This is practice for me. I want to finish at least one story before I start on a personal project. And, for reference, this is mostly for a friend; after I complete writing this, I'm probably not going to even look at it again. If anyone other than Anzu Fan actually reads this, thanks, but keep in mind that there won't be an ounce of shonen-ai to be found here. Otherwise, enjoy, and don't mind any typos.

To Anzu Fan: How's it going? This is for God, and also for you -- now you'll see my italics! And also the unfortunate, sucky title, too...

The hunters had gone, three days ago. The sun was setting on the fourth day, the sky gold and red, and steadily growing darker with every moment. Anzu didn't like daylight, but could stand it; others of her kind could not. She spread her wings – they were blue in the sun, and ached at its touch. Closing them, she moved into the shadows.

The hunters had left one of theirs behind. He was dying, but denying it, fighting it. Strangely, she did not feel hatred for him, even though she feared and despised hunters. This one was different – he was so desperate for life, so stubborn, that she felt drawn to him. But only a little.

He was in the darkest part of what had once been Pegasus' palace – the hunters had left it in a ruin, so much so that very little was recognizable. If she had to guess, though, the place where the abandoned hunter had fallen may have once been one of the palace's many ball-rooms. Pegasus, a vampire renown for his extravagant taste, apparently could not have done without a dozen in his palace. Idiot.

When the hunter caught sight of her, he immediately bristled, fingers weakly going for the sword at his side. She stopped, several feet away from him. The scent of his blood clung to the air – deep and heady. Anzu swept her wings behind her, taking a breath. Then another. Her self-control wavered for a minute, before she got a hold of herself. The hunter kept his focus trained on her, teeth clenched and eyes burning.

When he spoke, his voice was harsh. "Why are you here, vampire?"

Instead of answering, Anzu moved, slowly circling him. There were bits of sunlight filtering from the ceiling, and pooling on floor. She paced in and out of the beams, treading closer, watching his face.

He reacted as she expected, body tensing, and hand tightening on the sword.

"You can't move," she stated, looking at the way he held himself. "I could kill you now."

Anzu moved even closer – close enough to see the blood on his night-black armor, close enough to see the traces of veins beneath his skin. His eyes, storm-purple and intense, betrayed only the smallest hint of fear.

"I'm not going to die here," he said, raising his sword. He tried to slide his legs beneath him, to shift into a fighter's crouch, but his body betrayed him – he collapsed, unable to rise.

She watched impassively as he shuddered, blood dripping from his side.

"You don't have to die," she said quietly. "I could save you."

He looked up at her, fingers spasming over the hilt of the sword. He breathed deep. "Liar."

"No," she whispered, flaring out her wings. "I'm not lying."

"Why would a vampire save a hunter? Why would you care?"

Because she had plans, ambitions, and he could help her fulfill them. She would use him to get what she wanted, to take revenge on those who had wronged her. And because she could see that he still wanted to live, badly enough to take any offer she might give him, she knew that he was perfect for her machinations.

"My reasons are my own," she said simply, "and for you, they aren't important."

"I don't need your help. Leave."

Anzu absorbed the words, and nodded slowly. Then she left.

She would be back, tomorrow.

It was sunset when she returned. She flew around the palace as the sky eased into twilight orange, watching as it fell further into ruin; the hunters had been very thorough. Parts of the palace structure were blackened, burned – and much of it was crumbling, disintegrating into ash. She wondered idly if Pegasus knew this palace had been demolished by the hunters – probably not, but Anzu knew that he had several more, and that, while this was a blow, Pegasus would hardly be fazed.

Anzu lowered a wing, and spiraled down, landing on one of the palace's remaining balconies. Pegasus had become more powerful than a vampire of his bloodline had a right to be – but now the hunters were hounding him, destroying bits of his self-made empire. She knew he really didn't see them as a threat – Pegasus didn't view humans as anything more worthy than slaves and cattle. He ignored the hunters, and continued taking thousands of mortals as prey from the human cities.

He underestimated the hunters, and their utter hatred for him. She would use that to her advantage.

Anzu found her way back to the dying hunter. He had moved from his original spot, and was now crouched beneath a half-fallen pillar. There was a trail of blood, marking his passage, and he'd taken off small parts of his armor, leaving the gleaming black metal scattered on the floor.

"Go away, vampire," the hunter whispered, chest heaving as he fought for breath.

Anzu drew close, closer than she had the day before. So close, she could hear the beat of his heart. "What is your name?"

He remained silent, staring at her with wary, distrusting eyes.

"Tell me," she murmured. "Mine is Anzu."

The hunter still seemed reluctant, looking away from her, as though she would disappear if he ignored her long enough. But after a moment, he spoke, voice low. "Yugi."

Of course, his name had no meaning for her – he was not one of the more infamous hunters, known by vampire and human alike. But that was a good thing – if he was an average, no-name hunter, then the chances of her plan being successful were far greater.

"Why did they leave you here?" That, Anzu was more than curious about; hunters, vile murderers that they were, never left their own behind. She knew that much about them, at least.

"They didn't leave me," he said, closing his eyes. "I was supposed to keep up. I didn't. That's all there is to it."

His breathing was becoming harsher, and the sound of his heart fainter. Anzu stepped even nearer, until she was standing over him.

"They betrayed you." Her voice was so low, she barely heard it herself. But Yugi opened his eyes, staring at nothing, and saying nothing. He released a rasping breath.

"Doesn't matter," he said, blood welling, then leaking, from his mouth.

"It does matter. You don't have to die, like I said. I can save you. Let me save you."

"There's a catch. There has to be." His purple eyes were losing focus, becoming sightless.

She lowered herself to the ground, wings arching over his body, and leaned in close, lips to his ear.

"Just one thing. Take me with you, to your hunter city. Let me stay by your side, as a human."

Yugi shut his eyes again, turning his face away, exposing his neck. "I...can't do that."

"You can. Don't you want to live?"

He was silent, and for a moment, she feared he would refuse, and die beneath the shadow of her wings.

But his whisper came. "Yes. I want...to live."

Anzu had him. Gently, she traced her fingers down his face, then over his neck.

She inclined her face over his throat, then forced her fangs into that dark artery that pulsed beneath his skin.

