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“I suppose we should have a fresh start with each other, now that we’ve turned comrades in arms,” Atem said.
They’ve just gotten off Kaiba’s carriage pulled by headless horses. The driver – a short, stubby man with his head mostly hidden under a tall hat who somehow kept reminding Atem of a cat in a waistcoat – got off the carriage with them, scrambling on his stubby legs to tag behind his master. Atem couldn’t help but stare as the carriage drove off by itself, disappearing in a wisp of black smoke.
The vampire’s strides were wide and brisk, his long legs gliding along the stone pavement as they cut through the lawn, making Atem rush to keep up with him. He almost ran into Kaiba’s back when the vampire suddenly stopped in his tracks. He looked up to see Kaiba peering down at him, blue eyes narrowing imperiously and a cold sneer at his lips.
“You think I’ll be fighting alongside you… human.”
Atem felt himself rising in indignation, an irritable flame curling up in his chest. “That’s what you agreed to with the Hunters’ Guild, a mere hour ago. Are you going back on your words?”
“Hmm… so it never occurred to you how absurd it sounds… a Vampire Lord forming allegiance with a group of humans. Do you form allies with your cows and chickens, by any chance?”
Part of Atem wanted to snap at the vampire’s brazenness, but his rational half stiffened in alarm. That’s right… he should never forget that he was in the company of a vampire, a lethal and capricious beast, despite how agreeable he sometimes chose to appear.
He should stay calm and appeal to reason. “We share a common interest … it would benefit us both if we put away our prejudice.”
To his surprise, Kaiba burst out laughing. “I never said it was beyond my pride to stoop down and side with you. Human or vampire - anyone who wishes to hit the nails on Gozaburo’s coffin I welcome to my cohort. But whether you are worthy to serve as my partner is another question… I prefer to fight alone rather than have an accomplice who would get in my way.”
Atem frowned. “Do I need to prove my worth to you?”
“Precisely.” Kaiba swooped around, the tails of his ridiculously long coat flaring out behind him. “You Hunters pride yourself on your dexterity… let’s see how they match up to a vampire’s gifts. Bael, my pistols.”
At his words the cat-like carriage driver burst into a dense cloud of smoke, which sprang into the air and curled around the vampire’s raised hands. There was a fiery flash of light as they morphed into a pair of flintlock pistols, intricate silver patterns adorning their barrels. Atem had to fight the urge to reach for his own gun. The minute reflex apparently didn’t escape the vampire’s eyes, by the way his thin lips curled up in derision. He flipped one of the pistols around, offering the handle to Atem.
“Let’s play a game you humans are rather fond of… I challenge you to a duel.”
Atem could hear his own blood pulsing behind his ears as he grasped the walnut handle. “Kaiba,” He said, trying to keep his voice even, “A duel is not a game. It would be counterproductive if one of us ends up dead.”
Kaiba let out another bark of laughter. “These guns are loaded with ordinary lead bullets – they won’t scratch so much as an itch on me. As for you… getting killed would simply prove you unworthy of my time.”
Atem’s fingers tightened painfully around the grip. He thought they had come to a genuine truce, but now it was apparent how much water it held on Kaiba’s side. Was he naïve to expect any good faith from a vampire?
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft huff. “…I assure you you will not perish from this ‘game’, even in the occasion that you lose.”
Atem blinked. How could he forget – he was standing before the Lord of the Undead himself. Resurrecting him from a fatal gunshot wound was mere child’s play for Kaiba – but to offer it upfront was nevertheless a generous gesture.
Of course, it also left Atem with no excuse to put Kaiba off without provoking the vampire’s scorn.
“I understand. Very well… I accept your challenge.”
Kaiba’s lips curled as he hummed an acknowledgement. “Do you wish to call in seconds?”
“That would not be necessary, if we’re only playing for sport.”
The edges of Kaiba’s lips tugged up further, and for a moment Atem could swear the vampire was enjoying his grudging acquiesce. “Bael, I’ll have you serve as our referee.”
“As you wish, my Lord.” Atem looked around for signs of the cait sith but found none; instead, he saw two glowing blue lines burning themselves onto the stone pavings.
“Twenty paces apart, gentlemen; on count of three, turn and fire.”
The vampire whipped around to walk up to his mark, and Atem followed suit. Once his heels were resting against the blue line at his end, he cocked his pistol and held it at his side.
