1: The Clock Strikes Ambiguously

Vampire. Bloodsucker. Night crawler. Soul taker. Satan's dog. Demon. Death. Whatever he truthfully was, he didn't know and perhaps he never would. After all, all routes to the truth had long ago been destroyed.

He blinked slowly to dispel the names dancing behind his eyelids, one corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. It no longer mattered. With time, the answer had become inconsequential to him.

The vampire prince poised on the highest branch of the tallest pine tree and listened to the symphony surrounding him, savoring the sound of the music unique to the surface world. There was such beauty woven into his surroundings and not for the first time that night, he wished he could take a moment to appreciate it for he knew such a thing was rare.

Unfortunately, there were more pressing affairs to attend to.

A whisper resounded through the branches up to the vampire, and his ears swiveled in the new direction. Human, his instincts told him.

The hunt had begun.

With a graceful twist of his body, he descended into a crouch and concentrated, tensing his lithe body. Before his next breath, Yami had leapt off his perch and was scaling one treetop after another with incredible speed.

As he flew across the greenery, he allowed himself to reflect for a moment to a different era, when life had mattered. There, his life had revolved first and foremost around an unforgiving sun. Oh, how hungry he had once been for all knowledge and how eager to consume anything and everything within his grasp.

Nimbly weaving his way across the forest, Yami frowned, uncertain why why he was entertaining these memories now. With a slight shake of his head, he set his mind to the task again.

Yami began to dart from tree to tree, minimizing his visibility as grew closer to the sound. Gradually, he could make out snippets of conversation drifting off into the forest and hesitated, questioning if his initial analysis had been correct.

But there is only noise enough for one human, Yami confirmed, and then raised an eyebrow. Is he talking to himself? Out loud?

"...should have just taken the ride Ryou's buddy offered- SHIT."

Indeed he was, Yami observed with a spark of amusement, watching the small form trip over a tree root and fell to the ground in a cloud of dust. He ripped himself off it, and violently brushed the dust off.

"Who cares if they were drunk as all hell? You wouldn't be so bruised that you look like you'd joined in on one of Ryou's bondage romps again! ...Goddamnit, I really fucking hate trees."

Yami sank his claws in one of the nearby trees and paused to silently observe the little human, momentarily forgetting his purpose. This was not what he had expected to find, but even as he found himself intrigued, he knew he needed to distance himself. This simply would not do.

Unaware, the human continued his rant. "...what takes the cake? YOU DECIDED TO TAKE A SHORTCUT THROUGH THE GODDAMN FOREST AND NOW YOU'RE LOST. FUCKING FANTASTIC, YUUGI. BRILLIANT."

Yuugi, was it?

Yami realized he had almost let the name slip under his forced detachment and frowned. Exerting his will, he forced himself to forget it in the next instant. Names were irrelevant for this.

The human chose that moment to pause underneath the tree Yami was balancing on, and sagged against the trunk in exasperation. Yami looked away on the pretense of surveying the surrounding area again.

"I'm not going to even go into your wardrobe choice," the human muttered to himself, crossing his arms. Almost against his will, the vampire swiveled an eye down and inspected his garb.

A human chest rose and fell quickly under angry huffs, each breath constrained by the layers and layers of black leather belts, creaking as they stretched to their limits. The lowermost belts overlapped his very tight leather pants, which disappeared into thigh-high black leather boots. The entire effect was that he appeared to be simultaneously the victim and perpetrator of a most heinous bondage crime.

Quite a unique costume, Yami reluctantly gave a sly smile. Though it looked decidedly uncomfortable.

He was absently counting the number of belts he could see when the little human got to his feet again and huffed. "Because wearing fancy pantsy...pants in the middle of a forest, and being totally lost is exactly what I needed. Oh yes, I'd much rather be here than dancing downtown. Goddamnit, why the fuck did I let Ryou talk me into coming out here tonight? There is nothing out here. Not even any fucking taxis."

Precisely, Yami agreed with a smirk. He remembered himself as he regarded his prey for another moment. Then his humor evaporated completely and left him feeling cold. Alright, he nodded to himself. It was time.

He tensed his muscles.

The human was dusting off his jacket and muttering under his breath when Yami swung around and seized him, one hand curling around his neck and the other on his shoulder to spin him around forcibly. The human gaped at him.

Yami's resolve flickered.

The hand around the human's neck was warm, claws interwoven into soft hair dyed several different shades of red, purple, and blond that fell just under his ears. His thumb brushed a gold earring dangling from one ear. Yami's eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized a tiny pyramid.

Black eyebrows arched over a pair of trembling eyes framed by long eyelashes, with irises that gleamed violet as they reflected the moon. His smooth, pale skin only served to accentuate a small upturned nose and pink lips, quivering slightly in emotion as he took in Yami's intrusive gaze. With his other hand against the human's skin, the vampire could feel his heartbeat quickening. There wasn't much time left.