He didn't scream, as most mortals did. But there was something...something warm, and wet, that caressed her cheek.

Tears.

Anzu didn't understand. Mortal feelings were beyond her; she attributed the tears to weakness, and thought no more about them.

Yugi's hand found her shoulder, and he clung to her, fingers digging into her skin, close to her wing, with surprising strength.

He released a final breath. "Mercy...God..."

She felt his heart stop.

There was something strange about the silence that accompanied waiting – something unnerving. But Anzu had learned patience, a long time ago. She sat at the height of Pegasus' crumbling palace, in the full light of day. Her skin tingled, and her eyes burned a little, but for the most part, she was unaffected. At the moment, she enjoyed the quiet. It would be different, when they left the palace – she knew that mortals liked to dwell in noise, to make it, night and day, in their primitive cities.

"You're a dawn-runner," came Yugi's voice, oddly melodious for a mortal's.

"Yes," she said, though she didn't like the term. Few vampires could walk during daylight, and those who could were often feared by their own kind. 'Dawn-runner' was the human word for those like herself – she'd heard far worse names from her own brethren, so she supposed it was as good as any.

She turned, and saw him standing only a few feet away from her, looking down at what was left of the palace. Seeing him in the daylight, he seemed different – his skin was darker, not pale as it had been, but full of color, and his eyes had lightened, and were an even more intense shade of purple than before. She remembered the taste of his blood, and how his breathing had ceased, and his how his heart had shuddered to a halt – it had only been for a moment, but that moment had been both exhilarating and terrifying. Then he'd begun to breathe again, and his heart started to beat.

"When are we leaving?"

A good question. Anzu stared at him, and he stared back, face impassive. His hair stirred in the wind – the blonde tendrils, against the red and black. She couldn't be sure if the technique had worked properly or not – she had brought him back from death, and he seemed strong, but his eyes...they were defiant.

So now for the test. Anzu said a command, "Kneel."

Shock passed over Yugi's face, and he grimaced, as though in sudden pain. Then slowly, his legs bent, and his knees fell to the ground.

Anzu stood over him, satisfied that the technique had worked, and yet...she didn't feel right, and so she reversed the command. "Stand."

Yugi rose, features written with confusion, and, even more subtly, anger.

"I hope you haven't forgotten the price," she said. "You're going to take me to live with you, to live with the hunters. But I have a bit of insurance, just in case you would change your mind. When I drank your blood, I saved you from dying, but now you must obey me."

She'd made him a slave – his life, in exchange for his freedom. Anzu found it almost unpleasant, even though he was a hunter, and her enemy – but, it was necessary.

Lifting her hand, Anzu idly touched her fingers to his face – and he stood rigid, eyes full of rage.

"Do you understand? You belong to me."

With some difficulty, he spoke. "Then...when are we leaving?" The same question. Anzu smiled.

"Now."

Domino was not like other cities – at night, people roamed the streets, without fear of vampires. It was one of the safest of all of the human cities – but that was because of the hunters.

Yugi didn't notice any hunters on the streets now, and that worried him. It was morning, but there were always hunters out, no matter the time of day; that he couldn't see any, especially so soon after dawn, was strange, and a potentially bad sign.

He walked past cafes and shopping markets, thinking, hardly paying attention to the people around him – they were all civilians, all normal humans. He would have to make his way toward the center of Domino, where the hunters lived – once there, he would take his armor to be repaired, and then report to his superiors.

He didn't look forward to going back – half because he was exhausted, and half because he felt afraid.

Yugi glanced up at the sky, almost expecting to see the vampire, with her blue wings coursing above the city. When they'd left Pegasus' palace, they'd parted their separate ways – with Anzu saying that she would find him, after she took care of some business, first. She had vaulted off from the palace, flying eastward, into the sun. He had gone, taking the long way to Domino – a journey of several weeks, on foot – feeling numb, and ashamed. He was now tied to a vampire, and a traitor to everything he'd been taught, to his own people. The regret was overwhelming, agonizing – he never should have taken Anzu's offer. Vampires couldn't be trusted – they'd been an enemy to humanity for thousands of generations, and now, he had no choice but to lead one right into the very heart of Domino, to endanger every person in the city...

It was another secret that he would have to keep – and because he couldn't change what he had done, he would have to fix it. He didn't know what Anzu's intentions were, but he wouldn't let her do harm here. He would find a way to stop her, somehow...

Yugi lowered his eyes back to the ground, taking a deep breath. People were staring at him – a hunter, fully clad in armor, and walking the streets like an average civilian. Usually, when hunters patrolled the civilian section of Domino, they passed themselves off as normal humans, in casual clothing – only when going on missions to seek vampires were hunters ever supposed to don armor.

No one said anything to him, though. He moved deeper into the crowds and further into the city.

Towards noon, he decided to stop, in an open plaza. The people thinned out here, though some paused over the many fruit and meat stands.

Yugi looked over the stands himself – berries of various kinds, vegetables freshly cooked, steaming slices of chicken and beef. It was strange, but looking at the food, he didn't feel hungry – over the long weeks traveling from Pegasus' destroyed palace back to Domino, he'd barely stopped to eat anything, making straight for the city. Maybe it was his old training, come back to haunt him – he'd learned, over the years, how to live on only small amounts of food, as all hunters were taught. Or maybe it was worry – there was so much that had happened, so much that couldn't be altered.

He should eat. When he got back to the hunter's compound, there wouldn't be time; he would be questioned, probably for hours. He picked up an apple between his fingers, and decided to purchase it, before he could change his mind. The vender stared at him, her eyes riveted on the hand that had taken her apple.

"How much?" he asked. The vender's gaze never left his fingers.

"No charge," the vender said absently. "You're a hunter, after all."

Yugi nodded, and walked away, taking a bite of the apple.

It was gritty, and too sweet, but he ate it anyway. There was still the long way to the center of Domino, and he probably wouldn't make it to the hunters before nightfall. He would need some energy, to deal with his superiors...

"Atem!"

His brother's name made him stop, and he stood still, trying to decide if he should even bother to turn around. Maybe whoever it was would realize their mistake, and just go on their way...

