A/N: Inspired by just about any supernatural sci-fi/fantasy thing I've ever read. In particular, a shout out to Jim Butcher's Dresden Files… 1x2, 3x?, 5x?, 4x? Expect multiple pairings, some het and some not, and also some breakups and…changes.
Warnings: Language, violence, sex, language. Angst. AU. Gore.
A/N #2: Thank you for the reviews! And as a reminder, if you aren't logged in and if you don't accept PMs I can't respond to your reviews. So… just know that I appreciate them!
A/N #3: If you scroll to the bottom of the chapter you will find a handy little reference for some of the words I've used to describe magic in this series. I will include that with each chapter. Thanks for the recommendation Hellfire13!
A/N #4: Sorry, but the first part is a little prologue-ish as it explains Heero's back story. But it's quick – and good, I promise!
Umbra
Chapter 3
Duo liked to call Heero Captain America.
When they first met, back during World War II, the comic book hero had just been invented, and Duo thought that Heero was a shockingly accurate depiction of the patriotic soldier – If you took away the costume and the shield and instead made him immortal and half-Japanese.
In the decades after Anthony's death, Duo had traveled across the United States, living in one place for a few years before moving on to the next. He had been filled with rage and despair at the loss of his servant, and had vowed to leave the magical community behind forever.
In 1939 he found himself living in New York City and he met a young, brilliant Jewish ephemeral named Gavi Weissman. Gavi had just emigrated from Germany. His parents and sister had been apprehended trying to flee the country, and he was convinced they had been sent to a concentration camp.
Gavi was a scientist, a biologist and chemist by training, and had quickly joined the American army as a research scientist.
Duo had found him entirely by accident, attracted to the strange flavor of his magical signature one day when he passed him on the street. Gavi looked nothing like Anthony – he had dark, curly hair and intense gray eyes that seemed to be constantly dissecting his surroundings. Duo was mainly attracted to his thirst for vengeance against the Nazis, which mirrored his own desire for revenge on the Council.
Their relationship was purely physical. They were both too emotionally scarred to use the other for more than sex, but after nearly a year together, Duo had developed a strong affection for the distant Jewish man. It was clearly one sided.
One evening he went to Gavi's apartment and, instead of the usual greeting of being tackled and stripped when he walked in the door, Gavi stabbed him with a syringe full of colloidal silver. The microscopic silver particles had put Duo into a near comatose state and Gavi had used the opportunity to take almost a pint of Duo's blood before abandoning him on the floor of his apartment.
It had taken Duo hours to force the silver particles into one solid lump that he was able to dig out of his arm. By that time, Gavi was long gone. It took Duo three days to find the man, and when he did it was to track him to a military facility.
Thoroughly pissed, Duo had used his abilities to scare off most of the human personnel working at the facility, including the guards. When he had ventured inside he found three Ephemerals waiting for him – Gavi and two other men. They were gathered around a hospital bed, all holding glasses of champagne and toasting each other.
On the bed, naked except for a sheet covering his lower body, was Heero Yuy.
Completely oblivious to Duo's desire to kill him, Gavi had enthusiastically greeted Duo and explained that Heero was a soldier who had volunteered for their enhancement experiments. Gavi had used Duo's blood to modify Heero's own body chemistry, giving him the ability to heal at the same pace as an Old One, and yet he was completely impervious to any magical attacks. Gavi claimed that he was immortal, and that he was the key to destroying Hitler. In addition, they had spent months psychologically conditioning Heero so that he would care only about fulfilling his missions and would feel no guilt or hesitation to do whatever he needed to do to succeed. Heero was to be the first of many super soldiers they planned to create. Soldiers who could defeat any human enemy, and who could even battle an Old One.
As much as Duo might have respected Gavi's desire for revenge, the fact remained that he had trusted the man, and Gavi had poisoned him and taken his blood for a science project that would change the face of humanity.
Duo had killed the three scientists and waited for Heero to wake up. When he did, Duo explained the situation, and offered to help him escape.
This had led to the first of many fights between them. Heero had instantly identified Duo as an obstacle to fulfilling his duty as a super soldier, and Duo had barely escaped their first encounter with his life.
It was five years before he saw Heero again, and the war had ended. Duo was living in Seattle at the time, and when he came home to the small house he had purchased he had found Heero inside, waiting for him.
They hadn't fought that time. Instead, Heero had simply stated that his life had no more purpose and he wanted Duo to kill him. Somehow, through hours of circular discussions, Duo managed to convince Heero that he didn't want to die, and they had wound up in bed together. The next day, Heero was gone.
This pattern had repeated itself for decades. Heero would vanish just as quickly as he came, but every time they met the tenuous connection between them was strengthened.
After seventy years, Duo felt pretty confident that Heero had no real desire to kill him. However, the announcement that he had been hired to do so shocked him.
"So… how much did they pay you?" Duo asked, stalling for time.
In a serious fight between them, he had to admit that it was even odds whether or not he could defeat Heero. The real issue lay in the fact that Duo didn't know whether or not he was emotionally capable of killing the other man.
"The contract is worth five million dollars." Heero's voice was flat, and his blue eyes had that same distant, reserved look that he always wore when discussing business.
"Not too bad." Duo drew his knees to his chest, preparing to launch himself in the other direction if Heero lashed out.
Heero noticed the move and smirked.