As the human indignantly opened his mouth to speak, Yami withdrew his restraint on his power and let it amplify outward with a thunderous echo. His awareness swelled like wildfire as his mental range expanded to a more comfortable size. He breathed out in satisfaction as he touched the human's consciousness and enfolded it into his power.

He watched his prey's striking face freeze in an expression of outrage, the rest of the muscles in his body slackening until he collapsed in Yami's hold.

Once convinced his control was absolute, the vampire tossed his small form over his shoulder and set off at a run across the forest floor. When he reached a long, uninterrupted road leading into the city, he allowed himself to speed up to a flit, confident that there was no other presence blocking the way to his destination.

As he ran, he gave in and allowed his thoughts to return to the memories dancing at the edge of his mind, reluctantly admitting to himself that perhaps he needed a reminder after all. Unable to resist himself, Yami let his mind flash through memories of his arduous escape from the darkest part of his life.

They had fled as far as possible, the two of them had receded from the light to hide from any kind of detection. Oh, how he had refused to let them stop no matter what the reason. How they had kept going, and going, and going…When the safety of the deepest dark had finally wrapped itself around them, only then had Yami been able let go of his paranoia that they would be found. It was ironic then, that what he had demanded to keep them safe was what had made them become what they'd been accused of all along.

True creatures of the night. Da'kana.

The name flowed through his veins and he felt something briefly stir in the back of his mind. As always, he ignored the feeling and within seconds, it dissipated as usual. That ever present tickle in his mind that either way gave no answers or no peace. Irritated, he envisioned himself slicing through the word with a claw, the pieces fluttering lifelessly to the ground. He sneered. Meaningless.

No matter his origins, he dismissed, at least he would never have to struggle again like he had once upon a time. And never again would it be alone.

It hadn't been just the two of them in the dark for very long, he acknowledged, pride flaring in his chest. Others had found him in that deep, drawn by the mental flames of his power entwined with his mirror's. Yet even then, the visitors had clung to the outskirts of his awareness, hoping to warm themselves only with the vestiges of his power.

Scarred by his own betrayal and full of anguish at how lost he was in the world, Yami had been flooded with compassion for the first time in his life. He recalled, the ghost of a smile on his lips, how he had called all others to join him, their origins as dubious as his own. With his own personal hell resonating through his being, he had promised himself that they would never again fear to live the existence bestowed upon them.

He knew that he would do all within his power to honor that promise.

As the buildings grew more populated around him near the outskirts of town, he raced up the side of a brick apartment complex and pushed off to the next, leaping from one to the next as they grew taller and taller. A wolfish grin on his face, he momentarily allowed himself to get lost in the exhilaration of racing through the sky.

Within minutes, he left the residential district behind and exchanged brick and mortar for glass and steel, chasing the wind up and over the taller buildings. Knowing he wasn't far now, he increased his speed until his surroundings became even more of a blur. His leaps became even higher, his kicks more forceful against the concrete.

Eventually, he touched down on the top of an imposing tower, gleaming brightly in the moonlight. Even in the darkness, the pristine sheen of the glass was glaring and contrasted starkly with the silvery steel framework that held it in place. Yami liked it; it felt clean.

Dropping the paralyzed human against the wall, the vampire walked to the edge of the roof and looked out over the sea of lights across the city he had just traversed. Yami liked this too; it made him feel alive.

He often came here to gaze upon this city and enjoy the lives that drifted across the surface, like bubbles on the water. Sometimes, it was comforting to just observe from afar.

Yami turned back to the small form slumped in the shadows and stretched his jaws, his fangs extending until they rested on his lower lip. Such a little thing, he remarked. Hopefully, there would be enough of him. Yami would not abide repetition.

Irritably, the vampire lifted the human from the wall by one of the belts across his chest, and turned his limp body so that his face wasn't visible anymore.

Pressing one clawed hand under the human's chest to keep him in place, he used the other to sweep his hair back and move his head to one side. One claw slowly traced the jugular from his shoulder, delicately pressing into his skin until it broke.

When blood pooled at the puncture and slowly dripped down his neck, Yami's eyes dilated.

A dull throbbing began in between his eyes and he rapidly licked his lips once, twice, feeling the burgeoning thirst. He groaned lowly, feeling the thirst spread through his body until his bones ached with it. There was no going back; this was the point of no return now.

Drawing his lips back with a snarl, Yami exposed all his fangs and struck.

Yuugi didn't feel any pain. Actually, he didn't even think.

As he continued to drift alone in an ocean of darkness, he felt no fear and desired no pleasure. He only existed to occupy this place and this point, and nothing would ever find a way to matter more. That was all.

