Look at the faces, Listen to the bells
It's hard to believe we need a place called hell
The devil inside The devil inside
Every single one of us the devil inside
-Lyrics to 'Devil Inside' by INXS
Crimson Ties Part 51
All of the blood that was slowly flowing through Duo's body seemed to rush into his head, making his ears ring loud enough that he couldn't hear the gasps and cries of surprise that rose up behind him.
There had to be a mistake in Quatre's research... or he simply misunderstood his friend.
Shaking his head when his head cleared, Maxwell laughed, "Damn, I must have heard you wrong, buddy. For a second there, it sounded like you said I have Vampire DNA in me." Suddenly, Heero was right by his side, a concerned expression on his face as he wrapped an arm around his Companion's shoulders.
It was that gesture and look, along with Winner's rough swallow, that brought home the reality of the matter. Silver-and-violet eyes widening, the former living slowly looked back to his roommate. "I-I did hear that right?" he stammered in a breath, his shock and disbelief dripping from his voice. "I'm a V-Vampire?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, Quatre winced. "Well, yes, you are," he answered. "And based on the structure of the strands of your makeup that I broke down, I can tell that those chromosomes came from a female of a close relation... in your case, your mother."
With another laugh, a sharp one this time, Duo cheered, "Ah ha! Then there was something wrong with the test! Both of my parents were human. Neither of them had rings around their eyes, or cold and pale skin. There wasn't a thing about them that wasn't living."
Seeming to only have a harder time with the topic now, the blonde ducked his head and stared at the floor. "I know. That's why I ran my study over and over to confirm my findings. And they came out the same every time to only have me make one conclusion," he muttered.
That conclusion ran through the others in the room like a rampant wave that shot the tension in the air to new heights. His fists clenching at his sides, the Companion glared heatedly at the blonde as his body shook with bridled rage.
Unable to meet his friend's changed eyes, the scientist murmured, "I don't think that the man and woman who raised you were your real parents, Duo. At least I'm certain that the one who claimed to be your mother was not."
Before he was even aware he had lunged forward, the braided immortal felt the front of the living's sweater gathered in his tight fist at the same time that two pairs of strong arms wrapped around his torso to try and hold him. "You better fucking take that back!" he screamed into Quatre's wide eyes and pale face.
"Duo!" several voices shouted from behind in a chorus. Only then looking back, a fire in his silvered eyes, did he realize that it was both Heero and Anna hanging onto him, keeping him back as the others looked on with enlarged, startled gazes. Blinking in shock at his snap of rage, Maxwell's body slackened and allowed his family to pull him between them.
In a bolt, Relena was at the living's side to free him from the Companion's grasp. A little shaken but fine otherwise, Winner wisely fell back a couple of paces with her just to be safe.
Meeting his lover's concerned stare, the newborn immortal's eyes began to shimmer as he pleaded brokenly, "There has to be a mistake, Heero. My parents weren't Vampires, but they were my mom and dad for as far back as I can remember. Something has to be wrong with the analysis."
Yuy swallowed roughly. Cupping his partner's face with a deep frown, he whispered, "Duo... I drank from both of them. There wasn't a trace of Vampire in their blood for me to find." He bit his lip before he concluded softly, "But you know as well as I do that Quatre wouldn't lie about what he found. If he says that your mother was a Vampire, you know he's only telling you what he knows to be the answer you've been looking for."
An unintelligible sound broke from Maxwell as the tears rolled down his cheeks. Numb to his core, he stumbled past his family and friends as they parted for him, he collapsed onto the couch to slouch forward and bury his face in his hands.
Everything that he knew... or thought that he had known was falling apart at the seams. He was part Vampire!? That was impossible... wasn't it?
Try as Duo might to convince himself that there had to be some other explanation that would make all of the doubt and confusion go away so that things could go back to being as normal as they could be, he was losing that mental fight. Heero was right. Quatre would never have come forward with his findings if he hadn't gone over them time and time again to make sure that they were accurate.
So... all this time he was a Vampire. A Vampire!
And his parents were very likely not what he thought they were, either.
How in the hell had the world suddenly turned so upside-down?
