I should not be this happy about this.
"Careful, Fairfax." Father's coldly emotionless voice reverberated around the room. "This will cause you a lot of pain. Is it truly what you want?"
The hilariousness of Father of all people offering me a backdoor when I knew fully well that would mean instant death, having offed people myself who'd made the decision, brought dry laughter to my lips. "Of course it is. You promised me immortality if I worked for you. I've done my due, now pay up." I demanded. In turn, I was rewarded with the philosopher's stone that would turn me into an unstoppable being. Without giving myself time to debate the situation, I popped it into my mouth and swallowed, the way one does with a pill.
The pain was instant and unimaginable. It had been explained to me that the process of going from human to homunculus was torture in its purest form, as your soul was devoured and replaced with one of much greater strength, but I had never imagined this. It was not even a physical pain, really, but rather a mental pressure so intense it became physical, my muscles coiling in painful reaction. Then, in my mind's eye, a face was formed in a storm of moaning souls. Was this the inside of the stone? I had no time to ponder the subject, as just then the creature spoke, in a high, clear, feminine voice. "So. A new victi—er, human. How lovely." She smiled, showing glistening fangs. There was an odd sort of hunger in her scarlet eyes as she continued, "I'll be taking this… disappointing body and making use of it now."
"I'm not here to challenge that." I felt like grinning, but the pain was still so brutal. I was growing quickly impatient to turn already, before the pain became more than I could bear. "Give me our immortality already!"
"Oh? How disappointing. I thought I'd get to play a game." She laughed, quite the chilling sound. "You remind me of an old friend. But of course, I can see you're much like me as well." I got the odd feeling that she was looking through my thoughts, and I disliked the notion very much.
"My name is Bloodlust. I thank you for your donation, human." And suddenly, the face swept through me, bringing on a fresh wave of pain more intense than any of the others. And then, everything was still.
My shoulders shook with laughter. This was odd, I thought, because I was not laughing. I gathered myself quickly: at some point I had fallen to my knees, my head bent forward, clenched in my hands. Those hands had moved into my lap, almost as though of their own free will. My head moved the same way, looking up at Father, and I was vaguely aware that I was grinning.
"Hello, Daddy." My voice wasn't my own. I had not said the words, nor even thought them. My tone was at an unnaturally high pitch, the sort that makes one's teeth grind in annoyance.
What's going on?! I thought, alarmed, but I could not speak the words. Peals of laughter rang in my head, but not in the real world. When Bloodlust thought, her thoughts boomed in my head, louder than mine by a long shot. Don't you know? Your body's mine. Actually, I'm surprised you're even still here—human souls rarely survive when we take over.
Before I could respond, shadows surrounded my body, if shadows have eyes and teeth. "I've heard that voice before. Bloodlust?"
"In the flesh." My higher-than-normal voice giggled like a young child, and my body stood up. "How long has it been, Pride-y Wide-y?"
"Don't call me that." There was that proud tone for which the homunculus was so well known. The eyes looked back over at Father accusingly. "Is this a good idea? What if she goes on a killing spree like the last time?"
What?
I'm Bloodlust the Psychotic. Killing is my joy—and from what I can tell, it's yours too, except for a certain human.
If I'd had the ability to do so, I would have slapped the bitch. I again tried to regain control of my body. Every fiber of my being was on alert, even before the monstress controlling me continued. You're infatuated with him, aren't you? How stubborn—you seem to think you can control my property. It took me a moment to realize she was referring to my body, and then I felt a flash of fury.
I was vaguely aware that Pride and Father were still arguing. Fuck you. I thought, vaguely aware that I had just made an awful decision in becoming this immortal creature. Fuck off; don't you dare—
What? Don't I dare what? But now her tone had a steely edge to it, and I knew better than to provide an answer. You'll realize soon, sweetheart, just who's in power. After that foreboding thought, Bloodlust turned my head to look at Father. "I'm going to my new home. I've got the address, and really, having my own body again is so great I want to celebrate alone. I'll see you when you need me, Daddy." With her sudden announcement made, the bitch walked my body out of the homunculi's lair, and the feeling of walking without any will to do so was one I greatly detested.
Where are we going? I demanded, but of course she did not bother to answer. The path, however, was familiar—Bloodlust had not lied. We were headed to my home. I dreaded to learn exactly what the bitch had planned.
"Joice." Kay jumped up from the couch the moment Bloodlust swung open the door. "You're home early."
