncapped his Diet Coke and took a sip. Not once, breaking their eye contact.
"W-What? " Her eyes were like large windows to her soul. Wide with fear and confusion and shimmering with drying tears. The dark haired girl started to shake. "I-It can't be possible…How…"
Swallowing his mouthful of the soda, Yugi gave her a soft smile. "I can't tell you, or it won't be a secret anymore."
"It's not a secret, Yugi. She knows," Atem stated in a monotone voice, his baritone vocals still edged with a sinister tone. "Apparently when compulsion does not succeed on a human, it means they have connections to the hunters. At least, that is what is going through her mind."
Yugi looked over his shoulder, giving Atem a baffled look, "You can read minds?!"
"Technically, no. But I'll explain later," The Original vampire brushed past Yugi, walking directly towards Mana.
Yugi moved to his left slightly, so he could watch Mana and Atem's interaction. His violet eyes studying the two. Mana was completely terrified as she gazed up at Atem with bright crimson eyes while Atem, was completely composed and calm. Not a single emotion had bled through his perfected poker mask. Not even through his eyes that were now brightly burning a blood red color. With caution and care, Atem lifted his right hand and took a firm grasp on Mana's chin, keeping her from looking anywhere but into his eyes. That small grasp on her chin seemed completely harmless to a person just simply passing bye, but Yugi knew the potential that small hold held. Atem held Mana's life in between his thumb and index finger.
"Listen carefully," Atem began with a voice that could woo the devil. He leaned in closer towards Mana, his lips barely touching hers. "You will not mention this to anyone. You will forget that you even saw me here with Yugi. You won't remember telling Yugi about why you were here or anything regarding me. You will leave this place immediately and tell your master you could not find a trace of my presence anywhere within this city. You will go home and sleep immediately after you tell your good-byes to Yugi. Do you understand my orders Mana?"
"I do."
Atem smirked proudly, pulling away and releasing Mana at the same time.
The moment Mana was free, she quickly skipped towards Yugi and clasped her hands around his hands and his drink. "It was nice seeing you again, Cutie!" She said with a bright smile her crimson eyes slowly fading back to their original blue-green hues. "I hope you have fun shopping for Christmas! Oh, which reminds you should get Yami these fancy chocolates from 'Ooh La la' called Midnight Delights, for Christmas! That's his favorite candy! He likes the ones in the golden package! Bye-bye now."
Mana let go of him, turned on her heel and skipped away. Not even acknowledging Atem as she passed by him. Yugi blinked before looking at Atem. The vampire was smirking so smugly one might think the vampire had just won the lottery.
"What the hell was that? What did you do to her, Pharaoh?" Yugi blabbered out once Mana's brown hair was out of his sight.
"I just used a little compulsion," Atem replied confidently returning to the bench and picking up his Vitamin water. He took a sip, rejoicing in the refreshed feeling it left him.
"A little? She went from terrified to happy in just one second! That was way more than just a little."
Atem shrugged his shoulders, lowering the bottle from his lips. "It's not my fault her mind has weaken since I have been 'sleeping'."
Yugi shook his head at Atem and gave him a disbelieving glance. He could practically feel the pride coming from Atem in tidal waves. The human started to collect their shopping bags filled with Atem's clothes. "Come on, we need to finish shopping."
Done. Finished. Objective completed.
He was officially finished shopping and Yugi, couldn't be anymore happier. He was practically radiating with joy as he and Atem left the popular candy store called 'Ooh La La'. He couldn't say the same though for Atem, the vampire was serving out 'his' punishment.
The first time Atem attacked an escalator, Yugi had looked it over as the vampire just being paranoid about the unknown. However, after he attacked one for the second time, trashed both a urinal and hand dryer in a men's restroom, and nearly destroyed an elevator full of people; Yugi had finally reached his limit with the Original vampire's 'over reactions' to mordent technology. Therefore, Yugi forced the vampire to carry all the shopping bags that they had; all thirty seven of them. Yugi had turned a proud king into his personal pack mule.
"Are we finished now?" Atem asked groaning and shifting the shopping bags on his arms. "These plastic carrying containers are torturing my arms!"
"Yes and good, that means they're doing job," Yugi answered with a gleeful tone.
"What job would that be?"