Without removing his hands from his face, the braided immortal could feel the cushions on either side of him shift with weight while another presence knelt before him. Something fell on his left shoulder and an arm wrapped around his back while the creature before him gently rubbed his legs.
Very slowly revealing his dampened face, Duo swallowed roughly in finding Heero's pained golden eyes staring up at him. Sniffling, he took his Vampire's cold hands into his own and took an instant comfort in the contact. To his left, Wufei kept a scaly hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder and Anna remained half-draped against the Companion's right with Trowa and Midi close by in the wings.
Just seeing all of the Infected that had come to accept him so unconditionally, standing by him no matter what without a single question or demand for something in return, it all changed the situation. Suddenly, all of Maxwell's anger, confusion and fear were a little easier to deal with in his reminder that he wouldn't have to take it all on alone.
Heero's hands tightened around his lover's as a physical calm fell over him. Blinking his drying violet-and-silver eyes, the newborn Companion focused on his Vampire and he whispered, "Sorry. I just... it's all a bit much to take in at the moment." An encouraging smile spread across the Infected's face as he nodded shallowly.
Peering up to see Winner standing in the doorway with Relena's arm still wrapped around his shoulders, Duo groaned, "Quat, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go after you like that-" His apology was cut off when his roommate raised his hand in the air with a deep chuckle.
No longer looking on his braided friend in terror, the scientist grinned, "No need for any of that. All things considered, that kind of reaction was understandable." Wincing, he shrugged, "Clearly, I still need to work on tact when it comes to communicating." The Infected standing around quietly snickered at that remark. The last bit of tension in the room dissipating, everyone present was able to ease considerably.
Anna leaned close to the Companion beside her, commenting, "I personally think that this is wonderful news." When the widening silvered eyes fell on her, she smiled sweetly, "We've all just come to learn that you're one of us in a way, brother. And now we all have something in common that we can help you through." Shaking his head, Wufei chuckled softly as he gave his wife a wink and a proud smirk.
Moved by that simple and compassionate sentiment, Duo's breath hitched in his throat. Fighting off the sharp prickle in his eyes, he closed them and leaned in to press and hold a kiss against the redheaded Infected's cool cheek in appreciation. "You always did know how to cheer me up, sis," he whispered sincerely.
Sighing deeply, the silver-eyed immortal dry-washed his face to rid it of the tear traces. Heavily leaning back into the sofa, he kept his hands laced with Heero's as he asked his blonde friend, "I'm taking it that not all of my DNA is Vampire, the closest male make up in my system is human?"
Instantly perking up, Quatre walked towards the Companion. "Yes," he nodded, "that's the most incredible part of this whole thing, Duo. You're the first ever known hybrid, a pure crossbreed between the two species. Believe me, if there were ever another like you, they would have been discovered and announced as Vampires cannot reproduce. Only livings can."
Waving his hand out before himself, the scientist exclaimed excitedly, "And yet here you are! Flesh, blood and bone proof that there was at least one Infected that could successfully bring a child into the world! To say that you're one of a kind would be a gross understatement, my friend! You are the only creature to have been a product of the only two spans of existences in the world!"
"Great," Duo snorted, staring up at the ceiling. "So my parents," stopping himself short, he shook his braided head, "or whoever the hell they were left me behind to figure all of this out on my own. They could have had the decency to at least given me a heads up on something like this."
A sudden thought coming to him, he sat upright in a bolt with enlarged eyes. "Holy shit," he breathed. "They were trying to tell me about this by leaving me at the temple. I was told to wait a while before going inside, so they wanted me to run into where I belonged." Burying his hands into the hair in his scalp, he cried, "And I ruined it by running off the way I did!"
Wufei pulled the Companion back by the shoulder as he urged, "If that was truly what they had intended, how could you have known that, brother? And in the end, you found your way back to us as you needed to anyway." That bit of logic setting in, Duo relaxed again.
Hesitating a moment, Midi worried her hands together at her wrist, frowning, "Do you think that perhaps there may be more to this that Father Maxwell and Sister Helen are not letting on? They're the only people who spent the years with you. Perhaps they may have noticed something that they held on to for your protection."
