Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing are trademarks and property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.
Author's Notes: I like to dedicate this story to Marce, Katrina, Lee, Sarah (Trio), and all of you lovely people who've been kind enough to review. As for Louisville a vampire-controlled city? Simple, because I use to live there. I know it well because I use to live there. Besides, it would be cool if it was controlled by the Forces of Darkness. Besides, it would explain a few things. Do I use the word "besides" too much? Besides . . . Just joking. There's not a lot of humor in this tale, and I promise, it's going to get bloodier. Whoo. Blood and even MORE fight scenes. Testosterone runs freely through this female writer's veins. As for the relationship issues, take them however you will.
A Shade Darker Part 5
Trowa laid Catharine down on her bed. The puncture wounds on her throat had long since healed. He was planning to ask Treize about it later. Right now, he had to assure his sister that he was all right, and that he wasn't going to come back for a while. Forever. He wasn't planning to tell her that though.
Treize had made sure that her mind was empty of the fact that she had been bitten and that vampire's existed, but left information of the attack. Trowa stroked her auburn curls out of her face as she moaned and stretched. Her pale violet eyes fluttered open as she looked up at him.
"Trowa?" she asked in a hoarse voice.
Trowa placed his finger on his lip and said, "Hush, Cathy. You're hurt."
She rose up and Trowa gently pushed her back down on the bed. She reached out and stroked his golden brown hair from his left eye. She said, "Oh, Trowa, you're okay."
"Yeah, Catharine," he told her as he took her hand, guiding it away from his cold skin.
"Where have you been?" she asked him.
"On business, and I won't be back for a while. Quatre's already back at my safe house, Catharine. I need to leave immediately," he answered her harshly.
"Oh, Trowa," she cried out as she wrapped her arms around him in a desperate hug. Her arms were firm as they held him. Trowa held her like she was made out of spun glass. He was afraid that the slightest movement would hurt her.
"Cathy, my dear sister, I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear.
"When will I see you again?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
Trowa wanted to brush them from her cheeks, but didn't. The fact that his skin was so cold would alert her to something that was wrong. He answered, "A while, I'm afraid. But I will see you again." Even though it may be a hundred years from now, the fledgling sadly thought.
"Trowa," she choked out, "Be careful."
He reached out and traced a tear from her cheek. He replied, "I promise." He stood up and looked at her for the last time in a long time. He turned around and walked out of the tent. Treize was standing there with Quatre in his arms.
Without a word, Trowa took Quatre from the other vampire. He cradled the other pilot close as they walked through the falling snow. Trowa asked, "Did you do anything to him?"
Treize shook his head and answered, "No, I didn't. I don't invade others like that, Trowa. Besides, I couldn't even if I wanted to."
"What do you mean?" Trowa asked as he wrapped Quatre tighter in his coat. The other boy shifted closer to him.
Treize smiled and answered, "He's a physic. Untrained, but the power's definitely there. If someone showed him how to use that ability, he could be quite powerful."
Trowa looked down at the sleeping boy in his arms. He ruffled his fair hair and said, "That explains a lot. Let's get him out of the cold."
Treize looked around and said, "He's going to be hunted now too."
Trowa didn't say anything as they walked into the night.
******
It was warm. Quatre whimpered and shifted around. Catharine, Trowa. Oh, god, Trowa! Quatre awoke with a start and looked around. A pair of dark, endless green eyes met his. Trowa's face was expressionless. Half of his face was covered by a fall of golden brown hair. He was dressed elegantly in a black silk shirt and jeans.
"Are you okay?" he asked in his soft voice as he handed Quatre a glass of water.
"Yeah, I'm fine, but where's your sister?" Quatre asked, his panic rising after the initial relief of Trowa being alive. He looked around where he was at. It was a fine room with a huge fireplace with a roaring fire in it. The decor was dark red, casting ruby shadows over everything, including Trowa.
Quatre looked around the bed he was in with a start. Trowa placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Easy, Quatre, you're hurt."