"If I was going to kill you I would have done it already," he said, his voice mild and slightly amused.
Feeling like an idiot, Duo forced himself to relax.
"Well, you could have led with that, you know. Something like, 'I said no, but someone wanted me to kill you.'"
"I will next time," Heero promised him.
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Who took out the contract?"
Heero frowned.
"I don't know. I was hoping you might know who would want you dead."
"Yeah, I could name a couple dozen people who might want me out of the picture." He frowned as he considered all of the likely candidates. "When was the contract put out?"
"Two days ago. I waited until this afternoon to turn it down, which means that you should expect visitors in the future."
Duo shrugged. "If they aren't you, I'm sure I can handle them."
"They aren't me, but any idiot can be lucky once. You need to be more careful."
Duo smirked at the reprimand.
"I didn't realize you cared."
"Of course I care. You're the only one who understands me. My life would be…meaningless without you as a frame of reference." The statement was made in a flat, matter of fact tone.
It was as close to an expression of affection as Heero had ever come, and Duo was taken aback. His own feelings for Heero were complicated by the guilt he felt over the fact that it was his blood that had made Heero into this super soldier in the first place.
"So, what's the plan?" Duo asked, changing the subject.
"Do you know who might want you dead?"
"Like I said, a lot of people, but I would put Treize Khushrenada at the top of that list."
Heero nodded.
"I'll see what I can find out about the contract. It might take me a few days to track down the broker and follow the money."
"Okay. I'm sure I can keep myself alive for that long."
"The contract specified that you needed to be encased in silver, not just decapitated."
Which meant that it was someone who really, really wanted Duo dead.
"I thought you were done with the Council," Heero said after a few moments of tense silence.
Duo had once explained to Heero just why he avoided the magical community. Heero hadn't been overly sympathetic, but he had approved of Duo's methods of revenge.
"The new Arbiter –"
"Quatre Winner."
Duo nodded, a little surprised that Heero knew who it was, but then, Heero had been more involved in the magical community recently that Duo had.
"Yeah, he asked me to be his Consigliore – his advisor."
"Why did you agree?"
"He needed my help. And… I was bored."
Heero shook his head in disapproval.
"Who is Treize Khushrenada?"
"Well, back in the day he was just a second rate vampire. He's pretty old – probably about fifteen hundred years or so, and he's powerful. But his politics made him a little unfashionable. Back in Europe he wasn't a Council member, and when they formed the North American Council three hundred years ago he was one of the first vampires to come over. When I left he was maybe the third or fourth most powerful Council member, but somehow he's become the Head of the Council."
"He wants you dead?"
"No more or less than anyone else who's known me for a few hundred years. There's some bad blood between us, that's for sure."
"Who else might want you dead?"
"Just about anyone on the Council – Lucrezia Noin, Zechs Merquise, Sylvia Noventa – maybe ten or so others."
"You do know how to make friends."
Duo grinned.
"Some people just don't get my charm."
"Can we sleep now?" Heero asked, his voice betraying just a thread of crankiness.
Duo smirked. He leaned forward and kissed him again, waiting until Heero kissed him back before he pulled away.
"I'm glad you turned down the contract," Duo said as he turned off the bedside light. "I'd hate to have to kill you.'
In the darkness beside him, Heero snorted and then rolled over on his side, stretching out with his back against Duo's.
"Keep dreaming," Heero told him.
Duo smirked, and despite the fact that he had one of the most dangerous men alive curled against his back, he was asleep in minutes.
It was just after dawn the next morning when Duo snapped awake.
He looked around, but Heero's side of the bed was empty, and Duo had no doubt that the assassin was long gone. It took him a moment to realize what had woken him, but then he saw his cell phone merrily vibrating itself towards the edge of the nightstand.
Duo caught it just as it started to fall off the edge and answered the call.
"This is Duo."
"About time you answered the phone."
Duo instantly recognized the voice as belonging to Wufei.
"It's seven a.m. – why the hell are you calling me this early?"
"Because you are part of the task force that investigates magical crimes and we have a crime to investigate. If you aren't up to it, I will be happy to inform Quatre and –"
"Don't get your panties in a twist. Where do I need to go?"
"Our headquarters are in the industrial zone – off Decatur and Tropicana. Be there as soon as you can." Wufei hung up the phone before Duo could ask for further clarification.
With a scowl, Duo threw the phone down on the bed and went to shower. He was quick about it, skipping his hair entirely, and was dressed and out of his condo ten minutes later.
The taxi dropped him off at the intersection of Tropicana and Decatur, and Duo looked around for – what he didn't know. There was no obvious signage that indicating that any of the buildings functioned as an FBI headquarters. He must have stood there for five minutes before someone came out of the abandoned gas station to his right and waved at him.
He recognized Hilde and walked over to her.
"Morning," she greeted him with a smile.
Duo was relieved to see that she looked recovered from her ordeal the night they had first met.
"Your boss mentioned something about a crime. It had better be really, really bloody and really scary or he and I are going to have some serious words."
Hilde arched an eyebrow and ushered him into the gas station.
"This is going to be so much fun," she muttered, and Duo didn't know if she had intended for him to hear her.
Duo followed Hilde through the abandoned aisles of the store and into the back, which turned out to be a completely retrofitted, very high tech headquarters. It was large enough to hold several cubicles and had a main conference area with large monitors and two walls covered in photos.
