Claiming Humanity

By DragonMage

Chapter 7

Wufei smiled as he slipped quietly into Duo's room only to come face to face with a gold cross and a wooden stake. He blinked and moved his head back a few inches and stared at the angry boy holding the cross and stake.

"What are you doing?" Wufei asked in amusement.

"Stay away from me and my family," Duo said angrily from the other end.

"Duo, really, isn't this a bit much?" Wufei asked dryly as he easily pried the cross and stake from Duo's hands. He threw the stake out of the window and quickly slipped the cross back around Duo's neck before the boy could make another move. Wufei leaned closer to Duo, enjoying the human warmth emitting from the beautiful mortal, and whispered, "Stakes and crosses were invented in those silly vampire books and movies. They don't do a thing to hurt real vampires."

Duo turned and started to run but he was easily caught and pulled back. He stiffened when he felt Wufei's arms wrap around him in the most intimate way. He looked down at the pale hands that were clasped in front of him and blinked. The fingernails looked like they were made of glass.

"What are you?" Duo asked softly in fascination.

"A vampire. I thought you figured that out already," Wufei whispered.

"But...It's nothing like the movies."

Wufei laughed and tightened his hold around Duo. It felt so wonderful and different to hold a mortal in his arms. It was nothing like holding the strong, stone like bodies of his fathers. Instead it was warm and soft and alive. He bent his head and breathed in the poignant scent that was only Duo. Gods, he loved that heady human scent.

Duo closed his eyes and tried not to melt into the comfortable embrace Wufei was holding him in. He wanted nothing more than to just let go and allow the vampire to hold him, breathing in that sharp, cold scent that Wufei carried around him. It smelled like ice and something old.

"Let me go," Duo whispered as he tried to pull out of Wufei's arms. He wouldn't allow himself to lose to a vampire. He wouldn't!

"Do you really want that?" Wufei murmured as he slowly trailed small kisses down Duo's ear to his neck, pressing his cool lips against that warm neck that pulsed with blood. All he had to do was tear the skin away and drink, glutting himself on this strong, passionate boy. Part of him ached to have Duo in his arms slowly fading away from the loss of blood, but another simply wanted to hold the boy and kiss him and breathe in his scent. Mortals were so wonderful.

Duo was breathing hard as he tried to fight the desire to give into Wufei. But, gods, if he did that his soul would be damned! He was never religious but he wasn't going to allow a monster like Wufei to get to him!

Wufei sighed in disappointment when he heard Duo's thoughts. He slowly released the mortal boy and he ran from him, stumbling over the bed and standing on the other side.

"Why are you so afraid of me?" Wufei asked, almost pouting. On regular circumstances he would have loved it if his toy was afraid of him, but for some unknown and frustrating reason he didn't want to see fear in Duo's eyes. He wanted the boy to come to him, to allow him to hold him. He wanted Duo to love him.

"You--You bastard! You're asking me why I'm afraid of you?! You're a freaking vampire for god's sakes!!" Duo screamed at Wufei while trembling angrily. Angry at Wufei for making him feel the way he felt and angry at himself for allowing it. He wanted to go with every single instinct to push Wufei away but he wanted Wufei to hold him at the same time. What was wrong with him? Sure, he was gay but that didn't mean he was suppose to fall for the first gay guy he meets!! It was insane!

"I am a vampire, Duo, I admit to that. But it doesn't mean I'm going to kill you. Not all vampires are bad," Wufei said as he took a nonthreatening step forward.

"You bit me last night, didn't you?" Duo asked softly.

"Yes, I did. I'm sorry if you didn't like it but I couldn't help myself," Wufei said apologetically. "You're very beautiful, Duo."

Duo swallowed hard as he tried desperately not to blush. "What do you want from me?"

"Simple, I want *you*," Wufei answered honestly.

"Are you crazy? You can't own someone," Duo hissed.

"Are you sure? Lovers own each other in some way, don't they?" Wufei asked thoughtfully. "I want to own you, Duo. Will you let me?"

"Hell no!"

Wufei smiled patiently. "Ah, you say this now, but what about later?" Moving quickly across the room, Wufei was beside the bed, that patient smile still on his face.

"Stay away from me and my mom," Duo said shakily as he backed away a step.

"I would never dream of hurting you or your mother."

"Just, go away!" Duo exclaimed desperately. "Do you realize what you've done?"

"Ruined your peaceful and naive thinking?" Wufei asked. "Showed you another world that you want but it's not human so you're afraid of it?"

