***MAJOR ANGST AND DEATHS THIS PART***
Grab your six gun from your back, Throttle the ignition
Would I die for you? Well here's your answer in spades
Shotgun sinners, Wild eyed jokers- Got you in my sights
Gun it while I'm holding on
-Lyrics to 'Hang 'Em High' performed be My Chemical Romance
Crimson Ties Part 60
"The building's almost finished being doused. What's the status outside, Josh?"
Waking along the high balcony of the Maxwell Church, the Other rounded to the front of the building to join the giant stone carvings of the saints. There was not so much as a single pedestrian walking the streets this night.
Because of the nasty weather that was brewing overhead from the wind that was picking up to the churning clouds that were beginning to produce thunder and lighting, it was not likely many of the living around would be venturing out any time soon. It could not have been a more perfect scenario for the burning that was about to take place.
Whoever Duo Maxwell was to the Master, he was going to be very sorry for ever crossing him before the evening was over.
As he peered out to the city that lay stretched before him, Josh raised his radio to his mouth and announced, "The coast's completely clear. Have the teams carry on, Ashley." Getting affirmative over the transmission, he silenced the receiver and hooked it to his belt. Quietly humming to himself, he rounded the statues along his path.
Suddenly coming across an unexpected sight, the Other's eyes widened and he hung over the ledge that he was on to confirm what he saw. Panic rising, he took in the sight of the car parked before the rectory that he had missed. He reached for the receiver at his waist when he heard something drop from overhead to land directly behind him.
Before he could even completely turn around, all that Josh could see was a flash of unruly hair and a clenched fist that filled his vision to black out the world.
* * * * * *
Relena tilted her head as she watched Quatre remove the tray bearing five vials of blood from the large incubator in the college's campus science lab. Intrigued as ever in watching the scientist at work, she moved to sit across from him at the long table that he had set up as his station.
His energy renewed, Winner carefully lowered his specimens onto the flat surface and rubbed his hands together with a wide smile on his face. "Now that the blood has been properly spun and warmed for a couple hours, I'll have an easier time cutting down the DNA strands to see what changes have been made to the Vampire samples when Duo's is added to them," he informed.
As the living took up a stopper to gather a few drops of Heero's crimson life force, the Councilwoman giggled, "You really are adorable when you are this excited." Gasping in realizing that she had actually spoken the sentiment aloud when Quatre's head shot up and wide eyes blinked at her, the Infected bit her lip and smiled sheepishly.
Instead of shying away from the compliment, as he normally would have in the past, the scientist took up a bit of boldness to smirk, "Maybe, but I'd never be able to hold a candle to you, Relena." Rewarded with a surprised drop of the Vampire's jaw, he chuckled and fought the blush that warmed his cheeks as he focused back on his task.
Practically glowing when her shock wore off, Peacecraft shifted in her chair in a rare feeling of self-conscious giddiness. Clearing her throat, she leaned over the table to have a good view of her friend's steady hand that was dispersing a couple of droplets onto a fresh slide.
"Do you think that you might be able to find the answers behind this mystery around Duo tonight?" Relena inquired, her own anticipation radiating in her golden eyes.
Hesitant for only a moment as he put a protective shield atop the tiny, red puddle that he had made, Quatre licked his lips and nodded, "I'm pretty sure that I should be able to see something soon." Slowly setting the slide beneath the magnifier of the microscope, he muttered, "At least I hope I will."
Drawing a deep breath, he peered through the eyepiece and reached for the tiny scalpel to prepare the long process of dissecting his specimen.
* * * * * *
The room was beginning to spin on Anna. After losing a steady amount of blood as she had for nearly an hour, the relentless abuse that was befalling her had yet to ease up. Weakened as she was, her healing ability was slowing down.
