Genre: Supernatural / Fantasy
Pairings: 3x4, 1x2, 6+1, 13+1, 13x6x13, 13+OC, 5+2
Disclaimer: I own nothing. That's all.
Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, language, mental instability, possible OOCness, violence, abuse
Who Am I?
There was a reason for it. It was a damn good reason. You did the right thing. What else could you do?
Over and over. A repetitive litany that had become a personal mantra. And yet, why did cobalt eyes reflect back such hollow disappointment? An empty kind of resignation?
He is not for you. You cannot have him. You would hurt him. You did the right thing.
Then why did he feel so guilty? The first moment Heero had ever seen Duo, he'd felt an instant attraction. If it had been merely physical, he would have been fine with it. But it was worse. So much worse than that.
I had to. I had to protect him. From them. From . . . HIM.
"Heero . . ." a silken cold voice called from below.
Heero didn't so much as blink at the sound of Krysonia's voice. He continued staring blankly at his reflection. He wasn't sure which emotion was strongest as a plethora vied for dominance. Regret? Sorrow? Despair? Fear? They were jumbled to the point where they blended and merged, no longer distinct.
Krysonia's reflection appeared behind him. "Someone told that fool Defense Council about my husband and Zechs," she said. "There are warrants out for their arrest. I suppose I do not need to say this cannot happen."
"You knew it was just a matter of time," Heero said in a surprisingly dull voice. "Besides, I thought you wanted this."
"Oh, make no mistake about that, sweetheart," Krysonia purred, her cold fingers gripping Heero's chin and pulling his face around.
Finally breaking the spell that seemed to have fallen over him. He gazed into her colorless eyes.
"The Prime Minister's son is heading the search, Sonia. He's bright. I've met him. So have you. And he's not human, either."
"Don't worry about him, love. He's of little consequence. But I'm curious as to why you let him take in that sweet little werewolf. I would have thought you'd want to keep him to yourself when Braudon and his idiot friends were exposed."
Heero's heart wrenched painfully in his chest. "I 'let it happen' to keep him away from me," he ground out.
Krysonia laughed, an exceedingly cold sound. Even her gaiety could not thaw her arctic chill. "Heero my sweetling, I have been alive far, far longer than you. And I know for a fact this noble side of yours will vanish like a tiny, pitiful candle flame finally frozen over by winter's ice. I will see to it."
Behind her, Treize and Zechs materialized out of the darkness of the hall. Heero's heart began pounding. No, I don't want this.
His fear didn't show on his face. In fact, his face betrayed nothing at all as the three surrounded him. Inside his emotions were turmoil. He let them remain that way, because it was only a matter of time now before he could no longer feel at all.
-
Quatre and Trowa searched all night. But the dark never revealed the little werewolf it so maliciously hid. Fervently glad he wasn't human and could therefore go much longer without sleep, Quatre tirelessly pursued his search. That feeling of unease had gotten steadily stronger as night reluctantly gave way to morning and surrendered to dawn.
Even the morning was wearing thin when Quatre finally found him. Lying curled up on the ground was Duo, completely naked. His eyes were closed, and his skin was white as sheet. His face, shoulders, arms, and chest were covered in cuts—the glass, no doubt.
Leaping off his horse, Quatre all but flew to him, but about five paces he stopped, literally repulsed by the thick and choking evil aura that lingered over the area. It was so strong Quatre had to choke off the urge the retch. Eyes watering, he looked around for a visible source for the feeling. There was nothing. But he wasn't sure he could safely step across that seemingly harmless stretch of ground to Duo's side. That could only mean one thing.
Duo was lying in a Necromantic Web. Necromancy was so vile using it was quite capable of tainting the very air. Sometime in the near past someone had used necromancy in this very spot, leaving behind tendrils that gathered into what had eventually been called a web. Judging by the sickening feel of this web, whatever had been done here had been especially vicious.
Reaching into his saddlebag, Quatre extracted a small silver mirror. "Trowa," he said.
Less than a second and Trowa's face appeared. "Did you find him?"
"Yes," Quatre said, "but he's been caught in a Necromantic Web. I can't even cross over to get him."
"I'll be right there."
A few seconds more and Trowa stepped out of thin air by Quatre's side. His brilliant green eyes took it all in and he frowned. "That must have been a foul spell. Perhaps even a Soul Separate."
Quatre watched as Trowa's skin began to glow as though surrounded by a pale gold halo. He stepped over the threshold into the web and carefully lifted Duo's thin body into his arms. As soon as he was back out of the web the glowing nimbus vanished. Even with the protective spell the sorcerer still looked a little green.
"Shit, that had to have been a Soul Separate. I've never felt such an evil web. He's barely alive, Quatre."
Heart thudding sickeningly against his ribs, Quatre nodded sharply. "Take him back to the estate. I'll bring the horses."
Giving his lover a long look, Trowa wordlessly complied.
-
It wasn't merely for Quatre's sake that Trowa had become attached to Duo. The little werewolf was just so . . . cute. Ever since Duo had come into their care Trowa had read every piece of literature he could find concerning them, but the sources of useful information were few and far between. But one thing stuck out clearly in his mind right now.
Werewolves were extremely sensitive to both sorcery and necromancy. As such, Duo would be doubly susceptible to the evil influence of the web. He'd probably run into it sometime during the night. It was likely the little one had fallen unconscious immediately, suffering the poisonous effects of the web for who knows how long.
