AN: Please enjoy.


Night Nine
Encounters


The Pharaoh glared at the odd sheet of papyrus in his hand. His mind slowly translated the foreign written language into the one of his homeland. The words he came up with, however, made no sense as brought the white sheet with elegant written symbols closer to his eyes.

"Dear Solomon Mutou," Atem reread the words out loud to himself in the strange tongue, trying to get used to speaking the language he only knew as Japanese from Yami. "Please meet me at my office on December…"Atem narrowed his eyes at the writing trying to comprehend the two squiggles on the sheet of paper.

"On December 26th," He stated unsure, wondering if that was the correct way to say and read the unknown term. He looked over the paper, front and back, to search for more of the writing, but found nothing. His eyes reflected his disappointment before he folded the sheet up and returned it back to its home in the red envelope. The former Pharaoh placed the envelope back on Yugi's nightstand and stood to explore Yugi's room even further. There was still so much for him to discover in the small confined area.

Atem moved towards Yugi's desk, finding it to be a more ideal place to start his 'exploration'. His slim fingers lightly gliding across the dark polished wood as his eyes scanned over the many unknown items the young human had on the smooth wooden piece of furniture. He admired the delicate wood work and was amazed by how Yugi's family was able to afford such a piece of work. Back in his time, such a desk made of dark wood like Yugi's, would have cost Atem an arm and a leg despite being Pharaoh. He allowed his hand to drift down, his long fingers curling around the handle of a drawer and pulled gentle to open the storage compartment. Peeking inside the drawer of Yugi's desk, Atem's curious eyes caught the shimmering sight of the jewel made from his blood. The item he had given to Heba as a sign of the human's loyalty and his admiration for the child.

Tenderly, the Original vampire picked the stone up with his hands, wincing slightly at the odd heat it gave off. His eyes narrowed, watching the gem that resembled the color of fresh blood rest in his palm. Something was amiss with the object, it wasn't the same as he remembered it. Not that Atem had expected it to seem the same after three thousand years, but there was a dark force coming from the magical object that had not originally been there when he had first created the blood stone. Its pureness had been tainted by horrors it had been put through that he hadn't witness.

Cautiously, Atem allowed his shadows to try and penetrate the crimson gem Yugi had referred to as a concealing stone. He wanted to test the stone's true purpose was still active; the reflective barrier it used to repeal his family's powers. If it was active, Atem could perhaps relax a bit more when he was around Yugi. He wouldn't have to worry about the shadows lashing out at the human plus, it would be nice to have someone he could truly vent to without the fear of hurting them. Keeping his emotions and thoughts constantly bottled was starting to drive him insane.

The hazy silhouette of a hand formed over the red stone, fingers extended and reaching to touch out towards the concealing stone. Atem waited with bated breath, the dark foggy hand brushing its middle finger against the smooth surface of the stone. He braced himself, drawing in a quick breath and closed his eyes, expecting pain as the shadows were sent flying back towards him. A lapse of just ten seconds passed and the Pharaoh opened one of his eyes to peek down at the stone. Nothing was happening.

"What in Ra's name…" Atem opened both of his eyes and looked at the stone he had created thousands of years ago as if it was something from this 'future' he was living in. The mystical dark matter swirled around the stone, brushing against it and receiving no negative reaction. No jolt, no bright light dispersing them, no pain; it was as if the gem was just a normal rock in Atem's palm.

The Pharaoh cursed, setting the stone back in the spot where he had found it and leaving it as if he had never touched the item. New thoughts swarmed in his mind like angry hornets, searching for answers for why the stone had not repealed his shadows. It wasn't normal, something was off about the gem made from his blood. Atem briefly thought about how his magic could have possibly worn away from the years of use, but it was immediately dismissed when he remembered Yugi claiming it protected his family. Which left Atem to face the thought of someone having tampered with the gift meant for his late human lover.

Sighing frustratingly, Atem closed the drawer of Yugi's desk. His mind revolved around how the stone became defenseless and what actions he will need to take in the future because of this predicament. He took a seat in the bizarre chair station near Yugi's desk. He crossed his legs with some difficulty from the form fitting pants he wore, while his arms crossed over his chest as he deeply thought over his many options. Something or someone had been able to 'influence' his magic infused with the stone, causing Atem great concern. Only an Original vampire could manipulate or disband the spell he used to create the blood stone, and that was still a difficult thing to do. Obviously Yami wasn't capable of such a thing since he is not a true Original, Ahknadin would have killed him without resorting to cowardly tactics if he was an Original, and the only other person who could possibly be an Original was dead as dirt…

"Outside. Perhaps the culprit is outside your bloodlines."

Atem's body went stiff as his eyes cut to his left glaring at the shadows that started to grow from underneath Yugi's bed, slowly flooding the room with an overbearing Pharaoh tilted his head up, looking down at the curse of his bloodline like it was puddle of mud in his way.

