Dark Deceptions Revised
Dark Deceptions 1
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Summary:
legendary Gregory and a powerful Carpathian in his own rite believes to have
discovered his own lifemate when he stumbles across Relena Peacecraft. But is
it really her that causes him to experience such dark and dangerous emotions .
. . or is it her mischievous and mysterious bodyguard . . .
Disclaimer:
do you think Relena Peacecraft would have had such a nice cozy little fate that
she did? If I owned the series, I would have paired her off with Dekim . . .
mwa ha ha ha . . . Nor do I own the Carpathian Series. Christine Feehan has
that honor. Fusion of the two leads to characters being a little OOC.
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Author’s Notes: This is a
revision of the original. Ten chapters into the story, I realized I was
completely unsatisfied with the whole damn thing. With some much needed advice
and a really good review, here’s another go at the plot. Oh, and for those who
had read the original, no worries! There still will be the possessive Heero
around. ^.^
Pairings:
Thinking == > ~I’m
thinking, whee!~
Talking == > “I’m
talking, whee!”
Emphasizing == > I’m emphasizing,
whee!
Scene Change == >
~**~**~**~**~**~**~
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center\'>Dark Deceptions
center\'>By: Lady Silverwings
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0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>The night whispered
soothingly throughout the countryside, singing its crooning lullaby into the
sky as it cradled the land in its gentle embrace. Stars blazed from deep within
the universe, twinkling lights that sparkled and danced for all those who took
a worldly delight in the joys of creation.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Too bad Heero Yuy
couldn’t feel it.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero gazed out
despairingly over the lush rolling hills covered in a deep dense forest of
trees. Where once the sounds of the night had soothed him, now he felt nothing.
Nothing but the deep dark emptiness aching to be filled. His soul, so battered
and bruised from centuries of killings, cried out for salvation. For the one
who would put a purpose to his life. His light in the seemingly endless abyss.
His lifemate.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>With a disgusted
grunt at his thoughts he turned away, blending into the shadows that shrouded
him. He needed to feed. His last kill had taken its toll, eating away his
strength, his reserves, and what was left of his blackened soul.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“You’re unwell.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indentn\'>n\'>Heero neither
flinched nor broke his stride. Another shadow shifted and soon a figure matched
his steps to Heero’s.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“I am well aware of
this fact,” Heero answered. “Why do you think I am walking to my next
meal?”
0in;mn-len-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Trowa was able to
smirk at his caustic remark before that small trace of emotion was wiped away,
leaving his face devoid of anything. “I offer my blood to you,” he replied.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero shook his
head. “No need, Trowa. The city is near and with it replenishment. I can make
it.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Then you wouldn’t
mind if I joined you?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero cast a
disgruntled look at his friend, not bothering to reply.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>The two hunters
moved swiftly and stealthily in the night. Heero Yuy, the son of Gregory, the
legendary Dark One and his lifemate Savannah. Trowa Barton, the son of
Jacques, brother to their prince and his lifemate Shea. They were the children
of powerful Carpathians. Gregory was Prince Mikhail’s trusted right hand man
and one of the oldest Carpathian alive. Master of everything, his skill was
unsurpassed. Jacques was Mikhail’s younger brother. Driven to insanity, his
mind forever damaged regardless of the healing bond with Shea. Danger and power
emanated from their very being. Deadly and lethal, the two had grown up
together amid the Carpathian Mountains, learning the ways of the hunters so
that they could protect their loved ones. As they grew, their body count rose
as well until they rivaled even that of the greatest Carpathian hunters of all
time. Lucian and Gabriel. Whispers of their prowess abounded as they tracked
down and hunted the evilest of evil. Carpathians who chose to side with the
dark and forfeit their souls to evil. The vampire.
The very thing
that Heero Yuy was fighting not to become.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Hey Relena!
