Well, I'm back! I'm so sorry I'm late, I feel awful. The week after I posted the last chapter, I posted the second half of it, but I don't think there was any way for any of you to know that, so I'm telling you here. I've been having some writers block lately, and not nearly enough motivation to write this chapter. But ski week cured all that, so here's the next chapter, I hope it makes up for the long wait.
Warning: dark chapter ahead, enjoy!
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Words Once Spoken: Chapter 11
The next days went by in a haze. They came and went without much change. Kurama and Kuronue spent all of their time together, and Kurama continued to refuse to mark Kuronue. Slowly but surely, Kuronue was losing his grip on his control. Kurama didn't seem to care when his bat expressed concern though, he merely smiled and stubbornly insisted he didn't mind.
They spent most of their time at Kurama's, but they would have to stop soon. Kurama's step family would be returning from their father son bonding trip in a few weeks, then they would find out about Shiori. Kurama didn't want to be around when that happened. Because of that, he was determined to resolve his trouble with Kuronue before they returned.
At the time, they were in the middle of a heated make out session. Kuronue grinned and ran his hands over Kurama's rear as the redhead skillfully ravaged his mouth. Kurama squeaked when he felt a pinch from his lover's wandering fingers, and it quickly became a whine when he was held at arms length. "Shut up." Kuronue's dark tone had him serious in an instant. The grin had suddenly transformed into a more malicious smirk, threatening and sadistic.
Kurama trembled slightly as he stared at his lover. Though he assured Kuro that it was alright, these moods frightened him. The bat stood up and circled his still kneeling companion with a very predatory look on his face. Kurama's eyes followed Kuro, but otherwise he didn't move a muscle. He felt strong hands on his shoulders loosen the collar of the lavender kimono Kuro insisted he wear. "Up." with the simple command Kurama rose smoothly to his feet, still silent.
He felt Kuronue slip the kimono from his shoulders and let it drop to the ground. He was completely bare underneath. The Kitsune winced as he felt sharp fangs dig into the side of his neck. At times, Kurama suspected Kuro was a vampire bat. He hated it when his partner decided to draw blood, and it seemed to happen every time he was like this. But still, even if he didn't like it, he had to steel himself and do what was necessary.
"Kuro..." he whined as he saw him pull back, a trail of blood dripping over his chin. Amber eyes hardened in anger and he was backhanded onto the floor. A soft cry escaped his lips as his body bounced against the ground, worsening the impact. He was quickly turned onto his stomach and mounted without a second thought from his lover. His squirming seemed to cause excitement more than anything, and his protests were ignored.
His wriggling moved him until he was tilted enough to see Kuro's face. His eyes grew fearful when he did, for the possessive look held there promised something unpleasant. He realized then that he really didn't want this. No matter what, he didn't want Kuro to take him while in one of these moods. Apparently he had unconsciously fought harder, because he felt his arms forced back and restrained in one of Kuro's.
Coming back to his senses, he quickly forced himself to go limp, knowing that he couldn't disobey, but he needn't participate either. Apparently the resigned look in his eyes was enough to make Kuro start. He felt the fingers around his wrists release him, right before his love swung his legs off and rose. A few steps toward the bed and he stopped. "Go bathe, you're covered in sweat." The command was a bit icy, but it was his Kuronue that said it. He's back. Youko almost seemed to be pouting in his mind.
Sighing, he slipped into the bathroom, not bothering to fetch clothes. The shower would be faster if he didn't wait for the water to heat, but he didn't exactly look forward to going back into his room. Despite himself and every self preservation instinct in his body, he chose not to wait.
When Kurama got back into his room it was completely dark. He heard a sob and scanned the room until he found Kuro. His bat was a mess, hair down and tangled for whatever reason. Kuronue was sitting with his back to the wall, his knees bent close to his body, and his face buried in a hand, as well as behind his hair. "Youko?" he muttered softly. For some reason, Kuro continued to address him by his old name instead of using Kurama.
