Eyes on Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 13

Yami opened his eyes, finding little to see. He gazed around the confines of a small room, dark and frightening. He was not accustomed to complete darkness. This made things a hell of a lot freakier. He felt pain in the side of his head grow increasingly difficult to ignore. Groaning, the teen sat up, gritting his teeth, running his fingers over the side of his head.

He felt something gritty against his fingers. Something was matted in his tricolor hair. Blinking in confusion, he felt around the matted area, feeling a sticky, wet substance coat his fingertips. In further confusion, Yami brought the tips of his fingers to his lips, tongue running over the substance. His face contorted into a grotesque expression upon doing so.

Pulling his fingers away from his lips, the teen scrunched up his nose, realization dawning on him. He knew what the substance was. It was blood. Blood was the reason he lost Yuugi. Everything was ruined by his existence as a human. Why couldn't Yuugi turn him?

Sighing, Yami ignored the pain in his head, letting his small body stand on shaky legs. He felt wobbly, eyes darting around the darkness until he spotted a small sliver of light from a crack in a wall.

Carefully the teen maneuvered himself towards the speck of light, finding it to be part of a door. Anger flowed through Yami's mind as he attempted to open said door. It merely rattled against its hinges, clearly locked. He knew that escaping was futile. At least until he heard an intake of breath from the other side of the room.

Yami turned his violet eyes towards a corner of the room, finding a pair of eyes watching him from the shrouded darkness. Fearfully Yami remained by the small sliver of light. The darkness brought nothing but fear. At least in his eyes it did.

Shuffling echoed through the small expanse of the room. The other prisoner stood up, footsteps echoing against the cold cement floor. Yami could feel his hair stand on end, his breathing becoming rapid. He didn't know what to think as the other person approached.

He took a gulp, observing as a hunched over form approached. Adrenaline coursed through Yami's body, sending his fight or flight options into motion. He simply wanted to find Yuugi and make amends.

Yet, a voice broke the silence, leaving the teen to stare wide-eyed at his captor.

"Do you honestly fear me?"

Yami blinked, raising a brow. The voice was familiar. All too familiar this voice was. He cocked his head to the side, memories of hours before pouring into his mind.

"Shouldn't I? After all, you knocked me out in the bar. I know you are capable of hurting me."

The figure snorted, shaking his head. He turned his attention onto the teen in front of him. The mortal was simply to amusing to ignore. It wasn't a wonder Yuugi liked this one.

"If it will set your mind at ease, I'll explain what I can." He held out his hand in invitation of a handshake.

Yami blinked, slightly confused. He didn't understand the man's statement. However, he managed to find the other's hand within the wake of darkness, shaking it firmly.

"Tell me… Who are you and how do you know my Yuugi?"

The man smirked to himself at the sound of the human claiming his friend in such a manner. Yuugi would not enjoy that he hated possessiveness.

Sighing, the vampire turned towards the door, allowing the light to show off his face with its iridescent glow.

"My name is Mahad. I've met Yuugi on many occasions. Yuugi and I have an extensive history together."

"How so?"

Mahad tapped his chin in thought. He didn't wish to give away Yuugi's secrets, but knew some were needed in order to make this mortal believe.

"We both have items that were found in an excavation in Egypt."

Yami blinked again, confusion setting in.

"What do you mean items?"

"You mustn't be bright. For anyone who knows Yuugi knows of his fascination with his golden pyramid-like relic. The one he keeps on a pendant around his neck."

"Oh his puzzle."

Mahad shook his head, running a hand through his straight hair.

"The item holds great power, which I'm sure Yuugi has full knowledge of."

Yami didn't know what to say. He merely listened to Mahad before speaking again.

"He spent years putting it together. He told me the power of the puzzle was the granting of one wish to whoever solved it."

Mahad shook his head in disbelief.

"That is what he told you?"

"Yes." Yami paused, feeling the pain in his head again. He felt lightheaded. "Wha- What do you mean by that? Is there more to the puzzle's power?"

Mahad noticed the teen's pained words, evident in the scent of his blood that was caked within his thick tricolor hair. He didn't speak of it, only wishing to keep his friend's lover calm.

"Yuugi holds great power. He solved the puzzle when he was human. He held the powers of darkness. However… When he was turned, the powers conflicted with that of his vampiric nature. His soul was never fully intact. Yuugi is only half a soul. His destiny…"

Yami began to consider this information, only to fall to his knees as the searing pain in his head intensified again. He gritted his teeth, holding his hands to his wounded head.

Noticing this, Mahad frowned. He shuffled through the room, searching for something to ease the teen's pain. Yet, he knew there wouldn't be anything to help with this. After all, he was locked into the room with him.

"I guess I hit you too hard."

Yami narrowed his eyes, glaring at Mahad. He growled low in his throat.

"You think? I'm not a vampire! I'm not as strong you and Yuugi are."

"I'm sorry my young friend. I was only trying to protect you. However… It seems you and I weren't so lucky."

Before Yami had the chance to say anything, the pain shot through his head again, his vision darkening and dying all together. His eyes closed, body falling slack as it fell to the floor.

Mahad watched with remorseful eyes, frowning as the mortal's body collapsed onto the ground. He hated being weak. He couldn't do anything to save the teen other than stay with him. After all, they were both trapped in this room thanks to their foe.

Voices echoed through the room outside their prison. Only time would tell how long it would take Yuugi to get there.

Jou fell to the ground, growling as fangs sunk into his neck, draining him of his blood. He tried to free himself from the strong grip on his body, finding it futile.