There’s a carnival down at the pier. Let’s go check it out!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Relena Peacecraft
laughed softly as she fixed her gaze on the bubbling mass of gy bgy bearing
down at her. “Honestly Duo,” she chided. “One would think that you’re just begging
for something to happen to me. Aren’t you suppose to keep me out of
dangerous situations?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo Maxwell grinned
cheekily. “What’s so dangerous about a carnival?” he answered back, rocking
back on his heels. “As long as you stick by my side, what could go wrong?
Besides, you have an entire army of personal who watch you’re back. I’m just
the front man. Anyway, you and Quatre have been stuck in this boring hotel
suite all day. Time to liven things up a bit!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“The last time we
“livened things up a bit” you set the curtains on fire,” drawled an amused voice.
“Allah knows what damage you can do at a carnival and in public!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Aw, come on Kat!
Don’t deny you didn’t enjoy that spectacle either, because we all know you were
laughing your ass off!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“And I have the
privilege to know you instigated the entire thing and egged Duo on
throughout that spectacle as well, dear little brother,” Relena put in with a
smirk.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Quatre Raberba
Winner shot Relena a glare, but the corners of his lips twitched with
suppressed laughter. “All right, all right. I yield. Duo’s right, Lena. We have
been cooped up in this hotel room for far too long. Just because our father
chooses to drag us around during his
peace meetings doesn’t mean we have to sit back and suffer. Besides,
Duo’s bored and we both know what that entails.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo chuckled darkly
as Relena gasped. “Good Lord, why didn’t you just say so? Let me change my
clothes and grab my purse.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“You owe me,”
Quatre remarked dryly as he crossed his arms over his chest after Relena rushed
out the adjoining door to her suite.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo glanced at his
friend of the past decade. They had been first introduced when they were merely
eight years old. Duo’s father was, back then, Quatre’s mother’s bodyguard. One
look and the boys instantly took to each other and became inseparable. Where
one went so did the other. Duo and Quatre grew up together and it was due to
his father’s chosen profession that Duo learned in the ins and outs of
tr
trade and quickly followed in his father’s footsteps. Insanely intelligent to
the point of genius, Duo graduated high school and college courses with
flying colors and was the youngest security personal every employed at the
grand age of eighteen. It came to no surprise when Quatre hired him to protect
his stepsister Relena and himself while accompanying his stepfather on his
peace meetings.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“I can’t wait to
get out of this place!” Duo stated enthusiastically. “It’s going to be great,
Q-ball. Tonight’s going to be one hell of a night.”
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“I am not comfortable
with this situation,” Heero growled under his breath, his eyes narrowed in
annoyance.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Neither am I but
you and I both felt the taint of a vampire here,” Trowa replied, his eyes
scanning the sea of mortals. “We must destroy him before he attacks and
innocent.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero grunted in
agreement. He opened his senses as he walked beside of Trowa, searching for the
taint of the undead. Recently fed, his powers were at their peak as the two
young men sought the evil one. The crowd of people parted as they made their
way around the carnival. A primal instinct as old as time triggered inside
weaker animals of the presence of hunters. And Heero and Trowa were deadly
hunters. They seemed to glide throughout the mass, an of of menace surrounding
them as people sought to get away from such imposing figures.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Just then, another
presence made itself known. Grinding to a halt, Heero and Trowa stared
silently. Once, they might have felt shock at such a sudden appearance. Today,
they felt nothing. Not even open curiosity.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“What brings you
here?” Heero called out.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“These are my
hunting grounds, Yuy. What brings you here?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“We felt the
existence of a vampire in this area,” Trowa answered. “We can do nothing but
bring justice to it. As you should know, Chang Wufei.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Wufei nodded, his
onyx eyes glittering in the carnival’s lights. “I’ve been plagued by this
vampire for some time. He’s crafty for the undead. Possibly an ancient.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero and Trowa’s
eyebrows raise. An ancient. A vampire that had survived and slipped past
Carpathian detection to live for centuries killing humans.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“I propose an
alliance. Shall we fight this creature together?” asked Wufei.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero almost
snorted. ~Who would of thought . . . Chang is asking for our assistance,~ he
mused silently, his thoughts sent on a private mental path he had established
with Trowa centuries ago.
