fic - Magic in D Minor
Title: Magic in D Minor
Author: ralphiere
Pairing: 1x2, slight suggestion of past 6x1
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don’t own them.
Warnings: language, sexual situations, AU, changing POV, possible OOC-ness
Notes: I don’t usual dabble in Fantasy, so forgive me. This is part one of not too many. I'm striving to post the next part in a week ^__^
Thanks to bleedtoblue for the beta!!
Magic in D Minor
Despite the modern electrical wiring he’d installed himself, Heero still preferred to illuminate the room using the oil sconces attached to the rough stone walls. Maybe somewhere in time he’d been a romantic, although he’d lost that part of himself decades before, leaving the jaded man who knelt on the floor. Bare from the waist up, the oil lamps bathed his muscular back in an almost gentle glow, making the intricate black and red tattoos snaking up from his faded blue jeans appear to ripple in stark contrast against his skin. Sitting back on his feet, he studied the symbols he was etching onto the stone floor.
The magic he was using was ancient and dangerous, but needed to be performed if he was going to continue the life he’d been living for the last hundred years. He’d seen the world change a lot since then, but still wasn’t willing to give in to mortality. Bending over, he finished the final symbol before tugging the jeweled dagger from his boot and slicing open his palm to bind the spell. When his blood touched the circle the room was filled with a flash of red light as he repeated the words he’d uttered every ten years since he’d made his choice and had been cast out.
Once the light receded, Heero gained his feet, glanced at his already healed palm, and wiped the remaining blood absentmindedly on the leg of his jeans. Another piece of him sold to the darkness. What did it matter? He knew that there was no salvation for a man like him. It stopped mattering a long, long time ago.
Walking around the room, he extinguished the lights and headed up the stairs from the subbasement into the basement proper, squinting against the harsh electric light emitted from the bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling. He closed the heavy metal trapdoor with remarkable ease before engaging the locks, forcing himself to relax. Dealing with dark magic always made him edgy, filling him with desires for things that he just couldn’t allow himself to have.
After a long, hot shower, Heero emerged from his bedroom wearing black pants and a white linen shirt, the top two buttons open for comfort although he wasn’t unaware of the effect the look had. Was there something wrong with wanting to be attractive? Hell, he felt almost human, although he’d lost his humanity the day he’d accepted the first drop of black ink into his skin. Running his hand through his damp, brown hair, he studied his reflection in the mirror. He was muscular and fit, broad chest tapering down to a slim waist. Without moving he could see the muscles in his thighs through the material of his pants. His feet were bare and he remembered a time when he’d cared that he’d turned the heads of both sexes when he walked down the street.
His body was still a youthful twenty-five, but he’d stopped being able to hide the years in his eyes. Piercing blue and often cold, his eyes were definitely the mirrors to his soul. Or what soul he had left. Heero Yuy wasn’t an evil man, but he was far from good, and always dangerous.
With a sigh, he turned away from his reflection and pushed aside the twinge of loneliness he felt. Loneliness was just another price he paid for his immortality, along with unmarred skin, and the shattered pieces of his soul. Sure there had been a time when he’d had lovers, had smiles that actually reached his eyes, and had experienced genuine happiness. None of those relationships had ended well. Lovers aging while he’d stayed youthful. Lovers filled with bitterness and resentment. Lovers dying while cursing him with their final breaths. No, he was better off alone.
“I don’t have time for self pity,” Heero growled to himself, stalking across the room to finish dressing. He had an appointment to keep.
~*~
“You’re serious?” The old man raised a bushy eyebrow, his fingers absentmindedly stroking the velvety material the gem rested upon.
“I’m always serious,” Heero answered, picking up the golf ball sized diamond carefully and peering through it. “I’d told you I wanted both of them.”
“But, sir, I don’t think you realize-” The man snapped his mouth closed when Heero’s eyes narrowed.
“You have until Friday to procure the other diamond. How you do this is of no concern to me. If you don’t have the other one by Friday our deal is off.”
Setting the diamond down, Heero turned, his long, black leather jacket flaring out slightly, and walked out. He wasn’t surprised that the old man was trying to play him, he could feel greed coming off the man in waves, but he would have his way. Not that the diamonds held any importance to him, it was a mere game after all, something to pass the time. The diamonds themselves weren’t important, but he needed something else the man had in his possession, and now the wheels were set in motion.
Heero slid into the snug leather seat of his Viper and left the shop behind him. He thought about going home, but he was feeling restless as he usually did after performing the ceremony he had earlier. Instead he drove through the dark city streets, passing rowdy crowds coming out of clubs and bars. Now there was true youth, vibrant and alive. He could feel the pulse of those crowds, taste the lust and violence that always bred around them. How long had it been since he’d walked among them? How long had it been since he’d fucked one of them, leaving them hungering for his touch for months afterward?
“Too long,” Heero murmured to himself, resisting the urge to stop. He knew they’d been looking for him, those who considered him a rogue sorcerer, those who considered him a threat, and he didn’t feel like dealing with that tonight. Instead he navigated the roads towards home.
Passing through the gate, he drove down the winding driveway towards the main house, all the while feeling out towards the wards to make sure they were unmolested and intact. No one would gain access to his house without him knowing. Or so he’d thought.
The house was a hulking Victorian, painted in the bright colors of its history. He’d spent years restoring it from disrepair to its current state of perfection. Even he didn’t delude himself, knowing that the house had taken the place of a lover for the past twenty years. Maybe even a jaded man like him needed something to shower attention on. At least the house wasn’t going to grow old and expire.
Pulling up to the garage, he hit a button and waited for the door to open before easing the car inside. He waited for the door to close again before he walked through the door that led into to the house. It wasn’t until he stepped into the hallway that his heightened senses picked up the disturbance.
“Fuck!” Heero spat, running through the house towards the basement door. “Fuck!”
The door was locked, just as he’d left it, and the wards were still in place, yet the disturbance came from behind it. There was no other way into the rooms beneath the house for a natural man to cross, and with the wards still in place Heero knew that someone incredibly powerful had breached his defenses.