"Yes," Duo said angrily. "That's exactly what you've done, Wufei! I'm never going to be the same ever again!"

"Then don't try to go back," Wufei said simply. He was beside Duo now, gently taking the boy back into his arms while slowly lowering him down on to the bed and leaned over him. His dark hair fell over his face and brushed against Duo's smooth cheek.

Duo shivered from the contact.

"What are you doing to me?" Duo whispered weakly as he knew he was giving himself over to Wufei forever. He had fought so hard too.

"Nothing," Wufei breathed as he felt his heart race at the wonderful feeling of Duo letting go and finally giving in. He closed his eyes and kissed Duo's forehead. "You're so beautiful, Duo. Do you know that? The passion in your eyes, the determination, the stubborness. And the pain. You're filled with emotion, so much human emotion. You're exquisite. Never have I met a mortal boy who has dealt with so much pain and is so aware of it. You have no innocent ideals in you. It was all wiped away long ago."

"What's your point," Duo murmured as he leaned up and kissed Wufei on the cheek. He could feel Wufei's smile as he lingered there for a moment before falling back down on the bed.

"You're amazing," Wufei whispered heavily before descending and capturing those lips for his own. He kissed Duo gently for a moment before it rose to a hard and demanding kiss. He parted Duo's lips with his tongue and began to explore the warm, moist cavern there. He felt Duo tremble beneath him as he continued to kiss the boy passionately. He sighed happily, shoved Duo all the way onto the bed and rested his body gently against the warm body.

Duo wrapped his arms around Wufei's waist and brought the vampire closer, enjoying the feeling of such a firm body in his arms. This is what he had been missing when he held Hilde. He missed that strength that can only be found in Wufei, the passion that Hilde couldn't match. He wanted this, desired it with all his soul. To be held like this, like he was all that mattered to Wufei.

~*~

After that Wufei came every single night and he and Duo would just sit there and talk in the dim lighting since it was obvious Wufei hated bright lights, but Duo didn't mind. He loved just being near Wufei as the Chinese vampire told him about things he never dreamed or thought about. Occasionally Wufei would tell him about old China, of how people lived before the Manchu and of the old tales.

Duo would just lay there in Wufei's arms and listen to the vampire speak of these things in that smooth, rich tenor of his. He would fall asleep to Wufei talking about China or how he had lived his life these past three hundred some odd years. When he woke up, Wufei would be gone but his presence would still linger and Duo was assured that his friend would come back later that evening.

Things began to improve. He was all right with his parents divorcing, with Wufei around things didn't seem as bad as they were before. He started doing his school work, having Wufei there to help him out since it was obvious that the Chinese vampire was very intelligent and could think through a difficult problem without trouble at all. Duo didn't care that he was with Hilde anymore, it just didn't matter. He had Wufei now. Basketball could just wait another season when things were really good again and he could lose himself in the game.

Every night he waited for Wufei and the Chinese vampire would appear. They would sit down on the bed and talk or watch TV or just listen to music. Duo taught Wufei how to use the Internet which the Chinese vampire found fascinating. Sometimes they would leave the house and prowl the streets all night long and came back before dawn. Of course, this was always done on weekends since Duo wouldn't be able to open his eyes for school if it was on a school night.

One night, Wufei had asked Duo if he wanted immortality.

"I can give it to you so easily. I don't care about the rules that the older vampires such as Marius created, and neither do my parents. We are rogues you can say. They won't care if I create another into our world," Wufei insisted as he held Duo tightly. "Come into my world, experience the wonders of it. You won't regret it."

Duo shook his head. "I can't. I have a life to live, Wufei. I have my mom and my dad and my friends. I can't leave them."

"Why not?"

"Wufei, did you ever have a family?"

"Treize and Zechs."

"Before that."

"No. I was sold to the circus for money, remember?" Wufei said sadly.

"Of course, I never forget what you tell me," Duo said quietly as he snuggled deeper into Wufei's embrace. "I'm sorry. But I just can't abandon my family like that."

Wufei sighed and buried his face in Duo's thick hair. "I guess I can understand. But when you're older, anytime you want to, come to me and I'll give it to you."

"I don't think I ever will, Wufei. I want to live a full life," Duo said softly.

"But what about death?"

"I wanted to commit suicide that night, hadn't I?"

"But Duo do you really want to live and die like any other mortal? You have an advantage over them!"

Duo looked up at Wufei's pale face and traced the smooth jawline. "You mean, you?"

"Yes!"

"Not now, Wufei."

