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gaiuskamilah · 6 months

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sacramentum bloodbound | M | 4.2k words | gaius augustine/adrian raines post bloodbound: origins, canon compliant warnings: canon-typical violence, internalized homophobia, power imbalance, unhealthy relationships, implied sexual content

[read on ao3]

A sprawling estate. A lavish garden, and a marble mansion at the center. This was Adrian’s prison, his ivory tower where his Maker had decided to stow him away for the past fortnight. A beautiful little paradise with its own Garden of Eden, where god placed the man that he had formed.

The ornate doors of Adrian’s prison opened and Gaius ushered him in, a reassuring hand placed on the small of Adrian’s back. Their clothes were singed, ruined, and they carried with them the smell of smoke—a reminder of Adrian’s failures that night, and the revelation Gaius delivered him in the fire. They were gods amongst men, and it was Gaius—the one highest in their order—who gave Adrian the honor of receiving the gift of godhood.

The doors clicked shut. Adrian stood in the foyer as his eyes adjusted to the dim interiors of the manor. The candles had been blown out and the heavy curtains had been drawn just in time for sunrise. Melancholy filled Adrian as dawn approached, the knowledge of never being able to fully appreciate first light again weighed down on his spirits.

“Dawn is approaching, dear Adrian,” said Gaius from behind him. His Maker laid a hand on his shoulder and Adrian turned to face him. Fingers brushed away the soot on his cheek. “Let’s get you clean now, shall we?”

Adrian absently nodded. He followed Gaius into one of the many bath chambers in the manor. The curtains were drawn shut and the room was lit with candles, illuminating the chamber with an almost eerie glow. In the middle was a large bath, large enough for two. Steam from the warm water wafted through the room, and the sweet aroma of the bath was a pleasant assault to Adrian’s senses.

Gaius had planned it all for Adrian.

Gaius removed his cape and set it aside. Adrian watched as Gaius removed his shoes, then undid the catches of his doublet. Gaius’ clothes fell away to a puddle around his ankles, leaving Adrian’s Maker as bare as the day he was born.

Gaius turned to Adrian, a languid, cat-like look on his face. “Unless you want to ruin them even more,” said Gaius. “I do not suppose you plan to bathe with your clothes on, do you, my dear Adrian?”

“You will be joining me?”

Adrian’s question was answered by Gaius stepping into the bath. His Maker slipped into the water and quickly disappeared under the surface before he emerged seconds later, noticeably cleaner. Gaius stretched his arms across the sides of the bath. “The water is perfect. Don’t waste it, my dear.”

After a moment’s consideration, and not without hesitation, Adrian undid his clothes and pulled off his shoes. He entered the water and kept a distance from Gaius, or, well, as much distance as he could put between the two of them in the bath.

“Come closer, dear Adrian,” said Gaius. Adrian obeyed and moved closer to him. “Turn around. Let me wash your hair for you.”

Mild surprise washed through Adrian but he complied, turning his back to the elder vampire. “No one’s washed my hair for me since I was a child,” said Adrian.

“In a way, you are. A child, I mean,” said Gaius. Gaius’ hands threaded through Adrian’s hair, lathering it with soaps and oils. His touch was soft, and it was such a jarring contrast to the things Adrian witnessed him do earlier that night. “ My child. My progeny, as all vampires are. You have been reborn, with my blood in your veins.”

“I don’t suppose you do this for all your children,” said Adrian as Gaius rinsed away the soap in his hair and bathed him clean. “I’m having a hard time imagining you doing this with that Lester fellow.”

Gaius snorted.

“Castellanos, as useful as he is, is no better than a pig. There are many more things I would rather do than set foot in a bath with him,” said Gaius. “And you are correct. I do not do this for all my children. You are a special case.”

A house burning. A family of three dead at their feet, and group of bandits with them. In the middle of it all, Gaius, as fearsome as an angel of death, as he hovered over Adrian and held his face in his hands, as he told him of the special place Adrian would have next to him. And Adrian remembered, that even with the house burning down around them and the with the smoke that filled his lungs, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the red eyes of his Maker.

“You said that earlier tonight as well, that I’m special,” With the suds washed away from his hair, Adrian turned to face his Maker. “Why? Why me?”

“The war with the British is over. The colonists have won, and with their victory comes a new twilight for us. Soon, I will rule as King amongst the vampires of this land. And you—” Gaius reached out and took Adrian’s face in the palm of his hand. Gaius’ thumb moved across Adrian’s cheek in soothing motions, and Gaius moved in closer. Adrian could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and no doubt Gaius could too. “—will be my hand. My soldier. My beautiful prince.”

