Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection

Drabble: Tainted love

A/N: Inspired by the video clip Last Day of Magic the song by The Kills. The lyrics from tainted love fits so well this bitter drabble that I decided to use part of the lyrics and name the drabble after that song.

I'm really glad everybody voted this second option in the last poll.

Rating: M+ (abuse, sexual references, death, blood...)

Sometimes I feel I've got to run away
I've got to get away
From the pain you drive into the heart of me.
The love we share seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light for I toss and turn, I can't sleep at night.
Once I ran to you
now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given -
I give you all a girl could give you.
Take my tears and that's not nearly all.

Tainted love

The rails of the train shook intensively since they were going too fast. None of them had enough knowledge to slow down the train, Blake didn't even understand why Adam had ordered her to go and try to do it if the buttons seemed all the same for her. Defeated but not giving up, Belladonna quickly returned at the last wagons where Adam had stayed to steal the dust and destroy cargo. Sending her there had been an absolute waste of time and returning at the bottom of the train only exhausted her and weaken her aura. Sometimes she encountered some robots that had survived the massacre she and Adam made when they entered the train. Despite that, the mission hadn't been more complicated than the others she had been in.

Blake was proud of herself, she had never been in a mission with Adam and even less they both alone. She knew how all the missions Adam commanded ended. Most of the members of the White Fang had their hands stained with blood due to Adam's orders. Maybe that was the reason why Adam never asked her to come with him. Hijacking the train was relatively easy and Blake was elated that this mission wouldn't be a bloodshed as the others. Or that was what she believed until she heard the shotgun firing wild.

Blake arrived at the last wagon and pressed the button on the wall to open the door. She had been just in time to presence what Adam had been up to since he had sent her at the top of the train. Then all made sense.

"Have mercy on us!" One of the crew members begged, in his knees and with his hands behind his head.

The others were curled in a corner, trembling and not daring to see how their partner's life ended. All it took was a bullet from Adam's weapon. Blake wished she had been just one of them and be defenseless to have the freedom to not look at how Adam killed the man, without hesitating, looking at him in the eye…

"Adam!" Belladonna yelled in pure horror, she had heard about his bloodshed but had never seen how he killed someone. They had always told her those were accidents, non-intended murders due to the human's stupidity. Those people didn't deserve to die, they were claiming to have pith on them! What kind of monster could ignore those begs and just kill them

The bull faunus claimed his excited breath and turned to see his partner. She was crying and Adam felt the urge to instruct her in controlling her emotions and strengthen her soul. She couldn't even say more than his name, she was shocked.

"I told you not to say our names during missions." Adam reminded, violently grabbing her by the arm and making her pace towards the corpse and the other employees in the train, who only whimpered more and sheltered each other. Blake didn't take her eyes off the blood that Adam stained on her arm's skin when grabbed her.

"What have you done?" Blake finally found the courage to speak against her mentor and superior. "All these times you have told me the deaths had been accidents…"

"They know my name now and also have seen your face." Adam didn't let her finish, Blake just trembled in her place. "It's your fault so you are going to deal with the problem."

Taurus walked towards the two alive employees left and threw one on the floor, just before Blake. Immediately he kneeled and grabbed her feet embracing her weak ankles.

"I beg you, let us go!" The man pleaded.

Blake would have stayed looking at the weaponless man at her feet if Adam hadn't shot at the other employee. The corpse fell and he returned by her side, as if nothing had happened.

"Darling, if you don't kill you don't serve the faunus cause." He forced Blake to unsheath Gambol Shroud. "I'm doing it for your own good."

Belladonna resisted the gold on her own weapon but in the end, she was just a puppet that Adam could control. He had a grip in both of her hands and controlled the movements, made the employee rise his head and put the gun in his forehead.

"Pull the trigger." Adam ordered. When Blake didn't respond he shook her body violently. "Pull it, now!"

"Please, miss, you don't want to do this!" Were the employee's last words.

The blood splattered in the wagon and once Adam, satisfied, let go of Blake, she observed her own clothes stained with red oozing blood. She hadn't pulled the trigger, it had been Adam's finger the one doing it for her. Blake felt as guiltier as if she had done it herself because standing and not doing nothing was equal or worse than actually doing something.

"No, I don't want to do this." Blake replied the vanished words of the murdered employee.

All it took was a bullet and life vanished out of that person.

It had been the point of no return and Blake's real problems would start from there.

Ilia stood still, silent, with a glass on the wall to listen to the neighbors conversation. She knew something wasn't right. Blake's glance had changed since she went on that mission alone with Adam. She hadn't told her, probably because of shame or in the worst case, fear. Amitola was the best person could comprehend Blake and her situation, not wanting to do things that the superiors ordered was a complicated situation. But Adam was both superior and lover, Blake was emotionally bonded to him and that brought her in a circle of self-destruction, Ilia feared.

"You can't understand that everything I do is for your own good!" Ilia heard Adam yell.

A second later, Ilia felt something impacting in the wall she was leaning. She heard the sound of struggle and a quiet whimper.

"You are hurting me!" Blake cried, her breath accelerated.

"This wouldn't happen if you obeyed me." Adam threatened her. "This way you will learn."

Ilia couldn't just stand there anymore without doing nothing and just listening to her best friend's cries. She had to do something, Adam was crossing a limit. She exited the room quickly, covering her ears to avoid hearing Blake's whimpers. Loudly, she knocked at Adam's dorm door. The yells and cries stopped and she could hear Adam muttering something, then a loud thump. A few seconds later, the door got open. Ilia faced Adam and his angry eyes, he was intimidating and unconsciously she swallowed saliva.

"What is it?" Adam asked impatiently.

Ilia's brain burned. She hadn't thought of a good excuse to get Blake out of there. Those arguments they had happened so suddenly and ended quickly and with violence.

"Is Blake here?" The chameleon faunus asked, trying to peek inside the room, she found Blake sitting on the bed, head low. When she heard Ilia's voice saying her name she looked up, Adam glanced back at Blake and she shivered and stayed quiet.

