Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.

Author's note: This is a non-yaoi AU 1xR vampire story. It is not a crossover with the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer as I have never seen the show (as much as I have wanted to watch it). Some parts of the story may be based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as I have been reading up on it. I have also been researching vampires for this story and have composed their strengths and weakness' from several different points of view on the subject. So, the vampires in this story may not be like popular fictional vampire characters. The main characters, besides Heero and Relena, are the pilots and the girls. This story will be several chapters.

Warnings: This story is rated 'R' as only a precaution. Most of the story will not deserve such a high rating but since this story does deal with vampires, it will get bloody. Appropriate warnings will be at the beginning of each chapter if I feel it's necessary.

Email KurisutaruHime@Aol.com or Losigirl24@Aol.com with comments or suggestions.

Shadows of the Heart

By: Crystal

Chapter 1: Welcome to the country of Sanc

Beautiful.

Relena Peacecraft smiled softly as the rays of the sun washed over her through the glass of the car window. For the past hour, Relena had let her ocean blue eyes take in the marvelous beauty of the country of Sanc. Lush green trees lined the paved road she traveled along while rolling hills dotted the backdrop of the land. The absence of homes was a blessing, for Relena felt only the beautiful creatures of the earth had a right to live in such a place. Obviously the dark creatures of the night thought they had a right as well, Relena thought as the reason for her trip came forth. Birds flew out from a weeping willow, spreading their wings and soaring high into the sky as the low noise of the car disturbed their morning. Taking a deep breath, Relena could still smell the lingering scent of the ocean on her clothes. The car turned onto another paved road and the tranquility of her environment vanished as the car approached a gate.

As her new home loomed in the distance, Relena thought back on the reason she was coming to this beautiful country. Two weeks ago, she had been informed from a higher power that her duty as the chosen one would force her to go the country of Sanc. Here, she would resume her role as the slayer, destroying the creatures of the night that sought to harm others. More specifically, the large amount of vampires who lived in the city of New Port. Treize Kushrenada had also been most urgent in his personal letter he sent to her.

The manor was situated on a hill, mysteriously shrouded in shadows from the trees around it. Blood red roses covered the edges of the home, as if blood was seeping out of the manor. The roses brightly contrasted with the rest of the scenery so much, Relena found herself unable to tear her gaze from them as the car slowed. The weather stained exterior gave the place an overall gothic quality and Relena had a feeling this structure was very old.

The ride had come to an end, much like a chapter of her life, and Relena found herself loathing to get out but did so. The wind welcomed her, flowing over her with just enough of a chill for her to take notice. Perhaps a foreshadowing of events to come? A small hand rose to cover her eyes from the bright glare of the sun as she warily looked to it's slowly lowering form. The grand doors opened and two people stepped out, drawing her attention. With another inward sigh, Relena picked up her bag lying by her feet and walked to meet the people she would be living with.

Sharp, dark eyes followed her every movement and Relena felt as if she were being analyzed by the short, black haired man. He could be no older than herself, yet the aire around him was calm proclaiming him to be much wiser than his years. Relena returned his gaze, realizing he was looking for a weakness. She would make sure he found none. The woman beside him spoke, pulling her attention from the dark abyss of the probing stranger before her.

"Miss Relena Peacecraft? My name is Lady Margaret Une. I am here on behalf of Sir Treize Kushrenada."

Relena found herself starring into a pair of warm, brown eyes. The woman offered a hesitant smile, which Relena returned. "I was under the impression I would be meeting with Mr. Kushrenada."

"He is indisposed for the time being. I am his confidant and am quite aware of why you were sent here."

Relena eyed the woman skeptically. Lady Une did not seem entirely truthful. Her navy blue Victorian dress seemed oddly out of place on her. Having no other choice, Relena nodded her acceptance.

"Good. Allow me to introduce Chang Wufei. He is to be your trainer and guardian."

