Smoothest of Criminals Ch. 21
"My name is…"
No sooner had the words left her lips that the image in front of me began to distort. The hallway that I was standing in began to stretch outward, taking her away from me. "No!" I shouted. "Don't leave me!" I began running towards her as fast as I possibly could, but no matter how quickly my legs moved, the hallway continued to drag her further and further away from me. "Give her back!" I yelled as black tendrils seemed to rise from the floor, lashing at my ankles and wrists, holding them back as they brought me to my knees screaming at the top of my lungs for them not to take her away from me.
I woke up with tears streaming down my cheeks. Who was she? Why couldn't I remember her name? How is it that I could remember who she was and how important she was to me but I couldn't even remember her name?! I placed my hands over my face as I sobbed into them, the dark hospital room seemingly the perfect place to have a secret cry. Or so I thought.
"Thane?" A voice called softly out into the room.
"Who's there?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. From the shadows came the lithe figure of Vi as she walked closer, a surprisingly gentle smile on her face. She pulled a chair beside my hospital bed and placed her hand on mine.
"Just me." She whispered leaning over to kiss my cheek. "How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Shitty." I replied. "What happened?" Vi bit her lips as her hand intertwined with mine before she leaned forward to nuzzle my neck.
"What happened was I almost lost you…and I'm so sorry…" Bits and pieces began to fall back into my mind. I remember staring at the door in disbelief, the rubble moved aside and a rather human sized hole punched through it.
"You abandoned me…" I muttered.
"N-no. I didn't. I went to get help…don't you remember?"
"Help?" I asked trying hard to concentrate.
"III was beating you, and it seemed no matter what we used to fight him we couldn't even leave a scratch. Then I started thinking about it…we needed something where he didn't have any flesh…and we needed someone who could hit that target. So I went and grabbed Caitlyn as fast as I could…but by the time we got there you were covered in really bad gashes…we took out III, before rushing you to the hospital. All of us."
"What do you mean by all of us?" I asked.
"Me, Caitlyn, my sister, Lief. We're all here for you. The others are asleep right now, but we've been waiting here for you to wake up." I looked down to see the wad of gauze on her arm.
"Did…III do that to you?" I asked before she smiled and shook her head.
"No hon, I did that…for you. We all did."
"What do you mean?" I asked concerned. "Why would you hurt yourselves for me?"
She smiled and softly cupped my cheek in her hand. "Thane…Nerada was leaking from you extensively. She was dripping on to the ground all around you and you were going to die. So they brought in Heimerdinger to help, and he did a blood transfusion. We each had to give up a large amount of blood for you, but by doing so we made sure you'd live."
"And Nerada?" I asked, my eyes watering up again.
"I'm not sure…Heimerdinger took her with him. He said he had a plan for her…but he never told me what it was. Does it hurt?" She asked running her hand over one of the pads that covered my many sutures.
I nodded. "And I feel so weak…like I've barely the strength to move."
"Yeah…that's normal Heimerydinger said. You're still low on blood, so you can have some juice if you want, but the doctors said not to let you eat anything as it'll make you sick with the medicine they've got you on."
"That's okay…I'm not hungry…"
"What's wrong?" She asked again. She could tell all too well when I was hurt that it almost scared me.
"There was a girl…" I said softly.
"What girl?" She asked. "I didn't see a little girl there." I shook my head.
"Not there…Zaun. A long time ago…" Vi frowned softly before shaking her head.
"I don't understand Thane."
I bit my lip as tears continued to run down my cheeks on to the bed. "I know…I don't fully understand either…but I can remember her…she was there in my past. I cared about her so much…but I just left her…she was 1."
"I'm surprised you remember her…" another voice came from the room. Lief emerged from the shadows with arms crossed, a stern expression on his face. "Considering you're the reason she died."
"W-what?" I asked shakily. "I…I killed her?" Lief nodded his head, and I could see anger in his eyes. "But why…why would I kill her?" He frowned and turned his head with a sigh.
"Lief…why are you trying to upset him?" Vi asked harshly.
