Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Shade Darker ❯ Chapter 11

Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing are trademarks and property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.

Author's Notes: Okay, I know it took me a while to get this one out. I apologize, really I do. I'm really sorry, but I've been working on another project, a joint project, actually. For those Escaflone fans, I highly suggest that you go read mine and my new partner's story, "EscaGundam". We're under the name BatBarnes and Elf, the Dynamic "Duo".

Sorry for the self-plugging there, but, I had to say something about that.

As usual, I'd like to thank Marce, Katrina Joy, Sarah (Trio), Sam, and my coauthor (not on this story though) Lee, A.K.A., BatBarnes. Also to all of you who are reading this story and are really enjoying it. Thank you. Also, I'm still looking for any fan art. You can send it to me at slaybrat@aye.net. Thank you again. Enjoy.

A Shade Darker Part 11

By: Elf

All Heero knew was his anger. This man was his father. No, this vampire was his father. His fist hit cold flesh with a rush of satisfaction. Quinn's head was snapped back, but other than that, he was unaffected from the blow.

Duo's violet eyes were wide with shock. He looked more like himself again, and for that, Heero was grateful. Aurora looked at the display with a concerned and curious expression, her eyes darkening from silver to the dark metal color of gunmetal. She looked over at Duo, who blinked twice, as if trying to determine if what he had seen was real.

Heero looked back into the face that was identical to his. He sneered, "You bastard."

Duo blinked and asked, "Okay, since I was sorta in limbo, could someone please kindly tell me what the hell is going on?"

Quinn ignored him as he said, "Hello Heero, it's good to meet you."

"Why the hell did you let them get me?" Heero snapped, an eruption of emotion long repressed threatening to explode. All the training. The little girl and her puppy. All of what he had held back for so long was rushing to the surface.

He watched the face that was an older version of his. Quinn's eyes narrowed as he looked at him. Heero said, "Just tell me that, why?"

"Heero . . ." Quinn started then sighed. He went on, "Dr. J got you before I did. Serpina, your mother, was hidden. I made sure that she was hidden so no one knew about you."

"You sound like it was all planned," Aurora stated quietly. Heero looked at her. She looked at Quinn in his eyes and said, "You sound like you planned Heero from the beginning."

Quinn studied her, taking in her small blond head to the tips of her feet. She stood to her full height and said, "Yeah, I'm a necromancer. A virgin necromancer."

Heero asked Quinn, "Is she right? Was I planned?" Which is worse, being planned to be a warrior or being a mistake? Heero thought as he watched the older version of himself.

Quinn answered, "Yes, you were planned. I didn't love Serphina, true, I was fond of her and was attracted to her, but I didn't love her. I chose her because she was intelligent, sharp, and could always land on her feet."

"You were hoping to see what genes mixed," Duo accused the vampire.

Quinn looked Duo over and snapped, "I made sure that you had a partner to help fend off the Cycle, Duo Maxwell. I didn't plan for you to be Gundam pilots, but it was rather convent that you had worked together before and that you work well together."

"He's my friend," Duo snapped at Quinn, getting closer to the vampire who was Heero's father. Heero looked at Duo who had been tortured in the last hour. He seemed more like himself now, but there was something like a vital spark missing. Something that Heero couldn't put his finger on.

Quinn just looked at him. Aurora tossed her long hair and said, "You vampires are all the same."

"What?" Quinn asked, his blue eyes flashing as he turned to the tiny blond. Heero watched in puzzlement as to what Aurora was going to say.

Aurora answered, "Calculating bastards. You all are. You are exactly like Lilith, you have your own plan and don't give a damn to who gets hurt."

Quinn took a step closer to her. Heero placed his hand near his gun, ready to draw at an instant's notice. Quinn's hand snapped out and grabbed the girl around her neck and lifted her off the ground. He snarled, "How dare you, how can you say that?"

Duo said, "Let her go." His violet eyes were narrowed as he stepped closer to the vampire. Quinn looked at him. Heero studied his friend. The grim exspresion, the intence, violet eyes, and the calmness in posture. He had never seen Duo look so . . . dangerous. Like the God of Death, Heero thought with sudden insight as he looked at Duo.

