In the great tradition of White Wolf, I present the twisted dark tragedy of the Malkavian curse endowed upon the one and only Duo Maxwell. What will become of the poor boy as the vampire curse rots his brain? Fun and deranged, just plain weird at times left wide open for posterity, this one's more fun if you know what White Wolf is but still with this intro I'm sure you'll catch on anyway.
* explanatory notes- White Wolf is the wonderful RPG company that brought us Vampire; The Masquerade, and a whole lot of other nifty dark games... So my friends were fiending for a game and I got left out, I was mad so I decided to share my misery, thus I imposed the Curse of Malkav on the beloved piolet of the Deathscythe Gundam, Duo Maxwell. Kind of ironic that Death would become undead... oops that was a spoiler! Disregard that^-^ Anyway by now you get the picture. The Malkavians are an insane branch of the vampire clan of the Camarilla their (im)mortal enemies being the Sabat. Ok enough words on with the story! -sorry if the sanity slips a little, it's contagious!-
AC 199 Earth
The night was cold, crisp. The air had the strange odor of decay. A lone man walked slowly down a deserted street, ducking his head against the wind. ‘I hate these cold nights, about as much as I hate walking these Godforsaken streets.' the young man murmured gripping his coat closer to ward off the chill damp air. He shivered slightly as his violet eyes caught the glare of a fire at the end of a dark alley. He looked cautiously into the shadows. ‘Damn, I'm never gonna find her in this weather,' he cursed glancing up at the dark sky, no stars. The heavens were cloaked by heavy clouds that hung low over the tall buildings. He considered turning back and calling it a night but he knew Father Roland would never let him give up so easily. Besides he couldn't just let the little kid sleep in these streets, even if she had run out. He sighed and headed for the fire, hoping to find the little orphan there huddled in it's warmth. The young man adjusted his high preacher's collar nervously as he approached the dark figures slumped against the walls near the fire. Something didn't feel right about this. He looked around for the young girl. ‘Wish she'd have just stayed put, but I can't blame her, Father Maxwell had to chase me down many times before I finally gave into his care.' The little girl had wandered into the alley behind the church earlier that night, she put up quite a fight but he and Father Roland had managed to get her indoors before the storm broke, she was sleeping in one of the back rooms when Duo had fallen asleep. When he woke up she was gone.
He scanned the alley for the runaway and not finding her decided to ask one of the huddled shadows hiding under the awnings. He walked quietly over to the nearest one and shook it gently. "Hey, wake up." No reply. Puzzled he shook it harder. "Hey, are you ok?" Duo shook the old man again. He fell over into the street. "He's dead." The young man looked cautiously around, he checked another body, dead, they're all dead! Duo began to panic when a high pitched voice broke through his ranting thoughts.
"These streets aren't safe to walk alone at night... that was it wasn't it, what you told me?" Duo spun around to face the young girl, her dark eyes sparkling with malevolence. "You should take your own advice, Preacher." The girl's smile filled with disgust and Duo backed from it, seeing the unholy fire in her eyes.
"Wha...? Who? What do you want?" He asked still backing away from her empty gaze. His foot slipped on the oily slime of a polluted rain puddle. He balanced himself backing into the wall, or at least what he thought was the wall, for it suddenly wrapped itself about him, his screams drowned out by it's embrace...
The peace had been hard won and the people slowly settled into their old lives. All had been quite for three years, in which the people of both Earth and the colonies had managed to rebuild much of the war's destruction. Relena Peacecarft and her brother Zechs had formed a tentative alliance, and with the help of the Preventers had suppressed the last of the minor uprisings after Mariemaia's rebellion. Peace had been finally won. As for the Gundam pilots they went their separate ways. Trowa stayed with Cathrine and her Circus, as Quatre went back to the colonies to help with the recovery. Wufei joined the Preventers and has been very helpful in the maintenance of this fragile peace. Heero disappeared into the vast emptiness of space and Duo, Duo found a short peace with Hilde on L2. But all that ended suddenly when he was called on to help Wufei put down a last minor rebellion there. He couldn't stay with her, he didn't say why but he told her couldn't stay and left. He disappeared into the night and Hilde didn't chase him. Three months later he sent her a letter, telling her he was Ok, and had taken his vows. She never wrote back. Two years passed and there was no word. Then she got a disturbing call.
