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Into the Desolate Night	By : Athena Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 5700 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit Yugioh fanfiction. I will leave warnings at the start of each chapter as necessary as not all tags will apply to every chapter. This story will be heavily laden with plot and mature themes. PG13 version available

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
This chapter is rated T
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o.o.0.0.O.0.0.o.o
Chapter 3: Some May Call it a Curse
(Yami)
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His fingertips investigated the coarse surface, peeling away stringy clumps of damp tissue that he brought to his nose and sniffed. It was hers alright. A heavy breath escaped him, both relief and pity exiting in a steady stream of air.

He looked back over his shoulder and down the alley, imagining the struggle from this angle as she would have come racing through only to halt and stop for breath by the dumpster. It was an old trick that might have worked against a different kind of hunter but, with severe wounds, no amount of garbage could hope to disguise the smell.

He began to picture the scene in his mind’s eye. She would have knelt where he stood, struggling to get up and faltering twice to leave the long, squashed impression on the ground. Yami did not have to meet her to know her. Her character was etched into the world around him. This stain was a testimonial to her unbroken resolve and another--on the far wall, the scratch--was a reminder of small stature could not limit the strong-willed. She had been petite and dark-haired but outnumbered by her assailants. Deep reserves of bravery stood firm amidst inexperience and fear for the life of her unborn child. Shifting had likely terminated the pregnancy but she remained adamant to protect it, offering up vital parts such as the side of her neck in exchange. If it was close enough to term and she had an emergency C-section, it might…

He shivered and forced himself to stop thinking about it. He couldn’t save her or the child.

It was a mistake to become personally attached to these cases, and it had blinded him in the past from noticing the crucial detail. He had to stay numb and unfeeling - neutral to both parties. Only then could he understand why she was chosen and why it had happened. To add conjecture or bias into the equation would mislead him and result in more suffering because of it. Whoever she had been, she was beyond his help now.

Her fate was in their hands.

The only thing to be done now was to study the circumstances of her death and use it to help another. That would be her legacy.

The group doing this was clearly emboldened by their success as their abductions became more frequent and techniques more systematic. Whatever was planned, they had a clear purpose and knew he was on to them; too many red herrings made that obvious. But if he could only understand their motives, then he might know their next move.

He continued to trace the final steps again, finding where the trail ended so he could begin realigning events. He stepped back and breathed in the whole scene, mindful of where he secured his footing given the slick puddles of blood. She must have lain here for a while, trying to recover, before they found her and she put up a final fight. Why she had come here was still a mystery. There could have been a hidden den nearby or someone she knew living in the area, but, with no further evidence that she had been dragged or carried out of the alley, it confirmed what they already knew about vampires as culprits.

Yet, it didn’t make sense; none of the recent killings or abductions had. Whatever these vampires intended to do, they chose very specific targets; first the young, then the old, and now the pregnant. He could not draw a line between them or understand the pattern. Perhaps it was random to keep him guessing and wasting his time drawing correlations when there were none. He had thought he'd noticed a preference of animal type but that had broken down when two tigers went missing. To his knowledge, there were at least thirty victims, and a long list of dead wolves their Alpha had been trying to hide.

The vampires had not started abducting the elderly until after they had stopped taking children. If he was right, then compiling a list of pregnant shifters and keeping tabs on them might let them set an ambush. But his shadowing of other shifters would not go unnoticed. Once suspicion was raised, the community would demand answers, and Yami would be targeted as the problem. It was regrettable but he’d allow it since the truth might otherwise cause a panic.

It certainly wouldn’t make his work any easier.

In truth, there was no silver lining. Such problems kept him up at night, imagining alternatives and how to meet these challenges effectively. Many pieces were still missing but there was hope that any one might reveal the shape of the puzzle. Right now it was still difficult to know what he was even looking at. If he could only figure out what they wanted, it would become easier to predict their targets and intervene.

Closing his eyes, he thought back to when the first abductions had begun. It was a considerably fresh grudge given the far-reaching history of violence between them, but life in the modern world demanded compromise. It took a team effort to strategically place themselves within the human structure and they needed to rely on each other to infiltrate and influence where they could, gaining connections throughout the system in order to make it bend and flex to their will. Killings happened, but were regulated and treated as murder. After long negotiations they had learned to cohabitate, and keep the paranormal community hidden, but it was a constant strain and would inevitably fall apart.

Technology was advancing too rapidly.