"I distinctly remembered telling you to be silent," He spoke coldly in his native tongue, uncrossing his arms to grip the edges of the chair's armrests like he did so many time to his throne during his reign. "We both know very well that that, is not possible.

Atem's ruby colored eyes started blazing a vivid crimson as he watch the shadows slowly over take Yugi's room, covering everything in a pitch black and sparing only the boy's skylight.

"You cannot command us, foolish boy," The shadows hissed softly, its misty form licking at the vampire's sock covered feet. Atem had to suppress a shiver from the cold sensation that prickled his tan skin, along with the anger bubbling inside his chest.

"You will obey me," He left no room for the hisses to argue with him. "I am your vessel, you cannot act without my consent. My word is the unbreakable law to you!"

"Is that so?" This hisses laughed as coils of black mist started to try and consume Atem, however, the vampire showed no fear and nor did he flinch as the shadows' cool sinister touch attempted to scale his body.
Atem simply closed his eyes and relaxed, leaning back against the chair he sat in, trying to keep him mind calm and blank. "What if we dare to try and break this rule you have over us, hmm? You cannot tame us, we listen to no one!"

The Pharaoh winced and hissed slightly when screams of terror echoed in his ears and mind, along with the buzz of noisy chattering whispers. He attempted to block the torture out, knowing that the shadows were merely trying to get him crack underneath the pressure. He refused to fall in such a disgraceful and weak way. Drawing in an elongated breath, Atem opened his eyes to stare straight ahead at the obscurity he was forced to live in for thousands of years.

"You do not think I cannot put you back in your place?" Dark amusement tinted Atem's baritone vocals as a challenging smirk appeared on his face. "Then try me. I'll seal you back within the puzzle before the night is up!" The Pharaoh chuckled darkly, and stood from his perch, his smirk now a sinister grin. "I only called upon you the night of my release to deliver a message and reclaim my blood! It was not an invitation to stay."

"Aha ha, what puzzle foolish boy? The Millennium Puzzle is no more! It has been shattered into bits, the original form is no more!" The shadows hissed over their noisy chattering that was failing to drive Atem mad.

The black mist started to swirl around the vampire, bits of purple lights appearing as the dark magic grew chaotic. "Your reign is over, there is a more suitable vessel awaiting us. He's calling to us through your tainted blood. It's time to stop playing king, Atem!"

The bloodthirsty shadows whirled around him, the sounds of things falling and breaking on the floor echoed in his ears along with the clattering of other items, rippling papers, and the angry howl of the magical wind. The Pharaoh tsked at the shadows and stood firm, they were like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. If he wanted Yugi's room to survive, he was going to have to relocate to another location. The purest of pureblood vampires enjoyed staying with the Mutou family' and refused to allow his temporary home to be the victim of his shadows' latest attempt on his life.

With difficulty, Atem moved the chair he had been sitting in earlier under Yugi's sky light and climbed on top of it. The shadows he was cursed with hadn't left him much of a choice on his exits, blocking off Yugi's door that lead to the other areas of his house and the one window in the young human's room.

Atem cursed heavily in his native language as he pushed against the cool clear surface of the skylight while standing on the tips of his toes. He pressed his palms against the glass harder in hopes the protective covering of the rooftop window would remove itself. When it failed, the Pharaoh looked down to see the shadows clawing at his clothed legs; taunting him with meaningless hisses. He was running out of options and fast.

The vampire curled his right hand into a tight fist and pressed it against his chest. He drew in a calming breath before thrusting his elbow up and smashing against the skylight above him. Glass shattered above him and fell down into Yugi's room with a loud crackling. Atem vaguely felt a burning sensation in his right arm around his elbow, followed by the scent of his own blood filling the room, but it was pushed to the back of his mind as he jumped up to grab onto the ledge of the roof and Yugi's sky light. His arm protested against the cruel abuse after his stunt, and screamed its defiance when the vampire started to pull himself through his exit.

The moment Atem felt his forearms beneath the rough texture of the house's shingles, he started hoisting his lower body up struggling to get it through the busted window. When his chest pressed against the grainy roof, a large gust of wind threatened to make Atem's grip falter, had he not had the strength of a vampire. The vampire closed his eyes briefly before looking up to see the wild shadows darting out of the confinement of Yugi's room and into the vast open of the night sky. When the harsh gust of wind final subsided, the Original vampire wasted no more time and quickly climbed the rest of the away onto the roof with little problems.

"Look at that, you're making quite a mess. You're unfit to be a king."

Atem rolled his eyes at the taunting from the shadows, not even bothering with answering the black fog as he started to climb to the peak of the roof. The shadows were starting to become a major thorn in his side. They were acting completely normal and knew he was still weak from being released from the seal thus, causing chaos for him to deal with the magic's tantrum and its attempt to overthrow him. Yet, not once had he tried to physically control them since the night he confronted Yami indirectly. The vampire knew he wouldn't be able to fully bend them to his will even when he was at full health, Atem still couldn't get the damn things to listen to him without the aid of the Millennium Puzzle. His use of the shadows the night he was freed by Yugi, was a moment of weakness. The dark creatures were merely feeding off his hatred and anger and only listen because it meant they could destroy life.

