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"From the Shadows to the Light "Written By: Hemlock Inyx Category: Supernatural/Romance AU Pairings: 2x5x2 Rating: R Spoilers: Mild, if any. Warnings: OOC-ness, yaoi, vampires DISCLAIMER: This chick does not own any of the Gundam Wing characters because they belong to Bandai and Sunrise. I am borrowing them for this fict and will return them in good (if somewhat sticky) condition. I also don’t own Lynn Erickson’s Out of the Darkness, on which this fict is heavily based (well more like a fusion/translation). This fict is written out of love and not for profit, don’t sue. Thanks and enjoy! This is dedicated to: TJ Dragonblade for all her enthusathem for this fic. Thanks for being so crazy TJ. Summary: Chang Wufei had sworn revenge on the creature who had made him less than a man—had sworn to strike him down. Then he met nurse Duo Maxwell, who reawakened all the best parts of his latent humanity. But Wufei knew he was putting Duo at risk—and not only from himself. His old enemy Milliardo took an unholy interest in all Wufei’s affairs. Duo was a fighter, though. He believed in Wufei. He believed that Wufei could be cured of his "condition," that they could find a way to have a life together. But Duo hadn’t reckoned on Milliardo, who was determined to thwart Wufei—and Duo—until the end of time.
" From the Shadows to the Light " Chapter 11 There were few winter crossings of the Atlantic, but Wufei's agent had found them a stateroom suite on the Fjord Nymph, a Norwegian luxury liner that made an annual Christmas voyage to England. When Duo arrived outside the covered pier and stepped out of the limo with Wufei, he was awed by the size, the height, the sleek whiteness of the liner. Streamers flowed from the many decks and music filled the air. He didn't want to gawk like a country cousin, but it was hard to act cool about this incredible adventure he was undertaking. It was six o'clock on a chill December evening, and the pier was a seething frenzy of people and luggage and cars. Women in fur coats, men in elegant topcoats, piles of Louis Vuitton butter-soft leather bags filled the warehouse-size area. Porters shouted and waved and pushed dollies, taxis disgorged friends loaded with champagne bottles to see travelers off. Parties would go on until the revelers were ushered off and the big ship sailed on the dark tide. "This way, Duo," Wufei said. "Wait, Wufei, my bags..." "They will be taken care of," he said, and Duo gave one backward glance at the limo driver, who was unloading Wufei's matching black leather bags and his own canvas ones. They were going first class, of course, and Duo had packed his few decent things, knowing they were hopelessly inadequate. He'd spoken to Wufei about it reluctantly. "I won't look right," he'd said. "I'll embarrass you. And we're sitting at the captain's table the first night." "Duo, have no fear of your appearance. There are places on the ship you can purchase whatever you need." "But--" Duo had looked away from him, uncomfortable with his confession "--I really can't afford things like that." "It will be my pleasure to take care of everything. You are not to worry." "I can't expect you to do that. It isn't right." "Duo, please. You've given up your work for me. It is the least I can do. Accept my gifts in the spirit in which they are given," he'd said. He'd backed down simply because he had to be with Wufei and he wanted so badly not to shame him in the exalted circles he traveled with such aplomb. They were whisked through the routine of boarding and shown up one of the gangplanks that connected the Fjord Nymph to the pier. Christmas decorations were everywhere, garlands of pine, candles, ornaments. The main lobby had a huge decorated tree in its center. They were ushered across this vast space, so that Duo only had time for an impression of art deco styling, thick carpets, a huge chandelier and two grand, sweeping staircases rising from the floor. Liner personnel in crisp, immaculate uniforms greeted them and sent them on and on into the bowels of the ship, until they reached two stateroom doors. "Monsieur," Duo's steward said, handing him a key, then striding across his stateroom and dramatically pulling open drapes, uncovering sliding glass doors and a veranda that abutted the ship's rail. His bags had miraculously appeared, one already on a rack, the other nearby in the bedroom. There was a raised sitting room with jewel- toned furnishings, poinsettias in a basket, and wine cooling in a silver bucket. He gaped, standing in the center of the suite, turning slowly, taking it all in. "Will that be all, Monsieur?" "Oh, yes, that's all," he said, and Wufei appeared as if by magic through a connecting door as the steward left. "Wufei," he breathed. "Look." "My suite is similar," he said. "Will you be comfortable?'' "Comfortable?" He laughed. "It's