He approached softly, and lay himself on the floor by his grieving love. He rested a head on his thigh and nuzzled a bit. When he didn't get a protest he reached farther up his legs, causing Kuronue to jump slightly and look down at him. He smiled obediently, ready to pleasure his lover like every night and cheer him up some. "No...not now." Kuronue's voice was completely serious, a worried undertone making it quaver. He ignored the confusion on his partner's face and pushed the redhead back to his thigh, stroking the silky hair that rested on his leg.
"I'm scared." In all of their years together, Youko had never once heard Kuronue admit fear, yet here he was, doing just that. "I was really ready to hurt you that time. My mind was perfectly clear, and yet I was looking forward to forcing you." The hand roaming through his hair tightened momentarily. That was enough for Kurama to know what was coming.
"Please love?" Kuronue pleaded softly. "Please mark me, I don't know how much longer I can restrain myself." he had asked this repeatedly, and this time was no different than the last.
Sure Kurama wanted to end this danger in their relationship, that would make him very happy. But there were some things even Kuro couldn't make him do. "I can't do that, and you know it." In truth, he knew Kuronue didn't understand his reasons for not wanting to mark him, just as he had no special desire to explain them. "It just wouldn't be right to allow mother's death and our union to eclipse one another. I won't do that to either of you."
He pushed himself up and looked into Kuro's tearful eyes. "I love you." he said, pushing his lips gently against the other's. "No matter what you do, know that I could never blame you for it. I am the one who will not mark you, remember that." The smaller boy curled up in between his lover's legs contentedly, hoping that was the end.
Kuronue didn't really understand why his Youko was doing this to him. Didn't he get it, this was serious. If this didn't end soon, he would be hurt! "But sometime soon, I can feel it, I'm going to hurt you. Don't you want to prevent that?" but he received no answer. He could tell his love wasn't asleep, but apparently that was a question he just didn't want to answer. And so he settled down for the night. For the first time since they were reunited, they didn't make love.
It was nighttime. Not the regular deep blue that comes with the absence of the sun, but a deep black, omnipresent darkness. Dark clouds had gathered, concealing the moon, if there even was one. It was a night of terror, where everything stood still. It was a night of murderers, a night for foul deeds to be done. If nights were weapons, this one would kill.
An ominous breeze swept through the park, threatening all who walked it that night. The terror in the air was enough to make even the trees tremble with fright. Through the trees the wind swept, across the sidewalk and over the fountain, until at last coming to a stop when it came to the park bench where a woman sat. And in the shadows, above her head, blinked the fiery eyes of an obsidian bat.
She sat on the bench, wistfully dreaming of days long departed, times from the past. Grey-black hair blowing, she felt the eerie wind as it passed. Shuddering, she pulled her jacket closer and jumped to her feet. Even as she did, she heard hurried footsteps on their way down the street. When she looked for the source of the noise, she found nothing. Her eyes became panicked as she her breath grew uneven, huffing and puffing. Her arms wrapped securely around herself, as she looked left and right. Finding nothing, but feeling watched, she felt the need to get out of sight.
All pleasant memories escaping her mind, she turned from the park and hurried away. As she began to move, she heard something behind her, much to her dismay. She whirled to face the echoing squeak and the ominous flutter, only to find nothing instead of facing another. Unnerved, she turned and ran, all caution fleeing. She fled from a demon, this was no human being.
As if her fear spurred their hunger, behind her they gave chase. Thousands of bats, eyes blood red followed at an incredible pace. A scream tore from her throat as they came upon her. Fangs dug into her flesh, fresh for the slaughter. Vampire-like, they sucked in her blood, wretched delight in their eyes as they struck. Quickly they fed, and left her body behind, limbs torn to pieces, and empty eyes blind.
Above the spot where her body lay shattered, up in the sky, stormy clouds gathered. And in the darkness flashed empty red eyes. Burning with hatred, they marked her demise.
Kurama sat with a start. It took him a moment to get his bearings. When he realized he was held securely in his sleeping lover's arms, he relaxed with a sigh. Ever since Shiori had died, those nightmares had haunted his sleep. The dreams were always of her being ripped apart, and usually by bats. He knew that these dreams were part of the reason he wouldn't mark Kuro, he didn't want his bat to know about them. And more than anything else, he knew that he would be unable to bring himself to mark Kuro until he had gotten his vengeance.