"Punishing you. You almost destroyed the mall today. How would I explain that to Kaiba if you succeeded?" Yugi paused his walk, turning on his heel to face Atem. "Oh please forgive my cousin Kaiba. See, he's not actually human or my cousin. He's you king that tried to murder your prince right before your eyes. He thought the urinal was the source of black magic so he blew it up using his shadow magic!"
"That's not funny Yugi." Atem growled his eyes narrowing at the human. "I did not have the knowledge that it was meant to be pissed in!"
Yugi huffed and turned away from Atem, resuming his walk towards the mall's exit. "Well next time ask before you go siccing your shadows on something, Atem!"
"Do not use my birth name so freely!" The former pharaoh snapped at Yugi. "Would you like one of the Guardians to show up and try to kill the both of us?"
"Oh hush, you're just being drama queen now."
"D-Drama queen? I am not a queen of anything, I am a king! Nor am I the king of drama!"
"Says the man who signed his own death certificate by attacking his mate over a simple kiss," Yugi taunted, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets.
"It was not just because of some kiss! I explain this to you when we went to that weird scroll store! Seth had alternative motives behind his actions and Yami was being a fool and falling for his tricks!" Atem defended himself." I also needed to cleanse Yami's body of my blood before those with evil intentions tried to succeed him as an Original."
"But was it necessary for you to do such a thing in cruel fashion and in front of the nobles?" Yugi questioned Atem.
"Of course! As they say, an eye for an eye; he cause my heart pain therefore, I bestowed him his own 'heart-ache'."
Yugi didn't reply to Atem's words. He didn't feel like continuing this argument he was too exhausted from this shopping trip to deal with a cranky vampire.
'Bizz, Bizz, Bizz!'
Yugi stopped his walk, and pulled out his phone from his left coat pocket. He slid his thumb over the unlock screen to read the email he had just received. With each word contained in the electronic mail, his eyes gradually started to grow wider.
'Attention! Code 'RV2 – 96C9' has been issued! Report to area 96 immediately! Code RV2 – 96C9 is to be taken seriously. This is not a drill. All available hunters are to report to Domino City Mall' southren exit immediately!'
"Yugi, let us go. We need to leave this area," Atem's voice pulled Yugi's attention away from his phone. The human nodded in agreement and tucked his phone back into his pocket before following Atem.
"There's two rogue vampires in the mall, all hunters in the Japan Branch of the Association were just notified, " Yugi whispered to Atem in a hushed voice.
"No, just one vampire, " He corrected Yugi. "There's only one."
"How do you know?" Yugi questioned the vampire, curious to know why Atem thought that there was only one.
"Because 'it' is stalking us," The Original's voice was barely audible, Yugi had to strain just hear it.
"I don't believe you," The human whispered back and started to turn his head to look over his shoulder.
"Don't look!" Atem snapped at Yugi, he grabbed the human's wrist in a painfully tight grasp while also continuing to hold the shopping bags. "You'll encourage the hunt."
Just as Yugi was about to reply to Atem's snappy words, a soft ding echo through the shopping complex several times before a voice started to speak.
"A RV2 code has been issued for this area. Please remain calm. I repeat; a RV2 code has been issued for this area. Please remain calm and got to the nearest store. Thank you."
The mall became deathly silent after the announcement. Nothing was said and hardly anyone move. Not until a loud shriek echo loudly through all three levels of the mall: "It's a rogue vampire! "
Immediately panic erupted. Screams, cries, shouts, and just pure chaos rang in Yugi's ears as Atem started pull him through the panicking crowd of people. Atem guided Yugi through the chaos while avoiding the violent pushing and shoving. It would have been easier if Yugi actually cooperated with him, rather than being dead weight as he stumbled in the direction Atem continued to tug him in. However, Yugi's eyes were trained on the one person not running around and screaming, a perfectly still woman with skin pale as snow.
He had never seen anything like her before. Her hair was a mess of blonde tangles and looked in need of a wash. Her skin held no color. Her irises were black as coals and surrounded by a pool of vivid red, staring directly at him. It made Yugi's skin crawl.
Yugi's eyes widened in fear as he watched the woman start stalking towards them. The rogue wasn't focused solely on him though. With so much fresh blood running around, her senses were going wild. Yugi's violet eyes watch with horror as the rogue vampire settled down in a crouch before tackling an innocent boy to the ground. Her elongated fangs tore into his flesh effortlessly, like a warm knife slicing through cold butter. His screams, Yugi would never be able to forget them as he watch the rogue evilly tear his flesh off bit by bit.
