Have you ever wished for an endless night?
Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight
Have you ever held your breathe and asked yourself will it ever get better than tonight?
Tonight
-Lyrics to 'Glitter In the Air' performed by Pink
Crimson Ties Part 48
Stumbling back further, Meiran's wide eyes never left the smirking young woman before her. "What's wrong?" the brunette asked as she slowly approached the Vampire. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
The raven-haired Infected was not one to normally be shaken. There was little to nothing that could ever render her so panicked with fear that she was unable to react. Only now, she was far more than scared, standing in the clearing with the human who was believed to be long gone. She was terrified.
"B-but you're... you're dead," the immortal vixen breathed in her continued retreat. "I saw the reports on your attack. There was no way you could have survived an assault like that. You can't be real."
The silver-and-green eyes locked on her sparkled with mischief. That glimmer of wickedness turned deadly when Sharon looked to the slight dip in the snow that had been the spot of her demise by the Preventers.
"Oh, a handful your kind did their best to kill me, but I assure you, I'm very real," she replied with a snarl and curl of disgust on her lips. Pausing in her footsteps, she focused back on the Infected and chuckled deeply, "We all are."
'We' was all that Meiran could think to herself before there was suddenly a ring of dark-clad individuals standing around her. Her back rigid, the Vampire slowly spun around to take in the pale faces and silver-ringed eyes lit by the moonlight.
If her heart were still beating, it easily would have stopped as she recognized each and every one of the men and women around as belonging to the missing person reports in the Preventers' files.
Only... simply being in their presence as she was, the Infected was beginning to question just how human they actually were.
Another thought washing over her, she composed herself enough to regain that fire. Glaring heatedly, Meiran kept her fangs in plain sight as she turned to face Sharon again. "How do you know my name? What did you mean that you were waiting for me?" she hissed.
"Relax," Berber grinned. "Our maker has been looking forward to an audience with you." Tilting her head, she added in a put on sweet voice, "And there's no need for you to waste your time on making threats against us or rejecting his invitation. You really don't have a choice in the matter."
Quickly raising a hand, the mortal's fingers sent off strings of electrified webs that tangled themselves around the Vampire. Crying out with the pain of being bound so tightly by the surge of white-hot energy that was burning into her flesh, Meiran was thrown over a strong shoulder of one of the men.
Furious, the Vampire thrashed against the blanket of webbing that tied her from the neck down. Every time she shifted, however, the strands of glowing nets only bit all the harder. "Release me!" she shrieked, doing her best to peer over the shoulder she was hanging from. "I am going to kill every last one of you... whatever you are!"
Voices rose up to chuckle deeply. With a frustrated scream, Meiran threw herself forward to sink her fangs into the muscular back of her captor. The moment her teeth reached the skin through the sweater, however, they bounced back as though they had come up against thick steel.
Snickering, the face of the Hispanic creature rounded to meet her eyes. "Nice try," he complimented with anything but warmth in his tone. "Make another attempt at that and things are only going to get all the more unpleasant for you."
The Infected swallowed roughly as she stared into those brown-and-silver eyes. Reluctantly, and only because she now realized that fighting would be futile at the moment, she nodded shallowly and sagged down heavily in what she would see was a temporary defeat.
"Let's go. We'll hold her in a cell until our master returns to the lair," Sharon's voice ordered. "Dorothy said that we should not take too much time here. They're going to be here before sunrise. Cover our tracks as best as you can manage on our way out, Kenneth."
To her wonder, the dark-haired beauty lifted her head to watch with wide eyes as the dark sky was covered by thick clouds that had been nowhere in sight. Now, that same blanket engulfed the moon and stars along with any light they had been giving off to plunge the world below into eerie blackness in seconds.
Flakes, thick and heavy, fell when the wind died down to prevent them from drifting. At the rate that the snow was falling, what footprints might be present would be covered over in no time. Whoever 'they' were that had the creatures so concerned, they wouldn't have any way of finding a trail by the time they arrived hours from now.
Biting her lip to fight back the growl that wanted to be unleashed from her chest, the Vampire's eyes glared at the ground that blurred away behind her when her assailants rushed through the thick forest in blurs of themselves.