Aurora looked calmly at Quinn. Quinn was hissing, his eyes bled from dark blue to bright crimson and his fangs were bared. He said, "She needs to die."

Duo stepped quietly to the vampire. Heero watched him, this wasn't a Duo he'd ever seen before. Sure, he'd seen him as a manic killer, but not this deadly serious warrior as he was now. He said, "I like her a lot more than I like you. Hurt one hair on her head, and I'll kill you. Slowly."

Quinn dropped Aurora. She gave a startled cry as she almost colasped to the ground. She would of fallen except that Duo had caught her. Heero saw the protective flash in Duo's eyes as he settled her up right and the intense anger he looked at Quinn with. He looked at Quinn and felt anger all over again.

Aurora said, "Admit it, you planned all of this all along."

Quinn stared at her and answered, "Yeah, I did."

Heero glared. He couldn't help the fine tremor of anger in his muscles as he studied the man who was his father. He whispered, "Why?"

Quinn sighed and answered, his face returning to normal, "Because, I knew Lilith would be the only one who could be able to bring the end of the human world. She could do it. So, I wanted the odds tipped in our favor."

Duo snapped, "You're a fucking vampire. You should be happy that your kind is going to rule the wold."

Quinn gave a bitter laugh as he answered, "What? I didn't want to become a vampire. I kept a hold of my humanity, boy. And I'm not going to let some slip of a necromancer tell me that I'm just like those monsters."

Aurora held her head at a proud angle. Heero said, "She's right you know."

"She's a Zombie Queen, she talks with the dead, she needs blood as much as I do," Quinn replied, locking eyes with Heero. Heero just stared right back, except, he pulled out his gun.

He stated, "If Duo doesn't want her dead, then neither do I."

Quinn and Aurora glared at eachother. He said, "Fine. The girl lives."

Duo moved closer to Aurora, protecting her. He said, "You're afraid of her."

"What?" Quinn asked in surprise.

Heero nodded in agreement and said, "He's right. You're afraid of her. She's powerful and could control you if she wanted to. And that frightens you." Quinn's eyes narrowed, they didn't look vampiric, they looked startlingly human, more human than Heero saw himself most of the time.

Quinn spun away and said, "Lets get inside, it'll be daylight soon."

Duo quipped, "And we don't want you to become a crispy critter." Quinn spun around and glared at Duo, and Duo simply grinned back. He turned back around and began to walk to the hotel.

Aurora asked, "Why are we even trusting him?"

Heero answered her, "We're not."

******

"Don't Milliardo," Treize said as he entered the room. Zechs turned from the Gundam pilot chained on the floor to face his former mentor. He knew that Treize didn't die in his battle with Wufei. Trowa leaned his head against the concrete floor, his hair exposing his face for once.

Zechs looked into that face. Trowa Barton had been almost as guarded as Heero in his emotions. Now, he looked tired, ready to embrace Death and all that it asked for. The dark green eyes were tired, as if Trowa was struggling to stay alive. Well, undead.

Zechs turned to his former teacher and said in a quiet voice, "Milliardo Peacecraft is dead. I'm Zechs."

"And I'm Treize Kushrenada and this young fledgling who has a death wish is Trowa Barton," Treize said with his dark humor. Zechs smiled at that, it was so familiar to him. Treize said, "Greetings, Zechs."

Zechs looked around and asked, "What's going on?" He used his sword to cut through the chains that had Trowa bound. The slender pilot stood up, his tawny hair automatically covered his eye as he looked at Zechs. All of them had seen far too much in their days, especially Trowa he expected.

Treize began to walk out of the warehouse. Trowa followed him. Zechs sighed as he caught up with them. Treize answered, "Lilith is planning to end the Cycle of Darkness."

"I already know that," Zechs stated impatiently as they stepped into Treize's awaiting limo.

Trowa said, "I'm going to kill Lilith."

