*...* denotes thought
~~~ indicates flashbacks or scene breaks

Embrace The Night Part 8

Earth, Romefeller/OZ Headquarters AC 199

The Vampire Master sat in her quiet and empty lair, the human servants having long since departed for more lively settings. The artificial fire still danced merrily along the manufactored logs, the flames giving off no heat. Rather, they maintained the carefully orchestrated illusion of human inhabitance within the lair, should any freewilled mortal dare to venture within.

The woman was seated upon her lavish chair, her torso relaxed. Her elbows rested on the massive arm rests, her slender fingers lightly pressed against her temples. Her eyes were closed in concentration, no movement apparent under the smooth lids. The corners of the woman's lips were slightly quirked upwards in a smooth, mocking smile.

Although the woman was physically within her lair, protected behind the walls of the mortal foundation, her mind was elsewhere, connected to the events revolving around the minion she had sent out into the night.

The same minion that she was now in danger of losing.

The woman's eyebrows were drawn together in a growing frown, her lips beginning to turn downwards to display her growing irritation. However, even in the face of her frustration, the woman's features continued to remain eerily beautiful, possessing an otherworldly attractiveness that would compel the most stalwart of mortals to be irresistibly drawn to her side. A feature that the immortal played to the hilt.

With a rush of breath that carried a sense of resolution or simply resignment, the vampire broke off her meditation and returned her consciousness to her corporeal surroundings. Removing her fingers from her temples, she intertwined them together and let them rest on her lap. She opened her eyes, allowing the iridescent depths to stare contemplatively into the false flames.

With a dry chuckle, humor that reeked of both slight insanity and insidious maliciousness, the vampire conceded the struggle.

In sinister tones, the immortal master made a vow to the empty lair, her words ringing hollow throughout air rife with ancient and recent death.

"I yield the battle for now, my amusing adversaries, but the night is not yet over. Savor your recent victory, for the price you will later pay may prove to be your undoing."

The vampire's maniacal laughter echoed throughout the chamber, a small portion of her dementia, a foreshadow to the impending madness that lay ahead.

~~~

Earth, Sank Kingdom, AC 199

*Meiran. She is Meiran.*

Wufei's thoughts were in turmoil as he beheld the physical and struggling apparition in his arms. His mind was blank with shock as the being in his arms continued to fight against his steel grip, short black hair flying in every direction in tune with the sharp movements of her head.

He had been prepared to face the intruder, perhaps granting a swift death if necessary. After all, the stranger had been threatening his fellow Gundam pilot, had managed to knock Heero out, and had been poised above the Japanese pilot's inert form with a sharp sword, ready to strike the final, fatal blow.

The five immortals had rounded the corner of the hallway just in time to see the prowler bring her arms down in a smooth, fluid movement, prepared to separate Heero's head from his body. Duo had immediately raced toward his partner's side, remembered grief spurring him on to save his fellow pilot. However, for all his immortal strength and speed, he and the others had known immediately that he was too slow, that he would never reach Heero's side in time to save him from the fatal blow.

Indeed, even if he managed to, Heero's life may very well already be fleeing its mortal coil. Wufei's sharp eyes could see the smoke that rose from Heero's singed clothing, the fabric torn in places from the explosion the man had been caught in.

However, salvation had been with them, arriving in the form of three cloaked and shadowed forms, each radiating an aura of Power. The threesome had burst into the corridor, appearing from some unknown entrance, and had knocked the intruder's blade from her hands with a rush of Power.

Their last minute intervention granted Duo enough time to snatch Heero up in his arms and move him into the safety of the sidelines, where the braided vampire could attend to the unconscious youth's wounds. The three newcomers had turned their attention back to the would be assassin, who was now struggling to regain her feet and her weapon.

Features still cloaked in the obscuring cloth of her mask, the assassin had immediately laid eyes upon the Chinese vampire, stance rigid as her new prey entered her sights. Completely ignoring the new arrivals, the slight form had launched herself at her new target, a short dagger clutched in her hands, challenge silent but clear.

As Wufei calmly evaded the assassin's attempts, his mind clearly registered the features of his attacker. Definitely female, the assassin's movements held the grace of one familiar with combat. The movements, although created in mindless rage and intent, were disturbingly familiar; long forgotten echoes of his past.