"Because it's true…when he left her heart was broken. She was in love with him…and he was too stupid to realize it. She was so hurt when he left, he drove her straight to Mundo. She died while he was experimenting on her. She was his first victim in the Black Lotus…all because Thane here turned tail and ran with it tucked between his legs." My chest began to hurt as Vi snapped angrily at Lief.
"Will you shut up? Can't you see you're hurting him?"
"No Vi…it's okay…" I whispered back. "I deserve it…if she's really dead, and it's because of me…I deserve every bit of it. Truthfully…I don't deserve to be alive." I looked down at my arm where the IV was and pulling off the tape I jerked out the needle, working to get up but Vi, just put her hands on my chest.
"Woah there, where do you think you're going?"
"Out." I said simply, going to leave again but she just stood in the way of me and the door. "I'm not letting you leave here Thane. I don't care what happened to that girl, you're sick and you can't just leave like this. You could die." I shoved her out of the way and walked out the door.
"That's the point." I stated coldly before shutting the door behind me leaving the room behind.
"You son of a bitch!" Vi yelled cocking back her fist to punch Lief in the face. "How dare you say something like that to him after he almost died?! You're supposed to be his friend!" Just then Jinx let out a yawn before rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"What are you two arguing about?" She asked. "I was having the most wonderful dream involving puppies and nitroglycerin." Vi let out a growl turning away from Lief to face her sister.
"Your boyfriend here just convinced Thane to commit suicide." Jinx's eyes widened like saucers.
"You did what?!" Lief shook his head.
"I did no such thing. I only reminded him of the sins of his past. He asked, so I told him. End of story."
"Don't you think you could have left out the part about her getting killed by Mundo after he left because of him?!" Vi snapped before Caitlyn gently tugged her hat over her head.
"Will all of you please be quiet…" she asked, "I'm trying to get some sleep here."
"How can you possibly sleep? Thane's out there and he's probably going to get himself killed, if he doesn't do it himself! You can't possibly…"
"No Vi, I can and I will. Just as you will sit down and stay here." Caitlyn stated looking at her partner. "And that is an order." Vi bit her lip for a moment before storming to the door.
"Then it's one I'm disobeying." She growled before Cait grabbed her wrist.
"Will you listen for a moment? It's obvious that Thane is sorting through some things…and I'm starting to develop something of a theory. But even if you were to find him he wouldn't want to see you anyway, so there is no reason for you to leave. You should have learned by now Vi. Thane's a wild mustang. He may let you pet him and ride him, but if you try to lock him in a corral he'll just jump the fence and leave." Vi clenched her fist as she shut her eyes tight before letting go of the door knob. "Good, now get some sleep." Vi without a word glared at her partner before going to the hospital bed that Thane had slept in. Curling up she placed her head on the pillow, taking in his scent in the case. "Oh and Lief…"
"Yes Cait?"
"If Thane dies…you're next." She said ominously before laying her head back down on the extra cot the doctors had been kind enough to provide for them.
Nerada let out a groan as she reached up, placing a hand against her throbbing head. She'd lost track of what happened when Thane got the cut on his arm and parts of her started to leak out, but after that everything was a…she had a hand. Nerada opened her eyes, examining the hand closely as she experimentally wiggled the fingers. "I'm…I'm…"
"Normal, jah?" Heimerdinger interjected behind her, causing her to wheel about in surprise, stepping from the yordle and backing into a shelf with beakers on it.
"Who are you? Where's Thane?" She asked, her heart pounding in her chest. Her heart…she had a heart now?" She placed her hand over her chest and felt the soft thumping that rested inside. "What did you do to me?" She asked softly before Heimerdinger gave a smirk.
"I fixed you up. You ver almost a goner. Tell me…vat exactly are you…?"Nerada shyly placed her hands behind her back, unable to find the answer to the question.
"I'm…" She whispered softly before touching her cheek gently looking around herself for something to look at herself in. "I'm…Nerada…"She said softly. "I'm a hive mind of shadow essence that's existed for centuries." Upon finding a mirror she looked carefully in its reflective depths, revealing a beautiful soft face, with eyes that sparkled like diamonds. "I mean…that's what I am right? Just…a bunch of microscopic artificial lifeforms…"
"Zat is vat I thought at first too." Heimerdinger said simply, sitting on his hydraulic stool as he watched the girl with curious interest. "Though…upon closer examination of your chemical makeup I've found zat you vere not a hive mind…not in ze sense you are speaking ov anyvay."
