Authoress Notes: Well, hello again, folks! I'm truly sorry for the long wait for an update on this! I was busy, and I had a rough time plotting the rest of this story out! Let's just say it'll get complicated little by little, but hey, we all love complications, don't we? Anyway, enough of my babble, please enjoy the second chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own SO3. It belongs to SquareEnix/Tri-Ace/Ubi-Soft.

Pairings: AlbelxNel, FaytxSophia, CliffxMirage, and others, if you want.

Plot/Summary:

((AU Darkfic)) It started out with a kiss, which led to something more. How did it end up like this? But when she found out what he really was, she ran, but she'll soon find out that the Wicked never lets what is his get away. Ever. AlbelNel

Poison Allure

By: xKuroSeraphimx

((start chapter))

Chapter 1

'… Hmph. What a night this turned out to be…'

Was what Albel Nox thought as he took a sip of some thick, red beverage as he sat in a far corner in Peterny's only bar. Next to him, several dead bodies lay in a pool of blood on the floor, and the other occupants in the building didn't even seem to care that a murder had just occurred before them, or, they just didn't want to touch upon the situation, considering how quick and merciless Albel took them down in a flash for their drunken idiocy in annoying him.

A cruel smirk crossed his features. Smart people, he thought. He didn't want to be trifled with now, considering that his prize had once again, eluded from his grasp. In fact, he would have gone back to Arias and massacre the poor town, thinking that Clair lied to him, had he not caught a whiff of Nel Zelpher's faint scent among the masses of these maggots around him. He could hear the low hum of his prosthetic metal claw arm as he flexed its talons, a slight tingle in him, wanting to tear flesh from bone again.

Now, he wondered if he should curse his luck or thank it, for a scantily clad woman sauntered up to him with a look of lust in her brown eyes that were heavily powdered with make up.

Stupid bitch.

"My, my… So beautiful you are, covering yourself in blood… You look absolutely delicious…" she crooned, edging closer to him.

Was the woman blind or just plain stupid to see that there was no splotch of blood on him? Why would he even let the blood of filthy maggots such as these taint him? No, he wanted another's blood, to fill his need, to coat himself in it…. The hunger within him caused the cruel smirk on his face to curve into brutal, ice-cold smile, which the woman that tried to seduce him couldn't see for the shadows, concealed it.

To kill slowly, or not to kill slowly… That was the question…

The woman's eyes trailed across his chest that was seen through the gap of his open cloak, and then wandered down to his groin. "You remind me of a cat… All silky skin that hid a dangerous sense of power…" she continued.

A cat? How foolish. Then again, a savage predator would have suited him better. His body, of course, was a weapon and he kept his favorite weapons well honed. In fact, if this bitch wanted to see claws, he'd be delighted to show her his own claws; five fine metal ones in fact.

"So, sugar, why don't you come up with me to my private room and I'll show you how—"

The seductive look on the woman's face immediately turned to that of pain and horror as Albel's good arm crushed her wrist that tried to touch him, feeling the long nails pierce through her skin, allowing blood to pour down on the stone floor, and even though the scent of more blood being spilled on the floor raised his hunger, it didn't excite him like the scent of Nel's blood. No, nothing compared to hers.

And he craved it.

The smile on his face widened slightly as he heard the sound of bone being crushed, the shriek of pain that emitted from the bitch's mouth, causing the whole bar to go silent as he broke her entire arm in a flash, yet still, he did not let go.

"You'll show me what, hmm?" he asked too softly, digging his nails deeply into the woman's flesh. "Your grotesque body of a woman? No, no. I don't accept it. Your body does not fit my tastes… Heh… And it never will…"

Next, he crushed her entire wrist into a bloody pulp, enjoying the sound of muscle and bone mixing together in a meaty squish, allowing several points of the broken bones to break through the thin membrane of her skin.

Even through the pain, she managed to say, "You… You cruel bastard…"

Her answer was a high and cold laugh, chilling everyone who heard it to the bone. "You think I'm cruel, whore? Well, in that aspect, you're quite right. Even now with your mangled arm, your body is no more fit than crow bait." He hissed softly before he threw her away from him, much like throwing a ragged, broken doll.

