Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Hunters ❯ Marik's Fear ( Chapter 22 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Nor do I own the "Dark" series. I am just a fan fiction writer having fun. So please don't sue me. ^_^

/ Yugi to Yami / // Yami to Yugi // \Ryou to Bakura\ \\ Bakura to Ryou \\ [Malik to Marik] [[Marik to Malik]] (Seto to Jou) ((Jou to Seto))

* General conversation * Personal thoughts +Commands+

Warning: Some strong language from both Malik and Marik

Marik is OoC in sections of this chapter!

The Hunters

Tiger_Serenity

Chapter 22

Marik's Fear

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marik's View

"Why, Marik? Why did you do this to me?" Malik was looking at him with pain filled eyes. Blood was dripping down from gashes in his arms and legs. Bruises covered his tanned body. His clothes were torn and hanging off of him like rags.

"Malik?" He took a step forward, reaching to pull him against him. Fear and anger rose in him as he took in his mate's injuries. "What happened to you?!"

"No! Get away! Stay away from me!" Malik jerked away from him. Panic filled his eyes as he stumbled. "I hate you! Stay away!"

I hate you… Pain stabbed deep inside Marik. What happened? He hates me? Who attacked him? I'll kill the bastard! Is he mad because I was not there to protect him? But, what happened? I don't understand! How could I have not sensed him in danger!?

He jerked as the scenery shifted around him. The Shadow Realm? Why am I here?

"Malik?" Marik shifted uneasily as the darkness whirled around him. The hair prickled on the back of his neck. "Malik, where are you? Malik!"

"Malik is unreachable to you now, traitor." A velvet voice called out from the shadows.

Unreachable? Traitor?

Shifting figures that resembled Yami and the others appeared, walking around him in circles. "Traitor…" Seto's energy flared with blue light. Yugi's puzzle and Ryou's ring were glowing brilliant gold around their necks.

"Why do you call me traitor? I have betrayed no one! I am loyal to you, my prince!"

"Traitor…" Their voices repeated in a cold chant.

"I am not a traitor!" His voice echoed off the swirling colors. "Why do you call my such?!"

"You betrayed your mate, and your people."

"What?!" His mouth dropped open in shock.

"You do not deserve your mate any longer. We have combined our powers to break your bond with him. He is free of you now to live his life as he chooses. Now you will die." Yami went down into an attack position. His eyes flashed red fire. The golden eye shined brightly on his forehead.

"My prince, I do not understand!" Marik could hear the desperation and panic in his own voice.

"You are being punished for what you have done. When we are done with you, you will be praying for death." Bakura's voice sounded odd in it dark coldness. A greenish aura lighted his body.

"What have I done!?"

"You do not remember?" Yami sneered.

"No!"

"You attacked your mate." Seto's body crouched into a spring position, ready to launch forward to attack.

"What?! Never!" Cold sweat broke out on his body. I cannot fight off all of them… I did not attack Malik!

"You handed the sacred rod over to the enemy…Pegasus. Then, you tried to steal Yugi and Ryou's items. You betrayed us. You betrayed your mate."

"No! You are wrong! I would never do that! I would never attack Malik, or hand over the items to Pegasus! He is our enemy!"

"No…he is your ally."

"I would never align myself with him! He was controlling Malik. I will kill the damned bastard when I see him for using him against his will to harm others."

"You deny your actions?"

"Yes, because I didn't' do anything!"

"The proof is on your hands."

What? He looked down. His hands were shaped into sharp talons. Drying blood stained the tips. The image of him clawing Malik filled his vision. No! They lie!

"You attacked him at the dance. You took his innocence from him."

"No! I fled from him to protect him!"

"You raped him, and stole his item. He was near death when we reached him."

"No! I left!"

"Traitor…"

"Betrayer…"

"You did not deserve Malik. You do not deserve to live."

"Vampire…"

"I am not vampire! I did not attack Malik! Why do you do this!? You lie!" The images of him attacking Malik were flying in front of his eyes. The pain in his eyes broke Marik's spirit. Pegasus' laugh filled his ears as he watched himself hand over the rod from his clawed hand. "No!"

Suddenly Malik appeared before him. "Why? Why?"

"I did nothing!"

"You attacked me…"

"I ran when I sensed Yami! I did no such thing!"

"You raped me…"

"No!" He grabbed his chest, as the pain grew worse inside his soul. Tears he had not cried for over 2000 years filled his eyes.

"Traitor…"

"Die…"

"You attacked me…I hate you…I hate you…hate you…" Malik's eyes held an eerie emptiness.