A small smirk curling the corner of her mouth, the Infected greatly looked forward to looking on the creature of this new band of mutated monsters. They certainly were not Rogues. Not at all the kind of Rogues that she and her family had expected were out there.
Whatever these beings were, and whoever their leader was, they would all pay for attacking Meiran Khushrenada. She was going to make sure of that. In the meantime, she would just remain still and quiet until the right opportunity to strike... unless she could still work her way into gaining favor with them.
Either way, they would all know the force that she was.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"It's snowed recently," Trowa noted aloud when he stepped through the thick cover of trees into the opening. Scanning the white sheet laid out before him, he frowned, "I can't even make out the divot where Sharon fell anymore."
Heero grunted a quiet affirmative as he walked up to his cousin's side. As the two who first discovered the scene, they remembered very vividly how the surroundings should have looked had they remained undisturbed.
A deep frown on her face as she stopped between her teammates, Lady Une slowly scanned the opening that was just beginning to glow with the first brilliant rays of sunlight breaking over the horizon. As one of the joint Commanders of the Preventers, she always made sure to see the crime scene of all of the victims herself at the end of every hunt.
It was, in a sense, a way that she could pay her own homage to the humans lost. There was a good chance there might not be a funeral, their families hopeful that their missing loved ones might some day be found. So, this was the best she could offer as a last farewell from one of the few who knew what had happened and cared about the fallen.
For this particular location, things were a little different. Now knowing the extent of the brutality shown to poor Sharon Berber in her last minutes on the earth, the Councilwoman was glad that her resting place had been cleaned as best it could be by the elements. If she had to see what Noin and Anna had seen, it would have made this visit particularly difficult.
Closing her eyes, Lady Une said a silent prayer for the young woman taken from the world. Quickly picking up on what she was doing, Trowa and Heero followed suit. As his own head bowed, the Japanese Infected reached into the confines of his jacket to grasp onto the gold cross hanging from his neck whilst he prayed.
After a long silence, the Commander's brown-and-gold eyes opened and she turned to face her teammates so that their gazes could meet. "Alright," she grinned, "Let's go home." Barton smiled widely at the order, falling in step behind her.
Staying back a few paces, Yuy smiled and brought the cross up to his lips to give it a quick kiss. "We'll be together again soon, Duo." That said, he bolted off in a blur of himself after his fellow Preventers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Meanwhile...
Panting heavily at the end of another skirmish against both Wufei and Anna, Duo held his glowing scythe staff over his head. "Yeeaa!" he howled excitedly. "You didn't even get one hit in this time!"
The redhead brushed back her loose bangs that had fallen from her high ponytail and adjusted the crossbow on her wrist, unable to hide how pleased she was with her wide smile. "I'm most impressed," she giggled sincerely. "In the last three weeks, you've picked up a great deal."
Nodding, Wufei smirked, "I've certainly never seen anything like this before. It's exhilarating to actually have a bit of a competition from a human."
Duo counter-turned the halves of his scythe to retract the blade, shrugging, "Aw, well, I've just had a great teacher." Winking, he nudged his brother-in-law on his way past to join Midi as the 'little mother' appeared at her bench with a tray bearing a jug of fresh, cool water and a glass.
"It's a hell of a lot more than just that," Chang muttered under his breath as he looked to his wife. "And I have no idea what else is responsible for it." Anna shrugged, a thoughtful frown on her own face.
Polishing off two large glasses full of water, Maxwell sighed deeply. Wiping his mouth with the back of his arm, he leaned in to kiss his cousin's cheek. "You're a life saver," he grinned widely. Chuckling, Midi shook her head in amusement.
Over the course of her watching the braided living in his training, her reserves and concerns had evaporated completely. Now that he was able to perform in his full armor beneath his clothes, there was little to no need for bandages or ice packs.
In fact, there were a couple of times when the mothering Infected was shockingly more worried about Wufei and Anna being able to keep up with their little brother.