Treize smiled and replied, "Easier said than done, Trowa." Trowa glared at him.

Zechs asked, "How did he get you?"

Trowa simply glared and Zechs got his answer. Zechs looked over at the ginger haired man with the cornflower blue eyes brought on by his Germanic heritage.* Zechs wasn't the greatest telepath, it wasn't one of the abilities that he had focused on after turning what the vampires affectionately called "Rogue".

This close of range he could communicate though. You're still as manipulative as ever, Treize, Zechs told him.

You have no idea, came Trowa's mental reply like a cold wind. The boy had power that he had not yet found. Zechs blinked, the only way a fielding could have that sort of power was if one of the Old Ones had sired him, and most of the Old Ones were dead. The only Old One, other than Lilith, that Zechs could think of was Angelus, but that vampire was a recluse and never made contact with any world.

You're right, my friend, Lilith was his sire, Treize told him. Trowa's jaw tightened and twitched.

Zechs asked, "What are you talking about?" He couldn't believe it. Trowa glared and rubbed his neck. He asked, "How?"

"Mind control," Trowa answered sharply, looking ahead, his dark green eye betraying nothing.

"Why?" Zechs asked.

Treize smiled and said, telepathically, Look at him through Lilith's eyes. He's handsome, strong-willed, emotionally untouchable, and a Gundam pilot. He would be a challenge to the Dark Mother.

A matter of lust then, Zechs replied, studying the silent Gundam pilot who raised so many questions.

A weakness, Trowa said, not looking at any of them.

******

Relena took off running, her sneakers pounding on the pavement. She didn't look back, she knew that she had to get away, so she was running as fast as she could. Her lungs burned in her chest, but she knew that she had to get away from him.

She turned onto a populated street, trying to dissolve into the crowd. She looked around, catching her breath as she moved into a line waiting to get into some club. She could hide here. Jason couldn't find her in that much of a crowd. She hoped.

She looked around the crowd. They were dressed similarly to her, jeans, jackets. She gave a sigh of relief as she looked around. It wasn't some Goth dive or some trendy club. It was just a hang out for teenagers under 21.

"Hey," a cheerful voice called out to her. Relena turned to see a big, good-looking guy around her age with dark blue hair and blue eyes. He had a group of people around him, couples mainly except for him.

"Hi," Relena said looking around. This would be the perfect place to hide, she realized. I'm sounding like one of the Gundam pilots, she thought as she looked at him. She smiled brightly at him.

One of his companions, a compactly built girl with shoulder length honey brown hair, grinned. She said, "Hi, I'm Leigh, what's your name?"

"Lena," she answered, knowing it sounded close enough to her name that she would answer to it. Now I'm really starting to sound like a Gundam pilot, she thought as she smiled at the guy who spoke to her first.

"I'm Kento," the guy said in a cheerful manner that reminded her of Duo Maxwell. He asked, "Hey, Lena, wanna join us?"

Smiling brightly, Relena held out her hand to him and said, "I'd be honored too."

******

Minerva pointed her gun at the guy's head. Noin had her gun pointed as his chest. The man asked, "What do you want?"

Noin answered, "Your car and wallet." Its seems like you've done this before, Noin, Minerva told her with a smirk. Noin ignored her as she pushed the barrel of the gun in his chest to make her point.

Minerva sighed and said, "She's a soldier, she's trigger happy. So, give us your car, and we'll let you go." The guy looked over at his wicked, black sports car. He sighed as he pulled the keys from his pocket and handed them to her. Minerva jiggled the keys and shoved her gun into the waist band of her jeans.

Noin slipped her gun into her shoulder holster. Both women looked at the guy as they stepped into the car. Noin was driving because dawn was just a few short hours away. Besides, less questions would be asked if they were pulled over because the ex-OZ soldier was a few years older physically than Minerva.

Noin asked, "Why didn't we just take the car while the guy wasn't there?"

Minerva looked at the road. Noin cast a reflection in the glass. She didn't. She looked away and answered, "I want Lilith to know that we're out there. And so Treize can find us if we can't find him."