—

Dawn had fully broken by the time Adrian and Gaius exited the bath. Adrian sat atop his blankets, propped up and long sitting, while Gaius sat at the edge next to him. Adrian was exhausted, the events of the night wore him downt to his bones. But he wasn’t allowed rest yet, no—Gaius had other plans. One last task for the night, his Maker promised.

Gaius held an amulet in one hand. On the circular ornament was a special insignia of a convex crescent moon. “You are of my blood, the blood of the eternal covenant. Of eternal life. But even with me in you you remain susceptible to eternal death,” said Gaius. “To ensure that you never stray away from our blood, passed down to us by the First, our Goddess, I will put my mark on you.”

“Mark… me?” Adrian was caught off guard. “What do you mean?”

Gaius held up the amulet in his hand. “I will mark you with my brand and infuse my blood with yours, tying you to me, so you never trod the path of eternal death.” A pause, and then, with just a bit of what Adrian knew by now to be a false innocent look: “Unless… you refuse?”

Adrian had never seen one, but Gaius had described to him a number of times what the alternative looked like. Ferals. Monsters with ashen gray skin and talons as sharp as a knife. They were mindless, driven only by hunger, all humanity and conscience and life taken away from them. As conflicted as Adrian was in his second chance at life, becoming a feral was far worse.

Adrian shook his head. “No, no. I accept.”

Gaius reached out and brushed his fingers against Adrian’s cheek with a smile. “I had faith that you would.”

Before Adrian could react, Gaius moved to kneel on him, one knee next to Adrian’s side and another between his legs. Adrian watched as Gaius produced a bright blue flame in his hand and held the amulet above it with the other. Gaius heated the ornament until it burned red hot. He then extinguished the flame and pressed the palm of his hand to the metal. Adrian’s eyes went wide as the sound and smell of Gaius’ burning flesh filled the room, all while his Maker seemed unfazed by the procedure.

How many times has he done this before?

“Admittedly, this will hurt.”

Gaius reached out and pulled Adrian by the arm, ever so closer to him. Gaius then pressed the burning metal onto the rounded contour of Adrian’s shoulder, which drawed a pained sound from the younger vampire. On instinct, Adrian jerked away, but Gaius’ grip was ironclad.

“Gaius,” Adrian cried. “It hurts—it burns—”

“I know. Just a few more seconds,” hushed Gaius. “The pain will fade. I know you can take it.”

Adrian met Gaius’ eyes, which was filled with assurance and pride. He held onto his Maker as the burning pain faded away to a comfortable warmth. Gaius pulled the amulet away, and on Adrian’s skin was a red burn in the shape of Gaius’ brand.

Gaius held out his wrist. “Draw my blood, Adrian,” was his command.

After a moment’s hesitation, Adrian gingerly took Gaius’ wrist and sank his teeth into the tender flesh. Gaius’ blood filled Adrian’s mouth and stained the white sheets as Adrian cut Gaius’ skin open with his teeth. Adrian let out an involuntary moan as he tasted Gaius’ blood. His Maker’s blood was invigorating. It was the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted, and it felt like torture when he pulled away. He swallowed the blood and and pretended to not notice how Gaius’ eyes flitted to his lips as Adrian licked it clean.

Gaius pressed his bleeding wrist against Adrian’s sleeve. The burn glowed orange as Gaius’ blood infused with Adrian’s, the two of them becoming one in the younger. The skin knit itself together and twisted into the image of Gaius’ brand, now permanently etched onto the place where their skin burned as one and their blood bound together.

They met each other’s eyes, the atmosphere undeniably charged between them. Gaius cupped Adrian’s face and pressed his lips against the younger’s. Adrian, for the life of him, couldn’t help but reciprocate in kind. He wrapped an arm around Gaius’ torso and threaded another hand in his hair. Just like his blood, kissing Gaius was intoxicating; he kissed like he wanted to devour Adrian whole. It was as searing as his bright blue fire, as searing as him.

Adrian was breathless by the time Gaius pulled away. Gaius took his cheek in one hand and kissed the other.

“Welcome, my dear.”

—

Adrian woke up alone that evening, the other side of his bed cold. Mixed feelings rose within him—disgust, relief, shame. It had only been weeks since Eleanor passed, and here he was, his heart still alive and beating and his lips kissing someone else, another man no less. What was worse was that he enjoyed it. It was a relief, to have been so close to someone else again, after days of being alone, just as much as it was Gaius leaving him alone.

