Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Tales of Crimson Nights ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )

Disclaimer: No own!

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"Well, you do realize you'll have to share, don't you?" Marik grinned evilly, staring at the two teens with an odd glint in his eyes.

"Share?" Ryou asked softly, scrunching up his nose in confusion. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand…" I resisted the urge to sweep him up in my arms, he looked just adorable at that moment.

"You have to share Malik with Bakura and I! And he will have to share you!" Marik explained, grin still on his face until he began pouting. "You're not just going to leave us alone, are you?"

"But you aren't alone." Malik rose an eyebrow and nodded his head towards me.

"Ah, true." Marik hooked his arm around my neck and pulled me to his chest. "But we like you two as well. And it's quite obvious that you share the same feelings." I blinked. Obvious to whom? I hadn't felt anything…

"That doesn't matter." Malik huffed angrily. "It's forbidden for masters to have relationships with their slaves."

"Says who?" I questioned. "We don't follow the rules. And, from today on, you aren't our slaves anymore." Ryou and Malik's jaws dropped, and they looked at us fearfully. I didn't understand, weren't they supposed to be happy? I scowled and looked at my lover who wore an identical expression of confusion on his face.

"You, you don't want us anymore?" Ryou whimpered, staring at me with scared brown eyes.

"What? Of course we still want you!" I laughed, realizing that they thought we were abandoning them. "It's just, Malik said relationships weren't aloud between master and slave. So, you aren't slaves anymore. You're our two beautiful-"

"Lovers." Marik interrupted, smirking while ruffling my hair affectionately.

"That is, if you agree." I smiled, somewhat anxious for their answer. After all, they could decide to just leave with their freedom. It was entirely up to them.

Ryou and Malik looked at each other, then back at us before looking at each other again. They nodded, small smiles on their faces and shared a quick kiss.

"That sounds like a dream." Malik grinned, and hugged Ryou tighter. Marik and I both smiled, letting out breaths of relief before hugging them tightly.

"Well, Malik, you're dream has come true." Marik kissed the teen's forehead and Ryou's cheek, before locking his lips with mine. He gave me a dazzling smile. "I believe this is just the way I felt when you and I got together." I shook my head and laughed.

"Same with me. I don't think I could get any happier than this." I sighed, looking down at the two precious angels in my arms. I didn't think anything could ruin my mood right then.

Unfortunately, I was proven wrong.

Marik stiffened, sensing the power before me, his eyes widening. Before I could ask him what was wrong, I felt it too. The most enormous amount of energy I had ever sensed from anyone before.

"Marik…" I whispered, trembling in absolute terror. Ryou and Malik were curled up in my arms, concerned looks plastered on their faces. My lover immediately stood before us, a calm expression on his face, even though I knew he was as petrified as I was.

"There's no need to be afraid, silly immortals." A powerful, deep, tenor voice chuckled. "I mean you no harm."

I continued to hold the teens tightly, resisting the urge to run away screaming at the top of my lungs. I had never encountered such an ancient vampire in all my existence. He must have survived for thousands of years!

"Ancient? Is it really necessary to remind me of my age, Bakura?" A shadow stepped out from the corner, and I was completely stunned by his image, only faintly realizing he knew my name and could read my mind with ease. He looked at us composedly, his arms folded neatly behind his back and wearing regular clothes found in the village. He had captivating blue-green eyes, and thick locks of black hair tumbling past his shoulders.

"May I inquire as to why we have been honored with the presence of a high rank vampire such as yourself?" Marik asked politely, keeping his head slightly bowed. The elder laughed heartily.

"There's no need for such manners, Marik! I've been watching you long enough to know you are not one to be civil for very long." He turned his sparkling sea green eyes to me, then glanced at the boys in my arms.

Marik's body tensed warily, as did my own when his eyes rested on Ryou and Malik a bit longer than with us. I didn't care how powerful he was, I would not let him bring any harm to the teens. I tightened my grip on them, and once again the vampire laughed.

"There's no need to be so hostile. I won't harm your young ones either." He turned to Marik and I. "I came here to speak with you."

"What would someone with such a high status want with us?" Marik asked, never moving from his protective posture in front of us. It seemed as if the elder either took no notice or chose to ignore it, only staring at us with a sense of authority.

"I've been keeping my eyes on you." He started. "For as long as you and Bakura have been together."

I felt myself began to shake even harder. He's watched us for centuries then…

"That's correct, Bakura." He turned his gaze on me. "My intentions have never been harmful. In fact, I provide you with a sort of protection." He smirked, and my eyes went wide.

"Then it was you, who stopped the fledglings from attacking us while we were unconscious." I breathed in realization. It explained everything. He laughed and nodded his head.

"That is also true. Though, I have to admit I didn't expect vampires such as yourselves to get caught in the sun."

He chuckled softly and walked towards Marik. I stiffened, looking at my lover apprehensively. He lifted his hand and placed it on Marik's chin, leaning down and, to my complete surprise, kissing him. Marik stood still, not kissing back or moving in any way. Soon enough, the ancient pulled back, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"My name is, Samiel. I've come to give you information about your two little ones." He glanced over at Ryou and Malik, who both gazed back at him, frightened. "I've told you before, I mean you no harm."