Why wasn't anyone helping the boy? Why? Couldn't they see he was being mauled to death?! Yugi couldn't stand it. Even as the sight started to grow blurry as Atem moved them farther and farther away from the rogue vampire, Yugi could still see the details vividly. Skin and muscle were being torn off with each bite, fangs were digging deeper with each bite as the rogue worked her way to get direct access to the young child's jugular. Blood stained the mall's marble floors an angry burgundy with a large pool of the life giving liquid that only continued to grow. Those painful screams grew weaker and weaker until they were faint murmurs and then a deathly silence.
He didn't save him. No one had saved him. No one had come to his aid instead, they all ran for their lives not wanting to be the rogue's second meal. Yugi should have done something. He should have pulled away from Atem and went to rescue that boy. He should have fought to save the boy's life. But he hadn't, Yugi had let him did instead. He didn't even attempt to go save him. He just watched, that's all he had done.
Yugi heard the sound of the shopping bags hitting the ground before he was roughly shoved to the ground.
"Curl up! Protect your head!" Someone barked at him.
He couldn't recognize the voice, but he did as he was told. Yugi was in a state of shock. His mind was looping the memory of the rogue vampire killing the young boy over and over. All he could see was the death of that child, the child he didn't save. His hands were soaked in the blood of an innocent life. He hadn't help, it was his fault, his!
"Calm down, Yugi. Breath. In and out, in and out," Someone's warm breath tickled his ear as the soft calming whisper tried to ease his worries away.
He could breath, but that child would never take a breath again. He should have been the one to die, not that child. Not an innocent kid who committed no sin.
'Yugi, calm down. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't save him, even if you tried. The first wound was already fatal. He was gone the moment he lost grip of his mother's hand. You didn't cause his death, now relax. It's okay now,' The words of the soothing voice in his head ended put an end to the instant replay of the rogue vampire murdering a child. The memory was pushed to the further part of his mind as wave of blissful calmness cleansed his terrified mind. His mind became less focus on the tramatizing event until the teen had forgotten it completely. And slowly, he began to notice things around him that he hadn't known.
His body was sandwiched between the cold tile floor of a public restroom floor and a warm body that could only belong to Atem. He was in a small restroom, only meant for one person to occupy at a time. The light was off and the only sound was Yugi's uneven breathing and Atem's even breaths. Yugi closed his eyes and placed his cheek against the cool tile floor. He felt extreme mentally and physically exhaustion, but he knew couldn't rest, not yet at least. He still had to leave this mall without being killed by the rogue creating hell just outside the bathroom's door, go home and help Atem put his things away, and he also had feed Yami.
"Are you good?" Atem concerned voice whispered into his eyes, his warm breath ghosting against Yugi's skin.
"I will be, just…tired," He answered trying to sound strong and not like the coward he felt like.
Yugi felt one of Atem's hands press his head against the floor lightly and hold him there. "Stay completely still. Don't move not even when the door is opened."
Yugi felt Atem's weight vanish from his body, only leaving the cold as he took the comforting heat with him. Yugi heard a soft click followed by a small ray of light starting to illuminate the bathroom. He could hear heavy breathing, almost like panting.
"Blood. Need blood," The voice was sinister, demonic, and completely evil.
Yugi fought with himself and kept completely still just as Atem had instructed him to do. It became harder and hard not to move as the breathing grew louder and louder in his eardrum. It was almost as if the rogue was breathing directly into his ear. There was a cold gust of air against his cheek and Yugi's heart skipped several beats. He tried to tell him it was just a gust of wind from the air condition in the mall, but the tuff of air was blown on his cheek again…and again…and again.
It was breathing on him. The rogue now on top of his body, breathing in his scent.
"Alive. Fresh blood. Give me. Give me – Argh!"
A loud thud followed by a sickening crack caused Yugi to disobey Atem's orders and lift his head to investigate the sound. Just outside the bathroom, was Atem pinning the rogue vampire against the cement wall. Yugi watched with terror in his eyes as the creature covered in blood tried to bite at Atem's neck.
"Found you! I found you! Master will be so pleased!" The demonic creature cooed with joy as it broke free from Atem's grasp. "Must feed. Must have your blood!"
Atem didn't say anything to the creature as he dodged a slash from claws that was sloppily aimed for his face and chest. The creature continued to try to land any type of blow on the royal vampire. Kicks, slashes, pounces, punches, and bites were all avoided by the Original. He was light on his feet and even fast despite having slept for a thousands of years. However those quick dodges and narrow escapes were dwindling as time passed onward.