"Can you truly deny immortality?"

"Mortality ain't all that bad, Wufei."

Wufei merely 'humphed'.

Duo smiled and shook his head before falling asleep in Wufei's arms.

~*~

Duo smiled as he waved good-bye to his friends. Quatre had thought it was time for him to go out for one night and he and Trowa and Heero dragged him out of the house to the movie theaters. Of course he told Wufei and the vampire was happy that Duo was going out with his friends to Duo's relief. He had though Wufei might be a bit upset about it but the vampire didn't express any feelings against it.

Duo trudged up to the front door and stuck his key inside. He pushed open the door and closed it behind him.

"Mom! I'm home!" he shouted as he flipped on the lights. Why was it so dark? His mother usually left the lights on for him when he went out.

"Mom?" Duo shouted again when he didn't hear a response from her. He frowned as a bad feeling suddenly nagged at him. "Mom!!"

Swallowing hard, Duo ran up to his mother's room. He pushed open the door and flipped on the lights.

Empty.

He turned back around and raced down the stairs to the kitchen. He haulted to a quick stop, horror and terror filling his violet eyes as he stared at the sight before him. Then he opened his mouth and let loose a scream.

~*~

Wufei smiled as he walked closer and closer to his mortal's home. He knew Duo should be home by now from the theater. Sure, their night was cut in half tonight but it didn't matter. They always had tomorrow night and he was going to drag Duo out and keep him out as long as possible. He had found some new clubs that Duo would just love to go to.

As he neared the Maxwell home Wufei caught the scent and lingering presence of another vampire. He growled deep in his throat as anger hightened his senses. Fledglings! What were they doing in his and his fathers' territory?? Didn't they knew it was ruled by Treize, Zechs and him? Stupid fledglings, how dare they hunt on his territory! He'd show them later...

Suddenly, Wufei smelled blood. His eyes widened when he realized the blood was coming from Duo's house. If any of them hurt Duo he was going to make sure that they wished they were never born into Darkness. He broke into a run, passing the front door and heading for the side kitchen door. He flung it open and came to a stop.

Duo was on the floor with his mother's dead body in his arms, tears streaming down his young face as he cradled his mother's body.

"Duo," Wufei breathed.

Duo looked up, and Wufei almost took a step back at the pain and anger and hate in the violet eyes.

"Vampires," Duo spat out the name like poison. "She's drained!"

"Oh gods," Wufei whispered as he took a step forward. "I'm so sorry, Duo."

"Shut up!" Duo screamed. "It's all your fault! Did your fathers come after my mom? You three are the only fucking vampires in this neighborhood! Did they decide to come after a helpless woman for their midnight snack?!"

Wufei almost flinched at the harsh words. "No, my fathers did not do this!"

"How can you prove that? Where are the other vampires?" Duo demanded angrily. "Tell me!"

"Fledglings," Wufei whispered insistently. "They came and entered our territory without permission. I swear, Duo, I am going to hunt them down and kill them."

"Ain't enough, they killed my mom!! Do you even know what kind of pain that is? You're not even human! Why should you care!" Duo screamed as he held his mother tighter and continued to cry.

"I do care, Duo," Wufei insisted as he felt his heart twist at the pain he could feel going through Duo. "I do!"

"Why the fuck should you? I'm just your mortal toy, right? Aren't I? Just another stupid, simple mortal to play with! Why the fuck should you give a damn for me, right?" Duo shouted angrily. "You're always around, Wufei. Why couldn't you be around this time? Why couldn't you save my mom?"

"I can't always be there, Duo. I might be a vampire but I'm not god," Wufei whispered helplessly.

"Just go away. Like you care," Duo said painfully.

"I do!"

"Shut up, stop lying!"

"Duo! Listen to me--"

"Shut up! Go away! Just go away! You don't understand! You don't care!! Why should you?"

"Because I love you!"

Duo stiffened. He looked up and saw shock in Wufei's pale features. He knew immediately that Wufei was telling the truth. Wufei hadn't meant for that to slip. Blinking rapidly, Duo wiped away his tears and looked down at his mother's pale skin. He reached out and brushed his fingers across the smooth, cool cheek. She looked just like Wufei. Dead. Pale. Cold. He slowly released her, letting her slip from his arms. Then he was on his feet and pressed tightly against Wufei as he let loose all his pain while knowing all the while he still had Wufei.