"Atem, wait. What are you doing here, in the civilian district?"

Yugi fought down a sigh. He recognized the voice.

A girl, riding a tall grey horse, drew by his side. The horse half-reared, then settled to a halt, looking long-suffering. Yugi glanced up at the girl – she was small and tanned, with hair that was neither brown nor gold, but some color in between, and dozens of bracelets sliding down her arms.

The bracelets jangled as the girl pulled on the horse's reins. Her eyes widened as she looked directly into Yugi's face.

"Hold on! Yugi, you're alive?!"

"That shouldn't be such a big surprise, Mana," Yugi said dryly.

"You're kidding, right? Everyone thought the vampires had taken you – your brother has been so worried – "

Mana had the horse dancing beneath her in her in excitement – so much so that the animal looked ready to rear again, or at least kick at something. Yugi smothered another sigh, and placed a calming hand on the horse's steel-colored neck.

"Atem has a lot of things on his mind," Yugi said slowly. "But he knows me well enough that he wouldn't worry about me."

Mana was staring at him as though she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. "Are you out of your mind? He's sent out just about every hunter to find you! The whole compound is back at Pegasus' palace, looking for you – "

Yugi doubted that. He knew well enough that Mana, a capable hunter in her own right, and one of his best friends, was prone to exaggeration.

"I guess I should hurry back, then, " he said, humoring her. " Would you give me a ride?"

The horse easily bore both of their weight, and they rode out of the plaza, weaving through the crowds. Eventually, Yugi slid his hands over the reins, and Mana wordlessly relinquished them – she was too excited to properly steer the horse, and Yugi had the steadier hand. She chattered happily at him, jumping from one subject to another.

"Kaiba's been a jerk," she said, gesturing angrily. "But I guess that isn't new. He's just being a bigger jerk, now, ever since one of his dragons was killed."

Yugi blinked, his hands tightening over the reins. "Which one?"

"The youngest. He'll have to make do with three, because Atem wouldn't allow him to go dragon hunting again."

Urging the horse into a faster pace, Yugi said nothing. Kaiba's smallest Blue Eyes had been alive when they'd initially laid siege to Pegasus' palace. That it was dead was a surprise – it took a lot to kill a White dragon.

And, since Kaiba was practically obsessed over his dragons – half in love with them – it was no wonder that he was acting worse than his normal, sarcastic self. Mana, who, for some strange reason, enjoyed taking care of Kaiba's dragons whenever the man was away on missions, had probably ran into him at the times he was the most evil. Which was often.

Slowly, civilian Domino passed away, and transformed into hunter Domino. There were trees here, integrated into the structure of this part of the city – so that hunters could be, at all times, close to the material for creating stakes. The closer one got to the center of Domino, the cleaner and more natural-looking the city became, with its buildings entwined with trees, and the streets paved and white. Moreover, the places that most of the hunters lived in rivaled even Pegasus' palace – hunters were, for the most part, amazingly wealthy.

In the very center was the main hunter compound – where the majority of hunters spent their time, training and preparing for missions. The Compound was almost like a little city in itself; there were markets, restaurants, living quarters, all within the Compound, isolated from the rest of Domino.

When they neared the Compound – after close to two hours of riding – Yugi dismounted, allowing the horse a break from bearing the weight of two people. Mana, who, without her armor, was very light, remained astride, still chattering.

Yugi, reins still in hand, led the horse past the towering pillars of the Compound's only entrance. There were a pair of hunters, standing guard beneath those pillars. Both were in armor – one in crimson and another in green.

The hunter in green armor came forward, hand resting idly on his weapon – a long axe, with a silver, crescent-shaped blade.

"So you're still alive," the hunter said, with hard, brown eyes.

"You sound unhappy," Yugi replied. Then he smiled. "Sorry to disappoint, Jou."

Jonouchi smiled back, and clapped a hand to Yugi's shoulder. "You're a tough little guy. I knew you weren't dead."

Mana growled, and the horse frisked beneath her. "Stop acting like you weren't blubbering like a baby when you heard – "

"Shut up, you little – "

Yugi interceded. "We should go in, guys. I still have to report..."

Jonouchi stopped, halfway to jumping atop the horse to get at Mana. "Wait, report? You're not serious, right?"

"Yes. I am," Yugi said, wanting to get everything over with. The exhaustion was slowly getting to him, and he really needed to just rest, for a moment, before he faced his superiors.

Straightening, Jonouchi looked at Yugi. "I'll come with you," the blonde man said, then glanced back at Mana. "You. Take that horse back to the stables."

"Why should I – " Mana began, angrily.

"– Because you were the one that took the horse out in the first place."

"Fine, fine," Mana mumbled. "You have a point."

Yugi handed the reins back to her, with a promise that he would visit her in the stables when he got a chance.

"Really, Yugi? Then we can take one of the Blue Eyes out for a ride, okay? Later!"

Mana pushed her heels down into the horse's flanks, then sped away.

"What an annoying brat. I'm glad you're back, so at least someone can control her." Jonouchi slid a hand wearily through his blonde hair. "Although, she does a pretty good job of irritating Kaiba – I'll give her that."

They made their way into the Compound, silently at first. Jonouchi kept rubbing his hands over his axe, and then through his hair again, as if unsure about something.

"Jou. Is there a problem?" Yugi asked, frowning.

"No. Nothing's wrong."

Yugi didn't press it any further. As they made their way through the Compound, though, Jonouchi seemed to become even more agitated. Yugi couldn't understand it, but didn't say anything; he was too tired, and Jonouchi was one of the most stubborn hunters he knew. The most stubborn, actually – if Jonouchi didn't want to tell him what was going on, then nothing short of torture would make him speak.

They had been friends for years – ever since Jonouchi decided to make Yugi's life difficult, by bullying him when they were young. Jonouchi had said it had been to "toughen him up," but even then, Yugi had known better – Jonouchi had been vicious, nearing cruelty, when he'd bullied him. Strangely, though, after a few years of suffering Jonouchi's bullying, it had only taken one thing to get the blonde off his case.

A punch in Jonouchi's face.

Since then, he and Jou had been the closest of friends, like brothers. Still, even though Jou was possibly his very best friend, there were things that Yugi could never tell him...

