AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I know this probably wasn't as quick as you'd have liked. Hopefully, you'll find it was worth waiting for! High five to fellow night owls like me! Posting this at like two in the AM- thank Ra I don't have school tomorrow –er today! Now to wake up past noon…
Chapter Thirteen
Bakura grabbed more of Akeno's hair in his fist and pulled her all the way to her feet, forcing her to look in his eyes. She gasped as his other hand gripped her throat.
"What the hell did you do to me?!" he yelled, shaking her.
She was too scared to answer him, her fingers feebly tried to pry his hand off.
"Answer me!"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about!"
He growled and tightened his grip on her throat, enough to hurt her but allowing her to breathe. "My soul!" he roared. "What did you do to it!?"
Of course!
"I'm sorry!" Akeno gasped. "I-I don't know what happened!"
He threw her to the ground. She let out a cry on contact with the hard ground and another when his foot hit her chest and pinned her down. She looked up at him desperately. What's he going to do to me?!
"Tell me everything that happened…" Bakura growled through his teeth, trying to keep his rage contained.
"I-I don't know," she started then after seeing his eyes ignite with vehemence, she quickly added, "But when you left, Malik tried to take control of my mind but I started glowing and he sent me to the Shadow Realm!"
He stared at her and didn't say anything for a moment. "You were able to fight him off?" he asked skeptically.
"Well, I think when I started glowing… he just freaked out and sent me here…"
He removed his foot and Akeno backed away from him slowly. Bakura grinned and lowered his head, his bangs falling into his face.
"Were you scared…?"
Akeno gulped. "W-what?"
His eyes snapped back to her, making her stop in her retreat.
"Were you scared when you were trapped with that demon, Malik?"
"I-I…" she began but couldn't get anything else out except a choking sound.
He advanced on her slowly and she scrambled away from him. "I wouldn't go too far," he said pointing behind her.
She turned to find a monster some ways behind her. She cried out and hastily moved away from it and moved towards him, not noticing until she was at his feet. She gasped as he suddenly dove on her, trapping her beneath him. She tried to squirm out of his grasp but it was in vain, he easily had her immobilized.
"Do you know what it means that you no longer house my soul?" he asked in a voice too calm to match the intensity in his eyes.
He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him directly. Her breathing was harsh and irregular and her heart was beating like mad. He leaned in closer.
"I no longer require you to be alive…"
What little breath she had caught in her lungs as his hands grabbed hers to prevent her from resisting him. He held her bruised wrists over her head with one hand and with the other, grabbed her around the throat.
He's gonna kill me!
"No! Stop it!" she pleaded. "Please don't!"
His grip tightened. "You think you have the authority to give me orders?" he asked almost amused. "I am still your master and you will obey me. If I wish you dead then you will gladly allow it!"
Bakura began to strangle her and watched impassively as she feebly tried to free herself. Tears streamed down her face as she desperately endeavored to take it air. She felt her face flush from lack of oxygen and felt dizziness sweeping over her. If I pass out… I'm dead for sure… She heard her heart pounding in her ears. I can't give up…
He was preoccupied with keeping her hands restrained and choking the life out of her; he didn't notice when Akeno lifted her leg and kneed him in the groin- afterwards, of course, he noticed. He quickly let go of her and made to protect himself from another kick. She hadn't hit him hard enough to hurt him but the action alone startled him. She coughed and gasped for breath, too scared to try and move away from him. She looked over at Marik who was watching with a fascinated yet disturbed look, the way one watches a spider attack a fly stuck in its web.
"P-please h-help," she implored in a hoarse voice.
He stared at the scene as if he hadn't heard her. A hand slapped her across the face.
"You disobey me," Bakura snarled. "You're only making this harder on yourself."
His left hand gripped her neck, this time to hold her in place. She sobbed as he took out his knife. "Please don't..."
"You need to be taught a lesson in obedience," he growled, raising the knife. "You will do as your master commands!"
He brought the knife down sharply and Akeno shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable. There was a soft thud of the blade sinking into something. Bakura released his hold on her and she opened her eyes warily. The knife was embedded in the ground beside her head. Bakura was sitting on his heels, still on top of her, a smirk plastered on his face. It took a moment for her to realize she was glowing again. She looked at her hands.