like a fairy tale!" He walked over to the couch and smoothed the jade velvet. "I am glad you like it. I must say that if one must travel, this is the most convenient way." "Convenient? It' s wonderful." "I came to tell you that dinner will be served at ten, after we set sail. Tonight the custom is to dress informally.'' "Oh, thank goodness." Duo smiled. "Do you think we can explore a little? I mean, walk around? I'm afraid I'll get lost, Wufei." "You're not tired?" "Lord, no, I'm as high as a kite. And I wouldn't miss watching us leave the harbor for anything." "Such enthusiasm," Wufei said as if to himself. "Come on," Duo said. "We'll unpack later." It was an adventure. They moved down endless, slightly curved companionways that opened up into public rooms, banks of elevators, shallow flights of stairs, endless numbered stateroom doors. There were diagrams on the walls, but Duo was still disoriented. Lounges appeared, restaurants, bars with dance floors, a darkened casino that opened only when the ship left port. There was a hospital, a state-of-the-art spa and glass-walled fitness center, beauty salons, one for men, one for women, a travel desk. The other passengers they met as they strolled were generally older couples, for who else could afford a crossing like this? There was a theater and a promenade lined with boutiques. Duo stopped and studied the window displays. "They're so expensive," he whispered to Wufei. "Do not consider cost," he said. "Purchase what pleases you. I insist." Wufei's manner was rigidly contained lately. Duo knew that he was keeping himself tightly in control after that morning he'd come to his apartment. He had not touched him since he'd made the decision to go to Finland. Wufei did not even allow himself to get too close. They'd seen each other seldom in the previous days, Wufei's excuse being that he had business matters to attend to, but Duo knew he was only being cautious. He'd decided not to add to his burden, so he tried to be unemotional himself. And yet there were times when Wufei's gaze rested on him, hot and heavy, just for a moment before he turned away. And then the ache would build inside him and his heart would beat too quickly. It was exquisite agony for both of them. They went on, down more companionways, past a small library and a windowless computer room, more stairs. "Can you find our way back?" Duo asked. "I can't." "Yes," he replied, "but then, you see, I have been on this ship before." "Of course you have," Duo said. "You've done everything." "Alas, not quite." And then it was time to sail. All the passengers came out on the decks for the event, champagne bottles were passed around and everyone cheered and waved to friends and relatives who still stood on the dock. It was quite a spectacle, streamers breaking loose as the mighty ship slipped from her berth. Duo could feel the entire vessel vibrate, a hum beneath his feet as the tiny tugboats and their own engines carried them out into the harbor. And there was the Statue of Liberty! "Oh, Wufei," he said, turning to him. "Isn't it beautiful?" "Yes. New York is perhaps one of the more exciting cities from which to embark." He pointed at the brilliantly lit skyscrapers as the big ship was led out to sea, and Duo drank champagne, feeling the vibration deep inside him as they gained momentum, the waves slapping the great hull. "Cold?" Wufei asked him when almost everyone else had gone back to their cabins. "Cold?" Duo said. "How could heaven be cold?" And he thought to himself that he was changing, and never again would he be just plain old Duo Maxwell. He glanced up at Wufei as the lights of New York fell away, and he was staring back at him. "What?" he said, cocking his head as the stiff salt breeze caught in his braid. "Nothing," he said. "I was only thinking how much I would like to see the world through your eyes, Duo, through eyes not so very old and jaded." "Soon," he murmured. "I know that you will soon." Back in his stateroom Duo showered in the bathroom, using the soaps and shampoo and lotions provided. He wrapped himself in the soft terry-cloth robe that hung on a hook, and then he went to sit in a chair in his sitting room, pour himself a glass of wine and glory in the absolute opulence of this floating palace. This is how Wufei had lived for hundreds of years, he thought. He took it for granted. Wufei hated his existence, but it had its compensations. And to think he was sharing it with him. What would his mother say if she saw him now? Duo laughed softly to himself, twirling the wineglass. Well, his mom and dad knew he was taking a vacation, going to Europe with Wufei. He'd informed them in a brief phone call and ignored their shock and their questions. It had been easier than he'd thought. Maybe he was developing some courage after all. Wufei knocked on his door at a quarter to ten. He'd put on his khakis, a