"This is not a good moment." Taurus growled.

"Well, you see… Sienna asked me to bring someone I trust with me to talk about something." Adam narrowed his eyes, Ilia made a step forward. "Sienna hasn't told me what it is about, but I need Blake to come with me right now."

Belladonna stared at Adam waiting for a signal, his permission. Taurus nodded and she got up, she was like a robot, being controlled and at the minimum sign she executed the orders. Or that was what Ilia thought that Adam wanted Blake to be. His personal submissive, loyal servant.

Blake smiled at Ilia and got out of the room, but before Asam closed the door, he got a grip in Blake's wrist. Her cat faunus' ears folded down, the hand Adam was grabbing was trembling too.

"I hope it doesn't take much time." Adam said it as a sentence, more an order than anything else.

"I'm sure it won't." Ilia replied and Adam let go of Blake.

Once Adam closed the door and the two friends were alone, Ilia held Blake's hand and led her upstairs in the rooftop direction. It was a cold night and the air made shiver both of them, but none of that mattered.

"Everything you told Adam were lies, right?" Blake asked, her voice weak. "I'm going to get in trouble, Ilia."

Amitola closed the door of the rooftop and didn't let Blake enter the building. The cat faunus was actually scared and with her eyes couldn't stop looking for a way out. Every time Ilia tried to talk with Blake about her relationship with Adam she avoided the topic.

"Adam controls, manipulates and hurts you." Ilia said, Blake looked away. Both knew she was aware of her toxic relationship. "Do you think it is what a normal person does to the loved one?"

"This isn't about what I think." Belladonna replied. "It is about the consequences and if I return now maybe Adam won't mind you lied at him."

"I only lied to take you out of there!" Ilia defended herself, Blake was trying to blame her but she didn't care, the most important was Blake's well-being. "What was he doing to you? Where did he hurt you?"

Ilia saw Blake unconsciously caressing her lower belly, near to her right hip. The chameleon faunus stared serious at her, Blake wasn't willing to show her the physical pain Adam infringed.

"That doesn't matter. I love Adam and he loves me back." Blake clearly was in a defensive position and wouldn't accept Ilia's help since she was directly attacking Adam.

"Then what matters? If you aren't your first priority…" Ilia tried to reason with her but Blake's mentality had changed, she was a caged bird.

"My first priority now is to return downstairs and be with my boyfriend." Blake replied aggressively. "I understand you are worried about me, but I'm fine."

Ilia knew that the last sentence was a lie, she could tell by her golden eyes. Blake was quieter than ever and didn't smile anymore. Ilia knew her good and she wasn't like that. Adam was changing her and it wasn't too late to make her open her eyes but it would take time.

Ilia grabbed Blake's arm, like Adam did before, to stop Blake from leaving. This time, she didn't flinch and wait for instructions. Blake violently got free from Ilia's grip and with a last glance of anger, she returned downstairs, leaving the chameleon faunus shocked. Blake had never been violent.

Belladonna ran as fast as she could to return in time. She was sad to hurt Ilia but it was necessary to keep her away from Adam and herself. It was her problem that Adam and she argued a lot recently, not Ilia's.

When Blake entered the room everything was dark. She heard Adam's peaceful and calm breathe and distinguished his silhouette in bed. Blake only had to take off her pants and laid beside him, carefully covering her body with the bedsheets. She sighed in relief once the quietness arrived and closed her eyes. Then, she felt Adam's arm tangling around her waist and pulling her closer to him. The warm breath now was in her human ear.

"How did the talk with Sienna go?" Taurus asked, holding with care Blake's body that shivered. Before she could answer, Adam spoke again: "I could expect Ilia lying to me but you…"

His hand gripped around her wrist and slightly put some pressure, hurting Blake's skin but not actually enough to leave a visible mark.

"I was going to explain you the truth." Blake whimpered, it only made Adam get angrier and tighten the arm against Blake's waist.

"Ilia doesn't like me, she doesn't like us. Do you know why?" He asked Blake in the ear. "Because she is in love with you and feels frustrated every time she sees us because she knows she will never have you like I do."

Blake closed her eyes and turned her head to the other side but soon Adam would make her look his way. His red eyes shone brightly in the dark and observed every expression Blake made. She knew Ilia liked her in a romantic way, in the beginning, it had been awkward but now she got used. Not corresponding her love made Blake feel guilty, but it was something completely out of her control and Adam's. At least for then…

"I love you, Adam." Blake sweetly reminded him and kissed his lips quickly. Then kept caressing his face like a soft feather with the tip of her fingers. It got the effect she expected, Adam calmed down and loosened his grip on her body.

"Love you too, darling." He muttered and laid his head on her chest to sleep. Lately, every night had been like that. They started to talk and argued before going to sleep. Then in bed Blake would make something to compensate him, the daring caresses had a high effectivity on him, but loving and sweet rubs on the hair and cheeks also worked well. Sometimes he would apologize for being rude or violent earlier and then he embraced her and slept all night. Belladonna always stayed up, questioning herself how did she end in the point of no return.

Adam had never been criticized for his extreme philosophies. When he was called to speak with Sienna he didn't expect that her, the woman that thought that violence was the solution and encouraged him to kill, would give him a talk with clear orders.

"You cannot kill in every mission you lead. You know I never tried to control your power and limit your authority but this is going too far." Sienna spoke, her expression very serious.

"Which is the reason why you have come here and tell me to change my plans?" Adam asked, he expected a name as an answer.

"Some of your men have complained about your orders to execute people unnecessarily." She informed him.

Even though Sienna hadn't given him a clear name, Adam knew Ilia Amitola was one of those persons who didn't want to kill.

"Speaking of which, I had a particular case I wanted to comment with you." Taurus started, changing the topic. "There's a friend of Blake, Ilia Amitola. She needs a rougher hand."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Sienna asked, not trusting any word from the bull faunus.

"She doesn't respect my authority and I think having you as a mentor would help her." False excuses, Adam only wanted to take her off the game so he could be in peace with Blake. Her relationship with her was something private and he disliked how Amitola questioned their decisions as a couple.