The shifters did not have the numbers to survive a war. They had lost that battle long ago and discretion was the only thing keeping them safe. The vampires' inability to exist indefinitely in this realm had saved them from extinction, but had forced the shifters to agree that they would not grow their numbers by recruiting humans. In exchange, the shifters were left alone. But, if desperation called for it, that rule would be broken in a heartbeat. If the community learned of the abductions they might even take it upon themselves to start kidnapping humans for that purpose. The possibility opened itself to trouble if the Alphas could not maintain control and Yami had little faith in them. It was another reason why he would personally take the blame and outcast himself. It would be stupid not to.

Nearly five hundred years had passed since the last war, during which many of the elder vampires were killed, leaving a messy political structure behind. The vampires had only recently recovered. They no longer had a king but a council, a “Hierarchy” that provided some semblance of organization and control. Power struggles still erupted, but more vampires benefited from the mandatory cooperation than suffered. It was impressive but he was still uncertain how they had worked out such an arrangement given their vain nature. It proved effective enough that he had to commend it and started taking mental note of which vampires were indebted to whom. Still, the ‘why’ remained elusive.

But if it could work for them, maybe it could work for the shifters as well? They were not recovering but descending further towards madness.

Entirely dependent on humans and neglectful of their animal halves, they took solace in the luxuries and commodities of the capitalist life-style. It led to a selfishness and sickness in their souls – a complete breakdown of structure and what communal life in the pack entailed. Many would avoid their obligations except when it benefitted themselves. By sheer loss of numbers many clans disbanded, pack leaders losing control of their members who in turn lost control of themselves. The one sad redemption was the establishment of the Urukai, formerly the largest wolf clan, that now united and oversaw control for the majority of the city’s shifters.

The major flaw, of course, was Gansley. His attitude and age were hindrances. Contenders for his throne already made moves in the background, scheming and garnering small factions of support that made loyalty as novel as any thing else that could be bought and sold. Other small clans still pretended to hold power but paid their tithe and took part in the Urukai dealings all the same. Everyone was leashed in some way. If the turmoil continued there would be war within and without soon enough.

It had to be stopped. And discretion was sorely needed.

It had protected everyone for a long time, yet this new generation failed to see its value. There were increasing reports of mysterious figures, disappearances, and attacks filling the news stations. It brought unwanted attention to their kind - vampires and shifters alike.

He took personal responsibility for the shifters, hoping they would learn how precarious their situation was before it was too late. But it was hard to get through to the other alphas and break their ties to the modern world. They did not understand, and it left them ill-prepared to cope with their inner nature.

That problem trickled down the ranks where it became a perversion of reality. A distorted fantasy.

Nothing in life ever resolved as smoothly as it did in fiction. The real world did not operate like the fairy tales or movies ascribed and there would be no ‘great understanding’ breached through deep ‘heart to heart’ talks or daring ‘Romeo and Juilet’ esque romances. The shifters that intentionally exposed themselves for followers or friends on social media learned this the hard way – sometimes from him personally. They became ‘other-kin’ to the outside world and whatever footage or images they uploaded were made into photoshop tutorials or otherwise played up as a hoax. No offender dared repetition and collective punishments were distributed in order to ensure that all members had invested interest in monitoring the community's behavior.

But that was neither here nor there.

The rain would soon wash away all evidence of this wolf and the final chapters of her life. Her media profiles would be closed and she would disappear entirely. In a few days he would know her name, see her face come across his desk, then delete it from the public record. Kaiba Corp kept its own records and he would store a piece of her there like a digital tombstone.

His eyes fell upon an imprint on the wall and lingered there.

He rose up and moved closer, adjusting his angle of sight to try and retrace it and commit it to memory. In the spray, he noticed, very faintly, an area where it had been wiped away for drawing runes. He managed just barely to see it and recognise it as ‘ka’, but the other symbols remained unclear to him. Without more he couldn’t tell where this portal went but it was one he recognised from another site and the handwriting seemed familiar. If he had been a master vampire he would have been able to recognise it instantly, maybe even ‘feel’ whose magic had opened the portal as clearly as a shifter might distinguish between two smells. But, despite his best efforts, the traces were as lose as smoke, proving once again that his abilities weren’t as good as everyone assumed. He was lucky enough to sense it in the first place given how weak he was right now.

A shiver of discomfort rustled through him, one more thing he didn’t like to dwell on deeply.

