"Is anybody home?

A fist pounded on the door.

"Ugh, come on Jirou! We know you're in there. Open up already!"

No answer.

"Damn it, Jirou. This isn't funny! Just open the door!"

"Uh, Jade? Maybe you shouldn't beat the door in? There's still plenty of daylight left."

"Yeah, so what's your point, Anzu?"

Anzu Mazaki rolled her eyes. "My point is that your brother may be still asleep and unless you want him to come out here and put your ass in a sling, you'd better stop pounding on his door."

Next, to her, Jade Matushita scoffed. "Please. You and I both know he couldn't touch me even if he tried." Her green eyes narrowed at the still closed door. "Jirou, if you don't open this door in the next five seconds, I'll –"

The door swung open in the middle of her threat. "You'll what?" the figure in the entryway asked, his arms crossed over his chest in a very dignified way. He raised a neatly trimmed eyebrow when she didn't immediately respond.

Jade huffed. She pushed her brother aside and stormed into the house, Anzu on her heels. "You suck, you know that? Anzu and I told you we were going out for the day last night, but do you leave the key out so we can let ourselves in why you sleep?"

"Well excuse me for not wanting any unwelcome guests to interrupt my slumber. Unlike you Jade, I am a vampire. I prefer to sleep during the day, like most of the masses."

"Whatever. Just because you sleep during the day doesn't mean you can't open the door and let us in." She and Anzu stopped to remove their shoes and coats, before heading toward the living room. "Anyways, 'Zoo and I need to get ready for work."

Jirou looked at Anzu. "I thought you were sleeping tonight?"

"Well, I was planning too, but Hilde called on the way home. She said she could really use an extra hand with all the paperwork."

"I see. So that's why you're both here to get ready. So you can both help with the filing?"

"Desk work is boring bro. Every cold, active, and a pending case must be looked at and categorized properly. That's why 'Zoo and I are going to split up whatever Hilde dishes out. Besides, three bodies can get more work done than one."

Jirou blinked at Jade. "Okay. Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here and rest?" he asked Anzu.

Anzu placed her hands on her hips. "Look Jirou, I may be just a mere human compared to you and Jade, but that doesn't mean I can't function during the night either. Besides, what if something comes up and you need me?"

"We'll manage."

"Yeah, but what if a Jane or Bob Doe body is brought in?"

"I am sure the authorities will do just fine without your premonitions for one night, Anzu."

"Yeah right," Jade snorted. "Her gift helped us solve of half the cases we've had in the past year. The department would be lost without her and you know it."

"I am merely giving her the option to take it easy, Jade. You forget that Anzu is a human. I am sure she needs plenty of rest after running around with you all day."

"I am fine, really. I slept in late today, remember? I can work." Anzu gave Jirou a wink. "No need to worry about me."

"'Zoo can always catnap at headquarters if she gets too tired. Duo does have that couch in his and Hilde's office." Jade offered.

"Alright, I just wanted to make sure you don't overdo it, Anzu."

"I won't, I promise. Now can we please get ready for work?"

"The sunset is within the hour. We'll go then."

Ah, home, sweet home." Jade crooned sarcastically as Jirou steered his customized Chevrolet Camaro into the parking lot of Domino Precinct in the heart of the downtown district. "I just can't wait to get my hands on all the paperwork." Arms folded, she leaned back in the rear seat.

"Oh come on Jade, I am sure it won't be that bad." Anzu quipped from where she was riding shotgun.

"Bad? You obviously don't know, Hilde." The Spitfire gave an involuntary shudder. "I bet there's a whole mountain waiting for us. Maybe I'll get lucky and someone will call in with a field job that Jirou or Duo can't handle."

Anzu feigned mock hurt. "You would leave me to suffer?"

Jade gave Anzu a wicked grin. "Nah, I wouldn't do that to you Anzu-chan. Besides, it's not like I am going to see any action anyway. Not when this here bum gets to see it all." Her eyes ticked toward her brother. "Besides 'Zoo, I am only a dhampir."

"So? Why does that matter? You're an excellent fighter."

"I am not all that great."