"Me? But I train in Mistral, not in Vale." The tiger faunus complained.

"That's exactly why she should move to the Mistral branch with you." Adam sentenced. He saw doubt in Sienna so he continued with the words she wanted to hear: "Amitola is an excellent fighter but hasn't developed her potential completely. Your help would make her an important piece in your branch in Mistral."

The tiger faunus stayed silent for a few seconds. Adam knew he had given her exactly what she wanted to hear. Amitola wasn't a great fighter, just a regular trainee but Adam knew first hand that Sienna did miracles with her trainees. Even someone common like Amitola could become an important piece in future missions if Sienna made her improve her fighting skills. Everybody would win, the White Fang, Ilia for becoming a better fighter and Adam for staying with Blake alone. Everybody won, that was enough to justify Adam's wicked actions inside his mind.

"I trust your judgment, Adam. I'll give you my word that I will take care of that rebel trainee." Sienna finally said. "I'm leaving tomorrow, go and give her the new."

Adam got up and silently exited the room. He went upstairs and searched for her in the installations. He had convinced Sienna, now Blake wouldn't have any external influence. That guaranteed him cent percent that she would never leave him. There was nothing that Adam hated more than when somebody tried to question their relationship. When they began dating, Adam left clear that didn't want anybody getting their nose in his business with Blake, his former pupil. Now Blake was his equal, his queen, the person who would stay beside him at the throne of the High leader of the White Fang. Nobody would dare to come between them, Ilia was just one of the many persons he had kicked out of their lives.

Adam finally found Amitola exiting the showers, her hair still wet from the water. She pretended as if she hadn't seen him and walked away, but Adam got a grip on her arm, preventing her from leaving.

"You are leaving tomorrow." Adam announced, victorious. He could almost feel the taste of the pleasure of being alone with Blake.

The chameleon faunus roughly got free from his grip and made a step back to face him. Ilia didn't know what all was about but didn't need to be told that she was a problem for Adam since she was Blake's friend and warned her about his controlling and possessive behavior to say it lightly.

"What are you talking about?" Ilia asked, frowning her eyebrows.

"Leader Sienna is taking you with her to the Mistral brotherhood to continue your training with her as mentor." Adam sentenced.

Ilia would have felt honored in other circumstances but knowing the reason why so suddenly and without asking for it she had been assigned a mentor and moved to another brotherhood she wasn't happy. Adam pulled his strings to give her a ticket to leave so he could do and undo whatever he wanted with Blake. Ilia wouldn't consent it.

"Why me?" Ilia asked. Sienna had a good reputation, one of the bests, but there was a reason hidden beneath the opportunity.

"Because you are talented and I don't want to waste your skills by just getting rid of you." Adam answered while receiving a hateful glance from the chameleon faunus. "So go and prepare your things to leave or you'll regret staying here." He sentenced as a final warning.

Ilia didn't move and opened her mouth to reply with some defiant commentary or dangerous promise but she thought about it twice and decided just to go and leave Taurus in his world, thinking that he had won.

Once Ilia was out of Adam's sight, she searched for Blake. She didn't want her to get in trouble with Adam but knowing that Ilia was going to leave the branch because of him maybe would make her open her eyes and realize how toxic Adam was. Amitola had one thing sure, she wouldn't leave Blake in the headquarter alone with Adam.

Amitola went downstairs, upstairs, even looked in Blake's shared room with Adam knowing that she risked being discovered by him, but Belladonna was nowhere to be found. Defeated, Ilia went to the rooftop to have some fresh air and think about a way to get Blake out of Adam's claws. When Ilia opened the door to exit out of the building, she stumbled upon Blake, who was just going to enter.

"I-Ilia!" Blake exclaimed, her voice broken. She had her eyes red and seemed to be crying recently. Ilia read in her glance that Blake was feeling guilty for how she treated her the other day while she tried to warn her about Adam.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." Ilia said, closing the door behind her, showing that she wasn't mad at Blake.

"Why?" The cat faunus asked, hiding her hands behind her back, Ilia noticed it but said nothing to not put Blake in a defensive mode like the other day.

"They ordered me to change from this faction." Ilia said and stared intensively at Blake, she was sure the cat faunus could guess who made her leave.

"They? Who exactly?" Belladonna asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. But she couldn't avoid the truth even if it was hurtful.

"Adam." Ilia said the obvious and Blake closed her eyes and lowered her head. "I'm being transferred to the Mistral brotherhood with Sienna."

Ilia waited for Blake to react and say something. None of them moved, the cat faunus remained silent and Ilia expectant for an answer. After almost a minute, Blake found the words and spoke:

"Sienna is a great leader, it is a good opportunity to improve your skills." Blake tried to sound happy for her but her impression wasn't convincing. That offended the chameleon faunus, it hurt her that Blake didn't even react at the new. Or maybe she wasn't surprised because...

"Were you aware of Adam's plan?" Blake remained silent, that meant a 'yes'. "Do you really want me to leave?!" Ilia exclaimed, hurt.

"Of course I don't want you to leave but it us for your own good!" Blake almost yelled, she was obviously emotionally unstable. "If you stay here Adam will make your daily routine a living hell."

Ilia was very aware of the condition if she decided to stay, Adam's subtle threats couldn't be taken lightly. Blake made the intention to leave but Ilia blocked the way. Blake was too scared to do something and speak against his couple. She needed to open her eyes.

"And you will let Adam control your life?! He is trying to isolate you so he can have you only for himself! He took you away from Menagerie so you couldn't be with your parents and I am his next objective." The chameleon faunus yelled, done with everything.

"I begged him to let you leave, Ilia! He doesn't like you being around here!" Belladonna confessed at the edge of crying

"Adam has taken your family, friends, and freedom, what's next? Your life?!" Amitola asked back, not wanting to make a step backward and willing to martyrize Blake until she decided that Adam had gone too far and could go even further if nobody stopped him.