But, from what he could tell, these vampires had teleported her after she had likely passed out from blood loss. After seeing the remains of previous abductees, for her sake, he hoped she had not survived this last assault and had slipped quickly into death. Her struggle had been arduous enough, the trail beginning blocks away at the park by the riverway. There, they had found marks on trees, uprooted soil, and three different blood sources – all signs of an initial brawl with those that accompanied her. The tragedy was that she had been lured by someone she trusted, and other shifters had betrayed her, attacked and weakened her for the vampires to abduct. If Yami had been ten minutes earlier he might have arrived to the scene on time. But they had taken their time at the park and decided to split up.

He had Mariku backtracking the approach, Athena following the escape route, and Akefia circumventing the area for anything they might have missed. He wanted to be thorough and trusted each of them to apply as much diligence as he would to the tasks. All of them wore radios in case they needed to get in contact, but otherwise the silence was a good sign that no one else’s trail had run cold. Any indication of her betrayers - what clan they belonged to or where they went - would be more to work with than they had thus far. In truth, they had been suspecting shifter involvement for some time but this was first solid evidence that could expose the group responsible.

They had never been so close to catching them in the act.

Yami heaved a sigh, imagining the work that lay ahead of them.

If the Urukai tried to protect these shifters, he would have to take it upon himself to bring them to justice. It would cause problems between himself and Gansley, but that was no threat. What mattered would be whether he made an enemy out of the next Urukai leader, and he suspected that would be the case. Resistance to his inquiries and hold-ups on the investigation gave the whole Urukai attitude an unpleasant stink.

Not only that, but there was something else to be said about vampires and shifters getting along - it never ended well. In time one side would betray the other, and then all hell would break loose. Any major conflict between them would draw humans into the picture and force it into the open. New weaponry radically changed their circumstances, making the threat of a new purge more serious than ever. The humans would not quietly allow themselves to be recruited. If the vampires wanted, they could easily hide in the Shadow Realm and let the humans deal with the shifters before returning.

It was in the shifters’ best interest to maintain peace at all costs.

And Yami was no exception.

He would sacrifice whatever was necessary to keep this from happening, his own pack’s safety placed well above the others. This girl, who ever she’d been, was not one of his. It was a moot point, but the community kept repeating it whenever the Senjiyuu got involved. They weren’t a police force; each clan could handle its own – he’d heard those excuses enough times to consider letting them fend for themselves. But Yami’s concerns were bigger than their short-sighted desires.

Every time it was the same story: "Where were you when we needed you?". There was otherwise no desire for interaction until things got out of hand. The Senjiyuu were only appreciated when the vampires needed to be put back in line. It made them infamous; many of the new vampires and shifters knew them solely through rumours and some, revered them like gods. That fear was useful, helping to mediate conflicts without violence. But, in the day to day, the opposite was true. Few trusted them, and many refused to talk to them altogether. Collectively it had been decided that the Senjiyuu were monsters, ones that killed indiscriminately and planned to dominate everyone.

It was a misunderstanding, but one that stood on a partial truth. There were times, when elder vampires and alphas alike, used the Senjiyuu to dispose of ‘disagreeable’ members. With an opportunity and list of crimes, Yami had no qualms if it meant restoring peace and ending war before it began. Yet, each time the private praise was met with public shaming and condescension. The leaders scapegoated him for everything. Inwardly, he told himself it was fine - so long as they remembered their debts when the bill came due.

Yami rolled back on his heels, taking out some of the sting that had been firing up his thighs from squatting so long. He had hardly noticed the rain, until the thunder rumbled. They were on borrowed time now; the heart of the storm roughly an hour off, which left them just enough time to finish combing the area before everything was slated clean.

He rose to his feet and stepped clear of the blood, taking shelter beneath a small outcropping as the rain began to come down in sheets. It was truly a nice night – all things considered. Warm for autumn.

As the downpour gained strength a rhythm beat against the concrete, a melody that did not pair easily to the gray environment, but belonged with the greenery of the forests and fields. It felt stolen, made his stomach twist, and left him also feeling out of place.

He rolled his shoulders, trying to shake it.

He never understood how city shifters tolerated the chaos and confined themselves willingly to such prisons of stone and steel. Even at night everything was loud, overloading his system with a deep ache for the quiet chorus of the wilds.

He drew a deep breath, letting new air rinse out his senses and fill his lungs. He was eager to get back to the woods now and be at peace; no cellphone, blood, or bright lights. If there was time tomorrow, he would give himself the morning to sit by the lake. The city was suffocating and dulling his senses with its grey fumes, grey skies, and ugly sounds.

A car alarm went off and proved his point.

Reaching into the pocket of his blazer, Yami tugged out his phone and switched on the screen to check the time. It was still early in the night, barely past ten, so they had hours left before they would normally return. Although, given the circumstances, maybe they would call it an early night.