The rogue vampire once again pounced at Atem and this time, the purest of pureblood vampires didn't dodge the attack. He countered it with his own attack, flickering his palm towards the filthy creature driven mad by blood. His own shadow darted out towards the creature at the speed of sound . Just inches away from tackling the Original vampire, the rogue vampire was engulfed completely by Atem shadow.
"No! Must kill! Must kill the king! Must feed! Must drink! His blood, Master wants his blood!" The same words were repeated over and over at Atem as the rogue tried to fight off his shadow. The creature was just wasting energy as it wrestled with the black matter.
Yugi could tell Atem had enough of the insane vampire. The man's brow scrunched together in annoyance and let out a loud tsk. His hand outstretched towards the stretching rogue slowly start curl into a tight fist. As his fingers curled inward, the rogue screams became louder and even more painful. It was when Atem's hand was fully curled into a fist, did Yugi's start to notice how the rogue vampire's head started swell. The pressure in Atem's fist continue to grow while the rogue's head continued to expand slight until finally, it popped
Blood, bits of bone, and brain matter splattered in all directions, coating everything in red. Yugi's pupils dilated as he felt wetness splatter on his hands and on top of his head. Removing his hands from the back of his neck, the human brought them in front of his face. Dots of bright red littered the backs of his hands in small dots.
Yugi's body grew cold and his stomach twisted into knots, threatening to empty out everything he had consumed that day. Closing his eyes, Yugi fought with everything he had to keep his breakfast and Diet Coke down. 'You've seen worse. Just don't look. You've seen worse. Don't look at it. ' He chanted the words over and over in his head. It was the truth, Yugi had seen worse. Atem making the rogue vampire's head pop just like a balloon under too much pressure, wasn't as bad as Yami dismembering Ushio and the other thugs in front of his eyes. Though both were equals in their gore.
Opening his eyes, Yugi mustered the strength to stand up on his legs, but he didn't do anything more. He kept his gaze on the original as Atem glared at the headless body of the rogue on the ground. His focused was on Atem although, was no better than the corpse; covered head to toe with random splatters of blood. Even so, Yugi tried to keep his eyes off the bloody corpse the best he could. That was until Atem started to poke the dead body with tip of Ryou's black and white Vans.
"Don't do that! Don't touch it!" Yugi snapped at Atem in a shaky voice. He was hoping he sound strong with the little bit of bravo he had which, was the exact opposite of what he sounded like. His hands were fist by his sides. Yugi was trying to not shake but the fearful quivers still occurred every few seconds.
Atem said nothing but he did removed his shoe from the corpse. He used to pad of his thumb to wipe his left cheek, cleaning it from a small splatter of blood. When the vampire went to lick his thumb, Yugi closed his eyes and turned his head away from the sight. Why the hell is he tasting that?! Yugi swallowed, suppressing the bile that was beginning to rise in his throat. The human was starting to think the world wasn't strange, just Atem.
When Yugi reopened his eyes, the corpse was gone and Atem was gathering their shopping bags. Yugi looked at the original vampire and then back to the ground where the dead rogue used to lay.
"W-Where did the body go?"
"It is being disposed of," His answer was short and vague and Yugi didn't question it. The less he knew, the better.
"What…What type of rogue vampire was that? I…I've never anything like it," Yugi hugged himself, trying to keep his cool. He already had lost it once, he wasn't going to lose it a second time.
"I'm not sure," Atem replied calmly as if nothing had ever happened and offered a hand to Yugi. "Come, Let us go back to your home."
An: I love the relationship between Yugi and Atem. It's interesting...
I hoped this chapter was enjoyable, I had a blast writing it. If you don't mind, I would like to hear what your favorite part of Traitor is so far.
I like the escalator part. I got the idea when I went to the mall last weekend and seen a little kid freaking out while riding one. I plan on bringing it up later on in the story.
I really, really want to give a shout out to all of my followers, favorite-ers, and reviewers.
You guys are amazing. I adore you and am very grateful for your support. I support all of you back and you send you love from characters who are gay and have starfish shaped hair.
Since this one was mostly Atem and Yugi, the next chapter focuses more on Yami and Yugi.
Also, the second feeding and some more fun events take place!
Thank you very much for your support.
Remember to read and review! :)
Edited on: Oct. 28, 2016.
