Banshee Part 7

Not yet.

Focus, I told myself and finished the last diagnostic. Whatever this was, I could worry about it later...

My phone chimed softly at me as I stepped away from the workstation and surrendered my place to the stressed out dragon beside me. "Try it now," I told her as I fished the phone out of my pocket.

As I had expected, it was from Chang- a query on my status. Finished, I replied, knowing that I was done early, and fully expecting Chang to ask me to do a few more before ending the day.

One day on the job had proven to me that the tech department had needed another person. Hell, they really needed about three more people... every shift I worked was crammed with calls.

And when I wasn't working- there was Duo.

I couldn't remember being this happy before. I felt needed- busy- useful- everything here was so nearly perfect...

Except for the thought that Zechs was out there- no doubt looking for me still. Was he the reason for the prickle along my spine?

The thought nagged at me- if anyone had seen Duo and I together- then he'd suspect the dragons...

"It's fixed!" The dragon looked up from her workstation and gave me a grateful smile. "Thank you so much! I thought I'd lost everything!"

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could help." Two weeks here had taught me that the dragons believed in good manners- not that I was tempted to treat anything that could bite me in half with less than perfect courtesy. My phone chimed again.

One more? Apt 541. I was surprised- only one? But that number was familiar- fairly close to my apartment- it had to be someone I had visited before.

Sure enough, Trowa was waiting for me on the balcony.

"Sorry," he said as I landed beside him. "I seem to be having some connection issues-"

"Not a problem," I assured him as I followed him inside. Much to my surprise, Duo was there, sitting at the small kitchen table. He looked up and gave me a warm smile. I felt the slight tug of my own magic from the ring on his ear- here was the problem. What had happened? Quickly scanning him, I couldn't see anything wrong. But something was- for one thing, his shift in the archive still had an hour to go- and Duo wasn't the type to skip out on work.

"They let you leave early?" I tried and his smile faltered a little.

"We had an accident in the archives today," Trowa's voice was even, but I caught the look he cast towards Duo, and I bit my lip. What the hell had happened?

"It wasn't a big deal," Duo shrugged and pushed himself away from the table as I sat down in front of Trowa's computer.

"No big deal for you, small heart attack for me," Trowa countered and I wished they'd get to the point. Duo leaned over my chair, studying the screen, the picture of nonchalance.

"What happened?" I tried, attempting to be patient. Trying to shake the answer out of a reluctant dragon, even one like Duo, wouldn't be good for my health.

"One of the cases fell over," Duo said quickly. "Nothing major."

Trowa growled. "It fell over on you-"

"What?" Unable to stop myself, I took hold of Duo's wrist, giving him a small shake. "Are you okay? Did you-"

"I'm fine."

"Bruised," Trowa interjected, his voice still rough.

"Bruised?" I questioned, and Duo sighed.

"Just a little. I saw the medic- honest- I'm fine." His hand covered mine and I realized my grip on his wrist was too tight. I let go and turned back to Trowa's computer. Duo wasn't telling me everything- but I knew I'd have to be patient to get the answers I needed.

"Any visitors in the archives today?" I asked Trowa, knowing he'd be a better source of information at this point.

"Not that I saw, but I was out for most of the afternoon. Were there any, Duo?"

"No. The sign in sheet was blank. It was just an accident." Trowa snorted, but Duo continued: "Stop that. It had to have been an accident- you know those shelves are old-"

The connection problem seemed to be nonexistent. Not that I was surprised.

"They're also spelled against accidents-"

"And those spells are old too. So one failed, big deal." Duo shrugged.

Trowa snorted again. "I also know that a certain someone is getting very angry- and he knows you were the last person to see Heero before he vanished-"

I whirled around at that little revelation. "How do you know that?" Not that I didn't have a good idea...

"Quatre."

Of course. "Does Quatre know where I am?"

"He doesn't want to know. Zechs is- getting a little physical with his people these days- Quatre is trying to stay out of the line of fire." Trowa's mouth thinned and I felt my stomach flip. I knew what Zechs was capable of doing...

"Is he hurt?"

"He's just bruised." Trowa drawled in a tone that didn't match his expression. Duo flinched. "I'm not happy about it."

"Neither am I." Especially now that we could add Duo to the 'bruised' list. "I don't think he'll stop at bruises." I warned. "Zechs can be... imaginative. I'll go talk to him-"

"Hell no," Duo cut in with a growl and Trowa shook his head.

