Deep underneath Isseruth's transportation station was a long-forgotten tunnel, once serving as part of the enormous complex yet excluded after a partial collapse. As the recovery proved too costly, the past city council had decided to leave it, removing it from all existing maps and schematics. However, something being abandoned and forgotten does not mean it can not be found.
Below soundly sleeping Merreth, rhythmical chopping and slashing sounds filled the void otherwise only tainted by occasional static of the ventilation system. The room where the noises came from was poorly illuminated, staying in a permanent twilight. But for the man standing by a heavy wooden table, it hardly was a problem. Towering over the furniture, he needed to lean in, effortlessly working on a massive slab of meat. Both his ashen mask and a plain white apron were splattered with blood droplets. Quite frankly, the crimson liquid stained nearly everything in its surroundings.
For a few minutes, the process continued uninterrupted. The masked man's right arm would rise and fall, chopping off a piece of meat and then pushing it to the side. Once he was satisfied with the quantity, the cleaver was put down into a container filled with some liquid. Taking off the plastic gloves, he let go of a deep sigh before throwing them away. The surrounding temperature was below zero Celsius, turning his warm breath into vapour. With his hands visibly shaking, the masked man rolled up the sleeves of his black tee, grabbing another pair of gloves afterwards. His arms were muscular yet scarred. The white lines could be seen everywhere, occasionally overlapping. Surprisingly enough, when a filleting knife was in his hand, the trembling ceased as if it never truly happened.
As another minute elapsed, a piece of cheap, brown packing parchment was grabbed and wrapped around a decently sized fillet. However, the blood still dripping from it stained the paper, drenching it relatively soon. Once the soaked package was put into a box, he repeated the process a couple of times more robotically. It felt as if he was not even glancing at what his hands were performing.
"You're done with that?" a hoarse male voice rang through the dark room.
"Almost, Shin," the masked man responded quietly, not bothering to turn around. "Please, give me a few minutes more," he added, throwing away his gloves again.
"What about the special package, Azaki?" Shin questioned, coming closer.
"I'm working on it right now," Azaki replied. "As soon as it's done, you can take the whole shipment."
"Fine, but don't take too long; the boys already started complaining," the newcomer said.
"Have I ever let him down?" the masked man asked, but it turned into a rhetorical question as his colleague did not reply.
Not bothered with the unexpected company, Azaki continued, taking a new parchment. It was better quality and snowy this time, imprinted with small navy diamonds. Not wanting to stain it, the next piece of meat was carefully washed off blood and dried with a paper towel. Then, he wrapped it neatly with the parchment before sealing it in a decorated wooden container he stored underneath the table.
"Here," Azaki said, gently passing the particular package. "The rest is as usual," he added, pointing to the side.
"Understood," Shin murmured, taking a heavy sip from a dark bottle he held in his left hand. "Good job, I presume," he added mockingly, approaching the crate.
Compared to Azaki, Shin was a short, slim man with unhealthy pale skin and unnatural yellow eyes. The right side of his face was slightly disfigured and burnt, his flesh scarred. His short, dirty blonde hair was cobbled together as if rarely washed. But to contradict this assumption, he did not stink; he smelled of a heavy and expensive man's cologne and whiskey. Nonetheless, the butcher trusted him, stepping to the side and allowing the shorter man to take the shipment.
"You need anything?" Shin asked before leaving the room.
"Yeah, bring me a new cleaver; this one is getting dull," the masked man said after a short pause.
"All right."
As soon as his colleague left, Azaki looked around, glancing over the room for the first time in hours. Quite frankly, there was not much to spectate. Aside from the table he performed his art on, the meat hung off the hooks, awaiting further processing. As his hands trembling intensified, the man groaned, tearing the apron swiftly, discarding it onto a bloodied floor before exiting the dimmed slaughterhouse.