It was certainly a possibility... one that coursed a shiver through Maxwell's whole body. As much as he never wanted to think that his adoptive 'parents' had hidden such a secret from him, he couldn't deny that there had to be at least some clue to his unique makeup.
"That's... not out of the question," he sighed, running a hand through his bangs. "And it's not the kind of thing that I want to discuss with them over the phone. I'd want to see them in person as soon as possible."
Nodding, Trowa offered, "We could drive out to the church together at first light, if you'd like. No need for you to seek whatever answers they might have on your own. You just tell us when and we'll be there for you." Heero, Anna, Wufei and Midi all nodded in agreement.
Duo smiled to them, "Thank you... all of you. We'll head out together, then." Swallowing roughly, he rubbed the back of his neck. "If it'd be alright, I could really use a little time alone to process all of this."
There was not a single objection raised. Before they stepped from the room first, Zechs approached his braided friend to shake his hand as Noin kissed the Companion's cheek. Relena followed her siblings to give Maxwell a tight hug and Quatre patted his roommate on the shoulder. Turning on their heels, they moved from the room and through the front door of the estate to return to their own homes.
As the last of their family to reach the new Vampire, Treize took a deep breath and promised him, "I will have every resource available brought to my disposal as a member of Congress and start digging up anything that may have been hidden about your identity as well as your parents'. Whatever you may learn from your guardians you need only share that knowledge with us and we will do whatever we can to help."
"You may not be of our bloodline," Lady Une added with a small smile, "but you are still family to us. Anything you need, we'll be here to provide whatever we can."
Blinking his growing eyes, the braided immortal breathed, "T-that means a lot. Thank you, so much." he rose to his feet to properly embrace the Infected. Lightly running her chilled fingers through the Companion's bangs, Lady Une winked and led her husband out.
Midi kissed her cousin's cheek and enveloped him in a tight hug. "You know where to find us if you need us as," she whispered. Her husband moved in to give the newborn Vampire a one-armed embrace. Following their example, Chang and his redheaded bride gave their own one-on-one exchanges with their little brother and followed their cousins from the room.
When his siblings reached the doorway, Duo called, "Wufei. Anna." When the Infected looked back to him, he asked, "Don't go too far. I could use a good sparring session to burn off some frustration before we head for the Maxwell Church."
Their lips curled in understanding smirks. "Of course. We'll be in the training room for whenever you're ready," the scaly Vampire replied, nodding firmly. That said, he turned back towards Anna as their hands linked and their steps carried them away from sight.
Biting his lip, Heero rounded his lover to cup the side of his face. The deep frown of concern that had yet to move from the Infected's face finally shifted into a tiny grin of encouragement. Leaning in, he claimed his Companion's lips with his own in a soft and sweet kiss that was returned tenfold with a soft sigh.
"I'll stay close," Yuy vowed softly when he pulled back, their mouths brushing every so slightly together as he spoke. He was in the process of turning when he was stopped by a hand that gripped his arm tightly. Spinning back with wide golden eyes, he found his partner smirking in amusement.
Duo tugged his Vampire towards the couch, snorting, "Damn right you're staying close. I didn't mean for you to disappear on me." Chuckling softly, Heero's shoulders sagged in relief and he gladly stretched himself out on the sofa. A loving smile warming his face, he opened his arms to his Companion who was quickly curling up flush against him.
Closing his eyes, the braided immortal released a long breath from his lungs slowly as he burrowed the side of his face against a strong shoulder. Ghost kisses traces along his forehead, the side of his face, neck and any other patch of exposed skin that the Infected could reach.
After a long, comforting silence between them, Heero whispered in awe, "So, I have the most remarkable of creatures as my Other." Shaking his head, he grinned, "I don't know what I ever did to deserve such an incredible gift, but I will be eternally grateful for you, Duo."
Behind his closed eyelids, Maxwell could feel the threat of tears coming on again... only these came from a place of happiness.
Just as he had vowed earlier, Yuy wasn't going anywhere. Strange as their situation had become, it was nothing that they wouldn't be able to face head on together. That simple truth was about the only thing holding Duo together. If ever there had been a doubt before to whether or not their love would be enough, they were forever silenced now.
"I love you," Duo whispered, his silvered eyes peering up at his Vampire.