“Yami?”

He flinched and sat up at the call of his name. Mariku shouted loud enough that Yami could hear him both in his ear piece and in the next alley over. It seemed Mariku would never use the damn headsets properly. He also made no apology and aired his contempt for technology openly.

Subtlety was also not one of Mariku’s fortés, which was why Yami had sent him backtracking and not out hunting like the other two. It was not to say that Mariku was not an asset; he was merely difficult and preferred head-on confrontations to reconnaissance. When surveying he would intentionally give himself away to pick fights and had the shortest attention span of a grown adult Yami had ever known. His notorious habit of wandering off was also infuriating, but it was useful as it kept Yami wary of the time and allowed him to set a pace that could keep Mariku occupied.

Stepping out from the shadows into the thin lamp light, Yami spoke into the radio knowing Mariku was close enough to hear his actual voice as well, “Over here, Marik.”

A crash exploded behind Yami and he turned to see Mariku hop down from the dumpster he’d used as a landing pad. Apparently walking around buildings wasn’t as amusing as scaling them, but he took it as a point of pride that Mariku had failed to notice him from up there.

“Good, so you are here. I knew I was getting close. Has anyone reported back yet?”

It took all of Yami’s effort to hold a solid expression and not let his agitation show. You have the radio in your ear for fuck’s sake!

He held himself calm, steady. “No. Is it safe to assume you didn’t find anything?”

Mariku shrugged, tugging on his shirt in annoyance as it clung to his skin. Yami motioned to the dry outcropping but Mariku snorted at his offer, stretching his limbs and letting the rain soak him through. “Hide if you like but the rain is about the only redeeming quality to this shit hole.”

Yami didn’t disagree but still took shelter.

“And I didn’t find much. I traced them back to a Burger World joint a couple blocks away, asked around pretending I was looking for my friends and the cashier said he saw a pregnant girl leave with her man and two others about an hour ago. That’s it.”

Yami couldn’t restrain the surprise in his voice. “Her mate?”

“Maybe,” he snickered as if it were somehow funny. "I sat at the same booth; tried to pick up any smells I could which were actually pretty solid. She was by the window, and I’m guessing the one beside her would have been her man. He had a strong imprint so if we come across it again, I’ll know.”

A soft smile tugged at Yami’s lips. “That explains the smell of fried cheese…”

Mariku made an indignant sound, “I was hungry alright. And it would have looked suspicious sniffing around the seats without a reason.”

Yami’s smile widened. If anything, it was good Mariku had found himself something to do. It gave the rest of them more time and was surprisingly considerate.

The fact that no one had reported in was the main reason Yami hadn’t called off the hunt. He could see in the way Mariku’s muscles twitched that he had realised the same thing. It must have been torture for him to not complain, the bitchy attitude rolling off him as thickly as the rain. But like Yami, Mariku knew the radio silence was a good thing. It meant both Athena and Akefia were on to something and either could present the chase Mariku longed for.

Mariku let out a heavy sigh and kicked the dirt with the toe of his shoe. He was on the threshold of disinterest so Yami brought him up to speed on the details, if only to fill the air. Mariku’s lack of interest was clear in his stance but he nodded and played along.

For a while.

“This girl is going to be dead before we get to her and its like you don’t even care,” Mariku sneered, cutting into Yami’s explanation and making his agitation known. They both knew that between them Yami was the only one that cared.

The comment was meant to sting, to make Yami mad and drive him to act. Years of this shit kept him level-headed against it though and Yami shrugged it off. “This isn’t a rescue mission. We can afford to wait a while longer.”

He should have been more careful with his wording.

Mariku folded his arms and ground his teeth, the end of his patience near. Yami offered a sympathetic look to caution him but Mariku rolled his eyes and turned away. He was furious and Yami was wasting his time standing around like this. He didn’t get how others could waste their lives doing nothing; being nothing. He turned back to stare Yami down but noticed the boy had closed his eyes and leaned up against the wall with a contented look. Mariku frowned, displeased. He had wanted to provoke him and prod him into action, but bit his tongue. He tried to mimic the pose and relax but it wasn’t even comfortable. He fidgeted then snapped his eyes open and snorted in disgust, clicking on the mic, “Akefia, you done yet?!”

Yami checked his ear for blood and pulled the speaker away.

Mariku had turned his back to him so it was a wasted effort to bother hiding his disapproval. Even if Mariku saw it, the glare would have little affect since he had practically raised Yami and was more likely to laugh in his face than feel intimidated. Mariku’s obedience came solely through his overwhelming desire for destruction, knowing that Yami would keep setting him up with targets if he stuck around. He was so full of hate and rage, a tragic and complicated past dictating his every action, but it didn’t mean Mariku wasn’t a prick or that Yami couldn’t be angry at him.

