Chapter 36 / 37
Written by Jessi Maxwell - send C&C to Megami_no_Remon@hotmail.com
// What did he do to me...// Duo thought, and his eyes focused on nothing in particular as he remembered.
~ * ^ * ~
"I will need no distractions and silence if I am to do anything for him. Trust me." Rook had told Zechs before turning and carrying Duo downstairs. He took him into the saferoom and laid him down on his bed carefully, examining the wound gently.
"Ah, dear Goddess...I'm afraid this one may be delivered into your arms," he sighed and sat on the bed next to Duo. His eyes flared as he slid into his vampiric power, molding his mental domination to his own will and slowly insinuating himself into Duo's mind. He forced his way past the blocks and the closing doors as Duo's mind began to shut down, fighting his way through to Duo's consciousness and rousing it. His voice echoed in Duo's mind.
~ Duo Maxwell, can you hear me? ~
~ Yes... I think you're with me, but I can't see you. Everything feels so far away. ~
~ You are dying. There is no way I or anyone else here can heal the damage you have taken. You have minutes, only. ~
~ Oh. That's too bad. I think I should be more upset about it, but all I can think of is that I'll miss Zechs. It doesn't feel real. I feel so disconnected. ~
Rook smiled sadly, running his fingers through Duo's long bangs. ~ Reluctant as I am to offer this, I can offer you a second chance of sorts. I can embrace you... I can make you as I am. ~
~ You mean a vampire? ~
~ Yes. It is not something to consider lightly. You will cease to age. The sunlight will pain you. Fire can kill you on contact. Crossing running water is nigh impossible. But all that is not the point. You will have to feed off the blood of others. You do not ALWAYS have to kill...but sometimes you will. Especially at first, until you learn control. And I can help you...teach you, even at a distance. ~
~ I see... I'm in the middle of a war. I don't think getting a little more direct with some killing will make a difference, and being immune to bullets sounds like a hell of a bonus. ~
Rook frowned as he stripped Duo of the rest of the heavy furs and his shirt. ~ Wars don't last forever. Do you really understand what it is to outlive everyone near and dear to you, Duo?...A hundred years from now, you will still look as you do now. Everyone you've known will be dead and gone. There is no afterlife for my kind. This is it. ~
~ You seem to be doing alright. ~
Rook frowned deeply. ~ I had...company...until a season ago. Then she was lost to me, and I shan't ever recover. The bond we shared was very deep. ~
~ I'm sorry, I didn't know. ~
~ I hate to rush things, Duo, but if you die, I cannot bring you back. You must tell me if you want this to happen. Know that the process is very painful. As you die...and yes, you will die...your body will reject much of its internal organs. It will no longer need them. It is very painful. It will take a day or two before you gain your fangs and your power. You will need to feed then...and I recommend you are nowhere near anyone you care about when you do. Do you really want me to do this? It is not reversible. ~
~ I'm not ready to die. Do it. ~
~ Are you sure? You're ready to face all of that for the rest of eternity? ~
~ Eternity dead, eternity alive...I'll get used to either. Life or afterlife, what's it matter where I spend my forever? ~
~ So be it. ~ Rook made sure the door was shut before stretching out next to Duo. He lightly brushed some strands of hair back from Duo's face.
~ How much will it hurt...whatever you have to do? ~
~ I won't hurt you at all. It doesn't need to hurt. The line between pleasure and pain is easy enough to blur when you know how. ~ Slowly, Rook leaned so he was propped over Duo's inert body. ~ It may be strange at first, but trust me. ~
~ I don't have much choice, but alright. ~
Rook lifted his own wrist to his throat and sank his fangs in somewhat viciously, opening his vein. Immediately he pressed the wound over Duo's. That done, he leaned forward, lightly brushing his lips over the boy's neck, a small shiver running down his spine. // Ah, a shame this one is taken... // With a soft sigh, he found what he was seeking, the razor points of his fangs brushing lightly over Duo's throat for just an instant before plunging in.
In the distant part of Duo's mind, he expected the bite to bring pain. He was jolted as an unbelievably deep and intense pleasure washed through him, sweeping away all the pain of his gunshot wound along with it. The effect seemed to electrify every one of his nerve endings. Further, he felt a surge of strength go through him as Rook's blood worked on his wound.
With the ritual started, Duo was able to borrow on Rook's recuperative abilities. The path the bullet had taken, smashing through his body, was rapidly being erased.