Before long, the redheaded Vampire's lungs would begin to fill with fluid and she would begin to perspire in the beginning of the end for her. Fighting to keep her eyes open and her legs taut so that she did not sag against the burning 'ropes' that were eating into her raised wrists, she conjured up every bit of strength that she could to keep from losing consciousness.
Anna had to stay alive for Midi... or else her cousin's fate would be even worse than what she was enduring if Donnie did not get his way.
Crying out when her own dagger embedded in her left leg, the Infected bit her lip against the tears that threatened to fill her eyes as the Other that had thrown her weapon ripped it out of her again.
"That's enough fer now," the tall Vampire lounging in the recliner ordered. "She needs more time te heal or I won't be able to have my turn at her." Curled up on the floor at his feet, Midi was shaking violently as she sobbed hard for her cousin.
Sharon and her accomplices smirked and pulled back willingly with a merriment in their eyes at having had their little 'game.'
Taking up the framed photo from the table beside him, Donnie rose to his feet and approached his head-to-toe bloodied, bruised prey. When he was near, he eyed the image of the smiling couple captured in the black-and-white imaged. "Your bloke, Wufei you called 'im, is quite the handsome fellow," he grinned. "I have to say you did well for yourself in finding him as your match."
Just the mention of her husband's name had Anna's vision watering over.
Oh, God. Wufei would be devastated if he couldn't get to her in time... if she didn't make it to have his arms around her again. Blood from the gash that ran along the right side of her hairline dripped down her face as she fought off a whimper at the thought of never seeing him again.
Leaning close to her ear, Donnie whispered, "What a shame it will be for him to find out that I was your first..."
He paused as he reached up to unlatch the side of the silver corset that the other Infected was wearing. As it fell to the floor with a loud clang, his fingers roamed over her exposed abdomen. "And your last," he purred.
Red hot rage shot through Anna's entire being and her fangs grew in; with a shrill scream in the instant they did, she lunged forward to plunge them into her captor's neck. She sucked in as much as she could before the wailing Vampire slammed a fist into her gut, knocking her back.
Though the blood in her mouth would have aided her healing, the redhead turned away and spat the vile fluid out. Panting heavily, she glared at the stunned brute before her and gritted through her teeth, "Fuck... you, you son of a bitch. Even when you do have your chance, I'd never be able to feel your little prick."
A broken cry rose from Anna when Donnie closed the distance between them in a blink to slam a fist across her face. Gripping her chin to force her wide eyes to look into his own burning glare, he hissed, "Big mistake, lass. It looks as though ye need a lesson in manners." As he stepped back to cover the bleeding wound in his neck with a large hand, he shouted to the Others, "Again!"
More than happy to resume their 'fun,' Sharon and her counterparts hurried back to make a ring around the fading Vampire. Lowering himself back onto the recliner, the tall Irish immortal smirked, "Our mutual friend will be sorry that she missed this. Seems as though she has had it out for ye as much as I have."
Blinking in confusion at that, Midi slowly raised her head to stare up at the monster over her. Donnie folded his arms behind his head, grinning to the pained face of his prize. "She did, however, ask me to send a message to ye." Leaning forward, he declared, "I won, ye little bastard child."
Instantly, Anna and Midi froze with wide gasps. "Meiran," the redhead breathed. The realization did not have a chance to fully set in before a whip snapped around her torso and sent a surge of electricity through her whole body. Reeling back, she wailed in agony.
Closing her eyes, Anna focused on making everything around her disappear by thinking of better and happier times. Heero came to the forefront of those memories, brining back the times that they would laugh and sing together back when they were all that they had.
Her throat thickened with a lump that had formed there, she swallowed roughly and sang in a soft whisper, "'Tis the last rose of summer... left blooming alone... all her lovely companions have faded and gone..."
There was a strike to her exposed lower back, but the pain was a little more tolerable. And so she just continued to sing.
* * * * * *
"P-pull over," a raspy, weak voice whispered faintly.
