VAMPIRE BLOOD LINES
Prologue: Ten Years Ago
"C'mon, Duo, hurry!"
Duo ran after his older brother, his shorter legs pounding barefoot against the wet ground."Solo, slow down!" Duo could barely get the words out, his breath heavy from running for so long with the bag on his back. The rain had quickly soaked them both through to their skin when they had left the shelter of the home, and now Duo was starting to feel cold. It was dark, too, and Solo was going so fast. "Solo…! I can't…!" Duo's chin struck the wet grass hard as he fell, his foot catching on a thick root. Duo sat up with tears in his eyes, wiping them away quickly as Solo stopped, returning to him.
"Duo, we have to hurry," Solo urged, his blue eyes glancing over Duo. "You're okay. Come on, let's go. It's dangerous at night."
"If it's so dangerous, why did we have to leave?" Duo asked. "I liked it there, Solo."
"We're not meant to be trapped in an orphan home, Duo," Solo explained. "We're street rats. We don't belong there. We have to get back to our home, to our own turf."
"Fine. Where are we, anyways?" Duo sighed as he got back up to his feet, shifting the bag on his shoulders. "There's so many trees."
"We're cutting through the park," Solo explained. "Now, come on. We have to go quickly."
Duo followed Solo, holding onto his hand so that Solo wouldn't get so far ahead of him again. Exhaustion and cold dragged at his small, young form, and now his foot was aching, likely bruised and scraped. He hadn't wanted to run away from the orphan home. Despite the rules and daily prayers, Duo had liked it there. It was warm and dry, he had a bed to himself, and they got two meals every day. But Solo had insisted that they couldn't stay there. Since Solo took care of him, Duo had listened to him when he told him they were running away. As they got further and further away, Duo felt more and more regret.
Duo suddenly stopped, letting go of Solo's hand as something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He looked over, a sudden curiosity striking him. There was a person there - a woman - standing in the rain. Except she wasn't soaking wet, like they were. She stood dry amidst a pile of bright wildflowers, her white dress billowing gently around her. The rain did not touch her. Instead, it seemed to separate itself around her, as though she was covered by an invisible umbrella. Long black hair flowed down past her delicate waist, standing out vividly against the snow white of her dress. Her pale, porcelain face was upturned serenely towards the moon, which seemed to be shining through the stormclouds specifically for her, illuminating her in a surreal glow. Duo stared at her, entranced.
"Duo!" Solo grabbed Duo's wrist, hissing at him quietly.
"Solo, look," Duo pointed with his free hand, his eyes trapped on the mysterious woman. "She's so beautiful. Isn't she beautiful, Solo?"
"Duo, let's go," Solo replied sharply. "It's not safe…"
"But, Solo," Duo began to argue, then caught his breath as the woman turned her head, noticing them. Her gaze passed over Solo and focused on Duo, crimson eyes meeting his own violet gaze. Duo felt a strange numbness spread through his body. He felt heavy, suddenly, standing frozen under her intense, glowing gaze, his awe fading. A sense of terror replaced it, a deep, dreadful fear soaking his soul, drowning him. She took a step towards them, a soft smile gracing her crimson lips, then took another, slowly coming closer, her eyes trapping Duo, drawing him in towards a pool of red….
"Duo!"
Duo felt a sharp pain in his skull. He blinked out of the trance, looking at Solo in confusion. "Whah?"
"Duo, run!" Solo grabbed Duo's wrist and pulled him along roughly. Duo stumbled for a moment, then caught his footing, struggling to keep up as Solo pulled him urgently along. Duo looked back, but the woman was gone, nowhere to be seen.
"Solo, I…"
"Duo, drop your bag!" Solo ordered sharply, throwing his own down off his shoulders. Duo obeyed, dropping the heavy bag as they continued running, breaking through bushes and dodging trees. "Hurry, Duo, quick!"
"Solo, what's wrong?" Duo asked, feeling confused.
"That woman's dangerous!" Solo exclaimed. "We have to get out of the park! We have to hide! Hurry,Duo!" Duo was afraid now. Solo sounded terrified, but Solo was never afraid of anything! Whatever was happening, Solo was scared, and that really scared Duo.
Duo cried out in shock and pain as something struck him across the back, knocking him down. His small frame struck the ground hard, taking his breath away for a moment. Groaning, he looked up through the thick rain.
"Duo!"
