Something Furry Part 13

Duo stood behind the cash register, staring blindly out the window into the dark. Once Relena had left, Wufei had hauled Heero off to the fae to discuss strategies. Meiran and Sally had vanished into the back room to talk- Duo could hear their voices rising and falling around one another, but he didn't try to focus on the words.

Tomorrow night, Heero would be facing Relena in the place of challenge, and Duo couldn't help the fear that coiled in his stomach at the thought. He didn't want Heero to be hurt...

If she hurts him, I'll tear her throat out...

He shook himself, blinking. Right. As if he'd even be able to get close enough to try. Relena was a fierce fighter- only his grandmother had been able to take her down.

A tapping noise made him look up. His grandmother stood outside of the shop, her fingernails tapping on the glass of the window. She beckoned to him and he cast a glance back over his shoulder. No sign of Sally...

Cautiously, he went and opened the front door. His grandmother gestured and he joined her on the sidewalk. "What do you want?"

Une tilted her head to the side and frowned at him. "Is it true that mate of yours accepted the challenge from Relena?"

"Yes," Duo frowned back. "Why didn't you tell us she was the driving force behind giving Heero a tiger mate?"

"That's council business," his grandmother's eyes narrowed. "Figured that out, did you?"

"Yes."

"Your mate knows it too?"

"I mentioned it to him after she left."

"Do you think he can beat her?"

Duo swallowed hard. "I don't know. We've been practicing-"

"Can he use his magic in his leopard form?"

"Yes." Duo bit down on his lip. He shouldn't be telling her this, he knew he shouldn't. But... she was the leader of the Pride... and if he refused...

"Do you want to help him win?"

"Of course I do." He glared at her. "What are you up to?

"I want to help your mate win," Une said gently and stepped close to him. "It's easy- all you have to do is get in the car." She gestured at the car parked behind her.

That was all? Duo hesitated, peering into the backseat of the car. No one was in it. What was his grandmother up to? "I have to tell him I'm leaving-"

"I'll take care of that."

"It will help him win?"

"Yes." Une's voice dropped lower. "You know I don't want Relena to beat someone that I chose to bring into the Pride. I need to have him win, grandson. You know I do."

That was true enough....

"Duo," she said and sighed. "We're running out of time. I order you to get into the car."

With that of course, he knew he didn't have a choice...

~*~

"Where is he?" Heero slammed his fist down on the counter and glared at Sally. "I wasn't gone that long!" Had he been? It hadn't seemed longer than an hour- and he hadn't thought Duo would be in any danger not with Sally and Meiran and his own protections...

He should've known better...

"I know!" Sally shouted back. "I heard the door open- but I thought it was a customer! I don't know where he is! Meiran is out asking the neighbors-"

"You're the psychic!"

"Something is blocking me!" Sally's anger drained out of her and she slumped on the counter. "I'm sorry Heero- I'm trying! I am! But- there's nothing- when I try to find him- there's nothing..."

Heero wanted to shake her- but he knew it wasn't her fault- he could see her distress. "What could block you?" As far as he knew no magician could- futures could be confusing or change at a moment- but Sally could always see-

"I don't know!" Sally covered her eyes. "I try to focus on him- look at his future- and he's not there-!"

"Dead?" Wufei said in a soft tone and Heero's hands tightened on the edge of the counter.

"I don't... I don't know. I don't think so... Dead usually gives me a sense of something- you know it does- but this is just... nothing. Blankness..." She shook herself. "Besides- he was warded! Nothing should've been able to get close to him!"

But something had- guilt washed through Heero. Something had taken Duo- taken and hidden him. How? Had he made a mistake in the protections he'd placed on Duo? Relied too heavily on Sally's ability? If only he'd been more careful...

Wufei picked up the phone. "I'm calling the teahouse- maybe one of the fae-"

"We were there," Heero pointed out. "When it happened- none of them said anything-"

"You know how they are. Let me try."

The shop bell jangled and Meiran, marched in, looking angry. She tossed an envelope on the counter and breathed out a plume of smoke. "Someone on a bike tossed this at me," she said and snarled. "I wanted to chase him- but the traffic was too dense- he was gone so fast-"

Teleported? Heero wondered as he ripped the envelope pulling out the paper inside.

Want him back? Win the challenge. Until then, he's ours.

There was no signature. Who had done this?

The paper crumpled in Heero's fist. "I'll kill them for this."

TBC...

 

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