"Honey, I'm home!" Jade sang out as she and Anzu entered The Black Crown.
The bartender was the first to notice them. He let out a whoop. "What's happening, bloodsucker?"
"Very funny Jun; I ought to shoot you in the ass for that one human."
"Temper, Temper," Jun chided. He then turned his eyes to Anzu. "How do you put up with her?"
Anzu grinned. "Oh, I have my ways."
"What's to you, pretty boy?"
"I am just trying to figure out how a nice girl like Anzu would be hanging out with a loud mouth like you."
Jade growled. "If you weren't Otogi's employee, I'd eat you for breakfast."
"Careful sweetheart," Ryuji Otogi warned, as he approached the two women. "Jun might give you indigestion. Besides, I thought my girl only drank medical blood?" He looped his arm casually around Jade's waist.
"Only when I am in good mood," She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss. "Otherwise, I prefer it warm and living," Jade emphasized the last part with a nasty look in Jun's direction.
Otogi rolled his eyes, knowing full-well that Jade's irritate behavior toward his help was entirely for show. The two of them behaved like squabbling siblings. To Jade, Jun was an alternate version of her brother. Someone who she could harass as a sister was meant to harass a brother. Not to say that she didn't pester Jirou on occasion or two, but Jun was a human and less uptight than Jade's centuries-old vampire brother. Otogi suspected that his girlfriend relished the idea of having someone who traded barbs with her regularly. A young soul like her own, that reminded her of her human lineage.
Jade was seventeen and Jun twenty-one. Otogi was an older vampire. He had been born in the same timeframe as the Jounouchi siblings and their spouses Hiroto Honda and Mai Kujaku. Chosen by circumstance, they had sworn to uphold the laws and just principles of the long, forgotten vampire kingdom that had fallen into ruins nearly three thousand years earlier. Through, unlike the others, Otogi had chosen the way of an informant, instead of warrior-crusader. And he exercised talents as a recon-man even less when he became involved with Jade.
Although born just seventeen years ago, and to a human mother, Jade was a member one of the most powerful vampire families in existence. Her half-brother Jirou was over three-thousand years old and had been born into the golden age of the empire, in the land where vampires originated, Egypt, when the vampires were under the reign and control of the royal bloodline. Jirou's family had long had good relations with the pharaoh's. Jirou's father was one of the * Nomarch Lords. Yet, Otogi was one of a handful of vampires still in existence who knew that it wasn't Jirou's father's position as one of the territory heads that made his family so powerful and upstanding in the world of vampires. Rather, it was their blood tie to the royal family.
Otogi's eyes tracked to Anzu. "How's it going, Anzu?"
"I'm good." She pulled out a bar stool out and sat down. "I'll have a Shirley Temple, please, Jun."
Jade raised an eyebrow when she heard brown-haired girl's order. "Whatever happened to good old-fashioned alcohol?"
"Someone has to be sober enough to get us home." Anzu quipped.
Jade extracted herself from Otogi's grip and joined her. "Shirley Temple," she repeated.
"And your point is?"
"It's boring."
"It happens to be one of my favorites."
Jade rolled her eyes. She motioned to Otogi. "I'll have a Bloody Mary."
"I thought you wanted something stronger?"
Jade shrugged. "A girl can change her mind."
"You're hungry, though."
"Un, I am holding out until Jirou gets back though. I promised we do the 'family thing' tonight."
"Family time," Jun gave a low whistle when he placed the requested drinks before them. "Now there's something you don't see every night. So," he gave Anzu a debonair grin, "If she and Jirou are dining out tonight, does that mean you can stick around with me and the boss?"
"Jun…" Otogi warned.
Jade laughed. "Not very subtle are you, kid?"
"Err…" Jun blushed and Anzu couldn't help but smile at his discomfort. His awkwardness aside, Jun was a sweetheart and he was very easy on the eyes. He had dark cropped and somewhat wavy hair with a cleft chin and a strong jaw. Not to mention a pair of baby blues that would melt any girl.
Yes. Jade and her boyfriend definitely needed to be knocked down a peg or two.
"That sounds like a great idea, Jun." She gave him a dazzling smile, before taking a drink out of her straw and batting her eyelashes her suggestively at him.
