Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Shade Darker ❯ Chapter 15

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: Warnings: DUO TORTURE! Severe Duo torture, unconcentiual Lime content, and torture descriptions. Okay, there, I said it. I'd like to thank all the readers who make this possible, and my buds Space Vixen X, Trio, Marce, Sam, Misty, The Mistress of Death, and everyone who reviews. There's a challange at the end of this fic as well!

A Shade Darker Part 15

By: Elf

The first thing that Duo thought was that it was cold. Then the second thing he noticed was the sharp soreness coming from his upper back and arms and the tightness around his wrists. He felt a cold hand brush his long bangs out of his forehead. He automatically jerked away from the dead touch and opened up his eyes.

The first thing he noticed that the room was under ground without any windows. Concrete walls blocked him in from all sides. There were electric lights of course, so that it wasn't pitch dark. Then he looked up and saw that his arms were chained above his head with thick shackles.

He was cold, his skin was shivering and his toes were icy. He looked down to see that someone had removed his coat, both shirts, cross, his boots and socks. He was clad only in his black cargo pants and boxers. Being in the stronghold of the enemy that made Duo very nervous.

He sensed Lilith near by and the Mother Vampire walked over to him, a smile curving her ripe lips. She was beautiful, but it was an evil sort of beauty. Duo would have preferred Aurora's innocent gamine looks compared to this seductive Creature of the Night. Still, the teenage boy had to appreciate the way the leather bodice pushed up her ample breasts and how the tight pants hugged her curved hips and long legs. She tossed her black hair and looked at him with midnight blue eyes.

The young warrior closed his eyes and leaned his head back. He remembered how he got into this predicamate.

The ghouls were dragging him. Duo looked at Illiana and dug his feet into the ground. He collapsed to his knees, the sudden movement causing the ghouls to fall with him. He sprang up and began to run, not looking behind him. He just moved blindly, using his special sixth sense, which was incredibly heightened at the moment, to steer him away from danger.

He wasn't going to die without a fight.

The golden haired witch looked at him with intense amber eyes. Duo remembered him from his first hunting trip, and that crossbows suck. He had saved some girl from being sacrificed to some demon, and if he was remembering right, the demon was coming after Duo had gotten the girl out of the circle and sprayed Holy water on it.

They met eyes and Duo saw the flash of recognition, then pure hatred right then. He pointed his finger at the God of Death and the last thing that Duo remembered was a female laughter.

"So, you traded yourself for your Lady Love, how quaint," Lilith taunted with a sultry smile. Duo glared as he looked into her ever-changing eyes.

He growled, "What did you do to Heero?"

Lilith gave an exasperated sigh as she answered, "He really is the Perfect Soldier. I tried to tempt him, get him to turn, and he doesn't. He ends up saving the princess, blah, blah, blah. At least I can get a rise out of Trowa."

"What the hell did you do to Trowa?" Duo snarled, straining on the shackles above him. They pull at his arms and bit into his wrists.

Lilith gave a throaty chuckle as she looked at him. She mused, "You're really pretty. Beautiful, even. You don't seem human." She walked around him, tracing a finger down his back. Duo jerked away from her icy touch and she laughed.

He asked again, his tone softer and more dangerous, "What did you do to Trowa? Who turned him?"

The God of Death had been unleashed and he wasn't about to let this bitch end the world or hurt Aurora or anyone else that he cared about. He met the Dark Queen's eyes unflinching as he watched them change from black to pale blue, almost white. She smiled at him, a cunning, seductive smile.

She answered, "Heero's a Damphier, you're a Called, undrinkable, and Quatre makes me sick with all of his purity, and Wufei's well, Wufei. I wouldn't touch him with a twenty-foot pole. I couldn't change you or Heero, so Trowa was my choice."

"Why?" he spat, feeling sick.

She walked away from him, swaying her shapely hips and buttox in the tight leather. Duo watched her and swallowed. She was the dark seductress. He glared and replaced her image of Aurora, dripping wet, her long, blond hair plastered to her elfin features, her silver eyes wide, a white robe being clung to by small hands. There was no way this bitch was going to get to him.

"Because you five are the epitome of perfection! If you weren't a Called, then you would be mine, God of Death," she laughed. Then she looked him over, her eyes lingering on his before she gazed at him lustfully. "But, you could still be mine," she told him.

He snapped, "I don't think so. I'm not into necrophilia. Sorry, baby, but you're not my type." Then he chuckled softly, mocking her.

She smiled at him and replied sweetly, "That's right, I'm not a little, blond, virgin necromancer. I bet I can do anything that little Aurora can do, but better."