Akali's POV (late morning):
The council's leader finally allowed the caged beast to manifest when she retreated towards her private training ground. With no one around to possibly hurt, a piercing hollow was let go before she threw herself forward, fending off her anger and frustration, demolishing sparing automaton after sparing automaton. She wished it helped her, but it would be a blatant lie. The further she descended this path, the more rage sprawled over her body. It was a never-ending cycle of hatred and hurt that would inevitably one day bring forth her demise. But … she could not die yet, even though she had no fear of it.
"Evelynn," the white-haired woman allowed her mind to drift off towards the memories rift, making herself vulnerable.
She wished the beauty could be here with her, but it was a pointless plea. After all, she knew what was needed for her lover to be brought back. And … no matter how hard she tried, some pieces of this puzzle were out of her reach. Shaking her head with discontent, the council's leader wanted to curse, tear, destroy, and, above all, vanish into nothingness. She wished this eternal nightmare to conclude finally, but there was so much to do before anything above would allow her to rest—no rest for the wicked.
Akali noticed the automaton's sharp blade coming her way a mere moment before it would sever her left arm. As time was short, she could not dodge the incoming attack, opting to minimise the inevitable damage. With her own sword only parrying the slash partially, the heated wave of pain swarmed the white-haired vampire as steel tore through her skin effortlessly. She wanted so desperately to pay her injury no mind, consider it but a flesh wound, but a single glance was enough to say it was complete bullshit. The slash sunk deep, passing through at least two to three centimetres of flesh and clipping her bone. With a silent curse lingering on her tongue's tip, she rushed forward, once again becoming a death incarnate, her motion blurry yet deadly precise. Within a heartbeat, the encounter ended as the unfortunate automaton found its demise, chopped to pieces.
"End the simulation, Aria," Akali's voice boomed over the damaged training room. Not waiting for the AI confirmation, she dropped her blade with little to no care, gripping the intensively bleeding wound. It would not kill her, but considering her blood-starved state, it would not heal on its own as fast as she would have wanted.
"Acknowledged, Miss Tepes," the artificial voice responded a moment later. "Would you like someone to bandage this wounds of yours, Miss? Should I inform one of your aids?" she questioned.
"I … I …," the council's leader mumbled for a few moments, conflicted and unsure what to say. "Inform Mai that I would like to see her in my private quarters," she finally breathed out, flushing slightly.
"Informing Miss Mia Tayaki … done," the voice said after a short pause. "What are you planning to do with the wound?"
"I will manage," came an instant yet quiet response. "My arm is not cut off; I can deal with it on my own."
"I take you starved yourself once again, Miss Tepes?" the AI questioned, even though she already knew the answer. "You know that it is not healthy for you, Miss," Aria commented in a scolding manner.
"I have been through worse," Akali whispered. "Inform her that she can come no sooner than thirty minutes," she added, heading towards the exit.
"Affirmative," Aria replied obediently.
The white-haired woman did not slow down when she tore off her shirt, intending to use the fabric for an improvised bandage. As it was only a temporary solution, she swallowed her pride, wrapping it around the wounded limb tightly. Even without sparing a glance, she knew that the floor was stained with a hefty amount of her blood. How stupid and reckless could someone with her experience be? Cursing silently, she exited the already darkening training ground. Akali's mood only worsened when she realised that the pent-up anger and frustration she desperately wanted to vent off was still there, increasing despite her best efforts.
Akali's POV (noon):
Even though it was only noon, the council leader had the blinders rolled down in her private quarters. With a few aromatic candles strategically scattered across her living room, it was not entirely covered in the shadows but dimmed, making a specific atmosphere. Akali sat behind a small ebony desk in a sophisticated armchair, scanning a document she held in her right hand. Her eyes passed through the lines quickly, finding it uninteresting, dull even. The other hand lingered over the woman's nape, scratching it in a failed attempt to locate and deal with the tensed knot. A deep sigh was released, putting down the document. Perhaps it would have been a far better idea to take a long and relaxing bath instead of summoning Mia. Having finished her shower only a few minutes ago, Akali longed for its warmth, the thrilling sensation as water caressed her body. She closed her eyes, trying to control the mess her mind was.