"So, I'll get to be a Preventer in no time now, huh?" Duo smirked to his siblings as he rejoined them. At their raised eyebrows, he waved and laughed, "I know. I know. Fat chance of that ever happening." Though they were well aware he was joking with them, the relief was still as clear as day on the Vampire's faces as their shoulders sagged.
Patting his pupil's back, Chang smiled, "I will say that there is little doubt that you'd give one of our own a run should they ever make the unfortunate decision to go after you." Satisfied with that, for now, Duo beamed.
Midi tossed her mortal cousin a couple of towels, snickering, "You look like you've been swimming all afternoon. I think you're done for the day. Get back home and get to the shower. Dinner will be ready by the time you're finished."
Famished, Maxwell blushed at the loud sound of his stomach growling at the mere mention of food. "Sounds good," he smiled sheepishly. Staff tightly in hand, the teenager turned on his heels and hurried from the shed.
The moment they were alone at the closing of the door behind the living, the Vampire locked gazes. "I think I'm going to be paying Father Maxwell and Sister Helen a visit," the brunette commented softly. "There might be something they know about Duo that they're not letting on. They were the ones to agree to take him in from the hospital that treated him after his parents died."
Nodding, the scaly Infected watched her move back and forth as he replied, "Not a bad idea. If anyone might know what it is about him that we're missing, it would be them." As he rubbed the back of his neck, he sighed, "Who knows... we might have a clue to why his parents abandoned him as they did."
"Duo's special," Anna whispered, her eyes staring at the floor and mouth twisted in a pained frown. "Every child's special, of course, but he's especially unique. What parent wouldn't have seen that in him? What parent would have left him in the world without anyone to help him understand who he is, or what he's capable of?"
Instantly, the Infecteds' heads shot up with wide eyes. "Unless they knew," the redhead breathed. "They very well may have been perfectly aware of what they were doing... of how he was going to be left in the care of our kind."
Chang rubbed his chin, recalling aloud, "Duo did say that his parents told him to wait a while before going into the harvest temple. They must have been hoping that it was our own that would take him in."
"If that's the case, what do we do?" Midi asked, her voice on the edge of sounding frantic with her worry. "We could always call Quatre to maybe find something in Duo's DNA, or like I said before, we could have a talk with Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. If anyone would know everything about him, they would."
Shaking his head, the scaly infected responded, "We're all getting ahead of ourselves here. Duo will have to be the one to decide any of those things when he's come to accept that there may be more to the mysteries in his life than he's realized. When he's ready, we'll help him find the answers then."
Her ponytail bouncing with the nod of her head, Anna seconded, "Agreed. He's had enough to deal with these last couple of months. If too much is put on him, he could break down completely."
Swallowing roughly at that, the 'little mother' complied wholeheartedly, her own head nodding. A thought coming to her, Midi's golden brown eyes grew as she gasped, "Oh, his dinner! I have to get back to it!" That said, she disappeared in a blur.
The immortal couple left behind chuckled and shook their heads in amusement. Placing a quick kiss on her husband's cheek, Anna complimented, "You're doing a wonderful job training Duo, love. I couldn't be prouder of you." Chang smiled sweetly.
"I better give our dear cousin a hand in the kitchen before she runs a hole into the floor," The Irish Vampire smirked, turning to head out. Before she could manage a couple of steps, she was stopped when a scaly hand caught hers. Turning to meet the onyx-and-gold eyes watching her, she blinked in surprise.
Frowning, Wufei ran the back of his free hand along her jaw, questioning softly, "Is everything okay, Anna? These last few days you've seemed... sad somehow. And you know I'm only my happiest when you're happy."
Was that only because he felt guilty, as Meiran had suggested? Pushing that damned weed of doubt away again, the redhead smiled the brightest smile she could manage. "Just missing Heero," she answered. It was only a partial truth, of course. But it was a truth as it was a big reason for her sadness.
And Wufei was able to accept that as a fair enough explanation. Leaning in to kiss his wife gently on the lips, he grinned, "I should have figured, knowing how close the two of you are. The end of the hunt must be approaching, so I'm confident that he, Trowa and Lady Une will be home soon." Nodding, Anna giggled and pecked the end of his scaly nose in appreciation.