"You're not gonna touch her," Duo told her with a dark grin. He wasn't going to let her get her icy hands on Aurora to sacrifice to some Hell beast. Hell would freeze over before he would let that happen.

"She may come willingly," Lilith told him as she snapped her fingers. Hawk walked into the room and smiled. Duo glared at the vampire as he cracked his knuckles. Duo flexed his fingers in the shackles as the vampire approached.

Lilith said, "Hawk, he's yours, just don't injure him too much, don't touch his face or below the waist. Breaking ribs and arms are just fine though. And fingers are fun too." Then she laughed as she strutted out of the room. She didn't walk. She strutted.

The golden-eyed vampire looked him over with a smirk. He said, "The big bad God of Death caught by us vampires. It's funny. Now, pretty boy, what am I going to do?"

"Just don't rape me," Duo taunted, tossing his head. He went on, "I know I'm good looking, but I think you can resist me."

"You little shit," the vampire sneered at him.

Duo smirked and replied, "I've been called worse, Leech."

"Fuck you," the vampire shouted as his fist slammed into Duo's stomach. The teenager only grunted in response. Whatever torture they were going to give him he was going to take, and by damn it, he was going to take it proudly.

******

Treize studied the sleeping girl. Amazing, a necromancer, he thought as he peered into her sleeping face. It wasn't a wonder why Duo Maxwell was smitten with her. She was lovely. Long golden hair fell over her delicate, elfin features as she shifted in her sleep. Her eyes opened to reveal large, silver eyes.

The slight girl sat up and glared at Treize with her silvery eyes. He smiled softly at her and said, "You're awake, miss."

"Who the hell are you?" Aurora snapped, glaring at him even more. Her fingers began to dig into the bandage that Lady Une had just placed on the wounded flesh. Treize, faster than the eye could move, grabbed her hand and lifted it up, making sure that she couldn't cause any injury to herself and awaken her spectacular ability.

She sneered, "Where's Duo?"

"If I knew, Aurora, I'd tell you," Treize told her as he stood up, bringing Aurora with him. Her head didn't even come up to his shoulders. She was that tiny. He chuckled at the thought of such a little girl being such a threat.

She snatched her hand away from him and he let her do so. He smiled as he watched her, amused by her actions. She sneered, "How the hell were you able to do that?"

"Put you under?" Treize asked with a mysterious smile. She glared and nodded, her long hair flying about her face. He answered smoothly, "You were weak from before. I'm old and powerful enough to roll you under."

"What about Duo?" she snapped, stepping back even more. With her red turtle neck smeared with blood and graveyard dust and her disheveled blond hair, she didn't belong in the finery around her.

Treize smiled to himself as a plan formed in his head. He had witnessed Duo's exchange to Quatre and Trowa then their passionate kiss. For a moment, Treize thought that the Called was about to take the Necromancer right then and there. He smiled to himself as the door opened.

******

Aurora spun away from the elegant vampire as the door opened. She was tense. Every hair on her body was standing on end. To add to that, there was this deep pit in her gut, gnawing away at her, and she didn't know whether to rage at it or cry.

Quatre Winner stepped in, flanked by the green-eyed vampire that hadn't flinched when she turned her powers on him earlier. The cherubic boy looked at her with aqua eyes and a sweet smile. How could he be smiling while Duo could be dead right now? Aurora was about ready to fly off the handle.

The sandy haired vampire tilted his head so his hair fell over one dark green eye as he looked at her. He asked, "Are you the necromancer?"

"Yeah," she answered defensively, digging her fingernails into the soft gauze on her hand. The elegant vampire reached over and caught her hand. He smiled kindly at her, his cornflower blue eyes twinkling in some hidden knowledge.

The fledgling nodded and said, "Lilith won't have you then."

"You know what she's planning to do?" Aurora asked dully.

He nodded and backed against the wall. He seemed even more detached than Heero did. At least there was some spark in Heero Yuy to be seen. She suddenly wished that the stoic Damphier was here.

The elegant vampire smiled at her and said, "Forgive me, Miss Winters, but I'm Treize Kushrenada, this is Quatre Rabeba Winner, and Trowa Barton is the vampire who you used your gifts earlier on."

"Treize Kushrenada?" Aurora asked, blinking. The former ruler of the world was a vampire? She let up a bubble of hysterical laughter as she backed away from them. She choked, "That is so ironic! The ruler of the world was a fucking vampire! Why am I not surprised?"

She turned away from them, aware of the tears in her eyes. What the hell was happening to her? It hurt even to breathe. She wanted Duo here, with her, holding her, right now. Then she felt a familiar presence near by. She rushed out of the room with the two vampires and the bewildered physic following her.

