Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Harder Beast to Kill ❯ A Harder Beast to Kill 2 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing and I make no money from this or any other story I write. 'My Immortal' isn't mine, either. It belongs to the group, Evanescence.

Pairings: 13x5, 2x5

Category: Angst, Songfic

Rating: R

Warnings: Yaoi, supernatural, lemon, mild language, violence, NCS

Title: A Harder Beast to Kill

Author: yellowhorde

Status: In Progress

You can visit my humble web page, yellowhorde's house, at http://www.webspawner.com/users/yellowhorde/index.html

Or feel free to send comments/constructive criticism to me at yellowhorde@hotmail.com

A HARDER BEAST TO KILL

CHAPTER TWO

//These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase//

Wufei's mind slid down the treacherously slick path into unconsciousness, trailing fragmented memories and thoughts in its wake. The sharp aching throb of his head subsided, and Duo's worried voice faded. Phantom sensations assaulted him as he tumbled down, down, down - the sweet scent of roses, lips brushing butterfly kisses along heated flesh. Fragrant summer rains and fear prickled along his skin, unearthing restless feelings long buried. Treize Khushrenada's face swam to the surface of his mind, his smile, his voice, his eyes. An intricate web comprised of a thousand lost reminders of things that had once been and might never be again entangled Wufei, one that he couldn't escape.

Passion. Pleasure.

Pain.

From the moment of their first deadly encounter the stately Treize Khushrenada captivated Wufei, though Wufei himself was hardly aware of this fact at the time. Little things that held a special significance revealed themselves only with the passage of time. Treize's cool elegance and impeccable manners, his rich voice, his sense of honor and duty so similar to Wufei's own yet at the same time so different from everything the young pilot had ever known. Something deep inside of the Wufei's heart had sparked during their fierce yet brief battle, something that had laid dormant in the depths of his being, unknown until that moment, something so unfamiliar that for a long while after his encounter with the General he misinterpreted it as something else entirely.

Instinctively he knew that his feelings somehow went far beyond the joy and relief at having finally found a true and worthy opponent, a warrior in every sense of the word. Although his ideals seemed very different from his own, the older man was a skilled swordsman, a worthy adversary. Wufei couldn't help but grudgingly respect this enemy with the brilliant blue eyes and knowing smile.

Respect him, and maybe, maybe even love him... just a little.

Wufei had fearlessly faced the enemy, the man who had attacked his colony, his home, and he had been soundly defeated. It was almost more than the young warrior could bear. His defeat had shattered his belief system in a way he had never dreamed possible. Treize Khushrenada was the enemy, the bodily representative of everything he fought against.

Wufei's actions had been good and honorable, his intentions pure. With Justice on his side he should have been able to defeat such an evil man and yet it had been his throat that had felt the cold press of deadly steel, his righteously wielded sword that had been lowered in defeat, his pride and honor as a warrior of the Chang clan that had suffered a devastating blow.

Honor as he saw it demanded that Wufei surrender his life to an enemy that had defeated him. And so he had lowered his sword without a word and slid to his knees in a posture of submission. Unflinchingly he accepted his approaching death and demanded what he felt he deserved.

"Kill me." His voice was steady, but inside a maelstrom of vicious thoughts and emotions were tearing his heart and confidence to pieces. Only death would silence them, he knew, only death would give him peace.

"This battle is mine." Treize's voice remained infuriatingly calm as he drew his sword away from his fallen enemy. With practiced skill he sheathed the deadly weapon and backed away, the heels of his black knee-high boots making no sound against the cold marble tiles. "You fought well."

Rage flickered through Wufei's body at these last words. He craned his neck to glare at his enemy, grinding his teeth in frustration. (Why does he mock me so?)

"Kill me now," He growled, "Or I swear I'll come back as many times as it takes to kill you."

Treize turned away then and chuckled low in his throat, a sound that sent tiny tremors coursing across Wufei's skin. "I look forward to it."

Humiliation and unbearable shame took hold of Wufei and he fled in disgrace. In an act of misguided mercy, Treize Khushrenada had refused to grant the young warrior what was his by right - a swift and honorable death. By allowing him to keep his life and freedom, the General had unwittingly denied him so much more than he had ever dreamed possible.

In that instant Death had became something that flitted just beyond Wufei's grasp. It taunted him, eluded him and became something granted to others less deserving of its release. Only in death did he feel that he could salvage what was left of his family's honor. By allowing him to live Khushrenada had condemned him to a far worse fate and had, without even realizing it, destroyed a piece of Wufei's spirit that no earthly sword could ever have touched. In that instant, Treize had unintentionally stripped away his identity, his budding sense of self, and his confidence, leaving him with nothing. Wufei's personal shields and defenses, erected over countless battles to protect his scholar's soul and sanity, had been shattered, leaving him bare, raw, wounded.

All without spilling a single drop of blood.