"No. That's not an option." He shrugged. "Besides, it doesn't matter if Zechs guesses you're here. He knows damn well that if he openly breaks sanctuary, he'll be in trouble. The most he can openly do is try to demand your return-

"But She wouldn't cave to his demands," Duo interjected. "You know that."

"Zechs knows it too. So I wouldn't discount an underhanded attempt- like a little accident in the archives." Trowa frowned at Duo. "Like the last time."

Duo slumped for a moment. "It was an accident." He insisted again, but without any heat. It was time to move this discussion elsewhere.

"I think I fixed the problem here," I said to Trowa, tapping lightly on the keyboard.

"Thanks," he replied, not even looking at the machine. "Duo- why don't you take Heero home? I think I need to talk to the Matriarch."

That sounded like a great idea to me. I followed Duo to the balcony and watched as he shifted. Sliding onto his back, I nodded to Trowa. "Good luck."

He acknowledged my comment with a wry nod, and as we left the balcony, he shifted, winging his way down towards the Matriarch's chambers.

Duo landed on my balcony a few moments later, following me inside after shifting back into his human form. Watching him carefully as he crossed the room, I could tell he was feeling his bruises- he moved a little stiffly, easing himself down onto my sofa with the slightest of winces.

"I still think it was just an accident," he said and I realized that he'd been watching me watch him.

"Accident or not, I don't like it." I'd bound myself to him- given him my magic to carry- but I hadn't gone far enough. My magic resonated with my attachment to him- I needed to solidify things between us if I wanted to be able to offer him better protection.

But would he accept it? Working with the dragons had shown me they were stubborn and proud of it. Hopefully he'd accept it...

"It will be okay. Zechs will give up eventually- he's got to know he can't get you out of our sanctuary-"

"He's not going to give up."

~*~

"He's not going to give up." I watched as Heero headed towards his closet, a frown still creasing his forehead.

Damn Tro anyway. If I'd known he'd had a computer problem I'd never have let him force me to go home with him after the docs had cleared me. I'd just thought I'd have a chance to figure out why he'd seemed so on edge recently.

Guess that question had been answered- Zechs had obviously damaged Quatre somehow. Damn it all to hell.

But why hadn't Tro claimed sanctuary for Quatre? Why not bring him here where it was safe?

Unless he didn't really think it was safe.

Hell... I guess it wasn't just me in my paranoia. I knew as well as Tro did that there was no way that case would fall over on it's own. But I couldn't think... I didn't dare think that there was something going on again... not without that panic, my old familiar enemy, clawing at my gut, burning in my throat...

Accident, I told myself firmly. It had to be.

The cushions beside me shifted and I opened my eyes- when had I closed them?- to find Heero beside me, perched on the arm of the couch, his guitar cradled in his hands. "You're hurting," he said simply and I opened my mouth to argue with him.

But before I could, he struck a chord on his guitar and the words deserted me. Somehow I ended up stretched out on the couch, my head near his feet, as he sang to me.

The ache of my bruises faded, and the feeling of panic that had been coiling through me, threatening to overwhelm, eased, soothed by the music that he played for me, echoing through my soul, causing the gift he'd given me to reverberate in my ear, a relaxing counterpoint.

I hadn't known he could do this. He'd played for me before, in the evenings, out on the balcony- never seeming to notice the audience that surreptitiously gathered around us. Drawn in by the music- even more entrancing than it had been in that elven club- he was so beautiful.

Even now I wanted to reach up and pull him down to me... but we hadn't done more than kiss... and if I did... the song would end...

I'd hoped he was feeling at home. That he'd grown comfortable with the Compound- with me. That he'd soon open up and share why Zechs was after him, why he'd been abandoned by his own people- things that I was sure he'd told the Matriarch so he'd be allowed to stay- but things that I'd hoped he'd share with me, simply because...

Was I hoping for too much?

He smiled down at me- that smile that caught at my heart- and my worry faded. If he could do this- why-?

His song ended and my thought vanished, unfinished. Putting his guitar to the side, he slid down to curl into my embrace, his lips brushing over my jawline. "Better?" He murmured, and I turned my head to catch his mouth with mine.

"Much," I managed after a moment, and he made a soft sound of approval against my lips. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to roll him over and push him back against the cushions of the couch. But... "Why? Why don't you think he'll give up?"

Heero's dark blue eyes blinked in surprise and then focused on me with an intensity that was nearly disturbing. "I have- or rather, had something he wants."