"Just leave us alone! He will treat me nice once he feels there isn't any threat around." Blake begged her best friend.

"Treat you nice?! Ilia asked offended. "He should always treat you nice no matter what."

Blake dried a tear about to fall from her amber eyes. Ilia spotted bruises in her wrists, being half-covered by the ribbon tangled around her arm. Without doubting it, Ilia approached Blake and grabbed her arm to examine the purple marks on her skin. They were finger-shaped and appeared due to a brutal force. The chameleon faunus continued examining her friend's body, even lifting her clothes to find more bruises.

"Ilia, stop!" Blake whimpered, struggling to stop her friend.

Amitola, even though it pained her, didn't stop until she found what wanted to see. Blake also had bruises on her hips and belly, marks of hits that left brown and lilac signals on her pale skin. Blake covered herself and contained her cries, ashamed for everything she was going through. Ilia couldn't understand what was going inside Blake's mind but said something that would surely help.

"I'm not leaving without you, Blake." Ilia said, offering the same opportunity that was opened to her. "Tomorrow a helicopter will be here and you will come with me to Mistral."

Belladonna smiled comforted but the compassion Ilia felt towards her made her feel even more unfortunate. Ilia embraced her friend, who was still trembling and Blake made herself little in order to search for comfort in her chest. Despite being Amitola smaller than Blake, the cat faunus felt protected for a while. That was what at first she felt when she was with Adam but now he was the one she was afraid of.

"I can't come with you and you know it." Blake cried. "If I go, Adam will chase us. He is too important inside the White Fang, he can do whatever he wants."

Ilia knew that returning home in Menagerie wasn't an option since the last time Blake had talked to her parents they had a brutal argument. She felt guilty so Blake's only option was to be in the White Fang. The opportunity Ilia was giving her was precious.

"Blake, just think about it. Imagine the freedom we would have in Mistral." Ilia insisted, making Blake look at her. "Escape from him before it is too late."

Belladonna considered the option. A part from their relationship and his possessive behavior, he also made her kill a human in that train! Blake accidentally saw how Adam killed mercilessly the crew and that surely happened in all the missions he led and she wasn't present. Those weren't accidents as he assured, he didn't even try to hide it anymore. Adam felt like the humans deserved to die and leaving beside the fact that he was his romantic partner, if Blake stayed in his branch under his commands she would have to murder. These two things made her hesitate an option that Blake would have never considered. What if she did leave with Ilia? Would it be the end to the abuse?

"What time will be the helicopter leaving?" Blake finally dared to asked, Ilia contained a smile of happiness.

"In the afternoon after sundown." That was around 8 pm at that station of the year. "I'll be waiting for you, Blake." Ilia assured her.

Blake nodded in agreement and left immediately. Ilia let her go because surely Blake hurried because Adam was waiting for her. At least Amitola had changed her mind, Blake would finally leave Adam behind.

The cat faunus returned to their room. She would think about everything at night, when Adam fell asleep. If she had enough courage to pack her things and leave him she would finally be free. Blake had been reduced to nothing but she wasn't blind, everything Ilia told her wasn't new to her. Adam had always wanted her for himself so he tried to make the people around them go away. He partially achieved it and then the abuses started. But after Ilia's words, Blake felt more confident and entered the dorm without trembling.

Adam heard Blake coming in and he pretended as if he were still working, focused on his paperwork. Usually, Blake would approach him, give him a hug and a sweet kiss to assure he was in a good mood for the rest of the night, even she would whisper caring words. But Adam waited and waited and Blake didn't come, she just sat on the bed and read a book, relaxed and as if nothing happened. That was enough to piss Adam off.

"What's wrong with you? Where have you been?" He asked.

Blake barely raised her sight from the book. "I was talking with Ilia in the rooftop." She simply answered, not giving it too much importance.

Adam tightened his fist and pressed the papers together with strength. Blake heard how he threw the papers away, flying over the room, the table almost trembling due to a second hit on the wood.

"I told you I didn't want you to see her again." Adam growled, getting up from his chair. Blake also got up from the bed, closing the book and holding it with both hands so she could prevent the trembling on her body. "What did she tell you, huh?" Adam demanded.

"I was just saying goodbye to her!" Blake exclaimed, feeling her heart pumping loud inside her chest also wanting to get out of there.

Blake felt Adam's warm breath on her forehead as he closed the distance with her. His hand got a grip around her neck, the black scarf hiding previous marks of his fingers too. He also grabbed Wilt and Blush and placed the katana against her cheek.

"That wasn't part of our agreement, love." Adam spoke slowly. "I'd let her leave if you stayed away from her. I spent the afternoon alone because you were with her!" He yelled, pushing roughly Blake's back against the wall.

"I will be staying with you here, we will be alone starting from tomorrow! Isn't that what you want?!" Blake whimpered as she felt Adam's fingers tightening around her neck.

"And you? Is that what you want?!" Adam asked back, stealing the book from Blake's hands and throwing it away so their bodies would be pressed together.

"I-I love y-you…" Blake muttered as an answer, feeling an urge for oxygen.

"This isn't working this time, darling." Adam sentenced, knowing her strategy to calm him down. "You are driving me insane, Blake. And you know what to do when I'm mad at you, right?"

Blake, without any other option, nodded and Adam released her free. She fell to her knees and coughed from the lack of air. The bull faunus didn't give her time to recover and pulled her hair so she would raise her head.

"Go on, love. Make this up to me, will you?" He threatened, placing his weapon under her chin to face the consequences of her behavior.

The next morning, Blake got up with her body still hurting. The left side of the bed where Adam used to lay was cold and in his place there was a beautiful red rose and a note. Blake turned, each part of her aching, and read the note:

"My darling,

Today we will finally be alone, just the two of us. Now that nobody will get in our way, I'm sure together we will ignite the flames of the faunus revolution. With you by my side nothing can go wrong.

I know last night I went too rough on you. You also know I try my best in taking care of you. You are mine and from now on I will make sure nothing bad happens to you. I'm just asking for your cooperation in return.

