"Kill him..."
"Only you can..."
"He will never come back, sister..."
No...
"This is the task given to you by the Gods..."
"You were chosen for this reason."
They were wrong...
"Lucia..."
I saw somewhere in the dark crevices of my mind...
A bright white light...
And it spoke to me...
"Do you want power?"
It wasn't supposed to end this way...
Save him...
I just want the power to save him...
"Granted."
"Kill him..."
"Save him..."
"Kill him to save him..."
"... AWAKEN..."
.~.~.~.~.~.~.
The Lifeblood Doctrine
Chapter Nine:
Night of the Awakening III
No matter what gets in my way,
As long as theres still life in me,
No matter what remember you know I'd always come for you,
I'd crawl across this world for you,
Do anything you want me to,
No matter what remember you know I'd always come for you,
You know I'd always come for you.
~ I'd Come For You by Nickelback
.~.~.~.~.~.~.
He thought he had won.
He thought it was over.
He thought triumphantly how he would be laughing at Ichigo's remorse once he hands him her lifeless body. How broken and angry he would be. How he will become just like him in the process. He wanted just that kind of vengeance.
His first bite had been vicious. As he haled her back inside, he swiftly pinned her back down and stabbed his hungry fangs on the nape of her neck. She yelped in pain, feeling it puncture deep into her skin. She felt her blood drip down her very skin, stained her clothes and pooled on the floor. She tried to fight, but his weight was on her back. She couldn't push herself up, neither could her hands do anything as she was face-down flat on the floor.
"Stop!" she pleaded. But she knew he wasn't as kind or gentle as Ichigo.
He only grunted and slurped more.
Truly, her blood was exquisite. Blood tasted different in every individual. Not only was it because of its type, but also certain factors that affect blood. One of those physical factors was of course the choices of food and medications that affect blood like drugs, alchohol, cigarette smoking, etc. But more than that, in blood DNA is also carried. The only thing that identifies an individual from the rest. A human's being is in his blood. Just like how a soul is in his body. That was why if a vampire tasted the blood of a human, it was as if tasting their being... their soul. Her soul was different.
He withdrew his fangs on her neck making the red liquid flow out of the deep wound. She prayed it was over. But she was nowhere dead.
He ripped her clothing open just so he could see the wound he inflicted on her back. Three long diagonal cuts on her skin left it bleeding. He positioned himself lower so he could lap on the open wounds.
Her neck was stinging. She put her left hand on it to cover the wound but it couldn't prevent the blood loss. He ripped her clothing on the back which startled her. Had he not been a vampire, she would have cried rape! When he moved lower, she immediately tried to crawl up but he kept her legs down as he laughed. "Admirable but futile."
"Ugh!" she groaned when she felt his bruising grip on her leg.
And the next thing she felt out of the darkness was his disgusting tongue sliding back and forth on her wounded back. His lips literally on her flesh, licking and sucking on her injuries. Some she had balled her first to quietly endure, while others made her moan in pain. Those times though were grudgingly satisfying for him. For when she felt unbearable pain, she could feel his mouth form into an evil grin. Three times he had bit her back with violent force leaving his evidences and more marks to scar on her skin. And whenever he would do that, she would flinch in pain and he had to hold her petite body and feel her whole body shake, her heart raise a beat and her labored breathing. And when he'd touch her, he could not only feel her soft smooth skin but also her veins and the circulation of the blood. The warm red fluid that acts like a drug to them vampires. It was like a cold water on a steamy desert, or a milk to a baby, or a beer to an alchoholic. It was like drugs. A drug that gives them everlasting life as long as they took it religiously. A drug far more addicting than any other. The more you take, the more you need, the more you hunger, the more you feed.
He licked on a cut on her back again and stopped. This time, Rukia didn't pray to the Gods or question why he had stopped. She knew he was not done until she was dead. And this experience had been mortifying for her that she just wanted it to be over. She could feel herself weaken fast. All her life's energy almost drained out of her. She thought she was numb with all the pain, but a sudden thrust of his tongue to the opening of her wound jerked her up. "Ah!" She gasped as her back arched in an attempt to evade the tongue that acted like a dagger, opening and digging the wound deeper. "B-Bastard..." she hissed in contempt and visible pain.
Hichigo smirked evilly. He was just teasing her, of course he don't eat human flesh. That would be disgusting.
He went back to her neck, taking the hand covering the wound away as he leaned and whispered to her ear, "Let's make a deal..."
She was too weak to actually notice he was talking to her. She was hanging on a thread by now. Too weak to even move her fingers. And her vision has already blurred. Not that she needed to see anything in the dark anyway. It was even better to not see his eyes at all.