Jirou's laughter broke through the conversation. "Don't listen to her Anzu. Jade is being modest. She is a very skilled combatant. Any vampire best think twice before confronting her in an alley. And what she does lack in physical strength, her unique heritage makes up for." Jirou elaborated, as he put the car in park and turned off the ignition. "As a dhampir, Jade has the best of both worlds."

"Correction bro; I can get sun sickness just like you, and I'm most definitely not immune to decapitation or dismemberment. Plus, unlike you, I still age like a human," Jade quipped.

Jirou got out of the car. "A minor detail, as you can slow the aging process by consuming blood."

Jade waited until he raised the seat up. "Yeah, unfortunately, I also inherited the vampire's thirst, a fact that you've been privileged to witness a few times now." She spoke to Anzu while climbing out of the backseat.

"Yes," Anzu shut her car door. "But that still doesn't explain why you don't take cases."

"She just chooses not to."

"Why don't you do field work, Jade?"

"I have my reasons," The half-human replied. "Let's just say, there are other ways I can help. Getting involved in CSI isn't one of them, and besides," her tone lightened significantly and she gave Anzu another wink, "I wouldn't want my brother here to worry about me."

Jirou rolled his eyes. "Please," he muttered.

"I love you too, Nii-sama."

"Whatever. Let's just get inside before I hurl." Sister or not, Jade was really pushing the sentiments.

"Oy, Jirou!"

The cheerful voice of vampire and detective Duo Maxwell was the first thing Jirou heard when they entered the bullpen of the police station.

"Duo," he acknowledged as Jade and Anzu exchanged their own hellos with the American vampire.

"Hey girls," Duo greeted them with a debonair smile. "So, which one of you lucky ladies get to hang with me tonight?"

"Neither," a sharp female voice came from behind him. Turning, Duo found himself looking into the blue eyes of his wife and fellow detective Hilde Schbeiker. "They'll be spending the evening with me."

Duo paled. "Hi, Hilde! I uh, didn't see you there."

"Obviously," she replied tartly. "Ladies, I do hope my husband hasn't been annoying you too bad."

Both Anzu and Jade stifled giggles at Duo's deer-in-the-headlights expression. "Hey Hilde," Jade greeted through her giggles, "And no, we just got here."

"That's a relief. I wouldn't want to have to kill him this early in the night."

Duo held his hands up in defense. "Oh come on, babe! I was only teasing."

"Yeah, Yeah…" Hilde waved her own hand in dismissal. "Forget about it Duo. I've got more important things to worry about at the moment. Like cleaning up that mess on my desk that Kaiba sent over."

"Well don't look me. I tried going through those files and it isn't anything but one big headache."

"Yeah, well it's my headache, and if I don't get those files organized and off my desk by sunrise, Hubb will can my ass. I asked Anzu and Jade to come down and give me a hand."

"Glad to help, Hilde. Anzu and I can help take care of the files, while Jirou and Duo handle the streets." Jade offered, while Anzu gave a nod.

"That is assuming that anything actually happens," Duo folded his arms. "Not many vamps want to kill beyond their bodily needs, and not many humans want to commit manslaughter with the city being under the jurisdiction and all. Kaiba has the city cleaned up with his personal squadrons." Duo gave his head a resolute shake. "Only an idiot would attempt a felony these days."

"Ah, therein lays the problem, Maxwell."

Duo gave Jirou a curious glance, to which the other vampire added, "This city is filled with idiots since the collapse of the monarchy and death of the High Vampire."

"What's 'the High Vampire'?" Anzu asked.

"The King of the Vampire Race," Jade supplied. "High Vampire is just a title variation."

Jirou gave his sister a nod. "Many vampires vied for the throne once the King was killed. Unfortunately, all the fighting led to war between vampire covens. Brother, against brother. The fighting went on for years. It seemed as though it would never end. Then, they appeared on the scene."

Anzu arched an eyebrow. "Who are they?"

"The Big Three," Duo answered. "The vampire oligopoly as I like to call them Seto Kaiba, Katsuya Jounouchi, and Yami Mutou. They control the vampire actions of the city and most of the world. Anyone who goes against them is pretty much never heard of again."

"I know who they are Duo. Jirou's ambiguous reference just though me off. What I don't get is how these three vampires, in particular, came to be in charge. Where they so powerful that no one dared to stand against them or did they charm your people with their charisma?"

