A new story that is a single. If I feel the need to add to this one it will be as a sequel-type thing or a fillin thing. Hope you like it.
-P-
"It's the strangest thing. Anyone we put in the room cannot help but speak the truth. No matter what we do." There was a sigh as the observer moved away from the two way glass. "We have given inhibitor drugs to both subject and test with no deviation in the results. Whatever it is, be it pheromone or glandular excretion, no tests have determined from where it originates. Whatever this human's matrix is, it is deadly to the whole of the Keepers."
The click of a tape being stopped echoed briefly through the room before the lights of the room went out. There was an illumination that filled the room in shadow coming from the two way window that covered the whole side.
The room beyond was dim, but clearly visible. The walls were light, almost white, no windows anywhere along the walls. There was a desk and chair, both light metal and unadorned. A chest of drawers built into the wall so that only a slight indentation to indicate their partitions. A cot-like bed, though it could be a small hospital bed for all the character it had. No color sheets or spread, just plain white and beige to cover the body that lay there. The only thing of any color with the room was the long rope of braided brown chestnut that snaked from underneath the plain covers.
The bright light flickered for just a second before it steadied and the unseen door hissed with the release of pressure. The body on the bed didn't so much as twitch to the soft sound nor did it move when the door was pushed silently opened and two cloaked figures entered.
"The chart says he's drugged for the night hours." a soft whispered voice ghosted through the room.
The two figures moved silently through the room; one checking the two way while the other seemed to be scanning the room for surveillance.
"Nothing." the other's voice was deeper but just as hushed. "We have ten more clicks. The gas is still sealing the other room."
The smaller of the two nodded and moved to the bed to uncover the body. The revelation made the smaller one gasp.
"What?" The larger one turned to look quickly and froze. "It's male."
The smaller one nodded as he slowly turned the sleeping boy over. He was slim built, small but muscular. His body was clothed in black, which was not the standard for a test subject of this realm, but the form fit of the fabric was. His eyes were closed so there was no way to tell their color but his skin was flawless and pink.
"Human." the larger one grunted as he reached down and picked up the limp form. "Unusual."
The smaller one nodded before leading them back out of the room. The door sealed shut behind them and no trace of their presence was left save for the fact that the occupant was now gone, the bed left in disarray.
"Are you telling me the newest is human?!" The shocked voice reached his ears first before the other sensations.
He could tell that he was no longer in the little cell they kept him in, nor was he laying on the bed they'd given him. His body was lax but his mind was completely alert as he listened for the telling signs of some test they were forcing upon him before he let them know he was awake.
"We went to the room indicated and the human was the only one there." A deep nasal voice answered in monotone. "We checked what charts we could find but that was the only thing listed for testing."
Something moved around him and he kept his breathing soft and his body still. He was good at this part, he'd learned long ago not to jump when touched unexpectedly or to flinch when dealt pain. His best weapon had always been 'playing opossum' as his kindred had once called it.
"What else was on the chart?" This voice was female and right next to his head. He felt a gentle hand touch his arm before something grazed his chest, which had been bared. "Any physical references that I might find interesting?"
There was silence for several seconds before a rush of air escaped someone's lungs.
"Heero?" The female's voice seemed concerned but did not move away from him.
"I couldn't. . ."the deep voice stammered before stopping completely.
"They kept all their records on flat work." A softer male voice answered. He was further away but within the room, perhaps by a wall. "Heero couldn't get them and the computers had been removed from that section of the keep."
"Why?" This voice was new, soft and feminine with a vein of strength underlying it. "Is there a connection, you think?"
"We don't know." The soft male answered, almost as if the words were pulled from him.
"He's awake." The monotone voice announced.
With those words he knew that he could no longer play silent and simply opened his eyes.
The collective gasp was equal to his own surprise. These were not his old keepers nor were they his own kindred; nor were they kindred of one another. They were a mix that were not, to his knowledge, were to ever mix. Most were suppose to be mortal enemies of each other.
The white-coat, as he thought of them, was a female with golden skin and toffee colored hair braided down the sides of her head. Her eyes, a sparkling bluish eyes had a slit pupil that marked her as an Andrian, a scientific minded species. He hated Andrians.
As did the Gormians, which is what the youth nearest him was. The greenish tinge of skin, the hard colbalt gray eyes, the messy moss green hair, and the air of war-like anger told him this was the warrior of the group. The one who would just as soon kill as to speak.
"His eyes." The soft voiced male breathed the words and called attention to him.
