Shinigami, was angry. No, he was furious. His newly acquired slave had escaped. And, as he had been planning to break him in tonight, he thought his anger was fully justified.

“Master…”

Violet eyes blazed with an unholy light, and coal black wings flicked with annoyance. “No. No excuses. You will find him and you will bring him back. Unharmed. Do I make myself clear?”

The slave trembled before his master’s rage. He knew that he’d better find that slave soon or he wasn’t certain he’d live to regret it. Still shivering, he bowed himself from the room.

“Still playing lord and master, Duo?”

The long haired God of Death jerked around to face the speaker, arms extended before him, fingers ready to hurl a spell at his attacker. But all he saw were shadows obscuring the corners of the room. Cold laughter cascaded over him and he shivered, though fear was the last thing on his mind. He growled low in his throat and addressed his top general.

“What are you doing here, Heero?”

“What am I doing here? Why I am here at the request of my lord.” Heero’s trim form separated itself from the shadows and his pearly white wings spread out behind him as he swept a mocking bow.

“Stop that.” Duo raised a hand to knead at his aching neck muscles. “It doesn’t suit you, you know. Now would you care to inform me as to why exactly you are invading my throne room instead of being out searching for my missing slave?”

“Missing? Who said that he is missing? Why I would be willing to bet you a sovereign that he’s not missing at all. As a matter of fact I can guarantee you that I know exactly where he is.” Heero’s smirk grew even more pronounced.

Shinigami arched one perfectly sculpted brow and the cold fire in his amethyst eyes chilled even further. His voice was like the power of an arctic storm, both powerful and frigid. “Where is he?”

Heero, recognizing the warning in his master’s tone, wisely answered seriously. “He is here, Majesty.” He bowed again, this time more seriously, and swept an arm back toward the shadows that had previously concealed him from the knowing eyes of his prince.

Duo looked hard at his general before turning his gaze toward the form now revealed to his eyes. However all he could make out from that distance was a crumpled form clothed in white and tousled black hair hiding the face he’d never seen. He looked back toward Heero. “What happened to him?”

Heero felt a slight tremor of fear go through him. While Heero considered himself a friend to Shinigami, he was not one to be deliberatly crossed. Heero dropped to his knees and lowered his head before he answered. “Nothing, my lord. I simply used a pressure point to render him unconscious. He was—inflicting quite a bit of damage after he was captured.”

Duo’s eyes drifted from his Shadow General to his untried and unconscious pleasure slave. It took him but a moment to refocus on Heero and his eyes softened slightly. “You have done well, my Shadow. Go now and rest.” Heero rose and bowed before turning to walk toward the door. Just as his hand touched the knob, his master spoke again. “Give my best to Trowa and Quatre will you?”

Heero shot a small smile back over his shoulder. “Of course. They will be pleased that you remembered them.” Inwardly Heero wondered if he was pleased about that fact. The God of Death could be very cruel when he wanted to be. Heero shuddered and walked a little quicker, anxious to be back with his lovers. Hopefully he would be able to protect them if Shinigami was angered by the treatment that his recalcitrant slave had received. After all, that was the best way to hurt someone, wasn’t it? Through the things that they loved.

Duo turned back to the still form of his newest slave. The iciness in his eyes warmed a bit at his looked at him. *Such fire.* And as he lifted the limp body and midnight hair fell from his face Duo was stunned at the perfection before him. *Fire and beauty. Now that is a deadly combination isn’t it? I wonder what changes you will bring, my beautiful one?*

Gently Shinigami carried his precious burden from the throne room. Once in his own personal chambers he laid the slave carefully on the blood red silk. Copper skin glowed on the red while black and white pooled together among the two other shades. All together the picture was one of purity and innocence defiled.

*Death. Can I never escape it? Just once…*

Duo carefully lay down on the other side of the bed and his slave instantly curled around him. He was startled at first. No one ever touched him unless he ordered it, and now this boy, this slave was taking a liberty permitted no other. Somehow though, Duo was comforted by the slight form resting so comfortably in his arms. The steadily beating heart and soft breathing slowly lulled him into a deep peaceful sleep.

*****

Sloe black eyes drifted open. Seeing the unfamiliar room they blinked a few times and Wufei wondered where he was even as he snuggled back into the warmth that surrounded him. While nothing was unfamiliar he did not see anything that looked like an immediate danger and so he eased back into full sleep, never noticing that the warmth around him was because he was being cradled gently in someone’s arms and not because of any other covering. Secure in the knowledge that he was safe though he didn’t know how he knew this, Wufei slept.

Part Two

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