blue sweater and new dress shoes, his father's gold watch. He hoped it was okay, because that's all he had that was informal. "You are ready," Wufei said, so handsome in a tweed jacket over a black cashmere turtleneck. "Yes, and I'm starved, too," he said, then he gave Wufei a startled look. Wufei smiled. "No one will notice, my dear. They'll be too busy with their own food." The first-class dining room was decorated with white upholstery and black lacquer; a warm blaze of lighting and a holiday centerpiece on every table lent it a comfortable yet festive atmosphere. They were escorted to the captain's table, introduced to the plump, bald Captain Warner, a novelist, an actress, an elderly couple, a French diplomat and a racehorse owner. Duo smiled nervously, shook hands and nodded but spoke very little. He wished he'd done something more with his hair, and his clothes were so plain .... But Wufei fit right in, easily conversing about hotels in London, restaurants, business trends, art galleries, a new play. Should he admit he was a nurse? Maybe he'd avoid any mention of what he did. Maybe they'd take him for a rich man and assume he didn't work for a living at all. Duo was thrilled when the novelist said something about Carnegie Hall, and he could agree that The Magic Flute had been a wondrous production. Maybe this wouldn't be so difficult after all. And Wufei had been right. No one noticed that he only moved his food around his plate, raised his glass to closed lips. He met his eyes across the table often and smiled. Did Wufei know how awkward he felt? How happy yet full of trepidation? Duo looked at him helplessly. Wufei smiled and nodded. Duo wished suddenly that they were alone, that he could let his hair down and be himself. But he had to do this for Wufei, he had to be strong for him. After dinner they went into one of the bars and watched people dance. "Do you know how to dance, Wufei?" he asked. "I learned the minuet once," he said, "but I fear that it is not done anymore." "I can't dance either," Duo said. "Never had much chance to. Maybe we could.learn." Wufei looked at him, that mixture of yearning and serf-contempt. "I do not think it a good idea, Duo." Nevertheless, they stayed up very late, always with other people around. Wufei gave him rolls and rolls of silver dollars for the slot machines in the casino, saying he enjoyed watching him play. When he'd lost about fifty dollars, he turned to him, upset. "I'm losing all your money," he said. "Let me," Wufei replied, taking a coin from him and rubbing it between his fingers. "I will give it luck." "I'm not the least bit superstitious," Duo said. "You know that won't do any good. It's a game of chance." "Try again," he urged, giving him back the silver dollar. Duo won the jackpot that time, lights flashing, bells clanging, and coins spilling out through his fingers. He stared at Wufei, eyes wide, and he shrugged, smiling. "A game of chance, as you said." "Wufei!" "Now, my dear, you can afford one of those new frocks you were admiring earlier," he said smoothly. "What luck." It was near dawn when they retired to their staterooms. "Lock the connecting door," Wufei said gravely. "Is it really necessary?" Duo asked. "I will rest easier." "But, really, you could open it if you wanted, anyway." "It is a symbol, a reminder. We should never make it easy for ourselves to give in to temptation." "Have it your way," he said softly. "Then I will bid you good-night. Until tomorrow at sunset." "Good night, Wufei. I wish..." He stood there looking at him, an eyebrow raised inquiringly. "Nothing," he said. "See you tomorrow." Duo awoke just after three the next afternoon. He ordered a huge lunch and ate most of it, showered and dressed and set out to find his way to the shops he'd seen last night. He had to ask directions to the promenade several times, but the stewards all seemed used to that, and they were very helpful. He was timid at first, fingering the suits, afraid to try them on or look at the price tags. He needed three formal outfits, he knew, one for each night except for the last, which was, like the first, informal, since the passengers were expected to be packed and ready to disembark the following day. "May I help you?" Duo almost jumped. The saleslady. "Well, yes, I, uh... I don't have anything to wear for dinner, and..." The lady was sizing him up. "Size 28, blacks and grays. Yes, I have a few things you might be interested in." Duo couldn't believe how he looked in the suits the lady brought him. A dark charcoal pinstripe that made him feel like a sexy gangster, a sliver gray suit that was very elegant, and a black tux with a cape. "Very nice," the saleslady said. "You'll need shoes, of course, and I might recommend Darcy at the hair salon. She can do wonders. Now, who shall I charge this to?" "Oh, wait," Duo said. "How much are these? I mean, what's the