Wufei was near one of the cubicles, speaking with someone, but Duo walked past him and into the conference room. He walked up to the photos and started to look at them.
One wall was covered with photos of the apartment that Duo had seen earlier in the week, and he gave those a cursory glance before moving on to the other wall.
The similarities between the two were incredible. The décor of the apartments was radically different, but both walls featured photos of a naked woman, her internal organs had been removed, and two concentric circles, drawn in her own blood, created a perimeter around her body.
"Were you there?" Duo asked Hilde as she stepped up beside him.
She nodded.
"Was it the same – the runes, the circle, the magic?"
Wufei stopped talking to whoever he had been and walked over to them, a scowl on his face. Duo mentally rolled his eyes. He was sure that the Chinese null was about to dress him down for breathing improperly.
"No, the circle was complete this time. And the magic… it… it was dark, you know – if felt cold and full of pain and fear, like last time. But… it also felt good, somehow. I can't explain it. It's like the intent was bad, but the end was somehow good."
Duo frowned at her explanation. He decided that, with more training, she would be able to understand these rituals better. Maybe she needed more than just Quatre… but Duo didn't know too many witches that he trusted.
"We have a serial killer on our hands," Wufei announced.
"It's only two killings – " Duo started to argue.
"The vic profile is the same, Hilde assures me the magic has the same… taste or flavor or whatever, and the ritual was the same – only complete. That creates a pattern."
"Right, but we still don't know why this – super? I really hate that name – is even doing this. The first crime scene almost killed Hilde and took her magic, but this one only had the single vic – who, if you say is the same, wasn't an Ephemeral. So, what the hell was the point of a ritual circle that guided the soul of a null to –" Duo stopped talking as he experienced a moment of incredible déjà vu.
"What? Do you have an idea?" Hilde asked.
"I – no, no." Duo shook his head, willing the memories to fade.
"If you are withholding information that could help us solve this case, I can have you arrested and –"
"For fuck's sake, I'm not withholding information. And you just try to put me in silver cuffs and see what happens to you." Duo glared at the Chinese man, who returned his glare without intimidation.
Duo had never met a null who accepted the reality of magic, knew he had none, and still thought he could take on an Old One as powerful as Duo. It was mind-boggling.
"Okay, or we could calm down and act like rational adults…" Hilde suggested, stepping between them.
Duo felt the feather light touch of her magic like a caress as she tried to magically project her request.
He could see Wufei visibly relax, and he was impressed with Hilde's magic all over again. He drew in a deep breath and let go of his anger.
"A long, long time ago I knew someone who did this kind of thing. He hunted women, prostitutes mostly, and he killed them. He used his magic to purify their souls, and the circles he made were protection circles. He believed he was sending their souls to heaven."
"That's insane," Hilde murmured, a look of horror on her face.
"What happened to him?" Wufei demanded.
"He died. A very, very painful death."
"Good," Wufei said dismissively.
Duo's jaw clenched.
"He was trying to save them, he wasn't evil."
"He was murdering weak women –"
"How do you know they were weak?" Hilde interrupted Wufei.
The Chinese man rolled his eyes.
"Obviously they were –"
"Oh, because an Ephemeral killed them? Well, I could kill you with my brain. So that makes you weak, doesn't it?"
"With your brain?"
"Yeah, I don't even need my magic. You are such an asshole sometimes I don't –"
"Children," Duo interrupted their fight, even though it amused him. It sounded as though they had had this argument countless times before. They looked at him, and Hilde flushed with embarrassment. Wufei looked completely unrepentant.
"We need to question the Council and see if they know anyone Ephemerals who would be capable of this kind of thing," Wufei said with a jerk of his head to the walls to indicate the photos.
"Wha – no, that's not going to happen."
Wufei scowled.
"The new legislation emphasizes that the Council must work with human law enforcement on all cases involving the illegal use of magic.
"How do you know this was illegal?" Duo challenged.
"Murder is illegal," Hilde pointed out.
"Yeah, well maybe your super arrived on the scene after the murder and put up his circles. You know, waste not, want not."
"No, the organs were removed by magic – and it was the same magic that put up the circle." Hilde argued.
Duo nodded absently.
"Sure, sure, but no one at the Council was there, so they don't know that – and your photos don't prove anything. Furthermore, the Council does not let a null intimidate them into participating in a police investigation." He shot a meaningful look at Wufei.
"Exactly." Hilde said.
Duo frowned in confusion, but Wufei groaned.
"Not this again–"
"I've already got the paperwork ready to go, this is the absolute best strategy, and –"
"This is the absolute most insane strategy. How do you even know you can trust him? You've known him for three days!"
"My magic likes him –"
"Your magic? That is complete –"
"Again, as cute as your old married couple routine is, include me in the conversation or I'm going home and going back to bed," Duo interrupted.
Both turned to him.
"Well, I've been thinking," Hilde started. "Quatre is a…wonderful human being, but he doesn't really understand that people commit crimes, and that not everyone has everyone else's best interests at heart."
"That's a nice way of saying he's an idealistic moron," Duo pointed out.
"He's not a moron!"
"I agree," Duo tried to mollify her, and he did. He thought that Quatre was very intelligent, and very powerful. But his sense of justice and his desire to do good were going to get him killed if he didn't learn to be more cynical, and fast.
