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 any of you are unhappy with Heero's lack of face-time – or time with Duo, for that matter – just know that it's going to be picking up, and his relationship with Duo is continuing to develop. Don't give up hope! Seriously, though, in this fic, Heero and Duo DO belong together. I promise.
Umbra
Chapter 4
When Duo opened his door the next morning to let in his date, he was still trying to figure out what exactly, the date would entail.
"Good morning," Trowa said with a slight grin. Duo didn't know if Trowa's morning-person personality spelled doom for this relationship or not. For now, it was simply a nice change.
"Morning," Duo gestured him into the apartment and looked over Trowa's attire.
He looked every inch the outdoorsman. He was wearing some kind of fitted, gray, high-tech fabric trousers festooned with pockets, a fitted, mock turtle neck shirt made of some tight, stretchy material, hiking boots, and a faded gray baseball cap. The strap of a backpack was visible dangling from one shoulder. He looked like a North Face advertisement.
"You look ready to scale a mountain," Duo commented.
"Not quite – I thought we would go hiking."
"In the desert? Is this a date or a convenient way for you to hide my dead body?"
Trowa rolled his eyes.
"It'll be fun. It's late fall, so it won't be hot, there shouldn't be too much snow –"
"Snow? Where are we going?"
"Red Rock. It's about an hour north of here, but it's pretty high up. I checked the weather – it's a great day for a hike."
"This is the first time I've ever had a date at nine in the morning," Duo told him. "And the absolute first time I've ever been asked to go hiking for fun."
Trowa smirked.
"Good. That means I won't be competing against anyone else in your memories."
"Is this okay?" Duo asked, gesturing to his clothes. He had put on an old pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a battered pair of sneakers. It was as close to 'outdoor' clothing as he had.
"Do you have a long sleeved shirt, sweater, or jacket? In case you get cold?"
Duo found it ridiculous that it was eighty degrees outside and Trowa was asking him to get a sweater, but he hunted in his closet for something and came up with a Princeton sweatshirt. He handed it to Trowa, who packed it into his backpack.
"Ready?" The taller man asked with a grin.
Duo rolled his eyes but followed him.
Trowa's car was a Prius coated in the same thin layer of sand that every car seemed to be covered with. The car ride was quick, and Trowa spent the time giving Duo hiking tips, listing plants not to touch, gorges not to fall into, and generally making Duo regret ever getting out of bed that morning.
However, when they arrived at Red Rock just before ten and Duo saw the intense desert sun illuminate the thousands of bright red and orange rock formations he was momentarily stunned.
"This is amazing. I've never seen anything like it."
Trowa smirked. "So maybe this won't be such a nightmare?" He said.
Duo shrugged. "That remains to be seen."
Trowa parked the car in a dusty parking lot beside a sign leading to 'Ice Box Canyon.' The sign proclaimed the trail to be 'Difficult' and Duo gave Trowa a questioning look.
"I think you can handle it," Trowa assured him.
"I am not afraid to make you carry me," Duo warned, but he pulled on the Dodgers baseball cap that Trowa handed him and followed Trowa up the trail.
If nothing else, he would have an excellent view of the work of art that was the other man's ass.
"So, when you say you aren't human, what are you?" Trowa asked after half an hour of walking.
Their pace was slow enough that Duo wasn't too alarmed by the terrain, and he had been enjoying taking in the nature that surrounded them.
"Well, I'm half Faerie and half… something. Dunno what."
"Aren't their two kinds of faeries?" Trowa asked. He turned around and passed Duo a water bottle.
Duo took a few sips and passed it back. Trowa had slowed so that he was walking beside Duo, and while Duo missed the view, he appreciated not talking to Trowa's back.
"Yeah – most humans don't know that."
Trowa shrugged.
"I've always been interested in magic - my ancestors were Gypsies – so when it became public knowledge that there were magical beings I started doing some research."
That explained the faint hint of magic Duo felt from Trowa, and he was relieved that it was something so benign as having distant, Gypsy blood. He had met a few full-blooded Gypsies, in Europe, and they had been frighteningly powerful.
"I'm Dark Court."
Trowa frowned, and it was clear he was trying to think of a polite way to ask his next question. Duo saved him the trouble.
"That would be the bad kind."
"Is there? I mean – you don't strike me as evil incarnate," Trowa said mildly.
Duo chuckled.
"I hide it well," he assured Trowa. He shrugged. "There's a lot of myths about Dark Court faeries being evil – but I think that stems from the nature of our magic. Light Court Faeries love the sun, and their magic is also…very light. Lots of nature magic, healing, that sort of thing. Dark Court Faeries, well, we're darker, obviously. We love the moon and the night. Our magic is less positive. We can't heal things, but we can destroy them. We can't make things grow, but we can kill them. It's… sort of two halves of one whole. But – it's all about how you use it, you know? I mean – take a tumor, right? If I was a Light Court Faerie I could use magic to encourage your other cells to grow and heal it. Or I could encourage the tumor to grow, and kill you. Now, as a Dark Court Faerie I've got the same choices – I can kill the tumor, or I can kill the other cells around it and let it keep growing. But, that's just an example."
"What about you?"
"Huh?"
"Aren't all magic users unique? What does your magic do?"
Duo frowned and tried to think of a way to explain it that wouldn't result in him getting left alone while Trowa ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction.
