Hello!
I finally have a new chapter for you guys! It is unfortunately a bit shorter than usual, because I had a lot of trouble writing it in the first place and the part that comes next will be long... And I figured that instead of making you wait for another month, I'll give you this and then the next one once I'm done with it. You can consider it being one chapter split in half^^
Either way, for this chapter I would be really really grateful if you reviewed, especially with some criticism or comments on the feelings of the characters... did it seem real, did it not make any sense, was it really good, really bad, just alright? And there will also be quite a lot of revelations in this chapter, so if you have any comments on them too (did any of them come to sudden, doesn't make sense, goes way against an earlier chapter?) please tell me. This is mainly because in the beginning I did not have all of this planned, it was simply the first chapter and then the second and third just popped out and it wasn't til 4 or 5 that I had a set plot.
But enough of my babbling, read on and have fun! And don't forget to comment^^
Red Moon
Chapter 12, Making a deal with the Devil
Muraki surveyed the scene before him. It seemed better than he had expected, Oriya had once again done a good job as a therapist. Muraki had always been able to count on his friend on occasions like this. Or perhaps not quite like this, but whenever he needed someone to be calmed down, Oriya had always been the one succeeding. His eyes wandered the apartment a second more, before settling on Tsuzuki. Truthfully, Muraki was glad that the other man seemed so calm, he had left the doctor in his room on purpose, knowing that it might cause wounds that would never heal. But it hadn't. Instead it had produced the desired effect. As Muraki met Tsuzuki's eyes, he saw the mans torment of being torn between hatred and… something that wasn't. It wasn't like and most certainly not love, but it was something on the way there. And it pleased Muraki.
Whatever it was Tsuzuki believed he had seen when his eyes met Muraki's, it went away almost instantly. But it still changed the way he saw the vampire. From a malicious creature that enjoyed pain and killing above all Muraki turned into something more human for him. And that's when he realised that, ever since Maria died, he had had an unconscious wish for the vampires death and not only because he wanted revenge for all the lives the vampire had taken, but also because of his fear that the next victim would be him. His mind raced through all the times he had met the vampire and he realised that his life had never been in any real danger, because it wasn't what the vampire wanted. If a vampire could feel gentle, then why shouldn't they be able to… love? Tsuzuki looked up at the vampire again. But no, that wasn't right. To label him as such, when he had shown these very human feelings were simply wrong, instead of "the vampire", shouldn't the blond be called by his name?
"Muraki…?" Tsuzuki suddenly said, but it was tentatively and without bite. Muraki turned to look at him, and that's when he destroyed everything. He gave Tsuzuki a questioning look.
"Ah… nothing…"
Muraki waited a second to see if his pet would continue the sentence. He didn't.
"Mr. Tsuzuki… I have a matter that I would like to ask for your assistance in."
He paused and Tsuzuki told him to go on.
"You see, there is someone I must summon and without your help I'm afraid I wont be able to do it at all."
Tsuzuki was intrigued. Why would Muraki need his help to summon someone? Tsuzuki didn't know, but because of his new-found realisation in Muraki's humanity he decided that he would try to help, no matter what it was. After all, if he wanted to encourage that part of Muraki, then he should show him how easy it is to help, just for the sake of helping.
"What can I do to help?"
"You can give me a little bit of your delicious blood," Muraki smirked, "because the last component needed for summoning my master is the blood of a child born from a human and a demon."
Whatever Tsuzuki had expected from Muraki, it wasn't that. For a second he was shocked, but that soon went away as Muraki continued.
"Of course, it's only a little bit. After all, I'm planning on keeping you after I have defeated the bastard." Muraki smirked. "My price, of sorts."
Tsuzuki suddenly remembered why he had hated the vampire. No matter how gentle an expression he could show, it still did not stop him from being a malicious creature. Still, Tsuzuki convinced himself that Muraki must have a reason for wanting to kill the other vampire. In fact, hadn't Muraki's master been the one to turn Muraki into a vampire? If Tsuzuki had been in the same situation, wouldn't he also wish to take revenge on whoever forced him to live such a life? Even so… should he really help the vampire with his mission? Killing is killing, no matter the reason for doing it. No. He wasn't going to help the vampire with this, but he still wanted to know Muraki's reason for fighting his master. So he asked, but the answer he got was not the one he had hoped for.
