My apologies to the fans of the first chapter for the extended wait of this chapter. I won't drone on about life and its ways of slipping us up, but I will say that I'll try to be more diligent in getting Chapter 3 posted as quickly as possible. Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any comments. -heart-

As the Blood Moon Rises

Chapter 2

I nearly make it to my room when I hear a throat clearing behind me. Turning, I see Atem leaning against his bedroom door in his evening clothes. I nod and approach slowly.

"Quite a show you put on for us, cousin," he says with a laugh, "It took Father an hour just to calm the wolves down in order to come to agreeable terms for the punishment. They were calling for your flogging to begin with."

I grit my teeth. The savages must know we've evolved past such barbaric forms of discipline, but perhaps they have not. "Well, let's be grateful our lord is a wise and reasonable orator. Would you like to join me before you retire, my prince?"

"I would, Seto, like to visit my cousin, yes, but not a subject. Honestly, when will you stop calling me that? Remember when we were young, and you used to call me 'Temie? What happened to that Seto?"

"My apologies, Atem… I guess I simply grew up."

"Apparently not enough, as witnessed by tonight's fiasco," he replies with another laugh. He then hugs me and continues, "I won't order you to call me by name anymore, Seto. I really do want my best friend back, though."

I return the hug, feeling uneasy about the closeness. I can't explain why I feel aloof from Atem, but I do want to be closer to him. "My apologies," I say again, pulling away to look him in the eye, "I'm sorry, 'Temie."

He shakes his head and brushes past me, walking into my room. I follow and find him lying on my bed. Smirking, he gets up and closes the door what can only be described as seductively. I raise an eyebrow at the odd behavior.

"What is this about…'Temie?" I force the pet name out despite my uncertainty. He simply turns around with a grin. Then, seemingly from nowhere, he bursts out laughing. Holding his side, he points at me as he giggles in delight.

"I can't! Ha-ha! I can't do it! Your...your face! Ha-ha-ha! You really thought…that I was coming on to you!"

I smile and beginning chuckling myself. As ridiculous as the prank was, it was funny. I stand there, waiting for him to stop. He finally does and we sit together on the bed. "That was an awful joke, cousin. I suppose you needed it though, after all the females coming after you."

He sighs in reply. "They won't leave me be, Seto. I can only explain my aversion to the opposite sex so many times. 'Oh, but I won't bug you for relations, my Lord,'" he begins to mock them, "'Just make me your mate, and I'll give you all the space you wish.' Could they be any more obvious? They want nothing but the power; they care nothing for me."

"But my pri–Atem, you must choose a mate soon. I'm sure our Lord would permit you a male consort, but there must be an heir."

"I know; I know. I just wish for more than a consort. I want my mate, my true mate, to rule with me, or else to not rule at all."

"What are you saying, my prince?! Who, if not you, would lead us after Lord Aknamkanon passes from among us?" Though, as soon as the words escape my mouth, I instinctively know the answer. I shake my head slowly. "No, my lord, you mustn't. I'm not worthy…"

"I can't argue with that," he replies, to which I blush deeply, "Your behavior has been unbecoming of an elder, must less that of a royal. You are a royal, Seto, even if you choose to ignore that fact."

My face deepens with crimson at every word. I'm used to being scolded by my uncle, especially after the passing of my father, but it's strange and embarrassing to be done so by Atem. He's correct though, and I know it all too well. My outbursts and suspicions have not been limited to tonight nor have they been directed mainly at the wolves.

"My apologies, Atem… I've been most ungrateful, especially to uncle."

Again, he nods in agreement. "However, that's not what I wanted to come here for. I want to get away from the duties of my station for a while. And of course, I want to see how you are after tonight's fiasco."

"I'm…tired," I reply honestly, "And I'm not pleased with having to cater to the dog, er–I mean, our guest." I quickly change the end of my sentence after a look from the prince.

"Well, if you had simply held your tongue until they left, we wouldn't have a guest, Seto. I'm no more pleased with the wolf staying here than you are, especially since he'll be drawing away my only real friend, but you and he both embarrassed your respective elders. At least, he's good-looking, unlike some of his compatriots, nothing like that other Beta though, haha." I cringe at the description of the dog and his friend, in disbelief that my cousin could find them the least bit attractive.

"Surely, you jest, Atem…you wouldn't have us mate with them, would you?" I shudder at the thought of interbreeding.

"It's not beneath me, Seto. Honestly, I think it would make the treaty moot if we nullified the ancient law. We do share a common ancestry, after all."

I roll my eyes, having heard this lecture before. According to Werewolf legend and recently confirmed by research into family lines, the first vampire and werewolf were cousins, the grandsons of Nix, Goddess of Night.

"But it's so detestable. They act like savages. Do we really want our noble blood mixed with that of such…such…ugh!"

Atem shakes his head and gets up to leave. As he exits, he whispers in a troubled tone, "You really cannot let go of your prejudice, can you, Seto? I hope this punishment sits well with you by the end." I see a tear come to his eye, knowing it's out of concern that it's there.

I get up to ask him to return, feeling awful for pushing him away with my condemnation of his belief, but he's already gone, the door to his room shut and locked. I turn and miserably lie down on my bed. I try to rest and let my mind recharge, but as soon as my eyes close, a knock at my door penetrates my meditation. "Enter," I call out and sit up once more.

I huff as the brunet shows me to my room, secretly lovin' the fact that he has to do stuff for me. I don't show it, though, 'cause I hate bein' around all the leeches. But the more the damn vamp is nice to me, and I mean a real nice not the fake nice of someone being forced cause I can tell the difference, the more I start to feel bad for saying what I did earlier.