“One…two…”
Atem was rightfully irked by this turn of events. True, he should be glad the vampire didn’t force him into a life-and-death gamble, but he was no less offended at how Kaiba made a sport out of the whole ordeal of duelling. He wanted to tell the vampire how humans would fight for the code of honour they hold more valuable than their lives – but he imagined the centuries-old vampire would simply scoff at these “petty interests”. Was there anything about their “pathetic, short lived” race that the vampire didn’t meet with contempt?
But there was at least one thing they had in common, one thing that drove Atem to put his faith with this incorrigible creature in the first place. Kaiba was proud. And despite having drastically different values, Atem knew the vampire also had things he held dear, things he would risk his life to protect. Put that way, they weren’t too different.
It was just then that his instincts tingled – he felt eyes falling heavily between his shoulders.
Kaiba was watching him.
The third count was only a split second away from being called. Had Kaiba turned early? He couldn’t find a plausible reason for the vampire to cheat, but his hunter’s instincts had never failed him before. Perhaps the vampire was toying with him after all – perhaps Kaiba simply wanted to make a fool of how he unwittingly dropped his guard to a presumption of a fair match, and laugh as he suffered the bitter fruit of his naïveté. His left hand ached to reach for the revolver hanging from his belt – the one loaded with silver bullets that would surely deliver the vampire a much-needed lesson.
Except that would be the wrong thing to do. If he wanted to teach the vampire about honour, he would first need to keep honour himself.
“…Three.”
Atem whipped around on his heels. The vampire was already facing him, his coat flaring behind him like a black wraith. He couldn’t tell if Kaiba had turned early, or if the vampires reflexes were indeed a notch superior to his own – he didn’t have time to linger on the question, either. He raised his arm, took quick aim and fired. The blowback from the pistol hit almost the same time as a blunt force drove into his left shoulder, tearing recklessly through his flesh and bone. He staggered back a few steps, head spinning from the impact, but he forced himself to look up and verify his opponent’s condition. The first thing that met his eyes was the flash of surprise igniting the vampire’s cold blue eyes.
“Nggh…”
A trickle of blood spilled out of the edge of Kaiba’s mouth. Atem followed the trail down, and saw a dark flower blooming on the edge of the vampire’s cravat.
“Hnn, to think a mere mortal could wound me… twice.”
Kaiba took off his coat, and Atem saw the red stain spreading out from his left chest and quickly drenching his white shirt. The vampire dropped his pistol to press his hand over his heart, and after a few pained coughs his breath came out even again.
“How cumbersome… I’ll need to have Isono take the bullet out for me,” He winced. Atem blinked in surprise as he saw a smile – not a sneer nor a scowl, but a genuine, mirthful curve settle at the vampire’s lips.
“Let us take care of your injuries first.”
Kaiba straightened, extending his blood-smeared hand in Atem’s direction. A gust of wind carrying the sweet scent of blood washed over Atem’s face, filling his nostrils, and a coarse shiver wracked his body.
Blood… Kaiba’s… blood.
The raw hunger from the mere thought sent Atem stumbling back in panic.
Flesh and blood from a pure-blooded vampire can heal the most impossible wounds, but the blessing came at a great price – he who consumes it would be converted to an anomaly, neither living nor dead, shying away from daylight and thirsting for blood the same way vampires would. Some of these people choose to seal pacts with their host, becoming the vampire’s retainers and devoting their lives to servitude; others would wander the depths of the night, slowly losing their sanity as they embark on a fruitless quest to find peace.
Naturally, Atem’s hesitation did not escape the vampire’s eyes.
“What are you waiting for? You have no reason to be wary of my blood… after all, it’s been a while since you were last legitimately human.”
Atem bared his teeth at the words, his sharp fangs cutting into his lower lips.
“Come here and take what you want from me, you worthless mortal.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. Atem sprang in like a starved-crazy wolf, practically devouring the twenty paces between them, knocking Kaiba onto the ground and pinning the vampire beneath him. He snatched Kaiba’s bloodied palm, dragging his tongue along the creases, then sank his teeth into the flesh, moaning in bliss as thick coppery liquid poured out of the wounds and into his mouth.
It was an otherworldly sensation. The blood tasted like the sweetest nectar, washing over his tongue, wetting his lips and dripping down his chin, setting off a fire that coursed through his entire body. He felt so powerful, basking in the most profound sense of satisfaction; yet his hunger expanded even further, threatening to swallow the entirety of his being the moment he ceased his plunder.
“Haah…”
A soft gasp escaped Kaiba’s lips and prompted him to look up. The vampire’s eyes had turned a dazzling gold, his face thoroughly flushed. Did it feel good for him as well? Atem wondered aimlessly, until he realised the vampire’s gaze was trained on his wounded shoulder, where the tattered flesh was stitching itself together at visible speed.