She saw Heero standing in the hallway with a girl her age with dark blond hair. She immediately recognized the former Queen of the World, Relena Peacecraft. Then she recognized her bodyguard, Lucrazia Noin, former Oz solder, then she froze as she looked up at the man with a long mane of platinum blond hair.

He felt like Heero in the back of her mind, but darker. She could fell his power in the back of her head, rolling darkly like a storm, lurking. She could also sense his hunger. Then he looked at her with icy blue eyes.

"Necromancer," he hissed.

She swallowed in fear. She could have the two vampires behind her and the other one in the house howling in pain if she wanted. She had a cross that could protect her from them. A Rogue Damphier was another story.

"Don't you touch her," Heero hissed, standing in front of her. The Rogue's icy eyes looked her over and she shrank back. Heero told him, "I can't let you hurt her."

"I won't allow you to hurt her either, brother," Relena said, standing beside Heero. Heero turned to face her, noticing the panicked look on her face. Then his eyes followed to where Trowa was standing. The dark blue eyes flared as he looked at the vampire. Aurora could feel the hunting instincts flair up in the Damphier as he looked at the other boy.

Trowa stood calmly there. Heero walked up to him and asked, "Who did that to you?"

"Lilith," the quiet boy answered.

Heero spun to face Aurora. He looked around and asked, "Where's Duo?"

Aurora blinked away fresh tears as she whispered, "He was taken."

"Lilith again, Heero," Treize said as he looked Heero over. He said, "I wonder why I didn't see it before. You strike such a resemblance to Quinn that it isn't funny."

"What are you talking about?" the Rogue asked. His and Heero's eyes met and locked. Aurora saw the raging of their wills in that gaze and looked away. Then she looked back at them and studied them. There was a resemblance to them, not physical features exactly, but the way they carried themselves, their body posture. She hadn't payed that much attention to Quinn, but all the mannerisms were the same.

"Quinn's my father," Heero told him in his emotionless voice. The Rogue's eyes flared as he looked at Treize.

He said, "How can that be, Quinn's my father?"

******

The pain wasn't that bad really. Duo could focus on something else, like pounding the shit out of Hawk before he dismbowled him and chopped his head off. Or how Aurora would look perfectly nude, her silver eyes darkening in desire for him, and her body slick with a layer of sweat. Not the pain of a couple of broken ribs and lots of bruises. He knew that he would heal eventually, actually, pretty quickly, but that was beyond the point. He hurt now.

Hawk took one final blow as he studied Duo. He smirked as he taunted, "Not so tough now are ya, Called?"

Duo swung his legs up, catching the vampire under the jaw. The motion brought a fresh wave of pain to his upper arms and ribs, but he didn't care. The sight of the cocky vampire falling back was well worth it. Hawk looked up at him, his golden eyes turning crimson as he hissed at Duo, showing his fangs. He began to rush at Duo, but a flash of pale hair and a purple sweater ran between them. Hawk looked down blankly at the child fiend.

Illiana hissed, "He's mine now."

"Damn you, demon brat," Hawk snarled as he walked away from them, giving Duo a chilling smile. Duo flipped him the finger before he turned his attention to the tiny vampire below him.

Illiana looked up at him and smiled. It would have been an adorable smile if it had been on a little girl and not a vampire. She sat down and looked up at him with wide violet eyes. She said, "Tell me about Heero."

Duo blinked. Did he hear her right? Tell her about Heero? What the hell? He asked, "What the hell?"

"I wanna know about Heero," Illiana said, pouting.

Duo swallowed and studied her. He replied, "I see that, but why?" Demon brat has a crush on Heero. Great, he thought as he studied her.

"I like him," Illiana told him with a sweet smile. She walked over to the wall and pushed a lever. Duo felt the chains loosen as they crashed to the ground. He managed not to crash, but he ended up sitting on the floor, facing Illiana. The violet eyed girl sat down and looked him in the eye. She chirped, "Tell me about him, Duo."

Duo chuckled despite his situation. He answered, "Ah, Heero Yuy, Mr. Suicidal."

"He wants to kill himself?" Illiana asked nervously, her violet eyes wide.

Duo laughed again, throwing his head back. He concentrated on the irony of the situation. This little vampire was a necromancer too, just like Aurora, and he was having almost the same problem that she was.

He shook his head and answered her, "Not anymore, trust me. He found out that his life isn't cheep, or whatever. Heero thinks weirdly. It hurts my head to think how Heero thinks. And how the hell does he talk in that damn monotone of his?"

"I like his voice," Illiana protested, looking at him with wide eyes.

Duo studied her. The childishness wasn't as much of an illusion as he thought it was. It was almost as if she was clinging to something. She didn't want to be changed. Hell, most vamps didn't wanna be changed but they quickly liked the idea.

