From Passion into Love
Kia Appicello
Chapter 2
"Welcome, Aki Strife." It took a few minutes before I was able to answer.
"What do you want, My Lord?" I hid a wince, silently cursing my father for beating it into my head to add the last part in the unlikely case I were to meet Sephiroth. A low chuckle broke into my cursing, and I met his eyes again.
"I wish to talk, Aki Strife. That is all." I crossed my arms and shifted again, trying to ignore the flutter in my heart, the heat in my stomach, and the bare chest shown from the mostly unbuttoned shirt. I tilted my head back a little, eyes focused on him as he moved about the room.
"Zack told me you are looking to offer your help to the Sanctuary. Why now and not back when we needed the help the most?" I caught a slight flinch from the Silver General, and felt a moment of smugness, followed by curiosity.
"Because I did not realize who the true enemy was until recently." I raised an eyebrow when he turned back to me. "Please, sit." Almost automatically, I shifted to sit on the edge of one of the plush couches. I was shocked when Sephiroth sat beside me, and offered a glass of wine, which I silently refused with a shake of my head. "Very well." The glass was set on the table, easily within my reach. "I understand that my past actions and words will cause me to need proof that what I am saying is true, but I'm willing to do anything if it will allow me to help my people." I thought for a moment, taking in the words from that smooth velvet voice.
"How do I know if I can trust you?" Another almost hidden wince and Sephiroth set his own glass aside.
"You can't trust my words. What about my memories?" I started to lie, to say I didn't know how to enter another vampire's mind and search their memories, but he cut me off. "I know the talents passed through the Valentine and Strife bloodlines, Aki. I know you have inherited both talents." Before I realized what had happened, he had my hands in his, and close to his face. "Here." I took a deep breath before giving up and touching his temples with my fingertips.
"It might hurt." Sephiroth let out a soft chuckle.
"I've had worse."
"I don't know exactly how to quickly and sort through to find what I want yet."
"It's fine."
"I could kill you."
"I know you could." I met his eyes and was instantly confused at the emotions in them before they were hidden. Biting my lip, I closed my eyes and sent out my consciousness into his mind. Almost instantly, I was bombarded by a rush of memories, both remembered and forgotten.
A young child with silver hair curled in a corner….
"Mommy? Where are you?"
"You're mother's dead, Sephiroth."
A teenager in the army, fighting against the odds…
"Sephiroth! Behind you!"
"Leon!"
A man, being promoted to General on his 21st birthday…..
"Congratulations, Seph!"
"Thank you."
A specimen on a cold metal table…..
"You were never turned, Sephiroth. You were born a vampire, and one day, you will die a vampire."
Him finding out Genesis and Angeal were together….
"You'll find that person one day, Seph. And you'll understand…"
A raven-haired girl lying on a bed in his mansion…..
"Her name is Aki Valentine-Strife. From the Sanctuary."
A blond man, standing behind a wooden desk…..
"Your people are dying out, Sephiroth, and soon, you and I will build a new world. Vampires, with you and your three excepted will be the slaves of the human. Guards. Toys. They will realize that their powers make them weak."
The girl on the bed again….
"Angeal…What is this feeling?"
"I think Sephiroth might have finally found his soul mate."
"You think this girl, a daughter of the Sanctuary, might be the one?"
"Talk to her, Sephiroth. Get to know her. Maybe she truly is your other half."
Angeal, Zack, and a red-haired man by the fire…..
"Shinra must be stopped."
"But how?"
"How else? Join the Sanctuary. Protect our people, and fight back against Shinra."
"What about the 'alliance' between you and him?"
"That alliance shattered when he called us weak, and told me himself about putting my people as slaves to the humans."
The girl, standing beside the fire…
'Beautiful….'
A dark-haired man, hovering above him…..
"How's this feel, Sephiroth? Told you it was good."
The girl, lying on the bed again…..
"It's been three days….is she even alive?"
"Yes, Seph. Don't worry."
Her sitting across from him…
'So strong…..but at the same time….so delicate. I want to protect her. I want to keep her mine.'
I wasn't even aware of jerking my hands back and falling off the couch until I found myself staring at the ceiling, a cold sweat covering my body. I closed my eyes, struggling to get my breath back, and jumped when cool hands cupped my face.
"Are you alright?" I opened my eyes to find beautiful aquamarine staring back at me, concern in them. I nodded slightly, and allowed him to help me back to the couch. Without thinking, I reached for my glass of wine and drained it in one gulp. Another soft chuckle to my left made me turn and look at him. "I take it you feel you can trust me now?" I looked down at the glass in my hands and hesitated before nodding, the wheels in my head turning.