It lasted but a moment as a noticeable sound of heels clicking rang through the corridor. The white-haired woman allowed herself to still for a moment, anticipating her aid's arrival. She did not need to wait long as the sounds kept increasing by a second, halting briefly before a knocking reached her ears.
"Enter," the vampire said loud enough so the Asian could hear her.
The door parted nearly immediately, allowing the glow of a much brighter light to pass, receding the shadows momentarily. Yet, as abruptly as the phenomenon happened, it ended as the entrance was closed behind the woman. There she stood, awaiting a clear order. If the situation had differed, Akali would have openly laughed, but unfortunately, it was hardly the case.
"You summoned me, Miss …" Mia started but was silenced when the council's leader raised her right hand slightly.
"Please, come closer, Mia," the white-haired woman whispered. "And … I thought I asked you to call me by my first name, did I not?" she inquired quietly.
"Of course," the Asian did as she was told, hastily approaching the desk.
The raven-haired secretary wore a long emerald-green dress with a decent cut along her left leg. Akali observed her intently, comparing her to the last time she had seen her. Mia's raven-down hair was a tad longer than she remembered, combed into a braid ending around her shoulder blades and bound by a sapphire-blue ribbon. It suited her, the vampire thought. But … her sight was no longer fixed on the woman's face, hair, or perfect body. No, Akali stared at the black lacy choker wrapped around her delicate neck. She vividly remembered giving it to the much younger woman after their first session.
"How can I serve, Miss … Akali?" Tayaki asked, reddening slightly when she looked at her superior.
"I need your blood, Mia," the white-haired leader whispered, casting down her sight. "I did … I did … not want to use you like this ever again."
"It's fine," the Asian mumbled, trying to sound confident.
"It is not," Akali commented, exhaling deeply. "I will keep it brief; I promise," she added.
"It's not about it," the secretary said. "I know you'll take good care of me; you always did. I'm only scared because you starved yourself. I told you … I told you, I'll give you as much of my blood as a need be," she continued confidently.
"I know … but I feel like a parasite," the usual emotionless vampire said quietly. "I do not want to hurt you anymore," she added tenderly.
"What happened? I think you owe me an explanation, at the very least," the silvery-eyed woman commented, coming even closer.
"I got reckless, and one of the automatons nearly cut off my left arm," Akali sighed yet confessed nonetheless. "If the hit did not clip my bone, I would not have summoned you."
"It's still bleeding, right?" the Asian woman's question was turned into rhetorical, as her superior did not answer. "Can I see it?"
For a brief moment, Mai feared that she had overstepped, for Akali remained silent with her crimson-red eyes fixed on her. The vampire read her like a book, hardly enjoying the fear virtually oozing from the secretary; it made her uncomfortable and worried. What if she hurt her again?
"Come, sit with me," Akali said, pointing at her lap, her eyes turning back to silver.
Offering a small smile, the Asian obeyed the request, trying to keep her hand to herself. The closer she got to the vampire, the more challenging keeping that internal promise became. Miss Tepes's white shirt was only partially buttoned, revealing a relatively simple grey lacy bra and a silvery cross resting between her breasts. There was a primal urge in Mai that wanted to close the distance entirely and caress this milky skin. Yet she forced herself not to, patiently awaiting another vampire's request. Still, a pang of embarrassment rested in her as she realised that instead of looking at the white-haired woman's face, she focused on the perfect body that she oh-so desired; containing this flaming sensation became inevitably close to impossible. Finally lifting her gaze, she met Miss Tepes's silvery orbs, observing her intently, though the usual cold was not residing in these orbs. No … it was something else … could it be … tenderness? As the silence continued, Mia kept staring at her superior, smitten. Akali's long white hair was comped into a messy bun with a few strands resting on her defined cheeks. Once more, the Asian woman forced herself to remain still even though she wanted to tuck them behind her ears, gently brushing against her cheeks. Did Miss Tepes know the power she had over her? Did she know how these orbs of hers tantalised her openly? Of course, she knew, the secretary concluded, but it changed nothing.
"Can I see it?" Mia repeated, trying to keep eye contact with her superior.