"Not a good second date conversation?" Trowa hazarded.
"Well, not if I want there to be a third date."
"Do you?" Trowa's green eyes sparkled with amusement.
"So far – yeah. I'm still halfway convinced that you might lead me over a cliff, however."
"So little faith," Trowa muttered and shook his head.
"But, for the record, you aren't a mass murderer or serial killer?" Trowa asked after a few minutes of silent hiking.
"No," Duo assured him, and himself. He had killed people, lots of people, but never without good reason. He shook his head. He sounded pathetic even to himself.
"Can I ask how old you are?"
"Around a thousand years old."
Trowa's facial expression was neutral, and Duo was glad that the other man was able to control his reactions so well. He did NOT want a human who freaked out about who he was.
"And you've never been hiking on a date before?" Trowa shook his head. "That is tragic."
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Thankfully I've got you to save me from the horror of having never done it," Duo muttered.
"There's a waterfall not too far away – I thought we would stop there and eat lunch," Trowa said.
"So, you're a strip – performer at Chippendales and a nature enthusiast."
"They two aren't mutually exclusive," Trowa said. He shrugged. "My job means that I have a lot of free time during the day, so I take advantage of it."
"How did you – did you always – um, why Chippendales?" Duo finally asked.
"I actually moved here and interviewed for a job as a bartender at the Rio, but one of the Chippendales casting agents saw me and asked me to audition." Trowa shrugged one shoulder. "I used to dance, and I keep in shape, so –"
"And you're happy? Doing that?"
"It's work. It pays the bills."
"Yeah, but what about in… ten years? Or fifteen years?"
"Are you asking me what happens when I get old?"
"Well, you are human, so… yeah."
"I'm saving up to go back to school. I'd like to be a doctor."
Duo was impressed, and a little relieved. While he didn't judge Trowa for working as a glorified stripper, he had been concerned that it was his only goal in life.
They arrived at the waterfall and Duo was awed by its simple beauty. It wasn't huge, just a steep cliff with a thin trickle of water, but the entire surrounding was lush with greenery. Duo was amazed that just outside of this canyon they were surrounded by the desert.
Lunch turned out to be turkey and cheddar sandwiches and trail mix.
Duo sat down on a rock beside Trowa and dug in, surprised at the appetite he had worked up.
"What do you miss the most – about the past?"
Duo thought for a moment. There were people he missed and places, but those were very personal losses to him.
"Riding."
"Like horses?"
"Yes. I hate cars. I cannot wait for the next mode of transportation to come along and replace them."
Trowa looked amused. "What don't you like about them?"
"Well, for one, I'm a Faerie, so I have a pretty strong connection to the Earth, and I don't like the pollution. For another, I hate being boxed in like that. I really miss the days where I could ride a horse everywhere and just – be outside and be free."
"Are you an animal lover?"
"I respect animals. But if you're asking me if I like pets, the answer is no. When I kept horses, they were work animals. I cared for them, and in turn they did a job for me. But pets… I don't like the idea of keeping something just to look at it or pet it."
Trowa nodded, and Duo was surprised.
"You are the first human who hasn't tried to convince me that I'm wrong about pets. You humans seem to think that companionship is all there is to it."
Trowa shrugged and looked a little uncomfortable.
"Perhaps it's my heritage coming out, but ownership in general bothers me, especially with animals. I don't care for zoos, I hate aquariums. Rehabilitation centers are one thing, but – no, I don't like the idea that humans own animals just because we are higher on the food chain."
It almost sounded like a reflection of Catherine Bloom's arguments about Old Ones owning shape shifters.
"Please tell me you aren't one of the Green Peace people who takes a raft and tries to ram a whaling ship."
"Not really," Trowa said with a smirk. "But I do donate money to them."
Duo shook his head in mock despair.
"I have to admit… this has actually been fun," Duo said when they finished and started to hike again.
"I'm glad. Sorry if it wasn't what you were expecting."
"I don't know what I was expecting at nine in the morning."
It was dusk by the time they arrived back at the car, and Duo insisted they wait and watch the sun set behind the mountains.
After putting on their sweaters they perched on the hood of the car, shoulders against one another, in companionable silence.
The last rays of orange were streaking over the horizon when Duo's phone rang. With a groan, he answered it.
"It's not Treize," Heero said, without preamble.
Duo frowned and jumped off the car. He walked a few feet away, out of Trowa's hearing.
"Are you sure?"
"Duo, I am very good at what I do. Of course I'm sure."
"Okay – sorry. I just… huh. Any clues as to who it might be?"
"No. Just a series of fake companies based across Europe. I've been… interviewing the presidents of the companies. No one knows anything."
Duo had been present for one of Heero's 'interviews' before. The man was exceedingly thorough. If someone wasn't spilling every secret to him within half an hour, then they didn't have secrets to tell.
"Then how do you know it isn't Treize?"
"They keep saying something about 'brothers' and the Old Ways, and no one recognizes his name."
Duo frowned as the words stirred his memories.
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Trowa leaning against the car, a concerned look on his face.
"Listen, I have to go. "
"I'm going to visit a few friends. I'll be in touch again in a few days."
The way Heero said friends made them sound like anything but.
"Don't do anything stupid," Duo warned him.
"You're one to talk. Expect visitors to arrive starting tomorrow," Heero added before he hung up the phone.