The Original vampire climbed the roof of Kame Game shop with ease, finding it much easier than climbing the slick walls of his home back in Ancient Egypt. The palms of his hands and soles of his feet steadied himself briefly, before the Pharaoh stood tall on top of the roof with confidence. Even while his elbow was bleeding and he dressed in the peculiar clothing Yugi had loan him for the day, Atem still appeared to be hauntingly beautiful, fierce, and regal. His face was set in a firm scowl, sharp crimson eyes narrowed, and his body was taut while standing straight up. No fear touched Atem's expression despite how his undead heart wanted to beat with his anxiety.

"This is enough!" The proper Vampire King snapped at the shadows that swirled like a dark vortex, in the sky. His head was tilted upwards in an arrogant and proud fashion as he kept his eyes glued to the dark matter. "Your pettiness will cease here before you do any harm!"

"Again, you cannot order us! You have no power to do so, we order you!"

"As if," The Pharaoh snorted, placing his hands on his hips with his legs spread shoulder width apart. His bronzed skin was a smooth milk chocolate in the dull lighting of the cloudy winter night. "I shall seal you in the Millennium Puzzle by sunrise if you do not stop this tantrum."

"The puzzle is broken into a thousand pieces! You'll never be able to seal us!" The shadows hissed and screeched, flying in unpredictable patterns around Atem like a swarm of wasp.

A smug grin of pure confidence plaster itself on the vampire's face, his eyes shining brightly with his fiery spirit. "What has been broke, can always be repaired! I can place the pieces back together in ten human heart beats!"

"You're so overly confident with yourself, but not everything can be fixed after it has been broke,." The shadows cackled with a sinister tone. "Take the human you were intrigued with, he was torn into many pieces, but no one was able to put him back together."

Atem's grin faded into thin line, his face not portraying any emotion other than his eyes that were livid with his anger. "His soul was ripped from his body, then his body was shredded by your loyal subjects. He wasn't even entomb!"

The Original vampire's eyes slowly grew darker, almost a pitch black as he balled his fist at his sides. He closed his eyes, trying to keep his anger suppressed, trying to not show a sliver of weakness. "You lie!"

"Do we? Do we lie, boy? We see all, we hear all. Nothing can slip by us, for we are shadows! We are everywhere!" The black fog with speckles of violet suddenly rushed Atem from all directions.
The vampire's eyes shot opened and he stepped to his left to keep from being hit by the mystical darkness. Atem said nothing to the shadow magic with a mind of its own. He couldn't form words to describe how vexed this curse had made him.

"Yugi! What in the fuck are ya' doing, pal?"

Atem inhaled sharply, a voice was calling out to Yugi. The human who had saved him from his dark fate was here and his shadows were out of control, the boy was in danger.

Distracted by the thought of Yugi being close by, Atem looked over his shoulder and down at ground. Turning his attention away from the shadows to make sure the boy wasn't near him. He questioned why his sense of smell hadn't alerted him of the boy's presence.

"Die, vessel!"

"Yug'!"

Atem felt a hard push to his chest just as his shadows passed through his body, causing a dull ache as the darkness' chill settled in his thoracic body cavity. He lost his footing on the roof, falling backwards and hitting rough surface before his body slid down the slope with no signs of stopping. The Pharaoh reached out with his left hand, letting his palm to scrap against the shingles of the roof in order to slow down. Instead, his hand failed and his body went airborne as he toppled of the edge of the roof.

The weightless feeling as he fell through the air only lasted a full second before the Original vampire's hand latched onto the gutter mounted to the edge of the roof. Adrenaline pumped through Atem's body as he desperately panted to catch his breath, despite not needing air to actually survive. His body swung in the air with his hand's grip on the gutter of the Mutou residency, the only thing keeping him from taking a three-story drop.

"Son of a bitch,"Atem cursed in Japanese, upset with himself forgetting distracted. The attack his shadows used on him was nothing serious, just something to spook him. He used to make them do it to his friend all the time when he was younger, now he understood why they would get irritated and hit him afterwards. It was an unpleasant feeling that was just plain creepy!

The Pharaoh allowed his body to relax slightly when he watched the shadows swirl violently above him before disbursing and dissolving into the night. He couldn't help but glare at where the most troublesome pain in his ass had just been. To think he almost went head first into insanity because of his rage, he was about to repeat the mistakes of his ancestors!

Atem felt his lips tug downward in a frown as he reflected over his actions. He was going to have to somehow acquire the Millennium Puzzle, and soon. He wouldn't risk his shadows having another outburst around humans. It could have dangerous effect, ones that might lead the weaker race to death. He wouldn't risk having the shadows he was cursed with murder his kind hosts.