"Anyway, and then there's you – who obviously appreciates that most people are motivated by darker things than love and happiness," Hilde continued.
"A nice way of saying I'm a cynical bastard."
"Yes," Wufei growled.
Hilde rolled her eyes.
"But you have no background in police work."
"Not really," Duo agreed.
"So, in order for this task force to really be effective, you need someone who is magically powerful AND cynical AND with a criminal justice background to be able to regularly interface with the Council."
Hilde drew in a deep breath.
"So, I want to become your servant."
Duo had not expected this conversation to go in that direction.
He looked at Wufei, and from the dark expression on his face, it was clear that he did not approve of Hilde's idea.
"Um, let me get this straight, you want to commit yourself to a lifetime of service to me. You want to be available to fulfill my every need – magical, emotional, physical, sexual– for the next one hundred years. You realize that I will be able to completely drain you of your magic, if I want. I will have complete control over your life – I could make you quit this job, I could make you go out and go on a killing spree."
"Actually," Hilde jumped in as Duo drew a breath to continue, "I've got the paperwork right here, and -"
"Paperwork?" Duo echoed in confusion.
"The Contract."
"The – what the hell are you talking about?"
Hilde rolled her eyes but marched off to one of the cubicles and returned a moment later with a stack of papers.
"The Contract," she repeated and shoved it into his hands.
Duo flipped through it, skimming over the pages.
"Where did you get this?"
"Quatre – he's been working on this day and night for the last two days, after you told him about Anthony."
"I –he told you about –"
"I'm sorry, but Quatre and I are friends, so yes, he told me. And I am sorry for you. I – I don't expect that kind of relationship with you, but I understand that over time, we will probably come to mean quite a lot to each other. I'm okay with that."
Duo shook his head, this simply could not be happening.
"You're telling me that Quatre Winner drafted a contract for human servants."
"Yes, and we would be the first to utilize it. This has already been added to the Magical Code in Washington, and it will become law for all servants and masters to engage in this kind of contract. Now, you can see on page twelve that I listed out all of the things you aren't allowed –"
Duo stopped listening and started to walk out. He needed to find Quatre, and he needed to beat the hell out of him. What was he thinking?
He was vaguely aware of Hilde and Wufei calling his name, but Duo ignored them. He walked out into the bright Vegas sunlight and started walking towards the Strip.
As he walked he held up one hand to flag down a taxi. One stopped by him before he had gone more than a block, and he hopped in and gave the driver directions to Quatre's apartment.
When he arrived he didn't bother to knock, but instead used a very handy spell to simply force the door open.
Quatre was in the kitchen making what appeared to be a gourmet breakfast. He looked up at Duo in surprise.
"Good morning – how did you get in?"
"Magic," Duo growled. He threw the contract at Quatre. "What the hell is this?"
Quatre awkwardly caught the papers, glanced briefly at the front page, and then set it down on the counter.
"It looks like the contract that Hilde drafted to become your servant," he said mildly.
"Obviously. What –why – are you out of your mind?"
Quatre frowned, and was silent as he pulled out two plates and proceeded to cover each with an assortment of fresh fruits and split the omelet he had made in half and put one on each plate. He handed one of the plates and a fork to Duo before leaning back against the counter and taking a bite of his own omelet.
Duo stared down at the food for a moment, but it smelled wonderful, and not even his anger at Quatre's stupidity could keep him from having a bite, and then a second.
"I don't think so. I've listened to your horror stories about the Council, especially regarding the last Arbiter, your servant. You keep insisting that humans are weak and that the Council – and the Old Ones in general – are evil and manipulative. Well, I'm not sure that I completely agree with you about that, but I saw the need for safeguards. Yes, we have laws that are intended to prevent Old Ones from harming humans, but that is for the general public. What about those humans – specifically Ephemerals – who have to interact with Old Ones on a regular basis?"
"Servants."
"Yes. As it was, it seemed that the relationship between a servant and a master was completely unsupervised – a master could do whatever he wanted with his servant."
"That is sort of the point of it, yes."
"Well, that was then. This is now – and now there need to be safeguards. Did you read it?" Quatre nodded at the contract.
"Not really."
"You should, before you sign it, but –"
"I'm not signing it!"
" – as I was saying, it outlines Hilde's expectations from the arrangements, and there is a section for you to fill out as well. It's completely legally binding, and can be altered to fit whatever arrangement a servant and master want to work out. For example, Hilde has outlined that a sexual relationship is not the basis for this contract, but that…a physical reflection of your bond would not be unwelcome. Some servant's and master's might prefer to be more explicit and forbid any sexual conduct between the parties."
Duo frowned as he tried to work that out. He shook his head.
"This will never work."
"Yes, I think it will. Especially if you can make it work."
"No, no, you don't understand. The Council will never agree to this."
"They have to, it's law."
"It's your law – and while it's a neat trick getting Congress to immediately sign your ideas into legislation – the Council won't give a shit. You said that thing is legally binding? Again, the Council doesn't care. The relationship between a servant and a master isn't governed by any written code. The minute I bind Hilde to me, this Contract doesn't mean anything because our bond will prevent her from even caring about it in the first place."
Quatre frowned.
"Surely –"
"How is a servant bound to a master?" Duo interrupted.
Quatre frowned. "I don't know. You know that I don't."