m:
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>~Never look a gift
lion in the mouth, Yuy,~ Trowa replied.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>~Gift lion? Isn’t
it supposed to be a gift horse?~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5>Tro>Trowa glanced
incredulously at Heero. ~I prefer lion.~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Agreed,” Heero declared,
walking forward. “It’s been a while, Wufei. I miss our hunts together.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Wufei nodded,
inclining his head to Heero and Trowa. “As I do. How are the Prince and our
people fairing?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Well. Father and
Shea were able to produce a binary component that when added with a liquid is
able to sustain and nourish newborn infants.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“That is good news,
Yuy. Very good news indeed.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>It was a well-known
fact amongst the Carpathians that the survival of children was essential. For
almost a millennia, the offspring of Carpathians rarely lived beyond a year
after birth. If they even developed to ftermterm. What was worse was the fact
that the females of the powerful race were few and far between. Every female,
every child, was guarded, protected, and cherished beyond a measure of a doubt.
Such instincts were ingrained into each Carpathian since birth.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heero nodded as he
glanced around. There was something in the back of his mind that was troubling
him. A gut feeling that wouldn’t go away. He frowned, unsure of the cause. He came
to the conclusion it was due to the upcoming battle he would be facing and brushed
it aside. He had more important matters to attend to then such trivial matters.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo licked in lips
in eager anticipation as he watched the cotton candy being created right before
his eyes. He could feel his teeth ache. Probably from all the cavities he has
due to his insatiableningning for anything and everything sweet.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>He paid the vendor,
grinning wickedly as a large bag a freshly made cotton candy was handed to him.
He hugged it to his body, careful not to crush the delicate treat, as urneurned
away.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>And crashed into an
immovable object, thereby flattening his cotton candy.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Ah man!” Duo
whined. “Don’t you watch where you’re going, pal?!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo glared up at
the individual and almost lost his lunch. The figure was deathly pale, skin
gaunt and clinging to bones. Eyes hollow and lifeless, with teeth that seemed
rotted. There was an air of decay surrounding the man, as well as the stench of
evil. Instincts that served Duo well kicked in and he backed away.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Lifemate,” the man
groaned, a reed thin arm reaching out to him.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Hissing, Duo jumped
away. “Stay away from me, you freak!” He darted away, weaving in and out of the
crowd, just in case the idiot decided to follow.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>~Duo, are you
okay?~ Quatre whispered in his mind.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>It was a guarded
secret between the two boys, not even shared with Relena. Since their first
meeting ten years ago, they had been able to speak to each other using
telepathy. Another secret was that Quatre could feel someone else’s emotions.
Usually it was no big deal, until the pressure became too much. It was at the
age of 14 when, after a violate fight between Quatre’s mother and stepfather
with Quatre fainting afterwards, did Duo convince the boy to put up shields to
protect himself and buffer the intense emotions that sometimes threatened to
consume him.
