Never Again Part 6
Heero's fingers were clenched tightly on the steering wheel. Duo stared at them, knowing that something... something wasn't right. But he just couldn't put his finger on it... It was just... a bad feeling. Something was wrong... very wrong...
He glanced back over his shoulder at Quatre, huddled in the back seat, his eyes glazed and empty looking. Quatre didn't look right either.
A gentle touch on his knee made him look back at Heero. "It's all right, Duo. Everything will be okay."
Of course everything would be okay. Heero said so.
But... what was wrong now?
They reached Heero's apartment building and once out of the car, Heero took a firm grip on both Duo and Quatre, hurrying them towards the elevator.
Once safely inside the elevator, the doors closed, Heero pulled Duo into a tight embrace, his fingers tangling themselves in Duo's braid. "Too close," he murmured into Duo's skin. "Too damn close."
Duo held him back because it seemed like the right thing to do- but what was too damn close?
The chime sounded and the doors slid open. The door to Heero's apartment was open, a tall brown-haired man standing in the doorway, frowning.
That's one of the men from that picture Quatre showed me, Duo thought. Trowa.
There was something about the picture. Something he had to remember....
"Heero?" The man questioned. "What-? Why- Quatre! How did-?"
Heero pushed Quatre towards Trowa, nearly snarling. "Get him inside. Now. We have a problem."
Another man- the other one from the photograph- was inside, perched on the edge of a chair. He got to his feet as they came in. "Heero- what's going-"
"They were planning to run! He figured it out- thanks to your carelessness!" Heero snapped, gesturing at Quatre, standing blank faced in Trowa's embrace. "You scared him- and he found this!" He pulled the photograph out of his pocket and tossed it at the other.
"How could he have-"
"He found the bite marks! Between that- and the photo- and he apparently heard the two of you arguing over who was going to give him the final bite- he managed!"
How did Heero know all that? Duo wondered. He hadn't been there at that part of the conversation... had he?
"You damn well know how intelligent Quatre is! How could you be so fucking stupid-"
"It's not like we shoved the picture under his nose!"
"You might well have! He's so damn worked up I nearly lost him a few times on the way home! If he'd managed to convince Duo, I'd have lost them both!"
"Heero." Trowa's voice cut across Heero's anger. "Stop. We didn't lose them." He put his lips to Quatre's forehead for a moment, his eyes closing briefly. "Thank you for acting so quickly."
"Don't try and mollify me, Trowa! You know damn well-"
"I know- and I remember. Relax, regain your focus. We need you to perform the rituals and you won't be able to do them in the state you're in. Wufei and I will get the room ready. Calm yourself." Trowa tilted Quatre's head up and smiled at him. "You too, my sunlight. Don't fight me."
Wufei joined them, brushing his hand over gently Quatre's hair. "I'll get the room ready. You hold him." He looked at Heero. "Which one first?"
"Quatre." Heero sat down on the sofa, pulling Duo down onto his lap, Duo's braid still wrapped around his fingers.
"You won't be able to keep Duo calm and perform the ritual. One of us could-"
"I'll handle it."
Wufei frowned, but didn't reply.
"It's all right," Trowa told him. "The sooner we have a hold over Quatre, the better- especially if his memories don't come back. Heero can deal with Duo."
Heero buried his head on Duo's shoulder. "Let's hope so. I can't...He's so frightened of me now..."
Frightened? Am I frightened? Duo wondered. Is that what the bad feeling was?
Heero looked up, eyes narrowing. "And Trowa- you'd better give Quatre the last bite. He's going to be hell to hold on to afterwards if he doesn't remember-"
Wufei nodded as Trowa looked at him. "You're older," Wufei said softly. "And he was yours before. I think Heero is right."
Trowa smiled faintly. "Very well. Hurry and get things ready, please." Wufei vanished and Duo tried harder to figure out what was going on... his bad feeling was increasing...
"It's all right, love," Heero pulled him closer, his lips against Duo's throat. "It will be all right soon."
Duo wasn't sure how long they sat there, Heero holding him so close that it nearly hurt, before Wufei reappeared. "Everything is ready."
"Then I will prepare Quatre." Trowa turned to look at Heero. "You'll need to restrain Duo- once the ritual starts-"
"I took care of that too." Wufei dropped a bundle of rope and cloth beside Heero on the sofa.
"Thank you," Heero got to his feet, setting Duo gently on his. He scooped up the rope and cloth and led Duo down the hallway. In a room Duo hadn't seen the night before a bookcase was standing out from the wall- a hidden door, he realized- behind it was a small dimly lit room.
In the middle of the room was a large black stone block, altar-shaped, carved with pictographs. Beside it was a stone sarcophagus, painted with symbols that made Duo's eyes itch, filled with some glimmering reddish liquid.
Duo frowned. What was this...?
"Please!" The word burst from Quatre's lips. "I don't want-"
"Shhh, my sunlight. Do not fear."
"Let him finish, Trowa. What do you fear?"
Quatre's voice was rough, as if he was forcing each word out. "I don't want to be a vampire. Please. No."
Trowa's voice was warm and reassuring. "No fear, sunlight. We can't make you a vampire. That's not what this is for." He guided Quatre over to the large stone block. "Help me get him ready, Wufei."
Heero turned to Duo. "Give me your hands." Duo did so, holding them out obediently while Heero tied his wrists together. Then he sat as Heero tied his wrists to his feet.
He parted his lips, accepted the gag, even as he heard a soft whimper from Quatre.
Heero kissed him, a soft caress across his cheek, his jaw, his temple. "I'm so sorry for this, beloved." he said and got to his feet. Duo watched as he helped tie Quatre down onto the altar.
Wufei closed the door and handed Heero a golden cup. "Ready."
Heero closed his eyes, took a deep breath. "Then let us begin."
The fog that had been clouding Duo's thoughts vanished- and he realized exactly what Quatre had been trying to tell him- truly took in the sight of his friend stretched out on the altar- and of his own fate to come...
The gag muffled the sound of his scream.
TBC...
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