Golden hair framed an innocent aqua eyed face of ethereal beauty. An Angelican. The golden aura enshrouded the figure as he stepped into the light so he could be seen. He was smaller than the Gormian by a head and moved as if floating. It was their weapon, their innocence. It lured you in and let you think you were safe. Once inside their angelic embrace they drained the life from you as if from a cup. They were strategic thinkers and made the best leaders in a battle. They were the Generals of the Kor.
"They're violet. Is that a human color?" The Gormian asked, his voice flat and monotone.
The Andrian was shaking her head. "No, it's not. Nor is it any other species."
The Angelican leaned in closer and he fought to keep from turning away as he whispered softly, "Who are you?"
The hypnotic glow entered those aqua eyes as the Angelican tried to ensnare the braided youth. Slowly he released his power and lifted a hand to stroke the youth's face expecting automatic acceptance; however, that was not to be. The violet eyes never glazed and the beautiful fey face never went lax, this creature was not in any way enthralled.
"Quatre?" The Andrian watched in shock as the blond stepped back shaking his head.
"He is not susceptible." Quatre murmured keeping his eyes locked with the other's. "I've never heard of such a thing."
"Not human." came a gruff reply from the darkness behind him, making the braided youth jerk but not turn. He refused to show these new keepers any fear.
The Andrian and Gormian looked behind him while the Angelican, Quatre, kept his eyes on him.
"What did you find out, Wufei?" The Gormian was gruff and refused to take a step closer to their strange find.
Wufei did not step around to be seen but continued to speak from the darkness. "The facility was kept under quarantine until just forty minutes ago. They seem to think that this escaped on it's own. Apparently it has before."
The braided youth bristled at the words but showed little other reaction.
"He's not susceptible to my power." Quatre said, breaking eye contact long enough to throw a glance at this new person.
"Hm."
The braided youth stiffened as the one behind him leaned over him. He felt the heat and kept himself still as something wet grazed exposed neck.
"Sweet." came a whispered reply before something stung his neck.
"Wufei!" The Andrian shouted and moved to grab some things from a cabinet.
Wufei stepped around and into the light. He was golden as well but his hair was dark as night like his eyes. He wore the red robes of a scholar but the weapon on his belt spoke of a proud warrior heritage. He smirked as he locked eyes with the braided boy, watching for the reaction to come.
"Drogean." The youth breathed before his body was over come with heat and began to convulse.
Heero tried to keep the smirk off his face as Quatre read their poisonous friend the riot act. Sally was making quick work of testing the anti-venom to ensure the right amount to dose the shaking body before death engulfed him.
Heero came to attention as the body stopped shaking and a soft glow encircled it. "Quatre."
The arguing stopped and they all turned to look at the bed.
"Sally, what's going on?" Quatre gasped.
Sally moved a few steps back. "I've never seen anything like this."
The glow remained around the small body for another minute before it began to shimmer and change in color. From the feet it became blue before shifting at the knees to red, then at the waist it was red before the head turned white.
"Bordelian healing abilities." a soft voice spoke.
The group turned to cast a quick glance at the newest to join them and Quatre smiled.
"Trowa!" he shifted and went to stand next to the reddish tanned boy with a mane of hair that fell into his glowing green eyes.
"He's not Bordelian." Sally remarked. "No scales or gills."
"Hm." Wufei took a few steps forward and looked over the glowing youth carefully. "He didn't smell or taste as such either. He was sweet, like nectar, but it's not something I recognize."
Trowa nodded as he moved over to the bed to lean down closer to the youth. The healing glow began to fade as he looked the face over carefully. It was too fey to be any of the known species of the realms he'd traveled. This one was a new being.Violet eyes opened to meet green and for the first time in his life, Trowa felt the tug of a connection. Something he only barely recognized.
"Name." he found himself demanding.
He didn't want to answer but couldn't seem to stop himself. "Duo." he whispered and blinked breaking the connection. "Ferrel."
Trowa smirked before he leaned down and licked the boy's cheek. "Trowa." he answered and watched the patch of skin turn light red before fading back into pale skin again.
-0-
"He's a what!?" The other's exclamation rang out through the small room as all eyes locked on Trowa, their fox.
"He's a shading, a truth teller." Trowa informed his small mixed family. "Very rare and very hard to keep. The facility must have kept this one drugged to be able to study him as they were."
"They were looking for a way to tap his power and harness it as a weapon." Sally informed them as she glanced through the papers that had been recovered. "The things they did. . ."
Trowa nodded, he knew the cruelty of the Keepers and how they worked. They were ruthless when they wanted something and determined to get or drain whatever power they sought. It was one of the reason why he and his little group existed.
"They failed." Wufei murmured as he looked at the sleeping form on the other side of the glass. "This one was too strong for them."