Like about Anzu. He doubted even Jou would forgive him for making a deal with a vampire.

"Hey, you hungry? I could really go for a donut, buddy," Jonouchi said, smirking. "I know you really want to get your report done, but you can't say no to a donut, can you?"

They stopped at a coffee shop – Yugi a little reluctantly, and Jonouchi enthusiastically – and the blonde immediately ordered two dozen different kinds of sweets, a sandwich, and a huge cup of black coffee.

"Want some?" Jonouchi asked, after stuffing a donut in his mouth.

Yugi nearly shook his head, till he caught sight of the piece of cake Jonouchi's hand was now reaching for. He snatched it up, before the blonde's fingers could reach it.

"Hey! That's just cruel, man."

Yugi shrugged,. The cake was a lot better than the apple he'd had, and slowly, he relaxed, all of the tension of returning home draining out of him. Even after all that had happened, it was good to sit here, and forget everything, even if it was only for a moment...

Shock coursed through him as a pair of arms slid around his neck, and a dark curtain of hair fell over his shoulder.

"Yugi," said a voice. "Where have you been?"

It was Anzu, and she looked absolutely human – a beautiful human, with eyes that were the darkest blue that he'd ever seen.

Jonouchi suddenly choked on his donut.

Jou couldn't stop talking about her. It was getting on his nerves; whenever Anzu moved further into the clothes racks, Jonouchi would open his big mouth to ask what had to be the stupidest questions, or comment on the dumbest thing. Where did Yugi meet her? Why didn't he tell Jonouchi straight off about her? Oh, now it's understandable. You were trying to hide her from Atem, is that it?

At the last question, Yugi stopped and looked directly into Jonouchi's face. "Shut up. Now."

"No. I don't think so," the blonde man said, looking smug. "You can't make me shut up. You're too nice to do anything to me..."

Yugi snatched the half a sandwich Jonouchi had in his hand, and tossed it over a jewelry counter.

"What, again!" Jonouchi looked ready to swear, but thought better of it. "You know what? This is getting me nowhere. I don't have to ask you anything – I'm sure Anzu will tell me the details."

Jou stomped off in Anzu's direction, and Yugi let him. He wasn't even sure how exactly he'd gotten into this situation – standing in the middle of a clothes store, watching his idiot of a friend make a fool of himself to a vampire.

Well, a vampire turned human. Watching Jou talk to Anzu, even Yugi, who knew her true identity, would not have been able to notice anything amiss. Laughing, Anzu graced Jonouchi with a smile, talking easily to the blonde about something Yugi couldn't hear. Her eyes slid over to gaze at him, almost playfully, and then she went back to joking with Jou.

They were talking about him, it seemed.

Yugi shook his head, and decided to vacate the premises – he headed outside, to stand in the sunlight. The sun was still bright over the Compound, even though it was well past noon, and entering into evening. Suddenly, he felt strained, and almost overwhelmed – he was back home, among friends, and still alive, having survived yet another mission. But add a vampire into the equation...

He pressed a hand wearily to his forehead. The day had gone well enough so far – but Anzu's sudden arrival had been almost devastating, and the fear that he had felt, with her arms twined around his neck, had been inexplicable, shameful. In that moment, he'd felt the throbbing ache where her fangs had plunged into his throat – the bite marks had long since healed, but the memory lingered, refusing to disappear. The feel of it...agony beyond anything he'd ever known, his blood burning hot, as it was drained from him. And then...the pain had transformed into ecstasy, unbearable, powerful ecstasy.

Yugi realized he was trembling. He clenched his teeth, fighting down the humiliating reaction he was having to the memory.

The first stars appeared, before Anzu and Jonouchi exited the store. Upon seeing Jou, Yugi wondered how the blonde man could have ever been convinced to stay close to a shopping female for longer than a minute. Jou wasn't the type of person to have patience for much anything other than hunting – women's clothing was something completely out of Jonouchi's depth. But Jou was smiling, looking very pleased about something – he even had an arm companionably around Anzu's shoulders.

Yugi focused his eyes on Anzu. Suspicion rose inside of him, but he could find nothing wrong with the sight of her – she looked normal, her white blouse a pale contrast next to Jou's deep green armor. Her eyes met his, and he saw no cold calculation within them, no hidden malice.

"This," Jonouchi said, his voice intense, "is my new buddy. Man, Yugi, I never knew shopping could be so awesome."

Yugi stared at his best friend. "Do I know you?"

Anzu laughed, her eyes glittering, as she drew slowly away from Jou, and walked to Yugi's side. Her fingers slid over his hand, cool and terrifying.

"Jonouchi told me you have something important to do," she said, smiling with her beautiful face. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"Yugi doesn't mind," Jonouchi said quickly. Yugi glared at him.

"I really should get going..." Yugi looked away, at the sky that was turning near black.

"Can I come with you?" Anzu's voice was low, but he could suddenly feel a sort of pressure, shading into pain – the same feeling that had passed over him when she had forced him to kneel.

"Do I have a choice?" he whispered. Her fingers grew tighter over his own.

"No," she replied, "no, you don't."

"Hey! Can you two get lovey-dovey some other time? You're making me uncomfortable," Jonouchi complained.

Yugi realized how close they were standing, with their fingers entwined. Anzu's touch was disturbing – it filled him with helpless anger, and he was rarely angry, no matter the situation. If Jou only knew what was going on...

But it was a good thing that he didn't. And Yugi would have to make sure it stayed that way – no one could ever know of his betrayal. His position among the hunters was already tenuous...

His fingers curled around Anzu's. He would play her game, for as long as it took, until he could find a way to be free of her.

"Let's go," he said.

The Compound was different at night – almost brighter than it was during the daytime, with all the street torches lit, and at the center, the Head-Quarters of Domino city, shone in the darkness.

"What is that?" Anzu asked, but not to him – the question was directed at Jonouchi.

"Head-Quarters. That's where we're headed." Jou idly lifted up his axe, and settled the blade against his shoulder.

Head-Quarters towered above most of the Compound, glittering even in the shadows of twilight. Instead of the torches that illuminated the rest of Domino, Head-Quarters was lit by a technology that was not known to most humans – as it was technology that the hunters had stolen from vampires.

