A/n: nearly a year since I have had the spare time to do this. The good news is, I am now in a much more fulfilling job that highly encourages my creative nature.
There should be around 3-4 chapters left to finish this particular story. If anyone out there is willing to beta, please reach out to me. Not only do I need the proof reading to save me from auto-correct errors but I would like the encouragement to produce and a wall to bounce ideas off of.
Without further delay, here is the next chapter of Bound. Warning: this is where it earns an M. I tried to keep it classy but you be the judge.
The petite cloaked figure stood still at the end of the field. She raditated danger, malice and evil from every pore. The Demon's blood red cloak fluttered in the gale around her but the hood never moved. The upper half of the creature's face was shrouded in blackness from the hood. The lower half showed the same delicate, pale features that composed the face of her host. She waited silently, watching her opponent with a casual air.
Across the field, the shaggy, green form raised his snout to sniff at the air. Enhanced senses took in the surroundings and the scent of the enemy that stood waiting. The Beast smelled the scent of death and wrongness that came from the figure. Keen eyes presented it with an image of the female his host wanted for mate. The female that the Beast had been released to defend. The Beast's nose told him the image was a lie.
The Beast let out a thunderous roar and charged. Across the clearing, the Demoness held her ground. She eyed the approaching predator with a sly smile on her lips. As the green beast neared, she readied herself. A humongous, dagger-clawed paw swiped at the hooded figure. She didn't run or raise her hands, she merely side-stepped the blow. The dodge and the air of confidence the Demoness exuded only served to infuriate her primal foe. The swipes were coming hard and fast. Still, she continued to avoid them. Occasionally, throwing up a shield when she would not be able to move quickly enough.
When the Demoness finally felt the Beast reach a fevered pitch of rage; she smiled and stepped into the next blow. It sent her sailing and skidding halfway across the clearing. The beast slowly moved forward towards his prey.
Changeling felt the swell of pride come from his primal self and saw the flinch from Raven. He attempted to force his will outward towards the creature to give Raven time to recover. He was brushed off like a fly. Dread and guilt filled him as he gazed at Raven.
"Raven, I'm sorry. I can't stop him or even slow him down." Changeling said, hopelessly.
"She knows what she is doing." Was Raven's only reply. Her attention never leaving the two figures in the clearing.
The Beast watched as the petite figure slowly pushed itself up onto both elbows. He quickened his lumbering pace; not wanting to give the prey a chance to recover. He pounced on the figure, taking great pleasure at the way the figure shrank in on itself and turned away from him in fear. Crouched over the diminutive figure, he ripped the hooded cape away. The Beast wanted to look this intruder in the face before destroying it.
The Beast hesitated. The face before him was the desired mate. There were tears welling in large, violet eyes that reflected fear. He took a moments pause to sniff the air again to ensure this wasn't his master's female.
That moment of hesitation was all it took. Tendrils of black lashed out to confine his massive arms and legs. In a split-second, the face was sprouting fangs and four red eyes. The Beast struggled and roared, trying to break free.
A wicked smile crossed the face of the Demoness, she moved closer to the Beast and clamped her fangs down where his shoulder met neck. A deafening roar erupted from the stricken predator as he tried to wrench his neck away. Black tendrils grew thicker and the demon took on an incorporeal form. The roars began to weaken as the demon phased into the Beast.
As Changeling felt the initial intrusion of the demonic presence on his primal side he shuddered. An overwhelming blend of anger, violence, pain, envy and lust blasted through him. He felt exposed and sandblasted under the raw power of the part of Raven that came courtesy of her father.
Garfield felt sorrow that this was the legacy that she lived with. This was the darkness she fought so hard against. Just as he felt as if the darkness was going to rip him to tatters he felt her presence. It slowly enveloped him; Raven was shielding his human part from the force overtaking his primal side.
He knew that his body was safe back in the hotel but his every instinct was trying to make his incorporeal form run from the assault of the demon. Her spirit wrapped tighter around him and he heard her whispered words in his mind telling him to hold on, that it was almost done.
He could see the images of her life and the pangs of emotion that accompanied them flash through his mind, almost quicker than he could register them. Azar telling Raven the importance of controlling her emotions. Outbursts from her childhood destroying her surroundings and once a decimated and bloodied robed figure still in the ground. The pain from that one seared through his bones and made him cry out to the heavens.