The Sandrock pilot's head was spinning. He reached his hand under his hair and noticed a lump on his forehead. He winched as he touched it. He remembered the man with the blood red hair and fangs. He asked, "Trowa, what happened?"
"You were saved," the other pilot answered bluntly, turning away from him.
"By you," Quatre replied eagerly, touching his friend's arm. Trowa shrugged him off. Quatre was stunned. He didn't know what to think. He pulled his hand away and looked down at it like it was an offending object.
"No, I didn't save you," Trowa replied in a soft, emotionless voice. Quatre could feel something churning underneath the surface, something else, something primal.
"Trowa?" he asked softly.
"I have to leave," Trowa answered briskly as he stood up. His movements were elegant and catlike, as always, but there was something else to them that Quatre couldn't quite put his finger on. He walked out of the room, leaving Quatre alone.
******
Trowa leaned his head against the cool glass of the window in the study. He had a clear look of the grounds and the snow falling. The Heavyarms pilot was unaware of any of it. His fingernails had sharpened into claws as he dug his fingers into the glass.
Vampires had gone after Quatre to get him. That witch had sent her men to strike at him through Quatre and Catharine. "Damn," he cursed softly as he splayed his hands on the glass, ignoring the claws there.
He sensed Treize walk into the room. He told him, "I don't want to hear it."
Treize walked up to him. Neither man cast a reflection in the glass. Treize shook snow from his ginger colored hair, the movement carelessly graceful. He said, "This person wants you very badly, Trowa, and they've taken great care to strike at you."
"I won't let her have Quatre. I won't," he swore softly, "Or anyone else I care about."
"Her, so we are dealing with a female?" Treize asked in his lyrical voice.
Trowa nodded, not looking into the older vampire's eyes.
"What was her name?" Treize asked simply.
Trowa sighed. He saw her so clearly in his mind. He could still see the long, midnight black hair and those frightening color changing eyes every time he closed his eyes. He answered, "Lilith."
Treize sadly smiled and replied, "My friend, we are in quite of a predicament."
******
Minerva Celestine was desperately waiting for the sun to set. She couldn't last another minute with Relena Peacecraft or her students. All the things that Relena was teaching them were against everything that Minerva stood for as a vampire.
She was a hunter. That required violence most of the time. On top of being a hunter, she was a paid assassin. Rather, that was one of her talents. Zechs had put up a large sum of money to hire her. She was surprised that Forest, her boss and mentor, would even let her come here. Well, the money that Zechs had offered was even enough to make Forest's mouth water.
She paced around the room, feeling the faint stirring of the bloodlust upon her. She was going to need to feed soon. She could feed on one of her "classmates" or she could lower her standards and go feed on a cow. She spun around in her pacing, feeling the annoyingly long skirt of her uniform swishing around her ankles.
The uniform did nothing for her, she knew. She may not have a reflection, but she could see that her burgundy hair did not go with the fushia cloth of her blazer, or that her pale skin bleached even more against the white fabric of her skirt. She stripped out of her uniform, wearing only her black underwear and bra. She jerked the elastic band holding her hair out and smiled as she felt the weight of her hair come tumbling around her.
She picked up a brush and rythimicly stroked the knots out of her waist length hair, humming a song from her childhood. She pulled on a pair of faded jeans and a black sweatshirt. She laced up a pair of hiking boots and approached the window. The sun had almost fully gone down, leaving an orange streak in the indigo expanse of sky. It was safe to go out now.
Where, Minerva really didn't know. She knew she couldn't wander too far because she had to protect Relena and Noin, but she had to get away. Just for a few moments. Besides, Minerva really didn't think there was any danger for the princess and her kingdom. Almost every vampire thought that Zechs the Rouge was dead, as well as every human that thought that Milliardo Peacecraft, A.K.A. Zechs Marquis, was dead as well during that Gundam battle that was so famous.