Intrigued with this new conundrum, Wufei dimly noted in the back of his awareness that the three newcomers were now at the sides of his fellow vampires, each calmly watching the match. Obviously they had been willing to help when the attacker had been striking against a helpless opponent, but now that the fight was evenly matched, they were more than content to be quiet spectators.

Wufei turned his focus back onto the fight in front of him, his energies devoted to the match. As he danced the struggle with his opponent, he was aware of Duo in the shadows, clutching at the inert form of his partner. The normally cheerful face was shiny with newly fallen tears, of both relief and dismay.

Anger suddenly welled up in the older vampire, anger that his opponent had threatened the fragile and growing bond between his friend and his partner, perhaps reincarnated lover. With a silent snarl of rage, Wufei launched himself at his attacker, his actions now on the offensive instead of the defensive. Lunging himself towards her with inhuman speed, he managed to knock the dagger from her grasp, allowing the sharp blade to skitter across the hall floor, out of reach.

His attacker then resorted to her bare hands, her nails sharp and tearing, raking his face, intending damage. While skilled with weapons, she was no match for him with naught but physical strength, and he managed to wrestle her to the floor. One of Wufei's hands imprisoned both of hers, the Asian man using his greater weight to pin her down.

She continued to struggle fiercely, though her efforts were in vain. With a growl in his voice, Wufei moved his free hand upwards towards her concealing mask. "Bastard! It's time to learn your identity!"

With a flourish, Wufei removed the black hood, allowing the hall's candles to illuminate his opponent's features.

Shock radiated through his entire being as achingly familiar features were suddenly revealed, a feminine exotic beauty that was on par with his own.

She was as beautiful as he remembered, slender like the willow, skin unblemished and clear. Hair as dark as the darkest night, soft and silky, framing the small and feminine face. Eyes, deep and as dark as his own, stared up at him in rage and with no recognition.

*Meiran!*

Wufei's eyes were wide and impossibly large, the dark depths taking in this new development and twist with a sense of incredulity. There was no way that this assassin could be his wife, one who had been dead for more than 1,500 years!

While his mind screamed at him the impossibilities, a tiny part of him started to analyze all of the evidence that he had been presented with. He had never actually seen Navarre kill his wife, he had always assumed that the ancient vampire had done so. And the woman trapped beneath him had moved with the ancient skills much akin to the ones he had taught his beloved. The tiny nuances and familiar moves were now explained.

*Meiran...*

Pain ripped through his heart and shredded his soul as she continued to fight against his hold, eyes wide and blank, containing no hint of knowledge of him. He searched vainly for some hint of humanity, of the woman he had once loved and still loved, even after the passage of so many years.

With a small cry of dismay, Wufei summoned up his own Power, dormant from years of unuse, and attempted to catch her gaze, to capture her eyes with his own. However, he could not touch her mind, he found. He could not influence her thoughts and actions. For she had none, it seemed. While the vampire could not sense the dark, faintly remembered presence of Navarre's influence on her psyche, he could sense that another controlled her actions, her very thoughts. She was mindless and soulless, a puppet for her master.

There was little that he could do, a very simple choice in options. Grimacing, aware of his silent observers, Wufei murmured her name once, in low, quiet tones, just before he buried his sharp fangs into her slender, exposed throat.

Her actions immediately grew limp, her body becoming still even as she gave one anguished, pain filled cry.

Her essence flowed through him, filling and warming him as he drank. However, even as he shared the intimate embrace with his love, knowledge flared between them. Knowledge of what her existence for the past 1,500 or so years had been like entered his mind, tormenting him with her emptiness. He shared her grief at the lack of memory of her past, of the inherent loneliness and despair that accompanied the years that held no recollection of who she was. That, at least, was a blessing.

Wufei's mind was suddenly filled with the sudden removal of Navarre's control and the sudden new presence that commanded Meiran's thoughts. He was almost able to taste and see the new vampire that was her master, the sudden facts of Navarre's untimely demise known to him, when her mind was suddenly wiped clean. His brow furrowed as he fleetingly felt the presence of another vampire, one who was covering his or her tracks with alarming speed.

