Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Heart of the Night ❯ Chapter 17 ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Heart of the Night
Part Seventeen

Something pricked at the edges of his consciousness. Vague but desperate; it called to him, confused him, made him anxious to return. Return to what, he asked himself silently. Wasn't he dead? How could he be aware of anything?

No, he knew that wasn't right. If the muddled fog of his mind he knew he still lived, even if barely. He had to live. There was someone else that needed him. He couldn't die until he knew the one he loved was safe from this horror that they were entrapped in.

His heart racing weakly, he slowly clawed his way to consciousness, becoming aware as he went of the sounds around him; a low moan, a chuckle, a barely heard voice of determination. Groaning low in his throat he forced his eyes open.

"Quatre," Vachel gasped as his grey eyes started to focus on the scene across the room. Weakly he pulled against his bonds, acutely aware of the black-haired female watching him from the shadows with keen interest.

He didn't care about her any longer. She had used him as her plaything, drained him almost to the point of death and then left him to suffer. He knew she waited only for her master's order to finish the task. She would kill him, of that he was certain. He had already seen his death in the midnight depths of her eyes.

Vachel whispered Quatre's name hoarsely as his struggles tore skin. Pain lanced through his arms. He raised his eyes and met the tortured blue gaze of his lover from across the room. Words weren't needed, he could see it all in Quatre's eyes and he knew the blonde could see it in his. They would both die here if they didn't find some way to do something.

But how did you fight creatures such as these?

Fresh blood dripped down Vachel's arms, his skin torn from his wrists from trying to free himself. In the shadows Quatre could see Bella's gaze light up as she caught the scent of warm blood. He knew that without Nakki's order she wouldn't act, but still, her uncanny interest in Vachel's new wound unsettled him.

"Am I losing your attention, little one?" Nakki murmured in his ear.

"Don't…call…me…that…" Quatre bit through clenched teeth as the vampire's teeth sank into shoulder.

Nakki lapped at the flowing wound, rather than pull the blood from him. It was his way of toying with the blonde without killing or even weakening too far. He was waiting for Trowa to find them. Meanwhile he amused himself. He had always liked playing with mortals anyway. They could be so frail and strong all at the same time and utterly sensual.

It excited him to wound, feed and arouse all at once. It was even more thrilling for him when the one he played with was completely unwilling. He loved to show them how, even in the most horrific of situations, their bodies would ultimately betray them.

They were all his toys, every one of them. Right up until the last whisper of breath, they were all his; even this exquisite little blonde that his former paramour was so enchanted with.

His golden eyes flashed as he felt a subtle tensing in the slim body beneath his lips. Barton was trying to reach him and the little blonde was fighting it…trying not to answer him. He wondered idly if Barton would use the full extent of his power and force a response from the boy. No…he wouldn't. Nakki chuckled as he opened another wound on the other shoulder.

Barton was too weak to do such a thing. He knew that to do such a thing would destroy the blonde's mind…it was something that he would never willingly do.

But Nakki most assuredly would.

Raising his head, his eyes glittered as he gazed into the half opened ones of his prisoner. "You're mine now." He said raising Quatre's chin. "I've taken enough to break his hold over you."

Light exploded behind Quatre's eyes as the black haired vampire lowered his head again and sank his teeth into the tender skin of his throat. He could feel his will slipping away. What was happening to him?
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He was losing the fragile connection he had with Quatre. With every mile he traveled he had been sensing it growing weaker and weaker. His green eyes glittered in rage as he felt the last thread between them break, leaving him alone in the night.

He should have taken more when Quatre had so sweetly offered it. He should have strengthened the blood bond between them. He had been afraid too. There was a very thin line between taking enough to create a connection and taking too much and creating control. He had been desperate to make sure Quatre kept his own will. That any thoughts and actions the blonde made from that point would be truly his own and not a reflection of Trowa's own desires.

Now he may pay for that with Quatre's life. At the very least he would have to take control of the blonde himself. He would be no more than a puppet. It all depended on how close to the edge of death he was being kept.

He growled as he saw the old, ramshackle keep loom out of the dark against the moonlit sky. They were in there. He was close enough now that he could sense Nakki's presence. The older vampire was doing nothing to conceal his whereabouts now. He wanted Trowa to come to him.

And for once, Trowa wished to face him again.
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Using his senses, Trowa moved silently through the dusty halls of the building. He was heading for underneath the structure. That was where they were, he had located them quickly once he had entered the place.

She struck when he turned a corner that would lead him to the stairs downwards. He knew she was there before she had even moved. Her powers as a fledgling not enough to completely conceal herself from him. As she moved his hand shot out and she was caught dangling before him, his long fingers wrapped tightly around her throat. Growling angrily she tried in vain to escape his grip.

"How does it feel, knowing that you have been sent to your death?" He said without a trace of emotion. "He knows that you are no match for me at full strength…he sent you to get you out of his way."

She swore at him with strangled words.

"You have no use for him now. And he always discards anything he finds useless."

Without another word, Trowa turned his fingertips inwards, sinking them into her flesh, and pulled back with lightening speed. He felt the warm blood splatter his skin as he dropped her to the floor, her throat ripped out. Moving past her without a flicker of feeling, he continued on. She wouldn't perish. Already her body would be scrambling to stop the flow of blood and heal the wound, but she would be weak enough not to pose a distraction for quite sometime.