That beautiful, private smile that Heero only showed to him lit his face. Closing the distance between their lips again for a scorching kiss, he poured all of his devotion into the exchange. "Truly and deeply," he breathed in kind when he pulled away. His head tilting, he asked, "Is there anything more that I can do for you right now?"
Shaking his braided head, his Companion answered, "No." The tone in his voice took on the need in his aching soul as he requested, "Just keep holding me for a while... please?"
"As you wish," Yuy grinned, tightening his arms around his lover all the more. Rewarded with another kiss pressed against his lips, the Infected's smile spread further across his face. Closing his silver-and-violet eyes again, the younger Vampire leaned his head back down and soaked up all of the comfort from the hold on him.
Duo knew that there were still many questions with answers that he might not want to learn. But everything would be fine. There was nothing that he couldn't deal with now...
...not with the most remarkable creature in existence at his side.
* * * * * *
Carefully lowering his bag to the floor of Midi and Trowa's living room, a certain scientist's hands were practically shaking with anticipation. "So much more work to do," he muttered anxiously to himself. Bending at the waist, he began to undo the zipper to the case as he told himself, "I'm still not anywhere near finished piecing all of this together yet."
A deep frown marred Relena's face as she entered the space with the heads of the estate. "Quatre?" she called in concern. "What are you doing, dear one?"
So wrapped up in his task at hand, the living completely missed the endearment. He did, however, take a moment to pause in removing his gear to meet the Vampires' gazes.
Quickly straightening himself, the blonde held his arms out at either side of his body and said in a rush, "There's more to Duo's blood that I need to find out. Heero's still becoming far stronger than he should be, even though he is drinking from a hybrid. I need to know why that is. It could only help all of us to know how his makeup works since there are no other crossbreeds in the world to go by."
Midi stepped forward, shaking her head, "But the hour is very late for you, friend. And unlike the remainder of us, including Duo now, you need your rest. There's no hiding the dark circles that are under your eyes."
Waving a hand in the air, Quatre sighed, "I can sleep later, once I know what's going on." Yes, he was tired, the caffeine that he had been drinking steadily for hours now wearing off. And perhaps he was struggling to stay upright, but there was still more to learn. So much more.
Her arms folding across her chest, Relena commented, "You won't exactly be doing anyone favors if you can't keep your eyes open through your research. Mistakes happen that way, and your mother told me what a perfectionist you are in getting things done right."
As if he had been slapped in the face, the living all but stumbled back from those words. It was the only thing that his mother always warned him of that would get through to him if ever he began to overwork himself. Mistakes due to fatigue were unacceptable.
Shoulders slumping in defeat, Winner raised a finger as he smirked, "Not fair for you and my mother to conspire like that against me."
Bowing her head, the Councilwoman giggled, "My apologies for doing so." Slowly lifting her chin again, she shrugged, "However, when it comes to your well being, I cannot conform to rules of 'fairness.'"
Quatre snorted. The longer he just stood there, the heavier his eyelids became. Almost swaying on his feet, he still peered down at his opened bag of gear with regret. If only he were a Vampire... or a turned Companion. Then rest would no longer be a concern.
"If it makes you feel any better," Trowa began, a smirk curling the side of his mouth, "you can always sleep in here instead of your room. That way, you'll be able to resume your work right away after you've had all the sleep that you need."
That... was certainly a compromise that the scientist could work with. Running a hand through his short bangs, he nodded. "Alright," he sighed. "Alright, I'll turn in." Too fatigued to change, he simply kicked off the shoes and socks from his feet and headed for the long sofa.
Before he was finished lowering himself onto the cushions, Winner looked up to find a pleased Midi with a paid or folded blankets and a couple of soft pillows in her hands.
Snickering, he accepted the offerings and made a 'bed' for himself with them. As soon as he settled down into the warm recesses of the covers, his eyes drifted closed as sleep finally pulled him into its embrace.
Content that their friend was well off in the world of dreams, Barton and his wife smiled to each other and walked from the room. Lingering, Relena bit her lip as she watched the scientist rest. Her nerve gathered, she walked up to the living and bent at the waist to press a quick kiss against his cheek.