"Police reports," Noin said as she looked ahead. She sighed as they looked ahead.

Minerva said, "The end of the world is coming, Noin. The question is, can you handle it?"

Noin looked at her and answered, her voice quiet, "Yeah. I can."

Minerva smiled and replied, "Good, because your side can use all the help it can get."

******

It was cold, extremely cold. The cold wrapped around his body like a burial shroud and held him as closely as a lover. He wasn't shivering. It was a familiar feeling to him. In fact, it was almost comforting.

Better this cold than the fires that would come.

He leaned his head back, his long hair pulling his head down even further. He closed his eyes and sighed. This was a familiar feeling for him. One that kept him sane, but bordering on the edge of madness as well.

Then, the cold began to dissolve. It became hot, searing, burning his hair, tearing at his skin. He cried out, trying to get away. Something with icy-hot hands wrapped around his throat. The hands trailed down, leaving burning pain in their wake as they finally rested on his stomach.

There was an amused feminine laughter as the clawed fingers dug into his flesh. He screamed as he writhed pain as she dug deeper. He looked into a pair of eyes as violet as his own and watched in horror as they turned a silvery grey, then a deep scarlet. Crimson lips smiled to reveal sharp fangs as the laughter became manic and more sadistic.

He cried out as her hand jerked into him and pulled up. He screamed in pain as the icy-hot hand gripped his heart and pulled. Blood, his blood, rushed into his face in a crimson spray.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Duo cried out as he bolted upright in his bed. He clutched the cheep cotton sheets to his chest as he panted for air. Sweat trickled steadily down his body as he looked around the room, trying to remember where he was.

"God, it was just a dream," he sighed as his pulse and heart rate returned to normal. He still couldn't shake off that image though. After Faye had messed with him, he couldn't think strait. All he kept see was that he was going to die. There was no hope for him.

I'm going to die, he realized with a cold realization as he stood up. He walked out of his bedroom to see Heero sitting at a laptop, looking at the disk that Forest had given him, Quinn looking in some old leather-bound journal, and Aurora asleep on the overstuffed recliner.

"Are you all right?" Heero asked, without looking up from the computer, his voice betraying nothing.

No, I'm not all right. I"m gonna die soon. By December 21, I'm dead, Duo thought as he looked around. Instead, he answered, "Yeah, just a bad dream that's all." He sat down at the table, leaning on it as he watched Quinn.

Quinn kept looking through the book. He said, "I don't even know where Lilith is going to start the ritual. There are so many places that have weak links to this world and the other, but who knows where'd she pick."

Duo ran his hand under his braid and rubbed his sore neck. He stood up. He had to get away from here for just a little while. He didn't know where he would go. It was almost daylight. He hadn't been asleep that long. He pulled on his boots and slid into his duster. He didn't take his scythe. He took a pistol. He just didn't want to mess with being to God of Death right now.

He needed to breathe and clear his head. He didn't think he could do that with Heero and Quinn in the same room. The tension between father and son was so thick that you could cut through it with a night.

Quinn asked, "Where are you going?"

"Out," was Duo's reply as he walked out into what was left of the night.

******

Relena was tense. The club was pounding some pop song by some boy band that she didn't care about and everyone seemed at ease. Leigh leaned over and said, "Hey, you okay?"

Relena smiled brightly and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

Kento asked, "Do ya wanna dance?" From what "Lena" had learned, Kento was a free spirit who liked to have fun, Leigh was a cynic with a bitting sense of humor, and the others she couldn't tell much about because they were so involved in each other. Leigh's boyfriend had to work tonight, and Kento had drug her along so that she wouldn't be stuck in her dorm room writing.

Relena looked around. She wished that Heero was here with her. If he had been here, then she would have been all right. He would protect her, she knew that, but she was alone. Then, the music stopped.

Leigh sarcastically said, "Good, I hated that song anyway."

The room got quiet as a man dressed all in black with golden hair and eyes appeared at the door way. Relena's blood ran cold as she ducked behind the booth that they were sitting at. Jason glided into the club, looking around.