Solo turned back and reached for him, then a white light flashed brightly, blinding Duo. He blinked, his vision clearing slowly, looking for Solo. But his brother was gone. Duo stood up, panic rising inside him. Solo had been right there, only a few seconds ago. "Solo! Solo, where are you? Solo!" Duo called for his brother, but only the drumming sound of the rain answered. Darkness and rain surrounded him as he looked around him desperately for his brother, but he saw nothing. Duo stood there, lost in the middle of the park, alone and afraid. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He didn't know where he was and he didn't know where Solo was.
"Solo! Please, where are you? Solo?"
"...Zacare...I've finally found you…"
Duo spun as he heard the voice, looking for the source. He couldn't see anything through the heavy rain. Tears escaped his eyes, quickly washed away in the downpour. "Solo!"
"...Zacare Darquel…"
"Where are you?" Duo shouted. The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere, surrounding him before it echoed away to silence.
Duo covered his eyes as another flash nearly blinded him again. Looking past his fingers, he saw the woman. She smiled at him, her eyes piercing into him once again as she hovered just above the ground, glowing. She had Solo, one arm wrapped around his neck.
"Solo!" Duo screamed.
"Duo," Solo spoke, his voice hoarse as he looked at Duo. Though he was holding onto her arm with both hands, he wasn't struggling, hanging limp in the woman's grasp.
"Come to me, little Zacare," she spoke to him, her voice like a cold whisper to his ears. It caught hold of Duo, trapping him in the spot he stood like a statue.
"Duo," Solo tried to speak. "Duo, run...run away..."
"Solo!" Duo couldn't run. He couldn't move at all. His heartbeat pounded heavily in his chest, his body feeling as heavy as stone. And yet he was also trembling greatly, like the trees bending to the stormwinds. "Let him go!"
"Do you know how precious you are, little Zacare? How priceless the blood in your veins is to us?"
"What do you want?" Duo cried out. A shiver ran through his spine every time she spoke, her voice soft but yet jagged as a rusted dagger. "Give me back Solo! Please!"
"I want you, Zacare," she smiled a bit more, cocking her head as though amused. Her hand caressed Solo's neck, her long red nails stroking against his pale skin. "Is this one precious to you?"
"I'm not Zacare!" Duo screamed at her. "Let my brother go!"
Her eyes widened as though startled, then she laughed sweetly. "Your brother, you say. How very lucky for me," her eyes flashed as she looked at Solo. "I wonder, hm? Will his blood taste like yours?"
"...blood?" Duo blinked. A strange thought dawned on him as he looked at her. Before, he hadn't noticed, but now Duo saw that her teeth were longer, like fangs...who was this woman? What was this woman? "Who are you?"
She laughed again, a sweet giggle that cut through the air. "My name is Savanna. We will be Your brother….he smells sweet…."
Solo screamed as Savanna bowed her head, pressing her long fangs deep into his soft throat. She tore at his tender flesh and blood spilled. Pressing her lips to the wound, she began to drink from him.
"No, Solo! No!" Duo screamed in anger, his gaze trapped on the nightmarish sight. "Stop! Stop it! Let him go!" Duo had to stop her, to help Solo! He was his only family, the only person he had in this dark world. Duo had to save him!
But he couldn't. He was unable to move, trapped by Savanna. As desperately as he tried, there was nothing he could do but scream at her.
Blood poured down Solo's neck and body. His blue eyes dimmed, rolling back into his skull as Savanna drained him of his lifesource. She took more and more, drinking heavily, her porcelain face marred with crimson blood. Solo's blood. Savanna drained him dry in only a short moment, but time seemed to go on forever as Duo watched. Finally she pulled her lips away, an unsatisfied expression on her face.
"His blood is a simple humans." Her disgust evident, she dropped Solo's body to the ground. The white of her dress flashed again and she was gone, leaving Duo in darkness once more. Control returned to his body with her gone, and Duo rushed over to Solo.
"Solo!" Duo grabbed Solo's bloodstained shirt, shaking him. "Solo! Please, wake up, wake up!" Duo's agonizing cries pierced the night. "You can't be dead, Solo! I need you! I need you, Solo! Please, I can't do it without you, please..." Duo didn't want to believe this was happening. It couldn't be real! It had to be a nightmare, a bad dream. Solo wasn't dead. Solo couldn't be dead!
Savanna's laugh pierced the air, ringing in his ears. "How touching….did you love him, Zacare? You loved that weak human…."
Reality struck Duo hard. Solo was gone, his eyes grey and his lips blue. His skin was so white and cold, and his chest lay still, breathless, his heart beatless. His veins bloodless. Solo was truly dead, killed by this nightmarish creature that Duo had thought was a beautiful woman only moments ago. But she wasn't.