total?" "Three thousand fifty-six," the lady said, "and no tax now that we're offshore." Duo felt faint. "I'm not sure," he stammered. "Maybe I should..." Then he straightened his shoulders. Wufei had told him not to worry. He could always return them, after all. "Please charge them to Wufei Chang, suite 103." "Yes, Monsieur." And that was that. He bought a pair of low cut designer boots that he had fallen in love with, and that would do for all three suits, and then he went into the beauty salon and asked for Darcy. When he left two hours later, his dull knee-length hair had been trimmed to a more manageable waist-length and treated with hot oils till it hung straight and silky, the chestnut color and natural red highlights had gone from dull to stunning. He got back to his room, to which all the purchases had been delivered, and stared at himself in the mirror. My Lord, he wasn't plain anymore! He wasn't gorgeous or anything like that, but he looked nice, his face piquant and heart-shaped, his hair simpler but much more flattering. Why hadn't he done this years ago? Wufei's knock brought Duo out of his musing, and abruptly he was nervous--what if he hated the way he looked?--and proud at the same time. He pulled the door open. "Wufei," he said breathlessly. Wufei glanced around Duo's stateroom. "You have been busy, I see." "I'm terrified at what you're going to say when you get the bills," he said in a rush. "Over three thousand dollars, Wufei, and my winnings didn't even come close." He waved his slender, pale hand. "It is nothing." "It's more than a month's salary," Duo said. He laughed lightly. "I only hope you enjoyed yourself, my dear." "Did I ever!" "I see your hair is different." His hand flew up. "Do you like it, Wufei? I think it's better, I really do." "Very becoming, very becoming indeed." Duo wanted to hug him, to kiss him, to show him in every way how much he felt for him. He wanted to hook his arm through Wufei's and stroll proudly into the dining room. Instead he could only smile and mouth words that held barely a fraction of his love, and hoped that Wufei would read in his eyes what he truly meant to him. "You've given me so much, Wufei," he said in as even a tone as he could manage. "I can never pay you back, you know." His dark black eyes gleamed like jewels as he held Duo's gaze. "You will never know what you have given me, Duo. It is worth far more than material objects. I could never purchase it, not anywhere or anytime." "I haven't done much at all." "You are too modest. You have given me back a small measure of my humanity, and you have given me hope." "Then I'm glad, Wufei." They should have embraced then, touched lips, given each other the sweet closeness they craved so desperately. Instead they could only lock hungry gazes across the width of the elegant stateroom. Duo wanted to cry. He wore the silver gray suit that night. It was remarkable, he thought, how different he looked: sophisticated, slender rather than thin, his dark, shining hair swinging against his cheek. He looked in his mirror, mesmerized. And with the change in his appearance, he felt a new confidence, a developing sense that he was attractive, that he was intelligent and worthy, even interesting. Wufei, at least, seemed to think so. Wufei. He was so splendidly handsome in his formal attire, Duo was sure he heard a collective gasp when they entered the Grande Dining Room. Heads swiveled toward them, and he almost burst with pride. The maitre d' seated them at a private table in the center of the huge room. A complimentary bottle of champagne awaited them, cooling in a silver bucket that wept tears of condensation. The menu was extensive, with many holiday favorites--turkey, goose, incredible salads and vegetables, delectable desserts. Duo had barely tasted his food the previous night because he'd been so nervous, but tonight.tonight he felt infused with glamour and self- confidence. He ate with unabashed pleasure, enjoying every morsel. Wufei held out a forkful of his plum-and-apple-stuffed pork roast for him to taste. Wufei played with his food, as usual, but mostly he watched Duo delight in his. Duo's cheeks were flushed both with the champagne Wufei poured for him and with this heady experience; he knew people were casting admiring glances in his direction, and he absolutely glowed. "Are you enjoying yourself?" Wufei inquired over coffee. "Do you need to ask?" "I was afraid you would be bored." He waved a hand negligently. "All these old people, nothing to do. I have always had to make long voyages by ship, but you do not." "I've never traveled anywhere," Duo said. "Well, I did go to Bermuda once, and Disney World in Florida." "You went by plane?" "Yes." "I am only able to do short journeys by air, those flights that are at night." "Of course." "We are booked on one from London to Helsinki." "London," Duo said dreamily. "An interesting