He asked her, "You wanna grow up, don't you?"

She stood up and began to pace, rubbing her arms at her sides. She nodded slowly, letting her hair fall into her face. She turned to face him and said, "You're the only person whoever told me that in a nice way."

"I'm sorry," Duo told her, feeling sorry for her and hating the plan that was forming in the back of his head.

"Its okay," Illiana said childishly, shrugging.

Duo stretched his legs and sore back. He told her, "No, it's not. Tell me who did it and I'll go kill em for you."

"They're already dead," Illiana said sharply, sounding much older now.

"Lilith?" Duo asked her, playing with the chains now.

Illiana shook her head, sending her long hair flying. She answered, "No, it wasn't Lilith. Lilith killed them though." Then she smiled and said, "The necromancer's very pretty."

"Um, thanks, I think," Duo replied nervously.

"I like her. I wish she didn't have to die," Illiana told him, twisting a lock of hair nervously around her fingers.

Duo honestly told her, "I wish she didn't have to die either."

"Illiana, leave," the witch's voice called out. Illiana stood up and looked at the golden witch. She looked back at Duo then back at the witch. The witch said, "Go, now, Illiana. I won't hurt him. Yet."

"Why?" Illiana asked him, looking back at Duo. "We were having a good conversation."

Duo nodded and agreed, "Yeah, we were having a nice little talk."

"Now it's my turn," the witch said as he walked into the room. Duo stood up and looked at him, squaring his shoulders.

******

"He's both of your fathers actually," Treize said with a smile. Heero couldn't believe his ears. He was a half brother to Zechs? To his greatest foe?

Relena gasped in shock and stated, "It can't be."

"It's true. Quinn got around," the other vampire stated. Heero took a look at her. She was tall and slender with a mane of long, burgundy hair and light, bright green eyes. She said, "Forest told me a lot about Quinn because she hated him. She always thought that he had betrayed Liam. I'm not sure about that, but she kept tabs on him."

Zechs gave a bitter laugh and replied, "Why am I not surprised. Forest, always had a continency plan to the end."

Heero looked at Aurora and the girl shrugged and looked away. Relena demanded, "Could someone tell me what the hell is going on here?"

"Miss Relena," Noin gasped in shock. Heero blinked. Relena swore. She tossed her dark blond hair off her shoulder and glared at them with her brilliant blue eyes.

"I've been captured, had my world turned upside down, and I'm just a little upset about it," Relena stated regally. Heero's heart thumped strangely at her expression, her fire.

Both Treize and Zechs smiled, both of them amused. The smile quickly faded from Zechs' features though as he looked at Treize. Treize smiled and said, "Princess, well, it is an interesting story."

"Good, I want to hear it," Relena told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Aurora stated, "Vampires and other supernatural nastys are real. Lilith wants to end the human world as we know it to get it ready to be ruled by the Dark Forces of Hell. It's called the Cycle of Darkness and only one person can stop it and he's been captured."

"What does Heero and the others have to do with this?" Relena asked the necromancer.

Trowa calmly stated, "Lilith changed me."

"I'm a physic," Quatre said with a slight smile.

Minerva shrugged and said, "I was payed by your brother to protect you."

"I went along with her," Noin stated calmly.

Heero looked at Zechs and glared at him. How could they be related? As Heero ran the possibilities over and over in his head, he realized how true that was. Then would that make him related to Relena?

Treize answered in his calm voice, "Heero and Zechs have the same father, a vampire named Quinn, who died recently. You and Zechs have different fathers, but the same mother. A child of a human and a vampire is called a Damphier. They are born to hunt vampires. It is a natural ability to them. They are faster, stronger, and have better senses than a normal human's."

"That explains a lot," Relena said slowly. Then she asked, "Who are you?" She looked directly at Aurora as she said that.

"The virginal sacrifice in price to save the vampires from the Cycle," Aurora said coldly, locking her silver eyes and Relena's face. Then she added, "But my name's Aurora Winters." She turned and started to walk away.

******

Aurora had to get away from all of those people. All the supernatural power was starting to pound at her skull. Plus, she couldn't think of anything other than Duo. Was he dead? Was he hurt? Did he miss her?

She looked out a huge window into the night sky. There were cushions on the huge sill, made for someone who liked to stargaze probably. She sat on the cushions and ran her fingers over the black, rich velvet curtains, to keep out daylight, she supposed.

She placed her hand on the glass and looked at her reflection. Her hair was mussed. Her eyes wide in her pale face, shimmering with unearthly energy, she was streaked with dried blood and dirt. She looked like some nameless wrath.