Hilde had woken up suddenly in a sweat that night, from some strange dream she could not remember, she woke to the ringing of her comlink.
"Yes?" She answered, trying to hide the fear in her voice.
Wufei's face flashed on the scene, "I'm sorry to wake you but, have you seen Duo?" His expression showed the slightest sign of worry, just enough to send Hilde into a panic.
"No, why?" she asked, unsure if she wanted the answer.
"It's nothing to worry about just yet..." Wufei began.
"Dammit Wufei don't hide things from Me! What's happened?! Where's Duo?!" She screamed into the com, cutting him off. Wufei waited patiently until she collected herself to continue.
"I don't know. Father Roland called last week, said he'd gone out to find a runaway and never came back. I'm sorry to worry you but I thought you'd like to know. He was in Los Angeles."
Hilde's expression darkened. LA had been hit hard by the war, when it was all over it became the center of rebellion, there the need for sanctuary was the greatest, there the law had little to no meaning and the children of war ran homeless in the street, she had known Duo would go there, if anywhere, where he could help.
"It's not our jurisdiction but I just thought you should know. The police are conducting a search, but they're not finding much." Wufei continued.
"Thank you, have you told the others?"
"Not yet, I wanted to tell you first." he looked tired. Hilde knew the Preventers had a lot on their hands. The metropolitan areas of Earth had been wracked by a recent crime spree, shaking the fragile peace. On top of that they had the Camarilla to deal with, a large new corporation with their fingers in all the colonies politics and a history with the Romafeller on earth, as well as the usual discourse of newly won peace.
"Don't worry about Duo, Wu. I'll get the others to help me find him, you have your own problems." Hilde signed off with a pathetic attempt to reassure herself and called Quatre.
There was nothing. Nothingness surrounded me, engulfed me in the intangible dream of unconsciousness. I could not remember what events lead to this state. I remembered falling. A strange decent into darkness from the cold dreary shadows of some forgotten place. I remembered being carried, then a sense of sudden motionlessness throughout all things. A flat dampness then all is madness- the madness of a memory which busies itself among forbidden things.
Very suddenly there came back a motion and sound. I felt my chest heave in labored breath and the air pushing through my tired lungs. I felt the cold damp earth beneath me and tasted the metallic tinge of blood in my mouth. I had not opened my eyes, not for fear of seeing things most horrible but of nothing at all. At length I slowly drew one eye open. It was dark, but not empty. I heard the drip of rain in the distance and smelled the blood on my lips, the moisture in the air, the strange perfume of rooting leaves. I slowly forced myself up, shaking the haze out from my eyes, I looked around me. The last thing I could remember I was in the alley looking for the lost girl. Ligeia was her name. She was strange and so very frail and young... only about thirteen, or so. Then the memory of her in the alley returned to me. No, she was much older than that. I shivered.
"You're awake." A strange voice called from the darkness. I spun on her, raising my fists in defense. "Put down your hands, there is no need to fight any longer." She smiled. I was instantly lost her violet gaze. Those eyes, once but dark blackness around an even darker pupil had warmed to me. I smiled, a little confused by her expression. Damn she was beautiful, no longer the sniffling girl I'd found behind the church. I clutched my head, the church. My head throbbed in pain as I recalled my vows, Father Roland, the church. I tried to remember Father Maxwell, but it hurt too much... I groaned in agony.
"Shh, child, don't think. Don't remember, just look at me, focus on me and clear your mind." Her voice was so sweet, so soft and compelling. I shook the last thoughts of the clergy from my mind and did as she said, ignoring the strange panic growing in my soul. "That's better, just look at me." Her voice echoed through the night air, I focused on her and abandoned all thoughts, my head calmed, the pain receded and I let my hands fall limp to the ground. Ligeia knelt down close to me, taking my head in her hands she ran her fingers through my hair. I stared at the ground, my vision clouded by the pain of the memories fighting into my mind. Her touch was soft, gentle and comforting. I breathed deep her familiar aroma, though I could not quite place it. I felt her lips brush the nape of my neck as her fingers gracefully untied my hair. My eyes focused on a splash of crimson drops on the ground. I felt her hands grasp my jaw as she gently turned my face to her. The memory of someone leapt to mind, something far away, long ago, an old lost friend... it hurt! I tried to remember, she smiled out at me from deep in my mind, caring and gentle, she, she saved me once from something... but what, she was old but kind... I could remember her voice as she braided my hair... she looked worried now... It Hurt!