Sobbing was the only sound that was heard as Albel resumed drinking his beverage while the other men and women continued to stare at the pitiful, crying woman that sat against the bar table in shame. Then the sound of the door opening broke through and eventually, conversation was brought back to life.

Albel heard the sound of thick boots approaching him in a sort of carefree, leisurely manner before it stopped short and the figure began to gaze down at the corpses that laid down next the dark blonde-haired general who continued to drink without a care.

A sharp, slow whistle was heard. "Sca-ree…" the blonde-haired man murmured in awe before moving among the bodies to sit in the chair across from the Captain of the Black Brigade.

"You're late," was what Albel said before taking a small sip of the red liquid, his voice a mixture of annoyance and anger.

"Heh. Sorry man got a little sidetracked on the way here. You know, the usual. Federation's been up my ass for a while; it was hard to get them off my back. So anyway…"

"Cliff…" Albel warned making sure the blonde muscle man got the hint that he didn't have time to dawdle.

"Right, right… Sorry." Cliff Fittir said quickly, not wanting to get on Albel's bad side. "So… You still haven't found her yet?"

Albel's response was a long sip of his drink, which Cliff took as a "no."

"Ah, I see… Well, like you said, Nel keeps a damn well hidden track of where she goes and what she does. I haven't been able to pinpoint where she could be right now."

The cold general raised his glass in mock salute. "Count on the best spy in Elicoor to do that." He mused amusingly.

"Hahaha… Well, that's all I'm saying. Like I said before, I'm only giving any possible information about her to you, but I'm not going to help in the abduction." Cliff said before snapping at the bartender to send a beer to his seat. The bartender looked reluctant, seeing who Cliff was sitting across from, but complied to his request.

A small smile tugged at Albel's lips. "It's not an abduction, my dear Cliff. I'm merely… bringing what is mine back to me."

"Still… You're a heartless bastard sometimes." Cliff quipped just as his drink was brought to him.

The smile Albel was giving him was feral and deadly; not bothering to hide the threat beneath the gentle dispositions smiles normally gave off. "As I've heard so many times. But I'll let it slip for now…" he said softly, taking a long sip.

"So! What else do you have in store for me, Cliff?" Albel asked, setting his drink down.

Cliff grinned slightly. "Never can keep anything hidden from ya, can I? Well, the information I'm about to tell you is about… well… you-know-who…" he answered quietly before taking a swig of his beer.

Albel arched a neatly trimmed brow in interest. "Oh? What about him?"

"Word's going around among the demons that he's becoming more active lately. Hmm… Like… He's searching for something, you know? Heard it's very important." Cliff replied with a goofball smirk on his face.

The dark-haired Glyphian let out an arrogant snort. "Why would that bastard seek out anything? He can get what he wants, when he wants it. But let me guess, the suspicious thing about it is that he's keeping quiet, right?" he questioned, grinning as he read a part of what Cliff's mind had in store for him.

"Hey, would you cut that out? It's freaky. Anyway, yeah, 'cause, you know that sort of guy. He's a demon of course, although, he's a special one, but that doesn't remove the fact that demons like to go out with a bang. We don't know what it is, it's all hush-hush." The blonde-haired Klausian whispered.

"Hmph. I wonder how you get this sort of information anyway." Albel wondered, crossing his arms, clearly showing his gauntlet.

Cliff grinned. "Hey, when it comes to gathering information, Mirage knows how to get it, even if she has to slap a few demons around." He stated proudly.

"Anything else?"

"Hmm… I've heard that there's this rumor going around that he has a child. Kind of bizarre, don't you think?"

"A child? Who in the seven hells would ever want to sleep with that monster?" Albel asked incredulously.

"Hard to believe, eh? But then again, last I checked, that monster was the one who changed you into what you are, am I correct?" Cliff said, winking at Albel who remained silent at his question.

A fierce glare was his harsh answer.

Cliff raised his hands in defense. "Hey man, I'm just joking, I'm just joking… No need to take it seriously…" he chided lightly.

"And? What of the mother?"