His despair at being left alone again had almost settled in when Adrian noticed a new set of clothes sat on his dresser. With it was a short note written in what was Gaius’ script:

Get dressed. We leave at midnight.

Adrian had almost gotten himself accustomed to the silence and isolation from his Maker that this filled him with surprise, and, curse his damned heart, hope. Two nights in a row together, after almost two weeks of seclusion? It was almost too good to be true.

Bring your sword.

Memories of last night rose to Adrian’s mind. Gaius had always said that Adrian had a special place in his court, his plans of the world he was to create. Adrian was to be his prince. His soldier.

His executioner.

Adrian then felt all too aware of Gaius’ brand on the rounded contour of his shoulder. Shirtless, he faced the mirror and ran a finger on the brand, tracing the crescent moon mark. He then absently lifted a hand to his lips, remembering the way Gaius kissed him. He was Gaius’ now, his body permanently marked by Gaius, and his heart pumping blood infused with his Maker’s.

He banished these thoughts and dressed himself. Gaius needed him tonight. Gaius Turned him, needed him, wanted him by his side. Adrian owed it to him to try.

Adrian watched as the moon climbed into the sky. At her peak at midnight, the doors of the manor pushed open and Adrian found himself once again looking into the eyes of his Maker.

Gaius greeted him with a smile. His Maker said: “I’m glad to see you well and ready, my dear.”

“I assume wherever we are going tonight is important?”

Gaius raised an amused eyebrow at him. “Impatient, my prince?” he teased. Gaius placed his hand on Adrian’s arm, right where his brand was. Adrian swore he could feel it burn. “But yes indeed. My plans are almost complete. There only remains one final kink that needs straightened, one that I need you for.”

“What do you want me to do?” asked Adrian.

Gaius caressed Adrian’s face, with a touch ever so soft, and said: “You will kill my soldier.”

—

Adrian stood in the shadows of a lavish underground temple. It was cavernous, lit only by candle, with statues and art decorating its halls. At the end of the hall was a throne, in front of it an altar, and on the wall behind it a stone mural of a woman. The First Vampire, Gaius’ goddess, if Adrian had to guess.

Adrian tore his gaze away from the mural. He wasn’t alone. In the temple was a beautiful brown-skinned woman with long, straight hair. She wore a fine red dress and carried with her an aura of pure power. With her was a boy with long and curly strawberry blond hair, dressed in aristocratic garments. He couldn’t have been older than thirteen, but Adrian guessed he was probably older than Adrian himself.

Adrian’s sword weighed heavy in his hand. A mix of fear and anticipation churned through Adrian at what was to come.

“Your—Your soldier?” Adrian asked in disbelief. “You would—would have me kill myself?”

“Not you, my dear,” reassured Gaius. “But a beast like us, with the name Banner Westbrook. A knight I Turned across the ocean, in Europe. A loyal soldier he was, until he strayed too far from me, too close to colonists. He is of my blood, as you are, and I have observed him closely. I know that tonight he will leave me. He will turn his heel and refuse to bend the knee. He will refuse to see me as his King, just as the colonists reject theirs.

“He will be my soldier no more. Tonight, you will take your sword, and you will end him. You will be my soldier.”

The sound of opening of the slab at the end of the room jolted Adrian out of his thoughts. A man in knight’s armor entered the temple. Blood dripped down his chin as he staggered and approached the others.

Was that the beast Gaius referred to? The man who stood in Adrian’s rightful place?

Adrian watched as the woman in red glared at the man. “You are late,” she said as she gave the man a cold gaze. “Where were you?”

“I was hungry,” he said as he wiped the blood off his lips. The two of them traded looks of disdain. “Gaius did not even tell us why we had to come here, and I notice he is not here either. Why should I be punctual if he does not extend to us the same courtesy?”

That was him, then. Banner Westbrook, Gaius’ traitorous soldier. Adrian’s task.

The woman rolled her eyes. “I am sure he has his reasons.”

“Oh, and what would those be?” Banner sneered. “I would love to hear them.”

“That is his business, not ours.”

“Ah yes, Kamilah, always so eager to leap at your King’s defense,” said Banner. He threw the word king as if it was an insult.

“And you are always looking to find fault with his decisions!” Kamilah’s voice rose.

The boy stood between them. “You are both acting ridiculous,” he said, with an evident French accent. “Can you spend one moment not at each other’s throats?”