Yugi had always thought it beautiful, even though he didn't have good memories of the place; like most hunters, he'd grown up at Head-Quarters, had trained in it, lived in it, since he could remember.

The elaborate columns of Head-Quarters shone, in alternating shades of smooth gold, and the high arching ceiling was veined with the technology they'd stolen from the vampires – veins of blue and green light, that seemed almost a part of the stone. Inside, the light was low, and it took a moment for Yugi's eyes to readjust.

There were a few hunters here, striding in and out of the many massive halls – but Yugi saw one he recognized off-hand, in armor the color of ocean water, with eyes like ice.

"Well, well," Kaiba said, looking him and Anzu over. "You're alive. And you've brought a new friend, no less."

Yugi hoped Jou would stay quiet – he and Kaiba hated each other's guts, and Kaiba was hard enough to deal with, as it was. "Kaiba, this is Anzu. Anzu, Kaiba."

"Nice to meet you," Anzu said, coldly. Yugi blinked, and glanced at her. Anzu's eyes were even icier than Kaiba's. Had she taken a dislike to Kaiba already?

"The pleasure's all mine, I'm sure," Kaiba smirked. "As I suppose it will also be Atem's, as soon as he meets you."

"Atem?" Anzu asked politely.

"Oh? Yugi didn't tell you? Well, you'll find out."

Yugi didn't like the direction this was turning. "Where is he?"

"Upper deck. A-sector," Kaiba said smoothly. "You should head up there, soon. I'm sure the Council will be delighted to see you."

"Yes. Thank you, Kaiba," Yugi replied, slowly. He was already turning away, eager to leave the man's presence, when Kaiba caught sight of Jou.

"Ah, it's the Mutt – "

Yugi didn't need to see Jou's face to know that his best friend was turning to confront Kaiba. As quickly as he could manage, Yugi reached out, and grabbed Jonouchi's armored elbow. "Don't. Now's not the time."

Jou, as stubborn as ever, looked ready to argue. And Kaiba, seeing that Jonouchi was rising to his bait, pressed his advantage.

"How was guard duty, Puppy? I haven't seen you for a while. Although, I've seen plenty of your sister – "

What Kaiba said after that was beyond rude, and Yugi half-wondered how the man could even speak so filthily with such a straight face.

Jonouchi released a snarl, looking ready to slam his axe blade into Kaiba's arrogant mouth. Yugi wrenched him back.

Jou looked down at him, surprised. "You heard him! I'm not going to let that pass – "

"I won't, either," Yugi said. "Let me take care of it." Turning his attention upon Kaiba, Yugi drew his sword.

"What? Are you challenging me? I'm thinking you're forgetting your place," Kaiba sneered.

"Meet me in the Dueling arena. One hour."

"You should stop fighting the Mutt's battles for him, Yugi."

"Be quiet," Yugi snapped, a surge of uncharacteristic anger rising inside of him. "Jou's too good of a fighter to waste his energy on you. Or are you afraid?"

Kaiba's eyes were hard. "One hour, then."

Yugi had almost forgotten Anzu's hand in his – when her fingers suddenly squeezed. He looked at her, then at Jonouchi. "Come on."

They made their way to the Upper deck, and for several minutes, Jou was silent. But Yugi knew he wouldn't stay that way for long.

Jonouchi didn't disappoint. "Yugi. You don't have to – "

"I do."

"You don't," Jonouchi said, worry in his voice. "You've just gotten back, and even I can see you're exhausted – "

"I'm fine," Yugi said, knowing it was a lie. He was more than exhausted; his body was worn, and he was pushing it, even now. "Will you do me a favor, Jou?"

"Sure."

Yugi stopped, and slowly turned to gaze at Anzu. Her dark blue eyes almost seemed black, as he stared at her. "Take Anzu and show her around for a bit."

"I – okay," Jou agreed, reluctantly. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to see my brother."

The Upper deck was where the most famous and prestigious hunters had their living quarters – so everything, from the halls and corridors, to the communal bathhouses, was elaborate. Yugi knew that most hunters would kill to live in a place like this – but for him, the corridors with their polished wooden floors and suspended lamps weren't impressive.

His brother's quarters were the largest and the most elaborate – on a level all their own, with a receptionist seated before a pair of double doors, to screen any would be visitors. She was blonde, with delicate, gorgeous features – as he walked up to the immaculate white desk, she sighed a little, but didn't bother raising her head.

"What's your business?" Her green eyes remained focused on a thin book, scribbling something on its pages.

"I need to see Atem."

"Don't we all," she said lowly. "He's speaking with one of the Council members right now. Give me your name, and he'll get back to you as soon as he can."

"Which one of the Council members is he with?" Yugi asked.

The receptionist sighed again. "His mother. Satisfied? Now, name, please."

"Yugi," he said softly.

She stopped, her eyes flying to his face. "I – " she began.

"May I see him?"

"Of course !" she jumped up nervously. "I'll take you right to him."

The receptionist led him through the double doors, and directly to a sitting room. Green panes of glass partitioned the room from the rest of his brother's living quarters – the receptionist cautiously slid them open, and beckoned him inside.

Atem was pacing the room, his voice pitched with anger. A woman, with dark hair in shades of black, crimson, and gold, watched Atem, sitting serenely in an ornate silver chair. She wore the formal robes of the Council, which pooled scarlet down to her feet.

"I won't do it," Atem was saying. "And you know my decision is final."

"You do have the final word, as always, Atem," the woman replied. "Just know that the vampires never rest. They'll strike at us if they think we're weak – "

"I know that. But I'm not going to call any of the hunters back, until they find him – "

Yugi stepped forward. "Find who?"

Atem stopped mid-sentence. The woman looked up, and her eyes – purple, like his and Atem's – grew cool.

"Find you, you idiot," Atem hissed. Then Atem smiled slowly. "I guess there's no need."

For an instant, Yugi almost thought Atem looked relieved. But that struck him as wrong – Atem was always confident, and never let worry or relief show. His brother just wasn't that type of person.