She brushed her hair back into a ponytail, to get it out of her face, and slid into a leather jacket. The cold didn't faze her, but Relena and the others may have questions if Minerva went outside without a coat in 20 degree weather.
She was about to leave her bedroom when her comlink started to beep. She sat down at the elaborate table and opened up her laptop. She was surprised to find a woman in her early twenties staring back at her with huge indigo eyes. The woman's grin was knowing, superior almost. She said in a lilting voice, "Hey Minerva, how's the Sanq kingdom?"
Minerva smiled and replied, "Hello Forest, I hate it."
Forest laughed, tossing her long, blond hair away from her face. She said, "What, you're not happy in a pacifist nation?"
"Hell no," Minerva replied, grinning. "So, where are you?" Minerva asked, because Forest was like quicksilver, her moods changing from moment to moment and she had a severe wanderlust. One moment she would be happy in Tokyo, then the next she would hightail it to New York for no apparent reason.
Forest chuckled and replied, "Louisville."
"Why?" Minerva asked. Louisville was controlled by vampires, anyone with an inkling of the supernatural knew that, and Forest had offices there. It was just the bloody politics that kept them away from that city.
Forest shrugged and replied, "The Cycle of Darkness is ending, Min, I wanna see who's gonna be the major player. Louisville's the best place to get information, and I'm not the only one who's thinking that." There was a catty smile on Forest's lips as she leaned on her hands.
Minerva, use to her boss and mentor's quicksilver moods, asked, "Who else is there?"
"The God of Death," Forest answered with a flick of her drying fingernails. Among Forest's quirks was that she was very vain. Her fingernails shone bright silver with fresh paint.
"Duo Maxwell, the Called?" Minerva asked with shock.
"The one and only," Forest answered with a smile.
The next question was, "Are you going to kill him?"
Forest laughed and answered, "And let the world be taken over by the Forces of Darkness? I don't think so, Minerva. Besides, I want to meet the God of Death face to face."
"He's a Gundam pilot," Minerva told her.
"Yes, the one who was captured by Oz that one time. The one whose face was posted at every space port in the quadrants. Anyone who was a Called would have never let Oz get a hold of them. Unless the lad had a plan or was hiding," Forest replied, glancing down at her nails.
"Or I may kill him if he tries to kill me. Its not good business to have a Called running around," Forest added, absently studying her nails.
Minerva replied, "Or having a Dampier running around either."
Forest laughed and stated, "Milliardo is a special case. Besides, Treize would be very upset if I killed him. And Lord Treize is someone whom I would not want after me, lass."
Minerva smiled softly to herself. This woman taught her all the tricks she knew and some of her personality had rubbed off. Forest was many things, and practical was one of them. Except when it came to men, then her tastes turned to the unattainable.
Forest told her, "Be careful, kiddo. There are dangerous times ahead."
"You too," Minerva told her as she shut off the comlink. She stood up. Pain was tingling down her arms and back; she needed to feed though. She melted into the night.
******
The sun sparkled off the snow as Heero drove the SUV that they had stolen from the space port earlier. Duo looked out the window. He had just been here, but every time he came to Louisville, he always had to look at it. Vampires may be bloodsucking leeches, but some of them had a great sense of style and Louisville was proof of that. It was like a smaller New York. They had Broadway shows, cool art galleries, and the "other" night life that New York had to offer.
The Ohio river sparkled as they drove past it. Once upon a time, the river was so dirty that one couldn't swim in it, but now you could go right up and drink the water fresh. Well, almost anyway. One of the projects of the Clean-Up Environmental unit was to clean up the United States' filthy rivers like the Ohio and the Hudson.
Heero asked, "Where are we going?"
Duo answered, "The Executive West Inn. I've got a permanent account there." He grinned as he added, "Funded by Winner Enterprises, of course."
"Does Quatre know that your using his money to buy you a hotel room?" Heero asked in his monotone voice.
