Chapter 9:

The night was still but cool for a late summer evening, not that the cold ever bothered Yami. No, it was at night when Yami's Immortal senses heightened. During the day he felt more human, as if his heart still beat against his ribcage and warm blood pulsed through his veins. This feeling intensified when he was around Yugi, the younger being offering him a sense of normalcy and humanity that he hadn't felt since his transformation five millennia ago. Oh, but at night, especially when Yugi was fast asleep in his own room, Yami could almost feel the Immortal venom coursing throughout every inch of his body. He felt stronger, faster, less human. More lethal. More Immortal.

He stood agilely on the thick branch of the large tree outside Yugi's bedroom window—the same tree he had once used to watch his Little One the night they met in the pouring rain. Things seemed to have come full circle. It was late, almost ten, and Yugi had long since gone to bed. He truly was exhausted. Yami knew this Joey thing was bothering him more than he cared to let on. Stepping back carefully to give himself a bit of room to build momentum, he jumped smoothly and swiftly to Yugi's window and flipped inside. Yugi always left it open now. He landed with a soft thud, but Yugi didn't stir. Yami glided over to his bed and pulled the covers more securely around him gently, smirking at the small coo that passed through Yugi's lips. His hand lingered briefly on Yugi's cheek before he leaned down to press his lips to his forehead. He sighed a world-weary sigh. Enough of that. He was on a mission. He exited through the way he came in silently, both feet settling on the ground with all the poise of a feline.

There were two issues he needed to tend to. One—he needed to take care of Wheeler. He was causing Yugi much stress and making him uncomfortable to say the least. Yami's eyes flashed briefly to black as he recalled the blonde's lips crushing Yugi's, trying to claim what was his. He forced the image away, knowing that if he didn't he would surely track the kid down and kill him right then and there. There was another pressing matter at the moment, one that could probably be taken care of more easily. Tristan's murderer still roamed the streets of Domino, and it unsettled Yugi greatly. Moreover, if this coward was indeed targeting local youth, that included Yugi, and that was not a risk Yami was willing to take. This pest would need to be dealt with before he caused any more damage. The task itself should be easy enough. If he could take on Immortals with quadruple the amount of strength and speed of a human, this pest should be easy enough to exterminate. Finding him was the key.

He gauged the city in and out throughout the night, beginning with the city's roughest neighborhoods. He scaled buildings, followed anyone who appeared suspicious, but nothing seemed amiss. He was at a dead end, and it was now almost one in the morning. Of course it was always possible that the criminal had fled the city—that would have certainly been smart of him; however, if it was one thing Yami knew about cowards, it's that they usually weren't all that smart. He decided on one last stop before he called it a night. The news and article written on the crime had mentioned that Tristan—rather, what remained of the poor guy—had been found in an alleyway not far from where Yami was. Maybe he'd left some clue behind. Yami wouldn't put it past the incompetent Domino police department to overlook major evidence. He made his way towards that side of town, a bit annoyed that this was taking longer than he thought. He was hoping to take this punk off the streets for his and Yugi's peace of mind.

The alley was empty, remnants of yellow police tape scattered on the ground. It could have been his imagination, but Yami could have sworn he could still smell that unmistakable scent of blood. It triggered his instincts, and he had to clear his throat to try to rid himself of the sensation. There must have been a lot of carnage and blood here to have such a significant effect on Yami even days after the murder. Yami's mouth watered hungrily. He had not tasted the delicious, warm liquid in months, and just the orgasmic smell of it was enough to make his toes curl. He coughed again. He would not give into his impulses. For Ra's sake, he had been an Immortal for over five-thousand years. He had to get a grip.

With a bit more effort than he would care to admit, he finally calmed himself and stood straight. He narrowed his eyes in disgust with himself but nonetheless began examining to crime scene. There was nothing. Yami inhaled deeply, now fully annoyed and ready to head back. He stretched the kinks out of his back and released the breath he was holding.

Suddenly he froze.

There was another scent here. A familiar one.

Wheeler? Yami thought. He looked towards the entrance of the alleyway, half-expecting to find the teenager there, but he was indeed alone. He turned back around and sniffed again. There it was again—the unmistakable scent of Joey Wheeler. He had been here. Did…did he live nearby? Possibly. That didn't explain why his scent was so strong here. Puzzle pieces slowly fit together in Yami's mind. Yugi had mentioned that Joey and Tristan had been friends, and Yami knew the two were quite the troublemakers around Domino. Did Joey have anything to do with all of this? No…this murder had been gruesome, the work of a crazy person. Wheeler had proven himself a stalker…but a murderer?

Yami quickly left the alleyway, half-running back to the gameshop. He had planned on sleeping back at his own place, but this revelation gave him the sudden urge to be with Yugi. He wouldn't dispose any of this to Yugi, at least not until he had solid proof. Besides, lazy, arrogant, goofy Joseph Wheeler—a killer? Not likely. But he wouldn't risk Yugi's safety, even if he was getting ahead of himself.

Wheeler just got a lot more dangerous in his eyes.

Short chapter, but a necessary one.

-Mystie