Blinking his growing eyes, Wufei looked down into the heavy-lidded eyes of the old man in his arms. "Howard," he replied just as softly. When their friend raised a pale hand to wave in the air, Trowa swallowed roughly and did as the scientist asked.
Slowly veering to the side of the secluded back road, the Latin Infected brought the car to a stop. Just ahead, Catherine's vehicle came to an abrupt stop before it reversed to park in front of them. Throwing her seatbelt off, the redheaded girl hurried outside to run towards the Vampires as Chang carried her grandfather into the open.
Her head of thick curls shaking as she ran up, the scholar frowned deeply, "W-why are we stopping? The hospital is another ten miles away." At the sight of the alert old man, she gasped, "Grandpa!" Biting her lip, she whimpered and carefully threw her arms around his neck. "You're going to be okay," she breathed.
A profound sadness crossing his wrinkled features, Howard reached up to pat the back of her head. "S-sorry, sweetheart. Not... gonna make it," his frail voice breathed. Staring up at the Infected he pleaded, "Can't... compromise the Preventers or... mission. Too important." Their golden eyes widening, Trowa and Wufei exchanged horrified expressions.
Pulling back, Catherine's skin paled as she replied softly, "But... but there has to be some way-" The old man shook his head and coughed up more blood, cutting her off. With a shuddering breath, the young woman was faced with the reality that the internal injuries her grandfather had endured were beyond any hope of mending.
Howard slipped a shaking hand into the breast pocket of the lab coat he was wearing to remove a small disk. "Y-you take care of things for me now, dear," he requested. Tears rolling down her face, the redhead accepted the data drive, took his free hand tightly into her own and forced down the lump in her throat.
Suddenly, the injured scientist's eyes grew large with a strangled gasp as a wide smile lit his face. "Clara..." he breathed. At her grandmother's name, Catherine bit back a sob when the hand in hers went limp along with the whole of the old man's body.
The last breath releasing in a deep sigh, the light in Howard's irises dimmed away.
Covering her mouth with both hands, the young scientist's own breath hitched in her throat. Lip quivering, she threw her arms around the old man, crying, "No! Grandpa!"
Wufei lowered his head and squeezed the still body in his hold in an appreciative embrace as Trowa reached over to gently close their friend's eyes. Barton rounded his cousin so that he could pull Catherine into a tight embrace. Wracked with her sobs and grief, the girl clung to him and buried her face into his shoulder while the Vampires allowed their own silent tears to fall.
It was the end of an era with Howard's death. But more than the legacy that he had left behind in his work for the Preventers, there would forever be a large hole left in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have known the man.
* * * * * *
"How many?" Duo whispered when Heero returned to him. Ducked together in the shadows of the courtyard behind the Maxwell Church, their shoulders were rigid with the tension that had been building since their arrival.
The Infected answered his lover calmly, "At least eleven." Drawing a deep breath, he added, "It appears that they have everyone rounded up in the church's basement."
His stomach churning at that, Maxwell hissed a wave of curses through his clenched teeth and focused on the cellar doors that rose from the ground behind the facility. Shaking his head, he muttered, "And I doubt that they're going to go down without a fight. If we don't do this right, they could hurt one of the prisoners."
Grunting an affirmative to the concern, Heero nodded firmly. "As much as I hate the thought of you going in, there's little choice on the matter at the moment as I'm afraid we do not have a lot of time."
Nerves on edge, the Infected informed, "From what I gathered from the conversations I overheard they've been here a while. So, they won't wait long to do whatever they came here to do," he stated. Glancing down, he growled, "Besides, they're going to realize their friend is missing soon."
Stretched out on the ground at their feet, the dark-clad young man that they had knocked unconscious began to stir as if on cue. His growl muffled by the gag in his mouth, the silver-eyed creature glared up at the couple as he fought against the metal restraints that tied his ankles and wrists together behind him.
Matching the fiery ire with his own gaze, Yuy sent a swift blow across the lookout's face to render him away from the world of the living for a while longer. The force of the blow made the creature's head bounce off the concrete a couple of times.