Duo grinned and answered, "Well, yeah. I told him that I have a lot of business here and he set it up. I didn't ask or anything. He just did it. He's got a little too much money for my tastes."
"There is never such a thing as too much money," Aurora said from the back, her tone icy.
"Sure there is, Baby," Duo told her, turning to look at the necromancer. Her grey eyes sparked silver as she looked at him. She was an entirely different girl clean. Her blond hair was pushed back into a pony tail, keeping it out of her face, but letting it flow freely around her, her skin was a healthy pink, and, most important, she didn't smell.
"No, with enough money no one can touch you," she told him bitterly. She crossed her arms and avoided eye contact.
Heero told her, "You can think that, if you want, but you're wrong."
"I don't need the wisdom of some Dampier to get me through the day," she snapped at him.
Heero didn't give any indication that her comment bothered him. He shrugged and continued to drive. Duo asked, "Why do you think that?"
She nodded out the window and replied, "They have money. Look at you, you're a Called and you're having to steal stuff."
Duo threw back his head and laughed. She or Heero really didn't know about his life before he was one of the Called and Maxwell's church. He told her, "Babe, I've been stealing long before I saw a mobile suit or a vampire. That's how I lived. I grew up on the streets, Baby."
"Then the Church found you and everything was hunky-dorie," she replied sharply, her tone acidic.
Duo chuckled and turned around. He said, "Heero, drive please."
Heero grunted as he looked at the road, focused as if he was piloting Wing ZERO.
******
Aurora played with the locket around her neck. On the same silver chain as the locket was a cross, but the locket was the important thing. She had the urge to open it up and look at it, but she didn't. Besides, Duo would ask questions about it.
Speaking of that idiot, how dare he talk to her like that? He wasn't born a total freak. He didn't discover that he was a necromancer one night walking when road kills started to follow her home. She did. That image still plagued her dreams till she learned how to control it. He didn't watch helplessly as vampires ripped out her mother and father's throats. He hadn't been running from the Forces of Darkness for the past year and a half; not knowing safety or sanctuary.
No, he was just born alone, Called for something that no one would want to do. He'd fought for a world that didn't appreciate or know his efforts, and on top of all of that, he was a damned Gundam pilot, a snide voice told her in her head. Shut up, she told it, looking at the Ohio River.
She wished she could draw right now. She didn't know how long it had been since she had picked up a pencil and a sheet of paper and drew something. A month, two perhaps. She missed it. She liked the control she had when she drew as well as the calming effect it had on her.
Drawing was something that she cared about that wouldn't be killed. Everything she had loved had been hunted and killed right before her eyes. Just because she had a curse that she didn't want.
Duo stretched, throwing up his long arms in an unconsciously innocent gesture. He said, "As soon as night falls, I'm getting some answers."
Aurora wanted some answers as well.
******
Zechs, using his supernatural strength, pried the heavy, stone slab of the ancient crypt. Sunlight streamed into the darkened tomb as Zechs loomed over it, a cold wind whipping at the heavy leather of his black trench coat. He drew his sword from the sheath strapped on his back, hidden under the cloak. The katana snaked out with a soft hiss. He held the silver blade at his side, ignoring the light that glinted off of it.
The vampire had taken refuge from him and the sunlight. Zechs stepped into the crypt, his heavy boots making no sound as he walked. The air was stale here, smelling like cobwebs and death. His eyes instantly adjusted to the lack of light in the ancient tomb. He stealthily crept deeper into the crypt's depths, his sword drawn at his side.
He froze when he heard voices. A man's frightened voice said, "My Queen, it's him. Milliardo Peacecraft has followed me here."
He heard a sultry, young woman's voice reply, "He has? Well, I'm sorry."
Zechs crept around the corner. The vampire's reddish blond hair glinted the light from the laptop sitting on a stone vault. The person on the screen was a beautiful young woman, just a little older than Relena. At least, physically. Her long, black hair was so dark that it shone with blue highlights and her skin was the color of fine cream. Even at this distance, Zechs watched her eyes change from blue, to brown, to green, to gold. A catty smile formed on her lips when she noticed Zechs.