"Oi, Yug! I gottcha' pal, just drop down!"

Blinking, Atem directed his gaze downwards to see a very rough looking blonde gazing up at him with a worried expression. Atem sniffed the air cautiously and wrinkled his nose when caught the odd scent of the male. It was woodsy and sweet. Like a mixture of pine and cinnamon or oak and honey. There was the natural calm smell that belong to all vampires, but with a tweak making it clear he wasn't of pureblood or born into the race. Not to mention he had a faint trace of a spearmint smell lingering on his body along with the salty smell of sweat. The blonde's scent alone made Atem reluctant to just 'drop down' as the other had put it. And since the other vampire had yet to catch his own scent, Atem had a feeling that he wasn't going to react well when he discovered he wasn't Yugi.

"Come on, just let go will ya'!" The vampire bellow Atem groaned with impatience as he held out his arms for the catch. "I'm not gonna let ya hit the ground."

Atem kept a composed face, though his irritation was still present. He ignored the other vampire, focusing on climbing back onto the roof. The royal wasn't sure if he could trust the young man below, he may have known Yugi, but Atem didn't know him. Dropping down into his arms wasn't worth the risk of finding out if he was a friend or foe.

A soft crackling noise above him cause Atem to look up and at the same time, the person below him cried out. "Yugi, drop down now!"

The white halfpipe Atem was hanging off of was starting to sag towards the ground from the strain of withstanding the Pharaoh's weight. However, Atem refused to let go, not wanting to trust someone who he had no knowledge of. Without another warning, the gutter collapsed underneath the Pharaoh's grip, depriving him of his leverage and sending him plummeting towards the ground.

"Shit!"

"I gottcha pal!"

With a soft 'oomph', Atem landed in out stretched arms before he hit the ground with dull smack. Something heavy toppled over him, pinning him to the ground for the moment as his stunned mind tried to sort itself out.

Something like this never happened when he was dangling from the roofs back in his homeland. He couldn't recall a moment where a roof gave out underneath him, nor had he ever had someone attempt to catch him or interfere with his fun. Though Atem could hardly call the aftermath of dealing with the shadows any fun.

Growling in annoyance, Atem pushed the groaning male off him. "Get off of me!"

With the extra weight off his body, the Original vampire sat up while supporting his upper body with his right arm. The stingy pain served as a dull reminder of his injury. Atem cautiously eyed the golden haired vampire that was starting to sit up himself.

"What the hell is your problem…Yug?" The words died on the rowdy vampire's lips as honey colored eyes gazed at Atem in completely bewilderment.

The Pharaoh said nothing nor made any movements as the male before him leaned forward and took in his scent. It was about time that the lower class vampire used his senses to make note he wasn't some weak human.

"What the fuck! Who the fuck are you!?" The dirty blonde male spat, his golden eyes burning bright with anger and confusion as he forced himself to his feet. "What the hell were ya doin' on top of my friend's house?"

Atem kept himself calm, not allowing the rough looked vampire's comments and vulgar speech affect him. His crimson eyes kept their gaze on the being in front of him, never looking away as he stood to his feet and dusted his dirty clothes off.

"I could ask you the same," He replied snappily, folding his arms over his chest and ignoring the sting in his elbow. He would tend to it later, after he dealt with this trespasser.

"I'm here to check on my best friend instead, I find some creep standing on his roof and yellin' out some gibberish shit!" The other vampire growled, fangs bared at Atem and fist curled tightly at his sides. "Leave from dis' place, ya creep!"

Atem narrowed his eyes in annoyance, his own fingers curling into fist before flexing out again. It was obvious this male before him was either poorly raised or a newborn; this disrespect towards a pureblood vampire was unheard of back in his rule!

"It wasn't gibberish," The Pharaoh stressed firmly his eyes blazing brightly with his irritation. "And I am not a creep! I am a guess of this residency!"

"Yeah right! My pal Yugi wouldn't let another vampire into his home other than me!" The blonde stated confidently as his anger spiked. "Especially some weird ass thief!"

The Original vampire's tolerance for the rowdy vampire before him completely vanished when he was depicted as a lowly thief. His body physically trembled with his wrath and his crimson eyes dulled into dark sinister maroon. It took nearly all of his self-control not to lung at the blonde before him and rip out his vocal cords. "Enough, I will not tolerate your vulgar language anymore!"

"Aw, is someone getting' upset? The why don't ya leave before I make ya!" The taller vampire threatened with a low hiss.

"Like some newborn could make me leave," The Pharaoh hissed back trying to keep calm. He couldn't afford to this fool upset him like he was, he needed to keep in control.

"I'm not a newborn! I'm well past that shitty stage!" The vampire retaliated. "I'm gonna kick your ass – "

"Katsuya Jonouchi if you dare lay a hand on that boy, I'll be the one to be kicking your ass!"