Sorcery was good for healing in some circumstances, but curing this type of ailment was beyond him. He wasn't even sure it could be healed. He hissed a curse under his breath. This was exactly why necromancy had been banished by the Prime Minister long ago. It was a filthy, despicable power. In his experience it was something individuals always abused.
Indeed, he'd never seen it used for anything but ill. Trowa made a simple elixir from willow bark to help with the fever. It was about all he could do. Getting the unconscious Duo to drink it was a bit more of a challenge. Trowa finally filled a fat syringe and squirted it down the boy's throat. It started Duo coughing and spluttering, but he didn't truly wake.
Trowa got the whole dose down Duo's throat when Quatre came running into the estate. "How is he?" he asked at once, removing his jacket and riding gloves.
Sighing, Trowa brushed damp hair off Duo's forehead. "You'll probably make a more accurate assessment than I," he said. "I'm not the healer you and your mother are."
Quatre examined the werewolf, and when he finished he drew away with a grave expression. "You gave him something?"
"Willow bark elixir," Trowa replied. "It was the only think I could think to do."
He was a little surprised—and dismayed—to see moisture gathering in Quatre's amazing aqua eyes. "He's really sick," the young immortal whispered, biting his lower lip. "This is my fault."
Trowa immediately pulled his love into his embrace. "No. There was no way you could know the sedative would wear off."
Quatre didn't break down and cry. Indeed, the half-elf, half-nymph was one of the strongest men Trowa had ever met. "I've only met one person who knows anything worthwhile about werewolves. I think I need to talk to Heero and find out if there's anything we can do."
"I'll go," Trowa said at once. "You stay with him. You could do more for him if his condition were to worsen."
"Thank you," Quatre said, leaning up to give Trowa a brief kiss.
The manor in which Heero lived seemed awfully big for one person. Trowa knocked and waited. A few moments passed and Heero opened the door. Though he'd not known Heero for long and hardly knew anything about him, Trowa still tensed inwardly. Something about the young man was . . . different. He couldn't quite place it.
"It seems I'm blessed with uninvited guests today," he said in a flat voice.
His eyes. The normal, calm warmth in his eyes was gone. In fact his eyes were like shards of ice. Trowa raised an eyebrow. "I apologize if you find my timing inconvenient. I am here on behalf of Duo. Last night Quatre and I fed him a sedative to help him sleep the night, but shortly after his change he woke and escaped."
"Then you did not give him a second sedative?" Heero asked.
"No."
"Therein is your mistake. The change absorbs a great deal of energy, including anything in the system. Such as food. Water. Drugs."
Trowa felt the first stirrings of anger. "And I suppose you did not see fit to explain this to us?"
"Perhaps I am wearied of being your personal encyclopedia," Heero shot back.
Quite taken aback, Trowa blinked. "Was I mistaken in believing you cared for Duo?"
"I am certain there are many things about which you are mistaken," Heero said by way of reply. "Including that you are welcome here." And he shut the door.
Completely mystified, Trowa remained for a few moments longer, staring at the closed door. What a bizarre exchange. It was almost as though Heero's personality had completely changed overnight. Knowing there was nothing useful to be gained here any longer, Trowa took his leave.
-
Quatre sat by the bed, head resting in his hands, when someone knocked on the estate door and rang the heavy bell. Startled, he rose from his silent vigil and went downstairs. The man standing on the other side was no one he'd ever seen before. He was tall, shining black hair drawn straight back into a ponytail, equally black eyes filled with a calm sort of . . . scorn.
"Can I help you?" Quatre said, trying not to make hasty judgments.
"You're the one who took him," the stranger said in curt tones.
Quatre blinked, thrown off. "What? Took whom?"
"That pup," came the surprising reply. "Duo."
That brought Quatre's guard back up instantly. "What do you want with Duo?" he demanded. "He's under my protection."
"Mine, as well," the stranger said. "I and my pack found him last night, running wild and frightened."
Wait. "Your pack?"
"Yes. Unlike you, I am a werewolf, alpha of a small pack that has taken up residence in the Greywinds Forest."
So many things ran through Quatre's mind all at once he couldn't sort through them quickly enough to make his mouth work. Finally he snapped, "Why did you leave him, then?"
"It was not my intent," the werewolf said, black eyes burning. "A necromancer came out of nowhere, and it became more important for us to escape detection. Unfortunately, Duo is too young and wild. He did not understand my instructions. In the confusion we were separated. I'd been searching for him for many hours when I picked up your trail converging with his. I followed it here."
Not sure what it was coursing through him hot and bright, Quatre gave the werewolf a cool look. "A fine way you have of making demands. I don't even know your name."
The black gaze moderated a bit. "I am Wufei. I am the one who would easily and gladly accept Duo into my pack. You're not equipped to give him what he needs. Not in any way."
While that was certainly true, it still rankled. Quatre held his peace.
"I know he ventured into a Necromantic Web," Wufei continued. "I can help him. You're at least half elf. I could use your healing skills if you would consent to help me, as well. The two others in my pack are only a bit older than Duo, and both of them were hurt last night thanks to that necromancer."
Quatre's mind raced. Perhaps this werewolf could help him hunt this necromancer. He knew very little about necromancy, but he knew Soul Separate was a particularly nasty spell that killed its victim instantly by forcing the soul from the body. So he made a split-second decision and nodded.
"Duo is very ill. I would appreciate any help you can offer, and I will help your friends as well."