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

Chapter 24: The Sacrifice

     Seto sat in the chair, trying to read a book.  However, his eyes kept glancing back to Joey's sleeping form.  Joey was very handsome when he wasn't being a doof.  But he loved the doof part...it was so...polar opposite of Seto.

     Seto sighed, rereading the same page for the sixty seventh time.  Finally, he gave up and flung the book on the table.  Damnit, he was worried.  Seto Kaiba was never worried.  Concerned, perhaps, but not worried.  Worry meant there was an emotional connection.  Yet, here he was...worried.

     Seto went over and sat down on the plush fcarpeted floor, head a mere two feet from Joey's sleeping form.  He rested his head on the bed, studying Joey.  Seto prided himself on being a cold, uncaring bastard...so how the hell did this mutt dig his way into Seto's igloo of a heart?

     Joey's eyes opened slowly, staring right into cobalt.  "Hey." he whispered. 

     "Hey, yourself."  Seto whispered back.

     "Sh...she's really gone,  isn't she?"  Seto hurt at the pain in Joey's eyes, at the tears spilling over Joey's cheeks.  Seto swallowed, hard, nodding once.  Joey closed his eyes and rolled over, his back to Seto.  Seto silently watched as Joey's whole body shook in silent sobs.  He reached a hand out, giving a reassuring pet to the back of his head.

     Seto shook his head.  This was that Bitch, Fate's, payback for all the times he put a cold shoulder to Atem's crying over Heba.  But Atem would cry if Heba bit his tongue while eating.  It got so that Seto just kinda ignored Atem's whining.  To be fair, Atem was a pussy.   Seriously, Seto felt the pain of Atem dying, and he was like a brother to Seto, even though they were cousins.  Seto loved Atem.  So he understood the pain of where Joey was coming from, and where Atem came from when Heba...

     Seto's eyes shot open.  He stared at the still quietly weeping form of Joey.  Resolve formed in Seto's eyes and he turned, walking out the door.

     It did not take Seto long to find who he was looking for.  Ravyn was flirting with a regular while mixing his Pharoah's Sunset.  She just put the fruit in when Seto got her attention.  "I need to speak to you, now.  It is imperative."  Ravyn nodded, informing the other bartender that she was taking her break as she handed the regular his drink and put a ten in the register.

     "Fuck off, Ravyn...it's too bus...oh, h..hh..hello Master Seto.  Get outta here Ravyn!"  It was obvious the bartender did not see Seto in the beginning of the conversation, but noticed Seto pretty quickly after starting his bitching at Ravyn.

     Ravyn followed Seto to a back room.  When he closed the door, she crossed her arms and looked at him questioningly.  Seto cut to the punch, "You know the story of Heba and Atem and how Heba saved Atem."  It was a statement, not a question.

     Ravyn nodded.  Seto continued.  "Can you do that?"  Ravyn raised an eyebrow but nodded again.  "Good."  Seto continued.  "I want you to bring Joey Wheeler's sister back.  Resurrect her, bring her back as a vampire, whatever.  Just bring her back, not some demonic version of her."  Seto finished.

     Ravyn just looked at him incredulously.  "How do you propose I do this?"

     Seto looked at her coldly.  "You are the necromancer.  Do what you do."

     "That's not what I meant.  Seto, we don't have something Heba had."  Seto raised an eyebrow.  Ravyn sighed.  "We don't have an intact body."

     "Use Sean's."

     "Can't.  He wanted to be cremated."

     Seto growled in frustration.  Knowledge dawned in his eyes, and he let out a long breath.  "Use me."  he said with finality.

     Ravyn's eyes bugged out of her head.  "I can't do that!  You would have to be dead!  I don't mean undead, I mean no soul, life, unlife in.  Your. Body."

     Seto shrugged.  The thought of his mu...of his Joey being in this much agony was too much to take.  He wanted Joey happy, even if he could not be with Joey.  Joey loved Serenity so much more than Joey could love Seto, because of Joey and Serenity's history, their bond, and her innate goodness.

     Ravyn backed away, hands up.  "Uhhh, no.  I have to go talk to Master Yami about this..."

     "No."  Seto responded, grabbing her wrist.  "Do the ritual.  Now."

     Ravyn shook her head.  This was fucking nuts.  However, no matter how little Seto disregarded his life, or unlife, she valued hers, very much.

     Ravyn nodded and positioned Seto on the floor.  She pulled out a ceremonial dagger, and, chanting, raised her hands and the dagger above Seto.  Seto watched as the dagger came down at his chest, the last thing he thought of was Joey's face as blackness engulfed him.  "Goodbye, Joey.  I do love you so." he whispered, as everything went cold and very, very black.

     At that moment, in another part of the club, Ryou ran out of the conference room, frantic.

     Also at that same moment, from the basement, Joey shot up in the bed, screaming "No!" as he tore out the door, trying to find Seto.