"Yes." She answered, and before he could say anything, before I could even see it coming, she grabbed his shirt and planted a forceful kiss onto his lips. It was lustful and hungry, and unlike me in every which way, and I was shocked into silence, at least at first. Stop. I demanded. She still didn't answer, as though all her energy was locked onto this. STOP! I attempted to regain control over my body now with a desperation, but it was like hitting a brick wall that punched back.
Kay pulled away first, his cheeks a shade that nearly matched his hair. "Y-your eyes are red."
"So is your face." The bitch controlling me tried to kiss my boyfriend again, and iimmediately let off a string of curses that only she could hear. I imagined she was laughing at me, and more than likely I wasn't wrong.
Again he stopped her, but now his eyes were wary as he looked into my face. "Are you ok?"
"Never better." Bloodlust giggled. "I wanted to try something new, Kay—they're just contacts."
Get away from him. I had never been so angry, and this was saying something.
"Right…" Kay nodded, and his face went scarlet. "Um, I have something I need to ask you."
"Yes?" The homunculus raised one of my eyebrows. I swear Kay blushed even darker, were it possible, and then he got down on one knee. My blood ran cold.
"Joice, I um… we've been dating for a long time." He bit his lip, as though he knew he sounded cheesy. Suddenly I was angry; this was unfair—I wasn't me! "So I, uh…" He pulled out a small box, green velvet, and opened it to show a small ring. "Will you marry me?" His face was earnest. Why now? It wasn't fair. If he'd only asked yesterday, or the day before, I could have given him my own answer, instead of the homunculus controlling me answering.
"I can see why she loves you." Though still high, the voice that had moments ago been giggly and ecstatic was suddenly serious. Kay looked up at me, at Bloodlust, appearing confused. "You're very handsome. Such fine red hair." She brushed his sideburn with my right hand, and I bristled at the fact that she was even touching him, because hell, I'd dated him for almost two years and suddenly he was proposing and it turns out I actually loved someone, which was impossible.
"Wh-what?" Kay's face was like a lost puppy. He appeared so confused, and it made Bloodlust giggle.
She took his hand, pulling gently. "Stand up, you idiot." He did so, and she hugged him closely. My boyfriend hugged my body back, unwittingly hugging a psycho even worse than me, and I could feel my hand slipping closer and closer to my boot. Stop. I longed to stop, but it was more than obvious Bloodlust held the power, and I could do nothing as a knife slipped from its hidden place in my boot to my palm.
"You know," She whispered into his ear, "I would have said yes, if it would hurt her more." Then the knife found its place in Kay's stomach, tearing through the skin like paper, pushed in to the hilt.
Bloodlust twisted and yanked the knife back out and Kay fell to the ground, eyes wide with shock and pain, blood everywhere. Laughter filled the air, before Bloodlust suddenly relented power and it gave way to screaming.
"Kay!" I shrieked, unable to say anything else at all, the knife flinging to the ground and skittering away. "Kay!" I hugged him close, and I could feel his blood tainting me. Oh god, I was going to be sick.
"Joice…" He breathed the word as though it pained him, and looked at me with shattered blue eyes. "Why?"
I was suddenly aware that I was crying, sobbing even, but I could not make myself stop, placing my hands over his wound as though I could stop his bleeding. God, it was right over his lung, he was bleeding so much, damn damn damn. "I—I'm so sorry! I got it- became a homunculus—but she… she…" I dissolved into hysterics. "Kay, please, please don't die!"
But I want him to die. Bloodlust thought mockingly, and in my hysteria I screamed and shuddered.
Kay Tzumani raised a hand, placing it on my face and smearing blood onto my cheek. I looked back at him. Blood was seeping out of the corner of his mouth, and it set off a painful twisting in my chest. This had to be a nightmare—I was dreaming—any moment now I'd wake up and
"Closer, Joice." Kay said softly, and I obeyed without thinking about it, my eyes staring at him blankly, my mind crowded and confused.
"M-marry me?" He asked again. I had not even realized I'd stopped crying at some point, but now I started again, and a tear slid from my cheek onto his. I wanted to pull away and I wanted to hold him forever.
"Of course." I answered hoarsely. Something broke deep within myself, but Kay smiled and jerked up, kissing me. Then his body abruptly went limp, and before I could catch him I lost control of my own again.
"You see, Joice, your body belongs to me now. You can't stop me from doing anything I want to do, even if it means losing what you care about most." Bloodlust spoke aloud, the calm voice a startling difference from my frantic cries. My face was still wet, but the tears had halted the moment she'd taken over.
"Now. Let's see about your wardrobe."