"What do you mean?" She asked turning back to face him, her hand reaching up to tuck a long strand of her black hair behind her ear, revealing a beautiful young face.
"Vell…in a sense ve are all hiveminds jah? Our cells each haz zere own purpose and vays ov carrying out zere tasks. Our bodies in fact are controlled by billions of different nuclei that act independent ov one another yet ve see ourselves as one entity jah? You are no different in zat aspect. In fact, vat you see now in zat mirror is vat you actually looked like vonce. While I vas unable to fix ze rest ov your cells, I vas able to restore the cells for your flesh. All ov your blood iz still shadows as it vas before but ze face you see in za mirror iz you."
"This is…me?" Nerada asked gazing deep into her hazel eyes that sparkled between green and gold. Her fingertips ran over the freckles that were scattered across her cheeks before trailing down her neck to where it reached the 'v' of her chest. They were on the smaller side though they were still probably around a 'B' cup. "How can I ever thank you…doctor?" she asked experimentally before he nodded.
"Please you may call me Heimerdinger. And I vas happy to help you. Now you may valk around all you like, zo I imagine you are a bit out ov practice. So take it slowly and if you have any problems just come back to see me here jah?"
"Yeah I will." She smiled brightly, walking from the office with surprisingly good co-ordination. "But Heimerdinger…one last thing…where was the man you found me with? I want to go see him." The small yordle scratched his brain in through for a moment before brightening.
"Ah, yes he vas in ze hospital down ze road zere. If you go out ze door to your right, head vour blocks down and zen turn right you vill see ze large red cross."
"Thanks again." She beamed before closing the door behind him. Heimerdinger sighed softly as she left crossing one short leg over the other.
"I vould hate to run into ze monster zat did that to that poor girl. No von deserves zat torture."
I stepped out of the hospital quickly before any doctors or nurses spotted me. I'd managed to sneak and find my clothes so I could change into something a bit more decent and appropriate. And when the wind blew past me, filling my body with a chill I was incredibly grateful that I had. I knew the hospital didn't allow me rooftop access, and so I slinked across the street through the alley ways where I grabbed hold of the fire escape and hoisted myself up the ladder until I stood on the top of the building looking over the edge with a sigh. The full moon was shining brightly that night, and when I looked down I saw a woman with long black hair walking down the alley way with two guys following her. Stupid woman…she was going to get herself robbed, or worse.
I continued to watch, though I had no way to do anything with the strength I had now. I felt so weak that I was surprised I had been able to lift myself up the ladder much less take on two most likely armed thugs. "Watch out!" I called to her causing her to wheel around behind her and dodge the pipe the guy had swung at her head. The woman had fast reflexes, I'd give her that. As one of the guys broke to run for me, the one with the pipe began to swing wildly at her but she just dodged them with ease before placing her leg between his and placing her hand on her fist she drove her elbow hard into his chest. As he took the strike to his sternum she swept his foot from under him causing him to hit the ground hard. What the hell? That was one of my techniques that I'd developed. Where on Runeterra did she learn to do that? As her eyes turned up to me, a soft smile appeared on her face and throwing the man's pipe straight up in the air, I watched as she leapt up and grabbed it before spinning like a maple seed and taking out the guy who'd managed to clamber on to the roof. Having knocked him out cold she grinned at me and tossed the pipe away.
That was when the moon hit her face. It was her! It was 1. "1…but…how? You were dead…Lief told me you were dead." I gasped taking a step back away from her.
"Thane?" She asked confused reaching out for me and walking towards her but I moved further away from her. It was her spirit wasn't it? It had to be her unrestful spirit, back from the grave to punish me for abandoning her. "Thane, why are you looking at me like that?"
"No! Stay back." I cried taking another step away before my heel caught on the ledge of the roof and I fell backwards, starting to fall. But before I could her hand reached out and caught mine, pulling me back up to her with a soft shy smile. "Hey there stranger…" she whispered. "I guess you didn't recognize me huh?"