Atem did not dare to look behind him at Solomon, the old man's warm spicy scent and rough voice was more than enough confirmation that the elderly human was standing behind him. The Pharaoh wasn't going to make the same mistake twice in one night.

"Why are ya defending this creep, Gramps!? He was just on your roof and his elbow's got glass in it!" The vampire pointed out. "Not to mention he reeks like rotten flesh!"

Atem tried his best to ignore the burning heat plaguing his face from the blonde's rude comment. "You smell like a camel's backside!" The Original snapped back in defense.

"Arrogant son of bitch!" Jonouchi raised his fists, preparing to assault the other vampire and make him take his words back.

"Enough! Both of you quit this now!" Solomon yelled demanding to be listen to as he walked past Atem to stand in between the two vampires. "I will not have you two acting like children and fighting in my front yard!"

"Solomon he-"

"Boy if you finish that sentence, I'll starve you tomorrow," The old man warned as he cast a cold glare with his dark purple eyes. "You'll have to fend for yourself."

Atem's protest died in his throat as he looked away from the elderly man while muttering under his breath. He kept his hearing sharp in case Jonouchi had any 'bright' ideas.

"Gramps, who is this guy? Why are you actin' like you're close to him and stuff?" Jonouchi questioned his honey colored eyes flicker between Atem and Solomon.

"He's my nephew's son," The retired hunter stated causing Atem look at him with one of his eyebrows raised. "My nephew was turned and he married a pureblood vampire and Heba here –" Solomon gestured towards Atem, "Is their son. He's staying with us while his parents are away on a business trip."

Atem turned his head fully away from the other two, he was definitely going to fail when it was time for his judgment. Using his dead lover's name as a cover up for his own identity was surely going to damn him for not letting his late feeder rest in peace.

"So you're tellin' me that this jerk is related to Yug'?" Jonouchi asked not believing Solomon completely. "He's nothin' like my pal!"

Atem's scowl grew more intense when he heard Solomon's laughter from Jonouchi's reaction. He couldn't tell if the human was laughing at the idea of him being actually related to a human or how the other vampire bluntly stated they were nothing alike.

"They're distant cousins, so the family resemblance is hard to see," Solomon reassured Jonouchi before he looked back over towards the pharaoh who appeared to be ignoring them. "I believe we should move this party inside so I can take care of that wound you have, Heba. I expect a full explanation why your elbow his cut up in such a way."

Fear prickled in Atem's chest and he backed away from the older man. "I can take care of myself! You do not need to treat it, it'll heal on its own in just a few days."

"Nonsense, Jonouchi will you grab him for me? Take him upstairs while I go get the rubbing alcohol," Solomon asked and started to head back inside the Mutou household, leaving the two vampires by themselves.

Honey colored irises meet dark rubies.
"Don't you even think about it," Atem snapped at Jonouchi with venom in his words.

"Fine, just get your ass inside or I'll drag you in," Jonouchi said seriously shoving his hands in his pockets and following after the elderly human.

Atem sighed and used his left hand to cradle his injured elbow, allowing his fingers to gently pull out the glass embedded in his flesh. He winced slightly, but dealt with the pain as he picked the shards out before heading inside his temporary home. "Ra have mercy on me, please."


Violet eyes looked at the reddish brown liquid in the pale green mug that Yami held out, with disgust. Yugi moved backwards away from the foul smelling substance and his eyes locked onto Yami with a defiant look.
"No, I'm not drinking that," He said rebelliously and tried to push the warm mug away from him. "It stinks worse than Jou when he hasn't bathed in a week."

"Oh come on," Yami sighed through his mouth, his nose was pitched close by his free hand and making him sound nasally. "It's not that bad," He defended. "Just drink it, you'll feel better afterwards." Yami held the mug out and leaned in closer towards Yugi. "I thought you didn't want to be a vegetable."

Yugi's face scrunched up as the awful smelling liquid came closer towards him. "Correction, my grandfather doesn't want me to be a vegetable; I on the other hand, I have no problems with it." The human turned his face away trying to avoid the mug containing the drink Yami had been trying for the last hour to get him to drink. "Plus how can you say it's not bad when you're holding your nose to keep from smelling it!"

Groaning, Yami released his nose but decided against breathing. "There, better?" He mumbled in annoyance. "Now will you drink the damn stuff?"

"You're not breathing," Yugi pointed out and pressed his hand against Yami's chest, feeling no movement underneath his palm and fingers. "Cheater."

"Yugi please…just please drink the damn potion so Isis won't have a fit later," Yami pleaded on the verge of giving up, he looked at Yugi with tired burgundy eyes that would have made any girl swoon with just one look.

The human shifted underneath Yami's pleading look, unable to say no to the vampire. "…Fine," He mumbled softly taking the green mug from Yami's hand hesitantly. He looked up at the vampire who looked like he had just won a Duel Monster tournament. "You still owe me my shaved ice," The human added softly before looking down at the mug with pure hatred.