Duo, she thought with a pang as she looked out into the velvety darkness of the night. A name with only three letters, but so much more than that. She curled her knees to her chest and sighed. She wished him here, to put his arms around her and kiss her senseless. She wanted him, needed him even.

"Dammit," she cursed softly as tears welled and spilled out of her eyes. She had only known him for a few short days and she couldn't breathe. She couldn't think, except about him.

She could see him clearly in her mind. A heart-shaped gamine face framed by long chestnut bangs, huge violet eyes filled with good humor and hope, that long braid that moved like an entity of its own. He smiled in her vision and winked at her. A ragged sob tore out of her throat.

She started to sob. Why was this happening to her? What was she going to do about it? Was she in love with him?

In love with Duo? Am I in love with Duo? Aurora thought as she looked up at the glass again. She saw her tear stained reflection look back at her, offering her no answers or comfort. She saw another refection join hers in the glass. It was a beautiful woman with chestnut brown hair and huge brown eyes. She turned around to look at the young woman.

She smiled and said, "My name's Lady Une, and it looks like you could use a bath."

Aurora shrugged and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She replied, "Okay." Lady Une held out her hand and helped Aurora off the cushions. As far as Aurora could tell, Une was purely human. She asked, "What are you doing here?"

Une laughed softly and said, "I'm with Treize."

"He's your lover?" Aurora asked as they walked down the hall.

Une gave another soft laugh and answered, "Yes, he is. I love him dearly." Une looked at her and asked, "Now, what's your name, young lady?"

"Aurora Winters," she stated as they stopped at a door. Une opened it and Aurora gasped at what she saw. It was the hugest bathroom that she'd ever seen. It had pale blue tiles and a huge black bath tub in the center of the room, with different soaps and things on a carved shelf. She walked over to the tub and Lady Une smiled.

She said, "whatever is in here is yours, Aurora."

******

"You ruined everything for me, boy," Jason sneered at Duo, his golden eyes glowing with raw fury and borrowed power.

Duo glared right back and replied, "Hey, you were gonna kill a girl. I was just doing my job."

"The demon took me instead of her!" Jason spat at him.

Duo smirked and replied, "Seems like a better trade and a more fitting ending. You make a deal with the devil . . ." Jason's eyes narrowed at that. Duo laughed at him, taunting him. He said, "Well, hurt me then. Make me bleed. You want vengeance, well I'm pretty helpless here." He lifted up his arms, the chains clinking rhythmically.

Jason laughed, it was a chilling, eery cackle. He said, "No. I can't do that. But, mark my words Duo Maxwell, this isn't over." Then he turned away from Duo. The young man was confused as the witch left the room, leaving Duo alone.

"Okay, that was strange," Duo told himself as he looked down at the chains around his wrists. Suddenly, the chains jerked, throwing his arms painfully up again. His body was yanked above the ground like a rag doll, bringing a fresh wave of pain to all of his injuries. He cried out as he tried to brace himself with his hands.

"He's a lot more generous than I am," Damon drawled as he walked into the room. Duo paled at he sight of the whip in his hand. He cracked the whip, it snapped through the air and landed gracefully at his feet.

Damon moved behind him and whispered in his ear, "Tell me, Maxwell, what does she taste like?"

"You'll never get your fucking hands on her," Duo snarled at him. The vampire laughed as he moved so they were eye to eye.

He said, "Come on, I know you've thought about it. Her body wrapped around yours, so tight and hot. In your boyish fantasies did she cry out in pain?"

Duo glared at him, snarling slightly. His anger was bubbling, making him forget about pain, about death, about almost anything. Everything was blurring into a red haze, all he could think was killkillkilldeathdeathkillkilldeathdeath. "Am I upsetting you?" he asked in his charming voice. Duo snarled inarticulately.

"Fuck you," Duo snarled at him.

Damon laughed and replied, "I didn't know that your tastes ran in that direction, Maxwell. Is Aurora the exception to the rule?"

Duo glared and sneered, "Why, you hopeful?"

That's when Damon spun around behind him. He felt the sharp crack of the whip slice into his flesh with a hot, stinging clarity. He bit his lip to keep himself from crying out. Another crack of the whip. More pain. Duo gasped and clinched his fists as he tried to back away from the flogging.

******

Quatre felt sorry for the girl sitting by the window. There was something almost tragic about her, he realized as he watched her. He looked over at Trowa. Those dark green eyes were fathomless, unreadable. Then, the older boy shrugged. Quatre sighed as he walked over to Aurora.

"Penny for your thoughts," Quatre told her cheerfully.

Aurora faced him with huge silver eyes. He gasped as he felt a wave of cold power wash over them. She said, "You're a physic."