"Everything okay?" Trowa asked when Duo rejoined him.
"Er… I'm sure it's nothing." Duo shrugged.
Trowa didn't look convinced, but he let Duo get in the car without further comment.
The ride back to Duo's condo was quiet. Duo was lost in thought, trying to figure out who else could be trying to kill him, and Trowa seemed inclined to let him stew.
When Trowa parked the car in the garage at Duo's condo, he turned to face him.
"Listen –"
"Are you seriously trying to break up with me again?" Trowa interrupted, a look of amused exasperation on his face.
"No, this is the part where you break up with me."
"Are you straight?"
"I'm not! I – I like you a lot. More than I should, a lot more than I should. Which is why I can't see you anymore."
Trowa arched an eyebrow.
"Is this about protecting me again?"
"Yes. Look – you want to know about my magic? Fine. My magic allows me to project negative emotions. It would take me ten seconds to make you believe that you hated your own mother enough to kill her. I can convince an entire room of people that they are dying in a fire. And that's the easy stuff. My magic is very, very dark."
"And yet Quatre insists that you are one of the kindest people he knows."
Duo frowned at that. He hadn't realized that Quatre had spoken with Trowa about him, or that Quatre felt that way after their conversation yesterday.
"Well, Quatre's overly optimistic."
"You like me. More than you should."
"Yeah, which is why –"
" Give me a chance."
Duo frowned.
"I don't understand."
"If you like me so much, then give me a chance. You aren't even letting me get freaked out about this – you're doing all the freaking out for both of us."
"You could get killed."
"I thought there were laws discouraging your kind from killing mine."
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Discouraging is exactly the way I would describe it. Look, I'm not exactly…popular with the magical community. A lot of people hate me on principle alone. If they wanted to, they could make your life extremely difficult."
"Maybe I could use a little more excitement in my life."
Duo rolled his eyes.
"This is crazy. You are an incredible guy – smart, funny, handsome. Why are you so interested in this?"
Trowa shrugged.
"I like you. More than I should."
Trowa's lips were curved upwards in a slight, confident grin.
Almost against his will, Duo leaned over and kissed him.
He felt that same electric spark between them. Trowa's skin felt warm, and his lips were firm under Duo's. Unable to resist, Duo slipped his tongue between Trowa's lips and tasted the other man.
Trowa's hands came up and buried themselves in Duo's hair.
Duo shifted closer, drawn in by the warmth and exotic scent of the other man. His aftershave smelled like cinnamon mixed with something stronger and darker.
Eventually, Trowa pulled away, a self-satisfied look on his face.
Duo rolled his eyes.
"You're insane," Duo told him.
"And irresistible."
"Clearly." Duo groaned and looked at his watch. It was almost seven.
"I'd love to invite you up, but I have to get to work."
Trowa nodded.
"Me too, actually."
Duo allowed himself a brief mental fantasy of Trowa at work.
"So… can we skip the whole you trying to break up with me for our third date? Just to try something new?"
"Sure. Do you have any plans for Monday night?"
"I have a show at eight, but I should be free after... I'll be done around nine-thirty."
"Great. I'll pick you up."
"We are discouraged from having dates meet us. Ruins the illusion."
"Okay… then call me when you're free."
"Sounds good."
Trowa leaned forward and kissed him again, a very brief, very intense kiss that left Duo wishing he didn't have somewhere else to be.
Duo showered and changed into his standard black uniform before taking a taxi to Quatre's office. It was just after eight when he arrived, but Quatre was working furiously behind his desk, seemingly intent on making a dent in the huge pile of paperwork on his desk.
For the next four hours Duo sat across from him, offering advice and explanations whenever Quatre questioned him.
At eleven, Duo called Hilde and asked her to meet them at Quatre's office. She arrived just before midnight, and Duo felt a jolt of energy just at her presence. He realized that he had missed having a servant, and it was clear that Hilde was also enjoying the boost of power and energy she felt at having Duo near her.
She had taken his 'artistically slutty' comment to heart, and was dressed in the shortest dress he had ever seen, the hem just barely covering her ass. She was wearing knee high black leather boots, which only seemed to emphasize the pale flesh of her thighs and make the dress seem even shorter. The dress itself was black and fitted, with a high neck, and a back cut so low he could see the base of her spine. Her makeup was heavy around her eyes, making them appear even darker and more luminous than they already were.
She noticed him looking her over and smirked.
"How do I look?" She asked and cocked one hip.
"Fantastic," Duo told her with a smirk.
Quatre, however, was frowning slightly.
"I – is it really wise for her to parade around in front of them like that?"
"Yes, DAD, it is. I already explained this to you. Old Ones love to think about having sex with humans. Hilde is going to be a wonderful distraction, trust me."
Quatre frowned, but shrugged and led them out of the office.
It had been a while since Duo had had a servant, and something about Hilde seemed particularly enticing to him. He ran one hand down her spine, enjoying her shiver at his touch, and also the jolt of magic that travelled from her body to his own. She actually moaned at the sensation.
"I'm really starting to rethink this no-sex rule," she confided to him in a whisper.
"Trust me, it would be a huge mistake." But even though he meant the words, Duo regretted them. The sensation of making love to your servant was incredible – the shared sensations, the magic, all of it made for amazing orgasms. It also left you closer and more vulnerable than Duo was really comfortable with.