He said, "Relena, come on child. I know you don't believe in violence or death, but I do. I could kill everyone in here without blinking."

"Whatever," Leigh said, standing up with a glare on her petite features. Jason smiled as he flicked his wrist. Leigh was sent crashing into the wall. Relena started to stand up to check on her, but Kento got there first.

Relena started to sneak behind the booths, trying to get away from Jason. She didn't look at him, so she didn't see the evil smirk on his face as he langualy gestured his hand up. Chairs flew around her. Relena shrieked as well as other people in the club.

Jason kept on coming, hovering inches above the ground, his body crackling with dark red energy. He pointed his finger and closed his eyes. He placed his finger on the middle of his forehead and smiled. The lights blew out, leaving everyone in darkness except for the red energy crackling around the witch.

Relena stood up and took off running. There was a cold gale that suddenly picked up in the room, pushing her down. She cried out as she automatically shielded her face from the icy gale. It pulled at her, pushing her back.

Jason opened his eyes and smiled. Relena glared at him and kept moving. He said, "You're very stubborn princess. Very." Relena gritted her teeth as she continued on, trying to get away. He flicked his hand up in the air, spreading his fingers out dramatically.

Relena screamed as she was picked up from the ground and hovered through the air. Jason clinched his fist tightly and brought it to his chest. She screamed and thrashed as she was pulled toward the witch. She was dropped on the ground unceremoniously. She grunted as the wind was knocked out of her and her side burned from where she landed.

She pulled herself up as Jason smirked down at her. He said, "Princess, I find your games amusing, but they are getting bothersome."

Relena stood up and snapped, "I won't cooperate with you, ever!" Jason smirked and spun around, his duster flying behind him. She cried out as she was picked up off the ground and hovered after him. She tilted her head to see the club's stunned patrons looking at her. Leigh was in Kento's arms, her eyes wide and fearful as she was drug out of the club.

*******

Hunters watched the boy and Quinn. The boy looked like a younger version of Quinn, possibly his son, a Damphier. The boy wasn't Hunter's target, so he was none of his concern. As was the necromancer and the Called.

Hunters wondered when he should strike, and if he was going to call Quinn out in an all out battle. That seemed the most honorable course of action, he reasoned as he looked at Quinn. He just wondered when the right time was to do that. Now, was a matter of waiting.

******

She was angry. How dare that bitch win that contest, Aurora thought as she walked down the old, country highway. Night had fallen, but that didn't stop the young girl. Her parents knew her eccentric habits and knew that she would be back home when she got her anger out.

Damn Naomi Hasson, always winning, she thought as she stuffed her hands down her pockets. Naomi had won every art competition that they had entered. Always. It wasn't fair.

Aurora's best friend, a writer named Qwenaivere Brown, had said it was all a sham. She always said that though to comfort Aurora. Qwen was like that though, she made sure that everyone was all right before she took care of herself. But like Qwen has anything to worry about, she doesn't have any completion, Aurora thought bitterly as she continued to walk.

Her anger filled her like a hot current, burning everything inside her, eating her from the inside out. Then, the anger began to cool, to freeze, wanting some release. Aurora didn't notice the pot hole in the road until she tripped on it. She fell to the ground, automatically using her hands to break her fall.

The pavement scraped her palms. She hissed at the sharp, stinging pain. She got to her knees and studied her hands in the dim moonlight. Blood oozed in a crimson trickle from her hands. She hissed as she looked around.

She felt something pull inside her, something cold and powerful. She cried out, pressing her bleeding palms to the ground. She felt the power leave her in a cold rush. She sat there, panting for breath as she looked around.

She gasped as she saw the first road kill, a racoon, look up at her with dead eyes and began to stand up. Next, a fox that someone had ran over stood up as well. She stood up, looking at the road kill with horror reflected in her silvery eyes. The eyes of the Fey, was what her mother was fond of saying, she realized.

She could see them looking at her, how they saw her, as some master, no their Queen. She spun away from them and started to run. She didn't know that someone was watching her. Something dead as the road kill that was following her.