"A few days ago…I wouldn't have…" I whispered ashamed as a fire raised in my cheeks. "I'm so sorry…so, so sorry." I could feel my eyes watering up as tears streamed down my cheeks. I must be imagining this, another dream to remind me of what I gave up. I had promised I'd take care of her…but I just left without even waiting to say goodbye.
"Thane? Why are you sorry? I get that it must be weird…but don't you recognize my voice?" As her words echoed in my head, my eyes opened wide as scenes began to play back in my head of the last few weeks.
"Master…we live to serve you master." Darkness. "We are the Nerada Umbra…and we will save your life in exchange for you saving ours." Shadows. "Do not struggle master, grant us control and we will allow you to become the master of shadows, just as you are our master." The black feminine figure that pressed her lips against mine, filling my body with her essence. My mind reeled back as I felt my legs give out from under me.
I saw her, standing there in the hall way as I went to leave the Black Lotus behind. "VII wait!" She cried after me.
"Sorry kid…there's no VII anymore. I'm Thane…just Thane."
"Do you want to know my name?" She asked.
"Fine…what is your name?"
"My name is…" she smiled softly as the memory finally fell into place. "My name is Nera. It's short for Nerada, but I never liked that name."
"Sorry Nera…but I just can't stay anymore." That's what I'd told her and as I left I could hear her heart breaking before I vanished from Zaun that night for good. I took a sharp breath as I looked up into the beautiful face that had haunted my dreams and I gently reached up to brush her cheek. She placed her hand on mind nuzzling against it as she looked down into my eyes.
"Nerada?" I asked causing her to nod.
"It's me Thane…in my body…my real body." I couldn't hold it in anymore. I wrapped my arms around her hugging her tightly as the tears continued to pour from my eyes, trickling down onto the rooftop below. "Thane?" she asked softly. "Why are you crying? Does my new appearance upset you?"
"No. Not at all…you're beautiful…you've always been beautiful. I'm so sorry that I abandoned you Nera…I'm so very sorry. I didn't mean for you to get hurt…I just couldn't stay…please you have to believe me."
"Th-thane…I've no idea what you're talking about." Nerada whispered, wrapping her arms around me to hug me back. "Are you feeling okay?" I just clung to her tightly as I tried hard to pull myself together.
"I thought you were dead…" I whimpered softly causing her to nuzzle against me as she lowered us both to the roof where she sat beside me.
"But I'm not dead. See? Heimerdinger gave me this body. Do you like it?" She asked. I said nothing, just continued to sniffle like a small child. She frowned at my lack of an answer and gently rested her hand on my chin lifting it up so my eyes gazed deep into her beautiful hazel ones. "Hey…"she said gently. "Do you want me to tell you a secret?"
"That you hate me?" I whispered. "I don't blame you if you do…I'd hate me too for the way I abandoned you."
"You didn't abandon me…it's not your fault you got hurt like that. To be honest, I'd prefer that you lose me and be alive than the other way around. Maybe that's selfish of me, but it's true." She was so beautiful…so kind. How could she possibly see something good in me?
"Thane…my secret…"
"What about it?" I asked.
"The truth is…I dreamt about you. A lot. Whenever I was in your body, I couldn't stop thinking about how much you meant to me…and how much I wish I meant to you. To be honest…I thought you'd be thrilled to have me gone." I shook my head.
"Never."
She beamed at me and sitting beside me nuzzled her cheek against my arm. "There's been something I've wanted to do for a long time now…and now I finally can." She whispered.
"What's that?" I asked turning to face her. She smirked slyly and looking up at me threw her arms around me. She caught me off guard with her pounce and falling on to my back she laid on my chest, placing her lips against mine lovingly. And I kissed her right back, my arms wrapping around her waist and holding her against me. As our lips parted she nuzzled into my chest, allowing me to just hold her there in my arms.
"I lost you once…" I whispered to her, "I'm not going to lose you again." Nera could feel my heart beating in my chest as she gently ran her hands along it. She looked up at me and kissed me on my cheek, just like she had that day when I left.