"Right – which is why you should have asked me about this little idea of yours before you got crazy with it. Any Magical contract is made with three things – blood, body, and magic. To make someone your servant, you take their blood, you share your magic, and you share your body."
"You take their blood?"
Duo nodded. "Vampires drink it, obviously. Shape shifters lick it – so sort of the same."
"What do you do?"
"Dark Court Faeries like to keep our tradition very private. I'd tell you… but then I'd have to kill you."
Quatre rolled his eyes. "When you say you share your magic, what does that mean?"
Duo shrugged. "Different things for different people."
Quatre looked expectant.
"You forge a link between yourself and your servant. It's…like a magical tether. For some, it's going to be very short, for others, very, very long. Some of us prefer our servants to be Renfields – like from Dracula. Their every thought, desire, and action is focused on us. Some of us prefer our servants to retain their autonomy – so those links are a little longer, a little looser."
"And sharing the body… I'm assuming that's sexual."
"Most of the time, but not always. My first servant, it was a complete accident – I didn't mean to bind her to me, and the physical bond was – it was just a hug. She was brushing my hair, and she hugged me, and – there it was."
Duo swallowed hard as he remembered the incredible warmth and joy that had filled him when Sister Helen had taken him into her lap and brushed his hair, all those hundreds of years ago. He had been filthy, and something in his hair had pricked her finger. She had kissed it – to make the pain go away, she had explained when he looked confused. So he had kissed the tiny spot of red on her index finger as well. The taste of her blood had unleashed something within him, something he had never before experienced, and his magic had exploded at the sensation, and without conscious thought he bound her to him with his magic. She had hugged him after he kissed her and told him what a thoughtful boy he was – and that had sealed it. His first servant had been a null, a human women who believed desperately in God and had no sense of magic whatsoever.
Quatre looked like he wanted to ask for more information, but Duo shoveled a few more bites of food into his mouth, indicating he had no interest in sharing more than that.
"It's all about the intention of the embrace – the physical embrace. There hase to be emotion attached to it. If you and I hugged – or fucked – it wouldn't do anything to bind you to me."
Quatre flushed red, but then he smiled crookedly.
"And Trowa?"
Duo was startled by the name.
"Uh, what about him?"
"Would you – I mean – if you and he?"
"This has nothing to do with physical attraction," Duo clarified. "It's desire, yes, but not that kind. It's… hard to explain, but basically, if we had a physical embrace, and I desired to bring you closer to me, then that would create the physical bond. But if I was hugging you just to… thank you for setting me up with a great guy, for example," Duo got up and did just that, "see, nothing happens."
He released Quatre and sat back down by his plate.
"So you liked him."
"I'd've had to be straight or dead not to," Duo muttered.
"Good! I knew you two –"
"For the record, I do not need the complication of having a virtual null in my life, and I would appreciate it if you kept your matchmaking desires away from me."
Quatre sighed.
"I just – you seem very lonely."
"Quatre, I'm a thousand years old, I've managed to get the hang of finding my own lovers after all this time. But – I appreciate the thought."
"So you aren't going to see him again."
"No, I'm definitely going to see him again," Duo assured him. "But, my personal life is not something I want to get you mixed up in."
"You make it sound dangerous."
"Quatre, everything about me is dangerous."
"I –"
"For the last seventy years I've been sleeping with a guy who is a professional assassin. He kills creatures like me. In fact, he was just approached with a contract to kill me. I do not need you getting involved with that, and you probably don't want to go involving people you like with it either. Like Trowa. Or Hilde."
"Is he going to kill you?"
"No, he left this morning to go track down whoever put out the hit."
"That – that's good. But, if you're involved with him, why are you going to see Trowa again?"
Duo sighed. "We have a very complicated relationship. We only see each other maybe once every five years. And… Trowa is a pretty remarkable human. Irresistible, even."
Quatre frowned.
"I'm not sure I approve."
"Well, that's okay, because I'm pretty sure it's none of your business. Now – back to that bad idea, do you understand why it's not going to work?" Duo tapped the contract.
"Actually, I think it still can."
"How?"
"When I spent time with the Sufis, they used to mediate disputes between some of the local desert tribes. Whenever they resolved a conflict, they made the two parties shake hands – and they would always put their own hand over the two joined hands. They used their magic to seal the bond, just like you said happens between a servant and their master. So, what if we make the contract part of the physical bond? Right now it's legally binding, but what if the signature isn't just one and then the other, but both together?"
"That…could work, except, once again, the Council won't agree to it."
"But their servants will!"
"No, they won't. I promise you, not one servant to any Council member would want to sign this."
"But – "
"Quatre, you can't win every fight." The blonde looked devastated and Duo sighed. "Listen, what if… what if you try to enforce this for all future bonds? In fact – yes, this can work. You're going to demand an appointment with Une, today, and you're going to tell her that this has been passed into law."
"It has," Quatre muttered.
"Right, well, you're then going to say that you don't agree with it – you think it goes against everything that these bonds represent, and it's ridiculous that the government thinks they can tamper with it."
"You want me to lie."
"I want you to present an alternate perspective," Duo argued with a grin. "Tell her your hands are tied, there's nothing you can do, and that the government is demanding that all registered servants and masters sign these new contracts immediately."
"Which you say they won't agree too."
"Yes, but then tomorrow she's going to tell you that Treize will agree to allow all new bonds to be overseen with these contracts."