Jade and Otogi's jaws dropped. Somewhere outside, Jade was sure a pig had grown wings and was flying amongst the stars. She had expected Anzu to retaliate to Jun's boyish antics in some form or fashion, give rebuttal or a tease. Never in her right mind did she expect Anzu to actually flirt back.
"In fact," Anzu leaned in closer to Jun, "I've been needing to work on my left side. Are you up for some practice later?"
"For you gorgeous, anything…"
"Alright, that's enough out of you, Casanova." Otogi grabbed the boy by the ear and drug him toward the backroom.
"OW – OW!" Jun whined.
"The kitchen needs mopping." The two disappeared behind the swinging green doors.
Jade erupted into a fit of giggles. "I can't believe you actually did that. Whew, you had me going there for a minute 'Zoo…"
"It serves you right, Jade." Anzu took another sip of her drink. "You and Otogi are always teasing the poor boy."
"Man, did you see his face? I think Otogi actually thought that you were seriously hitting on Jun instead of just playing –"
"Who said I was playing?"
Jade's laughter eased up a bit. "Oh come on, Jun's not even in the same league as us."
"He is in my league…"
The laughing stopped. "Huh?"
"He's human."
"Oh come on, don't start playing the old maid card again. You're perfectly fine. You're a healthy, beautiful and attractive female. So what if you've never been in a successful relationship? That's no reason to mope or to succumb to one guy's flirtations. Just because he's human, doesn't mean he's right for you." Jade's eyes twinkled in amusement. "I mean, this is Jun you're talking about here. Are you so desperate for guy companionship that you have to seek it from him?"
"Then where else do you suggest I find it? You and Jirou seem to scare off all the others for one reason or another."
"Those others weren't good enough for you, 'Zoo. Neither is Jun."
"Jirou seems to like him."
"Yeah, he does. But not as boyfriend material for you."
"Every eligible guy in Domino City seems to fall into that category."
"Okay, you've been on what, a grand total of ten dates since you turned sixteen? Tell me, did any of those guys elude happily-ever-after to you?"
"Well, no…"
"And does Jun, scream prince-charming?"
"No," Anzu admitted.
"See," Jade crowed triumphantly. "It has nothing to do with Jirou or me interfering – it's you. You're picky about Mister Right."
"Ugh, okay! You're right." Anzu placed her head in her hands and groaned. "Do you think I am crazy for thinking that there's one special person out there for each of us that were meant for?"
"You mean like soul-mates?" Jade chuckled. "No, you're not crazy. It's what most vampires and dhampirs believe."
"So, you believe Otogi's the right one for you?"
"It depends if he asks me to marry him."
"Hmm, maybe I should try and snag me a vampire or dhampir then. Since my train of thought seems to parallel yours." Anzu mused.
"Not the brightest of ideas, 'Zoo." Jade deadpanned.
"I was kidding."
"Good. I wouldn't want to worry Jirou."
Drowning Pool sang from Jade's pocket. "Speak of the devil." Sliding off her stool, she answered, "Shelly's Escort Service."
Anzu snickered.
"Relax, I was kidding bro. What's up? Whoa, what – wait a minute, slow down. Now, what did you say? Hello?" A beeping noise from the cell informed Jade of her dead battery. "Perfect," she growled.
"Is everything okay?" Anzu asked. She watched as Jade finished her drink in a single gulp.
"A slight complication," The younger Matushita replied. She pulled some money from her pocket and placed it on the counter. "Keep the change, hot stuff," she called to Otogi, before addressing Anzu. "Change of plans. You stay here with Jun and Otogi. I am going to go find Jirou and see what's up since technology is against us at the moment."
"Couldn't you just contact him telepathically?" Anzu wondered.
"As rattled as that phone call was?" Jade shook her head. "His mind is going a mile a minute and then some. No, trust me. It's better if I go personally. You'll be okay, right?"
"Of course I will."
"Good. Hang tight, 'Zoo. I'll be back as soon as I can." Jade glanced pointedly at Otogi, who had emerged from the backroom. I'll call you.
Otogi nodded. He knew that she wasn't just saying that for his benefit. It meant that she was leaving Anzu in his care until further notice. I'll keep her safe, Jade.
Jounouchi's jaw twitched. "No."
Mai sighed and finished fastening the two holstered belt around her hips. "This has to be done, hon. Besides, I need to see him about the case anyway. I might as well kill two birds with one stone."