Ligeia lifted my chin, drew her face close to mine. "Don't try to remember." She whispered in my ear, running kisses along my neck. I opened my eyes to her, tried to loose the painful memories in her deep eyes. She smiled seductively at my pained face. Her hands ran down my back and she pulled me closer. I didn't understand it at all, I couldn't remember anything without great pain. My head drummed with some unreasonable fear. "Lose your pain in my kiss" she whispered to me, brushing her lips against mine. I was afraid. I felt her tongue trace the line between my lips, gently force its way into my mouth. My face cupped in her left hand she kissed me long and deep. I closed my eyes to the memories and just accepted her. When she pulled away my eyes slowly opened to her warm smile and welcoming face. The world washed away and I was lost in her eyes, the past receded with one last scream for remembrance as the future ran farther away. It was just us, just now, no threats, no regrets and I took her willingly into my arms, or rather see took me. We kissed again, as she unbuttoned my collar and removed the shirt. She glared menacingly at the small golden cross that hung around my neck. She ran her fingers through my long loose hair and I buried my face in her raven tresses as she ran her tongue across my chest, around the cross.
She pulled away slowly, I pressed my lips to hers and she nibbled down my neck, stopping at the base where neck and shoulder meet. "My, Shinigami." She whispered in my ear. The word stirred back a sudden memory, a terrible panic, followed by pain. I felt the memory throb back to life just as a sharp sting sliced through my neck. I tried to grab my head, I tried to pull away, I tried to escape but she held me tight, close, she held me in her teeth and I could not rip away.
"I must admit it's a bit unnerving. Duo just disappearing like that, but I'm sure it's not as bad as Hilde's made it out." Quatre was trying to rationalize it. I knew it was probably not that bad, but I also felt it was. Duo and I had never been that close, I wasn't close to anyone but Quatre, and even he could be left, but I had this strange feeling... something was not right. I only wished we could find Heero. The two had been friends, of sorts. And I knew if anyone could help it was him. But he had disappeared. Wufei was looking for him when he had the chance, but I still didn't feel right. Hilde had panicked and already set off for LA, without even the slightest bit of a plan. I sat with Quatre talking in his lavish shuttle carrying what little weapons we could muster, we were on our way to find the lost Death. We had a plan, though not much of one. We would go in undercover and search the streets, walk aimlessly about until whatever happened to Duo happens to us, only we will be prepared, or so that's the plan. I said it wasn't much of plan. I sat trying to find a better one. We could ask around to see if anyone had seen him, we could check the flight logs, all his aliases, see if he's left Earth, no he's here all right. The police did extensive checks on all shuttles coming and going. We could do research on the morgues and hospitals, unidentified bodies, safe houses... No the police had done all that already. We could... we could go undercover and beg to get our asses kicked. I guess that was it then... I didn't like it but we had little other options.
The world had rushed away. So quickly as to make my head spin, or was that the lack of blood... eh? It doesn't matter. I woke alone, all alone in a world full of ghosts, so alone... Haha! I was alone, no, not really. Ligeia stood over my cold still body, wiping her chin of my blood. I slept, so peacefully I slept like death. For I was dead. Was! Of course I Was! Mwahahahaha! She pulled me up by my hair, and I stumbled into consciousness... against my will, mind you. I stood shakily, pleading with the ground to be still so I could stand better. It slowly accommodated me and I straightened, fixing my fuzzy gaze on the woman before me...
"Good, night." She smiled in greeting.
"Night? Are you going to bed?" I asked, confused. I could feel my mind slipping away from me, and I struggled to catch it.