Yugi continued to glare at the foul smelling potion before he placed the mug to his lips, he cringed at the powerful smell but forced himself to drink the liquid anyways.

The potion Yami gave him was surprisingly tasteless, despite the horrible smell. The texture was thick and chalky as he sucked it into his mouth and swallowed it in rushed gulps. Yugi did his best not to let the smell upset his stomach as he took the final sip and shoved the mug back at Yami as he wiped his mouth clean with his other hand. "Are you sure it'll work?" He questioned the vampire eying him cautiously.

"It works every time on the other feeders," The pureblood vampire said confidently as he placed the empty mug on the night stand next to the bed before taking a seat by Yugi's feet. "Rest here for a bit and your blood will replenish itself in just a day's time. No negative effects, the only downside is that putrid smell," The older teen spoke, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "It's even worse when Isis makes it fresh."

Yugi shivered at the thought of the liquid smelling even worse than what he had just experience. "You're joking, right?" Yugi asked, though he knew that Yami wasn't like to him.

"I wish I wasn't," The vampire sighed gazing at Yugi, who was still tucked underneath the dark comforter of the soft queen-sized bed. "Bakura and his feeder were the latest victims of Isis' fresh batch of blood replacement serum."

"Poor Ryou."

"Poor Bakura," Yami shuttered. "He couldn't kiss his feeder on the mouth for three days straight."

Yugi shook his head smiling and drew his legs in closer towards himself. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad," He allowed his eyes to gaze around the now lit room. It was far much different than the first room he had been in when he and Yami had their first feeding. "Whose room am I in?"

"Your room," Yami clarified leaning back and supporting his upper body with his arms. "Each feeder who has connections or ties to the Sacred Guardians or me, has a room here in the estate. This is your room."

Yugi looked at Yami in awe before down at his hands folded in his lap. Providing him a room in his domain must have been some form of 'care' perk from being Yami's feeder. Yugi felt grateful, but also overwhelmed that such a large room was his when his room back at his home, was three times smaller than the current one he was in. "Thank you, but this isn't necessary," Yugi kindly rejected the ownership for the room.

"Doesn't matter if you want it or not, it's still yours. Use it as you see fit," Yami stated flatly. "There is also a few things I need to inform you of, as well."

Yugi sat up more properly, making himself more comfortable as he folded his legs in to sit cross legged. "Like what? You went over the rules right after you fed from me the first time. What else do you have to tell me?" Yugi asked curious about what Yami was going to say.

"I want to address you about the issues surrounding the former king, also a few housekeeping items," Yami's voice hinted at the possibility the subject bored him from its dull tone. "At anytime in the future that you come in contact with the former king, let me know. Even he doesn't seem like a rogue vampire to you, I cannot rule the possibility out. Don't try to defend him," Yami cut his eyes towards Yugi when he heard the human open his mouth to speak. "I have not been able to see his face for nearly ten years, nor have I heard his voice in three thousand years. Finding him and making sure he is sane is my main priority. If the man who ruled this kingdom before me had lost himself during the years he was trapped under that seal, I could not allow him to suffer a fate that was even crueler than being forced into an unwanted do I want you to risk your safety just based on your 'gut', as humans say."

Yami sat up and looked towards Yugi, his face unreadable and his burgundy red eyes matched. "If At- the former king is truly lost to his bloodlust and can not be rehabilitated, then I need to contain him before he causes another death or destruction to the world."

Yugi paled at Yami's words, his face showing his dread. "Contain? You're not planning on resealing him are you?" He questioned the vampire, worried about all of his hard work on rehabilitating Atem and freeing him, going to waste.

"I that is what it takes to keep the world safe rom his wrath, then I am prepared to seal his soul and dispose of his body," Yami shuffled closer towards Yugi, his red-violet eyes gazing into Yugi's violet ones. "Why does that seem to bother you? Do you pity him, or perhaps, me?"

"No, I don't pity anyone…"Yugi trailed off swallowing the lump in his throat, "It's just cruel." The human dropped his gaze to his hands, rubbing them nervously. "The former king could just be hurting. If you were in his position, waking up thousands of years after being sealed and isolated from the world, would you not act out yourself? I know I would. I wouldn't be sure how to react to this world. Perhaps the king is just hurt and confused, trying to adjust to his life now and regain a sense of normalcy. "

A sharp intake of breath came from Yami followed by a few swear words. "You are just too trusting. How can I make you see the colossal threat that this man is to your life?!"

Yugi allowed his eyes to look at Yami and almost regretted it when he seen the fury that burned deeply in his dark red eyes. "What force on Earth can compelled you to take the danger of a starving Original vampire that's three-thousand years old, seriously? "

Yugi picked up a pillow from behind him and held it out in front of him like a shield. "I'm just trying to have a positive outlook on the situation. Don't you think I know that Atem could kill me at any given moment of the day without me even realising it?! I've been worrying about that since last night!"