Unlocking the door, he moved silently down the stairs, his eyes able to see perfectly in the complete darkness. Reaching out with his mind, he felt a lingering magical presence, but nothing remotely strong enough to have gotten in. Once at the bottom of the stairs he walked through the first basement and paused outside the trapdoor to the subbasement. Still, he found nothing. When he unlocked and opened the heavy trapdoor he heard the soft sounds of breathing. He was halfway down when he saw the bare legs hanging limply somehow from above. Stopping at the bottom of the steps, he looked through the darkness at the unconscious man suspended as if crucified in the middle of the room. He could smell blood and ancient black magic.
With a snap of his fingers, the room was filled with artificial light from the overhead fixtures. Circling slowly, Heero opened his mind and took it all in. It would’ve had to be someone extremely powerful to get past the wards, someone powerful with a vendetta against him. The man was naked, and despite the current situation, Heero couldn’t help but admire the man’s body. Leanly muscled, well endowed, and god, the hair! Hanging in a loose braid, the tip caressed just below the man’s perfectly rounded buttocks. The only wound visible was where a piece of parchment was nailed into the center of the man’s chest.
After deciding that there were no spells hidden on the man himself, Heero stepped forward, grabbed the nail, and pulled. Blood ran from the wound in a dark trail down the man’s stomach into his pubic hair. The wound didn’t appear to be life threatening and was therefore inconsequential. Once the nail was removed, the man groaned, his eyelids fluttering. The last thing Heero needed now was for this man to start screaming, so before he could open his eyes, Heero placed his fingertips against the man’s temples and spoke softly. The body went limp once again.
Having bought himself a few minutes, Heero read the parchment.
This game has grown tiresome, Yuy. Don’t you grow weary of competing against me when you can never win? When will you realize that you’re wasting your time collecting the relics? There’s no way you could keep them safe, look how easily I breached your inner sanctum. Bow out gracefully while I still let you.
This a token of good will. He’s special, very special. His beauty will never fade, his body will never grow old, and he will hunger only for you. He’s yours, no matter your choice. Consider him a gift.
I hope you still have sense enough to choose wisely.
~Z
“Fucking bastard!” Heero yelled, his voice echoing off the walls. Clenching the parchment in his fist, Heero tried to calm himself. Now was not the time to lose his head. A token of good will! The beautiful man hanging in the air was a poison to slowly drain his will was more like it. Did Zechs really think that he’d back down from finding the relics? Did he think that a piece of ass was actually a distraction?
Heero ran his hand angrily through his hair. The only choice he had right now was whether he’d keep the man, set him free, or kill him. Not knowing exactly what was going on, setting him free was not an option. Killing him would probably be the best course of action, killing him and leaving his body suspended above Zechs’ bed. Heero smiled evilly at the thought, wishing that he could stay to watch Zechs’ reaction. Not that Heero enjoyed killing, he’d rather not if he could help it, but at the moment it just couldn’t be helped.
Rubbing his hands together, he closed the distance and rested his hands on the man’s chest. Before he could utter a single word, the man’s eyes flew open revealing the most striking shade of blue Heero had ever seen. But it wasn’t the color that made him hesitate, no, it was the look of pure rage in them that did it. Heero had expected fear, he’d expected pleading, and this unexpected twist had saved the man’s life. For the moment, anyway.
“Put me the fuck down!” The man ordered, his eyes shooting daggers. Heero couldn’t help it, he laughed. His laughter was deep and genuine. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that.
“You’re not in the position to be demanding anything,” Heero said, his voiced laced with amusement. “You’re more in the position to beg and hope I’m feeling gracious.”
“Fuck you!” His head whipped back and forth and Heero could tell he was struggling to move.
“Hunger only for me, my ass,” Heero said softly to himself, grinning and shaking his head. Although he had no intentions of falling into Zechs’ trap, Heero couldn’t help but wonder if this was quite what the other sorcerer had intended.
“You think this is funny, asshole? Let me down and you’ll see how funny this is!”
“You’re not aware of why you’re here?” Heero asked, walking slowly around him and taking in every inch of bare skin. “Are you completely ignorant of your role?” Heero reached out and let his fingers slide lightly over the curve of the man’s ass. When his fingers made contact, the body jerked in the air and Heero didn’t miss the harsh intake of breath. Was it possible that this man was actually an innocent party?
“Stop that,” the man said hoarsely. “I’m not here to be your fuck toy.”
Heero laughed darkly, running his fingers over a thigh. “I hate to break it to you, but that’s exactly why you were sent here.”
“Over my dead body.”
“As you wish,” Heero said amicably, although he knew that he wouldn’t be killing this man. A man with this much fight deserved a chance to live. One chance, but what to do with him?
He stopped when he was looking into the man’s face, pointedly ignoring the erection that was jutting out in response to just a few caresses to the man’s skin. Oh, it was tempting to keep him, but Heero wasn’t the kind of man to take what wasn’t willingly given. He’d given up a lot in the last hundred years, but his honor wasn’t one of them.
“Tell me your name,” Heero ordered, although he’d tried to keep his tone neutral.
“Fuck off.”
“I don’t think I need to tell you that I hold your life in my hands. If you want to live, I suggest you work with me. I have no qualms about killing you.” Heero watched fleeting emotion flicker over the man’s face. Never once did he see defeat. “Your name?”
“Duo,” he ground out harshly.
“Well, Duo, if you want to survive this, I suggest you do as I say. I’d like to come to some sort of agreement before I let you down.”
“I won’t be used by you,” Duo said angrily, looking down towards the floor.
Heero resisted the urge to point out who was in power, instead he agreed. “You won’t be used by me.”
“And you’ll let me go.”
“That I can’t agree to. You were sent here by someone who wishes me harm and until I know the extent of the situation you’ll be … in my care.”
“You’d keep me prisoner?”