"No, I am going out, and you are going to serve me." Her smile twisted, my eyes turned her into an ungodly apparition as her black eyes burned mine. I clung tightly to the last memory that I had left, a boy, I didn't know who it was, but it was something to hold on to. I studied his deep blue eyes and wild dark hair... Ligeia laughed
"Ha! You can't fight it child! Succumb to the plague, watch the pieces fall!" Her voice shattered the picture in my mind. I blinked and it fell to the ground, then my World cracked. Pieces of the sky fell crashing to earth, the buildings rocked and the street beneath my feet shattered like glass. I fell to my knees trying to piece it all back together.
"You can't fix it, my Shinigami" She smiled down at me. I felt the hot tears stream down my face as the last piece of my sanity fell crashing to the ground. "But I can..." she whispered in my ear as she brushed by. She lifted her hands and the pieces flew back into place, but I could still see the cracks. "Follow me and I will fix it for you." She smiled. I stood took a step toward her and then I heard a strange voice in my head.
"She can't fix it, Duo." it was the voice of a young girl, distant and troubled. I looked for the source of the sound then gave up. "No one can. Just let the pieces fall, you can't hold onto the past, the past is gone now, let the pieces fall."
"No! I don't want to" I shouted at the voice. Ligeia spun around, glared at me. Then smiled as I fell to my knees. "Who are you? Get out of my head!" I screamed
"I will stop your pain" Ligeia whispered but I did not hear her.
"I am Jane, and I want to help you. Let it fall! Break the looking glass and embrace the Curse! Let the pieces fall!" I didn't know what to do. My head ached so. I leaped up with new resolve.
"NOOOOoooo!" I screamed to both voices and thrust my fist into the air. I hit something, and felt the sudden gush of blood over my hand, heard the banshee scream. A demon stood before me impaled on some shard of my fallen world. Ligeia fell to the ground, a long steel pipe thrust through her heart. Her blood covered my hands, I stared down at the crimson stains. The smell, the bittersweet metallic taste, I felt compelled to lap the liquid from the street. I knew it wasn't right, in fact it was very wrong but gave in anyway. I devoured her and let the pieces fall.
"Watch your back, shoot straight, conserve ammo, and never, EVER, cut a deal with the devil." I laughed as I walked out into the inviting night, but one thing on my mind... the last piece of Me, the boy.
After three weeks of searching we finally turned up something. It wasn't much and didn't make any sense but last week a private shuttle was reported missing from the Santa Cruise Camarilla hanger. It was found in L3 yesterday, crash landed into a lake. There were lots of witnesses and one swears he saw the piolet walk out of that lake, quite a feat considering the angle and speed at which the shuttle hit didn't leave much but debris. It would have been written off if that description didn't match Duo to a tee, braid and all. When we told Hilde we had to tackle her to keep her from running off again, we weren't sure what to make of it but were going to check it out. Wufei took his vacation time early and borrowed a Leo to help us look. The Mobile Suit was a bit much but I let him get away with it, he's real spooked by this.
‘Ha! Those stupid... Thought they could stop me! Hahaha! Boy were they wrong! Damn Camarilla punks! I got tired of their politiking. "Oh he's a badun' he took Ligeia, say's he saw Jane" blablabla! I don't Care! Waitin' round for that stupid Prince really got on my nerves. So I sent them to their makers! Did them just like that bitch that bit me and am now gonna get the boy.' ‘Ha, I can't explain it but I like it, the feeling I get from draining those old windbags. I think they called it diablerie... something like that. It filled me with such... ecstacy. Not like sucking a mortal. Humans ain't as strong, don't put up such a fight. Ain't got so much in their skulls... but still they do taste so good... hmmmmmm... There's a nice one.'
The young man stalked down the dark street. Smiling insanely to himself he watched the woman pass. "Nice ass" he called to her as she walked by.
"What? Jerk!" she turned on him, flipped him off and walked on. Shinigami smiled, burst out into laughter as he slipped into the alleyway that would take him to his object. He slipped silently through the shadows, and climbed with ease to the window he wanted. There he stood looking in at the dark room. Shadows no longer bothered him, he could see with ease through the dimmest of light. He glared into the dark room. His eye caught a mirror on the other wall, he saw the window's reflection, the wall behind him but he was not there, he'd noticed this before, no reflection. It bothered him at first until he figured ‘Hey, mirrors can't see me, neither can cameras! No more worrying over security!' He quietly slipped open the window, watching the huddled form on the bed. He strode over to it. Knelt down beside him, the boy from the picture... Shinigami's smile deepened. He couldn't remember this boy, he couldn't remember anything from before but he'd seen him, he knew this boy was from his past and he wanted him.