"Of course," the council's leader whispered.
Miss Tepes turned left, trying to pull her wounded limb from her shirt's sleeve. Taking on a granted opportunity, Tayaki slightly cast down her sight, focusing on the vampire's plump, kissable lips. Surprisingly enough, today, they were not coated with crimson-red lipstick. However, it hardly made it easier to resist a rising urge to kiss her. To withstand the temptation, the secretary needed all the self-control she could muster. Feeling the scorching heat spreading wildly through her, she averted her gaze, not confident that she could replicate the feat. Instead, her sight was fixed on the vampire's left arm. It was causing Akali more problems than one could have anticipated. But after a few attempts, her arm was freed from the overly tight fabric, revealing a thick bandage stained coppery.
"You still want to see it?" a hollowly low question sounded.
"Of course," Tayaki replied immediately, looking at the white-haired woman's eyes, finding a grimace of discontent.
Without uttering a word more, the bandage was undone, revealing a broad and deep slash cut that kept on bleeding. Her body was slowly mending, but there was denying that her healing capabilities were severely handicapped. Even though Miss Tepes did not extend her wounded limb, the Asian woman caught a glimpse of white that must have been the damaged bone. The bleeding was not intense; the red life-giving liquid was oozing lazily, staining the shirt. Not knowing why, Mia momentarily grabbed Akali's arm, leaning into the wound and kissing its outline.
"Why did you do that?" the vampire's whisper sounded.
"Because I wanted to," the dark-haired woman replied. "Not to mention, when I was little, my mother used to do the same for me, kissing the pain away," she added, flashing a small smile.
"I see," Akali replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the Asian woman's lips, currently covered with her blood. Seeing the crimson-red liquid on her woke something carnal and primal inside the usually stoic woman, urging her to claim them for her own.
"If you want them … they're yours to take," Mia whispered, not trying to hide her own lust. Her silvery eyes darkened, filled with need and flames of desire.
"Do not do this," Miss Tepes said quietly, not breaking the eye contact.
"Why?"
"Because … I do not want to hurt you," came a muffled response. "And … what you want to do might cause you more pain than pleasure. Loving me … is not easy; it is a bumpy road filled with hurt and tears."
"I'm not that fragile, Akali," the secretary said affectionately, pulling her closer towards her neck. "I don't mind hardships, for I know you'll take good care of me," she added, smiling and pulling down her lacy choker. "Now … let's take care of you."
Mia cupped the vampire's jaw without hesitation, positioning it over her nape. By squeezing Akali's left hand, she gave her the last confirmation: permission to sink the fangs. Closing her eyes, the dark-haired woman felt a gentle nib before a hardly painful sting – the vampire, being her usual perfectionist self, must have chosen to pierce her skin at the same spot as always. One could have expected a cold shiver running back and forth through the secretary's body, but that was not the case. The white-haired leader drained slowly, ensuring the process was as painless as possible. Nonetheless, the dizziness slowly started kicking in as Mia's blood was sucked away. Yet it did not last all that long, five to ten seconds, maybe, but her calculations might have been off.
First, she heard some fabric being torn; then, she felt a moist tongue run across her nape. Shivering was the least of her problems, given the sheer excitement the unexpected gesture brought in. Crossing her legs as tightly as she could, she tried to control her sexual intoxication, but it was a futile endeavour. Last but not least, she felt a path being applied over the biting mark.
"Thank you," the council's leader whispered into the secretary's ear after five to ten seconds.
"Don't you need more?" Tayaki asked, worried.
"For now, it is more than I need," the white-haired woman whispered, pulling back and offering a small smile.
"Look, this pesky wound is no more."
As the vampire said, there was no sign of the previously cumbersome cut; not even a scar remained. A few drops of her blood seemed enough to rejuvenate Akali's healing capabilities. She was happy that was the case. Torring her gaze off the healed limb, she noticed two changes that stirred her insides. Like Mia previously, the vampire's lips were covered in red, slightly glittering in the dimmed light. But … it was hardly what took her breath away. However, the same could not be said about the white-haired woman's eyes. These crimson-red orbs darkened so much that they currently resembled the heated coals in a furnace, filled with raw, hardly controlled emotions … dare she say … lust and desire? That was too much for the Asian woman. She leaned in, desperate to be kissed, held, and touched.