Jade gave a shrug. "A little bit of both, I guess. I think what really synched it was the fact they promised to restore many of the old monarchy's principles and beliefs."

"The previous ruler was a good king. He treated his people well and with respect." Jirou reasoned.

"And how do you know that?"

"Know what?"

"How well the pharaoh ruled. There are no complete records of him at all; only vague references that speak of his existence and supposed death."

Jirou glared at her. "You've been reading my texts again, haven't you?"

Anzu flinched. "Maybe…"

"Damn it, Anzu. I specifically remember asking you to stay out of my stuff!"

"I know, and I am sorry. I just feel more connected to you and to Jade when I read about your past, and to my dreams."

Jirou's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What dreams?"

"Forget it. I promise from now on I won't go snooping through your things without permission okay?"

"Fine, but what about these dreams of yours –"

"I told you, forget it. It's nothing."

Jirou was about to grill her further when his sister intervened. "Oh come on bro, leave the poor girl alone. Really, it's bad enough you chastise her in public, but now have to go and give her the third degree? You heard 'Zoo – it's nothing. Now come on, let's quit arguing and get to work. I for one would like to get those files done before dawn."

"Amen," Hilde agreed.

"Right, so let's get a move on," Jade gripped Anzu's arm tightly, and motioned to Hilde with her head.

As they made their way to Hilde and Duo's office, Jade could feel her brother's gaze on her.

Ugh, will you please stop burning a hole in the back of my skull?

Perhaps if you would tell me what's going on in the first place, I wouldn't have to glare at you so much.

What do you mean?

There was a scoff on Jirou's end. Don't play the innocent with me, Jade. I know you, and I know Anzu. I also know that the only way she could have gotten access to my ancient texts was by coming to you. You gave her access, despite that fact that I explicitly told you not too!

Okay, you caught me. I am sorry. Anzu was curious about our family origin, that's all.

Nice try, Jirou deadpanned. But I told Anzu our origins long ago, when she was a child.

Look, all I know she's suddenly become curious about our family and more specifically, you.

Me?

She seems fascinated by the fact that our family once dwelled in Egypt. That's all, I swear!

And you didn't think that her sudden interest in the ancient land of Khemet would be something to inform me on? Jirou chastised. Jade, you may be my half-sister and you may have been born in this era but those circumstances do not excuse you! You know how hard I've worked to keep Anzu safe and making sure she never comes into contact with anything or anyone that's connected to the inner circle.

Jade sent him the mental equivalent of an eye roll. And yet, here you are my brother, hiding her right beneath their noses. How ironic. You wish to keep her hidden from them, but you play a dangerous game in doing so.

Sometimes, the best way to hide is right out in public. Jirou admitted.

Uh-huh. Tell me Jirou, what happens when she's discovered? What happens when she learns the truth?

That is not likely to happen. Jirou frowned. He ignored Jade's use of 'when' and not 'if'.

But what would happen if she did discover the truth and they found about her? What would you do?

Jirou's end of the link was silent. I see, Jade murmured, as she watched her brother's conflicting face disappear when Hilde's office door closed between them.

Jirou wanted to respond to his sister, but she had managed to render him speechless with that one little question.

What would you do?

I don't know, he admitted to himself. But I won't lose Anzu again.

The sound a phone being slammed down on its cradle startled Jirou out of his thoughts. Someone must have called in while he had been conversing mentally with Jade. He honed in on the direction of the noise and found Duo bent over the front desk, his left hand over the phone receiver, while his right was busy scribbling something on a piece of paper. "Pack your things. We've got one."

"Where?"

"Sunset and 5th," Duo ripped the piece of stationary off its pad.

Jirou frowned. "*Jiang Shi?"

"Oh yeah," Duo's face was a big grin. "You ready to roll?"

"Always, but the *Jiang Shi isn't exactly my favorite place frequent. Too many people know this face, if you know what I mean. Maybe I should let you handle it."

"No can do, Matushita. Hubb asked for you personally. Apparently, it's someone you know."

To be continued…

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*Jiang Shi is the Chinese equivalent of a vampire or zombie. It is the name of a club for the supernatural in this story.