DISCLAIMER – I do not own Gundam Wing.
Chapter Two
Trowa sat on the rough couch in their basement. He refused to call it an apartment. The basement did have several rooms though, and it was warm enough so he didn't complain out loud. But he absolutely refused to call this dump a home.
He looked down. Normally, any guy would be more than thrilled to have two girls in his lap. But right now, Trowa wasn't too thrilled. Roddy lay to his right, stretching her petite body out on the couch and resting her legs on the armrest. She used one of his legs as a pillow, but she didn't sleep. Instead, her hazel eyes were open, staring straight up at him. He gave a little smile and ran his hand through her dark brown hair. He knew that neither of them could sleep unless the other was lying next to them. So he wasn't surprised that Roddy was still awake.
Hilde shifted on his left, curling herself into a tighter ball. She was using his other leg as a pillow and sleeping fitfully for the time being. Duo's disappearance last night was disturbing, and Hilde was out of her mind with worry. Heero had to threaten to hit her on the back of the head to knock her unconscious, just to get the poor girl to try to sleep for a while. Finally, she'd decided to lay down on the couch. She shivered slightly, and Catherine appeared from somewhere behind him to put a blanket over Hilde's sleeping form.
"Thank you," he mouthed softly at his sister. She smiled sadly back, knowing that the longer Duo was out there, the less chance they had of finding him alive. Or finding him as a human. She took the coffee cup in her hands to Heero, who was constantly pacing all over the basement. He accepted the black coffee with a nod and downed it all in one gulp, handing the mug back to Cathy when he had finished.
Heero paced another round between the door and the back wall when he sighed in frustration, grabbed his shortened broadsword and headed to the door. He was tired of this waiting shit. Duo'd been their companion for the last three years. He'd be damned if he'd allow Duo to suffer in Wufei's clutches. Heero threw open the door, letting the brightness of mid-morning to stream into the basement. He stopped.
There, on the stairs leading down to their door, a vamp was waiting for him. He didn't question how she'd gotten there. He didn't question how she was able to live in the daylight. And he didn't question why she seemed so out of breath as she leaned against the wall. He only saw an unconscious Duo in her arms. And Heero attacked her.
Keeping one arm around Duo, to prevent him from falling down the stairs, she was barely able to fend off the human who flew at her with sword drawn. Her one free hand clasped onto her attacker's, wrapping around his hands and the hilt of his sword to keep him from being able to cut off her head in one swipe. But she was losing both battles. The man in front of her was strong with rage as he sought to protect his comrade, his blade inching closer and closer to her neck. And Duo was steadily slipping from her other hand, in danger of tumbling down the stairs and becoming injured.
"Please," she found herself pleading. "He's going to fall…"
Dark blue eyes blinked at her a moment, as if trying to register what words she'd just spoken. Her attacker glanced down, seeing how desperately she clutched to Duo to keep him from falling. Another man came up from behind her attacker, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her attacker relaxed visibly and stepped aside, but kept his sword near her neck. The green-eyed man bent down and took Duo into his arms, carrying him down the stairs and into the basement. A dark woman met him at the doorway, fussing over the long-haired man in his arms.
But the blue-eyed Asian continued to hold her hostage, grabbing her arm roughly and pulling her down the stairs. A thin auburn-haired woman closed the door to the basement, locking several different locks along the doorframe. The woman walked over to a sleeping ball on the couch, resting her hand on it and shaking gently.
"Hilde," the woman called softly. "Hilde, Duo's home." The girl on the couch sprang up from her sleep, ice-blue eyes wide.
"Really? Duo!" And with that, the girl ran through a doorway to another room. The tall green-eyed man had just disappeared through that door, while the dark woman retrieved some food and water from the kitchen. No one seemed to notice the blue-eyed man holding his sword to a woman vampire's neck.
He glared at her as he held her prisoner. No doubt, if the man she'd saved from the dungeon died, he'd kill her. All three women of the group remained in that room, but the green-eyed man walked out, coming to question her.
"Who are you?" he asked, his soft voice contradicting the strength of his eyes and body.
She bowed her head slightly. "A friend."
"Who are you?" he asked again.