The vampire spun around, his eyes turning crimson and his fangs legnthing. His fingernails grew to razor claws as he reached for Zechs. Zechs simply held his sword and swung. The vampire's head rolled off his shoulders, and he exploded into ash. He simply walked over to the computer screen and looked at the grinning vampire on the line.
He said, "Hello, Lilith."
Lilith laughed and tossed her raven hair. She replied, "Hello Sweet Prince. How are you, Milliardo?"
"Fine, and you?" Zechs replied icily.
She laughed her touchable, rich laugh of hers. She answered, "I'm excellent. Thank you for answering. So, I guess you are on the hunt now. I'm glad that you've seen your path now."
Bitch. Someday, someone will kill you, Lilith, Zechs thought as he grinned at her. He replied, "Yes, I've chosen my path and know who I am now. At least, where I stand."
"You don't belong in the human world, Sweet Prince, but you reject this one," Lilith said with false sadness and regret. She slowly shook her head, as if she was chiding Zechs.
"I don't kill innocent people," Zechs snapped at her.
Lilith laughed and replied, "Then why did you try to destroy the world?"
Because I was trying to rid it of evil like you. I saw no other choice. At the time, Zechs thought to himself, but said nothing. Lilith's laugh was rich, like thick chocolate, dark, rich and sinful. It was a laugh meant for the bedroom.
Lilith told him, "Well, I think I may have a weapon against you."
"What do you mean?" Zechs asked suddenly. Was she after Relena and Noin? Did she kill Minerva? Minerva was old and powerful, but no where near Lilith's level. Lilith was the First, the Dark Mother, the Queen of Darkness, something beyond most vampires. She was Adam's first wife who set off to breed with demons after she had tired of being controlled. She didn't breed with demons though, she became the first vampire after a blood transfusion. At least, that's what the story said. But, Zechs knew that one thing was true, she was the first vampire.
Lilith grinned and replied, "I've found another Dampier."
"What?" Zechs asked in shock. Has she found out about Heero? Does he even know what he is?
"Your old nemesis, Heero Yuy, the Gundam pilot. It was already known that Duo Maxwell was the Called, but Heero was a pleasant surprise," Lilith said with that same bedroom laugh.
Zechs had never met Duo Maxwell face to face. He had seen him in battle, and knew that he was a worthy foe, but Zechs had made it a point never to meet the boy. For one thing, it would endanger Duo's mission, something that Zechs' honor would not allow, and the other was that Maxwell would have hunted him till Zechs or Maxwell would have died.
Zechs had made a promise a long time ago to never kill one of the Called. He knew how important they were. Zechs smiled and replied, "Heero won't cross the line that I crossed, and you won't be able to make him."
Lilith smiled winsomely and replied, "Wanna bet?" Then the comlink shut off.
"Damn," Zechs cursed, trying to figure out what his next plan would be and what Lilith would do.
******
Duo slid his Gundanium scythe into his duster, letting the curved blade rest along his shoulders. It took a lot of practice to be able to hide that sucker, but the Deathscythe pilot was a master at it. He made sure his silver cross was spilled out of his shirt, checked his pistol to see if the clip was full of silver bullets, put on his cap, and turned to see Heero looking at him.
The Wing ZERO pilot asked, "Where are you going?"
"To get information," Duo replied, rolling up his pants' leg, checking the leg sheath for his silver coated knife and vial of Holy water.
"Alone?" Heero asked in his emotionless tone.
Duo nodded and answered, "Yeah, Heero. This is something that I've gotta do alone. Besides, it's night. You've gotta protect Aurora."
The girl was curled up in a plush chair by the window, gazing out into Louisville's colorful skyline. She icily replied, "I don't need protection. I was doing just fine until you showed up."
Heero asked, "Why are we keeping her alive anyway?"