However, he could not focus on that issue at the present moment. Rather, he needed to focus on the situation on hand. When he had taken enough of her blood, Wufei drew her limp body into his arms, once more relishing the nearly forgotten feel of her form, holding her close to him, quietly stroking her short, feathery locks. With one fluid movement, he raised his own wrist to his bloodstained lips, opening a small cut in the vein under his skin. He pressed his wrist to her pale lips, commanding her to drink, using a small influence of his Power.

*Please, Meiran... come back to me.*

~~~

The other vampires watched in silent interest as Wufei interacted with the intruder. They were all shocked when he had managed to reveal the assassin's identity as his long thought of as dead wife, Meiran. Although questions flew through their minds fast and furious, they were content to watch in pacified silence as the tender and intimate reunion took place in front of them. There would be plenty of time for them to speculate on this latest turn of events later. For now, Wufei needed personal time alone to come to grips with his newly revealed wife and her present status.

Tearing his eyes from the tender scene in front of him, Trowa turned to the three newcomers that stood next to him and he said softly, "Thank you for your help... sister."

The cloaked figure closest to him stiffened for a brief moment in shock, before her posture relaxed. With a wry chuckle, she lifted her hands to removed her hood. "I never could conceal myself from you, dear brother."

Catherine's curly, bouncy brunette locks came into view, her smiling grey eyes lighting up from both the faint candlelight and the pleasure at seeing her younger brother again. The two vampire siblings shared a brief, familial hug, their psychic minds simultaneously sharing a greeting no verbal words could express.

As Catherine disengaged herself from her brother's arms, she peered around him and set her sights on the blond vampire behind him. With a quirky grin, Catherine greeted the older immortal. "Hello, Quatre."

Quatre smiled at the woman even as he said, "It's nice to see you again, Catherine. Especially since you came in the nick of time."

"Hai. We were almost too late, but everything turned out well in the end. How have the past hundred some years been treating you? It's good to see that you're obviously keeping my brother happy this time."

Quatre's friendly smile rapidly fell, even as he averted his gaze away from the other. Trowa took in a deep breath as he recognized the self loathing that was beginning to manifest itself on Quatre's aura. He quickly looked at his sister with a warning glare as he uttered, "Cat, stop it."

Catherine turned a puzzled expression on her younger brother, then quickly switched it back to Quatre's slightly slumped posture. Her eyes widened with understanding, her mouth parting in dismay. "Oi, he's not still eating himself up about that, is he? Quatre, I didn't mean anything by that -"

Quatre cut Catherine off before she could apologize further, his cheerful expression back on his angelic countenance. "I know, Catherine. It's just... still painful when I remember...'

Trowa quickly moved to Quatre's side, enfolding the shorter vampire in his embrace, uncharacteristically taking the initiative for once. Quatre showed his appreciation for the comfort by giving Trowa a quick squeeze back, before breaking off the show of affection for their audience's sake.

"Oh please. This is so sweet that I'm developing cavities."

The tender mood between the immortals was shattered by the sly, faintly mocking voice that radiated from the cloaked figure on Catherine's left. Knowledge suddenly flooded Zechs' mind as he recognized the speaker, both from the tone of her words and her association with Catherine.

In a faintly acidic tone, the platinum blond haired vampire sneered out, "And I see that the passing centuries have done nothing to curb that sharp tongue of yours, Shaylyn."

"Why Zechs, it almost sounds like you still cared. By the way, how is Noin doing these days? Staying away from fires, I hope."

Zechs sneered, his sensual lips pulled upwards at the corner in a feral grimace. "Noin is doing fine, no thanks to you. Stay away from her, Shaylyn. Or you will answer to me."

The taller of the two remaining cloaked figures swept her hood off, revealing the striking fiery tendrils of the Original. Vibrant green eyes glowed from a generous, feathery waterfall of vibrant bangs, the ends slightly tilted granting the woman a natural cat like appearance. Skin as smooth in color as alabaster glowed in the candlelight, face cheeks flush with color that hinted at recent feeding.

Pouty lips slid into a feral, haunting smile even as the beauty drawled out, "Tsk, tsk, Zechs. You should know better than to threaten a member of the Triumverate, Lightning Count."

