Chapter 15: Bathory
In order to improve her complexion and also to maintain her failing grasp on her youth and vitality, she slaughtered six hundred innocent young women from her tiny mountain principality... When back in the castle, each batch of young girls would be hung, alive and naked, upside-down by chains wrapped around their ankles. Their throats would be slit and all of their blood drained for Elizabeth's bath, to be taken while the heat of their young bodies still remained in the thickening and sticky crimson pool. And every now and then, a really lovely young girl would be obtained. As a special treat, Elizabeth would drink the child's blood: at first from a golden flask, but later, as her taste for it increased, directly from the stream, as the writhing and whimpering body hung from the rafters, turning pale.
The warlock skimmed over the flyers pinned on a wall close to Kaon's Rec Center. There were many ads, notices, numbers, and small, unimportant things. His optics stopped at the 'Missing Bots' corner, as everyone dubbed it. He read the names of the poor victims, studied their young, seemingly happy faces, their bright, innocent optics that shone with confidence. He gave a chilling smirk, pulling the black cloak over his head. He walked silently but swiftly towards a secluded area of the city where no one ever went to anymore, as if it were cursed in every sense of the word. He unlocked a large, massive door, closing it rather quickly once he stepped inside. Sliding off the cloak, the large mech sat himself in front of his monitor, opening the comm. link. The dark room suddenly flooded with light as Megatron's visage appeared on the screen. The vampire smirked.
"It has been some time, Hook..." The warlock smiled.
"What can I do for you, My Lord?" Megatron cleared his throat.
"I know that a powerful warlock like you has seen many incantations, spells, and curses hroughout your life..." Hook leaned in.
"What is your question?" Megatron looked into his optics.
"Can you make a claimed mech a virgin again?" Hook couldn't help smiling.
"It'll be a pain in my gearshaft to get all the slag for it... But for you, I'll happily do it... May I ask why?" The leader smirked.
"Would you believe me if I told you that my former second-in command-"
"-Is a seer?" The warlock finished for him. " So I've heard... You know, your little 'creations' don't know how to keep secrets... Though I had my suspicions when I created your little 'harem.' How are they doing, by the way? I heard about Thrust...He was your favorite, wasn't he?" Megatron raised an optic ridge, but did not show any emotion.
"They are fine. So can you do this or not?" Hook stood up from his seat, pulling his cloak on again.
"I'll send you a list of some of the items I will need for this procedure. I'll handle the difficult ones myself. I will see you soon." Closing the comm. link, the warlock made his way out of the dark building.
Megatron leaned back in his throne, letting out a content sigh. Cyclonus appeared next to him, awaiting his orders.
"Cyclonus," He commanded, "Ready my bath..." With a silent nod, Cyclonus walked out of the room, heading towards the prison ward.
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Hotshot panted as the red Autobot held him close. He could taste blood in his mouth, feeling as if the taste would linger forever.
"Hotshot! Come on, talk to me!" He felt himself being shaken, but he felt as if everything was dulled down, as if he was stuck in a moment in time. Rodimus stopped shaking him, holding him close. Blood was smeared all over the floor, pooling under the dead, gray body in the corner of the room. He buried his face in the yellow bot's head, trying to comfort the small mech in any way he could. Hotshot only stared into the victim's cold, black optics. He felt as if he were staring into an empty house. He licked his lips, savoring the blood. For some reason, he felt no guilt whatsoever. Instead, he felt something different, like some sort of longing.
They say that no matter how many times a vampire feeds, they never forget their first meal.
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"You failed again, didn't you?" Swindle looked down in shame, resting his head on the knee he was not kneeling on. A warm, wet hand cupped his chin, forcing him to look at his master.
"T-they had a were! " He squeaked. Megatron forefully pulled him forward, baring his fangs as he let out a deep growl that echoed throughout the room. The arms dealer almost fell into the large bathtub. Megatron narrowed his optics.
"Now, be a good little creation and kill your little halfling. You know we can't have dhampirs against us, even more so if they're Autobots!" As if there was no effort involved, the Decepticon leader dragged Swindle into the bloody bath he waded in. The warm, thick fluid stuck to his golden armor, staining it that familiar pink and violet. His fangs began to grow, stimulated by the heavy scent of virgin blood. The arms dealer looked up, staring at the faces of the dying victims, with their throats hacked open. He shivered as he met their lifeless optics. Megatron's strong arms wrapped around his waist, and he could feel his creator's breath on his neck.