She ran and ran, the images blurring into something horrible, something that she didn't want to see. She pushed opened the door to her home and almost vomited. The smell of fresh blood came to her nostrils as she walked into her house.

Swallowing, Aurora said, "Lights on." Pale illumination flooded the dull room as she walked into the living room. She saw two forms spilled on the floor. Crying out, she ran to them and knelt at their sides.

She saw twin puncture wounds in both her parents' throats. Tears came out of her eyes unwillingly as she backed away from the bodies. She sensed a powerful presence behind her. She spun around to see a tall, young man with brown hair and brown eyes, with the face of an angel.

He smiled at her and blood dribbled down his lip in a garish display. He reached for her and she took off running.

Aurora jerked awake in her bed, drenched in cold sweat. She pulled her arms around her and shivered. She looked around. Quinn was asleep in the closet, she could feel his presence near her, Heero had slumped over on the table, asleep as well. She stood up from the bed and looked around.

Damon, her parents murder. How she found out that she was a necromancer. All memories that she had wanted to forget. She shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself. She walked to the bathroom and stepped in.

She took off her jeans and T-shirt, the only clothing that she owned now, and stepped into the shower. The water was warm and comforting. It felt good. She washed her long hair twice, getting the stench of burnt ghoul out of it and washed all the dried blood off of her arms.

She turned the water off to feel a presence enter the hotel room. She flattened her body against the shower tiles, still warm from the shower. She reached out and grabbed the white terry cloth robe out and wrapped it around her body. It trailed past her feet in a train like a wedding gown.

As she stepped out of the shower, she tied it around her waist. Whatever is out there, I'm gonna have to face it sooner or later, she thought as she entered the room. She was relieved to see Duo taking off his duster and placing a couple of bags on the table as well as his guns. Heero looked up at him then stood up.

Heero asked, "How are you?"

Aurora had no idea that he had left. She asked, "Where did you go?"

Duo looked her over, a roguish smile playing across his gamine features. He said, "Well, this is certainly a nice welcome home present." Aurora looked down at her robe and blushed. She pulled it tighter around her and held it, realizing that he was probably getting an eye full.

He handed her a bag and said, "Here, babe, clothing." She looked in the bag and there was indeed clothing for someone her size in there as well as a hair brush and a package of elastic bands.

She asked, "Where did you get all of this?"

Duo sank down in the chair with a playful smile and answered, "You don't wanna know babe."

"You stole it," Heero said in his cold monotone. Duo nodded, not looking guilty at all. Aurora studied him from the top of his chestnut brown hair to the bottom of his feet. He leaned on the table, watching her with those huge violet eyes of his.

"Thanks," Aurora managed before she rushed to the bathroom to get dressed.

******

"Why was Lilith trying to destroy Sandrock?" Quatre asked as he sipped on his cup of tea. He was surprised to see Zechs with Treize and Trowa. Lady Une was sitting beside Treize, holding his hand tightly. Her expression wasn't showing anything, but that simple gesture was.

Treize answered, "Lilith could have many reasons. It's a good weapon as well as a symbol. Or she could be just trying to get at you two." Trowa's dark green eyes flashed with anger.

Zechs asked, "Does anyone know her plans, exactly?"

Treize smiled. Quatre knew what the vampire was about to say. He shook his head and stood up. He said, "No, I won't do it again."

"Do what again?" a puzzled Lighting Count asked, looking at him.

He swallowed and answered, "I won't." Trowa stood up beside him as if to say, And you're going to have to go through me if you want to make him.

Treize smiled slightly and answered, "Quatre is a physic."

Zechs stood up and looked at the window. Dawn was fast approaching. He said, "We do know that she needs a virgin necromancer and Joshua Hunters is after Quinn."

Treize froze at that name. Quatre asked, "Who's Joshua Hunters?"

Une answered, "The vampiric version of a vampire hunter. He goes after rogue vampires and others who threaten his kind. He's a hunter in the purest form of the word and has a code of honor that he won't break."

"Who's Quinn?" Trowa asked.

