Under a Blood Red Moon

By: Lady DeathAngel

Disclaimer: don't own them, don't sue me

Warnings: a little language and that's about all.

A/N: Okay everyone, this story starts out with a trip to the past. Duo's to be exact. ^.^ Anyway, just thought I'd give you a heads up. As always, please read, enjoy, and review.



Seventeen year old Duo Maxwell was happy for the first time in weeks. The bane of his life, Dorothy Catalonia, had seemingly disappeared. She wasn't to be found anywhere in town, and the local papers hadn't been crowing about her latest conquests and illicit affairs. In just twenty-four hours he was going to be eighteen, a man really, and he couldn't have been happier.

"Duo! Duo, Solo's here to see you."

Duo glanced at the door to see his younger sister Sophia bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. At fifteen she was a bundle of energy. Their parents joked that she'd started running when she was still a little baby and she hadn't stopped since. That was true enough. She was often in trouble because she didn't stop talking when she should, she couldn't sit still long because she'd complain that her bum was getting sore, and if she wasn't out riding a horse or climbing a tree she wasn't entirely happy.

Well, that wasn't quite accurate. She'd force herself to sit through an entire opera if Solo, better known as James to most everyone else, was around. She had developed a liking for him and she wasn't all that good at hiding it. Then again, Solo wasn't that quick at figuring things like love and girls out, so he probably still hadn't noticed.

"Tell him I'll be right there."

"Why don't you get your lazy ass out of your chair and come tell me yourself?" A deep and amused voice questioned.

Duo sent a mock glare at his best friend.

"Come on Solo, there's a young lady present. You should watch your language."

Solo glanced at Sophia who flushed to the roots of her dark brown hair.

"Who, this little thing? Wasn't she the one who told you to bugger off the other day?"

Duo frowned. "Well . . . it might not have been her . . ."

"Oh get off it. I'm right and you're not and it won't kill Sophia if she hears a couple of curses, will it?" He turned to her to ask his question.

She shook her head quickly.

"Well then, we'll all just say we're expanding her vocabulary."

"If we expand her vocabulary anymore, she'll be talking like a Cockney whore." Duo muttered.

Solo laughed while Sophia frowned at him.

"So, what are you here for anyway?" Duo asked his friend.

Solo shrugged. "Thought I'd drop by and see how you were holding up."

"If this is about you-know-who, don't worry. I'm fine."

Solo sighed. "She's just really scary is all. I wanted to make sure she hadn't come in the middle of the night and murdered you and your family."

Duo laughed. "She certainly couldn't get all of us. I doubt it if she could even get me."

Solo lifted an eyebrow but didn't say anything else. Duo knew what he was thinking though and Duo had wondered the same exact things. They all knew that there were other women out there who would do anything for a lover. Why would Dorothy be any different?



~*~



Later though, they would all know that the imaginary threat that Dorothy had posed was all too real. Because one day, out of the blue, Duo died. To this day he didn't know how it had happened, he just knew that it had. He'd woken up one night in a lavish room. One that he recognized. There was a woman there too. One wearing a face he knew all too well.

"Well, hello Sleepy Head." She said in a soft, sultry voice. "Sleep well?"

He sat up and then groaned as he was hit by a wave of dizziness.

"Oh, don't move too quickly. I did just bring you back from the dead, after all."

Duo stared at her incredulously.

"You what?"

"Don't you remember?" She put a hand to her mouth in mock dismay. "Of course you don't. Silly me. They never remember. Well, I'll fill you in on a little secret."

Duo blinked and she was right there beside him, leaning into him and whispering into his ear.

"I made you what I am. You are immortal. You won't ever die. You can be with me forever."

Duo blanched and pushed her away with him. For feeling so weak, the woman flew a few feet away from him. She picked herself off the ground with a grin.

"I just love a man who takes action." She said. "Now all that's left is for you to mate with me. Then you'll be bound to me forever."

She climbed up the bed and made to kiss him, but Duo evaded it, her ruby red lips landing on his jaw. She backed away with a muttered 'Damn'.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked.

She grinned and licked her teeth.

"You want the truth? Can you handle it? Wait, I don't care. Duo Maxwell, I'm proud to inform you that you have earned the right to call yourself a vampyre. Welcome to this illustrious, ethereal, and absolutely immortal race."

Duo sat up and backed away from Dorothy with wide eyes.

"You're mad." He hissed.

"Am I?"

She drew a long fingernail over the pale skin covering her wrist. A red ribbon of blood sprang up and Duo felt something hard and heavy land in his stomach and then twist it. What was this? It was a feeling almost like hunger, but it was so strong. He'd never been hungry like this before. Ever. And yet . . . looking at the blood he felt as if just one sip would quench this unbelievable thirst.