"You didn't lose me…" she whispered softly, "I was just misplaced. But I'll always be yours you know."
"Do…do you remember any of it?" I asked gently. She looked at me confused.
"Remember what?"
"How we met…anything?"
"Of course I remember…you fell from the catwalk and I filled your blood." She replied with a giggle.
I shook my head. "No…that's not what I meant Nera…"
"Wh-why do you keep calling me that?" Nerada asked shakily.
"I knew you…from before…when you looked like this originally." She swallowed nervously and sat up so she was straddling my waist.
"You did?" She whispered.
"Yes…it was my fault all this happened to you…I left you…I left you with that monster and he killed you. After everything we'd been through together, after all of the things I said and promises I made…" I could feel myself beginning to cry on me. "You counted on me to protect you and take care of you. And I failed…I abandoned you just like whoever else did before me…and I'm so sorry Nera." Nerada was silent for a moment as I waited for her to speak. I expected her to tell me she hated me, to tell me she wished I was dead and how I ruined her life.
"I'm glad you did." She said finally.
"But why?! Didn't I ruin your life? I mean…I let Mundo hurt you I let the Black Lotus use you as a guinea pig for their foul fucking handywork." She smiled softly and gently ran her finger tips up my chest, leaning forward almost like a cat as she rubbed my shoulders.
"Maybe so…but because of that I got to meet you again. I got to spend more quality time with you than most women get to spend with anyone. I got to look inside of your head and your heart and see just the sort of person you are Thane. I'm sure you were very special to me then…because I know you're special to me right now."
"Nera…" I whispered before she kissed my lips against softly.
"Hush now Thane…don't focus on how you lost me the first time…focus on the fact that I'm here in your arms right now." I swallowed softly before nodding and with a smile I stood up, lifting Nera in my arms and walking with her carefully back to my apartment. "Thane? Where are we going?" Nerada asked running her hands through my hair.
"Somewhere that I can keep you and make sure that you're never taken from me again." I whispered back as she giggled and squirmed in my arms. I put her back on her feet as she took my hand and led me over to one of the shadows of the chimneys of the city and pulling me through the shadow immediately we were back in my apartment, a smile on her lips as she looked at me.
"Thane…I think…I think I'm starting to remember." She said softly, as her hands rose to the tight cowl that she wore around her neck, undoing the strings and letting it fall off her shoulders. "And…tonight…I want this to be something I never forget." She continued as her hands went to unzip the leather tank top before slipping it off her shoulders. "I don't know how this will feel…but I saw what it was like for the others when I was watching through your eyes." She said before turning her back to me, running her long black hair around her shoulders so I could see her back before she slowly unzipped her pants, working to take them off.
Silently I walked up to her, running my fingers over the stylized 1 that was on her right shoulder blade…just like my VII was. Her body shivered under my touch as she looked over her shoulder at me with a smile, her cheeks a bright pink. I leaned forward kissing her neck as she sighed softly, stroking my hair as she stepped out of her pants leaving them discarded on the floor as she worked to pull my gear off. Once the two of us were in our undergarments she reached up, staring me in the eyes as she removed the final piece…my black eyemask. She smiled and pulled it from me, revealing my bright blue eyes as she tossed it on the floor beside the bed.
"Much better. Just remember…you don't ever have to hide yourself from me." She whispered and softly I kissed her falling on to the bed with her as we snuggled close together. Her fingers ran over my bare chest lazily as she laid her head on my shoulder and unable to help myself, my hand ran down her side to her shapely hips. Her smooth leg slid over mine to rest between them as she pressed closer to me, her warm body against mine. "Well? What are you waiting for?" She purred causing me to smile softly. I felt like I was a virgin again…never having experienced the love of a woman as I ran my hand softly from her waist across her smooth stomach and into her panties. Her cheeks became flushed as I softly cupped her pussy in my hand, my lips seeking hers in solace.