In his slumber, Quatre sighed and a small smile tugged his lips as he burrowed all the deeper into his cocoon of blankets. A shy grin curling her own mouth, the Councilwoman ran a hand through his blonde hair before she stepped from the room.
* * * * * *
Meiran winced against the bright light that poured into her pitch black room when the door to her cell suddenly few open with a crash. Her vision quickly adjusting, she watched as Dorothy and two very strong looking male Others entered, their steps sure and filled with purpose.
Glaring heatedly at her captors, the Infected snapped, "What the hell do you want?"
Unaffected by the ire directed at her, the lovely girl's silvered eyes sparkled with merriment. "Our creator has returned," she announced. "And he is most anxious to meet with you." Turning towards her escorts, she gestured with her head towards their prisoner.
The raven-haired Vampire's fangs grew in as the Others approached her. "Don't. You. Dare. Touch. Me," she hissed. Though they could easily manpower her both by sheer strength and whatever enhanced gifts they had, the two males peered back at the blonde behind them.
Dorothy chuckled, "Not to worry. We are not interested in anything more than seeing you to our master. My friends are only here to provide a matter of protection to you along the way."
Protection? Frowning deeply, Meiran did ease a little when the tall guards flanked her but never moved to lay a finger on her. Slowly drawing a deep breath, the Vampire rolled her shoulders back and stood tall with her head high. The blonde Other giggled softly and turned on her heels to lead the way out, requesting, "This way, please."
As anxious as she was to step beyond her cell, the only room that she had seen since her arrival however many days before, the vixen immortal kept her face blank and her pace steady behind her guide. The moment she stepped out into the open, her gold-and-onyx eyes took in her surroundings.
Dark walls of cracked and deteriorating brick were wet with running water from broken pipes and holes that exposed the building to the elements. Every now and then, damaged metal treads and beams broke through the ceiling and sides of the dimly lit facility that only had the glow of spaced out overhead lights. Her heightened sense of smell had Meiran's nose twitching at the strong scent of mildew in the damp air.
It must have been an abandoned warehouse of sorts, the Vampire reasoned to herself. And it was a massive one at that.
Most drawing of her attention, however, were the dozens upon dozens of narrowed, silver-ringed eyes watching her intently above and below the catwalk that she moved along. Along with there just being so many of them, those grayish rings were glowing. In those stares, there was a rage and hatred the likes of which actually shot a wave of fear through the unshakable Infected.
Suddenly, Meiran was very grateful for the protection that flanked her. Every one of those Others watching her looked as though they wished to tear her flesh away to the bone. Their bodies vibrating at having to hold themselves back, those men and women snarled and growled at the Infected as she passed them.
"I would not step far out on your own," Dorothy warned, peering over her shoulder with a lopsided smirk. "You would not last long, seeing as how greatly outnumbered and overpowered you are here. Though your demise would be a bit a bit of a nuisance, you wouldn't be missed enough for even our creator to wish to save you."
The Vampire lost a bit of her pride in her stance, but she managed to hide her rough swallow. Clearly, the tides were not exactly in her favor as she'd originally believed.
Maybe she was in over her head this time.
Finally, after many twists and turns around the catwalk with levels overhead and below their feet covered with Others, Meiran took solace in being shown into a room with a hole in the wall that overlooked the moonlit ocean. Though she did not need the air, she still took a deep breath of relief when the guards shut the door behind them to close away the rest of the volatile world of Others looming about.
Quickly adjusting to the flickering candle light throughout the large space as well as the glow of the moon that poured in through the opening in the wall, Meiran gasped to herself in recognizing two beings in the far corner. Sitting on the floor, the two children that had been included in the Preventer's report of missing people killed by Rogues were playing with dolls, toy vehicles and building blocks.
And in the tall-backed chair beside them, a very handsome creature sat as though he were on a throne. Short, blonde hair shifted with the tilt of his head as his silver-and-violet eyes shone with interest. "Meiran, I presume," he grinned kindly enough to his guest. Opening his arms, he greeted, "Welcome to the start of what will eventually be my kingdom."
Slowly rising to his feet, the pale-skinned entity smirked, "My name is Solo. And I have been most anxious to meet with you."
TBC...
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