Hilde nodded and stepped away from his touch.
"I, ah, noticed that you seemed to be extremely happy earlier this evening," she told him, her voice teasing.
Duo flushed in embarrassment. He needed to work on controlling himself and his emotions now that he had another servant.
"Yeah, I had a date."
She arched an eyebrow.
"And…?"
"And it was nice. And I was extremely happy."
"It was nice. I – well, I was incredibly depressed when I went home yesterday."
"I know." Duo had felt her crushing despair as though it was his own, and he had been nearly overwhelmed with his own guilt, knowing that he had caused her that pain.
"I just – I'm not a very dark person. My life is dark, my work is, but I can't let myself sink into that."
"I don't want you to," he assured her.
"You just have so much pain. It's going to take getting used to. I'm working on it." She reached out and grabbed his hand, and he could feel her magic reaching out as well in a kind of metaphysical hug.
He chuckled and squeezed her hand before letting go.
"Thank you."
"We're going to be late," Quatre said, his voice betraying his tension, as he waited for them by his car.
"Coming." Duo and Hilde picked up their pace and joined him in the car.
The ride was quiet, and Duo could sense Quatre's increasing anxiety. He didn't blame the man – this was not going to be a pleasant evening, and if Duo could have spared him, he would have.
Sylvia's servant met them by the private elevators in the main lobby at Mandalay Bay. It was a young woman, an Ephemeral with dark hair and eyes. Her power was very quiet, and her entire demeanor was unassuming.
In years past, Sylvia's servants had tended towards large, well-muscled male Ephemerals with a talent for sex magic. He had no idea what had happened to Sylvia's last servant, or why she had chosen someone so clearly against the grain of her usual preferences.
"Good evening. I am Margaret, Sylvia's servant. Please, allow me to escort you upstairs." She gestured towards the open elevator and Duo, Quatre, and Hilde followed her in.
The ride was in complete silence until they started to rise into the cloud of powerful, old magic that hung around the top of Mandalay Bay. It reminded Duo of a few more warnings he wanted to impart to Quatre before they arrived.
"Look, just – whatever you see happen, just – don't try to stop it," Duo counseled as they elevator rose. Sylvia's servant was a silent presence beside him, and Duo did his best to ignore her.
"What – is something bad going to happen?" Quatre asked.
"Probably. Since you've been invited to watch the festivities, Treize is going to make sure that they are… extra festive. He'll try to provoke you into overstepping your bounds, or into doing something stupid. And he's going to be pissed about the servant legislation, so he's going to try to punish you for that. Just consider yourself a silent observer. You won't be able to change anything tonight, so… try not to get too involved, okay?"
Quatre nodded, but the expression of reluctance on his face told Duo that his warning had fallen on deaf ears. Quatre was an idealist, and he was a humanitarian. He clearly considered it his duty to do whatever he could, for whoever he could.
Duo hoped it didn't get them killed.
Hilde, on the other hand, had on what was clearly her cop face. Her expression was completely neutral, and Duo was very grateful that she was his servant and not Quatre. He had no doubt that she would be horrified by what she witnessed tonight, but she at least had enough experience to be able to hide her reactions.
Margaret led them through the empty living room and deeper into the penthouse. She came to an abrupt halt at the entrance to a long, open room that was lined with throne like chairs on two sides, with a raised dais and larger throne at the opposite end of the room from where they stood. Each of the chairs was occupied by Council members, flanked by their servants and entourages. On the dais, Treize sat, the same lion shape shifter at his feet.
The center of the room was bare, the white marble floor polished so well that it was practically reflective. The only decoration on the floor were three circles of different sizes, one red, one white, and one black. The circles touched edges, leaving an open, concave triangle in their center. The white circle was the smallest, just large enough for a human body to stretch out in, with the red being slightly larger, and the black circle being three times larger than the white.
It had been a long time since Duo had been in a room like this, and he wished that he could turn around and walk out.
"Ah, good, our visitors have decided to join us after all." Treize smiled and gestured with one hand.
A single human servant walked out, bearing a very ordinary chair, and set it down off to one side of the entrance.
It was a calculated slight – as Arbiter, Quatre was entitled to his own throne on the Council, and his position certainly warranted a closer seat to Treize than this one.
"Thank you," Quatre said gravely, and took the seat. Duo took up position just behind him, with Hilde standing just to his left. It was a strange feeling for him – in years past he had had a throne on this Council, and now he stood behind a human as though he were a servant.
"Lucrezia, please begin."
The dark haired vampire rose from her throne just to the right of Treize and stood before him, looking out at the assembled Council.
"Our first case is regarding the Creation of Mariemaia. Bring forth Evangeline and Mariemaia."
A female vampire and a small child, no more than eight years old, were brought before Treize. The vampire was desperately clutching the child, and both were crying.
"Evangeline, you are charged with breaking one of the Council's oldest laws. You have created a child vampire. You may offer your defense."
Noin sat back down on her throne.
"I work in the hospital, as a nurse. I'm an MRI technician. Mariemaia was brought in by her parents. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was going to die! I… I knew that I could save her. She's such a sweet child, and –"
"You broke the Council law," Treize interrupted, his voice conveying supreme boredom. "She is to be Executed." He waved one hand, and two vampires stepped up from behind his throne.