Treize smirked and answered, "A vampire who's like me. On the side of humans. He's a bit more of a trouble maker than I am though. He has this way about him, and he's also the father of most of the history's most skillful Dampheirs."

"What's a Dampheir?" Quatre asked him, confused.

Trowa looked over at Zechs and answered, "What Zechs is, correct?"

Zechs looked over at them and replied, "Yeah, that's right, Kid. A child who's half vampire and half human. They live to hunt vampires. We have a natural hatred for them."

"Why haven't you killed Trowa or Treize then yet?" Quatre asked, looking at Trowa. The Heavyarms pilot was getting groggy with the coming of dawn.

"Because he turned rogue," Treize commented with a lazy smile. Zechs gave him a hard look while Treize only smiled back.

Quatre had no idea what that meant. Zechs sighed and said, "I turned vampiric."

Quatre knew what that meant. He asked, "You drank blood?"

Zechs looked at him hard with his icy blue eyes, partially obscured by his white blond hair. He said, "Yes, I still do. After turning, you can't stop it."

Cryptically, Treize said, "I hope your brother has more control than you do." Zechs looked at him, stunned. Treize only smiled as Trowa slipped into the vampire's sleep and Zechs stared at him.

******

Relena sighed, she couldn't struggle, it was useless now. Jason guided her into a mansion, a huge, gothic mansion. It looked like something strait out of a horror movie that she had watched with some of her "friends" at St. Gabriel's.

She asked, "Where are we?"

Jason looked down at her with his glowing golden eyes and smirked. He answered, "The Dark Queen is waiting for you."

"What are you talking about?" Relena asked as the door opened. A young girl covered in half healed burns looked up at her from under a fall of platinum blond hair with startling purple eyes.

Jason smiled at her as she gave Relena an icy look that held emotions older than time in them. Hatred and jealousy were the two that Relena was picking up the most. He said, "Hello Illi, is Lilith here?" He smiled like someone would smile at a favorite child. The girl brightened at him and pointed.

She answered, in a sweet sing song voice, "She's up in her chamber, Jason."

He smiled at her as he reached out and stroked a burnt cheek. He asked, "Illiana, who did this to you?"

Illiana flashed fangs as her eyes turned crimson. Relena shrieked slightly and stepped back. A vampire. Someone had turned this little girl into a vampire. She hissed, "Quinn. That fiend did this to me."

Relena looked at her and shivered. Illiana studied her and said, in a curious child like tone, "So, is this Relena?"

Jason smiled at her and knelt down to her eye level. The scene would have been touching if it wasn't an evil witch and a vampire child. He reached out and stroked her silky hair. He said, "Yes, it is, little one, this is the princess."

Illiana's strange purple eyes looked Relena over like a rival would. A rival for a lover, Relena realized as she stepped back from the intense stare from the child fiend. Illiana smiled and looked at Jason. She asked, "Is this the girl that Lilith is going to use?"

Jason stood up and walked behind Relena. She shivered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She said, "Don't touch me."

Illiana smirked and said, "The necromancer's prettier."

"Now, Illi, be nice to the princess, she is, after all, royalty," a rich female voice echoed from the stair case. Relena looked up and gasped. It was a girl her age, well, a very well developed girl her age. She had curves and long legs aplenty and heightened this fact by the tight leather pants and the bright crimson, silk, Renaissance-style blouse she was wearing.

She had long, shimmering midnight black hair. Hair so black that it casted blue highlights. She tossed that long black hair and looked at Relena with startling gold eyes. Relena gasped, the girl was absolutely beautiful. She watched as her eyes changed to a rich emerald green as she walked down the steps. The girl was beautiful, and evil.

Illiana cried out, "Lilly!" Then the little fiend bounded right to the teenage girl. The teenage girl wrapped her arms around the girl and turned to face Relena, looking at her with pale blue eyes. She rested her midnight dark head on top of Illiana's shimmering one, giving the illusion of the night sky and the moon. Illiana snuggled closer and purred, "Lilith."

