A/N: So I'm playing D&D right now and probably shouldn't be typing since I'm literally trying to sneak into a safe to plant condemning evidence against a rival gang... meh

Disclaimer: I own none of this, but I do own my D&D character =p

That's None of my Concern

Nero hated how this made him feel. He was aware this time, though the partial devil wasn't sure if he preferred this or if waking up and not remembering what he had done was any better. Some deep part of his consciousness knew that this was wrong, that he had lost control. The Hunter relaxed in front of him, even though the raised hairs on the back of her neck said otherwise. Part of the urge to chase eased slightly, although he desperately wanted her to run because that meant he could hunt after her. The prey took in a breath, so loud in the quiet of the cavern they stood in, and let it out.

"Aren't you going to fight back…?" he whispered, claws manifesting with barely a thought to tug down the fabric that covered her face, exposing her throat and the smell of her sweat and the slightest tang of… fear. He grinned, his own heart trying to thrum out of his chest with excitement and adrenaline

"No." she said, quietly but firmly. "Kill me if you wish, I only urge you to be swift about it." A long low growl rolled out of the partial devil's throat, something that, had he been in his right mind, Nero would've been mortified with. As it stood now, he delighted in the shiver that ran down her spine, she was strong and that made playing with her that much more pleasurable. The idea that he may be able to break her…

"But that would strip me of all the fun…" he murmured, running a singular claw down the pale column of her neck. Warm and red the blood followed his finger, he could still smell the nectar of the gods in her veins from her last injection, even as the wound closed up in a matter of seconds.

"Your 'fun'," she emphasized the word "that's none of my concern." she stared obstinately ahead of them, red eyes currently dulled. He wondered if he might drive them alight, awaken the beast inside her as well.

"Shouldn't it be?" he prowled around her front, claws flexing and opening over his shoulders in eager anticipation.

"Hmm." was her only response, still refusing to move, to react, she may have no control over the scent of fear she put out but the lack of physical response was starting to grate on the partial devil's nerves. He was tempted to snap at her just to see if teeth in her jugular would elicit a response. He prowled around behind her again, she didn't even follow him with her eyes, just stared straight ahead as though there was some rescue awaiting there. Wait. His eyes snapped up to match Katherine's line of sight and before he could focus on it, there was fire at his feet and in his face. He snarled, taking a forward roll through the dirty water on the floor before coming up on his feet and giving chase. The wounds forgotten, they'd heal shortly anyway, the chase had begun…

Katherine vaulted up on top of a small ledge and took off, and Nero was right behind her. Some strange singing tickled at the back of his mind but he ignored it, solely focused on his prey. There was a brief glow to his right and his prey flinched, something lodged into its thigh. The rich smell of blood in the air- something wrapped thin but strong arms around him and hauled him backward, tiny mouths snapping eagerly into the flesh of his back and shoulders. The partial devil snapped back, biting one of the arms wrapped around him before reaching with both arms and wings to yank his opponent over his shoulder and onto the ground. Red Queen lit up as she slammed into the monster, turning what may have been a head into mush. The spray of blood and the monster's viscera onto his face and hands just fueled the flames of his bloodlust. But there was one prey that he wanted more… His head snapped up, a grin splitting his face as he saw that his prey had only gained a small lead, limping as she went, blood joyously onto the ground as she did. The growl was long and low as he started forward, pausing briefly to yank the opposition out of the shadows where it hummed and dash its swollen head into the ground.

The spear splashed as it fell into the water, his prey having yanked it from its leg in a desperate attempt to go faster. His tongue snaked out to catch some of the blood on his face, just a tease of what was to come… The prey fought back, of course it did, but it was no match for him, never would be. The scream that it gave when he grabbed it and crushed a leg beneath his boot was… delightful, a shiver running down his spine at the tension and… snap of bone. Despite the break his prey squirmed around in his hands, eyes aglow and snarling at him. He simply smiled at it, raking claws down its chest and into its guts as it tried to claw him back. It squirmed and something snapped inside, the light slowly fading from its eyes. Nero frowned, the prey hadn't been as much fun as he'd thought… There had to be others here… he stood, the corpse at his feet fading into light as he continued on, bloodlust burning hot in his veins…

A/N: Not sure how I feel about this chapter… the peculiar madness of blood-drunkeness is really hard to put to words… I'm sure I'll fall into it better the more I write it so

Until next time,

-Winged Element