'Sephiroth's…..other half? Well, the old gypsy did say an unexpected love would enter my life near the full moon. But what should I do? If I've been out for three days….or longer….Yuffie is already back to the Sanctuary….and they're most likely getting ready to attack…..and this feeling…..Father said it's rare for a vampire to find their other half in their first lifetime. Why does this stuff always happen to me?' I looked up at Sephiroth, suddenly scared.
"My partner escaped when we got here. She's most likely already back at the Sanctuary. If she is…..my family will attack here. I need to speak to my brother." Sephiroth nodded and handed me a familiar slim black phone. Not wondering where he got my belongings, I quickly dialed my brother's number. It took three rings, and a familiar voice answered.
"Strife."
"Cloud. It's Aki."
"Where are you? How'd you get your phone back? Are you ok? What happened?" I smiled faintly at the familiar note on worry and scolding in my brother's voice.
"I'm fine. Yuffie and I were captured, and I made a distraction while she ran. What's going on? Is everyone ok? What are you guys doing?" I heard a low sigh.
"We're all fine. We were planning on spreading out to search for you, but if you have your phone back….I know you can take care of yourself. Just call every few days for me, ok?" I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. Um….Is Yuffie back yet?"
"Not yet. Why? Is everything ok?" I groaned softly.
"Kinda. Look….Nii-san, I need you to do something for me, k? Don't freak out about what I'm about to tell you." Cloud hesitated, and I knew he was going to freak out, promise or no promise.
"I'll try." I met Sephiroth's eyes and grinned, deciding to play with my brother a little bit before I told him the truth.
"I'm pregnant." The response over the phone was just as I predicted.
"YOU'RE WHAT?" I laughed a little as my brother ranted for a few minutes before breaking in.
"I'm kidding. But there is something you do need to know, Cloud." AS he calmed down, I bit my lip and looked down to find one of my hands tangled with Sephiroth's. Offering him a shy smile, I went back to my brother. "Before you start ranting, I'm going to tell you this. I searched the mind and memories of the one I'm with at the moment, and he's telling the truth. He means us no harm, and wants to help instead of fight." There was silence on the other end, and for a moment, I thought Cloud had hung up on me.
"Aki. Are you telling me you're with Lord Sephiroth at the moment?" I bit my lip and nodded.
"Yes. Oh! And how do you know Zack?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and I grinned, mouthing the word 'distraction'.
"We're not going to go into that right now, Aki."
"Either you tell me, or when he and I talk later, I tell each and every embarrassing story I know about you." There was a groan, and I smirked. My brother knew my arsenal of stories, and knew exactly which ones to tell that would forever stick in the other person's mind forever.
"When I was captured fifty years ago, you remember I told you I had help getting out? Well…..the one who helped me out was Zack….and we kind of…..well…you know….." I knew my eyes grew wide, and my grin grew even more.
"You and Zack are lovers?" A groan on the other end confirmed my words.
"Yes. And before you ask, yes, I think he's my other half." My grin softened to a smile.
"Good."
"But what about now, Aki? Are you sure you're safe?" I met Sephiroth's eyes again and found a glimmer of emotion in them.
"Yes, Cloud. I'm sure." Sephiroth held out his hand and I was confused for a moment. "Hang on a sec, Nii-san." The phone passed from me to him, and I leaned against the couch as they spoke.
"Hello, Strife…Calm down….I'm not about to hurt your sister. She's too precious to me to hurt." I buried my face in the couch cushion to hide my blush and felt a cool hand toy with my hair. "If you wish. I'll have her and Zack meet you at the gates….That's acceptable." I looked up and found my phone being held out to me, a smile dancing across his lips. "Your brother is loud." I grinned as I took the phone from him.
"You should hear him when it's time for our annual shots." I heard a growl on the other end and grinned again. "Chill, C. I'm fine."
"I'm trusting you more than I trust him. Dad, Cid and I will be there next week. Be careful."
"You, too, Nii-san. I love you. Give Dad and Cid hugs from me, and tell Yuffie I'm fine. Let her know I'm safe, and keep her from panicking." Cloud chuckled, and I smiled again.
"I'll do that. Tell Zack…Tell him I'm coming, and that he still has my heart." I smiled again.
"Will do."
"I love you, Aki. See you next week."
"Love you, too, big brother. Next week." For the first time in my life, I found myself having trouble hanging up before my brother. With a smile, Sephiroth stood and offered me his hand, smiling at my confusion as I took it.
"Come. I'll give you a tour." I nodded and followed him out of the room, unknowingly placing my destiny in his hands.