"Why? Because as long as he exists I'm not completely free, of course. And I'm very interested in finding out if he is strong enough to take me on. I know he's good at hiding from me, but just thinking about the fight makes my blood boil! I want to see the look of humiliation on his face when he's at my mercy, kneeling by my feet!"
As Muraki talked, his voice got more and more excited and an evil grin spread across his face. There was nothing but pure glee. Tsuzuki stood up quickly and walked toward the door, determined to walk trough both the vampire and his friend if necessary. Before he had taken even 4 steps he was stopped and held against a chest so cold Tsuzuki almost started shivering. "It doesn't matter whether or not you want to help me." The vampire whispered in his ear. "If I have too I have no qualms about taking a hostage or 2. That little boy seems to be an easy prey…"
His hands ran over Tsuzuki's back, running in soothing circles that opposed his harsh words. But it didn't calm Tsuzuki down, instead he started shaking. All these things were too much for him. There were too many emotions, too many things had happened, too many opinions that went against each other. He didn't want to handle them. If he could simply sleep, deeply and without dreams he would be happy. Leave it to someone else to figure out all of these bothersome things. Tsuzuki wanted to sleep, but Muraki's gentle touches stopped him, kept him conscious.
"Not yet…" he whispered, "I can't let you sleep yet… There is one last thing I need your help with first. Then you can sleep peacefully in my arms…"
He moved his hands, gently raising Tsuzuki's face to his, his thumb stroked Tsuzuki's chin with affection.
"Will you give me your blood?"
It sounded so sweet, the devil's temptation and despite the fact that he knew he should never accept it, Tsuzuki nodded.
"Good boy."
Muraki smirked and pulled Tsuzuki up, landing a light kiss on his lips.
Tsuzuki was regretting that decision now. Muraki had left him with Oriya after that, to prepare for the ritual. He hadn't returned until a couple of hours later, almost radiating life. Preparing for the summoning of his master didn't seem to be everything he had done. It made Tsuzuki react and think twice about what he had agreed to. It wasn't that alone, but also the fact that during the time Muraki had been gone Tsuzuki had had the time to think things through. It hadn't helped him get over his confusions over both himself and Muraki, but he had been able to handle it all a little bit better. And he had realised that nothing good would come from letting Muraki face his master. If the vampire could kill the other then Tsuzuki was sure that there was no chance for the vampire's gentle side to emerge. Instead it would be completely suffocated by the malice. So he had refused to go with the vampire when they had started to head out. But it hadn't amounted to much, except for that Tsuzuki had found himself unceremoniously thrown over a shoulder and carried to the same factory that Muraki had held Watari capture in. And that had been embarrassing. Even though it was quite late, it was a weekend and plenty of people were out, taking the chance to stare, point and sometimes laugh. But it still hadn't been enough to regret the decision. The vampire couldn't do anything without his permission. Except for brutally tearing out the hearts of still living humans in front of Tsuzuki's eyes, generously letting the blood flow over the factory and Tsuzuki. The blood from last time was still there, but it was now dry and crusted. Muraki followed the old lines, using the hearts as paintbrushes. By the time he had used 4 people, the circle was complete, but there was still living and breathing humans left inside the factory. Muraki eyed them with a contemplating look.
"What do you think, Mr. Tsuzuki?" he asked, "should I use a couple of more… as a substitute for the blood you won't give me? I could just let them go… But that would be such a waste."
Tsuzuki shook his head vigorously.
"No! Don't kill anymore people!" He was crying by then, begging Muraki to spare the lives of those not yet killed. "Just let them go!"
Muraki walked over to Tsuzuki from where he had been standing.
"My poor Tsuzuki…" he mumbled, "all upset. Tell me, why do you care so much for these creatures lives? They should mean nothing to you, yet you are shedding these tears for them."
With fingers coloured red from blood Muraki wiped Tsuzuki's tears away.
"You know what you should do to stop it. It's all so simple, a single word and I'll set the rest of them free."
A woman woke up. Tsuzuki could see her moving behind Muraki, shifting as she regained consciousness. She wasn't a woman, really, but closer to a child. Sleepily she rubbed her eyes with her hands and blinked. Then she saw the room, the people around her and the corpses. And screamed, a heartbreaking scream that echoed in the empty factory. Tsuzuki couldn't bear to look at her horror-stricken face and turned away. He could save her from the anguish. Just one small word…and she could walk away unharmed. Perhaps not exactly the same person she had been before, but at least she wouldn't be dead. Tsuzuki looked up at Muraki and nodded. He still couldn't bear saying it, but it wasn't necessary.
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