Yugi turned to the woman, and bowed a little. "Honored Council member," he said, as respectfully as he could manage. "A pleasure to see you again."

Atem scowled. "What's wrong with you? That's our mother. You don't have to talk to her like – like – "

"A Council member," Yugi supplied. "Which she is."

"You're hopeless," Atem said. Then suddenly, he crossed the room, and threw his arms around Yugi. "But I'm glad you're alive."

Almost too surprised to reciprocate, Yugi hugged his brother back. "I didn't know you cared, Atem."

"I don't. But brotherly hugs precede parties, don't they?" Atem drew back, narrowing his eyes. "We're going to celebrate. And no arguments, got it? I promised God that I would get you to join a party – "

"More like you bet Jou that you could – "

"You know about that?" His brother blinked. "Then could you come? I kinda bet my armor that you would..."

"Jou will look good in it."

"Evil. That's what you are." Atem inclined his head back. "Mother. It seems like you'll get what you want. I'll call everyone back."

Atem didn't understand the relationship Yugi had with...their mother. When his brother left the sitting room – after the receptionist poked her head in, informing him of some urgent news – Yugi had immediately bowed again, and then kneeled. In the back of his mind, he thought of Anzu, forcing him to kneel – but this was different. This he had done since he was little – his mother had always required it.

"Don't say anything," his mother said, her voice sharp, with an edge like a sword. "I don't need to hear your report. Nor does the rest of the Council."

"I...don't understand, Council member."

"You almost didn't return. That means you almost failed." There was a pause, and Yugi heard the soft movement of the silk of her robe. "Perhaps you need more training."

Yugi felt himself go pale. "I'll do better, Council member."

"You will. I won't have a weakling fight by Atem's side."

"No, Council Member."

"Tell me now," she said, her voice becoming sharper. "Are there any cravings?"

He clenched his teeth. "No."

"Good." Her fingers slowly slid beneath his chin. His mother's eyes were cold, appraising. "You look just like him. But you're not him. You'll never be anything like Atem. You're not worth half of what he is."

She kneeled, and pulled him into her embrace. His mother pressed her cheek against his. "Atem's life depends upon you. If you die, who will protect him? Who will take the killing strike meant for him? Don't fail him, Yugi. Don't fail."

He took a breath, and closed his eyes. "I won't."

The dueling arena was silent. Kaiba enjoyed silence – especially the quiet just before one of his dragons released their white lightning. And the quiet after, as well – when the dust cleared, and everything lay in ruin.

Yugi was on time. The man stepped out into the arena, black armor gleaming. From a distance, Kaiba would not have been able to differentiate him from his twin, had it not been for that armor. Atem had come out into the arena with Yugi, and he looked angry – not that Kaiba cared. He imagined that Yugi, third-rate hunter that he was, had decided to go back on his challenge – and Atem was here to help smooth things over.

Kaiba met them in the arena's center. The two of them stared at him for a moment, Atem's eyes full of cold rage, and Yugi's calm and determined. Kaiba waited.

"This is an unauthorized duel," Atem finally said – just as Kaiba had expected him to. "And as such, I have the right to end it."

"And you should," Kaiba replied. "I wouldn't want you to see me trounce your brother into the ground, Atem."

Atem glared at him. Then he smirked. "Jumping the gun, Kaiba. I was about to say that, though I have the right, I'm not going to use it. I'm looking forward to seeing my brother hand you your – "

Jonouchi's yell cut across the arena. "Give that jerk a kick in the face for me, Yugi!"

Atem pointed a thumb. "What Jou said."

Kaiba shrugged impatiently. "Let's get this over with."

Atem decided to referee the match. It didn't much matter to Kaiba – he was going to win, without much effort, not matter who oversaw the duel. And, since he despised Atem almost as much as he hated the Mutt – well, maybe more so – it would be an added bonus to completely destroy his brother in front of him.

Atem stood between them, as he and Yugi faced off. "Weapons?"

Yugi already had his sword drawn. Kaiba readied two of his blades, flattened stakes, tipped with steel.

Atem stepped back, and away. "Duel."

"Heh." Kaiba smirked, and surged forward, swinging his stakes, aiming for Yugi's heart. The man parried, but not strong enough – Kaiba was able to force his sword away, and graze him on his black-armored shoulder. Yugi turned with the blow, and shifted his grip on the hilt of the sword – and parried again, before Kaiba could get another strike. Twisting, Kaiba disengaged, and then surged forward again, crossing the twin blades of his stakes. Yugi's sword came down, and was caught in the middle of them.

"This," Kaiba said, crossing his blades further, trapping the sword blade, "is the difference between us."

He forced the sword up, and uncrossed his stakes, ready to slash at Yugi's torso – but the man evaded, a second before Kaiba's blades came together again. But Yugi was too slow – no faster than a novice hunter, fresh from training. A weakling, as Kaiba had known he was.

It was almost disappointing. Yugi shared his twin's face – really, Kaiba often had difficulty telling which from which – but none of his skill, none of Atem's power. A hunter this weak had no place among the ranks of true vampire killers...

A liability. A man allowed to play at vampire hunting, because of his family ties – but Kaiba wondered. Atem knew the sort of fighter Kaiba was – he knew that Kaiba gave no mercy, not to vampires, or hunters who thought themselves good enough to challenge him. Perhaps Atem had allowed this duel to rid himself of this embarrassment...

Kaiba would do so gladly – he despised the weak.

"Play time's over." Kaiba pulled back his arm, and stabbed Yugi just above the collar bone.

Blood splattered, dark and crimson. It was human blood, not vampire, but Kaiba reveled in it none-the-less.

His opponent stilled, sword point dropping toward the ground. Kaiba glanced at Atem, and saw the man's face – eyes narrowed, and filled with hate. Kaiba smiled. A brother's corpse would be hard to deal with...

"You're right. Play time is over." Yugi was still standing, looking unaffected by the stake blade inches deep beneath his throat.

His sword came up – faster than before, its blade slamming into Kaiba's arm, forcing him to wrench the stake from his shoulder. There was more blood, but Kaiba saw that the wound he'd inflicted was not as deep as it should have been – merely a shallow gash.

