I obviously do not own the Teen Titans. Things would be different if I did.
It warms my heart to see that this story has received so much attention. And in order to satisfy the hunger that is gnawing away at your minds I now present to you PLAY FOR BLOOD.
Raven's scream pierced Beast Boys dreams and he shot out of his room like a bullet. Never slowing or stopping he arrived at Raven's door and knocked lightly, but firmly on her door.
No sooner had he finished the door opened and what he saw shook him to his very foundation. It was Raven...scared out of her mind.
Now there were two things that Beast Boy knew for sure. The first being that Raven would not hesitate to catapult him through a window or wall and second, that Raven although frightened would not show it on her face...at least not for long.
But now her face was a mask of terror and all Beast Boy could see was the desire to curl into a ball and never emerge again. But that was nowhere near as surprising as what happened next.
Raven shoved her arms through the gaps between Beast Boy's torso and his arms and buried her head in his chest as she shuddered and tried desperately to erase the image of those three heads dangling above her bead like a deranged mobile. Easier said than done.
At this point in time Beast Boy was still in shock, but remembering what happened last time he gently circled his left arm around her waist and the right around her shoulders as he lay his chin on top of her head and rotated his left hand in lazy circles until Raven finally found her voice and spoke in a hushed tone.
"Beast Boy...He's here." She could sense his confusion so she continued onward. "He told me to get everyone ready for the upcoming battle. He's strong...and we need to be ready for anything."
"Who Raven? Who's coming?" The answer was swift, "The one who left the bodies hanging from the wall."
Beast Boy managed to suppress the shudder that threatened to take hold and instead nodded in understanding and whispered into her ear, "We will be ready for him Raven, but right now we need to rest. We can start fresh in the morning okay?"
Raven nodded, but made no move to release him. So he spoke again in a lighter tone, "How about we watch a movie or something? It should help to take your mind off this creep so you can sleep better."
Raven nodded quickly and proceeded to loosen her hold on Beast Boy, but she kept a firm grip on his hand until they reached the common room and she sat on the couch while Beast Boy grabbed a DVD and popped it into the player. Then Beast Boy walked back to the couch with the remote in hand and cued up the television.
He was kind enough to skip over the ads and get right to the movie which opened to a shot of an archaic form of video game baseball that made her doubt the wisdom of letting Beast Boy choose the movie. But still she kept her peace since he was kind enough to keep her company and comfort her in a way that did not demean her.
It wasn't until a grandfather read the title of the book that he was holding that she realized she was watching The Princess Bride. And so her thoughts of derision faded gently into nothing as she watched Buttercup and Wesley's interactions until she asked him to fetch her a pitcher and he responded the famous phrase "As you wish."
(In Nevermore)
Happy was bouncing around more than usual with a grin that threatened to break her face. "He likes us! He really likes us!"
Even Knowledge was giving pause. Is he trying to tell us something or is it merely a coincidence?
The most notable of the emotions however was one wearing a violet cloak that was laying on her back and sighing blissfully. All in all it was apparent that those three words had left a far greater impact than Beast Boy could imagine. But that was only slightly apparent on the outside...
(Back with Beast Boy)
Raven had been staring into space for some time now and this did not go unnoticed by the resident changeling as he stared into her dark amethyst eyes and felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into her soul.
"Raven?" A whisper. Just as with trying to calm a dangerous predator.
Immediately she shook herself out of her stupor and looked him straight in his eyes. 'His eyes'. That was all that went through her mind as she felt herself being tugged, no...yanked forcefully towards him. Beast Boy noticed her advance and the gradual closing of her lids before responding in kind.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Only to be interrupted by the alarm.
Raven and Beast Boy jumped back from each other with blushes that rivaled a ruby's shine. But there was no time to mutter apologies because the next words were those of the leader shouting out over the intercom, "Titans! Trouble!"
And so it was that five teenagers rushed off into the night to face the source of the disturbance. And to face something that should not be.
(Time break)
"It won't be long now. Only a few more minutes and the Titans will be present and accounted for."
"Looks like you need to reset your watch, because the Titans are ready to teach you a lesson!"
I turned to face the cities saviors and giggled derisively. "That is the funniest thing I have heard since I was reborn."
The brightly colored one looked pissed and shouted, "Titans-!"
"Stop!" Oddly enough that is exactly what the Titans did. Although you could tell that they were still ready to fight.
"I have a question for the dark one." All eyes shifted to Raven who remained looking straight ahead with her hands aglow.
"What did you think of my gift? Please be honest."
"You disgust me." I shrugged my shoulders in resignation. After all, there were other matters to attend to.
I began to speak soft and low, "Although this is against my wishes my master extends the offer to join his legions and to fight in the coming battle against this world's heroes. Each of you would of course be rewarded for you service and granted a permanent place of honor in the new world. What is your answer?"
"Our answer...is this!" The dark one threw a tendril of dark energy at me and knocked my head so that it was now parallel to my back and it made the most delightful sound.
CRACK! Each of the Titans looked on in horror and even the dark one could not help but feel slightly worried that her assault was too much. That is...until I put it back in place by pulling at the top of my spine.
"Mmmmm. Such energy. It is a shame you refused to join, now I will have what I came for."
"Then who are you and why are you here? What is it you want?"
Saliva dripped from my open mouth as I gave him my answer straight and simple, "Cruor. Blood."
"Levitas offendo lemma!" Instantly the sky began to teem with plasma before it struck where the heroes stood. But the dark one knew what was coming and erected a shield to protect them from my simple spell.
I laughed as the shield lowered to reveal them completely safe from harm. I laughed loud, long and clear. I had been waiting so long for someone to display strength and now here it was! Five adolescents that fought with expertise well beyond what I had pictured.
"EGO dico super aequora ut somniculouse meus hostilis!" Again the dark one raised her shield as sheets of water sped towards them, but this time I was ready. "Incendia of Abyssus perussi lemma!" I extended my skeletal hand and from it emerged the hottest plume of flame to be found outside of Mephastopholes' domain.
As expected it penetrated the shield and set her ablaze. And that sublime sound of unbearable agony rang throughout the city.
The shield dropped for good this time and the green one rushed to her as she collapsed on the ground charred skin showing through what was left of her uniform. I stood grinning from beneath my hood and turned to the Titans, all of whom were looking at me with unconcealed hatred.
"This exercise was amusing Titans, but I wish to save some fun for another day." I turned to leave, but immediately turned back around to point my right index finger at Beast Boy and say, "You. Next." And I leaped off the roof and vanished in a wisp of blackness.
And it was with heavy hearts that the Titans rushed home to heal their fallen comrade...before they next had to face...Cruor.
And so it is that with much delight I finally give you the name of the villain. His name is indeed Latin for "blood". Hence the title.
And of course this...is only the beginning.
Hahahahahahahahaha!