"Are you sure?" a question sounded. The vampire's voice was hoarse and deep.
"I need it," a needy response was provided.
"Very well."
Before a heartbeat could elapse, Mia found herself straddling Miss Tepes's leg. Her mind was hazy, a mess she had no energy or intention to control. She glanced at the woman underneath her, and it took her breath away. The white shirt was torn to shred, thrown aside like a piece of rug. Then, the vampire pulled her in, finally kissing her. It started sweet and gentle, yet the heat increased by a second, making the kiss increasingly wilder. The Asian woman was conflicted, confused, and unsure of what she could or could not do, only reciprocating. The love-making session continued with the same rhythm for a few seconds before Akali broke the kiss. The dark-haired woman wanted nothing of it, trying to capture these plump lips of her superior immediately but was stopped by her voice.
"Enjoy the moment," the vampire said, placing both Mai's hands on her round breasts. "Explore," she instructed her before resuming the kiss, this time slowing down, keeping it affectionate.
At first, the secretary did not respond, too focused on the sensational session. But … when Akali put her hands on Mai's buttocks, she lost it, finally giving in to a moment of passion and desire. Her lover pulled her closer, but she did not mind, more than enjoying the friction between them.
Author's notes section:
[2023-11-20]: Hey, here is a preview of the story's next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.
[2023-11-27]: Hey, I have a major update for you. I sadly could not finish this chapter during my last writing session, but I should finish it soon.
[2023-11-28]: Hey, the chapter is concluded. It took more than I would have wanted, but it is hardly a surprise for me, given the recent trend.
Don't forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.
Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.
As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)
Changelog:
[2023-11-20]: A preview has been released.
[2023-11-27]: A major update applied, focused on enriching the setting and add more threads.
[2023-11-28]: A major update applied, focused on concluding the chapter.
Info: For this chapter, I plan on taking a much darker twist. So please be warned that there will be blood, gore, and more packed here. On top of that, I decided that I would try to write something more sensual, but I have no idea how it ended up. I had a clear picture in my mind of how I wanted these events' passage to look, but I'm not sure I described it to its full potential. Anyway, please tell me what you think.
Schedule:
- See the world through my eyes (finish the WIP)
- The broken heart (finish the WIP)
- Hidden in the mountain's shadow (new chapter)
- The rise of the Blood Moons' servants (new chapter)
- Black Diamond (new chapter)
- When the clock is ticking (Warhammer 40k new story)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (rewrite chapter 4)
- The heart not so cold (rewrite chapter 2)
- The family tree (revisit the previous chapters and apply adjustments)
- The Prisoner of Your Eyes (new chapter)
- Lifetime of war (new chapter)
- Hope is the last one to die (new story in SW universe)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (finish rewriting the second chapter)
- Life is full of surprises (new chapter)
- Exiled you say? (new chapter)
- Until my last breath (new chapter)
- The story of one lost soul (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (new chapter)
- A new story in JJK universe - focused on Gojo/Geto/Shoko/Utahime
- A new story in Bleach universe (potentially a one shot) - focused on Byakuya and Yoruichi
- A new story in Demon Slayer universe (modern au, school)
- A new story in Demon Slayer universe (moder au, divorce setting)
- The shadows can be deceiving (new chapter)
- Forgotten World (a new story - translation of an old polish text that I wrote years ago)
- The silence of the shackles (new chapter)
- The war call (new chapter)
- Will you look past my mistakes? (new chapter)
- The Breaking Point (new chapter)
- Bury the light (new chapter)
- The family tree (new chapter)
Bonuses' section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even two stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?
References:
- Apocalyptica, Brent Smith - Not strong enough
- (alternatively) Cher - Strong enough
*bonuses will be worked on when I don't feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D
End of the author's notes section.