Dark Chaos, Book One Of The Chaos Saga (Formerly Known-In The Arms Of Darkness)

Chapter 20: The Missing

     "Noooo!"  Yami screamed, shooting up out of his coffin.  Yugi had been sitting next to the coffin, playing on his phone.  He shot straight up off the floor, dropping his phone, and grabbed Yami, who was sweating and shaking uncontrollably.

     "Yami!  What happened?"  Yugi was staring, wide amethyst eyes taking in the the sight of his love completely disheveled.

     Seto came striding purposefully in, Joey following closely behind.  Cobalt blue eyes locked with crimson.  "You felt it, too?"  Yami asked shakily, putting an arm around Yugi's shoulders.  Seto nodded, once.

     "Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Yugi snapped impatiently, looking with concern at Yami.  After helping Yami to a wingback chair in the corner and easing him into it, Yugi sighed, looking between Seto and Yami.

     "He needs blood."  Seto clipped, and moments later Honda appeared, baring his neck.  Yami bit, and drank deeply.  Honda let out a contented sigh.  Yugi let out an angry huff.  Yami stopped shaking.  "Thank you, Honda."  Honda smiled goofily and walked out.

     "I thought it was supposed ta hoit?" Joey asked, scratching his blond head in confusion.

     "It does, for everyone but Yami's victims...or "eager participants", one might say.  One of his "gifts" is making his bite...pleasureable."  Seto explained.

     "Yugi, Seto, please get our group together...something terrible has happened."  At that statement, Yami's tone, and how Yami acted when he woke up, Yugi's heart crashed into his heels, nausea crawling up his throat.

     Seto nodded, heading out.  Yugi closed his eyes, sending out a message to the entire prowl to meet at the club immediately, no exceptions.  He held onto Yami's hands.  "Is there anything you need?"  Yami smiled up at his doppelganger, so concerned, and shook his head no.

     Seto came back five minutes later.  "The vampires, fey, werewolves and spellcasters have been notified, and should be arriving shortly."

     Within 33 minutes, everyone was assembled in the meeting room at the club.  Seto walked in, followed by Joey, Yugi, and finally Yami.  Yugi's eyes darted around the room.  "Where are Duke, Serenity, and Tony?"

     Joey looked up upon hearing his sister's name.  "She better not 'a snuck off with Duke." he growled.

     Anzu frowned.  "Yugi, what's going on?  Why were we all called here early?"

     Yami stood, clearing his throat.  "Is anyone else missing?"  All the wolves looked at each other.  "All wolves are here." said a tall, skinny red head named Sean.

     "All fey are here." Anzu reported, blue eyes dark with concern.

     "We are missing Rebecca."  Ryou, a silver haired spellcaster with warm chocolate eyes said in a British accent, eyes full of worry.

     "All vampires are accounted for." replied Mokuba, walking into the meeting in a rush.  "Sorry I'm late big brother." he said, running up and giving Seto a hug.  The raven haired boy barely made it to Seto's chest.  Joey noticed Seto relax imperceptibly at seeing Mokuba.

     Skylar walked in, tan, with golden skin and blonde hair, and sky blue eyes.  He was followed by four other men, all tall, all with wings of different colors sprouting out of their backs. "We are missing Ishizu."  He frowned, folding his golden wings to his back.  "Otherwise, all angels are accounted for."

     Yami stood and bowed to Skylar.  "I did not know the angels were coming to help.  Last I heard from Odion, the angels were staying out of earthly affairs."

     "Since an angel has went missing, it is now beyond earthly affairs."  Skylar bowed back to Yami.

     "I see."  Yami turned to the whole group.  "I have provided all of you with my protection, barring the angels."  Yami stated, nodding to Skylar, who nodded back.  "In providing protection, some of my life force has been introduced into the charm of protection that was placed on each of you.  Therefore, in essence, there is a bit of my essence in each of you."

     No one spoke, so Yami continued.  "I just felt some of my essence ripped from a being and re-absorbed by myself.  Someone has just...died."

     "Who?" Yugi whispered shakily as everyone else sat, in shock.

     Yami shook his head.  "I do not know, but I fear it is one of those not with us."

     Yami sighed, seeing everyone nervously looking around at each other.  "I fear this is Bakura's doing.  I want search parties out searching for each of those not with us.  Wolves and leopards, we will pair you both up.  Between each of your extraordinary noses, there is hope of catching a scent trail."  Yami sighed, sitting down. 

     "The fey would like to help."  Anzu declared, stepping forward.  "I can go with Joey and Sean, searching the woods east of here, since I know those woods best?"

     Yami smiled gratefully.  "Thank you, Anzu.  Seto, would you organize the parties?"  Seto nodded and pulled out some parchment and a pen from a drawer, along with a map of the area.  He started sectioning off areas and assigning beings to groups.

     "Report back here by 5 a.m.  If you find Bakura, do not engage him...he is dangerous.  Let us know via telepathy or spell."  All the beings nodded.  "Yami, Yugi, Skylar, Ryou, and myself will stay here for updates and to gather reinforcements if necessary, as well as facilitate communication among the different groups."  He nodded a dismissal.  All the beings left except for the above mentioned few who were staying behind.

     Yugi sat down in Yami's lap. He looked at his lap, fidgeting. "Yami...do you really not know who died?"

     Yami sighed.  "I do not.  I wish I did."

     Yugi nodded, looking at the clock.  Nine thirty-nine P.M.  Yugi sighed again.  Five A.M. was not going to come for a long, long time.