"It's truth!" Sally exclaimed. "The weapon they wanted was truth!"
Heero frowned, but kept quiet as Quatre laid a hand on his arm. "What do you mean?"
Trowa smirked. "Of course." he nodded. "A hidden power that masked the ones he stole."
"The last person they tested inside the chamber was a Bordelian called Warden." Sally informed them as she flipped through the old paper file seeking more answers. These Keepers had kept meticulous records on this subject they had dubbed 'Domini.'
Trowa nodded, adding his own thoughts. "The stolen power was healing."
Quatre gasped and moved closer to the window to look at their 'rescue'. The mission had been an information retrieval until a passing comment had alerted them to the fact that they were experimenting on someone. It hadn't even been a question of rescuing the poor individual. It had taken Heero two minutes to break the computer seals and find out where the 'subject' was being held but little else to tell them who or what they were after.
"Why nothing in the data base?" he murmured, not really expecting and answer.
"Too easy to break into." Heero smirked. "Outside sources would have found out what they had."
Wufei nodded as he continued to slowly sharpen his sword. "Keepers hate to share."
"Can you imagine if they could control one and placed them within the Seat?" Sally whispered as she continued to read over the files. "If they could harness this power and ability to 'borrow' other abilities they could make an agent of great power."
Wufei snorted and Trowa frowned. Perhaps that had been their plan.
"Trowa?" Quatre looked at his friend worried by the frown on the usually unreadable face.
"There are rumors about shades." Trowa murmured, his eyes locked on the sleeping form in the other room. "For some the truth they bring is death. Instantaneous death."
All eyes went from Trowa to the fey being lying in the bed. The form was too small for any of them to consider it a threat and yet many considered Quatre a non-threat.
"I'll run some tests before he wakes up." Sally murmured, gathering up the files and heading into her own lab.
"What they did to him. . ." Quatre murmured, sighing as Trowa's arms wrapped around him offering silent comfort. "How did he survive?"
Heero grunted as Wufei answered, "They made sure to place healers for him to 'borrow' from afterward. Better than placing any warrior casts in there."
His body hurt and he knew better than to moan or move or let it be known that he was awake, but the throbbing was different than before. His mind wondered back along the lines of all the things they had done to him in the past until his memories caught up. He was in a new place with new Keepers and no way to know how they were going to use him.
"Breakfast!" The cherry voice was so out of place with the things he'd known he had to open his eyes. The blonde was young, maybe younger than him, and petite with sky blue eyes. Human? "Sally thought you might be hungry so I got you a little bit of everything."
Duo frowned as he watched her place the tray laden with food on the table before levering the bed up. Duo kept himself still as she straightened his pillows and blankets before rolling the food over to him, the whole time talking about things he didn't understand. When she thought he was comfortable she smiled at him and left the room.
Duo looked at the food laid out before him and frowned. Some of it he recognized, others not so much, but there was no way he was trusting any of it.
"The eggs are from a chicken." Duo ignored the smile on the Angelican's face. He had not truly noticed the little blonde bouncing in the room but was instead eyeing the 'eggs' with a frown. "They are safe for the most part."
Quatre smiled his most innocent as he watched the shade's face. There was distrust there and a lot of suspicion. All of which he expected to find there, but there was also something else, something that hovered just beyond his empathic sense's touch.
"You know that I can't lie around you." Quatre smiled before he took a seat at the foot of the bed, violet eyes watching his every move. "No one can. That is why they were so interested in you. There is nothing in the food that will inhibit you. No sleep drugs, no controls, nothing."
Duo looked at the food again, knowing that the Angelican was speaking truth; his power. He was hungry. The other Keepers rarely let him eat for fear that he would gain strength and then be able to over power them again.
Quatre really smiled when the braided boy lifted his fork and slowly took a bite of the eggs.
- -
Trowa watched from the other room as his Angel tried to charm the shading.
"Why did you mark him?"
Trowa cut his eyes briefly to acknowledge Heero before returning to his smiling Angel. "It was necessary." he answered.
Heero frowned at the answer, not accepting it at face. "Necessary?"
Trowa would have sighed had it been in his nature. Gormians were stubborn in wanting logical answers and Heero was a typical member of the breed.
"Duo, why won't you try the meat?" Quatre's voice carried through the intercom. "I know it's a little burned but Relena is a good cook."
The two silent witnesses watched as the little blonde tried to tempt the braided boy to try to eat the sausage link he'd speared with the fork. There was a giggle as the fork waved back and forth before the little blonde ate it himself.
"He likes his sausage." Heero commented as they watched the blonde help himself to another piece.