city, but I am afraid our stay there will be too short to see very much. And the weather can be quite dreadful at this time of year," he said. "It will be exciting just to be there." Wufei smiled. "I do adore your enthusiasm." Duo sipped at the champagne, emptying his glass. "It isn't enthusiasm, Wufei, it's ignorance." "I adore your ignorance." "No, don't do that. I want to be worldly and sophisticated like you," he said earnestly. "That would be a shame. Do not change, Duo, please. Stay as you are." "Wufei--" Duo met his gaze with absolute frankness "--I'm afraid.no, I'm glad.but I am changing, I have changed. I feel, well, different inside." He took a breath and closed his eyes. "Better. I feel better, about me, I mean." Duo stared at him again, his wide, violet eyes glistening. "It's you. You've done it. You make me feel..." He wanted to say loved, but didn't. "You make me feel appreciated.'' And then, as their gazes met, clashed, clung together across the table, Wufei reached a hand over the pure white linen, and Duo met it with his. They sat there for a very long time, their hands clasped, their heads bowed close together. Another night passed on the wondrous ship, a night full of entertainment--a stage play, gambling, exploring the ship together. At dawn Wufei wished him good-night and saw to it that he locked the connecting door. Duo lay in his king-size bed, felt the great ship roll beneath him, felt its enormous engines purr like a giant tiger, and thought about Wufei. To anyone else they must have appeared to be carefree lovers, drinking each other in, exchanging knowing glances. They weren't. Wufei was with him, yes, but there was always a distance between them--one enforced by his caution and one that arose from his condition. He'd tried to explain it to him as they walked the enclosed decks of the ship after dinner. "I am not quite here," he'd said. "Not all of me. There is a part that.um, lies elsewhere. I cannot explain it very well. Everything is clear and sharp to me, but it is as if I am watching a very realistic film. I am... removed." There were those times, too, when he caught the flame in Wufei's eyes, fixed on him, probing, waiting, wanting, and then Duo sensed his subsequent self-disgust, his swift turning away. Oh, God, he wished he could help Wufei, relieve the need that tortured him. Maybe he shouldn't have come on this trip--proximity only made things worse. Yet he knew Wufei needed him; he didn't question that. Duo lay there, bathed in luxury, surrounded by unimaginable opulence, and felt his belly throb in need. What if... ? What if he let him... ? He'd told him it took several times before he would become... Duo rolled onto his side, curling into a fetal position, his hands between his thighs. No, that was not the way. Yet heat filled him, dotting his skin with a faint sweat, and he tossed off the jade satin quilt. The next afternoon when Duo finally awoke he bought a few more things, a good wool suit to travel in, and some casual slacks. It was dark by the time he stopped at the post office to send a postcard to his parents, sister and brother, hurrying because he knew Wufei would be up by then. One of the postcards fell to the floor, and an attractive blond man picked it up for him. "This is yours, I believe," he said. "Oh, thank you," he replied, taking it from him, barely giving him a glance. But Duo thought as he walked back to his stateroom how unusual it was to see such a young man in first class. Must be quite rich, Duo mused, and then put the blond stranger from his mind. He wore the black tux that night. The matching white satin-lined cape swirled around him and whispered when he moved. It was Christmas Eve, and everyone was merry. The waiters were dressed like medieval pages; they carried a whole boar on their shoulders while a trio played Christmas carols. Wufei was a little withdrawn. "Is something wrong?" Duo asked. "Nothing more than usual," he said dryly. "Sometimes holidays arouses memories." Then he smiled. "But forget that. You are radiant tonight, Duo. I may have to fend off your admirers at this rate." He blushed. "You'll never have to do that. People don't notice me." "Oh, really?" was all he said. After dinner Duo asked if they could take a walk. "I'd love some fresh air. It seems as if we haven't been outside in days. There's a lounge in the rear that's open-air, Wufei. I saw it on a diagram of the ship." "It is very cold and windy," he said, but Duo was not to be deterred. It was a mistake. They fetched their coats. And when they walked along the companionways Duo felt curiously lightheaded, as if he'd been dreaming a wonderful dream and then woken to find that it wasn't a dream at all. How could a person feel so... special, so blessed? Oh, he knew it was the ocean crossing and this beautiful ship, Christmas, and, of course, Wufei. It didn't matter who he was, what