I decided that I'd make this slow, I wanted this to last. My fingers found her clit and rubbing it in small circles she gasped in surprise. "Oh…Thane…that feels…great." She whispered to me after our lips parted. "I've been waiting for you to touch me like this, for so long." I smiled at her praise as my other hand unlatched her bra. She blushed softly as I helped her to remove it and threw it carelessly aside as well, the two of us gazing deep into one another's eyes.
"I know mine aren't as impressive as hers…" she whispered but I silenced her with another kiss as my hand massaged her left breast. She sighed happily into the kiss as my fingers began to work their wonders, one even slipping inside of her to slowly move in and out. Not content with just sitting back and letting me work, her hand trailed down my chest to the appendage inside of my boxer shorts and wrapping her hand around it she looked at me and began to stroke it, gauging my reaction.
She wasn't amazing…her inexperience definitely showed. But she was so gentle, so loving I gasped and moaned softly to play along anyway. This seemed to please her as the two of us lay there exploring one another's bodies.
"How's this Thane?" she asked me to which I just nodded lazily.
"It's great Nera…you're doing wonderful."
"Thane?"
"Yes Nera?"
"Could we…" she hesitated, looking rather nervous but I knew what it was she was asking. I silently nodded as she sat up and slid her panties around her ankles. I smiled and followed suit stripping down to nothing as she swung her leg over my body. As she placed her hands on my chest she very slowly began to lower herself on to me, a look of sheer bliss on her face as the tip spread apart her labia. My hands went to her hips, surprised when I found her hymen had already been broken.
"Have you done this before?" I asked softly. She shook her head no.
"I think…I think something happened…a long time ago. I just remember it hurt quite a bit…but it was something that I forgot about. But that's okay…I want this with you." I smiled softly and sat up so she could hold on to my back with her arms. I felt her nails running along my skin as she sank deeper on to me, soft moans trailing from her lips with every inch that filled her. "Mmmm Thane, it feels so full. Am I doing good?" She asked innocently as her warm tightness continued to drive me wild.
"Oh Gods yes…" I moaned softly to her as she finally sank all the way down onto me. She began to lean back, pulling my head to her chest where I eagerly nibbled and sucked on her breast. As her hips began to pump back and forth I couldn't recall a time where this had felt so right before, so natural. One of her hands clenched in my shaggy hair as she moaned my name softly and I hers.
"Oh Thane…what is this…what is this feeling I'm getting? I feel like I'm …like I'm…ohhhhh." She gasped as I felt her body tighten around me, as she began to cum, my lips eagerly continuing to stimulate her sensitive flesh. I could see her riding out the waves of pleasure from our affections as she pushed me down roughly, a clever smirk on her face.
"Nera?" I asked puzzled just as she rose up and sank back down on me really quickly, causing me to gasp. I went to place my hands on her hips and slow her down but she just pinned my wrists over my head.
"Not yet…" she whispered, "not until I'm done with it." She giggled as she began to gyrate and impale herself on me, and struggle as I might she was much stronger than I was. Eventually I just surrendered myself to her much rougher treatment and as she leaned her head down I kissed her eagerly, my heart pounding in my chest as my cock twitched inside of her. "Oh yes…" she whispered to me. "I can feel it about to happen my love." She whispered, "it's so easy to tell when you're about to finish from the way it moves."
"But…Nera, what about…" I was about to mention the fact that I could possibly get her pregnant but she didn't seem to care. With a moan I rose my hips to her grinding and as she gasped in delight I came for her, harder than I'd cum in a long time. I could feel the warm sticky fluid flowing around my cock as she continue to move up and down on me but as time passed it became slower and slower before she just collapsed onto my chest, both of us glistening with sweat and panting heavily.
"So…that's how that feels…it's fantastic." She whispered to me before kissing my lips. "Thank you Thane…I hope I did good too"
"You were fantastic." I replied breathlessly, holding her nude body against me as we cuddled close together.
"Thane…just promise me something." She whispered in my ear.
"Anything Nera."
"Don't stop holding me while we're sleeping. I want to feel your arms around me all night in my dreams."
"I wouldn't dare let you go." I replied back causing her to smile softly before she nuzzled against my chest. And soon the two of us fell fast asleep with one another , my arms around her protectively as promised.
To be continued…