Duo looked at the slight, elfin, blond girl curled up in the chair. He didn't know it himself. It would be easier to kill her, besides, it would be a mercy compared to what a demon would do to her. There was just something about her that Duo couldn't put his finger on that made him want to protect her.
He said something that would satisfy Heero though. He answered, "We could use her. She's got special gifts."
Silver eyes glared at him as she looked at him. There was a baser reason he was keeping her alive. Lust. Pure, simple, hormonal lust. She was beautiful, unreal almost. Besides, they had Death in common.
Heero picked up a large, leather bound journal written by one of the Called. It talked about vampires and other supernatural nastys. He nodded and said, "Fine. Just don't get yourself killed."
Duo grinned. Those where kind words for Heero. He tilted his hat down and said, "Oh, I won't." He grinned as he walked out of the hotel.
******
Downtown Louisville was pretty dangerous. Exspecaly the area that Duo was at, but he felt comfortable here. This was like the colony he had grown up on with Solo. He grinned as felt the chill wind whip at his duster. His boots moved soundlessly as he walked past a bright, neon pink sign that read: The Godfather III. A woman's nude leg danced up and down in a champagne glass. Duo grinned up at the strip club as he walked past it.
The hair on his arms and the back of his neck picked up. He could feel the cold power of a very old vampire near by, as well as several younger ones. He opened up his senses to find that the powerful vamp was not very close that they were just powerful. Now the other three were close. He looked around, not being conspicuous about it. There were times to be stealthy and there were times to be cocky. Now was a good time to be cocky.
A figure came at him from the right, another from the left, and the last from behind. A triangular trap. They were coming pretty fast. Then Duo saw the flash of a gun in their hands. "Shit," the Deathscythe pilot cursed as he took off running. Now was a good time for retreat.
His long braid lashed out behind him as he ran, his boots pounding on the pavement, his legs working furiously. He pulled his pistol out from his jacket. Vampires using guns, what sort of wacky shit was that? He heard the whistle of a shot and something prick his neck.
"Shit," he cursed, pulling a tranq dart out of his skin. He felt his limbs grow heavy and his vision dim. "Oh, damn it all to hell," he grumbled as he crumpled to the ground in an ungraceful lump.
******
Quatre walked around the huge, Victorian mansion, looking around for Trowa. His head was sore from where he was hit. He knew that Trowa wasn't telling him something. He just didn't know what. Absently, Quatre rubbed the bump on his forehead.
He heard voices. Trowa's and one that was very familiar, but he really couldn't place right now. Quatre quietly walked to a large door. He creaked it open to find Trowa talking to Treize Kushrenada of all people. Treize, I thought Wufei killed him, the slight pilot thought as he peered into the door.
Trowa said, "I won't let anything happen to Quatre. I won't."
Treize sighed and leaned against a desk. Trowa was looking out a large, French door. He didn't cast a refection in the darkened glass. Neither did Treize. Quatre watched in fascination as Trowa spun around to face the elegant former Oz leader.
He said, "She came after me, but I'll be damned if she tries to change Quatre."
Treize sighed again and said, "Trowa, you have no idea what you are dealing with. Lilith is a force of nature."
"Nature can be weathered," Trowa said quietly.
Quatre didn't understand what they were talking about. He opened the door wider. He still couldn't see Trowa or Treize's reflections in the glass. He swallowed as Trowa spun away from the window, placing his hands on the desk. The Heavyarms' pilot looked exhausted. Trowa sighed.
He said, "I'm not going to let anyone hurt Quatre or the others."
"Lilith has other things on her mind right now, I think, but you are very important," Treize said.
Quatre felt it. He felt some sort of power coming off of them. It was almost like a cool wind, and it beat down on the young Sandrock pilot with the force of a Beam Cannon. He silently gasped as he put his fingers on his temples, rubbing the ache suddenly put there.