Incredulous ocean blue eyes clashed with steel obsidian eyes. Relena was feeling anything but friendly vibes from her new trainer. A pang of sadness hit her at the thought of training with someone other than Noin, but she pushed it away. Holding out her hand as she had done before, she did not question his presence or duty to her as she shook his hand. She merely accepted it. "Chang Wufei, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Wufei hesitated only briefly before enclosing his large hand with her own. "Relena Peacecraft," his surprisingly soft voice said while he nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Shall we go inside?"

Relena followed Lady Une inside as Wufei went to help unload her bags. The inside of the home was dark and cool. The floor was a black marble that allowed every step to be bounced off the walls. Various items decorated the place. Not one time period seemed to be dominant in the choice of furnishings, as if someone had collected the various items over time. Walking towards the rear of the manor, Lady Une led her into the dinning area. In the place of walls were glass windows and Relena walked over to them, wanting to seek comfort from the sun that shone into the dreary home.

The city was a bold spectacle of life and Relena couldn't help but already feel a strong protective urge flow through her while looking down on it. The absence of homes on her way to the manor was greatly made up by the vision of New Port City below her. Dawn Manor was situated on top a large hill, and in the valley behind the manor, a small city was located. The distance between the two was not great and Relena could even make out some people walking about as the sun rose higher into the sky.

"Beautiful sight, is it not?"

Relena turned away from the large glass window to smile at Lady Une. "Yes it is." Relena walked over to the dining room table and sat down. Servants quietly entered, setting plates of food before her.

"I thought some dinner would be nice."

"Thank you," Relena said, surprised at the warm gesture but pleased.

"You are the Slayer."

Slayer, killer of vampires and defender of humanity. The words echoed throughout the room and like a splash of cold water, Relena was awakened from her dream of peace to horrid reality. Setting down her fork, Relena calmly swallowed her food, daintily wiped at her mouth with the cotton napkin and met Lady Une's gaze. "I am the Slayer."

"Relena, this city finds itself in a precarious position. The vampire population has been growing at an alarming rate. Treize feels many vampires are re-locating to this city because of its place above an opening dark dimension. Your task is to find out their plans, stop them and of course slay any vampires you come across."

"I shall begin immediately," Relena said, her thoughts focusing in on the task before her.

Lady Une heard the determination in the Slayer's voice and was a bit taken back at the strength in which it was stated. When she had first laid eyes on Relena in her white blouse and lavender skirt, Lady Une and Wufei had both shared a look of disbelief that the small girl before them was the Slayer. Lady Une still felt a little uneasy about allowing the girl to take on such a large job alone but knew she should have more faith in Treize's decision. If he believed Relena was the chosen one to bring about his ideals, then she would believe in Relena as well. "I think it's best we get started. I'll have Wufei show you to your room."

Relena followed Lady Une out of the dinning room and into the hall. Wufei came walking down the stairs but stopped upon seeing Relena. "Come with me."

Relena followed the Chinese man up two flights of stairs, which led to only one door. Relena looked at it, confused by the lay out. Wufei opened the door and, again, held it open so she could walk through. Her eyes went wide at the site before her. The entire room was wide open with a thick mat lying on a good portion of the floor. Large glass cabinets lined the walls and Relena could make out books and various weapons in them. A small area of the room contained a nice sized round table with wooden chairs around it. Large, glass stained windows with different designs lined the walls as well, enabling the sunlight to come through and illuminate the room naturally. In the very rear of the room was another door.

"This is your floor. The back door leads to your sleeping quarters. The area off to your right is for training and the area to the left is for studying or reviewing any materials necessary to the mission."

Relena turned to look at Wufei. He sounded so detached. "Where is your room?"

"On the second floor."

"We should go over the various weapons here to make sure you are familiar with each," he said and walked towards one of the cabinets.

"Why are you here?" Relena asked, the uncomfortable feeling between her and Wufei finally getting to her.

