I wasn't going to do more of this, but the crack, it called to me and talked in my head on the drives home this week.... I totally blame my stress levels....
Cat-shifting Pirates Part 2
Quatre had already started talking to the highborn prisoners, Duo noted with an inner smirk as he stalked the deck towards them. Had the Prince admitted his identity? Demanded to be set free? His people were a stubborn lot-
"Captain," Quatre greeted him and gestured towards one of the men beside the Prince. A bodyguard perhaps? "This one says he's in charge."
He switched forms, amused. "No. The one in the middle- that's the Prince." Oh, they hadn't expected him to know that. He grinned at their surprise. "Isn't that so, your highness?"
"I am Chang Wufei."
"Thought so." Was the man of any use at all? He leaned close to get a sniff of the Prince's scent, hiding his amusement at the way the bodyguards tensed. Did they expect him to tear their Prince's throat out?
Leather. Sweat. Fear. Nothing else. No desire, no heat. Pity, but all for the best really. Chang Wufei was handsome, but royalty was always troublesome. "No sign of it. We might as well let him go."
"Let me go?" The Prince asked, sounding surprised.
"Sorry, highness, but we don't hold people for ransom- and I doubt you'd be much use down below." Though it might be amusing to see the proud Prince down there, trying to manage an oar. "Besides- we take you and your father would send his whole navy after us. No thanks."
"What about the other two?" Quatre asked. Duo's lips twitched. He knew his second-in-command's preferences- he must want that brown haired bodyguard...
"They are my bodyguards!" The Prince snapped, in royal indignation. "You must release them with me!"
"Pardon again, highness, but it's not like they've done that great a job." Oh, that made the darker one growl. Interesting. "Let me see if they'd be any use to us-"
Moving on to the one that had Quatre's interest, he put his cheek against the other man's. Musk. Fear. And a trace of desire... "This one might be some use. What do you think, Quatre?" He tossed the bodyguard at Quatre with a wink.
"Oh, I think so. Can I keep this one?"
"If you like." He turned to the last one. The man glared at him over the gag that covered his mouth. Lovely eyes, even if they were angry at the moment. "Why is this one gagged?"
"I understand when they disarmed him, he tried to bite."
Bite? Hm. "Interesting."
This time, when he leaned close to catch the scent, he was overwhelmed. Desire. Heat. Need.
It was dizzying. Tempting. There was only one thing that could do that- and what the hell was he doing in service? Why wasn't he with them?
"Oh, and what have we here?" He pulled at the gag that kept the other's mouth from his, and tasted....
The scent grew heavier, inflaming his blood. Calling to it...
The mouth under his, shifted, welcomed his and Duo could barely breathe... so damn warm... so...
"Captain?" Quatre sounded worried. How long had he been lost?
"This one," he managed to pull away, nearly gasping for air. "This one is of the blood- and he's mine."
The face so close to his, that a moment ago had been awash with need, turned dark with fury.
The man head butted him, striking Duo's forehead so hard with his own that they both staggered. Duo had to let go, and the bodyguard- Who was he? What was his name?- threw himself between Duo and the Prince, snarling.
"I don't belong to you!" His voice was harsh with anger.
"You're one of us," Duo protested. "You can't hide that! Who created you that they didn't-"
"I'm not one of you," the man shook himself, as if he thought he'd be able to throw off the ropes binding him. "No one created me!"
Duo heard Quatre's indrawn breath. "A pure blood! Captain- he'd be worth a bloody fortune-"
The ropes binding the pure blood's feet snapped, and he lurched to his feet, his arms still bound to his sides- but Duo didn't think those ropes would hold him long. He roared at Quatre, showing teeth too long for a human mouth. Duo's eyes widened. He'd heard that the pure bloods were stronger and more in control of the beast, but- this was amazing.
No way in hell was he going to give up such a prize.
"Heero?" The Prince's voice was rough, and he looked almost frightened.
The man- Heero?- cast a look over his shoulder at his prince- and calmed. He stood, swaying slightly, head bowed, his breath coming in harsh pants.
Duo took a careful step towards him, and Heero lifted his head with a glare.
"I'm not something to be sold," he said, in a nearly conversational tone. Before Duo could answer that he had no intention of doing such a thing, Heero moved, throwing himself backwards, past the Prince and over the railing.
"Ah hell," Duo swore, and went after him.
TBC...
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