I had heard the window open, I didn't dare turn around to look, I watched the mirror, I'd put it there for that purpose but there was nothing there, still I felt something, watching me... I couldn't explain it but something had come into my room, something had opened my window and slipped silently in. I looked for the shadow that should have fallen across my bed, nothing. I resisted the urge to leap up and reach for my gun. It was just under my pillow but still I dared not reach for it, instead I froze. It was a foreign feeling, terror. Sure, I'd felt fear before, fear's no problem, fear can make you stronger, it pumps the adrenalin and sharpens the senses. But this was not fear. It was panic. The overwhelming terror that blots out all rational thought, dulls the senses blinds the eyes and slows the reactions. I'd never really panicked before. It was odd, and for what, a little breeze, a window I'd left open. I calmed myself and resolved to roll over and shut the window, convincing myself I'd left it open and just didn't notice. It wasn't till I'd rolled over that I realized my mistake.
I leaped up and fired my gun at the dark figure all at once. It lurched back but did not fall. I poured more bullets into it, the whole clip. I was out of bullets and it just laughed at me. The real panic set in. I froze like a deer in the headlights under that laugh. It was eerily familiar. I staggered back and watched in terror as a long arched blade slipped out from the folds of it's coat, a scythe. He laughed again and stepped forth. On instinct I lifted the gun again, pulled the trigger.
"Put your gun away...bullets don't stop me...knives don't hurt me...LOOK AT ME!! I am pilot error. I am fetal distress. I am the random chromosome...I am complete and total madness. I AM DEATH." It cackled in a disturbingly familiar voice, I couldn't place it, I couldn't admit it, I wouldn't let myself make the association.
"Duo?" I gasped in disbelief. The figure stepped back, lowered the blade, lifted his old battered cap and looked at me with violet blue eyes. He smiled, it was his old smile but... not.
"Shinigami." he corrected and swung the blade. I felt it rip across my chest into my flesh. I felt the pain of it's sting and then heard myself fall to the floor. I watched my blood pool around me, felt my breaths shallow, I couldn't breath, he'd cut my lung. I was dying. I'd always known I'd die violently, but not like this, not Duo!
"It's down right disturbing! That's what it is!" Hilde shrieked. She was right. None of us knew what to make of it. Last night gunshot was reported in one of the rougher sections of L3. Just another of many. Only this one produced a crime scene. We shouldn't have been troubled by it, there are murders every day, except the man that owned this apartment had named us as next of kin. We weren't sure what to make of it, until we got there. There was Heero's laptop, his meager possessions, his gun, empty, and blood an every wall. Quatre had to leave at the sight of it. There was no body, just the blood, and a name to the apartment. The police had started an investigation but didn't know where to begin. I saw the scythe in the corner. The policeman motioned to it.
"That's the murder weapon, we think." He said, picking it up with a gloved hand. Hilde squeaked, and ran out to join Quatre in the hall. "Nothin' was taken, we don't think. Cleaning lady said this guy don't keep much on hand."
"That's Heero, pack light." I muttered. Wufei looked casually at the scythe, one eyebrow raised.
"You don't think that maybe... Duo?" he asked quietly. I shook my head.
"I don't know. I just don't know."
To my great surprise I woke up. In pain but alive. I opened my eyes slowly, blinking away the haze. I could feel the weight of the ropes about my wrists, I was tied, bound and roped like an animal. I remembered that damned smile. I should have killed him when I had the chance, four years ago, saved myself a lot of trouble.
"But you didn't" a voice shot out of the darkness. I sprang up, then fell over again from the stabbing pain in my chest. He'd heard me, I hadn't said it but he'd heard me anyway. I felt the panic rise again. No, I must have said it out loud, must have muttered it under my breath, or imagined his reply.
"Nope, I heard you, and you're not just making this up." Again! No! I shut my eyes to it, tried to ignore it, it was in my head that's all, just in my head. This isn't Real!