he was, it was still magic. Wufei was magic. Duo told him that. He pushed open the door to the open-air lounge and laughed a little with him. And they talked about how Duo saw everything as if for the first lime, as if everything and everybody were inherently good. "No wonder you are a fine nurse," he said as they crossed the lounge. "You have a way of making a person feel...alive." "Well, I suppose that is a quality a nurse should have," Duo said and laughed again. It was damp and cold on deck, with a brisk wind that caught at his hair and tugged at his coat. It seemed not to touch Wufei, not to muss his hair or flap his coat. He stood at the rail, straight and immaculate, his face a glimmer of white, his eyes hollow pits of blackness. There wasn't another soul there. "I guess I'm nuts," Duo said, leaning his elbows on the rail, "but I love this." He drew in a deep breath. "Sea air." "You are warm enough?" "I'm fine." He turned to rest his back against the rail, then held a hand up to keep his hair, that he had left down for the night, from blowing into his eyes. "And you?" "I do not feel the cold." "Um," he said, sighing, absorbed in the hissing swell of the sea beneath them, the air stinging his face. Duo had everything he'd ever dreamed of--except for one thing. And yet, a secret part of Duo still wondered about that one thing and just the image of Wufei's hungry lips against him made Duo flush all over. "TeI1 me about London," he said, trying to shake off his thoughts. "Does it snow there?" "Rarely," Wufei said, watching him. "Mostly it is raw and chilly. Or so they tell me." His lips twisted in irony. But Duo ignored his sarcasm. "I know I'm going to love it. London," he said. "You must be cold by now," Wufei said. "We should go in." But Duo didn't want to. They were the only two people on earth, on this black ocean that went on forever. "Duo, I really do think we..." It was as if he couldn't hear him. Or didn't want to. Duo could stay out here all night, for eternity, as long as Wufei was with him. God, how he wanted him. How desperately he wanted to be a part of him, to know Wufei, really know him. If only they could... He dared to raise his eyes up to Wufei. Yes, he was thinking the same forbidden thoughts, he knew that, seeing the barely suppressed fire that kindled so deeply in his eyes. "Duo," he said, a whisper that was carried away on the wind. "No." He closed his eyes then, fighting for control. And strangely, in an isolated moment of time, Duo thought of Adam and Eve, and he knew why they'd tasted the forbidden fruit. The minutes stretched out, and Duo's senses sharpened while he was buffeted with a million sensations. Everything began to feel new, different, as he stayed there unmoving. The rail at his back was cool and smooth, the wind stinging, and the hiss and suck of the bottomless water below mirrored the feelings inside him. He swayed toward Wufei, Eve, offering the fruit. And when he neither moved away nor moved toward him, Duo reached up and touched his face, opening his eyes, saying yes with his body, his mind, his soul. Yes. Wufei said something, but Duo scarcely heard or cared, he knew only that he'd reached out, too, one cool, smooth hand tilting his face up to his, his other hand at the small of his back. He kissed him then, but it was only a brush of his lips before his head lowered, Wufei's mouth grazing his cheek, his jawline, his throat. "I...cannot," Wufei groaned, tensing, pausing, but Duo let his head fall back and felt the sudden, strong pressure of Wufei's arm around him, forcing him against his body as Wufei's lips moved to the place on his neck where his pulse leaped. White-hot fire burned through his veins, and Duo moaned, "Yes, do it," and suddenly he couldn't tell if the wind or Wufei was colder, fiercer, more desperate. For only a fleeting moment he raised his head, his eyes dark jewels flashing with internal illumination, and then he came down on him swiftly. A sudden sting, a puncturing of flesh and then the flow of his lifeblood. Duo gripped Wufei's shoulders, feeling as if he were drowning, his knees buckling as his body gave itself to him, and something inside him swelled as Wufei's lips possessed him, as he gave him life. The sensations in Duo grew, promising, and his throat closed on an involuntary cry as they seemed to meld together, the very essence of them, their minds, their souls. Never had he known raw desire, such sweet, hot... "No!" he heard at the same instant Wufei tore himself away. And then he was staggering back, and Duo felt as if a lifeline had just been severed and he was floundering, catching the rail with a hand, the desire still burning inside, his head reeling. "Please, forgive me," Wufei whispered, moving away. "Wufei," Duo said faintly, but then there was an unearthly wail, a dark flash that displaced the air where Wufei stood, and he was gone. ~ * ~ |