"No!" He could only watch as Bakura sprang towards him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Malik's View

Something was wrong. He could sense it, even though he was only half awake. Fear, panic, and a sense of loss was flowing over his mind.

[[No!]] Marik suddenly jerked next to him on the bed.

"What the?!" His eyes snapped open at the desperate cry inside his mind.

He rolled quickly to look at Marik. He gasped as he saw small tears trickling slowly down his face. What is wrong with him!?

[[I ran! I did not… No! Stop!]]

[Marik, wake up!]

[[I would never do such a thing! Malik, please!]]

Huh? What is he dreaming?

[[I am not vampire!]]

[Marik, wake up!]

[[I would never hurt you! You are my mate!]]

Malik relaxed his body. Let's see if this works. I have to see what is going wrong. He won't wake up. Whatever it is, his mind is making it seem real. I can feel his heart fluctuating.

He felt his connection to Marik sharpen as he reached inside of his mind. Dark swirls filled his vision.

"Traitor…"

"Vampire…"

"You broke me…" He heard his own voice say.

What the hell?!

"This is not real! I did not betray anyone!" He watched as Marik barely dodged an attack from Bakura, only to be struck from behind by a dark-faced Seto.

[No! Marik, why are they attacking you?!]

"Traitor…"

"You attacked me…"

What? Why am I saying I attacked him in his dream?

"You are my mate! I would never attack you. Can't you see that?"

"You are his mate no longer." Yugi whispered.

"I hate you…" His voice floated from the darkness.

"No!" He watched Marik collapse in defeat. Tears still misted his eyes. "You have taken my mate from me, and accused me of treason. I have nothing left. Kill me if you wish. Just promise me that you will take care of him for me."

[Marik! You are dreaming! I am still here! Wake up!]

"Die…" Yami moved to strike.

No! Marik!

Bright light filled his vision. Everything around him froze, leaving a gasping Marik kneeling on the floor.

[Marik?]

Marik jerked to look right at him. [[Malik… You're not bleeding anymore. They said…they said I attacked you, and stole the rod to give it to Pegasus. They said I am no longer your mate. Ra, what have I done?]]

[You have done nothing. You are dreaming.]

[[Dreaming…]]

[Yes, dreaming. I think it's time for you to wake up. I don't know why you dreamed you attacked me, but you haven't. I am here, and I am still your mate. So, wake up.]

[[I'm dreaming…]]

Malik let his mind relax back into his own body. The rod was glowing brightly in his hand. Thank you. It seemed to grow brighter in response before slowly returning to its natural shine.

[Wake up.]

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Normal View

He yelped as Marik grabbed him in a tight hug. "It seemed so real…"

"I know. I saw parts of it, remember?"

"Are you sure I am not still dreaming?"

"I'm sure."

"I need to know…"

"Why did your dream have you attacking me?"

Marik's eyes developed a far off look. "If I had not left during the dance, I could have attacked you."

"What? Why?"

"By nature, my people are very sensitive to each other. This is especially true among hunters that are in close quarters. Unless strong reactions are blocked, it can affect the other hunters in the same manner. Meaning, for example, if Seto becomes extremely pissed at someone and does not guard his emotion, we will all become angry, just from his reaction."

"So Seto got really pissed, and it made you leave?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Yami became…oversensitive while dancing with Yugi. He did not mask his body's smell. My control is not as strong as the others. If I had not fled, my body would have also become stimulated…which could have caused me to do something that I would have regretted greatly afterwards."

"Which would have been you attacking me to relieve your body."

"Exactly."

"Why didn't you just tell me? I could have…taken care of you."

"No, you couldn't have."

"Why not?"

"You are still human. Your body would not have withstood what I would have done… It would have seriously hurt you, or worse."

"So in order to keep that from happening, you ran out."

"It was all I could do until the reaction faded."

"So the whole vampire thing…"

"Was true actually. I took my frustration out on it. But, I still fear hurting you."

Malik's face grew into a wide grin. "I know a way to solve all of our problems."

"What's that?"

"The obvious. Continue my conversion."

"Are you sure?"

"More than sure."

"I ask you, again, do you take what I offer you of your own free will?" He opened a small cut near the base of his hand.

"Yes, I do."

"Then drink."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It had become some kind of crazy seduction. By the time Marik broke off Malik's nipping teeth, they were both panting. His vision swam slowly. His skin had become hypersensitive to touch. He could feel the heat growing inside Malik.

"We must be crazy." He purred.

"Why do you say that?"

"I just reminded myself no less than five minutes ago how little control I have, and then went and did this."

"Don't beat yourself up over nothing. You have more control than you think, or I would already be tied up by now…not that I would mind."

"Watch it, or you just may get it."