The man came at him, suddenly inside of Kaiba's guard, blocking the stakes with the length of his sword. Somehow, Yugi managed to kick him, full in the jaw – Kaiba recoiled, and fought to keep from stumbling.

"That was for Jou."

It had been a dilemma from the beginning. Yugi had been the one to issue the challenge at Kaiba – and perhaps he shouldn't have. But Jou was his friend – and Yugi was tired of hearing Kaiba's snide remarks, of his constant, arrogant posturing. Still, from the start of the duel, he had fought with himself, not sure whether he should battle Kaiba. That had made him hesitant, and unfocused – which Kaiba had taken advantage of.

The man was a strong hunter – one of the strongest, and possibly the most ruthless. But Yugi never entered a fight unless he had to – and that was only against vampires. All of his life, he'd avoided allowing other hunters to see what fighting skill he had; that was the agreement that he held with the Council, and with his mother. He had been forced to stay at the bottom ranks, to hide himself, and to never draw attention.

Besides that, he was low-ranking among the hunters. No one cared to see the skills of such a hunter – and Yugi, well aware of where he stood, didn't bother to display them.

Now it was different – Kaiba was trying to kill him. Yugi wasn't surprised, not at Kaiba's intent, nor at the wound that the man had inflicted. From Kaiba's face, icy blue eyes gleaming with a bit of shock, it seemed that he had expected Yugi to fall, or at least be handicapped, after he had stabbed him.

The man was backing away, hand pressed to his face where Yugi had kicked him. Yugi shifted his grip over his sword, then removed the bit of damaged armor above his still bleeding wound. Yugi had suffered worse, much worse, than this, from his training.

Kaiba suddenly surged at him again, stakes moving faster, their steel tips glittering. He was taking Yugi a little more seriously. Taking a breath, Yugi moved to intercept him.

He'd never enjoyed fighting. It always left him feeling wrong – as though he were committing a sin. But could push aside that feeling when he had to – like now. His training, and his experience fighting vampires, came back to him, and he slid into a trance, and just moved, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.

Kaiba was fast – just as fast as a vampire. But Yugi, a good deal shorter, was even swifter; his sword turned away Kaiba's attacks almost as soon as the man could think them. Kaiba lowered his blades, and gave ground, anger warring with frustration in his eyes.

Yugi needed to end this soon. The blood loss, coupled with his exhaustion, would take him down; his vision was already going unfocused at the edges.

Kaiba did have a weakness: he was arrogant. As a fighter, it made him overconfident – and reckless. As Yugi began to slow, from his wound and the inevitable fatigue, Kaiba found his second wind, and lunged, stakes poised for Yugi's throat.

He wasted no time, surging inside Kaiba's guard again, and slashing at one of the man's wrists. Kaiba grimaced, and dropped one of his stakes. The other stake passed close to Yugi's neck, but missed the mark.

Yugi's sword whistled, the blade singing, as he forced it into an arc – and it tore Kaiba's blue armor. Before the man could react, Yugi reversed the direction of his sword, pieces of armor flying – and his blade found the skin just beneath Kaiba's ear.

His opponent stilled, his blue eyes falling to the sword's metal edge, pressed close to his jugular vein.

"Surrender," Yugi said, his voice harsh.

After the fight was over, Yugi wanted to sleep. But between his brother and Jou, he ran into problems. The first was the utter disbelief – Jonouchi was staring at him as though he'd never seen him before. And Atem cast him calculating, narrowed-eyed glances, weighing and judging.

"You fight well," his brother finally said. That should have been the end of it, but it wasn't – Anzu, trailing Jonouchi gracefully into the arena, caught Atem's eye.

And that was the second problem. Atem had a taste for beautiful women; and Anzu, even as a human, was striking, almost more than beautiful, if that were possible.

Atem said nothing at Anzu's presence – he merely gave her a momentary, searching gaze, and then looked away.

"You should go to the infirmary. That wound needs treating." Atem said this lowly, and then turned, striding out of the arena.

Yugi almost didn't want to make anything out of his brother's behavior – but he knew Atem too well. Right now, though, he was tired, and there was enough for him to worry about.

Anzu slid her fingers into his hand again. Wordlessly, he led her out of the arena, Jonouchi following close behind.

"Kaiba hates you now," Jonouchi said cheerfully, as they made their way to the infirmary. "He hasn't been this angry since his dragon was killed." Jou sounded positively gleeful. "That kick you gave him will stay forever in my memory, Yugi. I'm sorry if I ever doubted you."

"You doubted him?" Anzu said, looking over at the blonde hunter sharply.

"Well...yeah," Jou replied, voice honest. "Kaiba's a jerk, but he isn't a pushover..."

Anzu frowned. "I see."

The infirmary was mostly empty – there were only a few healers, pulling the night shift. One of them just happened to be Jonouchi's sister – the quiet and demure Shizuka.

She blinked up at the three of them, taking in Yugi's shoulder, Jonouchi's foolish grin, and Anzu's fingers twined within Yugi's own. She made no comment, and with a gentle smile, beckoned the three of them into a room, white and sterile, with a firm-looking bed.

When she did speak, she directed her first question at Yugi. "No sooner than you get back, safe and sound from a mission everyone thought you'd died of, then you go entering a duel with possibly the meanest hunter alive. What did my brother do to get you get you on the wrong side of Kaiba?"

"Hey! Why are you trying to place the blame on me?" Jonouchi gripped.

"Because you're standing here, looking absurdly happy, with not a scratch on you – while Yugi looks dead tired, with a torn shoulder." Shizuka sighed, shrugging. "This always happens. You always manage to get Yugi in trouble."

Jou actually looked offended. Yugi leapt to his defense. "I was defending your honor, Shizuka."

"I understand. Kaiba said something unkind about me, my brother tried to attack him, and you end up challenging the man to a duel. Very nice."

Yugi glanced at Jou. The blonde man released a breath. "I don't know how she does it. I think she's a little telepathic..."

"I'm not," Shizuka retorted. "You're just very predictable."

She told Yugi to remove the rest of the armor from his shoulder. With a quick glance, Shizuka evaluated the gash, and sighed again.