“I’d keep you chained down here like a slave if I need to,” Heero said harshly. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, trying to reign in his temper. “Although I’d prefer to offer you a more comfortable room. Prisoner or corpse, the decision is yours.”
“Fine,” Duo spat, lifting his head and meeting Heero’s eyes with a glare. “Now let me down!”
Heero ignored this. “You’ll agree to do as I say, without question. Within reason of course.”
“Of course,” Duo added sarcastically.
“I’ll have your word,” Heero said, his voice hard.
Duo gave it through gritted teeth.
~*~
Duo pushed his fear deeper, forcing anger to the surface. He kept his gaze steadily on his captor’s face, although it was incredibly difficult. Those blue eyes were harsh and cold, filled with a darkness that made Duo’s mouth go dry. He swallowed hard when the sorcerer stood before him, reaching out to dip his finger in the trail of blood from the wound in his chest. The sorcerer’s lips barely moved as he spoke softly and drew three quick symbols - one on his forehead, one above his heart, and the last low on his stomach.
Duo hissed, failing to suppress the shudder that ran through him. He was trying to wrap his mind around the aching pleasure that coursed through him as soon as the dark man’s finger made contact. “What are you doing?”
“Protecting what’s mine,” the sorcerer answered, his tone bitter.
Any argument stuck in Duo’s throat as soon as the man placed the flat of his hand over the bleeding hole in his chest. The pain was gone, replaced with a warmth that filled every atom of his being. The warmth spiked immediately into lust when the sorcerer wrapped his arms around his chest and he was suddenly falling limp into inhumanly strong arms.
“You’ve ruined my shirt,” the dark man muttered, moving quickly and cradling Duo in his arms.
“Sorry.” Duo hadn’t meant to apologize. He’d intended to tell the bastard to put him the fuck down, that he could walk on his own, thank you very much, but the words were lost in the chaos of what he was currently feeling. He’d been aroused with a mere touch of this dark man’s fingertips. Now, being held against his chest with the sound of his heart against his ear, Duo was overwhelmed. He bit on his tongue hard to keep from pleading for things he couldn’t even articulate. He moaned when the man’s breath ghosted over his bare skin as he adjusted his hold to carry him upstairs. What the fuck was happening to him?
It was a huge relief when the sorcerer unceremoniously dumped him on the wood floor of a small bedroom. As soon as he was free he was able to think again, scrambling backwards until his back was pressed against the far wall. He was aware at how heavily he was breathing, just as he was aware at how achingly hard his cock was, but chose to ignore those things. Looking up, he swore he saw a flicker of compassion pass over the dark man’s face, but it was gone as fast as it came.
“You will stay here until I come for you. Is this understood?”
“So this is my prison?” Duo asked instead of answering, glancing quickly around the room.
“If you chose to see it that way,” the dark man said with a shrug. “Just realize I can’t assure your safety if you leave this room.”
“From others or from you?”
Blue eyes narrowed. “Both.” He turned to leave, his hand on the doorknob pulling the door closed.
“I supposed you’d have me call you Master?” Duo asked sarcastically, forcing courage he didn’t feel.
Turning slightly, the man smirked. “If it pleases you, although Heero would do.”
The door shut and the lock engaged almost immediately, leaving Duo alone. He waited until he listened to the silence for five whole minutes before he moved from his spot on the floor. This was fucking crazy! How the hell had he gotten there? Lurching to his feet he immediately went to the door and tried to open it. He didn’t bother to waste his energy doing more than turning the knob and pulling for he knew in his heart it wasn’t going to budge.
Next, he went to the only window in the room and looked out. It was night, something that startled Duo. He remembered waking that morning and dressing for work, but beyond that his memory was blank. There was nothing to see but darkness outside, not so much as a streetlight, let alone a neighboring house around. Gauging the distance he must be three floors up and there was no way he’d survive a fall to the ground. Seeing he had no intention of giving up, the window wasn’t an option for escape.
Turning, he took in his cell. A large bed dominated the room with a sturdy looking oak frame, head and footboards carved with an intricate design. A colorful quilt covered the bed, reminding Duo of his grandmother’s house as a child. There was a single chest of drawers made of the same wood against the opposite wall and a matching nightstand near the bed holding a single lamp. Crossing the room he opened the first door he came to, revealing an empty closet. The only other door, besides the one leading out, held a small bathroom with an antique claw foot tub, a commode, and a sink with an oval mirror hanging above it. Clean towels were piled on the counter near the sink along with small bottles of hygiene products. It only took a second for Duo to look down at himself and decide what he was going to do next. He may be a prisoner, but he was going to be a clean prisoner. The smell of blood was making him sick.
Hot water was plentiful as he filled the tub, sinking into its depths with a grateful sigh. He took his time washing his hair, rinsing with the detachable shower head, and then washed his body. He refused to think as he scrubbed his skin a little too hard to wash away the dried symbols the sorcerer had put there. Heero, his mind corrected, that Heero had put there. Once he was clean, he relaxed into the still hot water and closed his eyes, forcing himself to think of his current predicament.
He’d gotten up at 5:30am like he’d done every morning he’d had work. He’d showered, shaved, dressed. He remembered walking outside and looking at the sky waking with golden hues. He remembered taking his car keys out of his pocket… Did he ever get in his car? Shaking his head, he opened his eyes and looked across the surface of the water. Nothing. He could remember nothing after that until the pain in his chest had pulled him out of the darkness. The pain had been huge, like someone had driven a spike into his chest. Then he’d opened his eyes and everything had changed.
Never before had he seen such fury. Heero’s eyes had been chilling, such cold eyes in such a handsome face. The fury had triggered immediate anger on Duo’s part, an anger that was almost impossible to hold onto once Heero touched him. Even back when Duo was still awkwardly exploring his sexuality, he’d never experienced such intense desire before. It was as if his body had been infused with a powerful aphrodisiac through the tips of Heero’s fingers. His cock had never been so hard, nor had his mind been so traitorous. It took every once of will power he had to hold back. At that moment he would’ve sold his soul to the devil himself for more.