Duo reassured. ~Some freak decided to get fresh with me, that’s all.~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>~Hurry back, Duo. I
. . . I don’t feel right in this place. Something evil is here.~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Startled, Duo ran
faster. He sprinted around a vendor.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>And crashed into
another immovable object.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Jesus!” Duo
shrieked as his butt made contact with the hard concrete. “What the hell is
with me crashing into everything today!?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Hn.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo peered up from beneath
his chestnut bangs at the stranger. ~At least this one doesn’t look like the
walking dead,~ he mused as he scrambled to his feet, brushing nonexistent dirt
from his jeans.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Sorry, buddy,” he
apologized, skirting around the individual. “I’ll be sure to watch where I’m
going next time. Bye!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Emotionless cobalt
eyes followed the darting figure as it disappeared into the crowd. As he
stepped away, his foot collided with a crumpled back of cotton candy. For some
unknown reason, an urge overwhelmed him to the point where he couldn’t ignore
it. Stooping down, he lifted the bag in his hands and followed.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:0in\'>
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>As he passed
through the energetic crowd, Duo had a sick feeling in his gut that something
bad was going to happen soon. Something straight out of a nightmare. He reached
into his shirt, pulling out a thin cord that was attached to his belt. He
pressed a small button has he looped the earpiece around his ear and activated
the comlink.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Akuma, Kuragari,
Janen, Tsuku, Byouki state your position, over,” he ordered, all traces of the
bubbly youth vanishing from his demeanor.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Twenty feet from
the tenshi one, Kuragari out.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Thirty feet from
tenshi two, two vendors over, Tsuku out.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Scoping out the
perimeters, Akuma out.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Five feet behind
tenshi one and two, Byouki out.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Silence met Duo as
he waited for the final response. ~Shit.~ “Has anyone heard from or seen
Janen?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Four negatives was
not something Duo wanted to hear. “This is a Code Kitai. I say again, Code
Kitai. Everyone standby and await orders!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo ripped off the
comlink from his ear and sprinted through the crowd.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>
0in;margeft:eft:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Relena hugged the
large, overly stuffed and overly pink teddy bear to her chest. “Thanks,
Quatre!” she crowed to her stepbrother after he won her the prize she drooled
over.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>A soft smile was
her reply. Quatre’s eyes were filled with worry. He had tried to reach Duo
mentally, but his friend had blocked him off completely. Duo only did such a
thing when something terrible was happening. The last time Duo had put up
shields to Quatre’s mental touch was when, two years ago, a lone assassin had
tried to earn his money by killing Relena. Duo was the closest to the enemy and
only after he completely blocked Quatre did he succumb to the killing frenzy
that dwelled within him. He wasn’t called Shinigami for nothing.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Another unsettling
fact was the tension that emanated from the security guards posted around them.
Quatre new there was five total, not counting Duo, but for the most part they
stayed in the background. The one that was posted to stand guard next to them
kept shifting his weight from foot to foot, his eyes darted back and forth in
the crowd as waiting for something. He caught the man talking into his
earpiece, but couldn’t hear the conversation. Something was up. The evilness
that Quatre had felt only seemed to grow.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Quatre opened his
mouth uggeuggest to his sister they should move when an ear piercing shriek
echoed into the air. People scattered like a panicked herd, tripping over each
other to escape from whatever danger was looming. In the center of chaos stood
the epitome of every child’s worst nightmare. Five figures, like statues at a
graveyard, stood unmoving. Four line up in the front while one was stationed in
the back. Quatre choked back a scream and took a step backwards, recognizing
one of the figures. It was Janen, one of the security staff employed under Duo.
Were once was a hame, me, carefree man now stood a gaunt, pale figure with a
wicked wound that spanned his neck, dried blood caked on skin that hung in
ragged clumps. His eyes were flat and lifeless, their stare blank, matted hair
clinging to his forehead. The other three individuals lined up next to him were
in much the same condition. A horrid stench filled their air as they stood
still.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>The figure in the
back cackled hideously. Clothes tattered and ragged hung off his skeletal
frame. An aura of death and darkness hung over him as he flashed his elongated
fangs when he smiled. “Lifemate!” he shrieked, pointing in front of him. “Get
me my lifemate!”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Relenatchetched
Quatre’s arm in fright. It had pointed at them! Good Lord, it was after them!
As one, the line of monsters stumbled and stalked towards Quatre and Relena,
bits of pieces of their skin and flesh breaking off as they moved forward.
Gunfire erupted as one of the bodyguards, Byouki, shoved Quatre and Relena to
the ground, crouching before them as he opened fire.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“ – under attack!” Quatre
heard Byouki shout in an earpiece. “Request backup! Where the hell are you
guys?p>
p>
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Bullets peppered
the approaching figures. Their bodies jerked back and forth under the barrage.