Catherine had had enough of the two bickering vampires. She cleared her throat decisively and stepped between the two of them, placing her physical form as a barrier between them. "Stop it you two. We don't have time for these games. Zechs, drop it. Shaylyn will not be interfering with Noin anymore. She knows the consequences if she should dare. And Shaylyn, quit acting like a brat. We need to be asking for their help, not antagonizing them."

Shaylyn sniffed with a wounded air as she shrugged her shoulders. "I was just having a little fun. You can't begrudge me that."

"Behave yourself, Shaylyn," Catherine warned, admonition apparent in her pale eyes.

Shaylyn smirked and gave the brunette a mock salute. "As you wish, Cat." >Shaylyn broke off her gaze and turned her attention elsewhere. Zechs, nerves still bristling with righteous anger, forcibly reigned in his own temper. He relaxed his own guard, although he continued to watch Shaylyn out of the corner of his eye. Triumverate member and Original she may be, but if she dared to interfere again like she had previously, he would not hesitate to challenge the fiery red head.

Catherine shook her head in disgust at the antics of her fellow Triumverate member. Shaylyn seemed to thrive on creating chaos in others' lives, finding some cheap thrill by introducing emotional unbalance. Her hair perfectly matched her temper, its color a flawless equivalent to her moody disposition. She was almost the polar opposite of the third member of the Triumverate, Sally Po.

Even as her thoughts echoed this sentiment, Catherine felt the steady grip of Sally's hand on her shoulder. She glanced quickly behind her to see the vampire woman's peaceful countenance gazing back at her. The woman was physically older than Catherine, having been made a vampire a few years later in her life, sometime around her late 20's or so. She was, however, older in immortal standards than Catherine, having been made centuries before Catherine.

Of all three members of the Triumverate, only Shaylyn could lay claim to the privilege of being called an Original. Currently, the red head was one of the last remaining Originals, there being only four or five left in existence, including the latest Vampire Master. And although there was a certain legendary and mysterious reputation that flocked around those vampires that called themselves Originals, the inherent trace of madness that lingered in their psyches often made Catherine sincerely glad she wasn't one. Quatre, her brother's lover and mate, was the one exception in the long list of Originals that Catherine had known. Although, Catherine must ruefully admit, the blond immortal was not without his own faults. But Trowa seemed content enough with the other, so Catherine fully accepted him, faults and all, as long as he made her brother happy.

Catherine smiled brightly at the elder vampire even as her brother's quiet voice drew her attention back.

"So Catherine, not that we aren't grateful for your intervention, but why is the Triumverate here?"

Catherine squared her slim shoulders, her expression now thoughtful and serious. "A new development had arisen. The Vampire Master is staking her claim on the mortal world and we must put a stop to it. Even as we speak she is gathering the Power necessary to bring forth an era of darkness on the Earth and surrounding colonies."

Quatre sucked in his breath as Catherine's words sank in. "Who is the current Vampire Master, Catherine?"

Shaylyn speared her fellow Original with one look, contempt for what she thought of as weakness apparent in her emerald gaze. "That's what we've been trying to decipher, dear Quatre. We've been slowly eliminating the possibilities by gathering positive traces on every vampire Original that has survived to this era. The Master is obviously not you, though you have been offered the position numerous times." The last was said with a small sneer, Shaylyn's tone derisive.

Quatre focused his sharp, azure gaze on the red head and said quietly, "I do not want power or control. I am content in what I have now."

"And that is what makes you weak."

Sally quickly intervened in what was rapidly becoming an out of control situation between the two Originals. "Cut it out, you two. We don't have time to be arguing amongst ourselves. We need to focus on the problem that faces all of us. We've at least been able to determine that the Vampire Master is female. If the Vampire Master is allowed to amass that much Power, nobody, mortal or immortal alike, will survive."

"Agreed. But that doesn't explain why you have come to us."

Catherine answered, "We have reason to believe, Zechs, that in the past, each of you played a major part in helping to deter the previous attempts made by the Vampire Master."

Trowa, Quatre, and Zechs grew rigid with shock. Surprise caught them unaware, their expressions reflecting bewilderment.