"Apparently," Quatre replied with a slight chuckle. Duo cared for this girl and Quatre wasn't about to let one of his best friend's girlfriends get hurt. He sat down beside her.

"I can't stand this," she said suddenly.

"What?" Trowa asked her.

Aurora got up and started to pace. She snapped, "The waiting. They have Duo and only God knows what's happening to him and what are they doing? Trying to locate Lilith's stronghold. He could be dying or dead or . . ." She broke off with a curse, turning away from them.

Oh, fuck, it hurts. It feels like I'm being shredded apart here. Every crack of that damn whip, every taunt from that bastard. I can feel the blood dripping down my back. It's kinda warm. I'm so cold. But this isn't death. I know what Death's like, and this ain't it. This is torture.

Quatre froze as the image became clearer. He could still hear Duo's thoughts in his mind, he could feel the pain that the braided pilot was going through. He gasped as the rush of power hit him.

It was cold. Quatre could see the pain-glazed violet of Duo's eyes as he hung helplessly, his arms above his head, held off the ground by chains. He was shirtless and shoeless. Blood dripped in crimson rivulets in his back, soaking the chestnut braid. The hair scraped over the floggings, causing a rush of pain to crash up Duo's spine to his brain.

The man held the whip and smiled. He pulled it back, his brown eyes turning crimson, his angelic features becoming demonic with hatred and jealousy. Damon, was his name, taken right out of Duo's mind.

Damon snapped, "You are never gonna have her. If I can't have her, then no one will!" He cracked the whip. It snapped on Duo's already ragged flesh, causing more blood to well up, slicing smooth skin. Duo closed his eyes and hissed in pain, clinching his fingers in tight fists.

Somewhere in the pain Quatre could feel a burning rage. It was dark, wanting to kill. It strengthened with each crack of the whip and each taunt. It was like a red haze, surrounding them.

Quatre cried out and wrapped his arms around himself. Trowa and Aurora looked at him, both concerned. Aurora asked, "Did you have a vision?" He slowly nodded. His head felt as if it was going to explode. She asked, "What did you see?"

He shivered again and wavered. Trowa caught him, holding him up right with his slender arms. Quatre answered, "Duo, in pain. Someone, Damon, torturing him." Trowa gently lowered him to a sitting position on the ground. He rubbed his throbbing temples as he looked at Aurora.

The girl ran out of the room.

******

He had passed out from the pain. He couldn't think, couldn't feel, and he didn't want to. Then he felt the hands gently caress his chest, teasing his already sensitive skin. "Aurora," Duo moaned as the hands were replaced by a soft mouth. He felt his body react as the kisses dropped lower and slender fingers tugged at the waist band of his pants.

The hands were cool and smooth. The mouth was cool as well. Duo realized it wasn't Aurora at that moment. She was warm, no, hot, and alive. He opened his mouth to see Lilith smirking at him with smoky eyes.

She stood up and looked at him. Her finger gently brushed over the shredded skin of his back. He hissed in pain as she lightly pressed her palm against his ribs. She murmured, "So much pain, Duo. They hurt you badly." She smiled at him, looking him in the eyes. Her eyes turned from smoky brown to bright green. She said, "There are other tortures than simply pain."

Then she kissed him. Duo bit her lip, tasting the metalicness of her blood. She laughed at him as she touched her bleeding lip. He watched as it quickly healed. She tossed her black hair and stepped back from him. She was dressed in her tight leather pants and lace up corset, her plump breasts almost spilling out of the fabric.

"Don't touch me," Duo spat at her as she lightly cupped his face. He jerked away from his icy touch. Her other hand caressed his chest, then settled over his groin. Despite his mind's protests, he felt himself harden under her icy touch.

"Your body's telling me otherwise," Lilith purred as she unbuttoned his cargo pants. He felt an icy rush of fear run through his veins as she slowly unzipped them. He grew harder as she caressed him under his boxers.

"No, don't," he moaned as she knelt before him. This was wrong. She had absolute control over him. No, it couldn't be. He was the Called. This couldn't be happening to him.

******

Quatre felt an overwhelming sense of shame wash over him. He felt his mind join with Duo's again. He closed his eyes and tried to reach out. The feeling came on smoothly when he embraced it, nothing painful about it this time, except with Duo's thoughts.

Lilith's long raven hair spilled on both sides of her face, covering up what she was doing. For that, Quatre was thankful. She was kneeling in front of Duo, and the violet eyed boy was twisting his head back and forth between pants. Sweat trickled down his brow, wetting his hair.

"Oh, no," Duo groaned as he thrashed harder. Quatre felt something like amusement coming from Lilith, amusement and enjoyment. Duo stiffened and groaned, then his body went slack as he breathed hard from release.