"Worrying since last night? You've known about this situation since last night!?" Yami growled out his question before snatching the pillow away from Yugi. "A pillow won't protect you from a vampire, stupid human."

"I...I," Yugi reach behind him and grabbed a different pillow, this time he squeezed it to his chest and place his face against the cool softness. "I have. My grandpa was freaking out about it last night. Claiming that he was 'released' and was now a potential danger to the whole world." Yugi informed Yami of his grandfather's concerns from when he had brought Atem home, though the human simple chosen to exclude the situation behind his grandfather's words.

Yami didn't bother in answering Yugi, too busy with trying to calm himself before he did something irrational. None of this was Yugi's fault, the human was only trying to make light of a dark situation he was trapped in. Yet, it still irked Yami that his feeder reused to acknowledge that Atem could still potentially be a madman now. He had attacked his mate with a ridiculous cause and was nowhere to be found. Yami no longer had the power to control the shadows and use them to search or the older vampire. And the Pharaoh's scent had also vanished from his tomb located underneath the Muran Estate, leaving no trail or the tracking forces to haunt him. 'So then how can I locate him before it's too late? I used to always know where to find Atem through the...'

"The mating bond!" Yami suddenly yelled in alarm, causing Yugi to jump from his outburst.

"Mating what?"

"That's how I can locate him! He could clearly sense me through our Mating Bond, so there must be a way for me to sense him and be able to track down the bastard," Yami murmured to himself as he closed his eyes in deep thought, confusing Yugi even more.

"You have a bond with Atem?" Yugi asked hesitantly, not sure how Yami would react to his assumption.

"Had. I had a bond with Atem," He corrected Yugi. "It broke a few years ago when I moved on and decided to bed another that wasn't him," The vampire stated with a shrug and went back to his thoughts. "I might be able to locate him through it if I can concentration enough, but I have to wonder just how much he knows just by watching me through it before Seth and I consummated our love for each other."

Yugi felt his cheeks warm up from Yami's bold statement about having sex with some man named Seth. While the human thought it was too much information about the pureblood vampire, Yugi was also grateful for having been given another piece of the puzzle to why Atem was furious with Yami. The human lifted his head up to gaze at Yami with a scowl."If Atem attacked you last night, and your theory about him being able to see you through this bond the two of you held, maybe he's just pissed at you and not crazy. He could be mad because you slept with another person while he was stuck in some enchanted imprisonment."

For the first time, Yugi seen Yami look defeated as he held his head in his hands. "Don't tell me something I'm already aware of. The Pharaoh was a very jealous man during his time of rule. If one being even looked at me the wrong way, he would raise Hell over it. If he witnessed our consummation, no doubt he was screaming in pure rage and plotting both Seth's and my own death."

"If you knew that would happen, then why did you do it? " Yugi asked curiously, wanting to get to know Yami's reasoning.

Yami lifted his head from his hands and gazed at the human with dull eyes. "I was drunk, horny, and thought the man was dead as my previous feeder. I didn't think nor was I aware he could be potentially spying on me."

"You gave up on hope for Atem being saved," Yugi stated, lying back down on the bed, on his side so he could watch Yami.

"I had to. I couldn't cling on to the past for the rest of my life. Not when the past was dying and being left behind, and the Future offered a chance of happiness."

"It's not a bad thing to cherish the past, the happiness from it can give you light during the dark times."

Yugi watched Yami smirk softly and heard him chuckle quietly to himself. " I know, an acquaintance of mine used to say the same thing before she became a part of the past."

Nothing else was said between the two and Yugi felt his eyes grow heavy with exhaustion. The human would have drifted off into another round of slumber had Yami not cleared his throat to gain the human's attention, after a few minutes of silence. "Hmm?"

"Do you have your phone on you?" Yami asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Can I see it for a moment?" Yami asked as he held out his hand for the cellular device. "I'm just going to give you my contact numbers and the Sacred Guardians' phone numbers. In case you ever need them."

"Okay," Yugi wiggled underneath the blankets before he pulled out his phone and handed it to Yami without hesitation. "Just don't go through it."

"Scared I'm going to see something inappropriate?" Yami taunted as he took the device and took up the task of putting the phone numbers in Yugi's contacts.

"Not unless you look through my browser history," Yugi bluntly stated with a light blush dusting his cheeks. "Jonouchi used it last week to look up a porno to watch."

"And you just let him?"

"He's my best friend," Yugi stated tiredly. "He stole my phone to do it."

Yami rolled his eyes and made no further comments as he continued to type in the different contact numbers. Yugi tuned out the dull typing as he gave into his body's desire to sleep. He was just about to drift off into the peacefulness of sleep when the door to his room opened with a soft click.

"Did he drink it? All of it?" A stern female voice asked.

"Yes, he swallowed the entire thing Isis," Yami sighed and Yugi felt his phone drop next to him. "Is that why you're here? To make sure he drank your potion or are you here for something else?"