~ You must feed off it... ~ Rook's mind whispered to him, the vampire offering Duo his wrist. Duo found to his surprise that much strength had returned to his limbs. He hesitated only a moment before doing as he was bidden. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't the tangy, intoxicating warmth that curled down his throat.
Duo gasped suddenly as a new wave of consciousness exploded open in his mind. He had never felt so gloriously aware, so...alive!...as he felt at that moment. It seemed as if a veil had been pulled back on the world and he could comprehend so much more. He felt a bright point and drew his consciousness eagerly towards it, bathing in its radiance....and then he realized what it was.
He felt Rook's mind keenly as they meshed together, one becoming almost indistinguishable from the other. He suddenly was aware of Rook's memories. Memories of long ago when he was small, living with his parents and his older and younger siblings, and his twin sister. // Raven....he loved her so... // The story played out in his mind, dark memories of constantly being hunted and his family slowly vanishing until there was nothing left but the two of them. Then the crushing, maddening loss of the twin his soul was bound to...as she vanished one night, gone from his side. Memories of the insanity and grief that had gripped him as he went on a blind rampage, destroying anything that got in his way until he finally collapsed, broken and weeping...then slowly returned to begin his solitary existence.
Duo felt the tears slipping down his cheeks even as shuddering pleasure screamed through his body. He had looked into all the shadowy corners of Rook's soul, and he knew Rook... // Darian... his name is Darian... // had seen into the shadows of his own.
Rook reclaimed his wrist and slowly withdrew his fangs, gently flicking his tongue over the neat puncture wounds, which sealed as he did so. He slowly withdrew and looked down into Duo's eyes. Duo could see the naked emotion...grief for Duo as much as himself. Neither of them said a word for a long moment, overcome by the intimacy of their bond.
Duo knew instinctively that if Rook had attempted to do anything sexual in that moment he couldn't have found it in himself to stop him, despite his love for Zechs. They were too close, the pleasure too intense. But Rook was too honorable and Duo found himself almost weeping fresh tears of gratitude, hooking his arms around the slightly quivering vampire in a hug. Rook held him tightly for a moment before getting up.
The connection between them subsided, but it was still there in the back of Duo's mind. Duo sat up and slowly examined himself. The bullet wound was entirely erased. In fact, he noticed with some surprise, all his other scars had vanished as well. His skin was entirely unflawed by the tiniest mark.
Rook looked at him for a moment before he judged himself fit to speak. "Will you tell them?"
"I'll have to eventually, I guess. Probably sooner rather than later. " Duo paused, thinking. "Am I dead?"
Rook shook his head. "No...but it won't take long. You will be ill when it happens. An hour or two, I'd imagine...my blood will slowly kill you. Besides the sickness, it won't be...overly obvious. You won't keel over or anything like that."
Duo nodded. "Well, guess we better get out there and show 'em I'm all good, eh?"
Rook nodded, and then blinked as Duo stepped forward and gave him a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Darian...for everything..."
The vampire nodded, his eyes closing as he hugged Duo in return. "Yes...and I for you. No one should have to deal with such agonies. Now come, let us go before your mate tears out his hair. It would be a shame."
Duo nodded and then followed Rook out to greet his companions.
~ * ^ * ~
"He saved me from dying...even if I'm going to be sick for a couple days because of it. It's a small price to pay, right?"
Zechs frowned darkly. "Duo, that's blood...a lot of it. I can't think of any situation where vomiting massive amounts of blood is good."
Duo frowned. "Just...trust me, alright? I'll be fine."
Zechs sighed and hugged Duo tightly. "I just don't want to lose you...especially with how close I've been coming lately."
"Heh, you've got nothing to worry about," Duo said, although his mind was drifting. He felt strange, and he wondered why for a moment before he realized what was missing. // My heart stopped... heh. And I'm still up and perfectly....well, ok, more or less fine. That's just crazy. //
Zechs looked up in sudden alarm as he saw Heero and Trowa hurling open the doors to the front of the truck and lifting Quatre out, laying the Arabian on the ground.
"Quatre?!" Duo gasped, breaking free of Zechs to run over, dropping to his knees next to his best friend. "Quatre, buddy, speak to me...! What's wrong?!"
Quatre's vacant, wild-eyed look settled on Duo and he made a noise in his throat that was something between a sob and a not-so-sane laugh. "Duo...Duo, I felt...you...you're not..."
"Shh. Q, I'm right here, I'm fine..." Duo offered him his most reassuring smile. "Are you going to be ok, buddy?"
Quatre nodded a tiny bit, still clutching his chest. // I'll be alright...but you?... Duo, what's going on...? I swear I just felt you die...//