"Now, now, my dear... Don't let these poor younglings frighten you... They were merely nameless victims... Or is it because it brings back memories?" Swindle bit his lip as he leand back into the vampire.
"M-memories..." Megatron sunk his fangs into the dealer's neck, and Swindle let out a pleased mewl. Tracing his tongue over the bite, Megatron shifted until he was pinning the dealer on the edge of the tub.
"Aren't you glad I saved you that day?" He smirked, leaning in to capture his creation's lips in a hungry kiss. Swindle spread his legs open, pulling the larger mech closer. Breaking off the kiss, he buried his face in his creator's neck, shivering violently as he sobbed.
"I-I owe you... everything... I-if you hadn't shown up-" Megatron held the arms dealer closer, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Swindle remembered his life before he was turned. His mother was a prostitute, trying to get money however and wherever she could. He was an unplanned sparkling, yet she still loved him like any mother should love his son. He remembered that one night, where one of her clients had been a vampire. He remebered how that mech had killed her in front of him... He remembered being taken to a warehouse, where other young mechs like him were being held against their will... He remebered hearing their screams of terror as they were dragged to a room, where their throats would be slashed as they were hung upside down like slaughtered pigs as the vampires drank their warm energon blood. Another violent shiver racked through him as he remebered being dragged down that hallway, chains cutting into him as he struggled to get away, stopping only when Megatron killed the vampire that had been dragging him.
"I know, my dear Swindle... I know..." He pet the smaller mech's head affectionately before dipping his hands under the pink abyss and into the smaller bot's exposed port. Swindle threw his head back as he let out a carnal roar, his fangs gleaming in the candlelight. Looking back at his creator with red-glazed optics, he sunk his teeth into the other's shoulder as he pressed himself more into the vampire king. Pulling out his fangs, Swindle shyly licked the wound before exposing his neck to his creator. Megatron bit into the metallic flesh, grunting in pleasure as he felt the other's fangs sink into his forearm. Megatron pulled his hand away, replacing it with his own cable. He thrust into the dealer, who wrapped his legs around his waist. They cried out in pleasure, with the leader aroused at the smaller's blood-stained mouth. Their stained mouths met in a strange, feral kiss as their bodies began to overheat from the interfacing.
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Blitzwing gave the recharging seeker one last embrace before crawling off him and exiting their room quietly. Making his way down the hall, he stopped at the living room, finding the old medic bot. Blitzwing silently sat next to the mech, who continued staring at the television screen.
"Can't sleep either, huh?" Ratchet asked gruffly. Blitzwig nodded.
"You could say that..."
"Got somethin' on yer mind?" He sighed.
"Many zhings... Most about him..." Ratchet leaned back, turning his head towards the vampire.
"You're worried about Starscream..." He sniffed. "Don't blame ya... Heck, I'm even surprised the kid's doing so well considering what happened to him..." Blitzwing narrowed his optic.
"I don't seem to zhink zhat Starscream's doing 'vell', per se..." Ratchet let out an annoyed sigh.
"You know what I slaggin' meant! I know he'll never be totally fine with the fact he had gotten raped by his former leader, but he seems to be coping okay... I've seen mechs and femmes around his age who've gotten abused one way or another, and they ain't coped as well or as fast as I've seen Starscream do..." His optics softened. "I guess it's because he has someone like you and Blackarachnia... Ya know... Knowing someone loves you that much that they'll risk everything just to keep you safe... makes one feel... I don't know how to say this so it doesn't sound corny..." Blitzwing smiled.
"Special?" Ratchet rolled his optics as he laughed quietly.
"Yeah... Guess there's no other way of putting it..." He rubbed his wrist, rotating the joint while doing so.
"You haf a bad wrist?" Rathet flicked his hand, popping the joint bak into place.
"Old wound...had it when I was a youngling... If I remember correctly, I was trying to climb something, but fell and landed on it..." Blitzwing's face scrunched up in thought... No... It couldn't be...
"Vhat happened?" He had to know.
"Well, I was trying to climb some crates, but failed miserably and fell, landing on my wrist. THe impact pretty much fractured it. I tried calling for help. My parents weren't home, and my older brother left the house to do some errands..." He let out a small, amused laugh as he locked optics with Blitzwing.
"Then you came along and fixed my wrist for me..." It WAS him! That little youngling all those years ago! Ratchet gave him a rare, warm smile.
"You know... When you all first came with Starscream all bloody and injured, I thought I was having an episode again... But I was right... You were that same kid all those cycles ago..." He shook his head in an amused manner as Blitzwing shifted from Icy to Hothead, yet still kept the same calmness. That was a first...