Maybe the devil had deep blue eyes and tousled brown hair.
“I’m not here to be your fuck toy.”
Heero laughed darkly, running his fingers over a thigh. “I hate to break it to you, but that’s exactly why you were sent here.”
Duo shivered. When Heero touched him that’s exactly what he wanted to be. Who would do this to him and why? Could whatever this was be undone? He thought of the way Heero’s face had softened for that brief moment in a look of compassion and Duo wondered how much of his soul he’d auction to see that again.
The water was getting cold and exhaustion was quickly taking over. Sitting up, Duo reached for the stopper and drained the tub before standing and grabbing a towel. He dried his body, then towel dried his hair as best he could, wishing for a hairbrush. Sudden movement caught his eye and a large wooden hairbrush rested on the counter next to the towels. He knew that wasn’t there before. His heart was hammering in his chest as he moved slowly to pick up the brush.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting what’s mine.”
Hugging his arms around his naked body, Duo tried to breathe and calm the frantic beating of his heart. He had no intention of being a kept man. He had no intentions of giving in. He vowed at that moment that he would never feel anything but hate for his captor.
He was in way over his head.
~*~
Heero had spent the night in his vast library trying to find the spell that had turned Duo into a walking, talking wet dream. He cursed Zechs in every language he knew for what he’d done to the man, abducting him from whatever life he’d been living, and taking away his free will. Not that it surprised him, Zechs had been devoid of his humanity for longer than Heero could fathom, and when that much time passed it was easy to forget what humanity really meant.
Closing another book, Heero set it on the stack and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. Zechs. He snorted softly, shaking his head at the thought of the new twist Zechs had created to entertain himself. It wasn’t unusual for Zechs to use humans as pawns. What was unusual was making such games this personal. There had to be an ulterior motive.
“You want what I have so bad you can taste it,” Zechs said patiently. He was sprawled out on his massive bed, bronzed skin glowing in the firelight, golden hair falling around his face.
“You’re an abomination,” Heero spat, jerking up his pants and fastening them. “Everything you have goes against everything I believe in!”
“Oh, to be so young and idealistic,” Zechs laughed. “Go if you must, just remember I’ll be expecting more than apologies when you come crawling back to ask for my assistance.”
“Never.” Heero had left, slamming the door behind him.
Heero couldn’t help but smile at the memory. He had been young and idealistic. And he had gone crawling back. But even when everything was said and done, after he’d turned his back on natural magic and forever tarnished his soul, Heero hadn’t been able to remain friends with Zechs. Zechs had chided him for trying to hold onto his humanity like a child holding onto a blanket, but Heero couldn’t let it all go so easily. He’d insisted there could be a balance between the good and the evil that existed within him and had been fighting to keep that balance for the last hundred years.
But why send him Duo? Heero couldn’t wrap his mind around the latest twist to the ongoing game. It was by choice, not necessity that kept Heero from taking people into his bed. Could it be that Heero’s self imposed celibacy bothered Zechs that much? With a sigh, Heero stood and stretched. He was going to have to speak to Zechs about this eventually, but he’d wait until he’d undone whatever dark spells had ensnared Duo and he’d been set free, then he’d have a nice long chat with Zechs about minding his business.
Walking through the dining room, Heero stopped in the kitchen and looked out the large bay window into the garden. The bright afternoon sunlight was making the colorful flowers more vibrant. He could smell the fragrant blossoms through the window and had a fleeting image of Duo sitting out there beckoning to him. He almost wished he’d given into his desires the night before and plucked anyone from the masses of the city’s nightlife to fuck against the hood of his car. At least then the tension in his body would have been less intense. Glancing at the clock he realized he couldn’t avoid his houseguest forever - the man must be starved as it was already past noon.
Heero worked quickly, preparing a quick meal, arranging it on a tray, and carrying it up to the bedroom he’d refurbished in the servant’s quarters on the third floor. Last night he’d wanted Duo as far away from him as possible for the man’s own safety, a decision he was glad he’d made as there had been many moments he’d almost given into temptation and gone to search him out.
He paused in front of the door, steeling his resolve, and then unlocked it. He entered without knocking to find Duo leaning against the headboard with the sheet pooled in his lap, watching him. Heero could see Duo’s pupils dilating from just looking at him and couldn’t resist grinning when he saw Duo’s hands fist tightly in the sheets. He didn’t need reminding that Duo was here against his will, and had no intention of taking advantage of the situation, but it was still a heady feeling witnessing such blatant desire.
“Finally remembered I was locked up here?” Duo asked, his voice sounding tight in his throat.
“I apologize for not being a good host, I’m not used to having guests.” Heero crossed the room and slid the tray onto the bed. Duo didn’t even glance at the food, looking at Heero instead with hunger in his eyes.
“Guest?” Duo snorted, wrapping his arms around himself. “Does your conscience feel better thinking of me that way?”
“I’m not the one that did this to you,” Heero said calmly. He could see the tremor go through the man on the bed, and he could also see the man’s erection hard beneath the sheet. “I’ve been up all night searching for spells. I’m trying to find a way to undo it.”
“Mighty noble of you,” Duo spat, visibly shaking now. “Just let me go.”
Heero shook his head sadly. “I hadn’t realized how strong the spell was until this moment. Last night you reacted when I touched you, but now you’re reacting with me just being in the room. If I let you go it wouldn’t stop, you’d be no better off than a junkie on a street corner, only it would be worse because you’d never sate your hunger. You’d crave only me.”
“Aren’t we full of ourselves,” Duo said weakly, hugging himself tighter. “You can leave now.”
Not bothering to say more, Heero turned and walked out. Engaging the lock, Heero started down the stairs, hearing Duo yelling behind him. “Next time bring me some clothes!”
Heero smiled at the strength he heard in the man’s voice when the door closed between them. Hopefully he had some time before Duo could feel him from anywhere in the house. Heero had no idea how harshly he would be tested.