Wufei turned around to meet her deep gaze, knowing she asked so much with that question. Every little thing she did, he saw and analyzed. She was beginning to look less and less like the hardened warrior he expected. A small part of him feared she would not be able to handle the task before her. This lead Wufei to wonder why he even cared if she got killed. His thoughts immediately turned to a dark haired girl he remembered so well. The image of her, lying limp and dead in his arms, was unwelcome. He had failed his wife, he would not fail this girl.

Relena watched the play of emotions across his face, wishing she knew what he was thinking. Walking closer to him, her eyes showed the concern she felt. "Wufei, please tell me what's wrong. We're to be partners."

Wufei turned his back on her, wanting to be detached from the honest concern he saw reflected in her eyes. Emotions would only get in the way. "I am here to make sure you stay alive long enough to complete your task."

Relena watched him go to the cabinet and frowned. The sun was lowering and it was time to prepare for her duty. Her problem with Wufei would have to wait. "I shall change."

Several minutes later, Relena walked out of her bedroom dressed in what she called "slayer clothing." It consisted of black pants that acted like a second skin against her legs. The upper half of her body was covered in a black, sleeveless shirt that, like the pants, clung to her body. The black coloring helped to conceal her form at night and the tight clothing prevented any difficulties while fighting. Her hair, which Relena had been tempted to cut, was held back in a ponytail.

Wufei turned from the sword he was examining to see Relena step out of her bedroom. His eyebrow twitched slightly as he tried to keep his composure upon seeing her. He had not been so blind earlier when he had first met Relena as to not notice she was a beautiful person. Standing before him, dressed in clothing that left nothing to the imagination, Wufei's image of her being merely a slayer was seriously tainted. Gaining control of his male hormones, his eyes narrowed as he attempted to view her through the eyes of a trainer and not those of an eighteen year old. The effort was not wasted as he felt a sense of protectiveness wash over him.

Relena walked awkwardly towards Wufei, feeling his eyes travel over her body. A blush stained her cheeks as she saw him take in a sharp breath of air. Feeling extremely self-conscious, Relena kept her azure gaze on Wufei as she came closer, watching his reaction. The outfit she wore would be considered tasteless, she supposed, but she had no choice but to wear it. At night, when fighting creatures of the dark and trying to protect the earth from such demons, her outfit was the last thing on her mind. Whatever would allow her to move easily and without restraint was important. "This is the outfit I wear when patrolling at night."

Wufei decided to say nothing on the matter, already becoming comfortable with her in such clothing. Relena was obviously focusing on the mission and not her discomfort, for Wufei had seen her look of dismay when he had been staring at her. Relena was not being coy or seductive, merely being logical.

Lady Une entered the room, an air of authority about her. "Relena, Wufei, come over here and sit down." She watched them do as she asked, noting with interest Relena's attire. "I take it that is your slaying uniform?"

"Yes," Relena replied, sitting herself down into the stern wooden chair.

Lady Une nodded her approval. "It looks to be adequate." Sitting down herself, Lady Une took off the glasses she had been wearing and laid them gently onto the table. "The next few weeks will be a difficult time for us. All three of us are strangers but we must learn to trust each other. The battle ahead will be very dangerous but also extremely important to the survival of the Earth as we know it."

Relena frowned suddenly in concern. Lady Une seemed to be talking of something much bigger than what she had done in Ohio. Her self-confidence wavered slightly, but she knew there was no choice but to accept the challenge. She was the chosen one, after all.

Relena's frown did not pass Lady Une's scrutiny but she said nothing on the matter. "Relena and Wufei, the sun sets at about eight-thirty. When you come home from school, I will allow two hours for studying. The rest of the time is to be spent preparing for the activities of the night. Understood?"

Relena felt slightly annoyed at being told what to do but perhaps that was just the way Lady Une operated. Besides, wasn't Treize supposed to be the one issuing orders? "Lady Une, will Mr. Kushrinada be joining us anytime soon?"

"You will meet him soon, but not today," Lady Une replied.