"Promises…promises." Malik smirked.

Marik growled. They could hear Ryou in the shower down the hall. He was humming a song off key.

"You amaze me."

"What?"

"You have no qualms or second thoughts about what you did. The next time you will convert. It will be painful for you."

"I have nothing left, Marik. My sister doesn't care about me. I supported my father's pan to be remarried. She didn't. They argued. She left and never came back. Dad tried to make it up to her, but she wouldn't accept it.

I also tried. She threw it back in my face. I have no family left, other than her. My mom and dad were both only children, so I don't have aunts or uncles. My grandparents have been long gone. My mother died of cancer when I was three. I'm alone now."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Why not?"

"What about me?" Marik huffed.

"What about you?" Malik smirked.

Marik growled lightly before nipping at him. "I'm your mate, that's what."

"Oh yeah."

"Did you forget?"

"No…I remember quite well, actually." He paused.

"What?"

"I've been thinking about something. Seeing your dream really made me realize…Is what I feel for you…love?"

Marik blinked. Do I remember what love feels like? I have been wandering all these years without it. I barely remember my parents. I lost them when I was only 37 years old. Still a 'baby' by our standards.

I wandered after that. Watching their deaths before my eyes scared me. I could do nothing to help them. I was powerless at the time. It was then I swore to become an elite hunter.

I became the youngest hunter ever at only 39. Fighting for so long, I must admit, has warped me. It is why I have such little control.

I met Bakura about 1500 years later. Two years after that, we met Yami and Seto. We wandered together, destroying renegade vampires.

Yami knew the instant his father was killed. He became leader in that same instant. Because we were the closest to him, we remained as his protectors.

We wandered for so long thinking that out mates had long since passed. Now I have Malik. The feeling I have for him is foreign to me. Is this love that I'm feeling towards him?

[You don't know either, huh?]

[[No, I don't. There is one thing I know, though.]]

[What's that?]

Marik rolled to lie partially on top of him. [[Now that I have you, I'm never going to let you go.]] He nipped at his lower lip.

[Good. And I told you earlier; you have more control than you think.]

[[Sneaking around in my head again, I see.]]

[Just looking.]

"See anything interesting?"

"Can you teach me how to do that?" He watched as Marik's memory showed him casting illusions for people's entertainment. They laughed as he made Yami appear to have bunny ears and a tail. Yami had not been pleased.

"Weave illusions?"

"Yeah."

"All of my people can, but I am stronger than most. I can teach you after you are converted."

"What about…"

"That I am not going to allow at all."

"Why not!?"

"It is dangerous to actually hunt and destroy vampires."

"I fought them off, didn't I?"

"Yes, but I was watching you almost the entire time. If anything had started to go wrong, I would have intervened instantly through you. I almost flipped when that vampires bit you, but I was too busy blocking an attack to do anything. Instead you used the strength the rod gave you to shove her off of you. I'm extremely glad it did."

"You won't teach me to hunt?"

"No."

"What if I want to?"

"I won't let you."

"Watch me." Malik's eyes were hard and cold.

Marik growled. "Is that a threat?" His eyes narrowed.

"Damn right it is. I would not be able to sit around and watch, or wait, when I have the power to help. I may be a little crazy, but I'm not evil. I have never broken any morals, and I help people if I can. Granted, I like pulling pranks and messing with people a little, but I never do anything that can cause extreme harm or death to them. I value life just as you do.

I like action. You know that. You learned that about me the night we met. As whip says, I still have a good heart.

I would know what to do if I was attacked. It would take a strain off of you. I sense that extreme need to protect me inside of you. I don't need it. Well, everyone needs a little protection, but you're overprotective.

I will learn to hunt, and you're going to teach me, or I'll find someone who will." His eyes glinted in determination, as if daring Marik to say no.

"You're threatening me? I don't believe this!"

"Believe it.'

"No."

"Fuck you!" Malik jerked up. Ryou paused as he came out the bathroom door.

"Huh?" Ryou stared at Malik as he walked toward him.

"Not you, Ryou. The bastard behind me." He walked into the bathroom and slammed the door. The lock slid into place.

"What happened?" Ryou blinked, confused, as he turned to Marik.

"Don't ask, Ryou. Don't ask." Marik sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Okay. I hope you two work it out, whatever it is." He walked down the stairs. Bakura had been waiting, grumbling about how long humans take to clean themselves. The pants and shirt he created as Ryou came down the stairs fit him nicely.

[[Malik…]]

[Fuck…you.] The words came across cold and emotionless. A barrier slammed down loudly in Marik's mind, causing him to flinch. The link was closed completely between them.