"How…?"
"I had to see it for myself," he explained. "If fear makes your soul awaken … something may be able to make it manifest."
His eyes took on an animalistic gleam.
"You… you mean you're not going to… kill me?" she asked hesitantly.
He snorted and grabbed his knife. Standing, he pocketed carefully it and glared down at her.
"Have you been deaf to everything I've ever said? I told you before I'd send you to the Shadow Realm instead of killing you. But…" he growled, stepping on her wounded stomach with enough pressure to make her cry out but not enough to do more damage. "You're going to do as you are told, even if I have to beat obedience into you, understand?"
Akeno nodded, wiping away her tears as the glowing subsided. Marik's shrill laugh startled her. He walked over to Bakura who removed his foot from Akeno and turned to glare at him.
"How sad, you treat her so poorly, Bakura. If she were mine…" Marik looked at her with something odd in his eyes, greed perhaps. "I'd treat her like a queen."
Bakura stepped into his line of vision. "As it is, she's mine. Now keep your mouth shut. She doesn't concern you."
He turned and began walking away from them. "Come."
Akeno wasn't sure if he was talking to her or the both of them. She stayed were she was, still clearing her face of tears and massaging her sore neck.
"Where are you going?" Marik asked. "This is a safe zone, we can't be seen here!"
Bakura turned and glared. "There are no safe zones in the Shadow Realm," he scoffed. "You've sent plenty of mortals here but you're too pathetic to be able to last on your own. Looks like you're on the wrong side of the looking glass, eh, Marik?"
Marik growled but didn't retort as he usually did. Again, he needed Bakura to survive.
"Stay here, I couldn't care less, Marik. As for you, I thought I told you to come?" he said to Akeno. "Now."
She stood up shakily but didn't budge. I'm probably going to make him kill me for real this time but I can't take it! "Why do you care what happens to me?!" she shouted, losing control of herself and starting to tear up again.
Bakura looked at her in disbelief. "What are you, a masochist?!"
She ignored him and kept going. "You strangle me for kicks and go out of your way to hurt me!"
A scene flashed before her eyes.
Suddenly, Bakura grabbed her and pulled her against him before Ra's attack reached them. She blushed madly.
"W-what are you doing?"
"I'm taking you with me," he growled in reply.
"What!?" she exclaimed.
He's not hugging me- he's using me as a shield!
"You were going to purposely send me to this hell! No doubt to torment me so you don't get bored!" she shouted, now letting tears spill down her cheeks.
While saying this, Bakura was walking towards her. After her outburst, he stood in front of her. She didn't say anything else nor did she look at him. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and brought her face inches from his. She looked into his eyes, they were filled with intensity but not anger or menace like usual. Neither said anything for a moment. Akeno's frantic breathing was the only thing filling the silence. Then Bakura spoke.
"You're stupid."
He tightened his grip so that she winced. "I don't have to account for my actions! Not to you!" He pushed her roughly away from him.
She stumbled but kept upright. "You do now!" she yelled at him.
He whirled around to face her. It took everything in him not to hit her. He personally thought getting the crap beat out of her would easily put her into submission but it'd be too easy. Also, he was furious enough to know that if he started, he probably wouldn't stop until she was within an inch of death or worse. But that didn't matter really, did it? Her soul was the only important thing. He took a deep breath to calm himself.
He growled. "We cannot waste anymore time here but if it will shut you up… I wanted you banished because I didn't want my possession falling in the hands of that fiend!" Bakura snorted. "You're an ungrateful whelp. It might've been better if Malik was burdened with you. Perhaps, if you had spent more time in his company, you could appreciate what a kind and forgiving master you have!"
Akeno blinked. In his own sick and twisted way… I think Bakura just said he was saving me from Malik…
She wavered under his fierce gaze. "Oh. Er… thanks."
Bakura pulled her hair violently. "Master!" he barked.
"I'm sorry," she gasped, surprised at how fast he moved. "I'm sorry, master!"
He let her go and shoved past her for good measure. "Now, come!"
Akeno rubbed her head, beginning to get a headache. Her face flushed in embarrassment. I'm back to being his dog again! She avoided Marik's gaze that was only slightly sympathetic and followed after Bakura.
Kind and forgiving… my ass!