"What?!!" they each cried, a faint echo of the others.

"What do you mean?!"

"This has happened before?!"

"When did this occur?!"

Sally held her hands up in a placating gesture meant to calm the three male vampires down. Catherine's face was a mixture of shock and surprise herself, not having realized that the others hadn't known about the Vampire Master's previous attempts at world domination. Shaylyn just snorted under her breath and started to examine her flawless fingernails.

Sally frowned gently as she explained, "Over 100 years ago, the Vampire Master enlisted the aid of a rogue Original who went by the name Hilde. She was meant to be the catalyst of the Master's plans, but something went wrong and the plan went awry."

Shaylyn snorted again, amusement plain in her face. "What went awry was the fact that she got caught up in some silly obsession with a vampire she had made. She let emotions and jealousy grip her and she forgot about her purpose."

Zechs made a face at Shaylyn as he muttered, "And you seem to know an awful lot of what went on. Why is that?"

Shaylyn sneered and answered his quiet question. "It would take a fool not to recognize what happened. Throughout the annals of history, many leaders and struggles for power have been stopped or destroyed because of an obsession. Obsession for power, for greed, for lust, whatever. Hilde's was her obsession with Duo, even though he already had a chosen mate. Her fatal mistake was attempting to use the mortal as leverage to tie Duo to her again, forgetting about her purpose. She learned her lesson the hard way."

Quatre's eyes suddenly enlarged and his jaw fell open. He closed it with a decisive snap even as he became to exclaim, "Kami-sama! I forgot about Heero and Duo!"

Quatre's word acted as a motivator, stirring the immortals into action. Their heads whipped around as they tried to spot their fellow vampire and his mortal partner. Quatre sighed in relief when Trowa tapped him on the shoulder and directed his attention to the side of the hallway where Duo kneeled on the ground holding his partner's limp body.

The blond vampire and his quiet lover made their way over to Duo's side, eager to ascertain for themselves that the Japanese was going to be all right.

Duo was kneeling on the ground, his arms encircling the prone form of his partner. Heero's eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted for each light breath he took. Although his coloring was a bit on the pale side, his face was devoid of any winces or grimaces that should be expected even in his unconscious state, given the fire power behind the explosions he had been caught up in.

Quatre's keen gaze swept over Heero's form, taking in the battered condition of his clothing. The amount of damage done to the fabric should have been indicative of the damage done to his physical form, yet there were little to no wounds anywhere on the sleeping form. Indeed, the skin that lay underneath the torn sections of cloth was whole and healthy looking. Too healthy.

Quatre's suspicions began to arise, directing his gaze to Duo. His sharp eyes took in the fact that one of Duo's wrists had a pinkish welt on it, almost as if a cut on his wrist was in the last stage of healing. "What have you done, Duo?"

Duo looked at Quatre with a sharp turn of his head. Quatre was immediately impaled on the level on intensity that was apparent in the amaryllis depths, the sheer determination holding the blond's attention in utter fascination.

"I did what I had to do, Quatre."

"You gave him your blood." Trowa's short sentence was a statement, not a question, direct and to the point.

Duo became defensive, his hackles beginning to rise. With a sharp frown at his friends, he gruffly said, "And what of it?"

Shaylyn sauntered up to the kneeling vampire, a cunning and slightly hungry look crawling over her face. With her cat like stare, she eyed the unconscious mortal in Duo's arms, pink tongue darting out to quickly lick the corner of her red lips.

"So, you've claimed him as your own then?" she asked, in a deceptively innocent tone.

Duo looked startled at her question, his eyes widening slightly. He quickly speared a glance downwards at Heero, before bringing his gaze back up to the red head Original. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed into amethyst slits as he understood the underlying message in her question.

Tightening his grip imperceptively on Heero, Duo literally snarled at the other in a warning. "He's mine."

Shaylyn ignored his warning and continued her lazy visual inspection of the dark haired Heero. "He's strong... for a mortal. And handsome too." Shaylyn cocked one eyebrow up at Duo, her gaze calculating and speculative at the same time. "Do you share?" she purred.