Disjointed thoughts tumbled through his mind as he walked towards the door. Feelings and fears that still pulsed through what was left of Quatre's mind and Nakki toyed with him.
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Far below the keep, Nakki lifted his head, his lips stained bright with Quatre's blood. Looking back down at the blonde, he chuckled low. "Well, it seems that your would-be savior had taken care of my servant for me." He ran a finger along the blonde's chest, causing him the shudder. "He should be here soon."

"Sooner than you think." Trowa said tersely striding into the room.

In the span of a few seconds he scanned the room, seeing Vachel's limp form on one side of the room, alive but barely. Then on the other side, Nakki watched him with golden eyes as he idly toyed with the bright golden hair on Quatre's head. And Quatre…Trowa's heart lurched. He could tell without even trying the he was completely under Nakki's control, his mind no longer his own in any form.

Growling his green eyes flared to life. "If you wanted me that badly, why didn't you just come for me?" He spat.

"Now, love, you know that isn't my way. Much more fun to make you come to me." Nakki stepped away from Quatre and moved to Trowa.

Trowa shuddered in revulsion as he leaned in, breathing in the scent of him. To think that he had actually loved this creature was enough to make him want to retch. He had been deluded when he was still mortal, into believing that the mysterious golden eyed man had cared for him.

He had been fooled enough to not care when Nakki revealed himself to be what he was. He had thought that he loved enough to allow himself to be made into the same type of monster.

No…

He jerked away from Nakki, hiding the surprise that he felt. He had heard that…weak…barely clinging to life…but there.

Not…a…monster…never…that…

Someh ow, Quatre was still clinging to some last shred of his humanity. He still managed to fight the influence of the older vampire to hold onto his link to Trowa.

The brunette glanced over Nakki's shoulder and into Quatre's blank staring eyes. But for how long could he hold on? Just the fact that he still did was nothing short of miraculous.

Love…you…

Trowa closed his eyes and pushed back the pain that he felt, both from himself and from Quatre. Then he opened them and turned his gaze back to Nakki. "What do you want? What do I have to do to gain their freedom?"

"Both? I'm surprised you'd let the little blonde go. He's such a delightful creature." Golden eyes shone with power. "You must truly love him." He reached out to caress the side of Trowa's cheek. "You know he's just a puppet now. The only freedom he can gain is death. Do you want that for him?"

Trowa just stared evenly at him.

"I can see that is exactly what you want for him." Nakki smiled slowly. "Then come back to me. I want you by my side and willing."

Trowa resisted the urge to fight him as he felt Nakki's mouth over his, his tongue sweeping past his lips. He kept his mind blank and his body relaxed as he accepted the kiss and somehow managed to return it. He stood still as icy hands lightly caressed the nape of his neck.

Then, as Nakki pulled back slightly, relaxed and confident in his power over the brunette, Trowa's eyes sparked. "I hope you enjoyed that…it's the last time you will ever touch me again." He hissed striking out.

Nakki's head snapped back, blood pouring from his lip where Trowa's fist had struck him. Stepping he reached up and wiped his mouth, his eyes showing his surprise and rage. "You will pay for that."

"I doubt it." Trowa replied. "If you think I've just been idly hiding all these centuries, you are very mistaken."

"Oh? You've been developing your strength? How amusing." The black haired vampire laughed and then he surged forward.

Trowa managed to barely move out of his reach and strike out again, knocking Nakki against the rough wall. Rushing forward he grabbed the older man, pining him to the sharp stone, his eyes literally glowing as he pulled on his own abilities.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rickard slip into the room, his blue eyes on the scene around him. How the hell he had gotten there so quickly was beyond Trowa but he was almost glad to see him.

"Get them out of here!" He ground out over his shoulder.

He hadn't needed to speak. Before he finished the sentence the mortal was already removing the chains that bound Quatre. He was able to keep Nakki in his grip until the young man had gotten the blonde up the stairs and returned for Vachel.

Without a word, his face grim, he then set about freeing the other man. As Vachel's limp form fell forward onto Rickard's shoulder, Nakki decided to fight back.

He kicked out violently, throwing Trowa away from him. Pushing himself from the wall, Trowa yelled at Rickard as the older vampire bore down on them. Turning too slowly, Rickard's eyes only showed a momentary flash of surprise as he was struck, his body thrown across the room like a rag doll.

Trowa moved reaching the other side of the room just in time to catch the unconscious form of Vachel Roche. Lowering him to the floor, he bent to help Rickard to his feet. A cursory glance told him that the man was bleeding and bruised but not seriously hurt.

"Go!" He said. "No matter what, don't come back!"

The words barely left his lips when Nakki struck him from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground. He could see the worried glance that Rickard cast his way as he pulled Vachel through the doorway.

Springing to his feet, he whirled to face his former master…his eyes afire with his rage and power. Nakki just gave a low laugh as the pair started to circle each other.

"I think I have changed my mind." He said his golden eyes narrowing dangerously. "You've gone too soft on me. You're weak now…that's what your love for the living has done for you." His body shifted, preparing to strike. "I think I'll just kill you. You can die with the knowledge that I'll take that lovely blonde as your replacement."

With a roar Trowa surged forward.

"I don't think so."

Nakki was tossed aside as a powerful force struck him from the side. Trowa stopped in his track, surprise on his face as he looked up.

"You…" He said softly.

"I never thought I would see you here." Nakki picked himself up from the floor wiping a thin trickle of blood from his lips.

"Heh…I'm liable to show when you least expect me." The man said quietly as he emerged from the shadows surrounding the doorway.
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TBC… .