"But the old bonds –"
"Are a lost cause. You have got to learn that you can't save everyone. This is the best compromise you will get."
Quatre frowned and poked at his food for a few minutes.
"She'll think I'm bluffing."
"Not if you tell her that I did it."
Quatre looked up.
"You – you'll sign the contract and take Hilde as a servant?"
Duo shrugged.
"I don't really want a new servant. But Hilde is a powerful Ephemeral, and she made a good case."
"You'll take good care of her?"
Duo rolled her eyes.
"Are you her father or something?"
"No, I'm the Arbiter. You are my Consigliore, and she is the second in command of the task force I supervise."
Duo grinned at the steel in Quatre's voice.
"That was impressive."
Quatre smirked.
"Thank you. I've been practicing in the mirror."
Duo chuckled.
"In all seriousness, you don't seem to have the…best history with servants."
"You only know about the one."
"Two – because presumably your first servant was not Anthony."
"Okay, fair enough." Duo sighed. "I can't promise anything. But, it has never been my intention to allow my servants to come to harm. I protected Anthony – and the others – as best as I could, and I will do the same for Hilde. And if she should be hurt, or killed, I will get revenge."
"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that," Quatre suggested.
"I always hope it doesn't come to that," Duo muttered.
"So, you want me to contact Treize's servant, even though she hasn't come to me yet."
"Yep – this is urgent, after all. You are trying to help them."
"Okay, so… I just walk into Mandalay Bay and demand to speak with Une? What is her full name?"
"Lady Une. And that's exactly what you do."
"Are you coming with me?"
"Nope. Two reasons," Duo added when Quatre frowned. "First, Une hates me."
"Everyone hates you," Quatre muttered.
"Second, this is a matter for the Arbiter. My presence would imply that you were weak enough to need me."
"So, in front of the Council, having you beside me means that I'm strong. But in front of a servant, it means I'm weak."
"Exactly. Because with a servant, it looks like you aren't powerful enough to do your own dirty work. With the Council, it means that you're powerful enough to have others do your dirty work."
Quatre shook his head.
"That makes absolutely no sense."
"I know," Duo cheerfully agreed. He finished off his breakfast and handed Quatre his empty plate. "Thanks."
"Where are you going?"
"I guess I'm on my way to track down Hilde and make her my human servant."
Duo picked up the contract, saluted Quatre with it, and left.
When he was back on the Strip, he called Hilde and asked her to meet him at his condo.
By the time he arrived back at his condo, she was waiting for him in the hallway, looking a little unsure, and also as if she was spoiling for a fight.
The rebellious look on her face made him grin. He decided that maybe this wasn't the worst idea in the world after all.
"Come in," he said after he opened the door.
She looked at the wreckage of his living room with a raised eyebrow, but remained silent. Duo made a mental note to get that cleaned up.
"Rough night," he said as an explanation. He gestured for her to sit on the couch and he sat across from her on one of the armchairs.
"If you're serious about this, you need to understand a few things about me," he said.
"You… you're going to accept me as your servant?"
"We'll see. Just, sit back and listen, and when I'm done, if you still want to be my servant, we do this thing."
She nodded and leaned back against the cushions.
"I'm half Dark Court Faerie, which means that my magic is very, very different from yours. I've had a few servants who were Ephemerals like Quatre – Empaths. I've had a few nulls. I've had a few Old Ones also, but – "
"Any shape shifters?" She interrupted.
"No," Duo shook his head. "I don't… I have a history with shape shifters. I try to stay as far away from them as I can."
"But," he continued, "I've never had anyone like you."
"Like me."
"Your magic is very raw, but I'm pretty sure that you are going to develop into a very powerful Ephemeral."
She looked pleased with the assessment.
"If you decide to become my servant, you're going to be tying your destiny to mine, and that means that you're going to find a lot of powerful people who want to cause me – and by extension you – pain, and probably try to kill us."
"I'm a cop," she pointed out acidly.
"Right, I know." He sighed. "I'm over a thousand years old, and I've made a lot of enemies in my time. Two days ago someone put out a contract on my life, and pretty soon I'm going to have the best assassins in the world trying to kill me. And that – that is nothing compared to what else I've been through in my life. I walked away from the magical community a hundred years ago, and I didn't want to come back."
"So why did you?"
"Because you need me – because Quatre needs me. Because humans have no idea what they are getting into."
"And because you still want revenge," she added.
Duo sighed. "I took my revenge for Anthony. But – here's the thing. I'm known as the God of Death, I have been… for a very long time. I've made a career out of being the one who scares the monsters. I was the Executioner for the Old Council, and when I moved to the States I became their Executioner until Anthony died. Everyone hates me, or at the very least, fears me. And the reason why is because I'm very, very good at what I do."
"Killing."
"And punishing – torturing, to put it bluntly. Not all crimes are punished with death, and it was my job to enforce Council verdicts."
"Who does it now?"
Duo frowned as he realized he didn't know. He shrugged. "That's something we need to find out."
"So you…tortured and killed people. But you don't anymore."
"I didn't stop doing it because I didn't like it. I was very good at it, because it's what my magic wants. My magic loves the taste of pain and fear."
Hilde started to look a little pale.
"The way a vampire gets a high off of some blood types, I get a high from a well-deserved punishment."
"Deserved?"
Duo sighed. "I don't enjoy just torturing people. I'm not a masochist, but yes, delivering a punishment that is deserved, tasting the contrition and regret of the person… that I loved."