Treize walked right to where Quatre was hiding. Quatre froze and looked for some place to run. This was a private moment that he shouldn't have listened too. Treize opened the door and smiled at Quatre. The smile was seraphic as the former Oz leader asked, "How long have you been listening, Little One?"
Quatre was afraid. He wanted to run from this man, from this power. Trowa whispered, "Quatre."
The young pilot shook his head and said, "What's going on, Trowa?"
Trowa walked to him, even more graceful than before. His movements were too fluid, too graceful, like a cat's but even more to the extreme. He said, "Quatre, you shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry."
"What happened to you?" Quatre whispered. Something had happened to him. He could feel it. He reached out and touched Trowa's hand and then everything shattered.
The alley was dark and cold. The hands that touched his face were like a corpse's. Trowa looked into a pair of rich, violet eyes and watched in a sort of horrified amazement as the eyes turned a rich, deep brown. The girl was strong, holding him in her arms like he was nothing more like a baby.
She stroked his cheek with an icy, pale hand, telling him, "I'm giving you forever."
There was no way that Trowa could fight it. It was almost as if he was in some other place, just watching this from afar. The young woman bent her head to his neck, her long, raven hair blanketing them.
Trowa felt something cold and wet slither down his neck. Then he felt a sharp, searing pain, something like a hot needle being jabbed into his flesh. He felt her sucking at him, feeling his blood leave him in a rush. He gasped as his legs began to become weak with blood loss.
He crumbled to the ground, with the dark beauty still cradling him in her arms. She ran a clawlike fingernail along her wrist, thick, dark blood spilling out of the cut. She placed her wrist over his mouth, letting the blood run freely.
He swallowed it, not knowing, not caring. He didn't feel it.
Quatre gasped as he collapsed to the ground. Trowa moved away from him, his dark green eyes wide with fright. Trowa asked, "What happened?"
Quatre rubbed at his aching head. His body was trembling from the aftermath of the vision. He answered, "I don't know." He was shivering with fear also. That woman had killed Trowa.
Do vampires really exist? Quatre thought as he rubbed his chilled arms. He was so cold. Oh, Trowa, I'm sorry. So sorry.
Treize bent down to Quatre. Quatre looked up at the other man, feeling his power beat along his skin like a drum. He shouted, "Get away from me!" He scrambled away from the former Oz leader, closer to Trowa.
Trowa stepped in front of Quatre and said, "Stay away from him."
"Trowa, who was that?" Quatre asked as Trowa knelt beside him. Trowa supported him with chilled hands. The hands of the dead. Oh, Trowa. I'm so sorry. I won't let anything happen to you again, I promise.
Trowa swallowed. Anger was darkening his already dark green eyes. He answered, "Her name is Lilith." He said the name with utter contempt.
"How could she do that to you?" Quatre asked, reaching out and touching the other pilot's face.
Trowa looked away, but he didn't break contact this time. He simply stated, "I'm a vampire, Quatre. A monster."
"No, you're not. You're Trowa Barton, my best friend, a great man. That's all that matters," Quatre told him. His head was spinning from the vision. He felt weak and his stomach was rolling.
Trowa's eyes brightened in wonder. He asked, "You mean you don't care?"
Quatre nodded, the movement sending stabs of pain through his head and making his stomach clinch even worse. He was afraid he was going to throw up all over Trowa. He answered, "Trowa, I don't care. It's going to be okay." As long as Trowa was Trowa, everything would be all right.
"You're sick," Trowa said bluntly, stroking his hair.
Quatre smiled and told him, "It'll pass."
Treize watched the two pilots. He simply said, "Things are about to get more interesting."
******
One of the really neat things about being one of the Called was that Duo's body could metabolize poisons and drugs really quickly. One of Duo's hyper-metabolism side effects though was that he was always slightly hungry. He could eat and eat, never gain a pound, and always be hungry. So, when Duo woke up, he was hungry.