TBC
Author: ralphiere
Pairing: 1x2, slight suggestion of past 6x1
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don’t own them.
Warnings: language, sexual situations, AU, changing POV, possible OOC-ness
Notes: I don’t usual dabble in Fantasy, so forgive me. This is part one of not too many. I'm striving to post the next part in a week ^__^
Thanks to bleedtoblue for the beta!!
Magic in D Minor
Despite the modern electrical wiring he’d installed himself, Heero still preferred to illuminate the room using the oil sconces attached to the rough stone walls. Maybe somewhere in time he’d been a romantic, although he’d lost that part of himself decades before, leaving the jaded man who knelt on the floor. Bare from the waist up, the oil lamps bathed his muscular back in an almost gentle glow, making the intricate black and red tattoos snaking up from his faded blue jeans appear to ripple in stark contrast against his skin. Sitting back on his feet, he studied the symbols he was etching onto the stone floor.
The magic he was using was ancient and dangerous, but needed to be performed if he was going to continue the life he’d been living for the last hundred years. He’d seen the world change a lot since then, but still wasn’t willing to give in to mortality. Bending over, he finished the final symbol before tugging the jeweled dagger from his boot and slicing open his palm to bind the spell. When his blood touched the circle the room was filled with a flash of red light as he repeated the words he’d uttered every ten years since he’d made his choice and had been cast out.
Once the light receded, Heero gained his feet, glanced at his already healed palm, and wiped the remaining blood absentmindedly on the leg of his jeans. Another piece of him sold to the darkness. What did it matter? He knew that there was no salvation for a man like him. It stopped mattering a long, long time ago.
Walking around the room, he extinguished the lights and headed up the stairs from the subbasement into the basement proper, squinting against the harsh electric light emitted from the bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling. He closed the heavy metal trapdoor with remarkable ease before engaging the locks, forcing himself to relax. Dealing with dark magic always made him edgy, filling him with desires for things that he just couldn’t allow himself to have.
After a long, hot shower, Heero emerged from his bedroom wearing black pants and a white linen shirt, the top two buttons open for comfort although he wasn’t unaware of the effect the look had. Was there something wrong with wanting to be attractive? Hell, he felt almost human, although he’d lost his humanity the day he’d accepted the first drop of black ink into his skin. Running his hand through his damp, brown hair, he studied his reflection in the mirror. He was muscular and fit, broad chest tapering down to a slim waist. Without moving he could see the muscles in his thighs through the material of his pants. His feet were bare and he remembered a time when he’d cared that he’d turned the heads of both sexes when he walked down the street.
His body was still a youthful twenty-five, but he’d stopped being able to hide the years in his eyes. Piercing blue and often cold, his eyes were definitely the mirrors to his soul. Or what soul he had left. Heero Yuy wasn’t an evil man, but he was far from good, and always dangerous.
With a sigh, he turned away from his reflection and pushed aside the twinge of loneliness he felt. Loneliness was just another price he paid for his immortality, along with unmarred skin, and the shattered pieces of his soul. Sure there had been a time when he’d had lovers, had smiles that actually reached his eyes, and had experienced genuine happiness. None of those relationships had ended well. Lovers aging while he’d stayed youthful. Lovers filled with bitterness and resentment. Lovers dying while cursing him with their final breaths. No, he was better off alone.
“I don’t have time for self pity,” Heero growled to himself, stalking across the room to finish dressing. He had an appointment to keep.
~*~
“You’re serious?” The old man raised a bushy eyebrow, his fingers absentmindedly stroking the velvety material the gem rested upon.
“I’m always serious,” Heero answered, picking up the golf ball sized diamond carefully and peering through it. “I’d told you I wanted both of them.”
“But, sir, I don’t think you realize-” The man snapped his mouth closed when Heero’s eyes narrowed.
“You have until Friday to procure the other diamond. How you do this is of no concern to me. If you don’t have the other one by Friday our deal is off.”
Setting the diamond down, Heero turned, his long, black leather jacket flaring out slightly, and walked out. He wasn’t surprised that the old man was trying to play him, he could feel greed coming off the man in waves, but he would have his way. Not that the diamonds held any importance to him, it was a mere game after all, something to pass the time. The diamonds themselves weren’t important, but he needed something else the man had in his possession, and now the wheels were set in motion.
Heero slid into the snug leather seat of his Viper and left the shop behind him. He thought about going home, but he was feeling restless as he usually did after performing the ceremony he had earlier. Instead he drove through the dark city streets, passing rowdy crowds coming out of clubs and bars. Now there was true youth, vibrant and alive. He could feel the pulse of those crowds, taste the lust and violence that always bred around them. How long had it been since he’d walked among them? How long had it been since he’d fucked one of them, leaving them hungering for his touch for months afterward?
“Too long,” Heero murmured to himself, resisting the urge to stop. He knew they’d been looking for him, those who considered him a rogue sorcerer, those who considered him a threat, and he didn’t feel like dealing with that tonight. Instead he navigated the roads towards home.
Passing through the gate, he drove down the winding driveway towards the main house, all the while feeling out towards the wards to make sure they were unmolested and intact. No one would gain access to his house without him knowing. Or so he’d thought.
The house was a hulking Victorian, painted in the bright colors of its history. He’d spent years restoring it from disrepair to its current state of perfection. Even he didn’t delude himself, knowing that the house had taken the place of a lover for the past twenty years. Maybe even a jaded man like him needed something to shower attention on. At least the house wasn’t going to grow old and expire.
Pulling up to the garage, he hit a button and waited for the door to open before easing the car inside. He waited for the door to close again before he walked through the door that led into to the house. It wasn’t until he stepped into the hallway that his heightened senses picked up the disturbance.
“Fuck!” Heero spat, running through the house towards the basement door. “Fuck!”
The door was locked, just as he’d left it, and the wards were still in place, yet the disturbance came from behind it. There was no other way into the rooms beneath the house for a natural man to cross, and with the wards still in place Heero knew that someone incredibly powerful had breached his defenses.