With a speed he hadn't known he'd possessed, he seized her wrist, dragged it to his mouth, and sucked hard. Dorothy groaned, her eyes rolling. Duo didn't see her. He was too obsessed with the way the flavor exploded on his tongue. It tasted like everything he'd ever liked and a million things he might have, had he tried them. Finally he realized what he was doing and with a savage growl he thrust her away.

"Oh God . . ."

"Don't be angry. I've given you the best gift any girl could ever give her lover. We'll be together always Darling."

He glared at her.

"Never." He spat. "I don't love you. I hate you. I regret the first moment I saw you and every moment I spent in your presence after."

She stared at him for a moment before she screeched loud and long. A piercing wail of anger and sadness and maybe even a hint of lunacy. She disappeared after that, leaving her cry echoing in the walls and Duo's own ears. He passed out soon after her departure.

When he woke up it was to see a young man about his age gazing down at him with upset green eyes.

"I'm so sorry." He said when Duo woke up.

"I had hoped she'd never do this to another but . . ." His voice trailed off and he stared at the window.

Duo sat up and stared at the blonde man.

"Who are you?"

A smirk was his answer.

"I regret to inform you that I am her," he hissed the word. "Brother. And I am also a vampyre. But I want to help you."

Duo looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"How?"

"First things first, we're leaving. I'm going to have to teach you these things the right way, and if Dorothy has anything to say about it, she'll lead you down the wrong path."

They left that night. Duo had a hard time saying goodbye to the town he'd grown up in. He had an even harder time walking past his own house, and then Solo's. But he had too. If the sudden hunger pangs were any indication, he needed blood. And Quatre warned him that in the beginning, no matter how hard you may have planned for it, you were a monster at the first scent of good human blood. The last thing, besides leaving, that Duo wanted to do was hurt a loved one.

So, he walked away along with Quatre. He knew when his parents and Solo and Sophia died. He felt their presence leave him as keenly as if he'd had an arm cut off. He was depressed for nearly five years after that, until he started to heal. He honed his powers and became one of the most powerful vampyres around. But he didn't love it. He hated every single day of it. And he vowed to himself never to pass his hell on to another innocent soul.



~*~



"So, you're still over there." Heero said from where he was sitting on the couch, holding the phone to one ear with his shoulder while he folded his laundry.

"Yeah." Duo answered.

"How's she doing?" He asked.

Duo sighed.

"Not good."

"I talked to Sally yesterday. She said that the blood covering the bodies was the victims'. She's guessing this attack was hurried since their job wasn't as clean as the previous ones."

"Yeah. Listen, any more clues at all? Do we know what this even is?"

"Wufei's been scouring the library for information. He says he's got a theory, but he's not willing to share it yet."

"Figures . . . how's Relena holding up?"

It was Heero's turn to sigh.

"She's feeling guilty as hell. She hasn't told me anything but . . . I just know it."

Duo chuckled drily.

"Sounds like you've got the same connection with her that I've got with Hilde." He said. "Maybe Relena's The One."

Heero snorted.

"Not likely. What you have with Hilde is much different."

"Maybe. Anything happen that I should know about?"

"No. Dorothy's been a little bitchier than normal but other than that everything's pretty much normal."

"Good. Listen, I probably won't be seeing you or the others for a while, so let them know that if they have to tell me anything, they'll need to do it the old-fashioned way."

"All right. I can do that."

"Thanks buddy."

"No problem."

"Talk to you later."

"Right. Bye."

"Bye."

Heero had just hung up the phone when he sensed Relena's presence in the room.

"Friend of yours?" She asked softly, walking around to sit next to him.

"Yeah."

"Want any help?"

He glanced sideways at her and shook his head.

"That's okay. You should be resting anyway."

She made a face.

"I'm fine. I mean, I probably couldn't run a marathon but I can certainly fold some shirts."

He raised eyebrows at her but decided not to argue. He'd realized that she was pretty stubborn over the past week and she didn't bend for anyone unless she wanted to bend. So, he pushed a pile of clothes over to her and they sat in silence, folding them.

~*~



Meiran didn't know what the hell she was doing. She'd waltzed out of her house that afternoon with no purpose except to walk and she'd ended up here. She was insane for coming to the manor, but for some reason she didn't want to leave just yet.

So she walked up to the front door and knocked, waiting for an answer. A young woman with curly blond hair opened the door and frowned quizzically.

"Yes?"

Meiran bit her lip and then smiled.

"Um . . . is Wufei around?"

The girl, who Meiran finally recognized as Midii, still looked weary but nodded and opened the door a little further.

"Come in. I'll get him."

She walked in behind her and then watched as she disappeared up a staircase. She was uncomfortable standing alone in the foyer. The house was creepy. It always had been. It was never properly lit and the walls were covered in pictures of men and women with bright eyes that followed you wherever you walked.

A few minutes later Midii came back.

"He says you can go up to the library if you want. I'll take you there."

Once again Meiran was stuck following Midii. She was led up a wide staircase and halfway down a long corridor before they finally reached the library. Midii pushed open the door, urged Meiran inside, and then closed it.