"What are you?" Duo asked through his sobs, his hands clutching at Solo's corpse. Duo didn't understand why this was happening to him. "Why are you doing this? Why….why did you….he was my brother…."
"...oh, stupid little being," she crooned at him from somewhere in the darkness, her voice echoing, fading in and out with the wind and rain. "You still do not know….what you are, what we are…we are the same, little one….we are vampires."
Duo stared at Solo's bloody neck, his throat tight. "...vampires?" he said softly, a bare whisper of his voice as he considered this. "But they don't exist….vampires aren't real. They're a myth."
"Call it what you will….but your proof lies before you….your brother had such dull blood, I am not nearly satisfied….tell me, Zacare….what will your blood taste like?"
Her voice was suddenly loud in his ears, her breath upon his neck. Duo inhaled sharply as Savanna's arms wrapped around him, her lips brushing his neck. Her touch felt soft as silk, but her grip was inhuman, rendering him powerless and numb once again.
"...vampire," Duo breathed.
"You resist your bloodline, still….you should not resist what you are…your blood smells so strongly...such purity, such power in your veins…"
Duo screamed as Savanna's fangs broke through his skin, tearing him open just as she had done to Solo. His own blood began to flow, spilling out. Savanna was drinking it, consuming him whole, draining him of will and energy and life. Duo's heart pounded so loudly in his ears, but then it quickly began to fade, slowing dangerously as she fed on him. And through this, the pain grew stronger. It hurt intensely, a fire of agony burning throughout his body, terrorizing him. It was pain he had never felt before. Duo's violet eyes glazed over, his vision blackening.
As he died, Duo felt an anger growing, an anger even stronger than the burning pain tearing him apart. It burst up inside him, flaring violently, growling and screaming furiously. He wanted Savanna to die! He wanted her to pay for what she did to Solo! He wanted to kill her!
Savanna let go of him suddenly, dropping him to the ground as she began to cough violently. Her eyes flashed red, and Duo saw black blood leaking from the corners. Falling to her knees, Savanna trembled, whimpering. Duo lay on his back before her, too weak to move, his heart barely beating within his chest. She convulsed for a moment, shrieking in pain, then growled and turned her gaze on him. Black and purple streaks marred her crimson eyes.
"Damn you, child!" she snarled violently, her beauty long gone as her face twisted with rage. "You did something to me! How dare you curse me! I'll destroy you!" She lunged for Duo.
Duo expected to be torn apart in that moment, but Savanna was interrupted mid jump. A startling explosion of blue flame struck her, knocking her back to the ground.
"That's enough!" A new voice spoke, a strong and commanding tone breaking through the din of the rain.
"Damn you, Heero Yuy," Savanna cursed, rising to her feet unsteadily. The once white dress she wore was now marred by blood, mud, and fire. Black blood was slowly dripping from her eyes and nose. "I will not be bested by the likes of you!"
"Your slaughter ends here, cousin."
Duo looked over and saw the man who had attacked her. He was tall, with messy brown hair, and was dressed in a black jacket and pants, with a dark blue cape hooked over one shoulder. His hand was raised, a blue glow emanating from the center of his palm as he faced Savanna. This man looked like a human, but his eyes also glowed red.
"You would kill your own blood? Your kin?" Savanna snarled.
The man named Heero Yuy replied coldly. "You have killed twenty seven human children, including the boy tonight. You have broken the Code, Savanna. You are my family, therefore you are my responsibility to judge. I have made my decision."
The light in his palm surged brighter. Blue flames burst out, crossing the distance to Savanna in a mere second. It struck her with concussive force, and she fell to the ground, shrieking in agony as the flames danced across her skin. Duo felt joy bloom at the sight. The blue flames flared up, streaks of violet flame suddenly appearing inside the blaze. Savanna writhed around violently, burning alive.
Duo watched the blue-violet fireball that was Savanna, feeling the heat from the flames. He watched her burn and scream and writhe in agony, until she was nothing but ash. He was near death, his eyes dimmed and his body weak, but he watched her die first.
"You are a strong child. Most would be dead by now."
Duo looked away from the remnants of Savanna, up at the one who was Heero Yuy. The vampire's red eyes were now a cold blue color. Blue, like Solo.
"...Solo," Duo whimpered, his gaze falling to his brother's body. Tears escaped his eyes.
"Your Fate is Changed, child," Heero spoke to him, placing a cool hand on Duo's forehead. Duo closed his eyes and let darkness take him, Heero's words echoing in his head.