One was a tall, thin man with dark skin, and every inch of his lean body seemed to vibrate with deadly energy. Duo didn't recognize him, but he moved with the power and grace that only a very old vampire could manage.
The other was a petite Chinese woman, dressed in a traditional cheongsam in a bright red satin that hugged her slim body tightly. She carried a broadsword that looked impossibly heavy. Unlike her companion, she was clearly a younger vampire. Duo was willing to bet she was less than five years old. She still moved like a human, and there was a luster to her golden skin that would no doubt fade and become silver with time.
Beside him, Hilde gasped. Duo turned his head slightly to look at her, but her eyes were focused on the Chinese vampire.
"That's Meilin," she whispered, catching Duo's gaze.
"Who?"
"Wufei's ex-wife. I recognize her from the photo on his desk. I – I had no idea."
Duo turned back and looked at the vampire again. That explained a lot, he thought.
The man jerked Evangeline away from the child, who cried out, but remained in place. The man led Evangeline to the red circle and pushed her inside it.
As soon as the vampire was inside the circle, its magic took hold of her, forcing her to kneel and look directly at Treize.
"What –" Quatre started to speak.
"She's about to be Executed, don't say anything," Duo cut him off.
"But –"
"Quatre. This is non-negotiable. Treize is speaking the truth – this is one of our oldest laws, and it has always carried this penalty. Please, keep your mouth shit."
Quatre's jaw snapped close with an audible click, and he glared ahead.
Meilin positioned herself in the triangle between the circles. She gave the sword a few experimental swings, and then brought it to rest against the back of Evangeline's neck.
"This is barbaric!" Quatre muttered between clenched teeth.
"It's also pretty damn effective."
With one clean stroke the vampire beheaded Evangeline. The body fell forward, even as the head rolled outside of the circle. It was clear that Evangeline had not been allowed to feed recently, because the stream of blood that rose from her neck made only a small pool on the floor.
He felt Hilde's reaction as swiftly as though it had been his own – she experienced a moment of complete terror, and then shut down her emotions completely. He admired her ability to do that, and made a mental note to talk with her later, after this was over.
The child started to shriek hysterically, and Duo winced at what would happen next. He had only seen two other executions of child vampires, and had been very fortunate to never have had to perform one himself.
The dark vampire started to guide the child towards the red ring.
"Wait."
All faces turned to Treize. He had a speculative look on his face.
"In the past, we have occasionally shown mercy on such… creations. Will anyone step forward and claim this child, or shall we give her death?"
The silence in the chamber was profound, and Quatre twitched on the seat in front of Duo.
"Don't –"
"I will," Quatre spoke loudly, overriding the objection that Duo had whispered into his ear.
Duo closed his eyes and groaned. Not even one case was finished and Quatre was making a mess of things.
"You, Arbiter?" Treize sounded amused.
"Yes, I will."
Treize chuckled.
"Very well. I am sure that your Consigliore will give you the full details of what this means, but as her guardian YOU are responsible for her actions. Her crimes are your crimes. Her punishments will be meted out on you."
"I understand."
"You may fetch her." Treize waved a hand, and Quatre started to rise.
"I'll get her," Duo said and used one hand to push Quatre back down in his seat.
He crossed the long hall quickly and held out a hand to the still sobbing child.
"Come on," he said, not even bothering to hide his annoyance and frustration.
She looked up at him with large blue eyes, her face wet with tears but still unnaturally, deathly pale. Her bright red hair was a tangled mess around her head, and she was dressed in cheap, Disney pajamas.
"No! I want Evangeline!"
"Yeah, well, she's dead, kid. Come on." Duo stepped closer and reached out to grab her.
He instantly regretted it when she sank small, sharp fangs into his wrist.
"Son of a –" he shook her off amidst the laughter from many Council members. He looked at his wrist. She had barely broken the skin, and only a small drop of his dark blood welled up to the skin. He rubbed the wrist against his pants and grabbed her again, pinning her against his side.
He ignored her struggles and carried her across the room and dropped her at Quatre's feet.
"Now would be a really good time to use your magic and get her to calm the fuck down, or maybe even go to sleep," he suggested.
Quatre reached out to the girl and grasped her shoulders lightly, undisturbed when she angled her head to try and bite him.
"Mariemaia, I need you to relax. You've had a very difficult night, and you need to be calm." Quatre's words were infused with some of his power, and Duo could see the bright trail of it wash over the girl.
Her face grew peaceful, and her eyelids dropped. A moment later, she slumped against Quatre's legs, curling up against him like a puppy.
"That was impressive," Duo told him, meaning it. He could see that a number of Council members were also impressed by the performance.
"Well, now that we have that issue resolved, clear the mess and bring forth the next case."
The night continued, with several more cases – all more minor than the first – brought before the Council. The harshest punishment that Treize meted out after the initial execution of Evangeline was to confine one vampire to a silver box for four years. Duo was grateful that Quatre didn't understand just HOW serious of a punishment it was.
He was convinced they had escaped the night relatively unscathed until Noin called forth the final case of the night.
"Bring in Martha Vendomme."
Duo's breath caught at the name, and when the woman was brought before Treize he momentarily stopped breathing.