"I do not remember my birth-name," she said. "But I was given the name Jinakel from my master." She hoped that would be enough to satisfy his question. A thought struck her. Duo had said some names before he'd fallen asleep in the dungeon. "Are either of you Heero or Trowa?" she asked.
The man behind her stiffened, bringing the sword closer to her neck and pressing it to her soft skin. The green-eyed man in front of her looked visibly surprised for a moment before he answered…
"I'm Trowa. Who told you our names?"
"Duo did," she answered, hoping that Duo had given her his true name. "Before he fell asleep in the dungeon." Jinakel had no idea how much to tell these men. But if she had to retell her entire captivity to get them to trust her, she would.
"Jinakel," Trowa said, getting her attention. "What dungeon?"
"Chang's."
The man behind her tensed again, obviously upset. Trowa, too, seemed angry with her. She'd said something wrong.
"Forgive me," Jinakel said, bowing her head to show her submission. Not making eye contact, she continued, "I have said something to displease you. I do know of your relation to the vampire Chang, for Duo spoke of it while we waited the chance to escape. Forgive me for saying something to upset you both."
Trowa's eyes softened and he smiled at her slightly. "You have not angered us. The knowledge that our dear friend had been captured and held in a dungeon is what disturbs us, Jinakel. Now, tell me. What were you doing there? And why did you help our friend escape?"
"May I see him?" she asked, looking up shyly to his green eyes. "I wish to know if I can help his condition. If he is weary, I might be able to help."
Trowa looked over her shoulder, obviously conferring silently with the man behind her. He was still holding the sword to her throat, but it was a more relaxed grip now, thankfully. With a nod, Trowa led the way to the door.
Duo was sitting up on his bed, the girl Hilde curled up beside him and smiling with joy at her love's return. The auburn-haired girl was cleaning up the dishes. Duo had obviously just finished eating everything that had been brought to him. The dark woman was busy checking his body, making sure no wounds needed tending.
Jinakel heard her say, "You're remarkably unscathed, Duo…" before Duo saw them at the door.
"NO!!" he yelled, sitting up in bed stiffly. "No, don't you dare!"
The man behind her tensed again, bringing the sword swiftly against her neck and pressing the blade hard to her. She bit back the urge to cry out at the sharp edge against her skin. Trowa moved in front of her, blocking her way to Duo. Duo's negative reaction to her made him grab her arm roughly, keeping her from hurting anyone or trying to escape.
"No, you idiots!" Duo said from behind Trowa, swinging his legs over and getting out of bed. "She saved my life…" he walked closer and pulled Trowa away from her, "…Leave her alone."
The man behind her didn't move. Duo stared at him for a moment, before reaching up and tugging the sword away from her neck.
"Heero, let her go," Duo said, his voice soft as his eyes held multiple apologies for her.
The man behind her conceded, lowering his sword from her neck. Jinakel hadn't realized how dependent she'd been on the men around her, until their support was withdrawn. She fell to her knees on the floor, weariness overtaking her body.
"What's wrong?" She found Duo's face and bright violet eyes staring at her.
"Tired." Jinakel struggled and finally stood up. "I haven't slept in six nights and…"
"Five and a half days," Duo interrupted. "I didn't realize that you hadn't rested the whole time you'd been captive."
"I could not sleep. As long as I am awake and able to fight, they can not take me." Jinakel wobbled again before Duo caught her.
"Take you?" he asked.
"Since I have betrayed the decree, others are able to punish my insolence. My blood will give them more power than they could ever dream of…" her words were starting to get softer and slur as her exhaustion took over. She was aware of arms wrapping around her and carrying her to a nearby soft mattress, but she never opened her eyes.
*******
She heard them coming. Jinakel snapped awake, looking for the enemies she knew was there. She could hear them snarling outside. She could hear them feeding on a few innocent humans who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The man with the blue eyes was there, standing by her bed and watching over her as she slept. But she couldn't sleep now. The humans didn't have the extra senses she had. She could hear them snarl. She could smell the blood.