Relena was none too happy with the answer but it looked like that was all she was going to get from the woman. Turning to Wufei, she offered a tentative smile to the quiet young man. "If the sun sets at eight-thirty, we should leave soon so I can be acquainted with all the areas-"

"I will not being going out at night with you."

The words echoed loudly off the walls of the room as Relena and even Lady Une looked a little stunned at what Wufei had said. "Wufei, you're my trainer and partner, we go-"

"You'll go alone. I will not go," Wufei said, pain evident in his voice. They wouldn't understand his fear. They wouldn't understand how his pride refused to let him go, knowing he was unworthy to be a partner to anyone.

Lady Une was highly upset with this, but she didn't show it. Instead, she calmly asked Relena if she had ever went out slaying alone before. "Relena, I cannot go with you at night. Have you ever went out alone before?"

Relena heard Lady Une's question but continued to stare at Wufei. What was wrong with him? They were partners, fighting for the peace of the earth. The stubborn man refused to meet her gaze and Relena was on the verge of loosing her temper. Calming herself down, she replied to Lady Une, who seemed to be abandoning her as well. "Yes, I have been out alone before." The majority of the time, Noin was with me she added silently.

"The sun is lowering so you'd best get ready Relena."

Excitement danced along with the slightest bit of nervousness as Relena looked to the lowering sun. The nights could still be quite chilly this time of year so Relena wore a long black leather trench coat. It effectively hid her unusual clothing and the belt loop around her waist. Attached to it were two stakes, easily accessible for those surprise attacks that vampires just love to give. A cloth purse that hung at her side was added with more stakes, holy water, and a few spare crosses held inside. Her own personal sword was strapped to her back, underneath the coat. The final touch was a silver cross that hung from a chain around her neck. All in all, Relena looked like some fictional character in the movies, ready for some grand adventure. In reality, she was merely prepared for her duty of protecting people from vampires.

Confidence was never a problem for the young slayer and she felt herself looking forward to the challenge of the night. Stepping outside into the fresh air, she took a deep breath and released it. She was ready. Turning around, she looked at Lady Une, ignoring Wufei who stood beside her. Relena felt very alone and actually couldn't wait to leave their presence. Lady Une, with her cool authoritative demeanor. Wufei, aloof and stubbornly silent. Giving the Lady a slight nod, Relena began walking away from the manor.

"Relena!"

Stopping, Relena turned to see Lady Une walking after her. "Yes?"

Lady Une paused before her, feeling guilty over the way the young woman had been treated. "I cannot apologize for Wufei's behavior but I can apologize for mine." Lady Une smiled slightly as Relena's eyes widened in surprise. "There is much more going on here than what you have been told. All will be explained in due time. Please, trust me."

Relena felt the sincerity of the older woman's words. Smiling brightly, her mood lifting, she said, "I do trust you Lady. I will be patient and focus my attention on slaying."

Lady Une was worried for Relena. She looked so fragile. "Please be careful. You have your cell phone in the backpack. Call me if there is an emergency." Lady Une grasped her hand, squeezed gently then walked away. Good luck Relena, the future of the world rests on your shoulders alone.

Relena began her trek through the slanting forest of Sanq with a map in her hand. First, she would go to the local graveyard to be sure no new vampires were rising from the dead, as some did. Next, she would go to the popular hangouts of the people of the city. Vampires loved to wait in the shadows and watch for that one lone person to walk by. Afterwards, Relena figured she would go where she felt the need to.

The hours went by fast as the day had turned to night and darkness covered the land. Being a slayer had some perks, one of those being sharp vision. Even in the dark of the night Relena was able to see quite well. It was what she didn't see that had her slightly worried. As soon as the sun had set, no humans were seen outdoors. Relena made a mental note to question Lady Une about the strange behavior.

Despite the large distance Relena had walked, no vampires had been spotted. It was as if someone had announced her arrival and all vampires wisely decided not to venture out of their hiding spots. Feeling disappointed that she would have nothing to report to Lady Une, Relena decided to make her way back home. That's when she spotted him.