As he had told Kuro many times, he would not allow one great change in his life to overshadow the other. The one thing his bat hadn't realized was that he was out for revenge. He sighed again and gazed up at the nearly full moon. It was almost morning, and tonight was the full moon. They would be going to the woods tonight, Kurama was certain. His blood was awakened, stirred by the soon to be full moon, and he knew without a doubt that something would happen. He settled back against Kuro's chest and closed his eyes. It would be morning soon, and he needed to rest. Hopefully everything would work out for the best. Tonight, one way or another, everything would be determined.
That Night
Kurama gave a quiet laugh and took off into the woods ahead of Kuronue, who followed quickly. It was a beautiful night, though cloudy, moonlight shone through. Kurama felt chills run down his spine as he was pursued through the woods. This was exciting, to be hunted again, and by one that he wouldn't mind being caught by. He felt Youko stirring in him, heightening his senses, making this a good chase. Even though he knew Kuro would catch him in the end, he had managed to convince himself he had a chance of escape.
It was impossible to say what it was for sure, but something was stirring within them. They hadn't done anything yet, but Kurama's body was already crying to be taken. Tonight, there were no limitations. Tonight, beneath the full moon, everything would be confronted, their hearts, and their love. Behind him, his heightened senses told him Kuro was already as exhilarated as he was, if not more so. The space between them was closing quickly as his bat took advantage of his wings to boost his speed.
His foot tapped lightly against another tree as he propelled himself farther from Kuro, hoping to draw out the chase. One wrong maneuver, one falter, would end the game. This was their dance, one that they had performed many times. Yet each time, it grew more exciting and more complex. Kurama's hair flew back behind him, wild and unrestrained, as he flew through the trees. All of the branches he passed moved to block the path of his hunter, and were detached from the trees just as quickly.
His body had never felt this nimble, this wild, this free. Never in his human lifetime had Kurama experienced anything like this. He needed to feel the night air against his skin, to be free of all restrictions. So twisting, he threw off his jacket, revealing his bare chest underneath. This was freedom, this was what he had been missing!
Once again, he propelled himself off of a tree, all of the branches ahead of him parting, giving him space to soar. He could feel Kuro a tail's width away from him, reaching out to grab him. He reached up and grabbed a branch, swinging up around it and letting Kuro pass by. Then he turned and vanished into the trees again.
He felt Kuro's speed practically double as he came upon him. Then something rammed into him from behind, Kuro's arms in an x shape, meant to shelter himself from the impact. With a gasp, the air was stolen from his lungs, as he came crashing down to the rocky earth, his head smashing against a tree as he struck. Still exhilarated by the pure, unrestrained force, Kurama managed to stay conscious. He felt a knee pressing into his stomach as the remnants of his clothing were tugged from his body.
A tightly controlled gasp of pleasure fled his lips when lips crashed down against his neck, roughly ravishing his skin. He glanced up, his eyes meeting hungry, fearsome red. "No." it came out as no more than a whisper. His Kuro had been lost again, replaced by this monster. Clawed hands grabbed his hips and pressed his now struggling body against the ground. A longer body lowered its weight down onto him, pinning him where he lay.
Kurama fisted his hands into silky black locks as Kuro bit down against him, not bothering to lap up the dark red liquid that beaded at the surface of his skin. Then, with fangs and claws, Kuro ravaged his lover's body.
If anyone had been in the forest that night, it would have been impossible not to hear the scream that tore through the night as it tore out of the fox's throat. The mixture of pain and grief in that cry was enough to push anyone over the edge. But behind the grief, and behind the pain, there was something far more primal. This was a howl of fury, one that spoke of revenge.
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Well that's that. Aren't you happy I updated? I'm so so so sorry I took so long to do it, I really am. I'll try to make up for it, I promise. So what'd ya think of this chapter? Like it or hate it, please let me know. Next chapter will be the moment you've all been waiting for (probably), so I'll get it out asap.