Unlocking the door, he moved silently down the stairs, his eyes able to see perfectly in the complete darkness. Reaching out with his mind, he felt a lingering magical presence, but nothing remotely strong enough to have gotten in. Once at the bottom of the stairs he walked through the first basement and paused outside the trapdoor to the subbasement. Still, he found nothing. When he unlocked and opened the heavy trapdoor he heard the soft sounds of breathing. He was halfway down when he saw the bare legs hanging limply somehow from above. Stopping at the bottom of the steps, he looked through the darkness at the unconscious man suspended as if crucified in the middle of the room. He could smell blood and ancient black magic.
With a snap of his fingers, the room was filled with artificial light from the overhead fixtures. Circling slowly, Heero opened his mind and took it all in. It would’ve had to be someone extremely powerful to get past the wards, someone powerful with a vendetta against him. The man was naked, and despite the current situation, Heero couldn’t help but admire the man’s body. Leanly muscled, well endowed, and god, the hair! Hanging in a loose braid, the tip caressed just below the man’s perfectly rounded buttocks. The only wound visible was where a piece of parchment was nailed into the center of the man’s chest.
After deciding that there were no spells hidden on the man himself, Heero stepped forward, grabbed the nail, and pulled. Blood ran from the wound in a dark trail down the man’s stomach into his pubic hair. The wound didn’t appear to be life threatening and was therefore inconsequential. Once the nail was removed, the man groaned, his eyelids fluttering. The last thing Heero needed now was for this man to start screaming, so before he could open his eyes, Heero placed his fingertips against the man’s temples and spoke softly. The body went limp once again.
Having bought himself a few minutes, Heero read the parchment.
This game has grown tiresome, Yuy. Don’t you grow weary of competing against me when you can never win? When will you realize that you’re wasting your time collecting the relics? There’s no way you could keep them safe, look how easily I breached your inner sanctum. Bow out gracefully while I still let you.
This a token of good will. He’s special, very special. His beauty will never fade, his body will never grow old, and he will hunger only for you. He’s yours, no matter your choice. Consider him a gift.
I hope you still have sense enough to choose wisely.
~Z
“Fucking bastard!” Heero yelled, his voice echoing off the walls. Clenching the parchment in his fist, Heero tried to calm himself. Now was not the time to lose his head. A token of good will! The beautiful man hanging in the air was a poison to slowly drain his will was more like it. Did Zechs really think that he’d back down from finding the relics? Did he think that a piece of ass was actually a distraction?
Heero ran his hand angrily through his hair. The only choice he had right now was whether he’d keep the man, set him free, or kill him. Not knowing exactly what was going on, setting him free was not an option. Killing him would probably be the best course of action, killing him and leaving his body suspended above Zechs’ bed. Heero smiled evilly at the thought, wishing that he could stay to watch Zechs’ reaction. Not that Heero enjoyed killing, he’d rather not if he could help it, but at the moment it just couldn’t be helped.
Rubbing his hands together, he closed the distance and rested his hands on the man’s chest. Before he could utter a single word, the man’s eyes flew open revealing the most striking shade of blue Heero had ever seen. But it wasn’t the color that made him hesitate, no, it was the look of pure rage in them that did it. Heero had expected fear, he’d expected pleading, and this unexpected twist had saved the man’s life. For the moment, anyway.
“Put me the fuck down!” The man ordered, his eyes shooting daggers. Heero couldn’t help it, he laughed. His laughter was deep and genuine. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that.
“You’re not in the position to be demanding anything,” Heero said, his voiced laced with amusement. “You’re more in the position to beg and hope I’m feeling gracious.”
“Fuck you!” His head whipped back and forth and Heero could tell he was struggling to move.
“Hunger only for me, my ass,” Heero said softly to himself, grinning and shaking his head. Although he had no intentions of falling into Zechs’ trap, Heero couldn’t help but wonder if this was quite what the other sorcerer had intended.
“You think this is funny, asshole? Let me down and you’ll see how funny this is!”
“You’re not aware of why you’re here?” Heero asked, walking slowly around him and taking in every inch of bare skin. “Are you completely ignorant of your role?” Heero reached out and let his fingers slide lightly over the curve of the man’s ass. When his fingers made contact, the body jerked in the air and Heero didn’t miss the harsh intake of breath. Was it possible that this man was actually an innocent party?
“Stop that,” the man said hoarsely. “I’m not here to be your fuck toy.”
Heero laughed darkly, running his fingers over a thigh. “I hate to break it to you, but that’s exactly why you were sent here.”
“Over my dead body.”
“As you wish,” Heero said amicably, although he knew that he wouldn’t be killing this man. A man with this much fight deserved a chance to live. One chance, but what to do with him?
He stopped when he was looking into the man’s face, pointedly ignoring the erection that was jutting out in response to just a few caresses to the man’s skin. Oh, it was tempting to keep him, but Heero wasn’t the kind of man to take what wasn’t willingly given. He’d given up a lot in the last hundred years, but his honor wasn’t one of them.
“Tell me your name,” Heero ordered, although he’d tried to keep his tone neutral.
“Fuck off.”
“I don’t think I need to tell you that I hold your life in my hands. If you want to live, I suggest you work with me. I have no qualms about killing you.” Heero watched fleeting emotion flicker over the man’s face. Never once did he see defeat. “Your name?”
“Duo,” he ground out harshly.
“Well, Duo, if you want to survive this, I suggest you do as I say. I’d like to come to some sort of agreement before I let you down.”
“I won’t be used by you,” Duo said angrily, looking down towards the floor.
Heero resisted the urge to point out who was in power, instead he agreed. “You won’t be used by me.”
“And you’ll let me go.”
“That I can’t agree to. You were sent here by someone who wishes me harm and until I know the extent of the situation you’ll be … in my care.”
“You’d keep me prisoner?”