I love you, Blake."

The cat faunus sighed and read the note twice. These words often came out from Adam's mouth and nothing changed. They weren't romantic partners, she knew Adam 'loved' her but that love wasn't sane. He just wanted to possess her, feeling lust every time she cried because he pushed her too hard. He didn't want the best for her, just what he felt that was best for himself and the faunus.

"This will end today." Blake sentenced, grabbing the beautiful red rose.

She put the rose in the vase with water and threw a pair of them, that Adam gifted her last week, that were already wittered. Each time they fought she would find a rose by her side the next morning. As if forgiveness would only cost a flower.

Blake put the dirty clothes that were scattered on the floor on the laundry cub and threw her stockings away since Adam broke them last night. Then she moved to the shower in a small bathroom they had in the same dorm, a privilege just for the leader of the branch.

Belladonna's favorite part of the day was the shower, in the morning and even in the evening if she could. Adam also gifted her with aromatic creams and expensive shampoos and body lotions. He liked smelling her scent mixed with flowers just before drifting away to sleep.

Blake leaned her hands on the wall of the showers as the water fell over her body. She watched how the water turned red on the floor, wiping away the dry blood. Once the first layer of dirt was gone, Blake rubbed the scented soap softly through her skin and then put the shampoo on her hair. She rubbed in circles until there was plenty of foam and then let the water wash away all of the hurt that was inflicted to her yesterday.

After almost half an hour, Blake got out of the shower, hair half-dry and already combed. It was late but she would arrive just in time to have breakfast with Adam in his office. Sometimes at the weekends it happened that she overslept and he came to search for her in the room so it was better to hurry and go there before he could suspect something.

Blake got dressed quickly and spent several minutes tangling the black ribbon around her arms to cover the marks he had left in her skin. She also used concealer and translucent powder to cover the bruises on her exposed stomach. Once she made sure that nothing was out of place by staring long and hard in the mirror, Blake got out of the room.

First, she went down in the kitchen and the volunteers of the White Fang gave her the basket with Blake and Adam's breakfast. It was a daily routine. Then Blake returned upstairs and knocked on the door of the office and wouldn't enter until she heard his approval from inside.

Nevertheless, this time Adam was the one to open the door and let Blake pass inside the office. She barely looked him in the eyes and hurried to leave the basket with the food in the small table on one side of the office where he sat during informal visits or while receiving guests. The desk was full of paperwork so he also used that space for his own delight.

Blake felt how the couch on the sofa sank beside her as she prepared the things in the table to have breakfast with him. She feared he would mention the five minutes she was late but he seemed pleased by her floral smell. Blake poured some tea in one small cup and handed it to him. Adam accepted it but left it on the table, Blake continued putting out the things from the basket, but he grabbed her hand so she would stop. Blake let out a broken sigh and faced him.

"I didn't ask for a maid." He commented, seeing how Blake tried too hard to serve him. "I just want to enjoy my love's company."

By his soft tone, Blake could tell the storm was over. Or at least the storm wouldn't begin again until he got mad for something. Their relationship was a repetitive cycle and now he was in the soft, loving and caring mode. Blake had to put some effort to maintain it that way the maximum of time.

"How was your morning so far?" Blake asked as he poured some tea for her as well she did for him.

"Dull until you arrived." Adam replied sweetly, sounded almost artificial.

"Glad to hear that." She replied automatically and looked outside the window. "It seems like today will rain."

"It won't ruin our romantic evening." Adam said, surprising Blake. She stared at him so he would continue and explain to her what he was talking about. "I've got plans for us tonight, darling. It's a surprise for you."

"For me? Why?" The cat faunus asked. Maybe Adam was in such a good mood because Ilia would leave today.

"Because you are so good to me." Taurus replied, caringly caressing Blake's cheek. "And because I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday. I should have stopped when you told me to."

Blake swallowed saliva when she remembered last night. Adam noticed it, placed a sweet kiss on her forehead and slowly embraced her small body. The cat faunus closed her eyes and let Adam comfort her almost until she fell asleep. They ended cuddling on the sofa until the tea cooled down. Adam enjoyed the smell of the shampoo she washed her hair with and relaxed for a while.

They didn't move until a thunder woke them both up. A storm had begun yet they were calm. Blake felt Adam's fingers stroking her dark mane as she laid her head on his chest to hear his heartbeats.

"I should return to work." Adam finally said, opening his eyes. "And you should go train."

"You are right." Blake whispered, leaning backward to sit on the sofa. They had been cuddling together for all morning.

"When you finish you'll take a shower, get pretty for me and wait for me in the entrance of the headquarter at 8 pm." Adam ordered, putting his hair in place with his fingers.

A hurtful beat strike her heart. That was the same hour Ilia's helicopter would leave. Adam was doing that on purpose so she couldn't go, not even to say goodbye. Taurus sensed her being insecure and frowned his eyebrows but before he could get angry and restart the cycle, Blake turned her head and smiled at him.

"I'm looking forward to it." She said in the sweetest of tones and approached to kiss his cheek. "See you later."

Blake didn't hurry in leaving to not be suspicious and not make Adam think that she would go running with Ilia. The cat faunus blew a kiss to Adam once she opened the door and then exited the room. After that short rest her body still ached but not like that morning when she woke up. Slowly the bruises would heal and luckily only a small unnoticeable scar would be the reminder of her turbulent relationship with the leader of the terrorist organization the White Fang had been turned in.

Once Belladonna was on their dorm, she had to use the chair to reach the highest drawer and grab her suitcase. It was a small purple bag, most of her things would fit inside, even her weapon. Blake stared at the clock, she had two hours to get ready, avoid Adam and reach for the helicopter camouflaged inside the Forever Fall Forest that would be waiting for Ilia

Blake stared at the right side of the closet, the one that belonged to her. She put all the clothes that needed and wanted to take in top of the bed and carefully placed them inside the suitcase, using the lesser space she could so everything would fit. Her usual training attire, sneakers, boots, pajamas, ribbons, makeup, all the hygiene products that belonged to her and for last, her weapon. As it was raining, Blake decided that she would need her coat, so she would put it on. It was better for her that the day was cold because if she put Gambol Shroud inside the suitcase, the thick coat wouldn't let the suitcase zip.