"I thought we agreed on need-to-know communications with Matushita?"
"We did. But Jirou wasn't himself earlier. He seemed fidgety and on edge the whole time we talked and I don't think it was because of me."
"And your point is?"
"He's hiding something." Mai checked her two Uzis before holstering them respectively.
"Look, Mai, whatever it is, well eventually get it. Lebowski won't keep us in the dark. He wouldn't dare."
"I know, but I just want to make sure, okay?"
"Mai -"
"It's for Jade's sake, that I'm doing this, Jounouchi. I want to be sure she's safe."
At the mention of Jirou's younger half-sibling, Jounouchi's face softened. "Yami wouldn't hurt Jade, Mai. He'd be, pissed maybe, but he wouldn't hurt her. He has no reason to."
"I know. I guess I just want to make sure they both have a chance. Besides, I owe Jade for our wedding present."
"Ouch, you got me there. Alright, you go, for Jade's sake. But Mai - you find them, you warn them, you then you get your ass back here. The last thing we need is to get caught up in a tangled web."
As soon as Jade rounded the corner to their street, she knew there was trouble. Aside from the tire marks on the blacktop that indicated the Camaro's hasty stop, she could see her brother pacing anxiously in front of the house.
Her fears were confirmed when she approached him. "Jirou, what's wrong?"
Jirou snapped his head around. His face twisted into a cross between fury and worry when he realized she was alone. "Where is Anzu?" In the single blink of an eye, he towered over her; gripping her arms with his hands. "She's not with you?" he growled. "Where is she?"
Jade winced and attempted to pry her arms from his iron-like grip. "Calm down. My phone went dead when we were talking. I left her with Otogi and Jun."
"You did what?" Jirou roared. "Do you realize what you've done, Jade? You've practically plastered a target sign her!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Atum-Ra landed at Kaiba Corp around thirty minutes ago!" He watched as Jade's pretty face was diffused of color.
"Shit."
"My thoughts exactly," Jirou sneered, doing a three-sixty and heading back toward his car. Jade was on his heels.
"Of all the times, why in the hell is he here now?"
"I don't know, little sister, but I intend to find out. But first, we get –"
A snap-hiss was heard. Followed by a whistling sound coming from somewhere above them. On instinct, Jirou turned. His hand coming up to catch the offending projectile, as Jade ducked down beside the vehicle.
"What in hell was that?" Jade screeched.
"A poison dart; get to the house!"
They ran. Behind her, Jade could heal more projectiles whizzing towards them. She was almost to the front door when she heard another sound. This one was more like a whoosh than a small whistle. She turned, just in time to see Jirou charging toward her.
"Missile!" he cried out, slamming his body into hers and throwing them both away from the house.
Boom!
The explosion seemed to suck the air from around them. The force of it dragged at the fleeting siblings. Then the tremendous, destructive power of the super-heated shockwave overcame them. Lifted up and sent flying by horrific, raw energy of exploding gases, Jirou locked Jade to him in order to cushion her. He crashed onto his back and instantly rolled so that she was protected against from the deadly rain of scorched, smoking debris. The air was hot and choked with smoke.
He didn't need to look behind him to know that their cozy, three-level house was toast. Under him, Jade struggled, trying to throw him off. White-faced and wide-eyed, she was yelling something, but he could barely hear her over the ringing in his sensitive ears. He could feel sheer panic writhe like a wild-thing inside her.
Jirou then felt a sting as a dart embed itself into the backside of his shoulder. He turned and saw six black-clad figures descending from the surrounding rooftops. They were limber and moved with catlike grace and an unnatural speed – vampires.
Suddenly, his vision swam and he felt his muscles relax, causing him to swear. He struggled to his feet, only to fall back to his knees. Whatever it was they'd pumped him with, it was making him disjointed and numb.
He looked beneath him to where his sister was still struggling with his weight. With an immense effort, he pushed himself off of her. "Jade, you need to run."
She looked at him horrified. Growling, he shoved at her. "Get the hell out of here!"
She attempted to help him.
The harness-like contraption came out of nowhere. It sailed through the air before locking Jirou in its death grip, sending voltages of electric current through his body. Jade watched helplessly as her brother slumped over into the dirt, knocked unconscious by the deadly volts of electricity.