Lightly swatting the Irish Infected on her rear with the sheath he removed from his waist, Chang snickered, "Go see to Midi." Eyeing the tousled floor mat and crates that had been used for cover and target practice, he offered, "I'll clean up in here before I join you."
Not needing to be told twice and have her cheerful mask slip away, the redhead was off in a bolt. Running his free hand over his dark hair, the scaly Vampire sighed as the thoughts over his braided brother's abilities flooded him with questions and concern.
"I do hope you will be home soon, Heero," Wufei muttered. "I have a bad feeling that Duo is really going to need you here soon."
* * * * * *
Changed into fresh jeans and a clean, deep orange sweater, Duo stepped out of his bedroom as he finished tying the end of his damp braid. Whistling a cheery tune and tossing his rope of hair over his shoulder, his steps were light as he headed for the stairs at the end of the hallway.
Passing the study, both the song and the living's steps came to an abrupt halt. His head turning, he stared into the darkened room. Slowly walking into the doorway, he flipped the light switch to take in the tall shelves filled with books of every genre ever written.
This was Heero's favorite place. And since the Infected had gone off on his hunt, Maxwell couldn't bring himself to set foot inside. It was hard enough to already know that his Chosen was well out of his reach. Forcing himself to face the glaring evidence that the house was especially empty without the Vampire.
However, there was a very good reason for Duo to be in here this time. Swallowing roughly, he crept upon the wooden cabinet against the furthest wall. Opening the top drawer to remove the silver key inside, he undid the lock to the main double doors at the center of the ornate woodwork.
Gently pulling the doors open, the teenager took in the Companion band locked safely in its glass case inside. Heart pounding in his chest, he carefully removed the rectangular box. Setting it atop the counter of the cabinet, he removed the case lid and set it aside. Under the light, the gold of the band shimmered as he reached inside with both hands to free it.
There was absolutely no question, even now, in Maxwell's mind that he was ready to take that step into becoming a true Companion. All that he needed now was for Heero to return home so that he could tell him.
So content with his choice was the braided living that he was still grinning even at the end of his dinner as Midi cleared away his plates nearly an hour later. Knowing that his band was safe in his bedroom, just waiting to be permanently placed on his arm, everything was ready to be right in the world.
"You know, I've been wondering," Duo began, turning to face his siblings seated across the table from him, "With the mutations that have been around in Vampires, has there ever been an Infected that sparkled in the daylight?"
Onyx-and-gold eyes wide, Wufei sat stiff and motionless in his chair... spare for his hand that gripped the emptied glass in his hand so hard that it shattered in his grip. Rolling her eyes dramatically, Anna sighed, "Oh, here we go again." Lightly patting her husband's shoulder, she sighed, "It was just a silly book and movie series, love. No need to let it rile you up for the umpteenth time."
Glaring in frustration, the scaly Infected snapped his head at the redhead, snorting indignantly, "Just a series!? You do realize that the Twilight saga has done our kind as much of an injustice as the Rogues that give us a bad name, don't you!?" Her back to her family as she washed the dishes, Midi's bouncing figure gave away the laughter that she was fighting,
A voice from the doorway snickered, "Was there a reference to sparkling Vampires in your presence, Chang?" Gasping, the lot turned to find Heero smirking as he leaned in against the frame. Just behind him, Trowa stepped up to take in their family with an amused glimmer in his eyes.
Cheering and laughing, Anna and Midi were the first to swoop in and greet the returned Infected. Their arms wrapping around their counterparts, Yuy and Barton kissed their cheeks as they were clung to. Chang exchanged one-armed embraces and pats to the backs of his brother and cousin.
Slowly rising to his feet, Duo's growing violet eyes drank in his Other as he reunited with the rest of their family.
But when their eyes met, everyone else in the room completely vanished... physically and literally at the sound of the estate's front door closing. Not sure as to whether it was Midi or Anna that ushered the others away, the teenager realized that he didn't even really care at the moment.
Heero was back, safe and sound. That was the only thing mattered to Maxwell... that and making sure that the Vampire was well aware of how happy he was to have him where he belonged.