He did? But- "What is it? I'm guessing you can't just give it to him-"

That surprised a laugh out of him. "I already gave it to someone else."

"Can you- that is-" Could he tell me? Would he confide in me? Had I gained his trust?

"Tell you what it is?"

"I don't mean to pry- if you told the Matriarch-"

"I did- she guessed actually." He didn't look away, his gaze was still focused on me. "You see- male Banshees are natural magic channels- they can pull it from nearly any source."

"What?" Hell, no wonder Zechs wanted him! A channel was a source of great power- but it was a rare gift among the magical races- or so I'd thought...

"Yes- but they can only channel for their mates- no one else can draw on that power."

"But your females are already powerful-"

"That's why they are. They can use their mate as a source of power without touching their own."

Oh hell. That explained a lot. "That seems sort of disturbing. I mean- if they can do that, what's to stop them from draining their mate completely?"

"Nothing at all." The corner of Heero's mouth quirked in something that wasn't quite a smile. "You can only hope that your mate treasures you enough to be careful."

"Crap! Zechs wanted you to claim him as a mate, right? So he could use you to pull power?"

"Yes."

"He'd drain you without a second thought." Or worse... what would Zechs do with that sort of power available?

"I know. That's why I refused."

Something he'd said earlier made my chest contract painfully for a moment. "But if you already gave it to someone else- why was he after you?" Did Heero have a mate back among the Banshees? Why wasn't he with her? Why-?

"I only gave it away recently. When I was at the Grove I wasn't bound yet. I told him that my magic had to speak for someone, that he couldn't have it, but he kept insisting that he could make it work."

"Your magic had to speak for someone-?" Who had it spoken for? Who had Heero met here?

"Yes. We were told to wait for the right one, that our magic would let us know when we found them." He leaned forward, his lips brushing my ear.

The ring he'd given me, the sign of friendship, chimed joyfully at his touch.

"Me?" For a moment I wasn't even sure I'd spoken aloud.

"You," I felt him smile against my skin. "It spoke for you, Duo of Free Nation."

In shock, I could only blurt out the first thing that came into my head. "But- I'm not a Banshee-"

"I'm only part."

"I'm not that powerful a magician- I mean- how could you trust- I don't even- what if I accidentally drain you-?"

"You won't."

I rolled away from his steady gaze and covered my eyes. "Don't you think you should've at least talked to me about it first? It's all very well to say that I won't, but- at the very least we could've talked to the Matriarch-"

"I told her. She was happy."

"She- what?"

"Duo, listen to yourself. How can I not trust you? You're worried about misusing it. Worried about hurting me. Did you think Zechs worried about things like that? You were kind to me- even when I was rude. You saved me- multiple times- and found me sanctuary here." His voice dropped. "Even if you aren't interested in me as a mate, you are someone I can trust. Besides- the magic spoke for you."

"Truly?" I uncovered my eyes and looked at him. "Are you sure?"

"You heard the music when I placed this here?" His fingertips brushed the ring again.

"I can hear it now."

He smiled. "Then I'm very sure."

"You took a risk- if I'd used my magic- been attacked- I might have drained you without realizing-!"

"You have to be aware of it to draw on it," his smile warmed. "Relax Duo- you'll do fine."

"Fine for you to say," I grumbled at him. "You still could have asked first-"

"I should have," he curled closer. "But- you'd done so much for me- and the magic was insisting you were the one- and well..." His tone dropped into a caress. "I couldn't help myself. Forgive me?"

Like I could resist? "Of course. I'm just... I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. Think about it. Even if I do end up in Zechs' hands- he can't make me channel magic for him now that I've given that to you."

"He could try to take it from me."

"He can't. Once given, it's permanent. Even if he does catch you somehow- you'll be able to blast him without a second thought."

"Killing you in the process."

"Hardly. I told you- we can channel a lot of power- look for yourself."

Closing my eyes, I did as he asked. Hell, I needed to know. Focusing inward, looking at my power levels as I'd be taught, I was aware of a new reservoir of power... and it was...

Holy hell....

Cursing, I opened my eyes and stared at the banshee beside me. "That's-"

"Better off in your hands than in Zechs'."

"I don't know." Shaking my head, I tugged him close to me. "That sort of power is awfully tempting."

"What does it tempt you to do?"

"Honestly?" My mouth curved into a toothy grin. "I am tempted to go and... well, not blast, but definitely bruise Zechs..."

Heero laughed outright.

TBC...

 

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