Before Marik and I even knew what was happening, the vampire was gone. Hearing whimpers and gasps, I looked down only to notice my arms were empty. I began to panic, and fearfully looked up to see Samiel kneeling down eye level with Ryou and Malik a few feet away in the bath. I was about to rush over to them, but a warning look from the immortal made me stay put, staring at them helplessly. Samiel nodded and turned his head to the two teens, smiling kindly.

"Hush, little ones. There's nothing to be afraid of." He cooed, taking each of the boy's hands and holding them gently. "You are happy here with these two, yes?"

Ryou and Malik nodded their heads, shivering violently. Ryou had tears pooling at the corner of his eyes, and I could tell he was struggling not to let them fall. It took everything I had not to just rush over there and sweep him up in my arms to comfort him.

"That's all I need to know." Samiel nodded, kissing each boy's cheek. He stood up, still holding their hands, and walked over to Marik and I.

"You will treasure these two? Protect them from anything, correct?" He asked sternly, his kind eyes and smile wiped off his face.

"Of course. They mean the world to us." Marik answered.

"Even from yourselves?" Our eyes widened in shock at that question.

"What do you mean?" I asked sharply.

"You will swear to me right now you will never turn these two into vampires." Samiel stared at us, his blue-green eyes blazing. "No matter how much you want to."

"We would never subject them to this kind of life." Marik said, his own eyes shining in rage. Samiel turned to him, smirking sadly.

"You'll start thinking about it soon enough, the more time you spend with them. You will start to realize how fragile their lives are, and that they will eventually die. And the more you think about that, the more you believe changing them is the only option left. You must swear to me now, that you will never do such a thing!"

I shook my head, stunned, and realizing that he was right. Ryou and Malik were mortal, they only lived for so long. I stared at them sadly. I didn't want to see them die! I wouldn't be able to go through something as horrible as that!

"If you turn them, it will only bring you despair. Trust me, that is why I came." Samiel finished quietly. "I do not want my two favorite ill-tempered vampires to go through what I am going through now."

We both stared at him with lost, confused expressions. Going through now? What did he mean? He stared at us emotionlessly.

"Araziel. That was his name; the name of my lover." I watched in awe as the powerful vampire almost gave way to tears. "I thought we'd be happy if I changed him. We'd be together forever, right? Wrong. He hated me because of what I did. And it's because of my foolish mistake, he isn't here with me now."

"What happened?" I inquired softly. I somehow needed to hear it, to know that it would be an error to change Ryou and Malik.

"He ran away from me." Samiel smiled bitterly. "He's gone. I haven't seen him for decades. He was everything to me, just like you all are to each other." He looked at Marik and I. "Did you know, that you are the only two vampires in existence who have stayed together for this long without separating even once?" Marik and I shook our heads, and Samiel smiled. "Your love for each other is so strong. I don't want to see you two heartbroken, so, remember my warning."

"Yes, we will." Marik answered. I could only stare at my hands blankly, still kneeling in the water.

"Don't give up hope, however." Samiel smiled mysteriously. "Just because you don't change them, doesn't mean that they can't turn immortal another way."

He turned around to walk out the door, but paused, looking thoughtful. I felt myself become more tense than before. Something bad was going to happy, I knew it…

"Then again," He mused, turning around once again to face us, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I could put you to a test." Marik and I twitched worriedly. Samiel nodded, as though coming to a solution, and disappeared, reappearing in front of Ryou and Malik.

"No!" I screamed, my eyes widening in horror, scrambling to my feet to try and rescue them.

But I was too late…

Before I knew it, Ryou and Malik were gone, Samiel with them. I choked down my cry, staring at the place dully. Marik fell to his knees, splashing the water around, and began cursing in all the languages he knew, struggling to hold back his tears. I was no better, falling down next to my flailing lover, and staring at the spot the two stood just a few seconds before.

"They're gone." Marik hissed. "I can't even sense them!"

"No, no, no…" I clenched my eyes shut, pulling viciously at my hair. "This can't be happening! No!" I found myself being shaken roughly by Marik, the other staring into my eyes calmly.

"We'll have to search for them. Everything will be okay, Kura."

"Are you stark raving mad!? Did you sense his power?! It was simply overwhelming! He could have destroyed us all with a flick of his finger!"

"I know." Marik growled, "And yes, I sensed it. But what do you suggest we do? Forget about them?" I turned my head away, silent. Of course we couldn't just forget about them…

"Let's get moving then." I stood up, but was pulled back down by Marik, who looked at me like I was crazy.

"The sun will be rising in a few minutes. You know we won't find them now, we'll have to wait." I sighed in frustration. I wanted to look for them now, not waste any time. "Come on, Kura. Sleep." Despite my mind's protests, my body began to feel sluggish, and I allowed Marik to carry me to our coffin, snuggling up to his side as soon as we settled down.

"I love you." I mumbled, hiding my face in his neck.

"I love you too."

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