With a wince, the Companion warned, "Um... try to watch that super strength of yours there, 'Ro. He's not going be of much help in answering questions for us later if you go and break his neck now."
A smirk curling his lips, Heero shrugged, "Just making sure that he won't be causing any trouble while we're inside. That should take care of it." Biting his lip, he ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed, "There's another reason why we need to move now."
Duo didn't like the sound of that one bit. Turning his head to face his partner, he silently requested an elaboration on what he meant.
"I smelt gasoline in the halls that I managed to navigate through," Yuy frowned.
Violet-and-silver eyes widening, the hybrid gasped sharply. There was nothing more to be discussed or theorized on the matter. Already, they had risked taking too long by trying to get a lay of the grounds for a picture of what they were up against.
Gripping the staff of his scythe, Maxwell told his lover, "You take the side cellar doors and I'll take the back here." The opportunity to plan any more than that had passed. If they wanted to get to the children and the clergy that cared for them, they needed to move quickly and hope that they were not in over their heads.
Duo had charged himself the duty of looking after those trapped souls. They were his family and friends, dealing with creatures the likes of which neither he nor his Vampire had ever seen before. Whatever those beings were capable of had yet to be determined since the lookout that Heero had handled was taken by surprise and unable to react.
Revolver in hand, the Infected met his partner's eyes and told him firmly, "Do not move until you hear me enter the room first. I'll draw as many of those bastards to me so that you can lead the kids and clergy to safety with as few obstacles as possible."
Not exactly thrilled that his soul mate was going into dangerous waters alone, the Companion knew better than to argue the logic of the plan. Reluctant, but understanding, he nodded his head firmly before his Vampire leaned in to kiss him soundly.
When their lips parted, the two moved for their designated entry points. Biting his lip, Duo hunched over the double wooden doors and counter-turned his staff to bring the glowing green scythe blade to life. His slowed heart rate picking up from his anticipation, he swallowed roughly when he heard the screech of steel doors screaming in protect at being forced open with a loud crash that made him jump.
Voices below began screaming, adult and child alike. Orders were bellowed and shots rang out. Gathering up his courage in knowing that Heero and the others needed him, Maxwell jumped to his feet and swung his blade overhead. A battle cry ripping from his chest, he swung his scythe down fast and with all his strength. The moment the green laser touched the old, thick doors, they cracked loudly and fell apart in large splinters.
Charging down the stairs, the hybrid moved into the dimly lit room. Just as his lover had described, the orphans and staff that watched them were huddled together in a nearby corner. At the front of the lot, the priests and nuns had made a protective ring around their young charges. Their wide eyes looked away from the battle taking place in the other half of the space when the braided immortal entered.
"Duo!" Sister Helen cried. Beside her, Father Maxwell blinked in disbelief. A few of the little ones recognized the silver-eyed creature standing before them and their fear instantly melted away to relieved smiles that lit their damp eyes.
One of the dark-clad beings that had been in the middle of running for Heero stopped herself on a dime in finding the braided intruder. Raising her hands, her palms began to glow as a ball of white, hot energy formed. With a grunt, she shot the large sphere forward.
Taken completely aback by the strange power surging for him, Maxwell froze. From his corner, Heero gasped sharply. Too far to be able to rush to his lover before the sphere would reach him, he shouted, "Duo! No!"
Crying out in fear just as the wave of power was atop of him, the hybrid's eyes squeezed closed and a great explosion filled his ears. When there was no pain in association with the nearly deafening sound, he slowly blinked his eyes open to realize that he had been completely unharmed.
Every bit as wide-eyed and slack-jawed as the redhead that had sent the sphere forth, he slowly turned his head to find that the energy had destroyed the walls surrounding what he had hoped would be the exit for the prisoners. Giant shards of stone and metal completely blockaded where the stairs had been.