"So you didn't ever hurt someone who didn't deserve it."
"Of course I did. I didn't make Council rulings, I only carried them out. Obviously people were convicted of crimes they didn't commit, and all too often a punishment is considerably harsher than it should be."
Hilde frowned.
"This is a lot to process. I – this doesn't really go with my mental image of who you are."
Duo nodded. "Which is why I'm telling you all of this."
"Does Quatre know?"
"Not all of it. Not about my magic. And you aren't going to tell him. That is very personal, and something that no one besides my servant has the right to know."
"So you aren't a saint, but you aren't a villain either."
Duo chuckled.
"Who says I'm not a villain?"
"But – you do want to protect people. You do carry out justice."
"The justice of the Council is hardly real justice."
"Why haven't you asked for your old job back?"
"I would rather not be the Executioner for a Council run by Treize Khushrenada. He is a brilliant, but cruel man, and I do not believe in the world he wants to create."
"So there – you aren't evil."
"Maybe I am – maybe he's the good guy in this story."
Hilde shook her head.
"No, he isn't. From what I've heard, there's no way he's the good guy. I think that you aren't perfect, I think that you regret your actions – whatever you may say to convince me otherwise. Maybe your magic enjoys pain and fear, but if you did, you and I would not be sitting here. You are good."
Duo shook his head.
"You have no idea what you're talking about. My magic is me."
"You didn't seem to care for my pain or my fear the other night. I've interviewed rapists and serial killers – you aren't one of them. The literally cannot control their desires, and they are PROUD of them – or at least proud of the work they do. You aren't. I believe in you."
Duo closed his eyes and put his head in his hands.
"I do not deserve you."
"Of course not. I'm pretty damn close to being perfect. NO one deserves me."
That drew a laugh from Duo. He looked up at her grin.
"So, how do we do this?" She asked.
"It's a three part ritual. We share blood, body, and magic."
"How do we do that?"
"The blood is the easiest one – I just need to take some from you."
Duo rose from his seat and went into his kitchen. He pulled a knife from the block on the counter and brought it back to her.
"I don't need a lot. Just… a paper cut's worth."
"Does it matter where I cut myself?" She took the knife from him.
"No – I mean, some people think it does. I've never found that it matters."
She nodded and dragged the knife across her forearm, near her elbow, and then looked up at him expectantly.
Duo drew in a deep breath and forced himself to think very happy, very open thoughts.
He leaned down and kissed the wound, sucking slightly to pull the drops of crimson into his mouth. His own blood sang at the sensation, filling him with a jittery sense of purpose. He released her arm and saw that she was flushed and breathing a little unevenly.
He smirked.
"Is this – I feel strange."
"It's not permanent, but it is about to get more intense," Duo told her. He took the knife from her hand and put immediately cleaned it in his kitchen sink. It was never smart to leave your blood on something, even in the safety of your home.
He returned and sat back down in his chair.
"Which one do we do next?"
"It doesn't matter – the order really isn't important. I like to do the blood part first, because it's the easiest."
"What is the hardest?"
Duo shrugged.
"If you do it right, the body and the magic go together, but that isn't always the case. I can link our magic together without touching you, and it will be a little more gentle, or we can do both at once."
"When you say body – what are we talking about? Sex?"
"You humans have such dirty minds," Duo teased.
"I just – I'm only asking."
"It doesn't have to be."
"Do you – are you attracted to me?" Hilde asked, as though suddenly considering the possibility that he wasn't.
"I am," he assured her. "You should know that, in a strictly physical sense, I prefer men. But I've found that physical beauty is only one part of attraction. And that said – I do find you physically attractive."
"You think I look like a boy."
"Not at all. I don't like women who look like men, I like women who look like women – and you are very feminine."
"So – we have sex?"
Duo scratched the back of his neck and tried to think of what to say.
"I'd rather not. I flipped through your contract, and it looks like you want to maintain a lot of autonomy. The closer we are, physically, the stronger our bond is going to be. If you and I become lovers, you are very quickly going to lose any desire to do anything except what I tell you to do."
She frowned. "Your last servant – you were lovers."
"Anthony was a very well trained Empath before we bonded. If you had more training, I wouldn't be worried about it. He was able to construct some defenses against his inclination to surrender to me."
She nodded. "When I am better trained, will that change things?"
"Probably. We'll have to see."
"So, no sex until I've had better training."
"Or never – it isn't required, and if you are interested in someone else – you should pursue that."
She arched an eyebrow.
"Chang?"
She flushed.
"I'm not – we don't –"
"Yeah, yeah, you're about to become my servant and I'm going to learn your deepest desires and worst fears. Don't bother lying."
She sighed.
"He doesn't see me that way. He's completely in love with his ex-wife."
"I'm going to want to know the story about him, but not right now."
"Wait – am I going to learn your desires and fears?"
Duo nodded.
"I'm going to try and keep you out of my head as much as I can, but I haven't done this in a while, and I'm used to having an Empath to do some of the work. I – I'll apologize now."
She drew in a deep breath.
"Alright, I'm prepared for lots of dark and twisty thoughts."
"I wish it was that easy. Okay – let's do these two at the same time, okay?"
She nodded and sat forward on the edge of the couch.