"REAL... is that like an acronym for some government agency? Like, Repulsive Egotistical Adolescent Losers?" the voice laughed mockingly at me. I covered my ears and tried to drown out the noise, the panic took over again. Just then I felt his breath on the back of my neck. I shuddered, it was cold. I felt him lean over me, closer, closer. He brushed the hair out of my eyes, the panic rose fast, I couldn't control it. I screamed as I leapt up, ignoring the pain in my chest, in my wrists as I tore the rope and drove my fist into his face.
"That wasn't very nice." he growled, catching my hand mid blow. He smiled a wicked grin and I shivered under it, I surrendered to the panic and screamed at the top of my lungs. He crushed my hand in his. I felt the bones breaking in his grip, I felt the blood run down my arm. I watched it pool on the floor. Raising the pitch of my screams, I watched in horror as his smile revealed sharp pearly fangs.
Quatre woke from a troubled sleep to the eerie sound that filled the air. We all woke to it. The scream. It was heard for kilometers echoing through the night like a banshee's wail. It was Heero, I don't know how I knew, but I knew. The others felt it too. Relena stood on the balcony weeping to the darkness. She'd come as soon as she heard. Wufei started out the door for his Leo.
"And you thought we wouldn't need it." he scowled as he slammed the door. I followed him, It wasn't safe to go out alone.
He knew me, I knew he knew me, and he knew I knew he knew me... something like that. I shook my head, trying to gather the thoughts... it hurt, trying to remember him, but I kept trying. I sat watching him, searching my mind for his name at least... it hurt. What followed was a ten-minute heavy-rock all-English rendition of "Mary had a Little Lamb". This narration declines to describe it, as it could not remember the second stanza. Neither will it explain how the chicken got in... HA-HA! Ha! I shook the strange thought from my mind, tried too. Went back to watching the unconscious form on the floor. I had the irresistible urge to bite him. I didn't want to, not sure why, just didn't. Of course the only thing I cannot resist is temptation.
I crawled up to him, across the damp floor. I sniffed the air, smelt his blood like an aromatic perfume wafting up to me. I watched his chest heave, heard his labored breath. I smiled. Laughed at the sight, staring at the small curl of dark hair at the nape of his neck, I bent down closer. ‘Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks!' My mind chanted, but I didn't want to... he groaned, stirred a little then sprang up and away from me. I smiled up at him. He stood there, holding the gaping wound, his back to the wall, still willing to fight.
"I think I like you" I smiled up at him.
"Stay away, I'll fight you to the death if I have to." he was so cold, unfair.
"It might be along fight cause the people you love will never die, cause they're always in your heart as long as you remember them...And while they're in your heart they want to possess your body cause they're mad that they don't have a body and you constantly have to fight the voices in your head. Isn't that beautiful?" He just looked at me like I was crazy. "I thought it was pretty good." I pouted, turned my back on him and went to sulk in a corner. I'm not sure why but it just felt right, not to mention it seemed to irritate the Hell out of him.
There was a small piece of the old Duo in that last rant. He's gone off to a corner, sulking I think. That's so like him... is that a good thing? If he's still in there enough to do that then maybe I can bring him back, maybe... oh God he's coming back. I pulled my legs in as I watched him stroll confidently back towards me. My chest hurt, I could hardly breath but as long as I didn't think about it I'd be ok, at least until I gave out, bleed to death. I feared Shinigami had some other plan for me. ‘He'd finally lost it,' I thought to myself.
"Lost what?" he asked quietly.
"Your mind." I growled. I didn't want to get him started, it scared me how he could read my thoughts like that, I wondered how long he'd had that little quirk.
"Not long." he smiled back at me and crept closer. I plastered myself to the wall, ignoring the pain. He sat back twisting a strand of his long tangled hair around his finger. He didn't have it braided. It was braided when he took me, I remember, but not now.
"I took it down. Thought about cutting it but couldn't bring myself to it." He smiled reminiscing as he wrenched his hand out of the tangles. I relaxed a little, he didn't seem too threatening, now.