He knocked on the door. "Malik, open up."

"Leave…now."

"Malik…"

"Go away." The shower snapped on.

Marik sighed. He looked down to see an inch space between the floor and the bottom of the door. He smiled. His body twisted and shrank. Scales covered down to his new tail. The forked tongue hissed out of his mouth. He slithered under the door.

The room was still filled with the steam from Ryou's shower. More steam came from behind the curtain. "Malik…"

"Damn it!" The shower curtain yanked back. Marik froze. "Go away! Get out! Leave!"

He faced a very angry Malik, who was also very naked and wet. Sweet damn…

"I said leave."

"Malik, just listen to me for a second." His voice sounded weird to his own ears.

"What?" Malik crossed his arms, drawing attention to his chest.

Damn! Marik blinked. "You think I would be less worried, but you're wrong. I would be even more worried. Haven't you seen my memories? I was close to death several times. It's dangerous! Damn…

"I'll take that risk, just as you do. I will not sit and wait. I'm not like that. If you can't accept that, then leave…now."

"Do you realize what you are asking of me?" Marik sighed.

"Yes, I do."

"I would be putting my own mate in danger."

"Marik, now you listen to me. We're connected. You bonded us, right? If you die, I will follow you. I know that, and I accept it as well. But, what if something happens and I'm not there, or Seto, or the others? We'd both go. Do you want that? I have never…felt like I do…when I'm with you. I feel complete. I would feel better knowing that we were able to watch out for each other. Protecting each other. This way…we can be together…for as long...as possible in this world." His voice was low by the end. "I guess it is love."

Marik jerked at those words. The truth behind them made shudder. "I guess it is." Now that they both realized what they were feeling, it felt even stronger and warmer to them, bringing peace to two battered souls. "You are willing to learn and accept all I tell you? There will be limits. If there is an ancient, you will not follow. You will stay behind. They are dangerous. Extremely dangerous. You will learn and practice with me before you hunt with me for real. Do you accept?"

"So…no ancient, I can come? You will teach me?"

"Yami is going to kill me for this…but yes."

Malik grabbed the front of his shirt. Marik went forward, startled. He was getting wet from the still spraying showerhead, but didn't care. He was focused on the rough kiss Malik was giving him.

[You're getting wet.]

[[Who give a damn?]]

Fire raced through both of them, but Malik still shivered. Marik had his hand fisted in his wet hair, tilting his head back even farther to be attacked by his invading mouth. It broke off to latch onto his neck.

Marik's teeth sank into his neck. [How?] His head snapped back, exposing more of his neck to the biting mouth. He slipped back as Marik stepped all the way into the shower.

[[How does this not hurt?]]

[Yes…it feels…damn.] Marik laughed low against his neck.

[[Do you like this?]] H ebrok off and kissed Malik again, letting him taste his own blood.

[Yes.]

[[We're mates. That's why.]]

A pounding sound came from the door. "Hey, you two. Yugi's grandfather does have to pay a water bill. Knock it off, and get out." Yami's voice came through the door.

"Damn it, Yami!" * We could always pay the water bill for him. *

* Already offered. He refused. *

* Great… * " We need to get out, I guess."

[We can continue…later at my house] He smirked as he got out of the tub.

[[Excellent idea.]]

"Ah, great."

"What?"

"Do you mind? My clothes are all gross."

"Any preferences?"

"Black pants. I don't care about the shirt. No girly colors, though."

"Shit. I think you would look good in pink."

"Don't even think about it."

"Oh well. Here are the pants…sans a zipper…but there is a draw string to tighten them, and a yellow shirt to go with them."

"You make that look easy."

"It is, once you get the hang of it…and your stomach just growled. Hungry?"

"A little. It's past lunchtime."

"Are you sure you want to go back to your house tonight?"

"Is that a bad idea?"

"Not really."

"Then, yes. It's too crowded here."

"Then, let's get out of here."

"Uh...Marik, you're still all wet." He turned to grab his towel.

He turned back and gaped. During the short second that he had turned his back, Marik had dried himself and changed clothes. "You were saying?"

"Never mind. That's convenient."

"Let's go get you some food before your stomach goes renegade." They walked out and down the stairs.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Author's note

As you can see, I am continuing this story. Thank you all for the wonderful support you have shown me. I am glad so many people have enjoyed this. Votes have been calculated, and I am happy with what the majority chose.

Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to update very often. I just recently changed shifts. I was on graveyard @_@ Now, I am working during the day.

I wrote this on the fly before going to bed, so if there are any glaring grammar or spelling mistakes, please be kind. I will review it again tomorrow or the next day to look for anything I missed. Later. ^_^