"You're going to have to stay the night. The cut's not bad, or deep, but it could get infected – and you're exhausted." Shizuka suddenly glanced at Anzu. "I'm sorry. I've been ignoring you all of this time. Are you Yugi's friend, too?"

There was a pause. Anzu leveled Shizuka with dark blue eyes. "Yes."

Shizuka smiled brightly. "I thought so. Would you mind hanging around for a bit, while my brother goes to take care of some business?"

"Business? What business – "

Shizuka turned, frowning. "You're going to make sure that she gets a room. She looks tired, too, and she's a guest here, so make sure that it's a nice one."

Grumbling, Jou left the infirmary. Yugi watched him go, feeling strangely uneasy.

Shizuka stood, clapping her hands, and looked from Yugi to Anzu. "So. Are you two an item?"

Yugi had never felt happier leaving the infirmary. Come morning, he thanked Shizuka for stitching his shoulder, accepted her gentle hug and warning not to stress the wound too much, and left, without another word.

The night had been longer than he had expected – with Shizuka asking uncomfortable, insane questions, and Anzu sitting so silently, staring at him with intense eyes while Shizuka closed his wound. When Jou had returned, and readily escorted Anzu to a room – a good one, on the Upper deck – he had instantly felt worry creep down his spine. He didn't like the idea of being separated from her, of being unable to watch her every move, should she try something – but there had been nothing he could say, unless he wanted to reveal her identity. He doubted that he would have been able to, even if he had wanted – the power she held over him would have stopped him, he was sure.

So that left him to his unease. After Shizuka had gone, he had tried to sleep – the infirmary bed was comfortable enough, the sheets utterly clean. But sleep didn't come easily, and for most of the night, he'd lain awake, thinking and listening to the quiet shuffling of the healers. He still didn't know

what Anzu's intentions were, and if he wanted to keep everyone safe, he'd have to find out, and soon – and he would have to keep her away from his brother.

Walking down the halls, he decided first to head to his room, to change out of his armor and into normal clothes.

His room, in an almost obscure part of Head-Quarters, wasn't large – not much bigger than the infirmary room he'd spent the night in. But it felt good to be back; he sat down, laid out his armor, and half-contemplated going back to sleep again. There was too much to be done, though – so instead, he took a shower, and put on normal clothes. The first thing that needed to be done was to get his armor repaired, so he had to head to the forge.

Yugi took his armor, and went down to the ground level of Head-Quarters. The air here was hot, close to stifling, and when he got the forge, there was only one person around – Mako, the metal smith.

The man was working on a spearhead, the flames of the forge leaping behind him. On the walls, gleaming steel and iron weapons hung, and newly made armor shone, bronze and red and silver.

When Yugi approached, Mako looked up, grunted, then pointed at the anvil across from him. "Put your armor there, Yugi."

Yugi did as he was told. "The right shoulder plate and the bottom half of the chest plate are the most damaged."

"I'll have them fixed, and the rest re-polished before tomorrow." Mako paused, in the middle of hammering the spearhead into an elaborate point. "It's good to see you alive, by the way."

"Thanks." Yugi made to leave, but Mako raised a hand.

"You're little friend came down here a few minutes ago," Mako said. "Mana, yes? She took one of the dragon saddles. I think you might want to intercept her, so she doesn't get in trouble with Kaiba."

Yugi sighed. "That girl needs a keeper."

Mako laughed, the forge flames throwing shadows against his darkly tanned and scarred skin. "You're her keeper, my friend. Have fun."

It was a good thing that the stables weren't far from the forge. The rows of horse stalls stretched for close to a mile, down to the pen where the White dragons were kept. Yugi walked quickly, and then picked up the pace, when he heard a deep-throated, agitated roar.

The dragon pen, huge and smelling slightly of electricity, looked like nothing more then a cavern – it was dark inside, the high, cave-like ceiling preventing the entrance of sunlight. Despite the darkness, Yugi could make out three glowing sets of eyes, and glittering, pale scales shifting in the gloom.

His vision slowly adjusted, just as a massive head swung close to his. It was Kaiba's largest dragon, mouth rippling over fangs longer than the length of his arm. The dragon released a deep breath, which had a hot scent, like a lightning bolt.

Yugi drew his fingers in a caress over the dragon's jaws. The skin was smooth and warm; the dragon's shining blue eyes lidded, and she made a sound, like a contented growl.

"That one only likes Kaiba. You must have some sort of heavenly touch, Yugi," came Mana's voice. Suddenly, the girl was bouncing at his side, bracelets jangling. "She tried to take my leg off, earlier."

"And yet you're still here."

"Well, the other two can stand me..."

"Enough to ride?" Yugi glanced at her. "If Kaiba was in a bad mood before, then he's even worse now. You should wait, until he goes off on another mission."

"Yeah. I heard about your duel," Mana said, and in the dark, he could see her sheepish smile. "I wish I could have been there. I've never seen you fight."

"Nothing to see," he said, placing his other hand against the dragon's jaw. The dragon snorted, and closed her eyes completely. "I'm not that great of a fighter."

Mana snorted, sounding not unlike the dragon. "Your modesty is killing me, Yugi. You defeated Kaiba." The girl lowered her brows in seriousness. "Kaiba. The only hunter better than Kaiba is Atem – "

Mana suddenly stopped talking. Yugi looked sharply at her. "What is it?"

"I...I just remembered something," she said, voice dropping to a whisper. "I saw Atem today. He was with this woman...brown-haired, blue-eyed and gorgeous. I've never seen her before..."

Yugi went still. "Where did you see them?"

"They were leaving the Compound." Mana gave a deep-winded sigh. "Atem goes through so many girlfriends so quickly..."

As calmly as he could, he gave the White dragon one last caress down her immense snout. "Yes. He does." Yugi took a step back, away from the dragon. The dragon's eyes suddenly opened, dismayed. "I should go."

Mana smirked at him. "I know what you're thinking. And I want to come, too."

Yugi stared at her.

"Oh, come on. You're so transparent, Yugi. I know that you're going to trail them. I'll be around to make sure you don't get into trouble."

"And who's going to be there to make sure you don't get into trouble?"

"Funny. Very funny."

They left the dragon pen together, Yugi already sure he was going to regret this.