The images were coming faster now. Flickers of her longing to leave Azarath to keep them safe, the desire to scrub herself of her father's taint by going to Earth and using her darkness to make light. The bone-crushing rejection by the Justice League because Zatanna could still feel Trigon's influence. The deep depression of her wandering Earth aimlessly looking for a place she was welcome.
Then, the day they became a team and the small, weak flicker of hope that was kindled that day. The growing pains of learning to live, to trust and to love. The fear of getting close was battling the fear of being alone forever. Garfield felt the warm glow that she felt inside when he reached out to her and the desperate need to be understood and wanted after the Malchior incident. He felt the heat that flowed through her veins that night on the rooftop the heady combination of heartbreak and desire that almost ripped him asunder.
The figure of a sobbing child before Raven raked through her psyche. The anguish the child felt looking over the broken bodies at the bottom of the waterfall ripped her empathic senses into tatters. She was both the observer and the lost, little soul all at once. As quick as the image came to Raven; it departed again. Now she was the same child, older but being tormented with needles and experiments by ruthless men looking to profit from his misfortune. Flashes of shame as he stole precious jewels and technology for these men camee next. Then, the unshakeable feeling of knowing his parents would be disappointed in his actions as he fought for the evil men, knowing he had no other option. Raven's soul shuddered at the overload of negativity.
Then, a reprieve from the hurt came in the form of images of Rita sitting beside Changeling at night and tucking him into bed. The time with Doom Patrol flickered with ups and downs. Steve's lectures about Garfield's lack of discipline; playing chess with his "uncles". Nearly seeing his adopted family die; Rita's last hug before he left to find his own way.
Memories of becoming a Titan and the times they share followed. She felt the emotions that roiled beneath the surface for Changeling during the events that had passed. She felt his curiosity towards her change into affection. Then, somewhere along the way that affection deepened into love. Raven nearly gasped at the swirl of emotions surrounding their interactions. Her long-held suspicion of Garfield interfering with her empathy was proven true.
The Raven's spirit took form before him and he knew from the compassion in her eyes she had seen his memories and past too.
Changeling opened his arms to her and she stepped into them. Both had faces wet with tears from shared pain. As his arms closed he just held her for a moment before leaning down and capturing her lips. Raven pulled him tightly; there was a surge in the air and a blinding flash as he felt the completion of the bond. Garfield revelled in the sensation that was their two souls linked and surrendered completely to it. He couldn't tell where Raven began and he ended. He felt the love and lust and need of the long years he had waited reach their peak. He felt her form moving against him, Raven's arms were twined around him while her lips whispered urgent prayers against his neck. As he moved his lips and let his hands explore her curves, he felt one tiny hand release it's firm grip and gesture as she moved her lips silently under his ear. Suddenly, he felt the heat of her body against him and groaned. Changeling lined up his hips to hers, and with the gentle tug of her hand in his hair and the sensation of her teeth against his neck, he then pushed forward. Slowly, tortuously he crushed his lips against Raven as he buried himself. She let out a cry and with a flash the world around him disappeared.
Changeling was back in his body and felt the warmth of Raven surrounding him. Garfield fought the shock at the fact that Raven was straddling his lap and they were fully entwined; not just in his mind. His arms were around the empath's pale form pulling her tighter down against him. They moved as one, her pale bare legs to either side of him driving her hips. He gasped at the sensation of being surrounded by her and feeling Raven completely lose herself in the act. Garfield buried his face in her shoulder breathing in her intoxicating scent before moving his lips up her throat. He cupped her bottom to help her keep rhythm as her breath grew ragged. He could feel through their bond how close she was. He twined the fingers of one hand through her hair and bit her neck lightly as he thrust upward burying himself in her completely. Then, Garfield smiled against her neck and dipped his hand between them to push her over the edge. The intense wave of pleasure that rolled through the bond brought him to his own peak groaning her name into the softness of her neck.
Raven slumped against Changeling's chest and he pulled her down to the bed with him. He lay on his back trying to catch his breath and wrap his head around what had just occurred. Raven leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his. She sat quietly with him, enjoying the afterglow before speaking quietly.
"It's completed. We are now bound."
"I can live with that." An exhausted Changeling replied as sleep came to claim him.