Duo immediately felt rage build up inside him at the woman's blatant interest in his partner. Even though he had not yet completely determined whether or not Heero was the reincarnated form of his dead husband, he still felt fiercely protective, not to mention possessive, of the young man. The last thing he needed was a predator like Shaylyn interfering in the fragile beginnings of what could be a new relationship.

Shaylyn visibly smirked in the face of the braided man's outrage, a smug smile on her lips. It was amusing for her to see how easily the younger vampires were provoked with just a few, well chosen words. She was content in the knowledge that no matter how angry they became, it was unlikely they would be able to do any harm to her. The only one in the hallway that was capable of doing so was Quatre, and history had proven the blond's distaste for unnecessary violence.

However, that didn't stop him from admonishing her verbally.

"Stop antagonizing him, Shaylyn. He's had a hard enough time coping with his current situation without having you add your twisted perversions into the mixture."

Shaylyn snapped her mouth shut in a tight, thin frown, her displeasure apparent. She flounced off in a huff, ignoring the others in the hallway, content to study the shadows alone. Quatre watched her stalk away, carefully watching for any stronger signs of resentment. Finding none, he turned back to Duo.

He gently said, "Duo, I know that you do not wish to see physical harm done to your partner, but was giving him your blood absolutely necessary?"

The braided vampire sighed and said, "What if we are suddenly given a mission? Fighting in those monstrous Gundams is hard enough when the pilot is in peak condition. I don't want him to have added burdens on top of that. Besides, I didn't give him enough to bring him to the brink. Just enough to augment his natural healing process."

Catherine, who had by this time joined the group at her brother's side, along with Sally, glanced down at the pair and added her own two cents in. "But what if giving your blood to him has certain side effects, Duo?"

"Side effects?" came the startled question.

Sally intervened this time, her medical nature, a faint echo of her unusual mortal past, directing the path of her thoughts. "Well, you obviously have a strong suspicion that this Heero is the reincarnation of your dead lover. What if giving him your blood helps to trigger latent memories within his psyche? What are you going to do if he begins to remember his previous life with you in his incarnation as Heero Lowe? He'll undoubtably have several questions, not to mention whether or not he can handle it."

Stunned silence met Sally's short monologue, the occupants of the hallway gaping at the brunette in surprise.

Duo's eyes widened and he stuttered, "H-h-how did you k-know about all that? We never met you in Heero's past life era!"

Sally grinned maternally and reached forward to tap the braided man's forehead with one slim, tapered finger. "You're not shielding your thoughts right now, Duo. They're as apparent as a lighthouse beacon right now. All of your thoughts."

Duo's face flushed as he dropped his gaze, embarrassed that the woman had managed to pick up on his thoughts, some of them private in nature. He needed to remember to shield his mind better, but he had been too concerned with Heero to bother with trivial things like that. He muttered, "I'm sorry."

Sally waved one hand dismissively in the air as she answered, "Don't concern yourself about it. I've been around for too long to let thoughts like that embarrass me. But you still haven't answered the question, Duo."

Duo looked down at Heero's still face, his gaze roaming lovingly over the sharp, handsome features. He freed one hand to gently sweep Heero's bangs out of his eyes, one finger lightly tracing over the gently arching eyebrows. As he tenderly memorized every feature of his insensible partner, he answered the twice asked question with a vague response.

"I'll deal with that if and when it occurs."

Sally was satisfied with his rejoinder. While it still evaded the heart of her question, it let her know that Duo already recognized the fact that it would eventually come to pass that Heero would remember his past life. She reached down and gave him a brief, friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Good. Then I suggest you take him back to his room and wait for him to wake up there. If your blood does initiate his memories, you will have to face his questions when he wakes up."

Duo nodded his agreement even as he stood up with Heero cradled in his strong, inhuman embrace. Sally smiled encouragingly, even as she turned away from him to face the other emotionally troubled vampire.

Wufei was still in the middle of the hallway, his grip around the still form of Meiran strong and unwavering. His head was bowed over her form, silent in his equal grief and joy. Yes, Meiran wasn't dead, but she also wasn't the woman he had loved so long ago either. She had been kept in a stage of mindless obedience for so long that the noble woman he had been married to might be nothing more than a shadow of memory. Only time would tell.