Oh, Allah, how could she? Quatre thought as Duo looked down at the first vampire, gasping in shame. Lilith stood up and fastened his pants. She laughed as she licked her lips. She said, "I told you I'll make you mine."

"Burn in hell, you sadistic bitch," Duo sneered, still panting. She leaned forward and kissed his sweat stained brow. He tensed as she stroked his blood stained hair. She pulled away.

She said, "You are mine, Duo Maxwell. Mine to do with as I please. Just like Trowa. When I rule the world you shall be my slave. Trowa will be my second, if I see fit. You'll forget all about your little virgin and only want me."

"Fuck you," Duo spat as she stepped away from him.

Lilith smiled at him and said, "I've already did that." She blew him a kiss as she walked out of the room. Quatre felt the intense shame and fear in Duo as the boy leaned his head back. He saw tears well up in his friend's eyes before Duo violently blinked them away.

******

Duo wanted to cry. He could feel the tears form in his eyes. He felt ruined, broken, beaten. There was nothing for him anymore. And he felt dirty. He shivered at the perverse reaction that his body had to Lilith.

He wanted to kill her. He wanted to make her hurt, make her bleed, as well as Damon. He wanted to rip Damon's heart out with his bear hands, after he tied him down and poured Holy Water and pressed crosses onto his flesh.

Duo, a familiar voice said to him. Duo softly chuckled as he leaned his head back. His arms and back ached so much. He felt lightheaded from blood loss. Everything was so cold.

Hey Quatre, he replied.

Quatre was like a beam of purity. His touch in all of the insanity, hunger, death and pain was welcoming. It gave him hope. Duo, do you know where you are? The Arab asked him.

Duo chuckled and replied, Nope, Q-Man. I have no fucking clue to where I am. I'm going insane. It hurts Quatre.

I know, Duo. Don't worry, we'll be there soon, we'll find you, Quatre said in soothing tones.

He shifted his weight. He groaned with sharp pain. He felt numb in some parts and stingingly painful and over sensitive in others. He couldn't feel his feet and his arms burned. Don't worry, Duo. We'll be there. Aurora's safe, he added.

Duo slightly smiled as he pictured Aurora in his mind. Then everything fell into comforting blackness. He felt nothing, no pain, no shame, just rest.

******

"The sun's coming up," Heero stated as Trowa and the other two vampires retreated to their rooms. He looked at Quatre, who kept looking around with nervous aqua eyes. He asked, "Can you find him?"

Quatre nodded and said, "I think so. I'm getting the handle of this."

"Good, because we need you," Heero told him. Quatre smiled briefly at this. Zechs stepped into the room, dressed for combat.

"I'm going too," he stated calmly.

Heero glared and snapped, "Like hell you're not. Stay here. Relena and Aurora need protection."

"Relena and Aurora have Lady Une, Noin, and three vampires to watch over them," Zechs told him sharply. They glared at each other. The combativeness in the other showing up.

"Guys, stop, this isn't helping Duo!" Quatre cried out, ever the peacemaker.

Zechs looked away and stated, "He's right, you know. This isn't helping Maxwell at all."

"I don't need your help, Zechs," Heero said crossly.

Quatre sighed and said, "But Duo needs all of our help."

Heero looked at Quatre. Dammit, he's right, I have to work with my greatest foe to save my best friend, he thought grimly. He stated, "Fine, come on."

******

Aurora looked out of the window. The sun was up, glittering off the snow. Noin, Une, and Relena were sitting in the study. She started to pace. She wanted to know what was happening. She needed Duo.

"Pacing isn't going to make them come back any faster," Noin told her calmly.

Aurora sighed and replied, "But it's sure as hell making me feel better."

Noin and Une laughed at that. Noin said, "Stubborn little thing, isn't she?"

"That's why she's perfect for Duo. His charm won't get to her," Une said with a smile as she sipped a cup of tea.

Relena asked, "What do you mean? What about Duo?"

I need him so badly that it hurts, Aurora thought as she wrapped her arms around herself, desperately wishing that they were Duo's. She sat back down with a sigh. Noin answered, "Isn't it obvious?"

Aurora glared at her and Noin simply smiled. She said, "Duo Maxwell's a handful. But I have a feeling that you can keep him in line."

Aurora had to smile at that. She had seen Noin and Zechs last night. There was definite chemistry there. She wondered what would happen to her after all this was over and she survived. Would she go with Duo? Obviously, yes. If he wanted her, that is.

Relena asked, "Why does Lilith want to do this?"

Une answered, "Lilith wants vampires to rule a world of darkness."