"I'm here to make sure my patient is faring well, Prince," Isis replied sharply, the click of her high heels muffled by the soft carpet of the floor as she approached them closer. Yugi groaned when he felt her hand gently press to his forehead. "How are you feeling, Yugi?"

"Tired," He mumbled out, squeezing his eyes tighter trying to coax himself back into sleep. "I really want to go to sleep. So if you don't mind…"

"I'll just be a moment, I need to make sure your vitals are stable and heal the bite marks Yami gave you," She responded and rolled Yugi over onto his back with a gentle nudge.

Yugi sighed through his nose before he sat up to make it easier for Isis to examine him. "Do you do this after every time he feeds?" He asked slightly annoyed when his eyes spied Yami watching him with a coy smile.

"Yes, I do," Isis stated as she placed the back of her hand to Yugi's forehead to check for fever. "Yami has proven it difficult to know when he's taken too much," He commented her icy blue eyes glancing towards said vampire. "He nearly killed his first feeder. Him and the former king attempted to double up on a feeder for Yami's first."

"H-He did? I thought it was impossible for a feeder to be fed from by two different vampires," The human completely looked over the fact Yami nearly had killed his first feeder, already knowing how difficult it was for a vampire to control their hunger. It was partially why Jonouchi refused to feed directly from someone and kept to bag blood and animal blood.

"It's not impossible," She stated while her hand drifted down to Yugi's neck, her index and middle finger pressing lightly against his jugular to check his pulse. " But it's extremely difficult on all parties; human and vampires. It take a considerable amount of endurance and the vampires can only take a pint each." Her hands left his neck after removing the bandage Yami had placed on his neck.

"Hey! I spent most of last night searching for that!" Yami snapped when Yugi winced as the sticky thing was removed from his skin.

"It's in the way and not needed," Isis informed the ruler with a flat tone. From under her heavy robes, the female pulled out a small grey clay jar. Its top was covered by some type cloth that Yugi couldn't recognize, even when Isis removed the bindings of the cloth and unsealed the jar.

She stuck her index finger inside the container and pulled it back out with a small amount of black paste on her finger. Yugi tilted his head to the side with confusion unable to figure out what type of medical ointment it was. "What is that stuff?"

"A mixture of herbs, the paste from an aloe plant, and hippopotamus blood. Heals any shallow open wound in just a matter of minutes," She replied before smearing the cold substance over the bite wounds Yami had left on Yugi's neck.

Yugi shivered, gagging at the thought that a hippo's blood was being rubbed on his neck. His reaction earned a round of laughter from Yami and Yugi, sent him a cold glare. "It's not funny! It's nasty!" The human snapped at the laughing vampire.

"I would have to agree, hippopotamus blood does not taste good at all. It is far too bitter," Isis commented as she closed the jar and concealed it back under her robes. "If your skin starts burning or if you feel unwell Yugi, have Yami send for me and I'll come back to reexamine you."

"Uhh, thank you Lady Isis," Yugi replied trying not to dwell on her words. "Do you know when I can go home?" The human asked trying to sound more cheerful as he looked at the female vampire with hopeful violet eyes.

"Perhaps tomorrow night, or the day after, " She replied. "You need to stay in bed tomorrow and rest while the blood replacement potion works. If you're too active, you'll produce too much blood and it'll cause serious complications. Try not to think too much about it though," The female physician and priestess said with a bright smile. "I'll be leaving then."

When Isis left his room, Yugi collapsed back onto his bed with a groan. "Does this mean I have to lay still all day?"

"Pretty much," Yami replied his voice seeming lighter and gentler, like he was having a conversation at school with Jonouchi, Marik, and Bakura.

"But what about going to the bathroom?" Yugi practically whined. "I don't think I can hold it in for an entire day. My bladder might explode if I do."

"I think bathroom breaks are an exception, Yugi," The pureblood stood from the bed, walking towards Yugi's nightstand to pick up the dirty mug. "Try to get some rest, I'll call your grandfather again and inform him not to expect you to be home tomorrow."

Yugi made a soft noise of agreement as he watch Yami disappear from his room. Yugi couldn't help but wonder why he was starting to actually feel comfortable around Yami. It wasn't something he was used to, letting his guard down around vampires. First Atem and now it was Yami, maybe the two purebloods were messing with his mind to get him to accept them into his life. Pulling the blankets up to his chin, Yugi snuggled into the warmth of the bed and closed his eyes. He would think about it more in the morning, for now his exhausted body needed sleep.

As his mind started to drift of, the human began to dream of a life where vampires didn't exist. A life were Atem, Yami, and himself were able to be close friends.


AR: Ahhhh, I was so sad this weekend! Fanfiction went down for me Friday night and stayed down till Sunday afternoon.
I would have updated this yesterday, but I needed to look it over. Sunday was a no go for updating because I was out celebrating my birthday with family and friends. ^-^

Thank you for all the lovely reviews, follows, and favorites! I appreciate everyone's support!

Edited on: Nov. 2, 2016.