Passing by a convenience store that had long since been closed, Relena happened to look over her shoulder to see a figure coming out of the back door. Immediately her senses were alerted that this shadowy figure was no nighttime burglar but a vampire. Ocean blue eyes narrowed in determination as Relena began to approach the figure. A lone street lamp lit the area of the corner store, giving Relena an advantage. Casually but slowly, the slayer removed her purse then her coat, laying them on the ground. Her slim fingers reached for one of the stakes on her belt loop while the other hand caressed the silver cross hanging at her throat, making sure it was still there.

By now, the solitary figure noticed her. Moving forward with stealth like grace, the vampire seemed to cling to the shadows. Almost mockingly, the vampire took his time as he walked forward, as if Relena were no great threat to him. The light finally illuminated the vampire enough for Relena to make out details. The most stunning feature was a tie between the long braid down his back and the stunning amethyst eyes looking at her. Taller than her, the vampire was dressed casually in what appeared to be black leather pants, a red shirt and a black leather jacket. Overall, he was an extremely handsome vampire to come upon. A shame she would have to kill him.

"Hey good lookin'," he called to her. "What's a lovely young lady like yourself doing walking alone in the dark?"

Relena was slightly surprised to hear him talk to her. Most vampires she had ever run into immediately went on the defense. Then again, he had no idea who she was. Relena decided it was best she enlighten him. "Looking for vampires," Relena said while pulling the stake out of her belt loop.

The vampire's eyes narrowed as he walked forward, getting closer to the girl. His eyes didn't miss the piece of sharpened wood in her hand. "So you're a slayer?" he said with a smirk.

"I am."

"And you intend to drive that stake through my heart, ending my miserable existence?" his voice was soft but at the same time razor sharp.

His tone did not bother her. "Yes."

"I hate to tell you this, but it's going to take a lot more than you to kill me," the vampire said with a cocky grin that did not reach his eyes. "I've met several like you and killed them all. What makes you think you can win against me?"

"Because I'm Relena Peacecraft," she said, knowing he would not understand the answer but she did. She would beat him because she was the slayer and it was her duty.

"Well Relena Peacecraft, I'm Duo Maxwell," he said, dropping the item he had been carrying. Getting into a fighting stance, he flipped his braid over one shoulder. "Ladies first," he said, doing a mock bow.

Relena did not move. Her strategy was to get him to run to her. Patience was a hard virtue to maintain and she only hoped that his would run out before hers. Relena was not to be disappointed.

Spitting out a curse, Duo ran at her. He grinned in satisfaction when he saw her eyes widen at his approach. She quickly moved into a fighting stance and lifted the stake. Duo focused in on the death instrument, preparing to knock it away.

Relena assumed he would focus on the stake. Her assumption was correct, as she was able to catch him off guard. Right before he reached her, she ducked down, sweeping one long leg out to knock the running vampire off his feet.

"Shit," Duo yelled as he fell down.

Relena wasted no time as she got up, stake still in hand. The vampire was quick though and got up almost before her. Before he could stand, Relena landed a solid kick to his face, knocking him down again. Moving to stand over him, she positioned the stake for the kill. Her eyes happened to catch his own and what she saw shocked her. He was scared, but not of the stake or his death. His eyes were firmly fixed on her cross necklace. Relena was sure that if it weren't for the cross, he would have been able to retaliate before she landed the killing blow. His eyes were wide, as if in a trance and Relena used her hesitation to look deep into his eyes. That's when she saw the real him lurking beneath the surface. A lost little boy who was trapped in hell with only his memories to torment him further.

Shaking her head wildly, she raised the stake higher. "I have to kill you, it's my duty," Relena whispered. But I sure don't want to. She brought the stake down, wondering if she would be able to follow through.