I try to go to sleep after gettin' my bed in order and stuff, but I feel too bad, leaving things how they were. I curse myself before gettin' up, and I head to Seto's room. He seems to be resting, but my conscience won't leave me alone, so I knock and go in after he responds.

"Look," I say, "I know you don't really like e, and I'm not fond of your rich boy attitude, but I'm sorry I called ya a leech…"

He smiles, to my surprise, and then laughs. I get real defensive. I mean the guy laughs at my apology, and I start to huff away, but he blocks my exit.

"Hey, what gives? You laugh at me then won't let me leave? Move it, lee–Seto!" I catch myself before repeating the offense, but it's more than he deserves.

"No, Joseph, I wasn't laughing at your apology. I accept it graciously. It's more than I deserve for the way I treated you and your Elders. I apologize as well, for my uncouth and disrespectful demeanor." He smiles again, and I think he's just pullin' my leg, but I let it slide.

"Apology accepted, I guess…but don't call me Joseph. I hate that. I'm Joey; I'm not royalty or anything like that. I'm just Joey, but that don't mean I don't get respect, K?"

He nods again and steps outta my way. "Alright, well, was there anything else, Joey? Alternatively, was this just a truce offering?"

I move past him, careful not to let him see my blush at his suggestive tone. Like I'd want him like that. The nerve of this guy, thinking he can seduce me just because he apologized. I head back to my room and try to go to sleep again. It's more successful this time, but I'm haunted by the oddest dreams.

I raise an eyebrow as the wolf turns to leave. I can't shake the feeling that there was a blush on his cheeks. I shake my head, convinced it was nothing. There was no reason for embarrassment, after all. I lie back down, my conscience relieved of my sin. I still must apologize to the others, but at least the one I wronged is sated. I close my eyes again, and meditate, falling into a trance that lasts through most of the day.

My only reason for awaking is another knock at my door. I once again call out for the intruder of my peace to enter, this time not bothering to sit up. My Uncle enters and clears his throat.

"Shouldn't you be showing our guest around the castle, Seto?" he asks.

Knowing it to be a rhetorical question, I rise and stretch. "Yes, my lord," I reply and exit into the hallway. Joey stands there, outside his room, yawning.

"What gives?" he quips, as if I interrupted his slumber, "I was getting some good 'Z's when all of a sudden your king tells me to get up and wait out here for you."

"It seems we are still being punished, Joey," I reply, slightly perturbed, "I'm to show you about the manor, and then I suppose we must make an appearance at evening meal, almost like a date." I smirk at the thought, as ridiculous as it sounds.

"No, let's get things straight," he rears back, "Just cause you apologized don't mean nothin'. Joey ain't on the market, especially not for some rich boy vampire." His blush reveals the hesitation in his voice as he speaks though.

I can't help but chuckle. He took what I said with such gravity. "I wasn't being serious, Joey. I'm not in the least bit interested in you, not in that way. I happen to enjoy the company of–"

"Of what? Other leeches?" he says, cutting me off. He's clearly offended now, which only furthers the subtle hints at the denial laced in his protest.

"I was going to say females, Joey, but yes, I couldn't imagine dating a wolf. My cousin seems to think it's not such a bad idea, however." Another blush, this time out of his own folly, rises to his cheeks.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense…I mean, you're a guy and all…" I can't help but hear the disappointment in his voice, as if he wanted it to be true, just so he could argue about it. He changes demeanors back to defensiveness as he continues, "But don't think I'm a pushover or weak, just 'cause I'm gay, got that, rich boy?"

"My name is Seto, Joey. I've conceded to your wishes about your name. Would you please stop calling me 'rich boy'? It's most insulting. And I don't hold homosexuals in a lesser regard, by the way. Again, my cousin prefers males to females, and he'll one day be the most powerful of us all."

He lowers his head in shame. "S-sorry…I just thought… Never mind, I'm sorry, Seto. Can we just forget about this mix up?"

"Already forgotten," I reply graciously. I'm still slightly offended at his accusatory outbursts, but I must let them go if I'm to survive his extended stay.

Over the next few hours, I lead the blond around the castle. He seems genuinely interested in the architecture, which gives me hope that he may not be as crude as he comes off. He also is silent as I explain things, a sign of respect that I appreciate. Once the tour is over, I take him back to his room to allow for a changing of clothes for supper. I must admit, once he appears in the doorway, he cleans up very well. Then again, our beauticians are the best.

At supper, I take a seat next to my cousin and motion to the seat across from me for Joey to sit. Atem opens up the dialogue with what I hope is a joke.

"How nice of you to join us again, Joey," he begins, "I hope your date went well."

A blush rises in the blond's cheeks, "It wasn't a date, OK? Seto just showed me around the castle, besides; he ain't gay."

Atem rolled his eyes, "As he has told me for years, but I don't believe him. I see the way he looks at me sometimes, and I'm his cousin."

This time it's my turn to blush. Yes, I appreciate beauty, and my cousin has the body of a god, but that doesn't mean I'm homosexual, does it? "Anyway," Atem continues much to my chagrin, "If Seto isn't going to take advantage of such a sexy morsel such as you staying with us, then I might just have to." He winks, and my stomach twists. I feel a new sensation, or an old one not felt for a long time.

Joey blushes deeper, but tries to wave off the comment. He's clearly flustered, but also complimented. It makes the sensation grow in me, and I faintly recognize it. Jealousy. But what of? Of my cousin hitting on Joey…or Joey's interest in Atem? I grimace and excuse myself, not wishing to cause another fiasco, but too livid with raw emotions to stay put.