But some forgiveness was due in this case. Normally Mariku operated on a shorter countdown so it was only a matter of time, and he’d done well to make it this far.

Akefia was more to Yami’s speed, which was to say, the opposite of Mariku. He could be difficult to motivate at times but a true predator that rarely disappointed. If Akefia was on a mission, Yami would take it upon himself to keep Mariku occupied rather than hunt. With enough time to report back on his own Akefia would find something. He had a nose for trouble, as they say. If Yami called it too early they would lose their lead and waste time later.

He sincerely hoped Akefia would ignore Mariku and Athena would report in soon. She didn’t often come along but tonight Yami wanted all players active on the board. They had been given a good lead and had been close to confronting the problem head on. That was what Mariku had been promised and why he was so pissy.

Akefia’s voice came over the radio, “It’s not what we are after but… it is intriguing. Five shifters and one is drawing runes; it's obvious they are up to something. I can keep watching unless you want to break them up and see what’s in their box.”

To Mariku’s credit he didn’t answer but turned to Yami for approval.

He waited a few moments to see if Athena would comment but Mariku's impatient foot tapping had begun to irritate him, so he broke down and made a call. “We round them up. Whatever happened here had witnesses and we can pick up the trail later. It is better to catch these shifters in the act now.”

He could smell the bloodlust on Mariku’s skin and watched his crooked smile twist, reaching an unnatural height for a human face.

Maybe after this Mariku would shut up for a few days and leave him alone.

“Location is seven blocks north of the park, three east. Approach from the south – heavy northwest wind,” Akefia returned over the headpiece before radio silence resumed. He was farther out than Yami had told him to search, but that was nothing new.

“On our way,” Yami replied, setting the pace at a steady jog as Mariku followed, trusting Yami to have understood whatever Akefia had said.

Athena beeped her radio so they knew she was listening. It was likely she was still investigating and would leave them to it.

From the park it was not hard to find Akefia – at least when he wanted you to. The fire escape was down, his scent plastered over it, and it lit up for them as clearly as a neon sign pointing up. They climbed and took cover behind the ventilation, surveying until they spotted Akefia hunched down on the roof adjacent to theirs.

In two signals Akefia indicated the places and, with a quick glance over the edge, Yami confirmed them. Five shifters: one guarding each end of the alley and three standing over the runes. Two carried a large box and placed it in the center while the third marked off quadrants, following instructions on a sheet of paper. It looked as though they had everything ready save for a few symbols.

The wet cement did not make the task easy but intricate lines built up a delicate design, an impressive feat that took a steady hand. It was a dead language but vampires had revived it to escape the Shadow Realm and cross the barrier to this world. Deciphering remained mostly guess work and there was no way these shifters could learn it on their own, not without the help of a vampire to instruct them.

They finally had proof of shifters and vampires working together. Now the question was why.

Yami did his best to memorise what he saw, not exactly recognising this particular layout or what each of the symbols meant, but they had to act before the shifters completed their work. He tapped Mariku's shoulder and pointed to the exit on the west side. “Close off the street and force him back into the alley. Rough him up but make sure he can still talk. We want to question as many of them as we can.”

He sat up and turned to Akefia. The distance was too great and the radios didn’t always pick up whispered words so he gestured instead. If Akefia could take care of the other exit, they could together shepherd their little lambs together and pressure them until one squealed.

But before he could give the signal, Akefia’s phone rang.

All three shared stricken looks. Akefia fetched his phone and sent it to voicemail but it was too late. The shifters had heard and were looking up at them, realisation dawning on their faces. They must have recognised them as Senjiyuu because they scattered.

“Go for the box!” Yami ordered, rushing to the fire escape and dropping the remaining three stories to land on all fours. He regained his balance and charged the one still desperately writing runes. Mariku was at his side, clearing the way as he slammed into the closest of the two that had carried the box. The collision sent both to the ground and the second shifter lost his grip from the force. The box hit the ground with a sharp clatter, the unmistakeable sound of broken glass ringing as Mariku growled and the other yelped.

Claws and teeth elongating from human vessels on both sides.

Yami had the rune-maker pinned, but his hold on his arm made Yami cautious of pulling away. The teen was snarling and thrashing like a wolverine. His face was morphing and his extending into a fleshy muzzle of elongated cuspids. Readjusting his knee into the kid's sternum, Yami applied increasing amounts of pressure. His other hand wormed free and he used it to choke off his airway.