"Shades need clans." Trowa's voice was steady as they watched their little blonde try to coax more emotion from the violet eyed shade. "Back in the days of my great father it was said that only the greatest clans were granted shades. The leaders would mark them to make them whole and they would offer the clans peace and protection."
"Protection?!" Wufei snorted, shutting the door quietly as he entered. "How could such a small tasty thing offer such?"
Trowa didn't acknowledge the Drogean's words but continued to watch until a small smile appeared on the shade's lips. He didn't tell them of the legends he'd uncovered about the true power of a whole shade.
"Danger comes in many forms." Heero reminded Wufei as they watched Relena enter the room.
- -
Duo eyed the human as she interacted with the Angelican. There was no fear coming from her, nor did she shrink from his touch. She was completely at ease with him. When the girl left them, Quatre smiled at him again.
"She fears you not." Duo whispered almost afraid of voicing his suspicions.
Quatre smiled, slightly pleased that the braided fey had spoken without prompting. "Of course not. She has no reason to fear me. I would never hurt her."
Duo frowned and looked hard at the Angel-breed. "You are Angelican. You are life takers, the harbingers of mine own."
Quatre frowned, now understanding what the boy was saying. "I am Angelican."
Duo reached out to touch the golden aura. He needed to know. This was the one thing the Keepers never tested him against and he'd heard the whispers fo fear.
"No, shade."
Both boys froze at Trowa's words and turned to look at the Ferrel.
"Duo." Trowa spoke softly as he moved slowly into the room. "If you touch the Angelican then you will absorb his power and it will make you sick."
Duo dropped his hand, burying it beneath the covers, before meeting the Ferrel's eyes. He felt something when he looked at the green eyed youth but he couldn't figure it out.
"Trowa?" Quatre moved off the bed , smiling as he wrapped a hand around the taller boy's arm. "He ate some eggs, but wouldn't try the sausage. Relena had put grecian spices on it again."
Trowa smiled down at sweetly smiling face before wiping some of the left over sausage from his lips. "I saw."
Duo found himself sitting up and only just stopped himself from going to the Ferrel's side. "You did something." he accused when he realized what he was intending to do.
Trowa lifted his head to meet Duo's eyes as he whispered softly, "Quatre could you leave us?"
Quatre smiled, sending a little wink to Duo as he bounced out of the room.
"What did you do?" Duo asked, his voice much more forceful than before.
Trowa sighed. "I am Ferrel."
Duo frowned. He knew that all ready so that wasn't an answer. "So?"
"You are shade." Trowa's eye brow raised as he stepped slowly toward the braided boy. Deep inside himself he had to admit how beautiful the fey creature was. Their beauty was the main reason only the clan leaders were allowed to touch or mark them. To claim them. It was in him to do so and he knew, standing here, that it could only be the truth.
Duo felt a shiver work up his spine and rolled away from the Ferrel until the bed was between them. Shaking his head, he tried to reason out what he was feeling. It wasn't fear that he felt but something else. Something from too long ago to remember. Something akin to anticipation or longing.
"Stay away." His voice was whispered as he began to move away from the taller boy. The emotions were crowding him, confusing him, and it was worse than any drug the Keepers had ever given him.
Trowa felt himself about to smile. The call of a hunt echoing in his blood. This was the way of the ancient ones. This was how the great fathers captured and claimed their shades.
- -
"What is he doing?" Quatre asked as they watched Trowa track the smaller boy. Never had he seen his very quiet friend act this way.
Heero growled low in his throat, his senses lifting to join Trowa's.
"It's a hunt." Wufei's husky voice answered, the scent of active pheromones filling the rooms.
"A hunt?!" Quatre became uncomfortable at the emotions he was getting off of his two companions.
- -
For every step Duo took, Trowa took two. Duo felt something deeper than fear surge inside him as he fainted one way and then made a run for the other. There was a growl from Trowa as he turned to chase after him. Duo jumped his bed and aimed for the door but Trowa's fingers latched onto his braid and pulled him back. Reeling him in like a fisherman's catch.
Trowa easily landed flat footed on the bed, his fingers closing over the thick rope of hair, and he pulled his prey to halt. The hair felt soft and luscious against his palm as he reeled the boy to him. The small slaps at his arms and the limited struggles made the anticipation grow within him like a fire.
Duo jerked as Trowa's arms closed around him, pinning his arms to his side. The heat of the other's body was sudden and surprising but did not stop him from trying to figure a way of getting free.
"No." he heard himself moan as he tried to get out of the strong grip.
- -
"Sweet." Wufei growled as they watched Trowa capture his prey. "Taste him, brother."