Then all Blake needed to do was wait, but an unbearable guilt didn't let her breath. She would leave Adam behind, without an explanation, waiting for her to go on their romantic evening. After everything he had put her through he didn't deserve any of Blake's thoughts and feelings, but she was too kind to just leave him. Deep down, she was dependent of him and didn't want to let him go because she still loved the man once he was, not the monster he was now.

Blake sat on the desk, put one paper over the wood and grabbed the pen. She started writing a letter, like the one Adam left her in the couch that morning.

"Dear Adam,

I will always remember all of your charms: the convincing way you speak, your soft hands that can either hurt or please me, the undeniable passion that guides you, the way your face relaxed when you are asleep, how your mouth half-opened silently asks me for an intense kiss…

All the times I tell you that I love you are not a lie or a strategy, a way to solve all our arguments and problems. When I say ''I love you' it is because I yearn to see the man that made me fall in love in him, that manipulated me in a subtle way that I didn't notice because I was too blind, that slowly tore me apart and separated me from my friends and family. Maybe you have always been like this but I like to think that what I'm seeing now is just your darkest side: the cruelest murderer and most dangerous lover.

I wish you could be in my mind for a while to know what I think every time you lose control and hurt me. I don't hate you but I can't love you anymore. I can't bear the way you hurt me anymore. I'm still coughing blood from the fight we had a week ago. As I said, I will never forget your charms but also I won't forget your faults, the way you abused my body and mind.

I can't even look at myself in the mirror, I can't stay by your side but I also can't bear myself. Every time I think about the man you made me murder in the train my stomach twists painfully. Staying with you is not an option and being in this branch of the White Fang neither. I know you had your plans for us, ruling over the White Fang and being the most feared and dangerous couple in all of Remnant. But I will not use my potential for violence but for change and progress. I hope soon you understand that this method that inspires fear to the humans won't work. This way we will never be equal.

I'm trying to think in our future separated and I can't almost imagine it. We've spent half of our life together and after so much, not having you in my life seems impossible. It will take months, maybe years, but we will get used to it and maybe we will even fall in love again with another person in the future.

I hope you can forgive me for leaving you this way, but I don't have any other option.

You will always be in my thoughts, Adam.

I love you.

Blake."

Belladonna had to dry a tear that was going to fall and stain the letter. She carefully placed the letter in the side she used to sleep in their shared bed and grabbed the suitcase to leave. She dried her tears and put the coat on to face the coldness of the new world waiting for her.

Silently Blake closed the door of the dorm behind her and sneaked through the hallways to go downstairs. She went unnoticed and once she was outside of the building and the rain fell over her, Blake finally felt the taste of freedom. After all these years Blake had hope in a better future, not tied to Adam anymore.

In less than a minute the rain had soaked her entirely. Blake distinguished the lights of the helicopter far from the building. Just after giving one last look behind her, Blake ran away. Her steps made the small pools of water squirt as she focused her sight on the airship that would take her away from all her problems. She could even see the Whitefangers putting their luggage in the bottom of the helicopter.

Belladonna made a step forward to get out of the tree forest and reach for her liberty and the field where the helicopter was but a sudden pressure on her hand didn't let her advance.

"My darling!" Adam yelled, the thunders loud in the background. Blake turned and saw him soaked too, trying to pull her by the arm so she would not leave. "Why are you betraying me like this?!"

By the first time in her life, Blake heard true sorrow in Adam's voice. He wasn't angry, he was desperate.

"Let me leave, Adam!" Blake begged, pulling on the contrary direction to escape.

"No!" He sentenced and with a rough pull managed to corner the cat faunus between him and a tree which leaves were being roughly agitated by the wind. "Don't leave!"

"I can't stand this anymore!" Blake cried. "I need to get out of here and have time for myself without you!"

Adam clenched the fist that was resting in the trunk of the tree to prevent Blake from leaving.

"I'm nothing without you!" Adam yelled.

He lowered his head and cried, full of pain. His whimpers eventually stopped and Blake stood still until he only was breathing and trying to assimilate that she was leaving him.

Belladonna sneaked under his arms, she wasn't cornered anymore. Adam didn't move and stayed bent over, leaning in the tree, eyes closed. Blake couldn't stand the pitiful sight and approached to kiss his wet cheek. Adam didn't make a sound and stayed still. Blake made two steps backward, not daring to turn her back on him but when she saw that Adam was not moving, Blake turned to reach for the helicopter.

She got out from the forest and stepped on the field. The members of the White Fang were going to leave but Ilia was still outside the ship, looking around for her.

"Ilia!" Blake yelled, moving her hand in the air so she could see her.

The chameleon faunus turned around and saw Blake with her luggage ready to go and join her. Ilia motioned for the other to wait for Blake and approached her friend. Blake saw pure happiness in Ilia's face but suddenly, for some unknown reason, her expression changed to fear.

"Blake, watch out!" Ilia yelled, too late for Blake to react properly.

A sharp edge hit Blake's back. The cat faunus fell forward, screaming in pain. The luggage fell open on the floor the clothed also stained with the rain. Blake's head sank in a small pool of water and red leaves. She turned to look up a the sky how she could and find Adam standing tall. Blake tried to crawl back but he stepped on her chest, pushing her back down to the pool of mud and water.

"If you leave me you won't be nothing neither!" Adam threatened, unsheathing Wilt.

"Leave her alone!" Ilia cried and hurried to stop Adam but with only a rough push, he managed to throw her to the floor too.

"Ilia!" Blake whimpered. The hit on her back had weakened her.

Adam stepped on her stomach with strength and kneeled to be closer to her face. With his palm, he turned her head to one side and sank half of her face in the mud. Blake's hands gripped around Adam's wrists but nothing could stop him at that point.