He kept the arm steady until the teen was forced to let go in order to breathe. Once he did, Yami pried the teeth from his arm and pulled away. The pierce marks were deep, pooling crimson. Thankfully, he'd gotten the kid under control before there was any tearing. One good pull from a bite that deep could have easily uprooted muscle. Admittedly it was an amateur mistake, one that reflected Yami's fault of being too gentle.

Grabbing the teen by the muzzle, Yami forced the mouth closed. He held it with one hand, the other pinning the kid’s wrists above his head. The boy flailed, trying to roll out of his grip. Yami gathered his nerve and slammed the boy's head back into the concrete. He wanted enough force to stun, not kill. The body went limp and Yami rocked back on his heels to rise, leaving the body where it lay.

Yami took a quick survey. Remnants of sheared clothes lay on the ground. Mariku must have left to pursue someone that had run. Unfortunately, this meant there were still two standing guard over the box. He'd have to deal with them. Akefia was too busy dodging the claws of a shifted Bengal tiger at the east exit.

What a nightmare. Seto was going to lose his mind if any humans investigated the noise.

Yami knew he had spent too much time with his thoughts when he narrowly slipped out of a poorly timed grapple. The larger man barreled down on him. Yami swerved right, dodged, and ducked past him again. His eyes fell on the box. The stalky, raven-haired shifter noticed and stepped in front, prepared to meet his stride and block him.

What he couldn't expect was Yami changing the odds. The big man swung at an illusion. Yami kicked at his knee from behind. It cracked, the kneecap popping. The man landed in a distressed heap. Neither understood what had happened, but it put fear in the blond's eyes. Yami knew, if he cornered him now, he'd tell him everything he wanted to know.

He stepped forward and the blond began to run. Yami cut him off, and he fell back.

Yami might not have been as bulky as Mariku or Akefia but he was fast and agile. His opponent flaunted hours of gym muscle, thick and bulky, that was crafted solely for the purpose of display. He clearly did not know how to use it, his movements too wide and untrained. They were wild swings that Yami easily danced around. Which was good. He wanted him to tire and surrender on his own.

But the fact that he nearly caught Yami’s blazer proved a point. Yami dropped his shoulders, let it slide down, then tossed it aside. That freed his mobility a great deal. The linen shirt beneath fit tight to his core and left his arms bare. It was less material to grab. Less to get caught if he needed to shift.

He caught the blond glance away and listened. The soft click of claws alerted him. The shifter with the busted knee lunged for him, Yami dodged, and the hyena skidded to a halt. It rounded on him again, favoring only three legs as the injury carried over.

The next attack was coordinated.

He dodged the teeth, but the big guy's swing caught the side of his head. It glanced off, near the temple. But it left Yami surprised. He managed to catch the second swing and push it aside. He needed distance before the hyena could get to him.

A fierce wind kicked up and separated them. It swirled around him and he had to kneel in order to stay aground. He couldn’t see through it but heard the hyena yelp.

Athena was nearby.

There was a ruffle of thick feathers and then the wind died off. The tiger bellowed as it turned to flee.

Not one of the shifters seemed to understand what they were looking at, staring up at her as if Athena were a two-headed chimera. In body she was a wolf, but proud wings mounted on her shoulders and fanned like an owl’s. Of the five of them, Athena was likely the least strange; yet, her inability to return to a human form left her subject to a majority of ungodly stares.

Part of him wanted to shield her from view but the secret was already out. They had all agreed to let it happen. The Senjiyuu could no longer continue to hide and that included restraining their true forms. War was coming and there was no longer a need to delay the inevitable. Maybe seeing this would wake the shifters up.

Athena landed and paced forward, startling the hyena into action as it turned tail and fled. That left one-

“Stop him!”

The command made Yami whip around, seeing what Akefia was referring to seconds before it happened – it was the kid that had bit him. He had crawled back to the rune to finish it while others had distracted them...

Just as Akefia called, the rune sparked and ruptured in green flame that spread along the etched lines and burned until it consumed the entire box in a spire of hot emerald.

They rushed in but none could stop it.

Yami growled low in his throat. His eyes dilated and began to glow as he grabbed the kid by the collar and dragged him to the wall, slamming him against it.

“Where did you send it?!” He slammed the kid again before he even had a chance to answer.

Akefia's phone went off and Yami rounded on him angrily. "Silence it!”