“I’d keep you chained down here like a slave if I need to,” Heero said harshly. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, trying to reign in his temper. “Although I’d prefer to offer you a more comfortable room. Prisoner or corpse, the decision is yours.”
“Fine,” Duo spat, lifting his head and meeting Heero’s eyes with a glare. “Now let me down!”
Heero ignored this. “You’ll agree to do as I say, without question. Within reason of course.”
“Of course,” Duo added sarcastically.
“I’ll have your word,” Heero said, his voice hard.
Duo gave it through gritted teeth.
~*~
Duo pushed his fear deeper, forcing anger to the surface. He kept his gaze steadily on his captor’s face, although it was incredibly difficult. Those blue eyes were harsh and cold, filled with a darkness that made Duo’s mouth go dry. He swallowed hard when the sorcerer stood before him, reaching out to dip his finger in the trail of blood from the wound in his chest. The sorcerer’s lips barely moved as he spoke softly and drew three quick symbols - one on his forehead, one above his heart, and the last low on his stomach.
Duo hissed, failing to suppress the shudder that ran through him. He was trying to wrap his mind around the aching pleasure that coursed through him as soon as the dark man’s finger made contact. “What are you doing?”
“Protecting what’s mine,” the sorcerer answered, his tone bitter.
Any argument stuck in Duo’s throat as soon as the man placed the flat of his hand over the bleeding hole in his chest. The pain was gone, replaced with a warmth that filled every atom of his being. The warmth spiked immediately into lust when the sorcerer wrapped his arms around his chest and he was suddenly falling limp into inhumanly strong arms.
“You’ve ruined my shirt,” the dark man muttered, moving quickly and cradling Duo in his arms.
“Sorry.” Duo hadn’t meant to apologize. He’d intended to tell the bastard to put him the fuck down, that he could walk on his own, thank you very much, but the words were lost in the chaos of what he was currently feeling. He’d been aroused with a mere touch of this dark man’s fingertips. Now, being held against his chest with the sound of his heart against his ear, Duo was overwhelmed. He bit on his tongue hard to keep from pleading for things he couldn’t even articulate. He moaned when the man’s breath ghosted over his bare skin as he adjusted his hold to carry him upstairs. What the fuck was happening to him?
It was a huge relief when the sorcerer unceremoniously dumped him on the wood floor of a small bedroom. As soon as he was free he was able to think again, scrambling backwards until his back was pressed against the far wall. He was aware at how heavily he was breathing, just as he was aware at how achingly hard his cock was, but chose to ignore those things. Looking up, he swore he saw a flicker of compassion pass over the dark man’s face, but it was gone as fast as it came.
“You will stay here until I come for you. Is this understood?”
“So this is my prison?” Duo asked instead of answering, glancing quickly around the room.
“If you chose to see it that way,” the dark man said with a shrug. “Just realize I can’t assure your safety if you leave this room.”
“From others or from you?”
Blue eyes narrowed. “Both.” He turned to leave, his hand on the doorknob pulling the door closed.
“I supposed you’d have me call you Master?” Duo asked sarcastically, forcing courage he didn’t feel.
Turning slightly, the man smirked. “If it pleases you, although Heero would do.”
The door shut and the lock engaged almost immediately, leaving Duo alone. He waited until he listened to the silence for five whole minutes before he moved from his spot on the floor. This was fucking crazy! How the hell had he gotten there? Lurching to his feet he immediately went to the door and tried to open it. He didn’t bother to waste his energy doing more than turning the knob and pulling for he knew in his heart it wasn’t going to budge.
Next, he went to the only window in the room and looked out. It was night, something that startled Duo. He remembered waking that morning and dressing for work, but beyond that his memory was blank. There was nothing to see but darkness outside, not so much as a streetlight, let alone a neighboring house around. Gauging the distance he must be three floors up and there was no way he’d survive a fall to the ground. Seeing he had no intention of giving up, the window wasn’t an option for escape.
Turning, he took in his cell. A large bed dominated the room with a sturdy looking oak frame, head and footboards carved with an intricate design. A colorful quilt covered the bed, reminding Duo of his grandmother’s house as a child. There was a single chest of drawers made of the same wood against the opposite wall and a matching nightstand near the bed holding a single lamp. Crossing the room he opened the first door he came to, revealing an empty closet. The only other door, besides the one leading out, held a small bathroom with an antique claw foot tub, a commode, and a sink with an oval mirror hanging above it. Clean towels were piled on the counter near the sink along with small bottles of hygiene products. It only took a second for Duo to look down at himself and decide what he was going to do next. He may be a prisoner, but he was going to be a clean prisoner. The smell of blood was making him sick.
Hot water was plentiful as he filled the tub, sinking into its depths with a grateful sigh. He took his time washing his hair, rinsing with the detachable shower head, and then washed his body. He refused to think as he scrubbed his skin a little too hard to wash away the dried symbols the sorcerer had put there. Heero, his mind corrected, that Heero had put there. Once he was clean, he relaxed into the still hot water and closed his eyes, forcing himself to think of his current predicament.
He’d gotten up at 5:30am like he’d done every morning he’d had work. He’d showered, shaved, dressed. He remembered walking outside and looking at the sky waking with golden hues. He remembered taking his car keys out of his pocket… Did he ever get in his car? Shaking his head, he opened his eyes and looked across the surface of the water. Nothing. He could remember nothing after that until the pain in his chest had pulled him out of the darkness. The pain had been huge, like someone had driven a spike into his chest. Then he’d opened his eyes and everything had changed.
Never before had he seen such fury. Heero’s eyes had been chilling, such cold eyes in such a handsome face. The fury had triggered immediate anger on Duo’s part, an anger that was almost impossible to hold onto once Heero touched him. Even back when Duo was still awkwardly exploring his sexuality, he’d never experienced such intense desire before. It was as if his body had been infused with a powerful aphrodisiac through the tips of Heero’s fingers. His cock had never been so hard, nor had his mind been so traitorous. It took every once of will power he had to hold back. At that moment he would’ve sold his soul to the devil himself for more.