Groaning, he slumped over, eyes almost closing at the sudden feel of his life force leaving him. He was ready for death; he was ready to embrace it. He had failed in his attempts to protect Yami and Yuugi from the trap set in motion.

Yet, it happened anyways. Yami was taken as well as the weakened vampire named Mahad.

Jou held on with his pride. He didn't want to let his friends down. No matter how he felt towards this vampire who was sucking away his life, he wouldn't give up. He wanted to protect the spiky-haired twin fetish of lovers he knew.

Blue eyes watched Jou's every move. Fangs parted from succulent flesh, droplets of blood clinging to the canines with fury. Seto pulled away from the human, gazing at him with a stoic expression. His plan was already set in motion. He needed to add to the problem. He smirked to himself, drawing his wrist towards his exposed fangs. He pierced the skin, barely flinching at the gesture.

He placed his bleeding wrist against the blond's mouth, knowing fully well how stubborn Jou would tend to be. He forced Jou's mouth open, making the teen drink his life-giving fluid.

The teen's lips connected with the pale, ice-cold flesh of the wrist, drinking the immortal's blood with a vengeance of need. Desperation flooded across the blond's face as he drank the blood, his body quivering in the midst of this. He felt his life on the brink of death as the blood was forced into his system. He knew what was happening. It was all part of the plan.

Seto pulled his wrist away, forcing Jou to fall back against cold tiled flooring. The brunet stood from the ground, gazing at his prey with a smirk. It wouldn't take long now. His next plan of action would take form.

All the while, he turned his attention onto the door sealing off his prisoners. He couldn't get over how easily he overpowered the Egyptian vampire. Mahad had not fed in months, leaving him weak and unable to protect the pathetic mortal that his favorite fledgling had taken interest in.

Shaking his head, Seto turned towards his new minion on the floor, smirking as the blond's body shook, screams erupting from Jou's mouth. The pain was there, he knew. He watched Yuugi suffer though it. Something he tried to avoid thinking of. Yuugi was the one whom interested him, yet he felt his feelings reach towards the blond writhing on the floor. Having been stuck with someone so bitter for years, he began to think of how he wished someone actually cared for him. Although, as fast as the thought crossed his mind, he shook it away, leaving it to die instantly. He only needed to punish Yuugi as of the moment.

The small immortal would put up a fight he knew. Seto had the game figured out. He could still reach Yuugi through their bond, one that was forged through their master and fledgling titles. He could force Yuugi to die right then if he wished. Nevertheless, there was no challenge in that. He wanted to defeat Yuugi once and for all. Yami would make an excellent pawn in this match.

Yuugi punched the mirror in the hotel room, shattering it on impact. He pulled his fist away, glaring at it. There was no sign of any of the impact on his knuckles or hand. He hated being indestructible. Having powers that he cared little about made nothing worthwhile. The only thing he could think about was Yami.

Mahad's call set his mind at ease for the moment. Although he knew, he did not have long before Seto could find Yami and Mahad. It was common knowledge that Mahad lived in this area, one of the reasons Yuugi chose to hide within this particular city. He wanted to ask for the elder's assistance in protecting his lover.

Seto however, had the ability to walk in the mid-evenings before the darkness hit. It was something to do with his item called the millennium rod. Yuugi knew it was somehow connected to his own pendant, the puzzle.

His hands unconsciously cradled said item, a brush of his magic swirled within his body, reminding him of its existence. He had always known of the dark energies that flowed through his small body, the magic that was magnified by the puzzle's own energies.

Yuugi knew some of his abilities, but wasn't fully aware of what he was resistant to. Sunlight was one of his weaknesses, this he knew. His powers drew their energy from the darkness and its shadows. He could send someone to his own personal hell if he tried. However, he couldn't do this with Seto seeing as how they were connected by their "bond."

He hated the bond he held with the stoic brunet. He had talked with other vampires in the midst of his immortal life, finding a few solutions if he ever chose to embark on his own. Ending the bond was not hard. In fact, all he needed to do was turn another in order to lose that bond with Seto. In the beginning of his fledgling years, this seemed simple. Yuugi did not realize how hard it would be to turn someone. He hated seeing others in pain. Hell, it was one of the main reasons he chose to feed from blood banks or people or animals who were on the brink of death.

Throwing someone into a lifestyle of death and blood was not a lifestyle he wanted for his lover. Yami was special and deserved the world and more. He would give up everything just to keep his lover safe, even his vampiric existence.

The mere thought of Yami being in danger worried him. He knew Seto was out there waiting for him.

Yuugi turned his head away from the shattered mirror in his hotel room. He shook his head in annoyance at his own brutality. Losing his temper and not feeding when needed were his own downfalls to his stubborn nature. He needed to stay strong for Yami at all costs.

A shudder ran down his back as an icy voice spoke through his mind, causing his entire body to freeze.

"I have your pathetic human and your friend, Mahad, Yuugi. If you want to see them alive, meet me at his bar in at nightfall."

The statement echoed through his mind, leaving his body numb. Seto had found his lover and his friend. Everything was falling out of place. He knew what was needed to do in the midst of this situation.

Turning towards the window, Yuugi saw the sun close to setting, relief showing his childish facial features. He nodded briefly to himself, realizing that he needed to do what he vowed to never do.

He would protect Yami, even if it meant condemning him to his own hellish ways of life as an immortal.

After all, no one threatened what was his.

- - -

To be continued…