Athena looked between them, confused and clearly not understanding. But Akefia coolly ignored the order and checked his phone. Seeing that the remaining shifters had taken off, he answered it.

“Ryou?” He could practically feel the heat of Yami's glare between his shoulders as he turned his back. But the moment he heard the panicked tone of his mate, nothing else could have mattered more.

A yelp escaped the shifter beneath Yami's hold as claws unintentionally extended into the kid's shoulder. It was not enough to distract Yami's attention, however. His eyes were still on Akefia, furious as he stared him down.

Ryou knew better than to call and Akefia knew better than to leave his phone on.

“Ryou? Ryou! Are you still there?” There was an ominous silence as Akefia stood frozen in place, his gaze distant.

When the phone lowered, Yami knew something was seriously wrong. Ryou didn't hang up on someone--and never on Bakura.

“Fuck.” It was the single most heartbroken sound Akefia had ever made. Yami felt his own heart ache in reply. The anger quickly subsided, his grip slacking on the shifter as worry set in.

“What’s happened?” Athena stepped forward to nudge Akefia with her head when he didn’t respond.

Even Mariku returned now, jogging back into the alley with his forelimbs stained up to the joints, his mouth dripping with blood. "I heard shouting."

Yami spared him a glance before turning back to Akefia. He was trying to call Ryou in the same desperate way a drowning man panicked for breath.

No answer came as Akefia broke off in a full sprint.

Yami scanned their faces. "Follow him and keep me updated.”

For once Mariku did not need to be told twice.

Athena watched, uncertain whether she should stay or go. “You’ll be fine on your own?” she asked, making her own decision. Yami gave a curt nod and that was it; her heavy wings unfolded and, in four gusts, she was airborne and invisible against the night sky.

With this new upset, they were down about four captives and a box, and possibly had even bigger problems on the way. With more important issues waiting, Yami turned his attention back to the half-shifted creature still held against the wall. "Name?"

The shifter looked startled, perhaps initially surprised that he was still going to be interrogated and not killed. “R-Rex.”

“Rex what?”

“Rex Raptor.”

Good, a straight answer.

“You are Urukai?” Yami already knew the answer was 'yes'; the stink of city shifter rolled off of him in volumes, but he wanted Rex to tell him that. As a sign of good faith, Yami eased his grip on Rex’s shoulder and set him level with the ground. However, he kept his hand there as a reminder in case the punk tried something. He didn’t trust Rex not to lie or be an idiot – he was young and bound to be stupid.

“Yes.” There was fear in that voice, a little defiance too.

“Where did the box go?”

That steak of defiance shone in his eyes. He was clearly toying with the idea of lying. Yami ended the thought with a sharp strike to his gut. “Not in the mood,” Yami warned, giving time for Rex to recover and catch his breath.

Rex wavered against the wall, head lolling back with acceptance on his face. “Fuck you.”

Fine. Rex wanted a lesson in consequences.

With little reluctance, Yami reached out and grabbed Rex's left arm. He held it, giving him a moment to reconsider his options. Then he tugged it, alerting Rex to his intentions. Slowly, Yami applied more pressure, watching as Rex's face contorted with pain. The boy bit his lip to remain silent. But they both knew it would not last long if Yami continued.

Seeing that an answer was not forthcoming, Yami repositioned his hands to his shoulder and wrist. He tightened his grip, planning to finish the act in one pull—

“Don’t! ... Don’t…. I’ll talk, I’ll talk. Just… stop.”

Yami had a victorious smile. “Information’s not worth having an arm torn off? Remember that, because I don't have time to fuck around.” He released Rex's arm and rephrased the question, "Who did you send it to?"

“To a vampire, I don’t know the name, just the face. Dark hair - real long, and pale skin. He’s tall and thin with green eyes. I – I don’t know what else to say!”

He hadn't expected Rex to drop a name. But he must have taken the threat seriously to have offered up such detail. He growled out his next question anyways, leaning closer so that they were nearly nose to nose, locking his eyes with Rex's pale blue ones. “And what was it you sent this vampire with no name?”

Rex looked away, shame or guilt claiming his mind as he shut his eyes and took a deep breath, his voice a mere whimper when he spoke. “Blood.”

Yami sat back. “Blood? Anyone’s in particular?”

Rex drew another shaky breath. “Mine.”

“Just yours?”

“Mine and the others that were here.”

Yami clicked his tongue. “I see. You were sending a vampire your blood… Do you have a deal with him?”

His eyes widen but he continued to avoid Yami’s gaze. It was obvious that Rex had something to hide, but his answers so far remained direct and truthful.