Martha Vendomme was a shape shifter with a very checkered past. She had been turned a few years after Anthony had been named Arbiter, and she had immediately been brought before the Council when she murdered her creator. Anthony had argued passionately for mercy, while Duo and most of the Council had been against the idea. In the end, Anthony had won her freedom, and she had lived a life on the margins ever since.
Her animal was a leopard, and she looked it with her long, graceful limbs and her sharp featured face.
Duo knew this was going to go to hell very quickly. Hilde picked up on his tension, and she shifted uneasily beside him.
"Martha Vedomme you are accused of attacking your Master, the vampire Alexios."
Alexios, an old but relatively weak vampire that Duo had never paid much attention to stood up and stepped forward. The man was beautiful, and looked like the classical Greek athlete he had once been thousands of years ago. The right side of his face, however, was a mass of scarring. It looked as though someone had raked over it with very large claws.
Duo frowned. If Martha had attacked Alexios the wounds would have healed in a number of hours. So unless this had occurred early in the evening, he should not look like that.
"She clawed me and then poured silver into the wounds," Alexios hissed, his voice filled with hatred.
Duo winced. Silver was a powerful weapon to use against any Old One, but it affected vampires the worst. Alexios might heal some, but he would always have scars from this.
"You may speak for yourself," Treize said. Most of the Council members were showing more interest in this case than they had all evening.
It was rare that a shape shifter attacked their master, and it usually inspired universal hatred for the shape shifter. However, Alexios had always had a reputation of being very rough with his…toys. It didn't surprise Duo that Martha would have attacked him, he was even willing to bet that Alexios had earned it.
"I have nothing to say to this Council," Martha held her head high and refused to look at anyone.
Duo rolled his eyes. Her pride had always been legendary.
"If you will offer no defense, then the harshest punishment will be –"
"Please," Quatre interrupted Noin. "Please, you have the right to justice."
"Justice?" Martha sneered. "There is no justice for my kind. I have been passed around this Council for more than one hundred years, given as a slave to one or another of them. I have no rights, no freedom. The only thing I have is my power, and I used it to fight back." She sneered again as she looked at Alexios. "I was given to him last month, and he tried to rape me."
"It is against Council rules to go against the wishes of your Master," Noin reminded Martha. "Furthermore, to strike your Master is a grave offense."
Quatre looked ready to jump in again, but Duo gripped his shoulder hard enough to no doubt leave a bruise. The blonde hissed in pain, but leaned back a little, indicating he would remain silent. For the moment.
"This has nothing to do with being a servant," he whispered to Quatre before turning to Treize.
"It seems that if Alexios has trouble Mastering his own pets, it's his fault," Duo pointed out.
A few Council members chuckled, and Alexios turned to give Duo a venomous glared. Martha looked up at the sound of his voice and frowned.
"How very true," Treize said after a moment. "Very well, her punishment shall be fifty lashes. Alexios, I suggest that you take better care of your belongings in the future."
"Lashes? Like with a whip?" Quatre demanded, half turning to Duo.
"Yes. It's still pretty harsh, but Martha's tough –"
"Is that a silver whip?" Quatre demanded in horror as Meilin gave a few flicks with the weapon.
Duo winced but inclined his head in agreement.
"But – that –"
"It's better than being executed," Duo reminded him.
"Like hell it is. She was just trying to defend herself!"
Quatre stood up just as Martha was shoved towards the white circle.
"The Arbiter wishes to speak?" Treize asked, his tone conveying amusement.
"Surely self-defense isn't a crime?" He asked.
"You are young, and clearly do not understand our laws. If the Council had been able to appoint our own Arbiter, we would not have to constantly explain the most basic of our laws. I suggest that you educate yourself, Arbiter." The amusement was gone from his voice. "If, however, you take issue with the punishment, you may stand in for her."
This had, Duo realized, been the trap that Treize had been waiting to spring all evening.
Duo glared at Sylvia, but the vampire was scowling at Treize. Clearly, this had not been part of her plan.
"Very well," Quatre started to unbutton his shirt.
"No, no fucking way," Duo knocked his hands away. "You are not a shape shifter. You could be killed."
"So could she! You said it was harsh –"
"Yeah, it is, and it will take her a while to heal from it, but it won't kill her! You're just human! This is what Treize wants!"
"I can't let some innocent woman –"
"She isn't innocent! She could have just clawed him, but she poured silver into the wounds. That was deliberate."
Quatre shook his head.
"Doesn't matter. It is inexcusable what he did to her. I won't stand by and let this happen."
"You are the Arbiter. You cannot put yourself at Treize's mercy!"
"I have to," Quatre said and stubbornly proceeded to continue to unbutton his shirt.
Duo groaned, but then he stepped in front of Quatre.
"I will accept her punishment," he announced.
There was an excited murmur from the Council members.
"No – I –" Quatre started to speak, but Duo turned to glare at him.
"If you want me to do my job, then let me do this. You will die, Quatre."
"But –"
"Look, it'll hurt, but it won't scar me, okay? Just – sit down and let me do this."
Quatre looked ready to protest.
"Please," Duo ground out.
Quatre sighed and sat down.
"You have to keep Hilde out of my head, though." Duo told him, nodding at her. "Our bond is too fresh for me to block her, and she can not go through what is about to happen."
Quatre scowled and looked ready to protest all over again.
"Pleaes," Duo repeated.