"We're going to sign this contract of yours, my hand around yours, and I want you to use your magic and reach out towards me. Try to find my magic, not just feel it, but reach for it – like you wanted to actually hold it. At the same time, think about a sense of physical connection between us."
"I think I can do that – what happens if I mess up?"
"We'll try again."
"Okay." She nodded. "I'm ready."
Duo knelt in front of her and held her dark gaze for a moment, giving her one last chance to back out.
She smirked and pulled a pen out of her pocket and presented it to him with a flourish.
He rolled his eyes, but gripped her hand in his own and guided it to the contract, letting the pen hover over the paper.
After a moment, she pulled their hands down to the sheet and started to sign her name.
He could feel her reaching out with her magic, and it felt like the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. He embraced it, bringing that lightness into himself, and opened his defenses to her.
There was a glorious, bright moment as they were bonded together. Her joy and passion flooded through him, and he shared her sense of triumph and relief. And then the next moment it started to go wrong.
Just as he had drawn her into himself, she had drawn him into her, and his darkness was clearly more than she had expected. With a cry, she pulled away from him.
Duo sat back on his heels, giving her space as she buried her head in her hands.
"Oh my god, oh god, you – there's so much– Duo!" She looked up at him, and her face was tearstained.
He joined her on the couch and pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back in soothing circles.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Hilde."
"How do you get up every day?" Her voice broke.
"It's not easy," he confided. He reached out, probing their connection, and decided that it was solid. She had pulled away from the physical embrace, but not before they had bonded together.
Duo drew in a deep breath, and with that breath he put his defenses back in place, gently easing Hilde out of his mind and his memories. She sagged against him in relief.
"Who – who was that light? There was this amazing light buried in the back, under all of the pain. He was golden. Was that Anthony?" She pushed away and sat up, brushing away her tears and putting herself together.
"No – you saw that much?" He hadn't realized how much he had opened himself up to her.
She nodded.
"Who was he?"
"My brother," Duo said around a hard lump. "The closest thing I ever had to a brother, anyway."
"What happened to him?"
"He died saving my life."
"I'm sorry."
Duo nodded and stood.
"Right, well, you should get back to work before Chang tries to arrest me for abducting you or obstructing justice or something."
Hilde smiled shakily but she stood.
"Thank you, Duo."
"I wouldn't go thanking me just yet. Um – tomorrow night you'll be coming with Quatre and I to a Council meeting. Try to wear something… artistically slutty."
She chuckled.
"I'll do what I can. Where should I meet you?"
"I'll call you around eleven and see where you are."
She nodded and looked at him, her dark gaze serious.
"I just want to hold you and make all of your pain go away."
"That'll pass – or at least, you'll be able to ignore it after a while. Our bond gets stronger over time, but you can also start to manipulate it more."
She looked like she wanted to say something else, but instead she shrugged and walked to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Be safe," he cautioned her.
"Will you come rescue me if I get in trouble?" She joked.
"If I can," he promised. "Whenever you feel strong emotions, I'll feel them too. So – if you do get in trouble, make sure that I know how pissed off and scared you are so that I can find you."
She grinned.
"Oh, I'll be pissed off for sure. Bye."
Duo waited until she closed the door behind her before he threw himself face first onto the couch. He groaned into the cushions.
He had not wanted this kind of complication, and he had not counted on Hilde's magic feeling so good inside of him. She truly was like a breath of fresh air after years spent in a prison cell. He knew that he would quickly become addicted to her, and he was terrified that something would happen to her. He knew something would – she was involved in his life now, and that never spelled longevity for anyone.
Just as he was working himself into a dark spiral of despair, his phone rang.
Duo assumed it was Wufei, and he pulled it out, spoiling for the chance to yell at the Chinese man. Instead, his phone identified the caller as Trowa.
He rolled over onto his back and answered the phone.
"Morning," he said.
"Good morning – I hope that I didn't wake you or…"
"No, no, I'm awake."
"And you like the day time."
Duo frowned at the strange statement, and then he realized that Trowa was tactfully trying to ask if he was a vampire.
"Yes, I like the day time. I prefer the night, but only because I don't look so ridiculously pale. The sun out here in crazy."
Trowa chuckled.
"How would you like the chance to show off your pale skin tomorrow morning?"
"Doing what, exactly?"
"Spending the day outside."
Duo shrugged, and then realized that Trowa couldn't see it.
"With you, I hope."
"Yes, with me."
"Then I could see myself doing that. What time tomorrow morning?"
"I'll pick you up at nine."
"Okay – I'll see you then. Uh, should I wear something in particular?"
"Outdoor clothes – comfortable, thick soled shoes."
"Okay, well, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning."
"Me too."
Trowa ended the call and Duo set his phone down on the coffee table.
He stared up at the ceiling and decided that fate was about to screw him over, or that she had decided to be kind to him for a change.
Up Next: A meeting with the Council and another date with Trowa
Definitions:
Council: the body that presides over magical creatures and users in the US. The Old Council refers to the European Council.
Empath: someone who can sense and share emotions. Quatre is an Empath. Anthony Quinn was an Empath. Hilde is NOT.
Ephemeral: a human who can use magic. Used interchangeably with witch.
Old Ones: the powerful magical races. Vampires, Shape shifters, Faeries, and a few more to be named later!
Old Ways: reference to the way that the European Council ran things or the way things were before magic was legal.
Null: a human without magical ability.