Although Wufei never spoke the words out loud, never once even acknowledged their existence, the gentle scholar turned soldier wanted to die. He should have died. The burden of responsibility weighing down on his slender shoulders was just too great. He was no true warrior, no great avenger, only a young boy with a gentle heart and a thirst for knowledge. His inner nature struggled bitterly with his mantel of self-imposed obligations to honor and avenge those who had fallen in battle defending his home. It was not love that compelled him to chose this bloody path but duty and honor. And they were the cruelest of taskmasters.

Wufei retreated into himself, becoming even more distant to his fellow pilots. How could he fight by their side when he no longer shared the same mission? He no longer fought against OZ or the Romerfeller foundation. Defeating Treize Khushrenada became his sole purpose of being. Nothing else mattered. As the battles raged endlessly on the only thing that kept him going was the belief that some day soon he would once again face his enemy in battle and this time he would be victorious.

For long days without number thoughts of Treize dominated Wufei's every waking moment. Even his dreams offered no refuge. Night after night he battled his adversary only to be defeated anew. But these dreams more often than not shifted and became something more than the lightning flashes of metal striking metal in deadly combat. A dizzying heat was kindled between Wufei and the man in his dreams and it leaped to life and devoured the boy's every rational thought. Bodies entwined in a more primitive battle and he found himself repeatedly, willingly, surrendering to the seductive press and pull of bodies and hands and lips.

Wufei dreamed of things and felt things he couldn't even admit to himself in the good light of day. Ashamed, he suppressed these images and feelings, crushing them and pressing them down into the unknown depths of his mind and in doing so twisted what was innocent and natural into something dark and forbidden. The anger, the tension, and an overwhelming urge he could not resist, drove Wufei to the brink of madness. Compelled by things he couldn't understand or control, he intended to end this torture by any means necessary.

And so once more, tormented beyond endurance, unable to sleep or eat or find peace of mind, Wufei sought out his enemy and under the cloak of night, his sword thirsting for blood, his heart a thundering drum in his chest.

It had been ridiculously easy to gain entrance to the house, almost too easy. Wufei's already low opinion of the opponents he and the other Gundam pilots battled became lower still. He met no resistance, and the falling silence of the crickets as he approached the sprawling manor was the only indication of his presence. He had not been seen and no alarms had been raised.

(Where are the guards?) He thought as he slunk from one clump of shadows to the next. He had passed a lone sentinel leaned sleepily against the rough trunk of an oak tree less than a quarter mile away, but the soldier had been bored and inattentive. It hadn't been difficult for Wufei to avoid him. But surely there should be more than one tired sentry patrolling the grounds of one of the highest-ranking officers in the OZ army. It didn't make sense.

Wufei's pulse pounded in his ears and he nervously wiped damp palms against the silk of his white pants. Tension sang through every sinew of muscle and already sharp senses were on high alert but he neither saw nor heard any indication that anyone was aware of his presence other than the swarm of insects that hovered nearby waiting for the opportunity to dine on his tender flesh. One of the mosquitoes droned past his ear but he resisted the urge to swat it away.

A mixed sense of relief and disappointment filled Wufei as he neared the window that looked into Treize's sleeping quarters. With a final apprehensive glance around him, he set to work, and with more luck than skill, made short work of the locking mechanism on the windows. The window swung open on well-oiled hinges, inviting him into the shadowy depths beyond. Taking a deep, calming breath, he slid through the window as silent as a shadow, closing it gently behind him so as not to arouse suspicion.

It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust to the deeper blackness that cloaked the room's interior. Wufei gazed about him, gathered his bearings, and padded silently across the room, his black shoes making no noise as he moved away from the window and towards the large bed against the far wall. Standing at the head of the massive bed, he could make out the still, blanket shrouded figure of a man lying on his back, one arm tossed carelessly over his head, palm up with long, slender fingers curling slightly. With each deep, even inhalation, the man's chest rose and fell steadily.

Wufei intensely envied his deep, restful sleep, for he had spent far too many sleepless nights on account of the man before him. And yet he found himself admiring the strong lines of his face, the fine, straight nose, how Treize's long lashes bushed against his smooth, unblemished cheeks. Black eyes drifted lower to sensuous lips, slightly parted, but he quickly adverted his eyes feeling a growing sense of uncertainty.

Shaking his head sharply, Wufei's hand fell to the hilt of his sword that rested in its scabbard. His fingers gripped tightly, seeking, and finding, reassurance from the blade. Silvery blue highlights danced along the razor sharp edge of the weapon as he unsheathed it and skillfully slid into an offensive stance, sword arm raised and ready to strike a killing blow.

And yet he hesitated.

He told himself that it was the blatant dishonor of such an attack that kept him from striking down his mortal enemy as he slept, but inwardly Wufei knew that this was not entirely true. Seeing the General's sleeping face, Wufei's resolve to kill first wavered then faltered altogether. The man looked so peaceful lying there with his head cushioned against the soft white pillows. Slightly disheveled auburn hair framed his strikingly handsome face and in his sleep he managed to retain some lingering air of innocence.