Quatre sighed, but after a moment Duo could feel the Empath separating Hilde from him.
She looked ready to argue, but one look from Duo had her holding her silence.
Duo turned back to Treize and the rest of the Council.
"I trust that is acceptable?" He asked.
Treize looked like Christmas had come early. No doubt he was disappointed that the Arbiter wouldn't be stripped bare and whipped before him, but the chance to punish Duo was something that he had been longing for for literally centuries.
Treize licked his lips in anticipation and inclined his head in agreement.
Duo removed his shirt as he walked to the center of the room, flinging it carelessly onto the ground. He heard Quatre gasp behind him, no doubt taken aback by the old scars on his back. He ignored the blonde and continued to move forward.
He was tempted to remove his pants as well, because Meilin had looked a little unsure when she cracked the silver whip. He had had these trousers for a long time, and he didn't relish having her ruin them. At the same time, he wasn't about to give the Council more of a show than he absolutely had to. He decided to keep them on.
He approached the circle and Martha stepped away from it. She was actually a little taller than Duo, and she glared down at him.
"I thought you hated me," she hissed.
"Oh, I do," he assured her. "I'm not doing this for you."
She sneered.
"It was always so easy for the Ephemerals to manipulate you," she said with a shake of her head.
"Go to hell. Anthony fought to keep you alive, and this Arbiter is too. Try and do something meaningful with yourself, will you?" He stepped past her into the circle.
He instantly felt the magic of it probe against him, searching for protective magic to destroy. It found none, since protective magic had never worked for Duo.
He knelt before the circle could force him to, and pulled his long braid of hair over his right shoulder. He sat on his knees, his back straight and his gaze focused on Treize.
"I never thought I would see the day when you would willingly step into that circle again," Treize said, unable to keep the delight out of his voice.
"So happy to oblige your fantasies," Duo muttered.
Treize gestured to the Chinese vampire.
"Unfortunately, Meilin is still learning her craft, she isn't anywhere near your level of mastery with a whip." Treize didn't sound the least apologetic, and Duo steeled himself for a truly painful experience.
Sure enough, when the first lash snapped across his back it landed at an awkward angle, catching his right shoulder, spine, and left hip. He forced himself to remain quiet and ignore the fierce, burning pain of the silver biting into his flesh.
The force of the blow knocked him forward, and as he righted himself he caught the green gaze of the lion at Treize's feet. The gaze was mesmerizing, and Duo found himself staring into those eyes as the lashes continued. It helped, somehow, being able to focus on that sharp, clear gaze. He couldn't detect any emotion in those eyes, but even that was soothing.
He lost count somewhere after the seventeen lash. The pain and burning of the silver blended into one open, fiery wound. He could tell that Meilin was making a mess of his back because most of the vampires on the Council were on the edge of their seats, faces flushed and fangs visible as they grew excited by the scent of his blood.
Faerie blood was prized among vampires – they preferred the Light Court kind, like Zechs, but they also found Dark Court blood to be an exotic feast. Over the years, Duo had had plenty of propositions from vampires desperate to taste him. On a few occasions he had actually been forced to allow a vampire to drink from him, but the experience was far from pleasant, and he avoided shedding his blood at any cost.
Treize had often propositioned him, and he had taken it very personally when Duo refused. No doubt he was enjoying himself immensely now.
Duo wasn't even aware that the punishment was over until Meilin's booted foot tapped against his right ankle. He tore his gaze away from the lion and rose on unsteady feet. He slipped in his own blood, but managed to remain standing.
"Am I released?" He asked.
Treize inclined his head, and Duo stepped out of the white circle. He walked towards Quatre, taking note of just how pale the blonde man had become. Duo stopped to pick up his shirt, and was unable to stop the gasp of pain as he straightened up and started to walk again.
Hilde stepped forward but caught herself and remained beside Quatre.
"The Council is dismissed," Noin called out just as Duo reached Hilde.
"Duo –" Quatre started.
"Please, do not expect me to talk right now," Duo ground out. "I can barely walk. Just – put my shirt on, please." He directed the last to Hilde, and she took the shirt from him and gently put it on.
He hissed when it came in contact with his back, but he forced himself to button up the front.
"Duo –"
"Not right now. Grab the kid and let's go."
Quatre picked up the still sleeping Mariemaia, and Duo and Hilde followed him from the room. Quatre's pace was brisk, and they made it to the elevators before anyone else was even out of the chamber.
As soon as the doors closed, Duo leaned forward against the wall of the elevator wall and closed his eyes. The pain was intense, and it was through sheer will power that he was still conscious.
"You said it wouldn't scar," Quatre reprimanded him.
"What? It won't."
"But your back – it's covered in scars."
"From something else. Don't worry about it." It was becoming increasingly difficult to think.
"What – what do we do? How do we heal you?"
"I'll be fine," Duo assured him. "Give me a few months and –"
"A few months?"
"A few weeks and it'll just be scars, a few months and it'll look the same as before."
"But – there has to be something."
"Not unless you know any Ephemerals really good at healing spells. Or –"
"Or?"
"Never mind. I'll be fine. Most of this will start to close up tomorrow, it'll just be tricky getting around for a few days."
"This is insane."
"This is Council politics. I asked you to keep your mouth shut tonight."
Quatre was silent for a long moment.
"I'm sorry," he said eventually.