Aurora picked up the question. She was an insider herself while Une was caught up in it because she was in love with a vampire. She answered, "But, she doesn't want vamps slaved by the demons that she's gonna unleash. So I'm payment for freedom."

"That's sick," Relena said in shock.

Aurora shrugged and said, "I just have to deal with it." Come on, bring him back.

******

"It's clear," Quatre said, his voice laced with surprise. Heero blinked. His senses confirmed the same thing. Only Duo was in this abandoned underground bomb shelter. Zechs nodded to confirm it for a third time.

"Contact him," Zechs said, "If he's been tortured then he's not going to be too trusting."

Quatre closed his eyes. Heero waited. He wanted to burst down the door and free his friend. Quatre's eyes opened and he said, "Nothing. Just darkness. I mean, he's alive, but not responding."

"Shinigami," Heero whispered to himself, wondering if the God of Death truly existed and if Duo had finally met his namesake.

"What?" Zechs asked, puzzled.

Heero didn't answer him. He held his pistol out and shot the lock. They began to walk down a dim stair case. The only light was from above and from below. Heero could see everything perfectly as they walked. They stopped at a concrete door sealed with an electronic lock.

Automatically, Heero knelt down before it and began to hack into it. He felt comforted doing something as normal as picking locks. Within a few moments, the door hissed and opened. The room was huge with no windows, just concrete blocks and a concrete floor. And cold. Very cold, Heero found out as they walked into it.

Quatre, growing up in warm climates, began to shiver under his flight jacket. He said, his breath making tiny puffs of steam, "Its cold. They had Duo in here?"

They walked down the stairs to see Duo dangling from the ceiling by thick chains. He swung slightly from the chains. His upper arms were white with lack of circulation, and then his back turned to them. Heero hissed in anger. The pale skin was shredded by whip scratches, the blood dried and caked in the wounds. He had bruises all over his torso, like someone had used him as a punching bag.

"Oh my gosh," Quatre gasped as Heero ran to his friend.

"Duo, wake up," Heero told him tersely. The huge violet eyes fluttered open, glazed over with pain. Heero reached up and wrapped the chain around his hand. Zechs was suddenly there, supporting Duo so he wouldn't fall.

With a grunt, he snapped the chains. Duo sagged into Zechs' arms. "Fuck, I feel like shit," Duo moaned. Heero touched his friend's face. It was cold, too cold.

"Lets get him out of here, now," Heero told Zechs as they left the room.

******

Aurora sensed Heero, Quatre, Zechs and a very weak Duo coming. Duo! She thought as she jumped from her seat and began to run. She briefly heard Noin tell Relena to stay put. She got to the main door within a few moments. She threw open the door to see Quatre, Zechs, and Heero holding a semiconscious Duo. The clouded violet eyes cleared as he saw her.

Une said, "We need to get him cleaned up."

"And warmed up, he's in hypothermia," Heero told her cooly. Duo reached out for her with pale fingers. She took his icy hand, frightened because how cold it was to her. They walked to the bath. As soon as they were there, Une pushed her back.

She said, "No, you can't be here."

"But Duo," she cried, reaching out to him. Duo looked up at her. The door shut in her face, leaving her alone with Noin.

Noin put her strong hands on her shoulders. She said, "Come on, we'll only be in the way. Duo's in good hands." Aurora said nothing as Noin lead her away, but she did look back and Noin had to guide her down the hallway.

To Be Continued!

Fanfic Challenge!

Since you like reading A Shade Darker, then you'll understand what I'm saying when I say I WANT A GUNDAM WING VAMPIRE STORY TO READ!!!! I mean, I'm writing this, having a blast, but not having any to read myself, except for Space Vixen X's Alternate Sins.

(Which is an awesome story by the way, so go read it!)

So, I'm issuing a challenge to all of you Gundam Wing fan fiction writers out there reading this story. I want a Gundam Wing vampire story and here's the challenge requirements:

1) Duo cannot be a vampire, he has to be in the story, but he cannot be a vampire. You can change any of the other pilots to your heart's content, just not Duo.

2) The Gundams still exist, they're still pilots, so no "the Gundams don't exist" AUs.

3) No Duo yaoi. Not that I'm against it, it's just that when anyone writes a GW Vampire fic, Duo's always gay. Besides, what is the chance that all of the pilots (except Wufei) are gay? Slim and none. Two, yeah, three, pushing it, four, nope, unbelievable.

4) No Duo as the bad guy. (Yeah, I'm a big Duo fan, sue me.)

Basically, that's all the challenge. So get to a writing! Please! And if you need any help with vampire stuff, e-mail me at slaybrat@aye.net

Thanks,

Elf