Sally made her way to the Chinese vampire's side, her aura radiating calmness and sympathy. Laying her hand on one powerful shoulder, she gave the man the same advice she had given Duo.

"Wufei, Meiran will awaken soon and I suggest that it be with just you alone. It will be easier on her without all these strangers. In a world so changed by time, you will be the one thing that she will be able to relate to."

Wufei's shoulders slumped in despair, even though his voice remained strong, yet quiet. "Will she be able to though? I've changed so much in the passing centuries. Done so much that I once thought I'd never be able to do. Will she accept the creature I've become?"

Sally couldn't sincerely answer his question, rather she gave him reason to believe. "Meiran loved you, Wufei. You love her too. That love, although it was thought severed with her apparent death, now is once more whole. It will help you greatly."

Wufei seemed to take the advice to heart as he stood up and nodded his thanks to Sally. Both Duo and Wufei departed from the hallway, their unconscious burdens clutched closely to their bodies. As they melted into the shadows that clung to the walls of the hall, the others turned their attention to matters at hand.

Zechs studied Sally's face for a moment before he said, "So Meiran was sent by the Vampire Master to hopefully take out one or more of us tonight. Her first target was obviously Wufei."

Sally nodded as she added, "Yes. Heero intervened first and got in her way, which probably didn't matter to her. The Master had probably told her to eliminate anyone who tried to interfere."

Quatre pursed his lips as he thought, his fingers lightly grazing his chin. "But why send her after us? Why are we so important?"

Catherine shrugged and replied, "Who knows? There are countless reasons that I'd rather not go into right now. This discussion can wait for awhile, until Heero and Meiran wake up. Perhaps the girl can help us, or maybe not. I suggest that we all retire and attack this problem with fresh minds later."

Sally nodded in agreement as she added, "I'd like to talk to Noin again too. I haven't seen that witch in centuries."

Catherine turned to Zechs and said, "Oi, where IS Noin, by the way?"

"With Relena," he answered, not bothering to even think about it, his answer automatic. "After the explosion, she would naturally head there to protect Relena while the guards come to investigate. Which reminds me, I'm going to have to talk to the guards about why they haven't arrived here yet to check out the chaos. I'm sure they heard the explosions."

Shaylyn sneered from her corner, having re - entered the subject of conversation unnoticed. "Don't bother, Zechs. We casted glamours before we intervened earlier. The mortals won't remember anything about the explosions."

Zechs raised one eyebrow even as he said archly, "Oh, you did, did you?"

Shaylyn shrugged as she said, "It suited our purposes at the time. Besides, it makes the entire affair less messy without having mortal interferences involved. Well, it's been fun, Lightning Count, but I'm hungry and this conversation is beginning to bore me. I'm going hunting now. I'll be back later."

Catherine blurted out hastily before Shaylyn had an opportunity to completely fade from their surroundings. "Shaylyn, take heed of the rules!"

Shaylyn's lazy drawl echoed in the hallway, becoming fainter with each passing second. "Yeah, yeah, I know. No killing. You gals are sooo boring."

Sally shook her head in quiet disapproval as she muttered, "That vampire will never learn."

"Well, as long as she obeys the rules, it's fine. C'mon, let's go visit Noin. Coming, Zechs?"

The platinum haired vampire bowed and said, "After you, ladies. Quatre, Trowa, we'll talk again later."

Quatre and Trowa were soon left alone in the hallway, with nothing but the dancing shadows created by the candle flames for company. Quatre chuckled once and turned to his immortal lover.

"Well, now that we have been conveniently left alone, whatever shall we do?" he asked, false innocence oozing from his very being.

Trowa smiled once and enfolded one of Quatre's hands in his own. "I'm sure we can find something to occupy our time with, lover."

Quatre smiled wolfishly as he spoke, "Aa, did you see the size of the bathroom in our suite? I'm in the sudden mood for a shower."

Trowa's eyes sparkled with the growing flame of excitement as he queried, "I take it you would like some help?"

Quatre glanced at him with a sloe eyed expression as he simply answered, "Of course."

With that, the two vampire lovers headed swiftly towards their chambers, with little more than a brief breeze to mark their passage.

TBC...

 

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