"YOU'RE NOT LEAVING ME! NEVER!" Adam yelled at Blake's cat ears.

The members on the helicopter ran outside as they heard the screams. They were willing to help Blake and Ilia but as Adam was the leader of the Vale brotherhood, with only a gesture he could stop them.

"Leave!" Adam ordered the men. Nobody dared to question his orders and they entered the helicopter to leave immediately, leaving Ilia and Blake behind.

Once the helicopter left, Adam searched for Blake, who was crawling on the floor towards Ilia. Adam got on her way and got a grip on Blake's muddy hair and made her kneel. There was blood coming out of her mouth and she seemed to be choking with the air that she herself was breathing.

"You don't need anyone else, just me." Taurus growled, raising his closed fist in the air.

"N-no!" Blake muttered, raising her hands to show submission.

"I'm the only one who could ever love you, Blake." He sentenced.

Blake closed her eyes and felt the hard impact of Adam's knuckles with her cheek, mouth, and nose. She felt her body fell to a rain pool and Adam's shoe kicking her face to see if she was conscious, but Blake could no longer open her eyes. Her body shut down and slowly the rain became a distant echo that accompanied her into a dark slumber.

The previous coldness that had invaded her body was gone. She felt the emptiness and numbness over her except for a small amount of warmth in one of her hands. The intense light of the room forced her to open and close her eyes several times, tears falling due to the impact. Slowly, her whole body woke up and her senses came back to her, the pain striking sharp in one of her sides. Despite everything, Blake remained calmed, not daring to move until a heavy breath hit her hand, the one that was warm.

Blake made an effort and turned her head to see what was giving her such warmth in a so cold room. The first thing she distinguished was red, bloody ruby hands that were holding her own.

Taurus noticed she was awake when her hand tried to get free from his grip. Adam got up and leaned to see Blake panicking, her breath rapid and the machine controlling her heartbeat accelerating.

"Love, calm down!" Adam ordered, softly taking off the oxygen mask placed over her mouth.

Blake screamed and weakly tried to make Adam stay away from her. The bull faunus tried to hold her hands in a sweet manner that eventually became violent, restraining both of her wrists. The cat faunus kept screaming senseless things, in part due to the hard medication they were giving to her in the hospital. The yells eventually attracted medical staff to the room, who also had received the alarm of the racing heartbeats from Belladonna's machines.

"Sir, we just want to help." A female doctor said, trying to make him exit the room.

"She's my partner, I can't leave her like this." Adam replied, scared of Blake's reaction when she saw him.

The medical staff had to push Adam away from Blake, making him go to the bottom of the room. A minute later, a security guard asked him politely to leave the room as he wasn't allowed to be in there while the hospital personnel was working. Taurus, resigned, was forced to exit Blake's room and wait in the hallway outside, sitting in a stupid plastic chair while hearing Blake screaming.

Back inside the room, the female doctor injected something to calm her as she diagnosed a nervous crisis. Blake slowly calmed down, muttering stressful words and eventually staying silent, looking at an undefined point of the room, half-conscious. Once the medical staff made sure everything was alright and Blake was stable, they placed back the oxygen mask over her mouth and left, leaving the room free for anybody that wanted to visit her.

Ilia saw the personnel coming out of Belladonna's room and stopping Adam, who was on his way to enter, to explain him Blake's delicate state. Amitola, taking advantage of her camouflage, sneaked inside the room unnoticed. She saw the terrible state of her friend, who was just laying on a white bed, half-drugged by a high dose of morphine. She approached slowly and moved her hand over Blake's eyes to see if she was conscious of her surroundings.

"Blake." Ilia whispered, softly slapping her face to make her react until the cat faunus locked her eyes on her. "Listen to me, we don't have much time."

Belladonna rose her hand to touch Ilia's face but the lack of strength didn't let her reach for it. Amitola held Blake hand that had fallen and approached Blake, who was trying to speak.

"Don't let him…" Blake whispered, her mouth and throat dry. "Don't let Adam come close…"

Ilia felt her soul being ripped for pity over her best friend.

"The hospital will concede your custody to Adam while you are recovering." Amitola told Blake, who let out a broken breath. "The White Fang will force me to leave to Mistral tomorrow."

"Don't leave…" Blake whispered, tightening her fingers around Amitola's hand.

"I don't have any choice. But you can." Ilia tried to comfort her, hurrying before Adam finished talking with the doctor. "Adam will feel guilty about this for a long time, you have to earn his trust and in the less expected moment escape."

"I can't… I can't, Ilia…" Blake replied, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can. Promise me you'll do it for me." Ilia insisted, looking behind her to check nobody was listening to their conversation. "Blake, please, regain his trust and betray him. You can't stay with him."

Belladonna didn't answer and closed her eyes. Ilia wiped out a tear that slipped down her cheek. She could see the lack of trust in the cat faunus. Adam had reduced her to nothing, Blake was hopeless and helpless, left in his hands that eventually will end destroying her.

"I'm tired, Ilia…" Blake whispered, letting go of her hand and sneaking it under the bedsheets to find warmth. "I'm so tired…"

The cat faunus closed her eyes and put herself comfortable to sleep. Ilia observed how abused she had been and if she hadn't stopped Adam after Blake passed out Ilia feared that her friend could have been worse…

"Amitola." Ilia heard behind her, it was Adam who had returned from the hallway. "I wasn't expecting you here."

The chameleon faunus noticed that Adam was calm. The guilt would make him be docile for a while, especially with Blake. He was carrying a beautiful bouquet of red roses, Blake's favorites and under his eyes, there were deep dark circles.

"What did the doctors say?" Ilia asked in a not so friendly tone.

"She has one rib fractured and that causes her difficulty to breathe." Adam replied. Ilia remembered how after she passed out, he kicked Blake in her sides, probably what caused her that fracture. "They estimate she should rest for two months in bed."

Ilia felt Blake touching her hand, that was resting on the couch. Amitola and Adam turned to see Blake.

"Stay." Blake begged in a hoarse voice, Ilia barely could understand her.