Lilith stroked Illiana's hair as she studied Relena thoughtfully. She let go of Illiana and walked toward her. Relena backed up, right into Jason's chest. She gasped as Lilith reached out and took a lock of her hair in her hands.

She shivered as dark plum eyes studied her and that hand stroked her hair. A pale hand with long, slender fingers reached out and cupped her face. Her skin was cold as ice, so cold it almost burned. Lilith licked her lips and smiled. She pulled back and turned away, sending her long, black hair spinning.

Jason smirked as he said, "You're not the only royalty here, Relena. Meet the Queen of all Vampires, Lilith."

Lilith smiled, flashing fangs as her eyes turned a burning shade of scarlet, like the most expensive rubies. She looked Relena over thoughtfully, pacing around her. Jason gave her a push so Lilith could walk all the way around her, studying her.

Illiana whimpered, "I still think the necromancer's prettier."

Lilith smiled, her eyes turning black as she faced Relena. She took Relena's face in her hands and smiled. Relena stared at her, like a rabbit caught in a hunter's sights. She said, "But we're not after Duo Maxwell. We're after Heero Yuy."

"Heero? If you hurt him in anyway . . ." Relena flared up defensively. Lilith laughed and pressed her forehead against Relena's, giving Relena a good view of her burning crimson eyes.

Lilith smiled and said, "We're not going to hurt him at all. Just, you're the bait, the catalyst that we need."

Relena's eyes began to widen as she looked at the vampire. She whispered, "No."

Illiana jumped to them, smiling like a mischievous little girl. She said, "Yeah."

Lilith laughed as she reached up and lightly brushed her lips to Relena's forehead.

******

In a few short days, he was going to die. The thought was depressing. Duo didn't like to be depressed. Well, since I only have a few days left, why don't I party it up? Duo thought as he stripped from his priest outfit.

He could feel Aurora in the next room as well as Quinn and Heero, planning their next move. He could feel Aurora's uneasiness of being in the room with the vampire and Heero's anger and betrayal for Quinn. He felt sorry for Heero, but at least Heero had a chance of living through all this. Duo didn't. The Called always died during the ending of the Cycle of Darkness. Always. No exceptions.

So, Duo could only do one thing, resign to his fate when the time came, but before hand, he planned to live life the fullest he could. He pulled out a pair of cargo kakkis that he had packed with him and slipped them on. He felt Aurora enter the room and felt her watching him. He slowed his movements, giving her more to watch.

There was a heavy dollop of lust mixed in with her nervousness. Actually, a light drop of nervousness mixed into her fear. He turned to her and she looked away, blushing. He grinned wickedly as he walked over to her.

She asked, "Where are you going?"

"Out," Duo answered as, still shirtless, he dug through his luggage, deciding on a black tank top or a black silk shirt. His cross hung around his neck, glinting the white light of the room. He turned to face her and looked at her.

She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans that he stole, which he noticed, fit very well on her, and a red turtle neck. Her blond hair was caught back in several elastic bands, holding the silken mass in place. Duo preferred it down, falling around her delicate body like a silken curtain. Still, she was beautiful.

Aurora asked, "Out where?" She swallowed, her emotions warring between lust and nervousness. Sometimes, these empathic abilities come in handy, he thought as he watched her. Her chest rose with her breathing, her eyes darted around the room, trying not to look directly at him.

"Aurora," he said, gently demanding.

She looked up at him with wide, silvery eyes. "What?" she asked softly.

"Come here," he told her gently. She did, watching him with wide eyes. He reached out and took her arm, not holding it tightly, but making sure that she couldn't run either.

She looked down at his hand and asked, "What are you doing?"

He smiled at her and bent closer. She was a little thing, even smaller up close, he realized. He answered, his voice barely above a whisper, "Something that I've wanted to do ever since I saw you."

"What?" she asked, sharply, afraid.

"This," he answered simply as he took her in his arms and silenced her with a kiss.

To Be Continued!

*- Treize is listed under Ayran under his profile. Ayran is German, the blond haired, blue eyed master race.