A Deal with the Devil Chapter 8: Dreamweaver

"Is Quatre alright?"

"Yes Master," Zechs replied. "He's always been more sensitive than the rest of us. It is Trowa's belief that he will be fine once he's fed."

"Ah yes. Trowa is with him?"

"And Noin. She will stay with them tonight. They are the best to teach her our ways."

"It is good that they will be with her. But you now, Zechs, my son," The Master paused his pacing and looked at Zechs. "Are you not the least bit concerned about all this?"

"Of course. How can I help it?" Zechs stared down at his hands. "Quatre's words of Noin being taken and forced to fight against us, and her gift of empathy so strong, we'd never stand a chance."

"But you would fight?"

"Yes, we would fight. Until the last if need be."

The Master nodded. "Well put, Zechs."

"If the war does come," Zechs asked abruptly. "When will Lucifer make his move?"

The Master seemed to withdraw into himself. "Samhain. When he is strongest, and the Angels and Fay have no dominion."

Samhain. Less than three months away. "Then we'll be ready." *

"We are neither devils nor angels," Trowa explained to Noin, who was listening intently as she walked between him and Quatre down the darkened street. "It's true that we need blood to live, but unlike vampires, we don't need to kill our victims."

"In fact, it hurts if you do." Quatre put in. Trowa almost smiled.

"He's right. But it hurts him more than any of us."

"Why?" Noin asked.

Trowa shrugged. "He's an Empath. Very sensitive to the inner workings of the mind."

"And when the mind just stops, it hurts."

"I see."

"Actually, I think you may be an Empath too Noin," Duo slipped in from a side street, so silently that Noin didn't even notice until he took his place on Quatre's right side. "The way you projected that vision on Quatre, the way you always know what's going on inside our heads, it's bizzarro man."

"No, her gift is too strong," Quatre argued. "I think she's a Dreamweaver."

Noin arched her eyebrows questioningly. "Huh?"

"A Dreamweaver. It means that whenever you're around, everyone else's gifts get enhanced. As long as you're not being threatened by them that is," Trowa explained. "That's why Quatre's gift exploded when he took your hand."

"Then why didn't the rest of your gifts go haywire? I hugged you all, remember?"

"Q-man's gift is real close to the surface." Duo explained. "It's the same with Zechs. That's why you affected them and not us."

"What's Zechs's gift?"

"Persuasion." Duo grinned evilly. " As you well know, Lieutenant." Noin blushed.

"And just a bit of foresight." Trowa interjected. Noin's jaw dropped.

"No wonder he was such a good soldier! He could see everything that was going to happen!"

"Not everything," Quatre corrected her. "The gifts aren't as strong when you're still human. He could probably get inklings of what a person was going to do and when, but that's about it."

"I see."

"Well, damn," Duo shook his head with a friendly chuckle. "If gifts aren't as strong when you're human, I hate to see what your gifts are going to be like when you're turned Noin. Maybe you'll be able to get into Zechs's mind and enlighten us a little. It's been a lost cause so far."

Noin laughed at that. "The thing you have to understand about Zechs is that he means well. No matter what he does."

"Lieutenant, that's sweet." Duo fluttered his eyes at her. "Still loyal to a fault."

"That's not fair Duo." Quatre said quietly. "It'd be nice if more people were 'loyal to a fault'." Noin shot him a glance of gratitude.

"Aw, Quatre, you know I didn't mean nothin' by it."

Trowa stiffened.

"Gang ahead. Plenty for all of us. Do we take them?"

Duo was immediately sober. "Let's take 'em."

"I agree." Quatre turned to Noin. "You don't have to watch this if you don't want to. It's a little shocking the first time."

"No, I'll be fine." Noin replied. "I'm going to have to learn."

"She's right." Heero slipped up behind the group, followed by Wufei and Sally. "Let's go."

The six Night Spawn and Noin slipped quickly up the alleyway, intent on taking the gang by surprise. When they got within sight distance, Noin could see that the eight men were hassling a young girl of about twenty. The woman looked terrified but was trying valiantly not to show it.

"Noin, you get that girl out of there," Noin jumped but relaxed as she recognized Zechs' voice. He rested his hand on her shoulder briefly. "Be careful. We'll be right behind you."

"Right." Noin took a deep breath and stepped into the street. "Hey, you! Leave her alone."

"You talking to me girl?" The leader and his lackeys turned their attention from the girl and to Noin, which was just what she had been hoping for.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you," Noin spoke with conviction. "Let her go. She didn't do nothing to you."

"Oh yeah?" The man shoved the girl and she went sprawling into the street at Noin's feet. "Why don't I let her go," He crossed the distance to stand before Noin, roughly grabbing her chin and wrenching her face up to look at him. "And take you instead?"

"Get your filthy hands off her," The voice was Zechs's but was underlain with a deep growl. The man froze and turned slowly.