And yet not so much as a hair on Duo's head was out of place... even though he was standing in the direct line of impact.
"W-what the hell?" the silver-eyed woman breathed, her accomplices also frozen in fear and shock. Quickly recovering, she clenched a fist and yelled to the others, "Take out as many of them as you can! Light the fuses!"
The handful of beings that Heero had not already taken out became blurs of themselves and sailed from the room in the blink of an eye. Not having expected their enemies to make such a quick escape, the Companion and his Vampire shared a wide-eyed look as the entire foundation shook with eruptions that broke out throughout the church over their heads.
Covering their ears, the children cried and screamed as large pieces of the ceiling came down. His own way out caving in, Yuy shot forward to hold up a heavy beam of stone that was beginning to topple over the stricken prisoners. Easily handling the obstruction, he yelled at the wounded head priest, "Get them out of here, Father!"
With Duo and Sister Helen's help, the old man sprang into action, herding their charges from the basement. Taking up the smallest of the kids that wouldn't be able to run, the priests and nuns navigated through the falling debris to take to the main stairs that trembled with the implosions that continued.
In reaching the first floor, the hybrid froze with a sharp gasp in seeing nearly the whole of the church engulfed in flames. Holding the face of the girl in his arms against his shoulder, he shouted to the young ones behind him, "Cover your mouths and noses! You all stay right behind me!"
Quickly bringing his scythe to life once more, he used it to clear a way through the pews and pillars that had been knocked in their path from the blasts. As they were ordered, the orphans stayed right on his heels. Pulling their shirts up to the bridges of their noses, they coughed from the smoke that filled the room.
Finally, Maxwell was able to make a clear path all the way to the side, stained glass doors that had been shattered apart. Stepping aside, he assisted the little ones and the staff through the exit when he noticed Heero and his 'father' bring up the back of the surge. Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief in seeing them safe, he continued to aid Sister Helen in getting the rest of the lot out.
Another charge went off overhead to take out three of the support beams that opened the cathedral ceiling to the clouded heavens. Yuy had just stepped out of harm's way from the falling boulder-like heaps of stone and metal. Knocked from his balance, however, Father Maxwell stumbled back with a surprised yell to be blocked off by the wall of debris that piled on high and thick.
"Father!" the Vampire shouted over the roar of the fire and never-ending explosions. Taking armfuls of heavy rocks, he tossed them aside and fought furiously to make his way to the old man. Duo was there at his side in an instant, doing what he could now that everyone else was safely outside.
What was still standing of the church was rocked with another powerful blast that nearly sealed off the only way out. "There's no time!" Father Maxwell hollered from the other side of the wall. "Get out of here!"
Shaking his head, Duo continued to push aside what debris that he could as he yelled back, "We're not leaving you here!"
There was a brief pause before the priest replied, "It's alright, son. You've done enough. I won't have either of you putting yourselves in danger when it's my time. Now go."
Duo whimpered, his arms falling to his sides as he struggled to keep on his feet when the floor shook again. Even with the progress that Heero was able to make with his strength, there was just too much debris blocking them from the old man. And the flames were only closing in all the more to cover their only getaway.
His vision watering over, the Companion bit his lip as he sniffled, T-thank you... Dad." Heero was at his side, wrapping an arm around his thin waist with a deep distress and sorrow in his golden eyes.
Chuckling deeply, the priest said, "I love you, my boys. Godspeed to you both."
That was all that Maxwell was able to hear before his Vampire lifted him up to shoot them through the side doors just as a ball of flames chased their heels. As soon as they were out in the world, one last series of explosions sounded to claim the whole of the church in a wall of fire.
Lowered to stand before his lover, Duo sobbed and threw his arms tightly around the silently crying Infected. Sirens filled the air from fire engines and ambulances rushing to the scene to snap the braided immortal from his state.