Maybe Yami had not hit upon the right questions yet. There was something in Rex’s tone that was unsettling. The kid had risked his life to send that box and they had all stayed to defend it. If it was only blood, they could have fled and extracted more later.

“Kinda... He, he kind of offered us protection if we paid with blood.”

It made sense yet didn’t hold up with what he knew of Otogi. That man was a plotter, a thinker with a devious mind. He wasn't the kind of vampire that forced protection deals, but would swindle someone blind with honeyed words if they let him. He must have made them some kind of promise; whether it was for protection was hard to say.

There was of course a possibility that it was not Otogi, but another. Yami doubted that. The whole business stank of his profile.

“And what exactly is this vampire protecting you from?”

The question invoked a reflexive stiffness in Rex’s body.

It seemed they were finally hitting on those questions Rex didn’t want to answer.

Realising his body betrayed him, Rex hung his head. A few moments passed, and Yami was not sure if he was going to lie or not, when Rex began to shake, tears rolling down his face. He did not know what part of the questioning had brought this on, but he remained quiet as Rex whimpered and broke down in front of him. He even let the kid lean in against his chest when he reached out for comfort, but he drew the line at letting Rex lick his face--he wasn't his alpha.

But what was there to say? This had never happened before. There had been tears during other interrogations, but those were faked or brought on by pain. Rex was just breaking down; shutting down, in fact. The longer it went on, the less likely Yami would get any more answers.

"Rex" -- he said the name softly, but firmly enough to make him look up-- “I don’t know what he told you but vampires are not your ally. The clan will protect you. Speak to your Alpha instead.”

This was difficult. He needed Rex’s confidence. If he could get more answers by showing Rex he was someone to trust and confide in, then so be it. He would let the kid cry into his shoulder. “Vampires could use that blood for a number of things. In the past, they have used shifter blood to make poison and other toxins. What you are doing affects everyone and you can’t just-“

“Shut up!” Rex’s sobbing morphed into rage as he shoved Yami back.

He blinked owlishly and allowed Rex the space, watching as he recovered his breathing from yet another explosive episode.

“Y-you think you know what’s going on? You think you know what its like? You… Senjiyuu! You know nothing! You come in here, acting like you care, but I know better! I know you don’t – you don’t fucking care!!”

He paced as he shouted, another round of weeping following before rage helped Rex regain control over his tears.

“You only care about you and yours, so don't expect me to sit here and listen to your bullshit. The rest of us suffer while you... YOU" - - He grit his teeth and stepped forward, grinding his finger into Yami's chest--"watch idly and let this happen! You don’t care what happens to me! This only matters because you’re afraid they’re-”

“Enough!” Yami slapped Rex’s hand away and squared his shoulders. These accusations were drawing at a line. He was still angry but had to remain in control; hitting Rex would be of little use at this stage.

Yet, there was something in what Rex was saying that sparked a thought - he'd mentioned himself. Those words tugged on Yami's attention, bringing him to study the shaggy-haired teen more closely.

He made eye contact and the realisation dawned - Rex had not fully shifted back to human yet. His matted brown hair had streaks of silver poking out from beneath his red toque which were tuffs of coarse wolf fur rather than smooth human hairs. He checked Rex's hands and, sure enough, the claws were stuck there.

“Tell me, Rex, how long does it take you to become fully human again after you shift?”

Yami knew he hit the mark when Rex’s pupils dilated and his mouth dropped open in sheer terror. It was enough of an answer - he knew what Otogi had promised them now.

Yami turned away, stooping to pick up the slip of paper Rex had dropped that showed him how to draw runes. He spoke from over his shoulder. “He’s using you. There is no cure for what you are going through. You will either conquer your beast or turn permanently. It’s up to you to determine whose master and take control; no syringe or potion is going to change that.”

Yami’s words struck home and Rex felt each as a stab at his heart. He fell to his knees and hugged himself, the heartache taking full control as he watched Yami leave.

It was all the information Yami needed. He picked up his coat and retrieved his phone to dial Mariku. Hopefully they were able to resolve whatever problem Ryou was having.

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A/N: Before anyone asks, Athena is a Yugioh character and not an OC. If you need help guessing, google ‘athena yugioh’ and see if the card can help you figure it out ;P
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“Human” – Reg’n’Bone Man
Maybe I'm foolish
Maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this
And see what's behind
Got no way to prove it
So maybe I'm blind
But I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Don't put your blame on me
Take a look in the mirror
And what do you see
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe
'Cause I'm only human after all
You're only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
- 3
- 4
- 5
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Into the Desolate Night