Of course. He’s hungry too.
Thoroughly satiated and eager to please, he crawled up onto Kaiba’s chest, baring his neck invitingly before the vampire’s eyes. “Aahhh… Kaiba… did you want… a drink?” He shuddered as the vampire’s pupils constricted sharply, snapping to lock on the unguarded expanse of his neck.
“Save your breath…” Kaiba managed to bite out, wringing his hand free from Atem’s clutches and giving him a firm shove. Normally a push like that would have sent the petite hunter toppling off to the side, but with Kaiba’s blood fuelling the fight in his veins, Atem barely budged.
“It’s a pity you don’t want to drink from me, pretty thing… because I sure want to drink from you.” Atem was ecstatic. Over the years he had taken down countless vampires – more than he can remember, but none of his conquests felt quite like this – none of them felt quite like Kaiba. The pleasure was not only from defeating an enemy much more powerful than himself. It was sensual – the way he had this proud, beautiful creature beneath him, straddled between his thighs, struggling in vain as his familiar strengths deserted him, his panicked efforts doing little to his favour but instead creating even more openings for Atem to exploit. His awe, his wrath, his fear… every emotion was like a different liquor, mixing together to concoct the most irresistible cocktail.
“Mmhh… you should really taste how good you are, you tempting devil,” Atem breathed, licking a long trail down Kaiba’s neck. The guttural growl that broke out of Kaiba’s throat was feral – a sign of warning, but the unmasked desire in its undertone sent renewed shivers down Atem’s spine. He rolled his hips, not surprised to find an answering hardness pressing against his backside.
You’re enjoying this just as much as I am… Atem leaned in to capture the vampire’s lips, muffling what was left of the delicious noise it was making. The soft flesh was just as satisfying to tear open as the vampire’s palms or throat, but his reactions were far more enticing – his body stiffening when Atem dragged a thumb along his jaw, his hands reaching up to grip Atem’s arms but making no further attempts to resist him, long lashes fluttering over golden eyes, brows twisting together in exquisite agony. Atem sucked on the vampire’s lower lip, letting his blood run slowly into his mouth, lathering over his tastebuds. He felt an answering stab of pain on his own lip, and an electric spark ran down his tongue as he tasted his own blood mingling with the vampire’s, like a forbidden brew served only to the Devil himself… Kaiba’s eyelids slid shut briefly, and when they opened again, his irises glowed red.
That was the only warning Atem had before he was seized by a crushing force and sent flying off to the side. He barely managed to brace himself so that he wouldn’t land on his injured shoulder.
Kaiba was back on his feet, wiping his blood-stained lips on the back of his hand. The red haze in his eyes flickered, then retreated back into gold.
“Get away from me, you filthy lowlife,” He hissed.
Stricken and confused, Atem struggled to get up, head throbbing and coloured patches dancing before his eyes. The feeding-induced trance gradually ebbed away, then suddenly he was hit with the acute pain from his injuries, as well as the realisation of what he had just done.
“I’m… I’m sorry.”
Kaiba looked more flustered than Atem had ever seen him – at least from what he could consciously recall – hair disheveled, blood drenching the front of his shirt and smeared all over his jaw. He almost looked lost. His mouth opened and closed, as if trying to say something then changing his mind. He settled for stretching his lips into a terse line.
“There is no need for an apology… Had you done anything that breached my limits, I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you.”
Atem grunted as he rubbed his brows, feeling the the situation piling into a painful heap in his head. Perhaps teaming up with Kaiba was more dangerous for both of them than he ever imagined.
Fortunately, the vampire had visibly calmed down as he picked up his coat and threw it back over his shoulders. He produced a handkerchief from a pocket and wiped his hands clean.
“Bael, have them prepare a hot bath.”
“Yes, milord.” There was a rustle in the trees as a flock of crows left their branches and flew in the direction of the mansion.
Kaiba looked down on Atem for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he strolled over in a few brisk steps, stopping right by Atem’s side. He extended his right hand, and Atem could see the holes he bit onto the palm earlier were already gone.
“Get up. I would not hear of my partner grovelling in the dirt in such an unsightly fashion.”
Kaiba’s expression was stiff and begrudged, but it didn’t prevent Atem from raising his brows in awe. He took Kaiba’s hand, feeling the vampires slightly cooler skin press tightly against his, and a small surge of gratitude washed over him when Kaiba gave him a firm tug to pull him back to his feet.
“…Let’s look out for each other then,” He said softly.
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