Grief was replaced with a rage the likes of which he'd never felt before. Eyes narrowing, he unleashed a shrill growl as he pulled from his lover's hold to run to the back courtyard where their car and prisoner waited. The cries of his name from Heero and Sister Helen were completely ignored while he hauled the limp body to its feet to lean it back against the vehicle.
"Wake up you son of a bitch!" Maxwell shouted. Groaning, silvered eyes blinked open to grow wide when they peered into his heated stare. A finger pointing back at the burning church, the hybrid demanded, "Who is responsible for this?!"
Blinking in recognizing the rings around the violet eyes on him, the blonde smirked darkly, "Well, well, well. So I have the honor of meeting my Master's brother. Solo sends his best regards, Duo."
Their backs turning rigid, the Companion and his Vampire froze in shock. Chuckling deeply, the being hissed, "Do with me as you will. It'll be far too late for the old man who works for you and your vermin kind as well as your so-called family that you left behind. By now, they're all good as dead."
Falling back a few stumbled paces with slumped shoulders, the hybrid stared in terror at the creature before them as he breathed, "Heero..." Already with his cell phone in hand, the Infected dialed his sister's line and pressed the receiver against his ear.
At the disconnected signal that buzzed, Yuy growled deeply, "Fuck!" Quickly hanging up, he tried Midi's line only to have the same tone sound. Frantic, he pressed the next speed dial option and only breathed a short sigh of relief when it rang.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Heero," Trowa sighed quietly as he stepped from the trunk of his car that he had just sealed with the body bag that had been carefully set inside. "I don't know how to tell you this, but Howard's dead-"
To his surprise, there was little shock in the other Original's cried, "Goddamn it!" Gold-and-emerald eyes blinking in confusion, Barton wondered why it seemed as though his cousin had expected the announcement. Before he could ask why that was, Yuy hollered, "Where are Anna and Midi?!"
A few feet away from him, Wufei was pulling on a spare, blue t-shirt that had been packed away in one of the duffle bags that they had brought along. Having picked up on his brother's yelling, he frowned deeply and approached Trowa as the Latin replied quietly, "They're safe at home. Why?"
Yuy ordered, "Listen to me. We have to get back to them Now! We've all been set up in a trap!"
Barton's hand slackened its hold on the phone at his ear as his skin paled along with Chang's scales. "Duo and I are leaving the Maxwell church this minute!" Heero bellowed over the sound of an explosion in the distance. "With the engine modifications you made, how long do you think it will take to get us home?"
Instantly springing into action, Trowa and Wufei rushed for their car seats as Catherine quickly summed up that something was terribly wrong and hurried for her vehicle to follow.
Slamming his door closed, the Vampire yelled, "Don't hold back on the throttle and it'll get you there in twenty minutes! We'll be arriving around the same time!"
All but tossing his phone aside, Barton ripped the engine to life and the vehicle tires squealed in the fast turn that he made to head back the way they had come through the secluded roads. With a determined glare, he gripped the wheel and focused on getting to his wife and cousin as quickly as he could.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Forcing his cell phone into his jeans pocket, Heero roughly grabbed the front of the bound being's shirt and unceremoniously threw him into the backseat of his car. Duo turned his wide, watering eyes to the concerned nun behind him. A deep frown marring his face, he whimpered, "Sister Helen, I... I have to go."
His 'mother' cupped his face with clear understanding in her eyes as she nodded firmly and whispered, "Go. And be careful. Try to reach me as soon as you can." Pulling her into a fierce hug, the Companion kissed her cheek and ran for the passenger seat to jump inside and close the passenger door behind him as his partner tore them from the lot.
Seated upright in the back, their prisoner swayed hard left and right with every turn as he cackled madly. "Those little bitches are beyond any help now!" he laughed. "No sense in getting us all killed in trying to get to them."
Duo pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closing against the wave of nausea that came over him. Whatever he had been feeling up to that moment was completely overcome by the intense worry that he had over Anna and Midi. Nothing mattered more at that moment than getting to them.