He reached forward, trying to keep her from leaving the bed. But this human, no matter how great his skills, couldn't hear the vamps outside their home. Right outside. She panicked, grabbing the sword from his hand and charging for the door. The green-eyed man was there. Trowa? She couldn't remember his exact name. Not that it mattered right now. And the women were there. Where was Duo? Outside perhaps. Dead already.
The man with blue eyes…what was his name again?…he followed her out of the bedroom, demanding to know what she was doing. He wanted his sword back. Of course, a human warrior would not, could not ever trust a vampire. Her heart hurt, seeing his angry face and the hatred in his deep blue eyes. Something about him called to her…something…foreign…
The snarls outside were closer, and the smell of innocents' blood stronger than before. Chang's vamps had found them. Somehow, they'd been found. Perhaps they'd followed her after her escape. With Duo. They had to have followed her, but how? Human pets, most likely. Or maybe they picked up their scent trail, but that was unlikely. Unless they had a self-eater with them. She shuddered at the thought. Chang had wanted to turn her into one. He had wanted to starve her for so long that she resorted to drinking her own blood and becoming one of those…those…demon beasts.
Duo. Where was he? The man with blue eyes stared at her, hurting her with his distrust. Why did it matter that he didn't trust her? No other humans ever had. Why did this one hurt her so? Duo. She breathed his name, looking around the basement for him. Trowa said something to her. She didn't catch the words in her panic, but she realized what he had told her. Duo was outside.
Outside with Chang's vamps hunting them down. She ran for the door, the smell of blood filling her lust and driving her to strength she couldn't achieve alone. Using her shoulder, she rammed the steel door, tearing it at the hinges and throwing it to the ground.
Duo. Chang's vamps had found him, all right. They held each of his arms, and the shirt was torn from his body, exposing the intricate and beautiful winged dragon tattoo that was a symbol of his group of slayers. The Night Hunters, she knew they called themselves. The tattoo's tail started at his forearm, winding around his arm and up to his shoulder, where the fiery teeth of the dragon were bared. And another tattoo graced his beautiful body, just above the head of the dragon. In Japanese characters it said "Shinigami." The God of Death, she registered, remembering from when she'd lived with her master in Japan for some time. The God of Death.
And they were eating him. She roared. Not some little snarl or menacing growl, but a full out roar from the depths of her being. Lunging toward the vamps, she used the borrowed sword to bring swift justice. Within a flash of an eye, she'd slaughtered the six vamps sent after her and the humans. They lay on the steps, gurgling and gasping as their blood flowed freely in little waterfalls to her feet. The man with the blue eyes was there. Horror on his face as he watched her, disgusted by her cruel tactics of eliminating the enemy. Was she not good enough? Was she not…humane?
Duo moaned from where he lay on the steps. They'd dropped him when she attacked, leaving him half-eaten and allowing him instead to bleed to death. Why should she care? Of course, she never killed humans unless…well, she'd only killed humans on one occasion. And those slayers had come after her master. Protecting him was foremost in her life, and she'd forsake all morals and needs in order to save his life. But this human, his eyes, he pleaded for something. Duo wanted to live.
Quickly she moved to his side, holding him in her arms on those steps. Those blood-soaked steps. The bodies of the vamps disappeared from around them, vaporizing as the last trickles of blood left their severed veins. She paid them no mind, focusing only on Duo. Why did this human call her so? She knew. He had trusted her. He was the only human she'd ever come across who had trusted her to save his life. Duo was not afraid to sleep next to her in the dungeon. He had stood up for her in front of his allies, saving her from a mistaken execution. This human with the strange violet eyes had believed in her, when no other mortal had.
She looked down upon him, pressing her hand to his neck and trying to stop the bleeding. It was useless, she knew. Enzymes in vamp saliva inhibited the body's platelets, making it impossible for blood to clot. But screw science. Duo was dying. And there was only one way to save him. Would he want to? Of course, anyone faced with living or dying chooses the living road. Only later do they realize that their new "life" is more like a state of undead. A miserable existence that simply will not end. Could she do that to him? This beautiful human who had shown her kindness…should she turn him into one of the creatures he hunted? It would save his life, but was it worth the price he'd pay? She had never turned a human before. Never cursed a blessed human with the life of a vampire…but this human, Duo, deserved to live.