"Appearances can be deceiving." he grinned and leaned closer, prodding at the gash in my chest. I flattened against the wall again. Tried not to think, he could hear me even in my head he could hear me. The panic crept back up my throat catching in my breath. His violet eyes flashed at me, then focused on mine. I could feel him violate my mind, I closed my eyes to him and tucked my head, trying to hide under my bangs. He reeled back in sadistic laughter, at my pain. I suddenly hated him. I was tired of this I wasn't going to take it anymore, I could kick Duo's ass anytime, it's only Duo! I convinced myself and sprang to action, lunging for the laughing death.
Unfortunately I'd forgotten he could read my thoughts. He caught me midair with his heel, right to the chest. I staggered back in pain. He pulled me up by my hair, grinning maliciously. He threw me against the wall, caught me in his arms before I fell. I got my first good look at him. I noticed his shirt, stained red around small holes. So I had shot him after all. I'd assumed I just missed, never thought I could have actually shot him. I dug my hands into his side, hoping to rip the gunshot wound wider, that he would drop from the pain. Oh God I couldn't have been more mistaken! There was no wound.
We had no idea where we were going. The scream faded hours ago. We had no way to locate it's source. We knew it was somewhere in the area so we were just searching everything. We looked everywhere, in every alley, every abandoned warehouse, every window, every store, every dark spot in the whole damned place. We didn't find a fucking thing. I was about ready to give up when Wufei called out.
"Trowa, come here, look." He pointed to some thing in the street. I knelt down, picking it up. It was a piece of blood soaked green cloth, blood trail leading across the street. I looked up through the tall wrought iron gates of the cemetery.
He puzzled me. I couldn't resist. I bent close, touched the seeping wound, he winced and pulled back. I grinned up at him, deep into his cold blue eyes. He closed them to me and ducked under his tangled hair. I rolled back laughing at his vain attempt to hide. Then the bastard made me hurt him again. He leaped up at me, I planted my foot in that cut, threw him against the wall. I'm not sure why but I caught him before he fell to the ground. I didn't want to hurt him. He dug his nails into my side and I hit his head against the wall, he cried faintly. I'd really hurt him that time. I caught him before he fell, lowered him gently to the ground. He was out like a light. A strange expression of pain furrowing his brows. ‘Yep, you shouldn't play God, but it's just so much fun.' The random insanities poured forth as I was seized by the urge to bite him again. I tried to fight it. All in Vain!
He stirred as I drew near. His eyes lulled open slowly and he groaned. I breathed deep his smell of sweat and blood. I could almost taste it. He slowly rolled over and seeing me his eyes shot open wide. He was trapped, so very trapped and totally at my mercy, but still willing to fight, I liked that, a real fighter this one was. I slid in close, holding down his arms with ease. He'd backed himself up against the wall again, he was mine. I smiled and laughed a little. He scowled at me. I put my face close to his, I could feel his hot labored breath on my face, I breathed it in. I raised my hand to wipe the hair from his face, and quickly found a fist in mine. I rubbed the dull pain at my jaw away and caught his hand, pinning it back by his side. I drew back in closer licked my lips. His eyes took on that panicked expression again. I smiled, I liked him like that. I bent nearer, brushed my lips against his. He pulled away, exposing his neck to me. I smiled, he was watching me nervously. Trembling under my gaze. I kissed his neck gently, bit it softly, he flinched away. I could smell his fear. I reveled in the sensation. He gasp softly as I bit harder, drew blood. He did taste so good, I drank the bittersweet liquid, smiling. He screamed, a last blood curdling scream before slipping silently into Death's embrace.
The scream had come from the catacombs. We slowly approached the tall granite entryway. Marble cherubim lifted prayers to heaven on either side of the huge oak doors. I grasp one, Wufei the other and we swung them open. The stale stench of decay rushed out towards us. I lifted the flashlight to the darkness. It reflected off some form standing in the back of the tomb. We gathered our courage, drew our weapons and stepped across the threshold. The light fell full on the figure. Heero glared at us a strange smile on his face, blood running down his shoulder from the base of his neck, open wound across his chest. We stepped forward cautiously, not quite knowing what to expect. Suddenly the doors swung shut loudly behind us, we spun round, gaping at what we saw. Duo stood blocking the doorway, blood run down his chin . He sneered malevolently...