She wanted, no she needed to do something. The vampires in black were smarter though and sensed her movement. They leaped down in front of her, pointing their deadly arsenal towards her. Jade heard them release their safety switches. This is it, she thought, knowing there was no way could escape in one piece with an injured Jirou and she refused to leave her brother with these freaks.
A car horn jolted her out of her dire thoughts. Jade's head snapped up in disbelief and awe, just in time to see an Audi, blue convertible with it's top up, heading straight towards the vamps in black. Just before colliding head-on, the Audi swerved a complete one-eighty, causing the masked rogues to scatter. The driver faced her.
"Get in!" Mai roared.
Not needing to be told twice, Jade slung her unconscious brother's arm around her shoulder, supporting him, and made a supernatural leap over driver's side of the car and to the passenger side door. The move was made somewhat awkward by Jirou's large frame and dead weight and Jade struggled briefly upon landing but managed to make it over to the rear door. Throwing it open, she heaved Jirou's unconscious body into the backseat, before following suit.
As soon as Jade's door shut, Mai shifted gears and gunned it. Music blasting and all twenty-seven of her radar detectors on, and in clear irritation, Mai wove in and out of traffic along the boulevard and toward the Ueno District. "Buckle up tight." Mai glanced in the review mirror. Behind her car were four motorcycles and modified ones by the look of them. "I don't think your friends are quite ready to give up, yet."
"They pursued Jirou back to the house, I'm sure of it." Jade checked her brother's vital signs. Jirou was unconscious and his pallor was a sickly ashen color. "Damn it," she hissed. "He's not responding," she looked out the back windshield, "And those assholes aren't giving up."
"They'll have to get through me first." Mai decreed. With a quick press of a button on her steering wheel, the stereo panel folded back to reveal several LED-lit buttons. "East my dust losers," she hissed, pressing a large glowing green button.
All light and sounds became a massive blur. In a roar of twin engines, a burst of blue-green flame, and a blast of burning nitrous oxide, the three occupants of the Audi shot forward at 180 mph.
Her face sat in determined lines, Mai allowed her herself a glance out the review mirror, she noted, with morbid satisfaction, that the nitrous oxide boost that erupted out of her exhaust pipes had taken out the two cycles that had been closely trailing her car. The surviving cycles surprisingly backed off and in a complete twist, were retreating in the opposite direction.
"You got lucky, bastards."
"Why aren't they following you?"
"Jurisdiction change," Mai answered. "Follow the Ueno road long enough, and it eventually leads you into what I like to call Kaiba Land." She tilted her head to the left, where a towering complex of glass and iron stood tall and erect Kaiba Corp. "How is he?"
"Not good. His skin color is all out of whack and his isn't waking up. He needs medical help," Jade's eyes met Mai's in the review mirror. "Mai…"
"Nothing doing kid," Mai cut her off. "I've already risked enough as is. Before those jerks decided to blow the neighborhood sky high, I was tracking your brother to warn him not to establish contact with me on the Siegfried case –"
"Thanks for the warning, but we didn't need it. Jirou already knew Yami was here. He came to warn me, right before those freaks remodeled our house."
Mai was surprised. "How did you –"
"Forget it, Jirou needs help, Mai."
"Jade, my hands are tied."
Jade snorted. "Obviously not too tightly, otherwise you wouldn't have been as chivalrous and come to warn us." Her face softened considerably and did her voice. "Please Mai," she begged. "He-he's all I have."
"I…" Mai's eyes caught sight of Jade's helpless expression in her review mirror. "Oh hell kid, don't give me that look, ugh – Alright!" She pounded her fist on the steering wheel in frustration. "I'll take you to Domino General but I can't promise anything. The staff has brains after all – unlike me apparently. They won't be exactly thrilled to work on the patient."
"Don't worry about the staff. I've got it covered." Jade whipped out her cell and connected it to the in-car charger. At Mai's ridiculous look, she added, "The entire vampire race doesn't see us Matushitas as the plague, Mai."
"I hope so, for your sake." Picking up her own cell phone and punching the first speed dial, Mai grimaced. Hopefully, Jounouchi would understand.
To be continued…
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*Nomarch was the Greek term for the Lords of the Territories in Egypt, called Nomes by the Greeks and Sepat by the Ptolemaic Egyptians. I'm more familiar with the Greek translation.