If anything happened to either one of them...
"Dead, I tell you!" the creature behind him howled with merriment. "You probably won't even be able to recognize them when you get home at this rate!"
Under his breath, Maxwell growled, "Heero... Please."
More than happy to oblige the silent request, Yuy grunted in effort as he spun in his chair to send a fist flying into the being's face. The crack of the nose bone breaking resonated through the car as the unconscious creature collapsed along the seat.
Sighing deeply, Duo flashed his lover an appreciative smile that did not reach his eyes before they stared to the blurred road ahead of them. With a deep breath, the hybrid whispered, "Comeoncomeoncomeon."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Minutes later...
"Comeoncomeoncomeon," Wufei muttered in a low growl, bringing a clenched fist to his mouth as his leg bounced anxiously. Practically shaking with worry over his wife and cousin, he fought to keep his wits together even as the familiar streets leading to the cluster of their mansions rolled into view.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
So... damn... tired...
Coughing violently, Anna turned her head to spit out her own blood that filled her mouth. Heavily sagging in her restraints, she struggled to keep her eyes open to the warped world. The assault on her had come to an abrupt stop for some reason... she'd blacked out momentarily so she didn't know why.
Suddenly, Donnie was before her to slap a hand across her face. "Wakey, wakey, lass," he called over the sound of her blood rushing in her ears. His golden eyes narrowing when she could do little more than groan and cough again, he hissed and tool a step back to appraise her beaten and bruised body.
The end was near. Anna knew it. Everyone in the room knew it judging by the way they were all staring at her.
Clothed only in her under garments, the redhead fought to keep her senses. Midi still needed her. Recalling her cousin, she cast a sidelong glance at her cousin and frowned to herself.
It seemed like the 'little mother' was up to something... working the cloth rope that bound her hands behind her against something now that the Others and Donnie had their full attention on their fading prey.
Panicking that the brunette was going to be in over her head, Anna took a deep breath and raised her heavy head to glare in defiance against her foe. "That... all you... bastards... got?" she managed in a croak.
His head falling back with a shrill scream of frustration, Donnie shouted at the top of his lungs, "I tire of this!" Lunging forward, he raised his hands to tear away at the redhead's flesh and garments to finally have her as he wanted.
Just as he was about to reach her, another yell rose and was echoed by yet a third. Spinning, the tall Irish immortal's eyes grew in finding Midi stabbing the Other that had been standing closest to her with one of their own daggers that she had managed to capture.
As the young man fell away, the matriarch threw herself forward to aim the blade in her hand at Donnie's chest. Reacting quickly, he shot a hand up to catch her by her throat and hold her up from the floor with a tight grip around her neck. Startled, Midi gasped hoarsely and dropped the dagger.
'Too late," was Anna's lost thought as the last of her strength completely failed her and everything went black as she could only give into the darkness that had so wanted to claim her. Her eyes closing, her whole body hung forward, limp and lifeless.
Seeing her cousin slip away before her, Midi's eyes filled with tears as she wailed, "ANNA!!! NO!!!"
Donnie chuckled deeply beneath her, "Yer turn, love." He reached up with his other hand to literally tear the Vampire in his hold in two when the sound of a car roaring into the rounded street filled the air.
Wide-eyed, Sharon rose from her crouch over her killed 'brother' and cried to her brethren, "We have to go! Now!"
Not about to stay behind to see what had arrived to claim them, the Others became blurs of themselves and shot through the back of the house to escape through the back patio at the same time that the front door crashed open to Wufei and Trowa. Seconds later, following the squeal of another vehicle, Heero and Duo charged inside right behind their brother and cousin.
It only took a breath for Barton and Yuy to recognize the imposing Vampire that blinked in disbelief at that. For Chang, his wide-eyed attention was on his still wife in the middle of the room.