"And if I remeber correctly, I think it was you who picked me up..." Hothead shrugged.
"Vhat can I say, you vere being annoying" He gave the medic a miscievious smile as he was smacked lightly on the head.
"You may be older than me, but yer so immature... I'm almost tempted to make you drink that disgusting medicine for all the slag you and Bumblebee make me go through..." The tripe-changer grimaced, sticking his tongue out for emphasis. Spotting something strange, Ratchet took hold of his chin, forcing him to face him.
"Stick out your tongue." Ratchet asked. Through the visor, Ratchet could see Blitzwing's confused look.
"Vhat? Vhy do you vant-" The medic tightened his grip.
"OPEN. NOW." He growled through clenched dentals. Sighing in frustration, Hothead complied, sticking out his tongue. Finding the metallic bolt, Ratchet sighed, letting go of the other's chin.
"Never knew you had a pierced tongue..."Hothead smiled triumphantly
"Neither does Starscream..." Ratchet shook his head in mock shame.
"Now what would your mother think if she knew her son had a tongue piercing?" Blitzwing let out a nervous laugh.
"I just hope to Primus she never finds out..." Ratchet arched an optic ridge.
"I thought you said your family died in a cross-fire..." He shook his head.
"Nein... Only mein wife und sparkling vere killed... Zhat's vhat I meant... Sorry..." Ratchet leaned back into the couch again, relaxing.
"I didn't know you were married?" Unknown to Ratchet, but known to Blitzwing because of the bond, Starscream hid behing the corner of the hallway, listening in to their conversation.
"I vas... She vas a good friend of mine... Ve married und had a sparkling... I know ve vere't zhe most perfect family on Cybertron, but ve vere pretty happy... Zhen zhey vere killed, I vas devastated. I had lost a very dear friend und mein own son... But I came to terms vith it... I know she voudldn't haf vanted me to stay alone all mein life."
"You miss her?"Ratchet asked.
"Of course I do...she vas mein best friend..."Behind the corner, Starscream smiled gently as he felt the other's love through their bond. He silently made his way back towards his room, hoping the vampire would come back soon and keep him company.
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Swindle looked over the city. It was a beautiful night, even with all the noises in the air. Looking at the small bag in his hand, he looked back at the view before gracefully leaping onto another abandoned warehouse.
'This stupid incantation had better work...' He thought to himself as he opened the bag.
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The seeker found himself in a dark room, dimly lit by a small candle. Hearing shuffling, Starscream turned towards the sound, finding Optimus walking towards him.
"Optimus?" The Autobot leader gave him a friendly smile.
"I am the Optimus you know..." Arms wrapped themselves around the seeker's waist. Feeling a tongue run over his cheek, he broke away, seeing another Optimus. This one gave him a lustful smirk, giggling like a child who hid his little sister's favorite doll. The second Optimus inched closer.
"Sorry about that... I can't control myself sometimes..." He leaned on the seeker's shoulder, giving him a devilish smile.
"I am the Optimus you will meet soon..." Starscream backed away from the two Optimuses, confused.
"You're both Optimus?" The first Optimus nodded silently while the second hummed a song to himself.
"We are one and the same... Though we are completely different... You can trust us, Starscream, even if it looks and sounds like you can't... I will trust you, I will protect you, and I will give the orders..." The second Optimus shimmied up to him, planting a soft kiss on the seeker's helm.
"I will save you, and I will also help protect you..." He lowered his lips to the seeker's audios, whispering:
"Ich will dass ihr mir vertraut..." Starscream looked at the second, confusion writen all over his face.
"What did you just say?" The first Optimus came to view, talking in that familiar voice that sent pleasureable shivers down his spine.
"Vake up, Starscream... Vake up..." Starscream closed his optics, leaving the two Autobots in the darkness. When he opened them again, he met optics with the triple-changer.
"Blitz...?" The vampire pulled him up into a sitting position.
"Come on, Starscream. Optimus said zhere vas a Decepticon spotting in zhe northvest area of Detroit. He vants us all to go." The seeker got up from he berth, trying to wake up fully.
"Blitzwing?"
"Ja, mein little Shooting Star?" He smiled at the little pet name.
What does 'ich will dass ihr mir vertraut' mean?" Blitzwing stared at him.
"Haf you been listening to zhat human band Rammstein with Bumblebee?" Starscream shook his head.
"No... I heard it in a dream... What does it mean?"
"It means 'I vant you to trust me'..."