Banner turned to the boy. “This does not involve you—”

A familiar laugh rang throughout the temple. Banner’s words were cut short at the sound, and all of their eyes turned toward the top of the stairs. Gaius descended slowly. He walked with an air of grace as he smirked and surveyed the others.

“Children, children,” their Maker said. “Why do you fight? I come bearing great news.”

“News of what?” asked Banner.

“I come from Yorktown. The war is over,” said Gaius. The others turned to him in disbelief. “The British have surrendered. The colonists have won.” A moment, then he added with a self-satisfied smile: “With a little special assistance, of course.”

Gaius continued: “We rejoice. This land is ours for the taking.”

This was met with mixed reactions from the three. The boy was overjoyed with the promise of celebration, Banner with disappointment at the cessation of violence, and the woman Kamilah asked: “What does all of this mean for us?”

Adrian watched as Gaius strolled over to Kamilah and brushed a strand of hair from her face. He tucked behind her ear and looked at her with something no less than adoration. “Ah, Kamilah. My Queen. Ever so practical, my love,” he said. “I have struck an accord with the leaders of this great new nation.”

Gaius then walked over to the man he tasked Adrian to kill. He clapped Banner on the back, his hand lingering for a moment. Adrian winced as he watched Gaius treat Banner with such familiarity.

“In exchange for our services during the war, they have permitted us to live here secretly, in the colony of New York. They will not hunt us. They will not police us. So long as we remain within the state, we may live as we wish. Forever,” said Gaius. “They know what we are capable of. I do not imagine they would dream of a betrayal.

“We shall be able to feed and thrive as we please, allowed to flourish under the cover of darkness. We shall be our own free nation, a kingdom of vampires, ruling over the night.”

This was met with joy and excitement from the boy and Kamilah. Banner, as Adrian anticipated, felt different.

“A kingdom?” Banner asked dryly. He then leveled a scorful look at Gaius. “I thought we were fighting to free ourselves from a king.”

Gaius took a step forward and gave Banner a predatory smile, one with a just a little too much teeth. He put a hand on Banner’s shoulder. Adrian knew he was dead.

“Our kind needs the rule of a strong first,” said Gaius.

“Spoken like a man who plans to try his hand at tyranny,” said Banner.

“Careful, Banner. You exist because of my mercy. I gifted you my blood, with Turned you into the god that you are,” said Gaius, his voice level. “As any creation before his maker, it is not too much to ask that you bend the knee.”

Banner pulled away from Gaius, rage written all across his face. “You promised us freedom. Freedom for all of us, not just for you!”

Gaius opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Banner: “No! I am sick and tired of your scheming. I refuse to listen to another word. I vowed to never again bow to anyone. Not to a mortal king. And not to you. We fought for our freedom, and I am taking mine!”

Banner turned his heel to leave. Kamilah took to a step toward him, and urged him to rethink. But the soldier’s mind was decided: he was leaving them. He was leaving Gaius.

A fool’s errand. It was painful for Adrian to watch. No matter how much Banner would resist, or how Gaius would try to make him see, Banner’s fate was already signed. Gaius was only prolonging the inevitable.

“I made you, Banner. I dragged you from the mud where you lay dying and from my blood gave you life. I made you the glorious beast that you are now,” said their Maker. Anger seeped into his face now. “Would you really turn your back on me?”

“I am not a beast,” spat Banner. “I am a man. And I will live and die free.”

Adrian almost admired him. Almost.

Adrian watched as Banner headed for the door. His grip on the hilt of sword tightened and he readied himself. He was tasked to kill Banner. He needed to kill Banner, else that Gaius see Adrian’s failure and look for someone else. Adrian poised himself to strike, to reveal himself, and—

Gaius raised his hand up and Banner froze in place, as though held by invisible strings. Both the boy and Banner cried out in shock; even Adrian is taken aback by the display. Only Kamilah remained unmoved, her face morphing into one of expected resignation.

Banner struggled against the invisible bonds, his body writhing but unable to move. A blue flame started to glow in Gaius’ hand, bathing their Maker in an eerie and menacing blue light.

“H-How are you doing this?” Banner choked out. A loud crack reverberated across the room as his torso bent unnaturally.

“I have power beyond your conception. My blood runs in your veins. My blood grants you strength. You are a child. I am part of you. I made you ,” said Gaius. His eyes glowed red. All traces of his calm demeanor was gone, replaced with a look of disdain and disgust for his treacherous soldier. “And what I giveth, I can taketh way.”