"I can't, Blake." Ilia replied, looking at Taurus by the corner of her eye. "I'm told to leave today to Mistral."

"No, please…" Blake whimpered at the edge of crying, tightening her grip on Ilia's hand.

The chameleon faunus had to turn her head to let her tears run freely without Blake noticing it. The cat faunus had the sight too blurry to distinguish such small details. What she could clearly see was when Adam made Ilia let go if her and replaced her spot beside the bed.

"Go, Ilia. She won't remember this due to the high doses of medication." Adam told her. "I'll just tell her that you wished her a quick recovering."

Blake closed her eyes and turned her head away from Adam, facing the wall, as a sign of rejection for his words. She heard Ilia saying goodbye for the last time and her steps disappearing slow. Once the silence filled the room, Blake felt Adam's strong hands holding hers.

"I have read your letter, love." Adam started in a soft tone. "I'm sorry for making you suffer, my darling. Lately, I've been soulless with you and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness." He sentenced, leaning his head to reach her hands in the bed.

Blake was petrified and didn't know what to do: if staying silent and pretending to be half-asleep or answering with a single nod and 'forgiving' him so he wouldn't disturb her rest anymore. Before Blake could make up her mind, Adam spoke again:

"I need you Blake, I promise I will change!" He raised his voice and slightly shook the still cat faunus. "You have nobody here to take care of you except me. You have to forgive me." Adam demanded.

All the choices that earlier had appeared in Blake's mind as options suddenly faded. She didn't have any right to decide, Adam always decided for her. So, as she thought previously, faced him and corresponded to his caresses, softly stroking his palm with her fingers.

"It's alright." Blake muttered with difficulty.

Adam opened his eyes in surprise for the quick reply coming from his hurt girlfriend. Blake faked a tired smiled and closed her eyes again to rest. Now that he was forgiven she expected that he wouldn't disturb her anymore. She was wrong.

"Do you still love me, darling? After all I did to you?" Taurus asked again, shaking her hand to catch her attention.

At that moment, Blake comprehended that Adam wasn't doing all of that for her but for himself. Taurus was scared of himself not only of the possibility that Blake could leave him one day. The bull faunus had discovered his darkest side and something inside him was making a wicked seed grow, turning him more violent. What Blake didn't know so surely was if he liked his darkness or was trying to run away from himself.

Blake nodded slowly and Adam smiled sweetly. He let her hold the bouquet of roses he had bought for her. The cat faunus caressed each of its velvet petals. Adam went from leaving one rose at his side on the bed to buying her an entire bouquet when he visits her at the hospitals. The threats and manipulations became violence and slaps on her cheek. All of that always stopped for a short period when he did everything to regain Blake's love and earn her forgiveness. Then he used again his toxic behavior against her until leaving her at that critical state, in a hospital bed with bones broken fo his fault.

"Can I kiss you, love?" Adam demanded, taking away the bouquet of roses from her hands so all of her attention was on him. "I really need one." He begged.

Belladonna tried to get away from Adam, trembling at the mere sight of his hand raised over her helpless body. Her core hurt with each centimeter she moved and the chance to escape the contact became just a slight lean to the opposite side. Taurus couldn't care less about Blake's physical reaction and retired the oxygen mask from her mask to touch her lips with his own. She didn't show resistance and stayed still while he tried to make her open her mouth to deepen the kiss. Adam kept trying even knowing that Blake couldn't breathe without the mask because her thorax hurt each time she had to inspire air.

The cat faunus stole the mask from Adam's hands in a rough movement and placed it over her mouth again, breathing in pure relief once the oxygen entered her lungs.

"Why must you be like this?" Adam, disappointed, asked. "Why do you always have to ruin everything, Blake?"

The cat faunus, immobile in bed, stared at one of his possessive tantrums. Adam tightened his fists with rage and threw the bouquet against the wall, destroying the roses and making its petals fall. After cursing with spite, Adam left the room, muttering that he needed to have some rest.

Blake stared at the scattered roses of the bouquet on the floor, that slowly would wilt after the violence they had been summited. The cat faunus saw herself in each of those roses, without thorns left to defend herself. She was as fragile as those flowers that ended destroyed on the floor by Adam's brutality.

Blake forgot about the bouquet of roses and drifted away to sleep, knowing that tomorrow Adam would return with a new one.

Now I know I've got to
Run away, I've got to
Get away, you don't really want any more from me
To make things right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you think love is to pray
But I'm sorry, I don't pray that way.

Don't touch me, please
I cannot stand the way you tease
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm gonna pack my things and go

Tainted love

After Blake's words in episode 5 we can know how Adam's behavior was when they were together (No spoilers so the non-first members can enjoy the chapter next week). I really liked writing a Tauradonna drabble focused on the abuse and mentality of the characters. I'd like to write something similar to this so if you have ideas leave them on the reviews. They are all welcome!

Answers to the reviews:

Noa: Don't worry, dear. This drabble was voted more so I'm posting it first but next week you'll have the other of the pregnancy posted. Thank you very much for your review!

Guest: Thank you for voting! Hope you enjoyed this drabble.

TheBritishRose: Yes, I'm from Catalonia and I love OT! I loved Tainted Love sung by Marta and Natalia and that inspired this drabble. I think that Alba or Natalia will win and Famous and Julia will be finalists too. Who is your favorite contestant from OT?

Fluttercord4Lyfe: Done! What did you think at the end of the drabble? I'd appreciate your opinion.

Krystal501: I hope I can post the epilogue before 2019 begins but there is a reason why I'm not uploading it and it's because of that surprise I had been teasing. All I can say is stay tuned because big things will come!

The Wizardrous Magicman: Hope this drabble reached your expectations

merendinoemiliano: I think I'll go with Adam Xiao Long, but I'll make him be called Beacon's Samurai by the students in Beacon. I'll keep working on it.

Thank you very much for reading. In the next drabble posted (the option #1 on the last poll) I will start another poll with two or even more interesting drabbles.

Frozenheart7