Even Yuy seemed to pick up on the difference in his Chosen's demeanor, picked up on the fire in his violet eyes. Matching that heat flame for flame, the Infected stepped forward at the same time as the teenager and they closed the distance between them in a rush. Lips locking with a bruising force, they groaned as their tongues explored each other's mouths.
Panting heavily when he finally pulled away for air, the braided teenager rested their foreheads together as their eyes opened. "I love you, Heero," he breathed. Gasping sharply, the immortal's eyes widened with disbelief. Swallowing roughly, Maxwell begged softly, "Take me. Make me yours."
"Duo," the Infected whispered. Cupping his partner's face in his cold hands, he warned, "If I start this, I... I won't be able to stop." His smile only turning mischievous at that, the living leaned in to claim his Other's lips once again. The living poured all of his need and want into the exchange to make his intent known.
Properly encouraged, Yuy's eyes drifted closed with a moan. Scooping his Chosen up into his arms, he easily carried him through the house and up the stairs to his bedroom. As he felt himself being lowered onto the mattress on his back, Duo was the first to frantically start pulling away at the Vampire's clothes.
What began as rushed and forced when their bodies were completely stripped and pressed together, soon calmed into a slow and thorough worshiping of each other. Once every inch of flesh was touched and his soon-to-be-lover was prepared, Heero propped himself over the living and slipped inside. Their voices rising in cries of ecstasy, their hips moved in unison to an easy, passion-filled rhythm.
His back arching, Maxwell's eyes drifted closed against the unexpected tears that filled them. Never before had he felt more loved or cherished than he did right then as he was joined with his Chosen. Groans and panting filling the air, they resumed their nips, licks and kisses throughout their lovemaking.
And then, no longer able to hold onto the world, the Infected and living screamed out in their shared release. Bodies wracking from the waves of mind-blowing pleasure, both their breaths came in ragged pulls. Releasing his hold on Maxwell's member, Yuy slipped beside him to make a quick cleanup of the remnants of their coupling.
Lightly running his discarded shirt over his lover's sweat-dampened chest that seemed to glow in the moonlight that poured into the room, Heero smiled to himself as he drank in the sight. Mentally and physically exhausted, Duo fought to keep his heavy eyelids open as he watched his Vampire with a small smile.
Tossing aside his shirt, the immortal made quick work of reaching for a sharp object from the dresser beside the bed. As he reached up to his own neck, he nicked his flesh there to cause a slow stream of his blood to flow. Trembling in anticipation, he carefully held the back of the teenager's braided head to lift it.
With a sigh, Maxwell allowed his lids to drift shut again, wrapped his mouth around the small wound and drank his Chosen's blood with abandon. The taste... and the feel of the moment was nothing like what he'd expected. Not only was Heero sweet to take in, but the scorching ecstasy that washed over him was as powerful as his orgasm. Shuddering against him, Yuy let out a deep sigh of his own rapture.
The living knew that he was changing with every drop of blood he drank. And yet there was only warmth and acceptance to the painless shift into his new identity.
Officially a Companion to the most wonderful creature to exist, the braided youth hummed in content as he felt his head being lowered back onto the pillow. There was a shift along the bed and seconds later, he sensed the cool, gold band being wrapped around his right arm.
At the soft snap of its two halves locking into place just as he and his Vampire had, Duo was officially the happiest person alive... or whatever he was now that he was turned into an immortal.
Slowly opening his eyes, he turned his head to stare at the gold and crimson ring hugging his bicep. Chuckling softly, he shook his head, "This just feels so... natural." He turned his head back up to refocus on his lover, breathing, "Thank you, Heero." Yawning, his eyelids began to lower again as he muttered, "'m pretty tired."
A loving smile on his face, Yuy replied softly, "It's all a part of your turning." Shifting, he kept his Companion close against him and pulled the covers over their naked, linked bodes. Gently settling down with his partner nestled comfortably, he urged, "Sleep now, my Duo."
His Duo. A wide grin spreading across his lips at that, the teenager closed his eyes and leaned into the cool chest that his head was pillowed on.
Sleep came instantly, warm and inviting as the change took its hold. And in the morning, he would be greeted by a whole new life when he woke.
TBC...
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