His hands found smooth, cool marble beneath him. He opened his eyes to see dark blue marble under his face. He jerked up, reaching for his scythe. His coat was gone, the scythe was gone, the cross's familiar weight against his chest was gone, his ankle sheath was gone, and so was the bottle of Holy water he kept in his pocket. Whoever had brought him here was pretty thorough in their search, leaving him weaponless.
He scrambled off the table and looked around. He was in some penthouse office downtown. It was richly furnished with dark blue carpeting, dark wooden walls and the desk he was laying on. Huge windows had black shades and curtains on them, to block out sunlight. There were various artworks on the walls, and a statue of a dragon beside the desk. Not a Chinese dragon like the one's Duo was familiar with because of Wufei, but the Celtic variety. There was a portrait that looked slightly familiar to Duo as well.
It was of a man ten years older than Duo. He was handsome, in that hedrosexual comfort way, with chiseled features, deep set dark brown eyes, and unruly dark hair that reminded Duo of Heero just a tad. The man's grin was slightly lopsided and there was a sort of sad knowledge to his dark eyes. And a silver Celtic cross hung from his neck. Not the sort of portrait that Duo Maxwell would suspect in a vampire's office.
He studied the portrait, trying to place where he had seen that face before. Then he felt the presence of a vampire. A very old and powerful vampire. Duo spun around, immediately taking a stance. The only weapons in the room were the dragon and a steel chair. Not something to take a vampire out with and definitely not something to fight a vampire toe to toe with. Not even with Duo's heightened strength and reflexes.
The door opened, revealing a tall woman with the best set of legs that Duo had ever seen on a woman. She had long, loose, golden blond hair that drifted around her as she moved. Her features were pale, well all vampires were pale, and aristocratic. She had large, dark-blue eyes that glinted with mischief and a catty smile played upon her rose petal lips.
She was beautiful, but most vampires were.
Well, she was more beautiful than most and she knew it. She was dressed in tight black jeans, a fitted black leather jacket, and a black silk camisole that Duo knew she wasn't wearing a Bra under. Not that the God of Death was complaining, mind you.
She grinned and said, "Hello God of Death."
Duo grinned back and asked, "Where are my weapons, Lady?"
She threw back her head and laughed. It was not the seductive laugh of most vampires. It was just amused. She answered, "Not one to deal with pleasantries are you? I like that. You'll get them soon enough. I don't want to hurt you anyway."
"You're a vampire, Lady, I'm one of the Called. It's not exactly in our natures to be best friends," Duo replied.
"My name's Forest Anderson," she told him with a smile, her dark blue eyes gleaming with mischief.
The Forest Anderson? Duo looked at her skeptically. He asked, "The Forest Anderson?"
She laughed and answered, "The One and Only, Duo."
Duo looked around her office and said, "Being an assassin is a pretty lucrative business, isn't it?"
She shrugged and said, "Well, during World War III it was. Interest is a wonderful thing, you know."
Duo grinned at her, despite himself. He knew he was safe. If Forest Anderson wanted him dead, he would have already been dead by now. He asked, "So, what do you want?"
She smiled and leaned against the desk. She answered, "To give you some information."
"Why, I'd thought you leeches would be happy that the Cycle of Darkness is ending?" Duo asked her snidely.
Forest grinned and produced a CD from her jacket. She held it with long fingers where the finger nails had been painted a bright, gleaming silver. Duo caught the irony there. Silver was deadly for vampires. He got it. She tossed it to him and he caught it.
She said, "I like the way you humans run things, I really do. I won't let some bitch ruin that."
"What do you mean?" Duo asked as he looked at the disk.
She sighed, her expression sobering. She answered, "Lilith is bringing on the Darkness. She wants eternal night and evil on Earth and the colonies. And she's old and powerful enough to do it."
"Lilith?" Duo asked suddenly afraid. Forest sadly nodded.
She said, "Yeah, Lilith. She's building an army and has everything planned."
"Oh, shit," Duo grumbled as he banged his head against the wall. Could things get any worse?
To Be Continued!