One went down, another lost its arm. As the smoke from the assault cleared, the
peoplet hat had stayed gasped in horror.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Riddled with
bullets, blackened blood oozing from wounds, the creatures kept advancing. Even
the one that had fallen was dragging itself across the ground.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;-ind-indent:.5in\'>“Open fire!” Byouki
ordered. Another hail of bullets pelted the zombies, this time from four
different directions. Yet they kept coming. One lunged forward, wrapping his
hand out Byouki’s throat, crushing his larynx. Relena screamed as she watched
the body collapse before her very eyes. With a sickening grin, the creature
reached out to grab Quatre.
was a flash of silver. Quatre jerked back as a blur buried itself in the cavity
chest of the monster.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Get away from my
friends.”
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5>Tro>Trowa and Wufei
heard the screams echo into the night. Their images blurred as they used their
powers and speed to rush to the scene. With a barely contained snarl, Trowa saw
the line of zombies the vampire had at his command lurching forward to the
individuals, two of which were crouching on the ground and behind a third. He
wanted to scoff as the humans tried to stop the monsters with their primitive
guns, knowing the only way to kill the creatures was by killing their master.
Wufei lurched forward as he witnessed one of the vampire’s minions ruthless
crush the life out of the man protecting the two indivis ons only to halt as
the fiend was thrown to the side by sheer force. Trowa’s eyes widened when he
saw some sort of throwing knife protruding from the beast’s chest.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Get away from my
friends.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Heads swiveled
towards the direction of the voice. Standing apart from the gathered mass stood
a lithesome figure clad all in black. Black pants fit snugly to tall, muscular
legs, a half unbuttoned black jacket with the sleeves rolled up clung to a
slender chest, a red shirt peeking out from underneath. A ridiculously long
chestnut braid hung to the individual’s waist as pale, ivory satin skin gleamed
in the harsh lights of the carnival.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>The creature continued
to howl as it jerked back and forth, trying to pry out the blade. It took a
step closer to the cowering figures only to freeze when a rumble reverberated
through the air.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5inI
away from my friends!” the person growled, reaching behind his back and
withdrawing a short, slender metal rod half the size of his body. He prowled
forward, twirling the rod around his body, a fierce scowl on his face.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Trowa’s eyebrows
shot up as Wufei hissed.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“That weakling
doesn’t stand a change against such opponents!” Wufei snarled. “And where the
hell is Yuy?”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;tendenndent:.5in\'>“Right here.”
0irginrgin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>The two Carpathians
spun around as Heero stepped forward.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“We have to do
something,” Trowa intoned. “We have to save them.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>“Hn.”
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Scoffing, Wufei
turned away. “It’s an injustice,” he sneered. “I won’t stand for it.” He took a
step forward, only to stop and stare in astonishment.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>Duo was seething in
fury. How dare these . . . weirdoes think they can come up, kill
not one, but two of his men, harm his friends, and think they can get
away with it! Fuck that shit! It was time to pay Shinigami his due!
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>With one last
flourish, Duo released a hidden catch in the rod. It lengthened into a staff,
an arched blamergmerging at one end. Twirling it above his head with both
hands, Duo crouched low, his scythe poised and held steady as he waited for an
attack.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>He didn’t have to
wait for long. Two monsters lunged forward, armld old out and seeking. Duo
swept low, lashing out with his scythe and slicing off three limbs. Spinning as
he rose to his feet, Duo slammed his elbow into someone’s nose. He ducked a
punch then flipped backwards and over a kick aimed for his gut. He spun in one
complete rotation, the scythe a blur of movement as it dipped and rose
effortlessly in the hands of a master.
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>The God of Death,
the Grim Reaper had come out tonight to play.
.4in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
text-indent:.5in\'>
.4in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
text-indent:.5in\'>
.4in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
text-indent:.5in\'>. . . TBC . . .
.4in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
text-indent:.5in\'>
0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in\'>