Chapter: 9

Dream…Tara looked around the blaze, gore, and lifeless bodies. It horrified her to see so much death, even if she had seen more of it than was around her.

Some of the bodies started moving and rose up as ghouls. All pointed guns at the young Nephilim.

Tara unsheathed her katana and got into her fighting stance. "Freaks." She hissed. She then saw something at her feet so she looked down.

Atemu lay on the ground, lifeless and covered in blood. His eyes were dark as he stared without blinking at her.

Tara felt her heart sink. "Oh my God." She breathed.

Bombs began to fall from the sky and exploded, causing more flames.

The Nephilim tossed her sword away, dropped to her knees, and covered the dead Pharaoh's body, as if to protect him. "Some...one...help...me." She begged. …End of dream

Tara sat up abruptly, with wide eyes and sweat beading down her face as she panted. Her nightmares were getting worse and somehow were becoming more associated with Atemu.

In one dream, he was alive and holding her in his arms like it was normal. What were these dreams trying to tell her?

Tara shook off her feelings, crawled out of bed, changed into her black shirt, black hoody, and black jeans, slipped on her black gloves, then her black belt, and finally slipped on her black tennis shoes. She fixed her hair and tied her sword to her belt. Finally, she examined herself in a mirror.

She looked presentable for once. She still had her cold, blank stare. However, her eyes seemed different. They seemed softer somehow.

Tara left her room.

Miu stared out the window. She had such a horrid feeling that something would happen to Atemu and Yugi and she could not shake it. She felt stressed from lack of sleep and constant worry kept her up.

There were too many things that did not add up. One, why did a vampire pick a fight with Tara? And two, how did the vampire know about Tara? Nothing made sense.

Atemu, who took up temporary residence in his sister's bedroom, slept peacefully in bed. He looked so divine, like a god.

Miu heard faint footsteps coming toward her apartment. She got up and hurried out of her room. She went to the living room door and answered it.

Tara La Moure stood outside with a blank stare. The strange thing was that her icy, blue eyes seemed softer. Before, they were as cold as death, now they were as cold as Seto Kaiba's pure blue eyes. "How much do you know about Sekhmet?" She muttered.

"A lot." Answered Miu. She stepped off to the side. "Please, come in Tara."

"Thank you…Miss?" Tara said.

"Miu." She responded.

Tara walked in and the Egyptian princess closed the door. She walked very military-like for a girl looking like sixteen even though she claimed to be fifteen.

"Have a seat." Said Miu as she held her hand to the couch.

Tara sat down calmly, still with military-like posture.

"Would you like anything?"

Tara shook her head. "But thank you."

Miu went into the kitchen to make breakfast for Atemu and Yugi.

The Nephilim knew she was originally from this world, but she had disappeared to a hellish world where she grew up. She was ten when she returned to this world, met a mysterious man who gave her a deck for Duel Monsters, and joined the Hellsing Organization. However, she was sent back to the hellish dimension for another three or four years. She knew she was proclaimed K.I.A. (killed in action) at the Hellsing Organization after being considered M.I.A. (missing in action) for so long.

Tara was drawn away from her memories when she heard the sound of a guitar. She rose and followed the soft strumming sound.

The playing led her to Miu's bedroom, where Atemu was practicing with a guitar. He was good for a three thousand year old Pharaoh of Egypt.

The music sounded like a lullaby that the Pharaoh was familiar with.

Tara stood in the doorway and listened. She felt a sense of familiarity with the song and wondered why.

It was surprising Atemu didn't sense her presence in the room. He was too focused on practicing.

Tara listened in silence and with eager ears. She wanted to hear more when he stopped. She stood frozen as a statue when the Pharaoh looked up at her.

They held each other's gazes and the nerving silence between them grew.

Finally unable to stand the silence any longer, Tara quickly said, "You're good."

Atemu smiled. "Thanks." He replied and looked at his guitar.

Tara fought back the fact that her cheeks were flushing. She felt ridiculous and like a foolish teenager with a first crush. She quickly directed her eyes to the floor. "Where did you hear that?" She asked.

"My father when I was little." Answered the Pharaoh. He strummed the guitar strings, making a mesh of notes. "He was not known for his singing voice, but the song was nice to listen to when you are tired."

Tara walked in and sat down in a chair, keeping her distance from him.

"Are you alright Tara?" Atemu asked with concern in his voice.

"Why wouldn't I be?" The Nephilim retorted.

The Pharaoh flinched. He stared at his guitar. "You seem a little distracted." He muttered.

"Keh." Tara scoffed. "I'm not distracted." She glared at him through her bangs. "What do you care?"

Atemu sighed. "There is something about you that…" His voice trailed off.

Tara looked up at him now with irritation.

Sighing, Atemu said, "There is something about you that I care about. It is hard for me to explain." He plucked a guitar string and it made a sound.

He would rather dye his hair a bright scarlet than say he found the young Nephilim attractive. His conflicting emotions about her left him confused most of the time.

Tara seemed to calm down and stared at the floor. "Hasn't it healed yet?"

Atemu was thrown off guard by the question, but remembered what she said to him the first time. "Yes, but there is a scar and I do not want Imoto-san or Yugi to know about it." He looked up at her. "And I let you bite me, remember?"

Tara glared up at him and shot to her feet. "You really think that matters?"

"You asked about it."

"No. I asked if the wound healed. You allowing me to have your blood has nothing to do with it."

Atemu set down the guitar and rose to his feet. He looked her in the eye and said, "Then explain to me why you felt guilty the first time."

Tara looked away, fearing the idea of drowning in his gaze. She balled her fists and tensed her whole body. "You were different."

Atemu's eyes grew wide. "What?"

"You were different. Most people who get too close to me are usually those planning on doing me harm. However, you were trying to help me and I bit you because you were too close." Tara closed her eyes. "I could tell by your blood that you only wanted to help me. And…you're the only person I can't read clearly. I can't read your emotions or your thoughts."

The silence came over them again, but it was a little lighter than before.

Atemu stepped towards her and pulled her into a hug.

Tara opened her eyes with surprise. She let her whole body relax. Her cheeks turned beet red. She breathed in his cologne and, for reasons unknown to her, she felt different. Her heart fluttered like a bird in her chest. She felt calm, relaxed, and at peace.

Atemu could smell cherry blossoms coming from the young Nephilim. This time, however, he felt relaxed.

Tara snapped back to reality and shoved him away. She was glaring at him with venom spilling from her icy, blue eyes. She turned quickly on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Atemu knew she opened her heart, but quickly closed it. He also believed he may never get the young Nephilim to open her heart again.