The hand holding the upraised sword lowered ever so slightly and only then did Wufei catch the subtle twisting of the sleeping man's lips into a gentle, knowing smile. He gasped sharply as he realized that Treize must have been awake all along.

"Why don't you go ahead and kill me?" Treize's voice, so soft and low, seemed to first caress Wufei's heart then squeeze it mercilessly. "That is why you are here, isn't it?"

Penetrating blue eyes opened and seemed to bore into Wufei's body, freezing him where he stood. His sword hand trembled and lowered another fraction of an inch.

"I am your enemy." Treize murmured, never taking his eyes from Wufei's. "Is it not your sworn duty to destroy the enemy?"

"I -"

Wufei's Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to swallow past his heart, which had magically repositioned itself in his throat. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead and trickled down his temples.

"Go ahead. There's no one here to stop you. Even if I raised the alarm, my soldiers couldn't possibly get here in time."

"And what soldiers might those be?" Wufei demanded arrogantly and hoped his false bravado was more convincing to Treize than it was to him.

"Why, the ones patrolling the grounds, of course." Treize replied easily. "Although they will have to be severely chastised for not apprehending you before you managed to sneak into my chambers. Such carelessness can't go unpunished."

(He doesn't know that the soldiers he speaks so confidently of aren't out there.) Wufei thought with astonishment. (What in heaven's name is going on around here?)

Treize shifted his body, sat up and swung his legs out over the edge of the massive bed. With a quick inhalation Wufei modestly adverted his eyes as he caught a glimpse of the older man's muscular chest and one bare thigh. Treize's low chuckle filled the room and in angry defiance, Wufei once more turned his eyes towards the man he had come to kill.

That was a mistake.

Wufei's body froze once more, trapped by those deep hypnotic eyes, which glittered like jewels in the dim light. He couldn't move, or speak, or even think for he was pinned to the spot on which he stood like a specimen in a butterfly collection.

"What are you waiting for?" Treize demanded. "Kill me!"

Treize's voice held the unquestionable quality of a man who was used to being obeyed but although Wufei flinched at his suddenly harsh, demanding tone, he could not comply with the order.

Numbing confusion seeped through Wufei's mind and body as he lowered his sword to his side as if its weight had suddenly become unbearable. He stumbled backwards a step under the strength of Treize's blue, blue eyes.

" I - I... c-can't..."

"Very well, you had your chance."

With that, Treize flung back the covers and in one smooth movement seized the scabbard that had been propped, unnoticed by Wufei, against the large oak bed. With a sound like sand pouring through an hourglass, he pulled his blade free and slashed it out towards the dumbfounded Wufei who was just barely able to bring his own sword up in time to block the vicious attack. The savage force of the blow sent shockwaves rippling up Wufei's blade and into his hand and forearm.

Another blow and Wufei stumbled back with a grunt. Treize's blade sang through the night air, slicing and thrusting as he skillfully found all of the holes in the young man's defenses.

(I'm still no match for him.) Wufei realized with no small amount of dismay as he was hard pressed to hold his own against his skillful opponent. Darts of blue light flashed as their swords clashed repeatedly and Wufei couldn't keep up with the lightning fast lunges. All he could do was parry the blows. Beads of sweat beaded his brow as he was steadily driven back towards the windows he had so recently used to enter the house. Smooth white beams of light slanted across the floor filling the room with a ghostly light.

Treize's sword glittered bluish-silver as it arched towards Wufei once more, and the boy held his own blade out in a defensive gesture, both hands tight on the grip. He reeled backwards as metal kissed metal, partly from the blow, partly from the appearance of Treize advancing towards him, his body glimmering in the moonlight. Wufei glanced down along the length of his attacker's athletic body, taking note of the lithe and muscular limbs, the smooth granite chest with its soft reddish curls that led his widened eyes down along the ripples of Treize's abdomen to things even lower. The blood rushed so quickly to the Wufei's face that his head reeled dizzily for a moment as he realized that the man he had meant to kill was completely naked.

"I know you're better than this." Treize growled through gritted teeth, sword slicing through the soft night air. "Why don't you fight back?"

(That's a good question.) Wufei thought, then gasped as the force of Treize's swinging attack knocked his sword from his fingers and the dull thud of the weapon striking the carpeted floor rang through his ears like a death knoll. Its razor sharp edge caught the silver moonlight and reflected its soft brilliance. For just the briefest second he stared at the fallen weapon dully, as if not fully comprehending how it possibly be on the ground when just one second ago he had it in his hands.

Too late, he came to his senses and reached for his sword, but a thin arc of light slashed through the darkness and he froze in mid-crouch as he once again felt the cold steel of his enemy's blade at his throat.

(No!) Wufei's mind screamed, (Not again!)

TO BE CONTINUED…