~*~

When Duo woke up he was in his bed and there was a note clenched in his right hand. He sat up and fought back at the tears that threatened to spill as he remembered what had happened last night. They had called the police, Wufei and him. Duo told the truth except for the fact that his mother had been killed my vampires. The police wrote it up as a robbery and took his mother's body away. His father had been called but he hadn't been home so Wufei had left a message on the answering machine.

After everything had been cleared out and Wufei charmingly persuaded the press to go away, Duo remembered Wufei carrying him up to his room and laid to sleep.

Uncrumpling the note, Duo read it.

Duo,

I'm sorry to have to leave you in this condition but you know why. I'll be back by sunset. I love you--

Wufei

It was simple yet it comforted Duo more than he believed. He laid back down and sighed as his eyes slipped close. Maybe he'll just sleep the day away. He was too tired, physically and emotionally, to get up.

~*~

The second time he woke up, Wufei was there, sitting on the side of his bed watching him. He smiled and sat up before falling into Wufei's warm arms. He had fed.

"I'm going to take you away from all of this, Duo," Wufei whispered softly. "Will you come with me?"

"To where?" Duo asked.

"My lair with my parents. You'll finally get to meet them. You don't need this. Everything will be taken care of by my father, Treize," Wufei murmured.

"What will he do?" Duo asked.

"Duo, do you want to live with us?" Wufei asked.

Duo was silent for a moment as he laid his cheek against Wufei's shoulder. "But I still have my dad."

"If you want to live with your dad, it's fine. But I'm also giving you another option of living with me and my fathers."

Duo thought about it for a moment. "Take me away, Wufei. I don't want to stay anymore."

"Anything, my love. Anything for you," Wufei whispered as he held Duo close. Then he was on his feet with Duo cradled against him. He moved quickly as he left the house with Duo and sped through the shadows with his lover in his arms. He reached the old mansion quickly and slipped inside.

"Wow, this is your home?" Duo whispered in amazement as he looked around from his perch in Wufei's arms.

"Yes, isn't it nice? Don't worry about a thing. Treize will get custody of you and you'll be with us forever," Wufei whispered excitedly as he carried Duo upstairs to a room that had already been furnished expensively for Duo. He had known deep down inside that Duo would come to the mansion some day and he wanted the perfect room of his love.

"How will he get custody of me? I'm supposed to go to my dad," Duo murmured.

"Don't worry. Us vampires have been hanging around for a long time. Just because I don't know how to use the Interent doesn't mean I can't do other things," Wufei said mischeviously as he laid Duo down on the bed and smiled at his lover. He bent down and brushed his lips against Duo's. "Mmm...mine."

Duo reached up and wrapped his arms around Wufei. "Yours."

"I love you, Duo."

"I love you too, Wufei."

~*~

"You're love is beautiful," Treize acknowledged approvingly when Wufei made his apperance in the library. Zechs was tearing pages out of a book and throwing it into the flames while Treize read from his chair.

"Thank you," Wufei said with a smile, warm and happy that Duo was safely tucked away upstairs in that room. No one can get in to harm him, Wufei had made sure of that.

"We still have to go after those fledglings," Zechs remarked offhandedly as he threw the entire book into the fireplace with a dark smile. "I never liked books."

"But it doesn't mean you have to burn them," Treize said dryly.

Zechs smiled wickedly. "But you do the damndest things to me as punishment, Treize! How could I resist?"

Treize smiled affectionately as his lover and nodded slightly.

"Oh, so you two have been playing without me again?" Wufei said archly as he sat down and smiled at his fathers.

"Don't complain! You've been having fun with your mortal. And you haven't even shared yet!"

"I do share my mortals! Only, this time Duo's mine and mine only," Wufei purred.

"Ah, greedy!" Zechs accused as he plopped himself in Treize's arms, not even caring about the book Treize had been reading. He picked up the book and threw it, smiling as he knew it had landed right in the flames.

"And I was almost finished with that one too," Treize murmured in disappointment.

"Go out and buy another. It was in my way," Zechs said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"You'll pay for that," Treize said lightly.

"Promise?"

Wufei rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh. Oh, he loved his fathers dearly. If only Duo was awake and could come down to meet them. But his love was so tired and he didn't want to push anything.

"Wufei," Zechs said while cocking his head to the side. "I do believe your mortal is awake. Go attend to him while I attend to Treize."

Wufei laughed this time and nodded. "Very well. But we will deal with those fledglings, right?"

"Of course," Treize said darkly. "No one enters our territory without paying the price."

"Good," Wufei said with a sharp nod. Then he was off to see Duo again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*grin* Tell me what you think!