Wufei had his back to her, his head practically buried in a book. She wondered if he even realized who he'd let into the room until he spoke up without turning around.

"I was hoping you could help me." He said.

"What?"

"Are you hard of hearing? I said was hoping you could help me. You're friends with Sally Po aren't you?"

She frowned.

"Sure. She stayed with me for a few months a couple years ago, why?"

"I want you to ask her some questions for me."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why don't you?"

He finally did look up at her, his eyes speaking volumes. She cleared her throat nervously.

"Right. Sorry. Fine, what questions?"

"Just take her this book and tell her to look at the marked pages."

He handed her the book he'd been leafing through. She took it and was about to open it when he gripped her wrists roughly.

"Don't read it." He said, his voice low and threatening.

She nodded, her dark eyes wide in her face.

"Okay, just . . . let go of me."

He did and backed away. Turning to look at another stack of books.

"Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk with me about?" He asked, picking one up and opening it.

She looked around, trying to remember why she'd wanted to see him. And then she recalled that she'd come for no reason at all.

"Not really I just ended up here I guess."

"Uh-huh. Well, if you don't have anything else to say, you may leave now. And please give that book to Sally as soon as possible."

She stared at his back and was about to walk away when she opened her mouth and asked the first question that came to mind.

"Why do you hate me?" She asked.

He stiffened but didn't lift his head to look at her.

"I don't hate you." He replied, his voice devoid of all emotion.

She snorted.

"Come on Wufei, don't shit with me okay? You've hated me since you first saw me. You always find something wrong with me or my work, you constantly criticize me to the point of being cruel and I don't know why."

He was silent.

"I just want an answer. A simple one. Even if it's because you don't like women with names that start with M." She said, turning the book over and over in her hands.

Again he didn't answer. She sighed softly and turned to leave. Well, that had been stupid hadn't it. Dumb to the point of being insane. She had a hand on the doorknob when he spoke.

"I could swear you're her." He said softly.

She turned slowly.

"What?"

"You." He answered, still not looking at her. "You're just like someone I knew once. Even your names are the same."

She looked down at the floor.

"Is that why? Did she do something to . . . hurt you?"

He laughed sardonically.

"You could say that."

She looked back up.

"What . . . what did she do?"

"She died."



~*~



Quatre stared across the table at Catherine. Her mind was obviously elsewhere, her periwinkle eyes blank and staring off into space. He sighed. She'd been this way for a few days now. She didn't tell him what was wrong and every time he asked, she would say that everything was fine. A part of it, he knew, was due to the fact that she hadn't seen Heero in a while. Another part was the fact that Duo was still with the mortal girl Hilde and Dorothy was very upset about this.

He had yet to figure out where the rest of her problems had originated however, and she had completely closed herself off to him.

"I'm worried about them." She said softly, suddenly.

He stared at her.

"Who?"

"Duo and Hilde." She said, just as softly as she'd spoken before.

"Dorothy is very angry. She wants to make them suffer. She wants Hilde dead and she wants Duo for herself . . ." Her voice trailed off and Quatre knew just what was going on in that moment.

Of all the vampyres Quatre had ever known, Catherine was one of the few who could see the future. Her precognitive abilities rarely made themselves known, but when they did they plagued her for days on end. The visions tended to sap her energy and she would be nothing but a walking shell for up to two weeks.

"Dorothy, I need you to tell me what you see." Quatre said quietly, reaching across the table to grasp her hand loosely.

She gasped and started at the contact.

"I can't . . ." She whispered brokenly. "Nothing is as it seems . . . nothing . . . I can't . . . don't make me . . . no . . . why . . . stop . . . stop!" She yelled the last word, standing up quickly, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.

Quatre stood as well and caught her just as she fainted. There was a loud murmur from all the surrounding tables and a kind-faced woman stood up quickly her eyes shining with alarm.

"Is she okay?" She asked.

A rather stupid question, Quatre thought. But he was much too nice to say so. Instead he nodded, thanked her for worrying, and told a waiter to charge the meal to his account. He made his way out of the restaurant quickly, holding Catherine protectively in his arms until they reached his car. When she still hadn't woken up he cursed.

He hated it when this happened. Sometimes she didn't wake up for hours and he always spent that entire time stressing out and wondering if she'd ever wake up. In the end she always did, usually with no recollection of what had happened. But he couldn't help being concerned to the point of being sick.

He laid her in the backseat and then got in himself. On the drive home he wondered what she'd meant by all her rambling. Nothing was as it seemed? She couldn't what? The questions were unending, but he knew he'd never get an answer from her. The look on her face had been of pure terror and she wouldn't want to relive it.

And quite frankly, he didn't want to make her.







A/N: So, what did you think. I feel kinda sorry for poor Duo. ::sniff:: Dorothy's such a bitch. :p Then again, we all always knew that, didn't we? Anyway, please review to tell me what you thought. Thanks! ^.~