Maybe the devil had deep blue eyes and tousled brown hair.
“I’m not here to be your fuck toy.”
Heero laughed darkly, running his fingers over a thigh. “I hate to break it to you, but that’s exactly why you were sent here.”
Duo shivered. When Heero touched him that’s exactly what he wanted to be. Who would do this to him and why? Could whatever this was be undone? He thought of the way Heero’s face had softened for that brief moment in a look of compassion and Duo wondered how much of his soul he’d auction to see that again.
The water was getting cold and exhaustion was quickly taking over. Sitting up, Duo reached for the stopper and drained the tub before standing and grabbing a towel. He dried his body, then towel dried his hair as best he could, wishing for a hairbrush. Sudden movement caught his eye and a large wooden hairbrush rested on the counter next to the towels. He knew that wasn’t there before. His heart was hammering in his chest as he moved slowly to pick up the brush.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting what’s mine.”
Hugging his arms around his naked body, Duo tried to breathe and calm the frantic beating of his heart. He had no intention of being a kept man. He had no intentions of giving in. He vowed at that moment that he would never feel anything but hate for his captor.
He was in way over his head.
~*~
Heero had spent the night in his vast library trying to find the spell that had turned Duo into a walking, talking wet dream. He cursed Zechs in every language he knew for what he’d done to the man, abducting him from whatever life he’d been living, and taking away his free will. Not that it surprised him, Zechs had been devoid of his humanity for longer than Heero could fathom, and when that much time passed it was easy to forget what humanity really meant.
Closing another book, Heero set it on the stack and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. Zechs. He snorted softly, shaking his head at the thought of the new twist Zechs had created to entertain himself. It wasn’t unusual for Zechs to use humans as pawns. What was unusual was making such games this personal. There had to be an ulterior motive.
“You want what I have so bad you can taste it,” Zechs said patiently. He was sprawled out on his massive bed, bronzed skin glowing in the firelight, golden hair falling around his face.
“You’re an abomination,” Heero spat, jerking up his pants and fastening them. “Everything you have goes against everything I believe in!”
“Oh, to be so young and idealistic,” Zechs laughed. “Go if you must, just remember I’ll be expecting more than apologies when you come crawling back to ask for my assistance.”
“Never.” Heero had left, slamming the door behind him.
Heero couldn’t help but smile at the memory. He had been young and idealistic. And he had gone crawling back. But even when everything was said and done, after he’d turned his back on natural magic and forever tarnished his soul, Heero hadn’t been able to remain friends with Zechs. Zechs had chided him for trying to hold onto his humanity like a child holding onto a blanket, but Heero couldn’t let it all go so easily. He’d insisted there could be a balance between the good and the evil that existed within him and had been fighting to keep that balance for the last hundred years.
But why send him Duo? Heero couldn’t wrap his mind around the latest twist to the ongoing game. It was by choice, not necessity that kept Heero from taking people into his bed. Could it be that Heero’s self imposed celibacy bothered Zechs that much? With a sigh, Heero stood and stretched. He was going to have to speak to Zechs about this eventually, but he’d wait until he’d undone whatever dark spells had ensnared Duo and he’d been set free, then he’d have a nice long chat with Zechs about minding his business.
Walking through the dining room, Heero stopped in the kitchen and looked out the large bay window into the garden. The bright afternoon sunlight was making the colorful flowers more vibrant. He could smell the fragrant blossoms through the window and had a fleeting image of Duo sitting out there beckoning to him. He almost wished he’d given into his desires the night before and plucked anyone from the masses of the city’s nightlife to fuck against the hood of his car. At least then the tension in his body would have been less intense. Glancing at the clock he realized he couldn’t avoid his houseguest forever - the man must be starved as it was already past noon.
Heero worked quickly, preparing a quick meal, arranging it on a tray, and carrying it up to the bedroom he’d refurbished in the servant’s quarters on the third floor. Last night he’d wanted Duo as far away from him as possible for the man’s own safety, a decision he was glad he’d made as there had been many moments he’d almost given into temptation and gone to search him out.
He paused in front of the door, steeling his resolve, and then unlocked it. He entered without knocking to find Duo leaning against the headboard with the sheet pooled in his lap, watching him. Heero could see Duo’s pupils dilating from just looking at him and couldn’t resist grinning when he saw Duo’s hands fist tightly in the sheets. He didn’t need reminding that Duo was here against his will, and had no intention of taking advantage of the situation, but it was still a heady feeling witnessing such blatant desire.
“Finally remembered I was locked up here?” Duo asked, his voice sounding tight in his throat.
“I apologize for not being a good host, I’m not used to having guests.” Heero crossed the room and slid the tray onto the bed. Duo didn’t even glance at the food, looking at Heero instead with hunger in his eyes.
“Guest?” Duo snorted, wrapping his arms around himself. “Does your conscience feel better thinking of me that way?”
“I’m not the one that did this to you,” Heero said calmly. He could see the tremor go through the man on the bed, and he could also see the man’s erection hard beneath the sheet. “I’ve been up all night searching for spells. I’m trying to find a way to undo it.”
“Mighty noble of you,” Duo spat, visibly shaking now. “Just let me go.”
Heero shook his head sadly. “I hadn’t realized how strong the spell was until this moment. Last night you reacted when I touched you, but now you’re reacting with me just being in the room. If I let you go it wouldn’t stop, you’d be no better off than a junkie on a street corner, only it would be worse because you’d never sate your hunger. You’d crave only me.”
“Aren’t we full of ourselves,” Duo said weakly, hugging himself tighter. “You can leave now.”
Not bothering to say more, Heero turned and walked out. Engaging the lock, Heero started down the stairs, hearing Duo yelling behind him. “Next time bring me some clothes!”
Heero smiled at the strength he heard in the man’s voice when the door closed between them. Hopefully he had some time before Duo could feel him from anywhere in the house. Heero had no idea how harshly he would be tested.
TBC