"I'm offering you a chance to live... if you promise to become my..." he continued and smirked, "... slave..."
"In your dreams..." she answered in firm but low tone. She'd rather die than turn into his toy.
Her blood was too delicious to waste anyway. But it was a good deal right? Her life in exchange that whenever he wanted, he would have her blood or whatever more that comes with being a slave... right? But if she did not want, then so be it. He wasn't desperate anyway. Inflicting pain and suffering to Ichigo was on top of his priorities. Now if she doesn't want to come with him, then he shall make sure she would never come back to Ichigo.
"Hah," he laughed in mockery. "I would have loved it if you accepted... but so be it." He opened his mouth again for a deadly bite, the last one that will certainly take her life away. It landed, this time on her shoulders.
Her body shivered as he continued to drain her remaining lifeforce away. She couldn't fight anymore. She couldn't feel any hope anymore. Some part of her told her to hold it together, someone's coming for help. She hated that feeling of helplessness, of relying on somebody else to save you. She hated how powerless she was in this situation. But what could she do...?
She was... only human...
He... was...
The trail of thought ended when she finally lost her consciousness. Her eyes open but it lost its light, hazed by that impending doom. Her heart beat almost faintly. All the warmth in her body, replaced by the coldness of death. All her feelings, numbed, even the wounds felt nothing now.
So this... is what it felt like to die...? Nii-sama...
She had lost.
Ichigo had lost.
She was almost dead. Almost.
It was until inside her head, she heard the voices and dreamt that dream. She was half conscious now, but she heard them clearly in her mind. Voices she was not familiar with. Conversations she could not remember at all. The thoughts of a person in her point of view and a name uttered by a monstrous voice. Lucia...
It was so confusing trying to decipher that dream. None of it made any sense at all. She was probably delusioned by death. But no... It cannot be. Because right at that moment, she felt a surge of energy in her body. As if something in her awakened. As if she was electric shock resuscitated. She felt something different envelope her body and spread inside her being. She didn't know what it was but it was a familiar feeling. Her vision came back as her eyes lit with life and her body, literally, glowed.
Hichigo did not understand what happened, but he suddenly found something change in her. An unexpected turn of events. Her whole body glowed, providing light even to the darkest corners of the damned elevator and blinding his eyes. He withdrew away from her, hands covering his own eyes in blinding pain.
"What the fuck!" he exclaimed.
Not knowing the unknown, not understanding the phenomena, he lunged forward to escape the light and broke the elevator doors as he scurried farther away. A distance far enough that he could safely open his eyes slowly.
Rukia felt no more weight on her back. In fact, she felt so light as if floating on air. She did not know what was happening. All she had was a feeling of peace, warm, serenity and deja vu. She knew what to do. It was instinct. She pushed herself up, mystified that she couldn't feel a slightest pain nor could she feel weak because of the blood loss. It was like adrenaline rush when one person although weak, could get superhuman strength. Quite unexplainable. But she was not that boggled as Hichigo. Not that bothered why these things happened. She felt the answer was in her. That she knew what it was and she just had to search deeper. She walked out of the elevator and glared into the perplexed eyes of her adversary.
"Demon..." she hissed in quite a venomous way.
Hichigo watched her still in bewilderment. He knew she was something. Immune to vampire's charm and hypnotism; extremely long tolerance to pain; and he did notice that her wounds seem to heal faster than the other humans. All of it was answered now. Even the mystery of her delicious blood. This was it! In her blood, in her being, in her soul, there was purity and power.
Just like vampires whose soul was condemned, she was... Well... he did not know. All he knew, she was different. A truly rare delicacy. Things have turned more interesting. He glared at her glaring at him. If this was a glaring contest, then she was doing quite a feat against someone like him. He won't deny, he was intimidated now. She was looking at him with confidence and eyes that says "I'm going to purge you out of this world". What was she? A nun? An exorcist? ... An angel in disguise?
Whatever the fuck she was, he did not care. Man, woman, child. He killed them all without mercy. If she was an angel, he'd rip her wings and watch her crawl on the soils of his bane and hollow existence. If she was a nun, he'd take away her so called purity until she'd cry out his name, rather than the name of her God. If she was an exorcist which was of course kind of the same with being a nun or an angel, he'd show hell and defilement. That was in his nature. Brutal and without mercy. He'd killed a family before, what else couldn't he kill? This little girl in front of him that glows like fucking fairy? Tch.
The glowing stopped in just a few seconds and there inside Rukia's right hand, she found a tiny shard of white, slightly glowing ice. And before she could do anything, Hichigo's mad face was already in front of her. "You should have just died," he said and attempted to grab her shoulders. Caught in a suprise attack, she instinctively swung her right hand to his chest. The swift motion had Hichigo backing a few feet away.