"The mother? Oh, heard she died at childbirth. But then there's this different rumor going around that the child was stillborn, and that the mother's still alive, only she's been able to escape him. There's so many rumors, Al, that I don't think that we should trust any of them…"

"Hmm…"

"So," Cliff took a large gulp of his beer before setting it back down on the table. "I was wondering… I know that the guy hates you because you defied him after he turned you into what you are now… So what if he decides to target what you're after, hmm? You know, just to get back at you?"

Albel bared his inch-long teeth in a feral smile, a dangerous gleam in his eyes as a dark thought caressed his mind.

"If Romero decides to touch what is mine, Cliff? Then I'll hunt down every single demon that works for him and have their heads along with his, decorate the halls of Airyglyph castle…"

Cliff whistled in awe. "Sca-ree… Well… I wish you could go on with your search so that we can get this over with, but ol' man Woltar's called for you back in Kirlsa. He says he wants to talk to you."

Albel narrowed his wine-colored eyes at the Klausian and scowled before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Fine… But if you hear anything about Romero, get the information before you kill the demon, hmm?"

Cliff's smile was cold and merciless. "Heh. Don't worry, Al. I'll make sure to let the bastards scream…"

((scene change))

Nel Zelpher reached the entrance to the Chapel in the Palace of Aquaria, staring down the open gates in a sort of forlorn expression worn on her face. For now, she was safe, she thought, but for how long, she didn't know.

It was all just a matter of time.

Nel shook her head and walked in, her footsteps light and easy. After all, it was still the time of twilight, and any sound that happened at this time of night would easily echo among the castle's marble and stonewalls. She stared at the statue of Apris that stood high upon the altar, raising a mighty hand to the heavens above. Then she wondered that, even throughout the many sins and mistakes she committed during her life, would she ascend to the heavens when she died?

Yes, no, maybe so?

The red-haired Crimson Blade leader snorted at the playful thought. Even now, in her situation, she still found the time to joke around a few things in life.

"Ah, Nel! Good to see you again!" called a rough, masculine voice from behind.

Nel turned to face Adray Lasbard, the father of Clair Lasbard. The ex-Crimson Blade began to walk to her and let a large, burly arm rest on her shoulders, much like a father would in trying to comfort his child.

"Heh. Good to see you too, Adray. Though, would you mind being a little quieter? It is way past midnight after all." Nel said playfully, feeling rather safer with Adray.

"Oh, all right. But seriously! It has been a couple of months since I last saw you, and it has been over two years since the occupants of this castle have seen you. I would think that this is a rather joyous occasion indeed." Adray replied, patting Nel on the back.

Nel slightly cringed at how hard the old swordsman was patting her (more like hitting her) back but said nothing. After he was done with his fatherly affection, she looked up at him and asked, "Adray? Umm… Where is…?"

"Up in Elena's room. Come now, it has also been a while since the little rascal's seen your face too!" With that, Adray led the female redhead up the western stairs and down the hall to Elena's room.

Knocking on the side of the open door to announce that they were coming in, Nel and Adray poked their heads in the room to see Elena Frahm at her desk, holding a bundle in her arms before the Professor herself looked up and smiled brightly at the two and stood up from her seat, then began walking to them.

"Oh my! Nel! It's been so long since I've seen you! Wow… You've really grown in the last few years…" Elena said, making a sweeping check over the younger woman.

Nel scratched her head. "Oh Elena. I haven't changed that much, but I'm glad to see that you yourself is okay. I'm sorry that it's been so long, but… I have my reasons." She replied sort of shyly.

Elena shook her head. "Never mind that. Here. When Adray came back in with this little joy, I was surprised to find out about his origins." She said, handing Nel the bundle. "To tell you the truth, he was quite a handful, but he's a sweet lad, I mostly see you inside of him, Nel."

Nel smiled at the professor before gazing at the sleeping baby she held in her arms before brushing her lips against the baby's forehead.

'My son… My dear son Kratos…' she thought fondly as her baby boy stirred slightly, and opened his large eyes to reveal the color of emerald.

((end chapter))

Well… here you go! I hope that you enjoyed it, and if you didn't like the name of Nel's son… Umm… I'm sorry? I just had the name in my head for a while, and so, I thought it would be a nice name… I guess . Anyway, sorry for the long update, and if you want the next chapter, click on that button down there and review! Thanks!