Gaius clenched his fist. Banner screamed as humerus pierced through the skin of his right arm. He hovered above the ground as his feet twisted backwards. His talluses jutted out and he let out a howl of pain. His blood stained the temple floor as Gaius continued to puppet his body. Their Maker twisted Banner’s limbs in different directions, cracked the bones of his ribs and his shoulders, all with a turn of his wrist.

It was then that Adrian became all too aware of the blood in his veins. Not just his blood, but Gaius’. Gaius was in him, infused in the very substance that kept him alive , and the brand on his arm only further strengthened Gaius’ hold on him.

Banner was wrong. They were not men, who could live and die free. They were beasts, bound by body and blood to a capricious Maker.

“You need me, Gaius,” Banner gritted. One last attempt to grovel back into his Maker’s good graces, but futile all the same. “I’m your soldier…”

“I was in your place once. I still am. I was and am the soldier of the First, loyal and unflinching for Her. I have enacted Her will for thousands of years,” said Gaius. “So what a truly pathetic and mutinous soldier you are, so quick to change your mind at the slightest threat that came your way.”

Gaius continued: “I will say, you are correct. I need a soldier, but it will not be you. I do not need a soldier as unfaithful as you.”

Adrian’s mouth felt dry. He prayed to whatever deity there was to give him the strength to fulfill his task ahead, to be kind of soldier his Maker was and needed, even if the thought of it scared him to death.

“So…it all comes to this?” Banner gasped out. “You are going to kill me?”

Gaius’ eyes met Adrian’s. Adrian gripped his sword, the same cavalry sword he used in the war. All eyes turned to him as he stepped out of the shadows, but he kept his gaze steady at his Maker, as if he were the only one in the room.

“I await your command,” said Adrian, like a loyal soldier, an executioner.

Gaius’ red eyes glimmered with sadistic glee. His fangs extended past his lips as he gave Adrian a proud smile. With an encouraging nod, his Maker commanded: “Do it.”

Banner’s protests were cut off as Adrian steeled himself, spun, and slashed his sword through his neck. It all happened in a blur. Banner’s body crumbled into ash before his head could even reach the floor. His clothes fell in a heap onto the floor, that and a few bloodstains being the only evidence that the fallen soldier had ever existed.

Adrian’s gaze turned from the clothes on the floor to Gaius, who gave him a smile prouder than ever before. Adrian internally preened at the silent praise. That was all he wanted at the moment—to be good, to be good for Gaius, for his Maker. The boy’s shock and Kamilah’s reaction at Banner’s execution hardly registered in Adrian’s ears.

Finally, Kamilah asked: “Who is this?”

With eyes that didn’t leave Adrian’s, Gaius said: “The newest member of our covenant. Adrian Raines.”

Adrian strode to Gaius, not paying heed to Kamilah and the boy. He dropped to his knee. Gaius layed one hand on his shoulder, and extended the other. Adrian eagerly took the latter, leaned forward, and kissed his ring.

He had done it—there was no going back now.

“My king,” said Adrian.

“Rise, my dear.”

Adrian stood to his full height, but kept his eyes on the floor. Gaius took his chin and raised it to meet his eye. “Do not hide yourself from me,” he said. His Maker then pressed a chaste kiss on the side of his lips, with Kamilah and the boy as witnesses. “You are my beautiful, warrior prince, in whom I am well pleased.”

—

some notes because i think they're fun and i like sharing things:

1. bloodbound's timeline is weird and inconsistent and fucks me up. adrian is turned in 1781 around christmas. in a tapestry scene, gaius mentions "coming straight from yorktown" which implies he took part in the 1781 siege of yorktown, a decisive battle in the american revolutionary war which took place in october. the two month disparity is weird to me, because why would he wait so long to announce it to the others? also he was in virginia while adrian was turned in new york. so i tried to reconcile that and the fact that gaius had isolating adrian in a manor alone in bb: origins by making it around two weeks after adrian was turned. gaius is a busy bitch.

2. sacramentum is latin for sacrament, which in ancient rome meant a soldier's oath of allegiance. this was eventually adopted by christianity, and now you have the sacraments. the story is meant to reference four sacraments. you get my love if you can guess them.

3. bible verses are referenced thrice. you get my love again if you caught them. i love using the bible for yaoi.

#playchoices #choices #bloodbound #gaius augustine #adrian raines #kamilah sayeed #marcel lafayette #banner westbrook #gaius x adrian #my writing #vampire yaoi be upon ye!#ive been wanting to write this since hte first bb origins chapter dropped LOLZ

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