.Zechs sank his teeth savagely into the man's neck. The rest of the Night Spawn came out of hiding and surged around them. Noin dropped to her knees beside the terrified woman and had time to reassure her that it would be alright before looking up to see that Hilde had joined the group.

The woman beside her fainted but Noin forced herself to watch with a certain degree of clinical detachment. Trowa and Quatre were the gentlest of the group, Wufei stalked his intended, and Heero was economical, wasting not a drop of either blood or time. Hilde and Duo were both rather playful, Sally drank slowly, carefully, and Zechs. Noin felt that he was being more savage than normal because of the man's comments to her. It was sweet justice in a way; it wasn't as if these people didn't have it coming.

Heero finished first and laid his victim, still alive, on the pavement. He bit his tongue and let a few drops of the liquid fall onto the man's wounds. The marks disappeared. All around her, the others were doing the same.

Except Zechs.

"Zechs," Sally said in alarm. "You're going to stop his heart."

Zechs paid no heed but drank greedily until Noin knew the man was dead. Then Zechs stood, wiped the back of his mouth with his hand and said simply, "I know." He slipped his arm around Noin's waist. "The Master wanted to meet you, Noin. Come with me." They walked off into the darkness, leaving the others to stare after them.

"That was weird," Duo said after a stunned moment of silence.

"Yeah, Zechs never kills like that." Hilde put in. Wufei snorted.

"You know very well that he did it because that moron tried to hurt Lieutenant Noin."

"Remind me not to threaten her," Duo was still staring at the man lying dead on the pavement. "EVER."

"Quatre, are you all right?" Trowa laid his hand on his friend's shoulder. The little blonde was pale and his hand rested lightly on his temple.

"I'm fine," He gave Trowa a watery smile. "I'll be fine. It's just that. when he died."

"I understand."

"Let's get this girl out of here," Sally very carefully lifted the woman into her arms and shook her head. "Poor thing. We may have to make her a familiar."

"It's either that or erase her memory." Heero stated. "And we all know what a hassle that is."

The others nodded in agreement. "Well, welcome to the family lady." Duo joked. Wufei nodded.

"If I was really related to you, Maxwell, I would do the same thing Hitler did."

"What's that? Kill a few thousand people?"

"No. Kill myself."

"Ouch." * "Is there anything I should know about this 'Master'?" Noin inquired of Zechs. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry. He'll love you. After all, I do, and my tastes are much more selective."

She gave him a playful whack on the arm, which incited him to reach over and tickle her, which she naturally fought back against. They were still at it, laughing so hard they gasping for breath, when the Master appeared.

"So, our new Princess is ticklish. I simply must remember that."

Zechs fell to one knee, pulling Noin with him. "Master, my lover and soul's half, Lucrezia Noin."

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Lucrezia. Zechs has spoken of you much." The Master took Noin's hand lightly in his own and lifted her up before kissing her knuckles.

"It's strange to see Zechs bow to someone." Noin said shyly. "You must be very important."

The Master laughed richly. "No, no my dear. I am merely a teacher, and a father. Nothing that many people around the world are not."

"And whose father are you?"

"Your prince's. And yours, I hope." The Master smiled mysteriously as Zechs's head whipped up.

"Master?"

"Unless you wanted the privilege, Zechs."

"You have not offered your blood since."

"You. And it is time to use it again. If the lady is willing, of course."

Noin was silent. "If.I accept.what are my advantages?"

"You will know neither death nor disease. Your senses will be heightened; you will have gifts that would make an Angel jealous. Your friends will always be with you. And you will stand by Zechs's side for all eternity, a princess of an immortal race."

"And my disadvantages?"

"You will be forever barred from the light of the sun. If you die, heaven cannot grant you entrance, nor can hell claim you. You will drift until your other half joins you. You must feed on human blood to live. And you will forever be stalked by Lucifer, Hell's keeper, who would claim the Princess for his own."

"I will protect you from Lucifer," Zechs slipped his arms around her waist. "And if you are killed, I will join you immediately, for my life is nothing without you."

Noin smiled fondly and reached up to caress his cheek. "Dear Zechs. Don't be so modest. You would have no chance against Satan himself." She glanced to the Master. "Would he?"

"Not at the moment. But you, Lucrezia, will be more than capable of defending yourself. Once the two of you are joined, who knows?"

"And the light? What will you do about that, my prince?" Noin teased him gently.

"You don't need the sun. Your own name shows that. Lucia, bringer of light." Zechs replied seriously. "And if ever you're tired of the darkness, I will find a way to make it light again. I promise."

" I do hate to rush you, dear heart, but I need an answer. Will you come with us into this? Do the benefits outweigh the risk?" The Master squeezed her hand lightly. Noin could feel the veiled strength in his grip, and knew he could break her hand without trying. And somehow, this superhuman entity had taken a liking to her. Noin could suddenly feel the strength also in Zechs's grip; he had always been strong, but Noin knew that this was different.

Noin thought for a moment. To be by Zechs's side for all eternity. That was enough to outweigh any of the risks.

"They do. And I will."

*