A strangled whimper escaping him, the scaly Infected's distraught expression shifted to pure fury when he looked on the monster before him. Releasing an animalistic howl, he bolted forward with Trowa and Heero on his heels.
Tossing Midi aside so that he could defend himself, Donnie started off well enough in fending the three smaller Vampires off. Kicking and hurling them through walls and furniture, he hissed and snapped through the brutal exchange.
Quickly rising on wobbly legs, the 'little mother' hurried to the redheaded cousin. Crying out when her hands were burnt against the chain that she tried to grip, she cried at the fray, "Somebody help me with Anna!"
Duo snapped from his numb existence to blink and shake his head in returning to the present. Narrowly missing Trowa's launched form, the hybrid ran headlong for his sister. His breath pulling in sharp pants, he looked to the glowing restraints.
Recalling what had happened at the Maxwell Church, the Companion drew a deep breath and lowered himself to his knees. Without hesitating, he held onto the binds around her tattered ankles. At his touch, the material disappeared, not leaving so much as a nick in his own flesh.
Midi gasped, eyes growing as her cousin all but jumped up to take hold of the restraints on his sister's wrists. Carefully catching the redhead when her half-naked and broken body fell at the vanishing of the ropes that held her, Duo sank back to his knees to lay her down on her back. "Oh, God," he moaned in distress as he took in the dozens of bleeding injuries that marred the Vampire.
The sounds of the battle behind him were only intensifying both by how much louder they had become as well as how little the creatures that were battling seemed like ferocious beasts with their snarls and growls. It did sound like the tide was turning against Donnie now.
Wufei managed to bring the tall brute to the ground with a side blow that he was not expecting. Their enemy now finally prone and exposed, Trowa and Heero's fangs remained in sight as they sat back for a moment to give the scaly Infected the honor of having the first shots in taking their long-time enemy. After a few violent blows, the cousins descended into the mix to aid in ripping Donnie apart limb from limb.
Over the piercing screams of agony from the intruder while Midi disappeared and reappeared with blanket to cover the redhead's cold body, Duo's trembling hands cupped his sister's face as he cried, "Anna... Anna!"
Gently shaking her, he whispered brokenly, "Come on, baby, wake up! Don't you do this to us!" Cradling the back of her head in one arm, he brushed back the blood and sweat from her brow and gazed around the room in a panic when he found the dagger that Midi had dropped on the floor.
Before Midi even saw him pick the blade up, the braided immortal used the clean point to cut against the side of his neck. Warm blood ran down his skin as he held the unconscious Vampire's lips against the wound. "Drink!" he willed desperately. "Take everything you need, Anna!"
There was no response. Not even a twitch.
Glaring down at his sister with tears rolling down his face, Maxwell shouted, "Goddamn it, Anna! Drink!" He lifted her head to press it against his seeping cut once more. Very slowly, the redhead's mouth opened so that her lips could wrap around the opening in his neck.
A deep, shuddering sigh of relief escaping him in a sob when he felt her drink from him, Duo squeezed her. "Oh, thank God. Good girl," he breathed. Suddenly, her fangs grew in to bite hard into his neck and she began to take longer gulps.
Violet-and-silver eyes closing at the bite, the hybrid silently hoped and prayed that the help he could give through his blood hadn't come too late for Anna. While her pulls came on stronger, he could feel himself quickly sinking from the depletion of his life fluid. His own wellness was of no concern. His sister had to survive.
If that meant that he had to give everything, Maxwell would have done it.
Midi called through the haze that was settling over the Companion, the hand she rested on his shoulder feeling far away from him. Somewhere in the distance, he could have sworn that he heard Heero yell for him...
And then everything went away.
* * * * * *
Pulling away from his microscope's eyepiece, Quatre paled a few shades as he breathed, "By Allah. That's it." In a rush, he spun on his stool to face Relena as she blinked her growing eyes. "We have to get a hold of everyone as soon as possible," he announced.
TBC...
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