He thought he had evaded the attack until he felt a sharp pain on his chest. He looked at his torso and found blood on it. Not her blood but his. He looked at her and she was already holding a bloody white dagger. The shard turned into a dagger. He was amused, although his wound did not heal. For some reason, the wound inflicted by the dagger turns his capability to regenerate off. "What is that power?" he asked.
She didn't answer. For she herself do not know where it came from. She just knew how to wield it. She willed the shard to become a sword and it did. Glowing pristine white with ribbons flowing languidly at the end. She grips the sword tightly, feeling the tingling and the frost of its hilt. It was cold, for others perhaps it would have made their hands frostbitten. But for her it was so-so. A sword only she can wield. She put up a fighting stance this time. She knew when she'd be ready to attack.
A few feet away from her, Hichigo snickered when she continued to glare. "Are you going to glare at me forever?" he taunted. "It makes me melt." Even when the library was dark, there were still windows and the moonlight was streaming in from them. He could see her purple eyes, a few minutes ago, they were lifeless. And now, it was lit up in fire. A fire larger than when they first met. It was quite alluring and captivating - those eyes.
His own blood red eyes watched her when she assumed a stance. For a girl with no experience with swords, her form was perfect. Her sword made him miss his own jet black Tensa, the sword only to be wielded by the Lord. That marks the wielder as the ruler of their own race. Hmm... where could that be? He wondered to himself.
Rukia felt a sudden rush from the sword. She ran forward with extraordinary speed and slashed his front. He quickly evaded the attack by making backward steps. But her attacks continued. No, it were more like dances. That was why Hichigo did not make an effort to counterattack yet. He was watching her and admiring the way she moved. She moved as if she was with the wind, fluidly, with rhythm from a silent song. Every step she took was of grace. Every turn she made was of elegance. That the sword was glowing and the ribbon flowing didn't help him remember he was supposed to be attacking and killing her. He felt a kind of familiarity. And for a second, only for a second, he found himself in the shoes of someone else and in a different place... and time. A peaceful forest with greens and the sound of the fall and her... Her flowing long black hair and white garments. She persevered in attacking him in dances that could even freeze both Heaven and Hell. He only took a few steps backwards until he had hit a sturdy tree. She pointed the sword at him and smiled sweetly.
With sharp pain, Hichigo had snapped back to reality. And in reality, the girl was not smiling but was looking at him with cold eyes. Her mouth showed no sweetness nor kindness. In reality, he was already stabbed by her on the abdomen when he hit a sturdy wall.
"You witch!" he seethed in pain. The coldness of the sword made his flesh jitter. Witch! Witch! Witch! He repeated to himself. Believing that momentarily what he saw was an illusion she created.
She was quite shocked that he just watched her when she attacked. And when he hit the wall, he stood there like an idiot. That gave her an opening to stab his abdomen. But she knew abdomen was not enough. She took out the sword to thrust it then to his heart. Surely this time, he will die right? But he immediately gripped it with both hands. The blade was cutting through his palm. His own blood spilled on the floor. Quite an accomplishment for a human.
He pushed the sword towards her with force making her loosen her grip, and then quickly pulled it away into the other dark part of the library. Now she was weaponless, again.
"Heh," he evilly grinned. "That's all you've got?"
Without that weapon, she was defenseless. She was not a hand-to-hand combatant after all. And with brute strength alone, Hichigo will surely defeat her.
"Damn... Aren't you going to speak to me?" he whined.
She was thinking of a way right now to get to her weapon. He was weak, but not that weak yet.
He looked at his hands and they were already frosted a bit while the wounds still didn't heal. "Look at what you did to my hands... They are not healing," he continued to whine. "Perhaps if I -" He was in the middle of talking when Rukia decided to sprint! Once she grasp that weapon again, she'd have the upperhand that time. His hands were numbed to use now. But of course, he wouldn't let her get there. This night had been far too long. It has been quite interesting but it has to end. And it ends my way. He thought as he pounced her, she turned and they tumbled on the floor. She was fast, but he will always be faster.
She inhaled a deep breath. No matter what, she will survive this ordeal.
Hichigo was going to kill her. He knew the vein, the pulse on the neck that would instantly kill her. He just had to cut it with his fangs. It was going to cut the stream of blood to the brain. He lunged forward, targetting that particular part.
Rukia closed her eyes. If she was destined to die, then so be it. At least she tried her best to live.
She waited for the bite that would kill her.
One.
Two.
Three seconds passed and there was nothing.
She opened her eyes slowly. Red jacket fluttered due to the heavy wind from an opened window. Orange locks that stood out even in the dark. A strong protective back she knew she could trust with her life. He came. "Ichi -"
Ichigo turned to look at her and smiled. "Yo," he greeted casually. There was concern but more of relief. "I thought you were a goner."