Quatre eyed his two companions and felt a protective glow surround him. They were in the throes of something that he didn't recognize, nor had he ever seen them act like this. He turned back to watch as Trowa jerked the fey off his feet, landing him hard against his chest.
- -
Duo tried to fight as the Ferrel lifted him up. He swallowed hard as his body went limp of it's own accord. Whatever was happening was instinctive and unknown to him, but not nearly as frightening as what the Keepers had done. It almost felt as if it was meant to happen, meant to be.
Trowa breathed in the shade's scent before pulling his head to one side, baring his neck. Leaning down he breathed deeper the heady aroma that only these dangerous creatures could exude. It was like a mating scent, but more heady. When the shade went limp in his arms, he knew that he had won and felt giddy with anticipation of the claim.
"My shade only." He whispered into the boy's ear. "My truth teller."
Duo struggled one last time when he heard the Ferrel speak into his ear. He would not be claimed, his mind screamed, and yet he could not stop the moan that echoed from his throat. His mind was all ready accepting the words spoken against his skin.
Trowa felt himself smile before he leaned down and slowly licked along the pulse point of the Shade's neck. The taste was heady and nearly made him drunk enough to release his captive, but he knew that if he did so he would lose. Instead he tightened his hold and leaned down to taste of him again.
- -
Quatre stood in the back of the room watching as Trowa licked the braided boy. He wanted to feel jealous but couldn't as he felt a surge of completeness surge out of the room to touch them all. It was like getting hit with drugs and wine and desire. Pleasure rippled through them all, marking them, and pulling out their most base of instincts. There was no way to fight it or prepare for it. It was going to have to be ridden out.
Heero dove for Wufei, wrestling him to the ground, tearing at his clothing and skin as Quatre sent a wave of his own power at them. They jerked as they fought, Wufei tearing at Heero with equal ferocity before they both aimed their battle at the small blonde.
It was a battle of skill and domination as the three boys fought for control over each other. None wanting to stop; none wanting to truly win either. The whole thing was heady and filled with mostly base emotions.
- -
Trowa groaned as he felt his shade accept his claim. Pulling the smaller boy against him and onto the bed he began to suckle the skin he'd been slowly licking making the shade jerk in response.
Duo fought to silence his moans but there was nothing he could do. His body was seeking something that only this Ferrel, Trowa, could give it. Deep in his memories he recalled another telling him of the claims but he was too young to retain the actual knowledge of it and no one had told him the how of it. Trowa's tongue had ceased it's leisurely caress and now his teeth were grazing his flesh. He made himself fight once more but surrendered when Trowa began to suck his the tingling skin. It was like heaven being held by this strong Ferrel. A safe place like he'd never had before.
"Please." Duo moaned and was rewarded with Trowa pulling him against him to lay on the bed. He should have been afraid but all he could truly do was echo the claim throughout, touching all within his reach.
Trowa moaned as he pulled the tunic loose and began to caress his prey's skin. He touched all that he could before sliding a hand up to cup the boy's face and turn him to him. Fiery green eyes met languid purple before Trowa covered the shade's mouth with his own.
A claiming, one would think, would mean the domination of one over the body or mind of another. Marking them and making them bow to the more dominate nature, but in a Ferrel's clan a claiming and a mating were two distinct things. One was the strengthening of the group while the other was the strengthening of a family.
Trowa knew this and acted accordingly. He wanted to claim this one, make him a member of his clan so that no other could do so. With his tongue he marked the skin and with his kiss he claimed the body. Chemicals released in his saliva began to mingle with those of the shade, changing to create a unique tone. This was the mark of Trowa's clan and no other would be able to remove it. No other would be able to create it and all his clan would recognize it.
Duo moaned against the mouth that covered his, dueled with the tongue that danced inside his mouth, and echoed the acceptance of the claim. While he didn't understand the actual reasons behind this act, he did understand the feeling of completion that followed it. A sense of joy overwhelmed him as skilled hands roamed over him before he registered the others that had joined them.
Trowa broke contact for just a second as Quatre, Wufei, and Heero entered the room. The shade was still drunk with the claiming as he acknowledged his self-made clan, kissing each one as they joined him.
"Sweet." Wufei breathed as he ran his nose over the shade's exposed chest.
"Hn." was Heero's only response as he did the same.
Quatre hesitated, looking to Trowa, who took his hand and hovered it just above the heated skin.
"My shade. My clan." Trowa whispered.
Duo's eyes opened enough to see the others there but couldn't seem to find the need to run from them. Somehow he knew he'd found his place in this strange world.