Relena would never know if she would have been able to kill the vampire for she was suddenly flying across the grass. She landed with a hard thud, the scabbard biting into her back at the impact. Gaining her senses quickly, she got to her feet with the stake still in her tight grasp, wondering where the unseen attack came from. It had to have been a psychic attack, for no one had actually touched her. Normally, the slayer could defend herself against such attacks, but her attention had been focused on Duo so much, it had left her vulnerable. To make matters worse, she was now dealing with two vampires.

Wild eyes looked around sharply, trying to see who attacked her. Calming herself down, Relena focused and felt herself being drawn to an area where the forest began. The shadows were thick, but she was barely able to make out a figure. The clouds above parted, allowing the moonlight to shine down upon the deadly battleground. The figure stepped forward a few paces and Relena felt her eyes go wide as a slight gasp escaped her lips.

He had to be the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. Dressed so casually in jeans and a jacket, he was not a very large vampire. The slight wind was tossing his wild brown locks of hair about as Relena continued to stare into his deep, blue eyes. The strength and deadliness surrounding him was so intense that the slayer felt her throat go dry. No matter how attractive she found this vampire, she would still have to fight him. Relena had a feeling it would not be an easy fight.

"Hey Heero buddy," Duo called as he got up, finally shaking off the effect the cross had on him. "No need to interfere, I had the situation under control."

Heero, so that's his name. How very unfitting. Hearing Duo speak up, Relena narrowed her eyes in his direction but her attention returned quickly to the vampire Heero. He was standing completely still, his eyes trained on her. She wondered if he was going to try another psychic attack. This time she would be ready. Still holding the unused stake, the slayer tightened her grip on it as she waited for Heero to attack.

For several intense moments the two only stared at each other. Heero was too far away for Relena to get a good look into his eyes and she wasn't sure she wanted to. The stoical vampire seemed like he was in no rush to get the fight started. This time Relena's patience wore out. She felt too uneasy with two vampires looming about her so she decided to act. Flipping the stake in her hand, she lifted a slender, but well muscled arm, as she took aim. With a flick of her wrist, the stake went sailing at the vampire with incredible speed and accuracy. As soon as it was released, Relena reached for the other stake on her belt loop, pulling it forward as she ran at Heero.

Heero easily caught the stake with one hand, without even taking his eyes off the girl. He watched her approach and was impressed with her speed. Tossing the stake to the ground, he lifted his arm again, and this time caught the girl's wrist as she aimed for his heart. Her strength caught him off guard and his arm actually bent slightly from her momentum, the tip of the stake pressing lightly against his chest.

Relena felt her wrist being crushed in his grasp and winced in pain. She was practically leaning on him as she had lost her balance from being stopped so suddenly. Unable to heed her actions, the young slayer looked up into the eyes of the vampire who held her. A slight gasp escaped her as she realized he was looking down on her. Their eyes met and Relena inwardly shivered at their cold depths. His gaze was empty, he was empty. Yet there was something that held her gaze and she knew he wasn't using his powers to lull her into a trance.

Heero pulled her closer, tightening his grip and wondered why he didn't feel satisfaction at her gasp of pain. Lowering his head, he used his free hand to brush the stray hairs away from her neck, leaving the smooth skin clear. If he were a human, his breath would be fanning her neck. Instead, the warmth from his mouth, which he opened slightly, caressed her skin. She jumped slightly and Heero smirked. The desire to rip into her neck and suck her blood dry was there. Being the master of control though, Heero resisted the urge. Instead, he raised his lips till they were at her ear. "I'll kill you."

The words tore through her mind and soul alike. He looked into her eyes again and she was unable to hide from his probing gaze. A single tear slid down her cheek. From his words, his eyes, or the punishing grip on her wrist, she did not know. He reached out to her, wiping the tear away with all the softness of a lover as he released her wrist. Then he was gone, striding away to disappear within the night. Duo ran after him but Relena paid him no mind. Lifting her bruised wrist, Relena traced the invisible pattern his finger had made on her cheek. Just who is this Heero?