"Idiot," she said smiling gratefully. "I'm not killed easily." She stood up. If Ichigo was fighting Hichigo, he might need her help.
"Rukia... just rest. I'll handle this from here," he told her.
"Ah... damn... so I lost, huh?" said the eerie voice of Hichigo who was smashed by Ichigo a few seconds ago. He landed on the opposite wall. He stood and broke away from the wall that had vented because of the impact. He was still losing blood and unable to use his hands.
Ichigo wondered what had happened that made him injured like that. He was almost dessicating. All of his blood intake, was spilling out of the floor as well as his own blood. Damn, damn her. He cursed. Right now, Ichigo has the upperhand. Add up the girl who was on the way to get her sword. And a wave of human back-ups on their way just a few more blocks.
"Hichigo," said Ichigo.
"I admit defeat," Hichigo raised his frostbitten hands in a gesture of surrender. "She lives, for now."
Ichigo immediately grabbed the collar of his brother's shirt and said threateningly, "There will be no next time." With Hichigo's state, he won't be able to fight him anymore. But even so, he continued to smile as if his injuries were nothing and it was creepy.
Rukia was able to breathe easy now. She found the sword that minimized itself into a tiny shard and picked it up. Whatever it was, she'll find out soon. Everything was coming back to her. The pain seeping from her wounds and the dizziness caused by the blood loss. She staggered as she moved. She might have to rest for a week.
Hichigo paid no attention to his brother. He watched her move weakly. He heard his brother call her Rukia. He will have to remember that name. "I had fun. Let's play again next time, Rukia-chan." He spoke her nickname just to irritate his brother Ichigo.
Rukia's vision had started to blur. And she heard him speak but it was faint and echoing in her head, "Let's play again... next time... next time... next time..." The next time she must be ready. She collapsed in exhaustion. Her body finally taking its toll on her. Spiritually she may be strong but her physical body has its limits.
"Rukia!" Ichigo called when he heard her fall on the floor with a thud.
Hichigo took this opportunity and headbutted Ichigo. Of course the impact made them both lightheaded, but Hichigo made his next move anyway and kicked him away so hard that he hit many bookshelves until he reached the wall of the other end. And he scurried away, from where Ichigo had actually made his grand entrance - the window.
Ichigo didn't go for the chase. What was more important was getting Rukia help. He went to her side and knelt to pick her up and bring her to the hospital or to the Alliance who was supposed to be on its way already. He saw the sharp wounds she had on her back and all the blood she spilt as his brother fed on her. Seeing and smelling that blood was actually making him boil with anger towards his twin. But aside from that, it also made him aware of his own lust and hunger. It has been days since he had actually drank anything. But he mustn't. Not at her current state, not right after her traumatic experience with someone who looked like him, not after the deal has been done. He mustn't... mustn't... mustn't...
His eyes were red as it has already been when he arrived, he just didn't notice. His mouth was open and the fangs were there, ready and dying to get sunk into, craving for her... His heart was thumping out of his chest saying to go ahead and feeeeed... He saw his hands tremble when he lifted them up... He wanted to touch her, just to feel if she was okay and still breathing but he couldn't. No, it was not that he couldn't but he knew he shouldn't. One touch, one feel, could make him lose it. And he can't afford anything like that right now. He won't be like his twin.
He shoved himself a few feet away from her before his body could betray him. He breathed in deeply and exhaled to get that thumping away. But it wouldn't. He stared at her, watched over her with fierce glazed eyes. He frowned and bit his own lip to contain the part of him that was dangerous and treacherous. Blood had spilt from his wounded lip and he licked it up with eyes still fixed on her.
And at last, help has arrived. Upon seeing Rukia on the floor with multiple wounds, Renji had quickly punched Ichigo on the face when he saw him sitting by the side. "Did you?" he accused him. "Did you bite her?"
Ichigo was thankful for that punch. It shook him. "No, I didn't moron. Ask before you throw a punch bastard," he answered angrily but most of those anger was because of the fact that he was having a hard time controlling himself and of the fact that he was also hungry. Add up the fact that they almost lost her because of his brother and that he let him get away. Argh! He punched the wall on his right, making it crack open.
Relieved that she was in the company of a few trusted people, he bolted.
A/N: Umm... I know I said... 1 week to 1 month... And I realize it's more than 1 month! Gosh! I'm sooo sorry! And it's short, I know. It was supposed to be longer. But to hell with it! Haha xD
Thanks for those who reviewed the previous chapter and to those who are still reading this as well, no matter how slow of a writer I am. ='(