And yet, without warning, a sensation slowly returned to him like the first spark of a fire; his entire consciousness focused on that one point, inquisitive. As he watched it flare again and again, his awareness of time returned and he was able to place himself on the spectrum of the universe once more. When flames began to spread across his body more and more rapidly, he suddenly realized that his paralysis was fading with each heartbeat.

In time with his heart, a throbbing at his neck was draining him of his life and energy and Yuugi knew his time was limited. As the paralysis left him limb by limb, he felt movement return to his body at the same time as his ability to move depleted with each pulse sent through him.

This made Yuugi angry.

He did not want to be the front row audience at his own death.

If he was perfectly honest with himself, he had always believed that death would come for him in the dramatic fashion befitting his grandiose lifestyle. That very thought had always made him comfortable with the concept in total. But yet here he was, letting some cocksucker with a suction fetish kill him off in the most pathetic way imaginable. He felt disgusting for being a part of this.

He was going to die and it would be without the fucking blowjob he rightfully deserved.

Now Yuugi was pissed.

He felt the anger broiling about inside him, roiling around in his stomach like a swarm of angry bees and he stoked it, feeling the violent energy quickly spread through his body. This was good; he could work with this. The hell he was going to die without at least an explosive orgasm on his way out.

Fuck you, jackass, he thought vehemently just as strength returned to his fingers.

He curled them into a fist and jerked his elbow back, colliding with his captor's stomach. When hands let him go in surprise, Yuugi was ready, bouncing off the ground and bolting across the roof.

There were one wall he could see around him that looked like it might have a door and he set off in a dead run around the side, sliding to a stop several feet past the metal door. He grunted as he jiggled the door handle, not comprehending why it wouldn't open. A second later, he realized it was in fact locked and swore, his bad mood quickly becoming worse.

His eyes searched the expanse again, noting fan after fan after fan before reaching the opposite edge of the building. He registered in the back of his mind that he was on a roof but the thought was secondary to his immediate desire to simply get the fuck away from this nutjob.

How the fuck did he always end up in these situations? He groaned in exasperation. He was going to have to take a chance down one of these fans, wasn't he?

As he hesitantly took a step towards a fan that appeared to be inactive, the other man materialized in front of him so suddenly that he almost crashed into him. Yuugi jumped back with a scream and twisted around on his landing to sprint in the opposite direction.

Before he knew it, he had reached the edge of the roof and he stopped short, throwing his hands out to either side for balance. He sucked in a breath, and as he steadily fell back, he let it out in another curse.

Yuugi could feel the presence of the other man approaching him from behind and spun around, disappointed to realize that his initial glance had been right and this guy was at least a head taller than him.

Long, dark hair floating like a cloud around his face and Yuugi felt an illogical flash of jealousy as he realized the red hues in the man's dark hair, hanging just past his shoulders, were better matched to his outfit, a black cloak with deep red velvet lining overlaying a well-tailored, black pinstripe suit. Yuugi pursed his lips, feeling a certain tartness in his mouth as he realized the man in front of him was decidedly attractive.

Okay, he was smoking hot, he admitted to himself. Putting his fists up in front of him as the other man took a step forward, he cursed his bad luck. Why the fuck were the hot ones always so fucking dangerous? Honestly, he could only think of two ways this encounter was going to end.

"Fuck," he muttered, his eyes shifting from side to side, evaluating his dismal options. Rape? Or death? Rape or death? Rape and death? What fabulous choices!

He mentally berated himself for joking in yet another precarious situation, chuckling nervously. How the fuck did this always happen to him?

The vampire stared at his prey, actively disbelieving what he was seeing.

He knew this wasn't possible. Years of hunting humans and nothing had ever changed; if anything, the hunt had become easier with time as humans had become more complacent, believing they were safe in their homes with their technology. His paralysis was unconditional.

Perhaps he had allowed himself to play with his food too much this time, he conceded, hitting upon the only difference between this one and the others. He had simply been too sloppy.

And that is simply unbefitting of a prince, he thought with a sneer. Mind still throbbing with a thirst he had not fully quenched and mentally exhausted from containing his metaphysical awareness, Yami found that the entire situation was beginning to grate on his nerves.

With a snarl, he lunged forward with fangs exposed, claws snapping. He would finish this quickly. However, before he was within reach, the human squeaked in distress and jerked backward involuntarily.

"V-vampire?" he breathed, expression aghast as they took in his gnashing teeth and wild eyes.

At that, Yami hesitated for a split second, the moniker having remained unspoken in his presence for so many years. That second was just enough time for the human to flinch again. His feet took him another step backward.

Only, there was nothing for him to step on. He had finally reached the actual edge. With a wheeze, the human lost his balance and tipped backward.

Yami leered in triumph as his claw snagged the topmost belt of his costume; he had almost begun to jerk him back when the belt snapped. Almost in slow motion, he watched the leather uncurl from its stretched shape and splay out, each agonizing second of his failure lasting an eternity.

The last that Yami saw of him were his wide, panicked eyes.