Duo was about to accept the apology, but then Quatre continued.
"You were right – that would have killed me. But, what about Martha? Would she be as badly injured as you?"
"Worse," Duo admitted. "Meilin had no idea what she was doing with that whip. Silver hurts me, but not the same way it does a shape shifter. Martha could have been crippled."
Quatre nodded.
"Thank you."
"Don't expect me to do it again anytime soon," Duo warned.
"I'll keep that in mind," Quatre agreed. He sighed. "I think you should stay with me tonight – I don't want to leave you on your own."
"I've had worse," Duo insisted
"I'm your boss," Quatre reminded him. "So… you're coming home with me."
"Take down your wall, Quatre," Hilde spoke up, her voice very tense.
Quatre looked at Duo for direction.
"Hilde, it's not –" Duo started to argue.
"I can help you, can't I?"
"Yes, but –"
"Quatre, take it down."
With a sigh, the blonde released the magic that had been separating Duo and his servant.
The pain was becoming even more unbearable, and Duo didn't have the strength to shield Hilde from it anymore.
She gasped as she experienced the echo of his pain and reached out for him, one of her slim hands grasping his own.
Just the touch of her skin gave him more strength, but Duo refused to draw energy from her. The bond was too new, and she was too inexperienced.
By the time they arrived back at Quatre's apartment, Duo was only semi-aware of his surroundings. He was starting to suspect that the lashings were more serious than he had originally thought, but he wasn't about to worry Quatre or Hilde over it. The blonde was freaked out enough – and he had a child vampire to take care of.
"Need to get her tucked away," he told Quatre as he stumbled into the apartment.
"I don't have –"
"Bathroom, bathtub will be fine. Just – lock the door. Tell your staff to keep it closed."
Duo collapsed onto the nearest couch. Hilde sat on the floor beside him and laid her head down beside his. Their hands were still clasped together.
A few minutes later the doorbell rang, interrupting the painful slide into unconsciousness that Duo had been on. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Quatre go to the door and open it.
Catherine Bloom, Martha Vendomme, and a tall, unfamiliar man walked in.
"We came to help," Catherine said.
"Help?" Quatre repeated in confusion.
"We can help him heal faster," Catherine said, gesturing to Duo.
"How?"
"It's something shape shifters do – we heal faster than humans, and if we are with our pack, we heal even quicker."
"But – Duo isn't –"
"Our magic doesn't really discriminate. It will be drawn to his magic, and it will work to heal him."
Quatre looked over at Duo.
"No," Duo said.
"But –"
"I am not going to cuddle with three shape shifters who would rather kill me in my sleep anyway."
Martha smirked at his response, but Catherine sighed in frustration.
"We are trying to repay you for the kindness you showed Martha tonight."
"Wasn't for her," Duo insisted.
"All the same, I am obliged to help you," Martha insisted and it was clear she wasn't any happier with the situation than he was. She glared at Catharine, but the other woman ignored her.
"Stop being an idiot," Quatre jumped in when Duo opened his mouth to protest further.
Duo sighed at Quatre's frustrated tone. The blonde would no doubt drown himself in guilt if Duo was in pain longer than necessary.
"What do I do?"
"We'll need to get your clothes off – it works best with skin on skin contact."
"But I barely know you!" Duo tried to joke.
Catherine did not look amused. She turned to the man beside her.
"Ralph, help him undress. Quatre – is there a room with a bed?"
The blonde looked a little embarrassed, but led Catherine and Martha out of Duo's line of sight.
A moment later, strong arms lifted Duo.
"This is fucking ridiculous," Duo muttered, refusing to look up at the man carrying him.
"Not at the top of my list of fun things either," Ralph assured him.
When they arrived in the guest room that Duo had stayed in last week, Ralph gingerly set him down on his feet and started to strip him.
The act of pulling his shirt off of his back had Duo actually crying out in surprised and renewed pain before he could stop himself.
"Oh my god," Ralph said as he surveyed the damage. "You didn't say it was this bad."
"I didn't realize – there was too much blood," Martha said, sounding defensive.
"He smells good," Ralph added, and Duo felt the man run his nose through his hair.
"So not the time," Duo complained.
"What – what can I do?" Hilde spoke up.
"Who are you?" Martha asked, a sneer in her voice.
"I'm his servant."
Martha laughed.
"How unfortunate for you."
"You should join us," Catherine said after a moment of silence. "Having you close will help, and we could use the extra magic – and you are no doubt feeling some of his pain anyway."
Catherine guided him to lie down on the bed, and a few moments later he felt warm, naked bodies pressed against both of his sides and across his legs.
"So… what happens now?" He asked into the pillow under his face.
"Now you try to get some sleep," Catherine told him, "and we promise not to kill you in your sleep."
"'K," Duo closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain. It was surprisingly easy. The body heat from the shape shifters made him feel as though he were wrapped in some enormous heating blanket. He could feel their magic, wild and bestial and so different from his own, reach out and wash over him. Hilde's magic mixed with theirs, and he reached out towards her, trying to hold on to her magic. She was to his right, and he laid one hand across her warm body, pulling her closer.
"This time," Catherine added just before he passed out.
Up Next: More unnecessary complications, and Heero returns.
Definitions:
Council: the body that presides over magical creatures and users in the US. The Old Council refers to the European Council.
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.